Story A Maiden's Revolution

[GojiBean]

(This story is meant to be read using the Dark theme for this website as some dialogue colors may be too bright for the Light theme.)​

Squish... Squish...

"Eugh... Gross."

"Show some respect for the dead, Oscar."

"Ah, so-RRYY!!"

SPLAT!!

"Tempest take me! What's wrong with you?!"

Now covered in a mixture of blood and mud, Oscar wiped his mouth with whatever was still clean on his sleeve. "Oh come on! I didn't try to slip!"

"... Ugh..." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Remind me, Oscar. Who said you had to walk through that area?"

"Oh, no. Don't you try that crap with me right now Xander." He grumbled as he stumbled to his feet.

"Hey, guys? Maybe we shouldn't be this loud?"

"Well, if some people would just let this go already then-"

"Enough!" She growled in a harsh whisper. "Mari's right. We're being too loud."

Xander sighed. "Sorry Gloria."

"It's fine. But let's focus. We need to salvage whatever we can before their forces come back."

"On it." "Yeah." "Yes, ma'am!... Oops... Sorry." Mari whispered after accidentally shouting her affirmation.

The four of them proceeded to carefully trudge through the disgustingly blood soaked field collecting armor, weapons, and any supplies which had survived the carnage and loading it all into a nearby horse drawn cart which was already close to capacity.

"Shit. We can't hold any more."

"Oh, come on Xander. Sure we can. Watch this." Oscar beamed as he set to work shuffling numerous items in the cart.

"Be careful, Oscar."

"Nah, I got this. Just watch."

"We've heard that one before."

"Shove it, Xander. Just a few more little adjustments, and... There." Oscar stepped away from the cart and held his arm out like a hand model. "Plenty more room!"

". . . The stack's the same height as before, Oscar."

"Maybe. But now we've got a few little pockets between some of the big stuff to hold more little stuff."

"Gods above. Why do I bother?"

"Oh, come on Xander. You bother because we need every last little thing we can carry, right? I mean, we can't leave anything for Egruus or his men or they'll use it all against us next time too!"

"Pipe down, everyone." Gloria said as she returned to the cart with her arms full of weapons.

"Fuck, Gloria! Here, give me some of those." "Yeah, me too. And why are you carrying blades like that?!"

"I said pipe down, dammit!" She whispered on a growl. "Listen."

Far in the distance echoed the sound of a war horn.

"Fuck, that's close."

"This is the last of what we can take. Let's get it loaded and get out of here."

"I'll get the horse ready."

"Good. Load them up, boys."

"What about the bodies? We can't le-"

"We don't have time to collect or burn them properly."

"... So we leave them to be desecrated?"

"Hey! That's not what she said, and that's not what we're doing!"

"We'd bring them home if we had time, Xander. But we don't. Load the weapons and let's go."

"Dammit." Xander growled under his breath.

With the last of the weapons loaded the four of them hopped in the cart's seating area and Mari flicked the reins, urging the horses on down the West road and away from the bloody mess behind them.

"Gloria?"

Gloria's eyes slid up to meet Mari's as she looked back over her shoulder from the driver's seat.

"What do we do now?"

Gloria sighed deeply. "When we get home I'm going to file my report."

"And does the ol' bastard get to yell at you for this?"

"Probably."

"Fuck that guy."

"Like him or not, he's second in command, Xander."

"Yeah. But he's not here. So fuck him."

Gloria pinched the bridge of her nose and slowly shook her head.

"I know I'm not the only one who feels that way, here."

"Well, yeah, but... He's still our second leader, you know?"

"Fuck him. We've got one leader as far as I'm concerned." He replied while looking to Gloria.

"I agree." Oscar beamed while giving Gloria a few pats on the back.

"Children. I'm surrounded by children."

"Oh come on. You're only 4 months older than me."

"And easily ten times more mature."

"Oh shove it."

Gloria chuckled, as did Mari.

"You boys just never stop, do you?"

"We would if Oscar would say something intelligent for once."

"Hey, hey. Xander, look at me a sec."

Xander's eyes met Oscars, who promptly held his right fist with his left hand mimicking a crank motion. "You. Can. Shove. It. Right. Up. Your. Ass. Pal." With each crank matching the words spoken, his middle finger rose slightly more until it was fully out.

"Shove what?"

"Whatever you're thinking of."

"So, your lack of intellect. How do I shove something intangible up my ass?"

"Get creative."

Both Gloria and Mari couldn't stop giggling and stifling full-blown laughter as the boys continued their bickering well into the late afternoon. And as the sun began to set the group pulled off the main road and into the forest beside it on the North side before setting up camp.

"Bbbbbrrr... It's cold tonight."

"Need an extra blanket?"

"You know we don't have anything to offer like that, right?"

"Sure we do!" Oscar said as he took off his shirt and tossed it to Mari.

"W-wait Oscar! No way! You'll freeze to death!"

"Ah, it's not that cold. I'll be fine."

"Tell that to your lip." Gloria said as she reached over and flicked his lower lip which was beginning to tremble.

"Eh, it's cool."

"If you get sick, I'm not coddling you."

"You don't anyway."

"Duh."

"'Ey. Shut up."

"All right, you two. Enough. Funny as your bickering can be, I can only handle so much of it."

"Psh. You always say that."

"And I always mean it."

"Is that why you always bark at us about it and then do nothing to follow up?"

"Yeah. I don't think I can recall a single time you actually did anything other than complain for a minute or two."

Gloria shook her head with a smirk.

"Aww. You two can agree on some things."

"Only when Oscar's stupidity isn't in the way."

Oscar raised a hand as if to speak, but dropped it and sighed while waving off the remark.

"Wait... Did you just ignore an insult?"

"Shut it."

"Gods above, it's the apocalypse."

Mari giggled.

"Don't joke about that, Xander." Gloria growled quietly.

Everyone went silent.

"Don't forget. For most of Veilbrand, it already is the apocalypse."

Xander's eyelids became heavy as he looked down slowly with a nod of his head.

"Yeah... Sorry."

"It's fine. Just don't do it again."

He nodded, and Mari gave him a pat on the back.

"It won't last forever. Right?"

Gloria shook her head.

"No, it won't."

