After satiating his thirst, Solaris stood up with three cups of water floating around him. He intended to take them along as he was not sure of when he'd have another chance to drink.
As they began to walk and float again, Solaris felt a question brewing from within.
After thinking it over for a few moments, he eventually opened his mouth.
"When we fought those demons, one of them cut me, and I felt an intense bout of pure rage. not like a natural rage, something from within, but as if something else changed my mind. Do you know what it could have been?"
Ember thought for a moment and then responded.
"Nope, I haven't the faintest clue."
"helpful as ever."
Solaris muttered.
Obviously, hearing him, Ember shot him a glance.
"We got nothing but time, so let's theorize."
"Why not?"
After a moment, Solaris opened his mouth and began the first theory.
"Maybe it's the demon's powers, Gluttony's, maybe they can influence emotion, possibly memories too."
"Maybe, but I think it might have been you just being mad that you got stabbed."
Ember shot him a glance with a small smirk on his face, and Solaris returned it with a disdainful look.
"No, like I said, it was weird. Anyway, where were we, umm, what if the demon put some poison on it? Or if it made poison?"
Solaris theorized with a gesture of his hand.
Ember quickly added to the theory.
"What if the materials of the weapons demons use had special properties?"
"Hmmm, that's a good thought, but do you have any other proof or ways to back it up?"
Ember moved his hand to his chin, deep in thought, and then responded.
"Come to think of it, a great deal of the weapons in our armory, albeit not pure demon weapons, still had special qualities to them. For example, a strange crystal stiletto has the ability to pass all defences and strike the enemy in the flesh. In fact, now that I think about it, most of our marks have a similar set of powers. The bone-like marks I use can be rebuilt just by my willing it. And my wings are incredibly durable, like your shards.
As Ember spoke, it was as if he was having a breakthrough in real time, or as if the final piece of a puzzle was being put into place.
His usually stern face had a slight smile as Solaris looked at him in slight confusion and regret.
There was a weapon that passes through defense! damn it!
His face slowly grimacing as he thought, before replying.
"So what you're saying is the weapons the demons use, and therefore our marks have special properties? That's definitely an interesting theory. What would you think my swords' properties would be?"
Hearing the question, Ember quickly snapped out of his deep thought and answered.
"probably the amplification of rage."
His answer was rather quick and rushed, but made perfect sense. Having both dealt damage and felt the damage of a silver weapon, he did not doubt that this theory was true.
After about an hour of walking, they had come up with a substantial list of materials and their theorized abilities.
***
Solaris's stomach growled as he floated a cup of water to his lips.
"I'm really gonna need food soon."
Solaris whispered before he drank a sip.
Tilting his head back, he drank the liquid of life, and as he did, Ember spoke.
"Looks like it's your lucky day."
Solaris's eyes lit up for a split second as the sharp cup moved away from his face.
Looking forward, he saw something that usually would've made his skin crawl, but at this moment, he had one thought.
I'm gonna eat that!
It was a strange creature, one that looked nothing like the ones back home but was strangely familiar at the same time.
Its body had a thick carapace with a shiny brown luster; its body stood upon six insect-like legs, each as thick as Solaris's torso. Its terrible head resembled an ant, with two large pincers, its four eyes resembled a human's, yet the pupils are slit and red.
Solaris was momentarily shocked by the creature's sudden appearance, as its massive size would make it almost impossible not to see, yet seemingly, he had missed it.
That was, of course, until the creature disappeared.
With a puff of the grey soil, the creature moved, completely unseen by the two travelers. Solaris' eyes shot open as he commanded the shards to raise him higher above the ground.
He was not sure if the giant insect was just fast or was invisible; maybe it was a mix, he couldn't be certain at this moment.
Looking down, Ember held his ground, a mace made of black bone in his hands, his body emanating a soft, radiant glow. His head turned, and with a violent downward strike of his mace, a loud crack seeped its way into Solaris's ears. As his eyes followed the mace's shaft down to the head, he saw as the terrible creature slowly was uncloaked, its head caved in by the mace, its blood poured across the grey land, painting a grisly visage.
"Sol, get your scared little ass down here, I got you something to eat."
A disturbed look flashed across Solaris's face as he floated down, yet it was gone once he reached the ground.
After three days, he now had something to eat.