Mari smiled, and Gloria brought her hands up, fingertips together, and closed her eyes.

"What're you thinking?"

Her eyes opened.

"... I think we need help."

"We've tried. Everyone's too scared to join us."

"The people of Veilbrand are too scared. But I doubt everyone in Cre' Est is too scared."

"Maybe. But the issue there is that they've no reason to give a damn about the Revolution or what we're going through."

"You don't know that, Xander. There's no way that they-"

"I've been to Cre' Est, Mari. Remember? And everywhere I went everyone was so content with their lives I knew asking any of them to join would be a waste of time. I tried anything, and lo and behold I was right. Everyone brushed me off and said the Revolution will handle it. And I asked hundreds of people. Hundreds."

"Well, but-"

"Cre' Est doesn't care, Mari."

"Not all of them. But I have a feeling there's one who will."

"And who's this magical person I failed to find last time I went?"

"Use that brain you're so proud of, Xander."

"Yeah, mister big brain. Who does she mean?"

"Like you know, Oscar."

"Actually, I do. And I didn't even need to ask her."

"Then please, O enlightened one. Tell me."

"Nope! Guess."

Xander cursed under his breath before considering who he hadn't asked and who might be willing to lend them an ear, if not potentially join them. And after almost an entire minute of thinking, he shook his head.

"No idea."

Gloria's eyes closed and her fingers interlaced. "Think, Xander. Who in Cre' Est has a reputation for being the most kind hearted and empathetic human being ali-"

"You're shitting me. You want the Angel's help?"

Gloria's eyes opened and her lips curled in a smile.

"Yes."

"Okay, Gloria, no disrespect intended. But how is she any different than the rest of them? She could be a real angel with a halo and wings for all I care. She's got an entire Apothecary and Clinic to run, staff to pay, and a community that loves her. Why would she give that up and come to the Hell hole that Veilbrand has become to help us?"

"Call it faith."

"... Faith... Are you fucking kidding me? You think she'll join us because you have faith?"

"Yes."

"Gloria. Be serious, here."

"I am, Xander. I have faith that the Angel of Cre' Est will help us. Call it faith. Call it woman's intuition. Call it instinct. Call it whatever you want. I'm all but certain that if there's one person alive outside of Veilbrand who will help us, it's her."

Xander shook his head, and Mari gently tugged on his sleeve.

"Why don't you think she'll help?"

"Did you not listen to anything I just said?"

"I did. But I don't believe you."

"What?"

"I don't believe what you said earlier about her being a real angel and you still not caring."

"Me either."

Gloria reached out and slapped Oscar on his right pec, prompting him to grab his chest and look at her incredulously.

"Care to explain why you don't believe me?"

"You're a bad liar. That's why."

"That doesn't explain anything."

"Well, I can always tell when you're lying. Don't know how. But I can. And you were lying when you said that stuff earlier."

"Prove it."

"You just did."

"How?"

"You're trying to get us to prove you wrong."

"And that explains..."

"That there's a part of you that hopes the Angel is going to help us no matter how much you say that you think she won't."

Gloria smirked.

"That made no sense, Mari."

"Made sense to me."

"Me too." Oscar said, giving Mari a thumb's up.

Mari smiled happily and giggled as Xander shook his head and put his chin in his hand while huffing a sigh.

"Whatever."

Gloria looked up at the crescent moon over their heads.

"Once we return the supplies to base, we're going to Cre' Est. So when we get back let the others offload it all. Pack your bags, and be ready to leave immediately. Got it?"

"Yep!"

"Sure."

"Yes ma'am!"

 

[GojiBean]

When you think of "home," what comes to mind?... A house? A good floor, walls, a ceiling and all that? A comfortable bed to sleep at night. Carpeted floors to keep your toes warm on colder days. A table to eat your meals on. A nice chair that doesn't creak. Clear windows to see the world go by outside.

...

I knew what that was like once, too. But now, "home" has a different meaning...

The old door lacking one too many seals in the cracks jerked open as a tall, lanky middle-aged man stormed out and stomped down the hall. Gloria remained inside facing the desk, one hand on the edge with her head dipped slightly as her deep emerald eyes hid behind a gently swaying golden waterfall. Her lower lip was pulled back slightly, exposing the base of her upper row of teeth. And her left hand at her side clenched into a fist with the leather of her gloves groaning the more tightly she squeezed. Had the leather not sheltered the flesh of her palm, the floor would be kissed with red.

"Looks like Oscar called it." Xander said as he leaned in the open doorway with arms crossed.

Gloria lifted her head and let out a soft breath through her nose.

"Are you packed?"

"We're ready to leave when you are... Did he-"

"We're leaving."

Gloria quickly marched past him and tilted her face to the right slightly as she did so. Xander's jaw flexed as he huffed and followed two paces behind her.

In the poorly lit halls, and having to dodge the occasional hunk of debris and rotten wood fallen from the decrepit ceilings, Xander struggled to keep pace.

"Gloria. Did he-"

"Is the cart ready? We're going to need space for her belongings when we come back."

"Yes. It's ready. But will you sto-"

Gloria paused mid-stride and turned towards him, again keeping her body bladed to him.

"I need to change. Be ready for me at the cart."

"He hit you, didn't he?"

"... Just be ready for me."

With that, Gloria opened a door behind her and stepped into her quarters. The door slid gently shut, and the lock clicked with her footsteps fading as she retreated further into the room. Xander sighed and clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked.

"I'll kill him. One of these days, I'll kill him." He growled under his breath as he disappeared down the hall.

Within her room, Gloria approached the window and cracked the blinds. The moon was still a beautiful crescent shape. And even against the sting of her reddened right cheek, she couldn't help but smile.

"One day... One day soon." She muttered, letting the blinds close.

Meanwhile...

"Hey Xander!"

His grim scowl as he walked through the dirt and grass to hop into the cart was her only reply.

"That good, huh?"

"One day." He snarled with a thumb across the throat gesture.

"Aw, shit. Again?"

"It's gotten worse, then." Mari said weakly.

"I still don't get why she tolerates that shit."

"Politics."

"Man, fuck politics!"

"Oscar! Keep your voice down!" Mari urged with a gesture of her hand and arm lowering towards the ground.

"Fuck this!" He forced through clenched teeth.

"Save it till we're on the road."

"Hey! I saw her in the window up there."

The group turned their attention to the front door of the run down building which served as the Revolution Headquarters. With its old moss-covered stone walls and the rotten shingled roof which seemed to have weathered a thousand storms with no maintenance since ancient times, it stood as a beacon for the Revolution in this sector of Veilbrand. And out of the front door emerged Gloria, the Maiden of Revolution. Its leader. Its guiding light. Its angel here to deliver them from the devil that is Egruus To' Veilbrand. And with the moon overhead the pink in her right cheek stood apart from her otherwise pale skin, further offset by the softly shimmering emerald green orbs of her eyes as she approached.

Donning a fresh change of clothing with a new set of leather armor over her chest and upper back, she held a walking stick in her left hand and a fan in her right. Her black leather boots stopped just shy of her knees, bordered by the beige blouse beneath the armor which hung down low like a dress around her legs.

"Lookin' good, Glo." Oscar said, forcing a smile.

"I know. Now let's go."

They climbed into the cart and Mari flicked the reins to kick the horse into gear as they set their sights on the North Road through Veilbrand and towards their neighboring nation of Cre' Est.

"It'll be at least two weeks before we get to Valkyom to see her. So let's be sure to conserve what supplies we know we'll need for the return trip and restock everything perishable along the way."

"You got it. But hey, Glo? Did Shor-"

Gloria shot Oscar a harsh glare, immediately silencing him.

"... We did not see eye to eye on this course of action." She said softly, despite the icy stare.

"But he's not stopping you?"

Her eyes softened, and she reset her gaze to a neutral position staring at the gap between Xander and a bag of supplies next to him. "He wants the Revolution to stay in Veilbrand."

"You're the Revolution. And you'll be back."

Gloria slowly shook her head.

"If I were to die I'd just be replaced. Shor will see to that."

"Hey, don't talk like that! The old man can-"

"Silence!!"[/SIZE]

Oscar flinched. And even Xander's eyes widened as he leaned back slightly. And Mari's face had gone pale.

"You will not speak ill of your second in command." She growled.

Reaching out and grabbing Oscar's lapel, she pulled him in close and whispered through grit teeth. "Not while we're on Veilbrand soil. Remember, his ears are everywhere."

She released his lapels, and Oscar gulped down a lump which had gathered in his throat as he nodded.

"Understood."

Gloria returned her gaze to the gap between Xander and the bag and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees.

"You said two weeks, right?"

Gloria nodded, never meeting his gaze.

"Are we expecting anything bad on the way?"

"We're on a mission to recruit someone who's presence and skills will have a profound impact on this Revolution's success moving forward... So of course, everything which can go wrong will go wrong on the way there. But I'm more worried about the way back."

"Why?"

"Because we'll be bringing back an angel, silly. We're carrying precious cargo."

Gloria nodded. "We can't let so much as a single hair on her head be compromised. So on the way back you three will all protect her with your life as you would mine. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Yes ma'am!"

"No promises."

"... Xander-"

"If it's a choice between saving her or saving you, I'm picking you. End of story."

Gloria glared at him from beneath her bangs for a moment before lowering her head to hide from his gaze.

"... Just do your part to keep her safe."

"That, I can do."

Gloria nodded.

"So, how many games of scissors, rock, paper do you think we can make it through on the way?"

"Oh, Gods..."
"Oh, Gods..."

Mari laughed as both Gloria and Xander shook their heads in dismay at Oscar's suggestion as he adjusted his position and held his hands out.

"Who's first?"

"I'll play!" Mari said reaching a free hand back to start the game.

Gloria and Xander, meanwhile, maneuvered to the back of the cart to gain distance from the now warring hands of their far too joyous comrades.

 

[GojiBean]

Gloria was laying in the back of the cart with her hands over her stomach and an old coat too warm for this weather covering her face while Xander dangled his arms over the side of the mobile coffin without a lid as Mari and Oscar were still playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with each other.

"Rock... Paper... Scissors!!....... Yes! I win again!"

"You guys have been at this the entire week... Give it a rest already!"

Both Oscar and Mari looked at Xander with Mari giving him an angry glare. "We're just having fun, Xander. And there's not much else to do on the road."

"Can you take a little break then? You've been at it for three hours already. How is it fun enough to last this long?"

"The game itself doesn't have to be. It's the fact that we're playing and having fun with each other that keeps us going. Don't be jealous."

"I'm not. I'm annoyed."

"He's jealous."

Mari chuckled, and Xander flipped Oscar off.

"Hey! There's the city!"

Gloria popped up, the coat flying off her face to her lap, and she looked out at the horizon to see the city of Valkyom looming large in the distance.

"Thank the Gods."

"Ah, c'mon Gloria! The trip over wasn't that bad!"

Gloria glanced at Xander.

"You have the paperwork?"

He reached into one of the bags near his right leg and pulled out a parchment, unfurled it, and showed her the document with the sign, date, and seal stamp for the international business pass.

"Good. When we pull up to the gate have it up so they can clearly see it."

"I remember. And I'm in no mood for a repeat of history."

"Good. You two. Help me clean up these bags a little."

The three of them got to work on organizing, and within five minutes the cart looked pristine. Nary a strand of cloth out of place.

"Phew! Why do the smallest tasks seem to take the most energy?"

"Right?"

"Pipe down, you two."

"Aw, c'mon Gloria. We've got at least an hour or two before we reach the place. We can talk a little, right?"

"Turn around, Oscar."

Oscar turned around to face the direction the cart was moving and saw some sort of activity on the road ahead. It was quite a ways out, but it was obviously some kind of skirmish.

"Well, that's not good."

"Take us into the trees, Oscar."

Oscar diverted the cart from the road and into the lightly wooded area to the right and halted their progress. Everyone hopped out of the cart, Oscar tied the horse reins to a tree, and they crept forward to the edge of the tree line to observe the goings on.

"Looks like a caravan raid."

Gloria nodded.

"Should we help?"

"We can't."

"Why?"

"We're not equipped to take on that many." Gloria replied counting at least nine assailants.

"Plus, it's not our problem."

"Would you say that if they were Veilbrand citizens?"

"They're not."

"How do you know for sure?"

"Because nobody leaves Veilbrand."

"We did."

"Yeah. And I'm still not happy about it. But we're the exception."

"Ever heard that the exception discredits the rule?"

"Proves the rule, Oscar. The exception proves the rule. Now hush."

Oscar shook his head with a grumble and crouched down a bit more. For almost ten minutes they observed the chaos calm, still, and then the assailants departed leaving the small caravan of three horse drawn carts out on the road. Gloria leaned forward for a moment, but then leaned back and glanced to Xander.

"Do you think they're still around?"

"I would be."

She nodded.

"So what do we do now?"

"Let's wait for now. Xander, how long would you guard your prize?"

"Depends on how close my hideout is."

"Fuck.

"So this could be hours, then?"

"Maybe even days. And we can't wait that long. We're going to have to detour to through this forested area. And with any luck they won't be watching that side of the road once we clear the trees out there."

"I'm locked and loaded if they are," Xander added, patting the pistol in its holster at his right hip.

"Mm." Gloria felt the pistol under her dress on her own right thigh as well and nodded. "Oscar, back in the driver's seat. And try to keep the horses clear of the more open spaces. The denser the trees and brush we can squeeze through, the better."

"Got it."

Everyone hopped into the cart and Oscar clicked his tongue to get the horses moving again. Everyone stayed low in the cart to reduce their profile if anyone saw them through the trees. And though they encountered a little resistance from the trees and brush in their path they managed to push through and Oscar paused the cart at the tree line looking out at the road which would lead North to Valkyom.

"Slowly edge out and follow the trees parallel to the road for now. When the trees end up there, turn towards the road. We'll keep our eyes on the caravan spot and let you know if you need to push them to a run."

"Gotcha." He clicked his tongue again and led the horses out into the open, turning them almost immediately to keep the trees line just a few feet away from the cart on the right side. With the road now parallel to them on the left, they continued on for several minutes until reaching the end of the trees which gave way to open rolling plains and grasslands. Oscar turned the cart North towards the road and everyone continued to stay low with only the tops of their heads sticking out to watch the caravan's location for any signs of trouble. Thankfully they didn't spy any unusual activity by the time the horses hooves touched the dirt.

Everyone slowly sat up and Oscar gave the reins a flick to put the horses in a trot.

"With any luck we're clear. Xander. You think they'd follow us closer to the city?"

"I doubt it. Too high a chance they'll be seen by guards at the gates who can call for a hunting party. Then they'd lose their prize back there on top of being chased back into hiding."

"I'll take it."

"Phew...... I'm glad we're almost done."

"We've barely even started, Mari. We still have to find her, convince her to join, and then keep her alive on the road back."

"Well we've been pretty good so far on that front as far as getting here. You think things'll be different on the way home?"

"The Gods hate Veilbrand and its people, Xander. Of course it'll be different on the way back."

"Well, here's hoping you're wrong on that."

"Believe me. Nobody's praying that I'm wrong more than I am. But I've never trusted the Gods before, and that caution has always worked out for me. I don't expect it to be different here."

"Ditto. The Gods can suck my-"

"Xander! Don't insult the Gods!"

"What Gods? I'm just saying it to be spiteful. But there's no Gods up there, or anywhere. If there were, Veilbrand wouldn't be in the situation it's in."

"You don't know that! Maybe-"

"This isn't the time for a debate on faith! Everyone just... Hush... Let's conserve some energy for finding the doctor. I've no idea where her clinic is, so we need to be alert to every sign we pass. Oscar, be ready to use your charms to talk to anyone you can for information on her whereabouts as well. Got it?"

"Sure thing, boss."

Everyone quieted down, and the cart drew closer and closer to the gates of Valkyom. At long last, they'd reached the halfway point, physically, in their journey. And now the question was whether or not they could follow through.

 

[GojiBean]

"You've gotta be shitting me!!"

"Hey! Quiet down!" Oscar barked in hushed raged.

"Whining isn't going to help, Xander. Calm down."

"How are we supposed to find her when they won't let us through the fucking gates?!"

"Yeah. We showed them the paperwork and everything."

"No helping it. Besides, we don't need the gates."

"Yeah. We don't-wait, what?"

"Xander. How would you get into a place like this in Veilbrand?"

"This isn't Veilbgrand."

"Humor me."

"Fucked Gods above... I'd look for a breach of some kind. Or a sewer entrance."

"Ew."

"Hey, do what ya have to right?"

"Let's take a walk."

Despite Xander's continued protests the group moved the cart around the perimeter of the twenty foot wall surrounding the city of Valkyom. Despite its age of over 100 years, it was pristine. At least from a structural standpoint. There were plenty of small cracks and imperfections, sure. But the wall itself as a whole stood tall, proud, and undaunted by the elements or any would-be invaders for the last century.

"No offense Gloria, but this is dumb. There won't be an opening in this place."

"Was there an opening at Fort Centre?"

"We used a cannon for that. Do you see any canons out here?"

"Not the point."

"Yeah. We don't need to blast a hole. We can make a way up, maybe."

"With what?"

"Well we've got rope. Maybe we could make a ladder or something out of tree branches."

"Keep it down, you too. And stay close."

"You know something we don't?"

"A lot of things. Now pipe down."

Oscar gave Xander a knowing smirk and was immediately flipped off and shoulder bumped as Xander walked by. Continuing to follow Gloria around the perimeter for the better part of two entire hours the mental exhaustion began to seep through as Xander and Oscar nearly came to blows on more than one occasion and had to be reined in by Gloria. And even Mari raised her voice once or twice in protest of the tension the boys were sharing with one another. In the end Xander was forced to walk five steps behind Mari in the back of the group while Oscar stayed up front with Gloria.

The sun was now almost directly overhead and beating down on their heads and necks before Oscar removed his shirt and wrapped it around his forehead like a bandana.

"Should we just try talking to them again, Glo?"

No reply.

He groaned in response and looked around the countryside to try and distract himself from the same-same look of the wall on their left side as they continued marching. But finally, Gloria paused and stared at one section of the wall in particular. There were numerous oddly shaped cracks in it. And they came in intervals that were a little too clean and close together.

"Are those blade cuts?"

"Looks like it."

"So, someone took out a couple swords and went poke, poke into the wall to climb it eh?"

Gloria approached the wall and felt one of the lower cracks before giving a nod over her shoulder.

"But that would destroy the blade after a few times, right? I mean, there are some good and strong blades out there. But this would dull even the best tempered steel after maybe eight or ten whacks. There's no way they'd climb the whole wall with that."

Each cut was as clean as the last. And Gloria immediately swallowed a lump in her throat as she walked to the cart, pulled out the rope, wrapped it around herself, and grabbed a pair of knives from a secret compartment in the cart just below the driver's seat.

"Goin' up eh?"

"Be ready to anchor the rope."

"You got it, boss."

Gloria carefully reached up with the first knife to slide it into the slot created by whomever had punched these holes previously, and slowly hoisted herself up to slide the next knife into the next slot. Right, left, right, left, she shimmied her way up the wall before remembering something... Her face turned pink as she glanced down and over her shoulder at the others to see six pairs of eyes on her.

"I'm wearing a skirt you morons!!"

The boys jumped and averted their eyes while Mari chuckled at them, and Gloria continued her climb.

Reaching the top and hauling herself onto the flat top she looked for a spot to secure the rope. Once finished she tossed it down to Oscar who secured it with a single small metal spike in the ground which let him wrap the rope around it. With their belongings offloaded to the ground and now being hauled up the rope Xander let the horse run free and pushed the now empty cart over to a nearby lonely tree by the road. A nice gift for anyone who'd want it.

Once all their stuff was over and everyone was inside the walls, they made their way to street level by shimmying down a nearby set of stairs which served as a fire escape for the residents of the building.

"Okay. Oscar. You're up. Use those charms of yours to find out where she is."

"On it, boss."

Oscar cleared his throat and took a deep breath, donned his best smile, and walked out into the more open streets which were alive with the hustle and bustle of a larger city the likes of which he hadn't seen this populated in a long, long time. It almost took his breath away. Wide streets, vibrant and alive with people, potted plants, well kept dirt roads with cobblestone linings near the outer edges, buildings fully in tact with untouched windows and clean paint and roof shingles. It almost brought a tear to his eyes. But he shook his head and remembered his job while the others watched and waited in an alley nearby.

"Uh, pardon me, sir!" He said in as jovial a manner as he could manage while trotting up to a middle aged man who seemed a bit lonely as he trudged down the road. "Please excuse me. I'm a traveler from out of town and I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the Angel of Cre' Est? I have a friend in desperate need of medical attention and we've been told she's the best."

"Doctor Almna, eh? Bah. That little tart's just a guppy in a pond of sharks. You want to see Doctor Driefuus. He's the best. And-" The man inched forward and pointed at Oscar's chest. "If anyone tells ya otherwise, they're either stupid or they're crazy. Got it lad?"

With that, the man stomped off.

Oscar's eyebrows went up as he took a deep breath and blew it out through puckered lips, puffing his cheeks in the process.

"That coulda gone better." He muttered. "Oh! Ma'am, pardon me!" He called while walking gingerly over to a portly woman arranging flowers near a floral adornment shop. "I hope I'm not interrupting. Could you please point me in the direction of the Angel of Cre' Est? A friend of mine needs-"

"Main Square."

"Pardon?"

"Her clinic's in the Main Square. Center of town. Can't miss it. Big ol' sign with her name on it."

"Ah. Almna, correct?"

"Yeah, that's it. Almna apothe-something and clinic."

"Many thanks, milday." He said with a bow.

"Yeah, yeah. I got flowers to clip bud."

She went back to her duties as Oscar waved to everyone in the alley to come join him. Once gathered they started walking as if it were any other ordinary day.

"So?"

"Main Square, apparently. Supposedly we 'can't miss it.' It should have a sign with her name, Almna, on it."

"Okay. Everyone keep your eyes peeled as we go just in case."

"Where's the Square?"

"She said it was the center of town."

"And which road do we follow to find it?"

"Uhh..."

Xander shook his head.

"We're not so incompetent as to not know how to find a Main Square, Xander. Just keep your eyes peeled for that sign."

It took a bit, but the group finally found its way to the main square by following the largest crowds in the streets. The thicker the crowd, the closer they drew to their destination. And as they walked up to the edge of the Square they all couldn't help but stand amazed at just how large the space was.

"We could fit almost all of the Revolution here."

"With room for tents and horses, too."

"Wow!! It's so colorful!!" Mari squeaked.

Indeed, the Main Square was bristling with colors and vibrant hues in the clothing, signage, floral decorations which seemed to be a running theme throughout the city, and even in the roofing with various shades of blue, green, red, and brown in the shingles and boards. A large fountain with a statue to the Goddess Peur'Tia at its center was in the middle of the space with numerous benches around it for relaxing in the afternoon sun. All around were small market stands for those who didn't have the means to create or run a larger business. And everywhere people were either going about their business or enjoying idle chatter with one another.

"Anyone see her sign?"

"Yep. Over there," Xander pointed to the Northeast side where a sign reading 'Almna Apothecary and Clinic..'

Gloria's eyes fell on the establishment and had to fight to keep her jaw from dropping.

"It's... So ordinary." She mused.

The Almna Apothecary and Clinic, a beacon for hope and salvation from pain and suffering throughout the nation of Cre' Est, and known across all five nations for the 'Angel' who owned and managed it, was a simple one-story building with a reddish brown arched shingled roof. It encompassed what looked to be three different rooms. A clinic space on the left which had to be larger than the exterior made it look, a central segment for the lobby, and the Apothecary on the right with all the herbs, medicines, and other things needed for Apothecary business showing through a large bay window.

"That's asking to be burgled."

"No kidding. Doesn't look like it's faced too much hardship though."

"Let's go."

The group approached the building, navigating its way through the crowds and stopping at the entry door. Mari took a deep breath and walked inside, followed by Oscar and Xander. Gloria was the last to enter and gently closed the door behind her.

Inside the lobby were clients and family members of other clients waiting to see the Doctor or to see their loved ones come out of the clinic. At the front desk was a young blonde woman with a big bright smile who waved to them.

"Greetings! How can we help you?" She chirpped.

"Hi. Is the Doctor in?"

"Yes. She's in surgery right now, though. Do you need to book an appointment?"

"We just need a consult, is all."

"Okay. Consults are booked through appointments as well, so-" she turned around a ledger, "Please sign your name in this open space here, and then please have a seat. The Doctor will be with you as soon as she can once it's your turn."

"Thanks."

"Of course!"

Gloria walked back over to the others who were already sitting and had saved a seat for her.

"So what now?"

"We wait."

And so the long wait began...

 

[GojiBean]

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

Tock...

Xander's foot tapped softly against the ground at a healthy clip while Mari fidgeted in her seat.

”Need to use the bathroom?” Oscar asked.

Mari nodded.

”Uh, miss?” He asked of the sprightly girl at the front desk. ”Which way's the bathroom?”

"Oh! Through the doors just here," she said while gesturing to the doors behind and to the right of her.

Oscar gave Mari a head nod, and she stood up and jogged over to open the door and disappeared behind it.

”And now that she's gone the Doctor's gonna walk through the door.”

”Hey! Don't jinx it, man.”

”Oscar!” Gloria whispered harshly. ”We're in a medical facility. Keep your voice down.”

"Thank you miss!" The front desk girl added.

Oscar pursed his lips as Xander gave him a sideways smirk.

”Me and you once we get home, man.”

”Fine by me.”

”Save it you two.”

Tick...

Tock...

Mari returned from the bathroom with a content and calm smile on her face as she went to it down.

”Someone feels better.” Oscar chuckled.

”I'd been holding it since noon.”

Oscar looked outside to see that the sky had changed to a wash of orange, yellow, and subtle hints of red.

”Damn. Has it been that long already?”

Tick...

Tock...

Tick...

Tock...

Several times the door to the clinic opened only to reveal a patient or one of the nurses coming to call for a new patient to enter. One of them was quite beautiful which had them wondering if perhaps she was Doctor Almna. She had long brown hair to her mid-back, a fairly tall and shapely figure with a modest bust, and a bright smile. But no. Doctor Almna was quite well known to possess large... Longer hair. And she was supposed to look the part of an Angel befitting her title as the "Angel of Cre' Est." This one was beautiful, yes. But not angelic.

The door opened time and time again drawing the group's eyes. And each time it wasn't the Doctor their apprehension grew. Xander's foot taps increased in intensity. Oscar started literally twiddling his thumbs for amusement. Mari couldn't figure out what she wanted to look at on the walls. And Gloria was memorizing the faces of every patron who walked through the entry door and every nurse and patience who went in and out of the clinic doorway.

Tick...

Tock...

The sky outside became a dark purple hue as Oscar had started nodding off with Mari and Xander holding him up. Gloria sat with eyes closed and arms crossed with one finger tapping on her forearm.

The sound of the clinic door opening had become background noise. But as Mari chanced to look up her jaw dropped. Her grip on Oscar slipped as he fell towards her and across her lap, earning a yip of surprise which caused Gloria's eyes to snap open and lock onto Oscar's falling form, and both women and Xander watched him roll to the ground off his chair rather unceremoniously with his ass in the air before falling sideways and lying on his side with a rather startled look on his face.

”Wh-snort-I'm up! I'm up! What happened?”

"Oh my." Came a creamy, silky, angelic voice.

Gloria, Oscar, and Xander all looked up... And there she was.

Bright amber eyes situated under gracefully arched eyebrows. Deep chocolate brown bangs framing her face, and a matching ponytail flowing out behind her down past her posterior. Soft, bow-shaped lips situated beneath a cute gently rounded nose. A large, ample bust softly cradled and framed by her blouse. A slender waist. Sultry round hips. A taught round posterior. And slender, ample legs which her long blue dress did little to hide despite fully covering them.

But it was the smile she wore which drew even Gloria's awe. Never in her life had she witnessed a smile that was so simple yet seemed to make her entire face appear to glow and overflow with benign energy and warmth. Couple that with her smooth, creamy voice that seemed to flow through her from a divine source yet unseen...

She is an Angel. Oscar thought as he stumbled to get to his feet.

"Are you all right, sir?"

”Oh! I, yeah! Um. I'm good. Yeah. I'm okay.”

She chuckled warmly.

”Doctor Almna?”

"Yes, ma'am. Do you have an appointment?"

”Yes.”

The Doctor gave a subtle bow of her head and walked over to the girl at the front desk. After taking and reading through the ledger, the Doctor's eyebrows went up.

"Oh, goodness. I didn't realize I was in surgery that long." The Doctor looked up to the crowd. "Clarice Gardner?"

A young woman in her early 20's stood from her chair near the entrance.

"HI Clarice. Sorry for the delay."

"Not at all, Doctor. I heard you were in surgery earlier. Did it go well?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you. Please, this way."

The Doctor led the young woman around the back of the front desk to a door on the left rear side of the room and opened it for her. Following the girl in she closed the door, and the wait resumed with Oscar's rear end clumsily finding his seat.

”Holy shit.” He whispered.

”I know. I can't believe it.”

”Didja see those-”

Gloria immediately smacked him.

”. . . How about her-”

Another smack, this time harder with a harsh expression to accompany it.

”That's really slimy, Oscar.”

”Oh come on!” He whispered forcefully. ”Can you really blame me? Any guy would oogle that gorgious-”

Gloria full on punched Oscar's shoulder, silencing him immediately save for the light wispy breath of pain he let escape his gaping maw while grabbing where she hit.

”Yes, we all saw how beautiful she is. But show some damn respect, Oscar!”

Oscar grumbled quietly while Xander kept his eyes on the door the Doctor and girl had disappeared behind.

”She was beautiful, huh?” Mari whispered to him.

No response.

”Xander?”

No response.

Mari nudged him, snapping him out of it.

”She was beautiful, wasn't she?”

”Does it matter?”

”Well... I mean... Isn't it nice to pay the compliment?”

”That's not what I'm concerned about.”

”What are you concerned about?” Mari asked with slightly puffed up cheeks.

”I wanna see what she can do, and what she has to say about why we're here.”

”Agreed. We'll have our chance.”

Tick... Tock...

Client after client the Doctor gingerly sorted through them until late into the evening. The moon was high, the skies were dark, the stars were twinkling and shimmering like a sea of diamonds, and a gentle breeze moaned just outside the open lobby window.

And at last, the Doctor said goodbye to an elderly customer who left quite happily before...

"Gloria?"

The entire group looked up at the Doctor, and Gloria stood up.

”May I request that my companions accompany me?”

"Of course. Please, come in."

The group stood and walked inside, and the door was gently closed behind them.

 

[GojiBean]

...

...

...

...

Doctor Almna sat tall, back straight, hands folded on top of her desk, and her chin subtly tilted down as silent tears rolled down her cheeks into her lap.

The group held their collected breath.

Doctor Almna sniffled while using the back of her right index finger to lift and remove the newest batch of tears. Seeing this, Mari couldn't hold back her own any longer and fought desperately to remain silent against the gasps erupting within her chest.

Gloria's foot tapped softly on the floor.

”I'm sorry Doctor. I know it's difficult listening to this kind of information all at once like this.”

Doctor Almna slowly shook her head.

"I've witnessed truly horrific injuries in the brief time I've been running my clinic, but-..." She sniffled. "But I don't think there's a physical injury in the world that could compare to any of this."

Xander subtly nodded.

”A country lives and dies by its people, Doctor. And ours is being choked to death. All for the amusement of a monster.”

"I agree."

”And what's worse is we can't do anything about it. He's either killed or hoarded all the doctors and nurses in Veilbrand just to fuck with the Revolution and deny the people any chance at help when his attack dog soldiers decide to torture them for their fun.”

”Oscar. She doesn't need to hear that part twice.”

”I-... I know. It's just... Sorry. I can't help it.”

”It's fine. I know it's hard, but please try to stay calm, okay?”

Oscar nodded.

”We're asking a lot,” Mari sniffed as she used her forearm to wipe her face.

Doctor Almna held up a hand to silence Mari who swallowed the lump in her throat. Gloria's lips tightened slightly as her chin rose by a hair. Oscar's hands clenched in fists on his thighs, and Xander's eyebrows furrowed as he crossed his arms and clenched his jaw.

And then... There was that same smile again. That warm, glowing, benign smile they'd all seen when they first saw her in the lobby.

"I'll help you."

...

Gloria's lips relaxed and parted slightly while Oscar's eyes became as wide as saucers and he leaned forward almost to the point of falling off his chair. Xander's brows relaxed and rose while his jaw began to fall slightly agape as well. Mari, meanwhile, clasped her hands over her mouth and broke down into uncontrollable sobbing.

”Doctor, you-... I-...”

For the first time in what felt like years Gloria found herself fighting back tears of her own.

”Thank you.”

Doctor Almna nodded and placed her hands in her lap.

"I need to prep my staff for my departure and say my goodbyes to my patients who are still here. How much time can you spare?"

”We were prepared to stay for days if needed to try and earn your cooperation, or at least a referral to someone who you thought could help. So, take all the time you need.”

"Thank you. I should be ready in a few hours. Where can I meet you?"

”We'll be leaving via the West Gate. And we may need you to front the documentation for leaving since they didn't accept ours to get in.”

"Sure."

Gloria stood up and gave a full bow at her waist which Oscar, Mari, and even Xander all joined in on.

”We truly can't express how grateful we are, Doctor.” She stood up straight, as did the others. ”We'll be waiting for you.”

Doctor Almna nodded, and the group began to shuffle for the door. All except Mari who walked around the desk and hugged the Doctor.

”Thank you so much, Doctor! Thank you!” She sniffled as she began to once again sob uncontrollably.

The group turned and watched in silence as the Doctor smiled warmly, closed her eyes, and embraced Mari. Doctor Almna began stroking the girl's hair and gently rocking left and right while humming a soft little tune which Gloria actually recognized as being a Cre' Itian lullaby. When Mari stopped crying she and Doctor Almna shared a smile and Doctor Almna softly placed her forehead to Mari's. Gloria felt her heart lift at seeing such a long held tradition of kindness and reassurance being gifted to Mari by someone the girl had always looked up to.

The group departed and closed the lobby door behind them. And as Oscar took his first few steps back into the streets he jumped into the air pumping his fist and screamed ”YES” at the top of his lungs.

”Oscar. Don't make a scene, please.”

”I know. It's just-...holy shit! She didn't even hesitate!”

”Have to admit I was expecting the opposite.”

”That's because you're a skeptical cynic.” Mari joked while giving him a soft punch in the arm. ”I didn't know in my head if she'd help, so I was praying the whole time. But in my heart I think I always knew she would agree. This all feels so "right," don't you think?”

”Actually, it feels too easy.”

”Oh come on! Seriously?”

”Hey. Don't forget the last few groups who said they'd help us either chickened out or betrayed us, dipshit. I don't care what her title is or what her reputation says about her. I'll believe this "help" she says she's giving us when I see it in action.”

Mari walked up and smacked the back of his head, hard. ”They all had ulterior motives for what they did. Most of which had to do with the promise of gold or winning Egruus's favor. Doctor Almna's not like them! ”

”And how would you know? You've idolized her since you first heard about her, and this is the first time you've even met. How can you be sure she doesn't have some kind of ulterior motive?”

”Enough!" Gloria shouted with a stomp of her boot. ”We've secured our objective. It's time to go home. Let's get to the West Gate and sit tight for now. And Xander,” she locked eyes with him, ”kindly let go of the skepticism just this once. Veilbrand needs any spark of hope it can get. And I won't have your trust issues jeopardizing that spark. Are we clear?”

Xander's lips tightened and he took a deep breath through his nose, giving a subtle nod.

”Good. Then let's go.”

As they meandered through the city towards the West Gate, following the main roads and asking a few kindly strangers for directions along the way, Gloria couldn't help but get the feeling that they were all being watched. Several times she glanced over her shoulder and checked the shadows of the alleys and the ledges of the rooftops along their route ahead, to the sides, and behind them. But there was nothing. Still the feeling remained until...

”Anyone feel like we're being watched?”

”Yeah. I've been getting the same feeling.”

”Same here. Someone's following us.”

”Agreed. Follow me.”

Gloria led them off the main roads and into one of the nearest alleyways. Following it, they turned right at a T juncture, then left at the next 4-way intersection, and left once again at another T intersection before coming to a dead end. ”Shit. Go back.”

Returning to the last T intersection they continued straight and then took their next left. They came to another 4-way intersection, and turned right which led them to a small open area between buildings with a decent amount of space and a well not far away. The group stood back to back and listened quietly, as well as scanned the alleys and rooftops with their eyes.

Several minutes passed... Nothing.

”Think we're just getting paranoid?”

”Not a chance.”

”When everyone feels the same thing it can't be a coincidence.”

”Maybe it's me, but I don't feel it anymore.”

Everyone took a moment to silently breathe, and collectively they all felt that it vanish.

”Maybe you're right, Oscar.”

”I mean we've lived most of our lives in a place where if you weren't being followed something is wrong. Plus we just convinced the Doctor to help us.”

”These kinds of feelings never just go away... I don't like this.”

”Agreed. But if someone was going to come at us they probably would have. Let's get back into the streets.”

The group took their first steps back towards the alley they'd come from and paused when they heard a tap on the wall around the corner up ahead. Gloria and Xander immediately reached into their bags and drew their pistols, cocked the hammers, and pointed them ahead. Another tap from the alley on the right caught Mari's ears which prompted her to don her wrist-crossbow from her pack, and a tap from the left drew Oscar's attention as he drew a dagger from his pack.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

”Chickenshit!”

Silence.

”What's wrong? Don't have the balls to face us?”

”I'll give you one chance to show yourself peacefully. If you refuse, I will pull the trigger the instant I see you step around that corner.”

A pair of hands came around the corner in a 'surrender' pose, side by side. Gloria's finger rested ready on the trigger, and everyone watched as a cloaked figure walked around the corner with a smile under his hood.

"Good day to you, milady."

Gloria's heart dropped, but she held firm her stance with the pistol aimed right between his eyes.

”What do you want?”

"I wish to bring good tidings."

”Fat fucking chance I'd believe that. Where's your friends?”

"Oh, they're already here." He said, pointing to the two alleys to either side.

Glancing left, then right, Gloria and the others noticed one man each in the two alley entrances.

”We didn't even look away for two full seconds!” Mari whispered.

"It seemed an eternity to them. I believe they're quire bored, actually."

The two on either side smirked under their hoods while nodding in agreement.

”I repeat my question.”

"And I repeat my answer. We bring good tidings, milady. Such kindness is so often not shared. Am I right?"

”Last chance to give me a straight answer.”

"That is a straight answer. While we may appear threatening we're actually here to bring good tidings. Veilbrand is sorely lacking in such kindness from strangers, isn't it?"

”I have to disagree.”

"Oh? Well, I must say that eases my mind some. We've been keeping an eye on the state of Veilbrand, and-"

”Who's 'we'?”

"My, my. I hadn't even finished my thought."

”I don't have time for this. Get to the point.”

"I was trying to do just that. My, such rudeness. Now, if I may finish my thought?"

Gloria's grip on the pistol tightened slightly.

"Thank you. We've been watching Veilbrand for some time now. And by 'we,' I mean Te'i Sai."

Gloria's stomach dropped, but she dared not show it. Oscar and Mari's faced betrayed them, and Xander's jaw set hard as he grit his teeth behind his lips.

"Veilbrand's torture of the people is quite monstrous, wouldn't you agree? Te'i Sai won't stand for this. But we can't exactly just jump in and help you. However, we can do something else for you."

”How about you keep your nose out of it?”

"Because many of our own are from Veilbrand. And we won't abandon them or their kinsmen while they suffer and struggle for breath under the heel of a dictator like Egruus To' Veilbrand."

”Then why the cloak and dagger? Why not just approach us peacefully from the start instead of hiding and playing games?”

"Now, now. You can't deny us a bit of fun here and there. You wouldn't believe how boring this life can be at times."

”Kindly fuck right off with that.”

"Now, now. No need for such language. Like I said, we just want to help. The very least we can do is see you all safely back to Veilbrand, yes?"

”No.”

Gloria pulled the trigger, and the man's hood practically exploded out the rear side into the alley and onto the walls. His body hit the ground and the other two immediately drew weapons from beneath their robes and rushed at Mari and Oscar. Mari screamed as Xander whipped his gun around and squeezed the trigger, taking the one rushing Mari out as easily as Gloria had finished the first. Oscar gracefully swished his dagger left and right to give no tells as to when or where his counterstrike would come from, and side-stepped the incoming slice while stabbing his enemy's midsection several times in a row before jamming it into and between his ribs just above his heart. The man coughed blood and began gurgling it like one gurgles salt water when they have a canker sore on their gums, and slowly slumped to the ground as Oscar cleaned and sheathed his dagger.

”That wasn't so bad. Who knew Te'i Sai were such pussies?”

"Ther weren't Te'i Sai."

Everyone's eyes snapped back to the alley where Gloria shot the first of them, and standing in the shadows with crimson eyes literally aglow with an otherworldly light, stood the Red-Eyed Demon.

Gloria's eyes widened and her grip faltered causing her pistol to drop. The sound of it hitting the cobblestone street snapped her out of it and she raced to pick up and grab a dagger from her pack as Xander did the same. Oscar grew still as stone, unable to will his body to move. And Mari dropped to her knees as her entire body shook like a leaf. With daggers in hand Gloria and Xander took up arms at the front, placing themselves between the Demon and Mari while Oscar finally composed himself and joined them.

The Red-Eyed Demon blinked at them, and knelt down to check the man Gloria had shot.

”Friends of yours?!”

"No." He said as he stood to full height. "They were after Lorraine."

Gloria blinked.

"What was that?"

"They're after Lorraine."

”The fuck do we care?”

”Doctor Almna.”

”Make sense man! What about the Doctor?”

The crimson light within his eyes flared brightly for a moment as his eyes locked on Oscar.

"It's her first name, moron."

”Wh-”

Gloria's tongue refused to cooperate as her eyes widened. This...

”H-how do you know her first name?”

”Probably heard other pe-”

"She told me."

Oscar's mouth clamped shut like a bear trap, and now thoroughly wide eyes locked onto the Red-Eyed Demon as he stood there staring at them.

 

[GojiBean]

The only thing Gloria could hear was the muffled sounds of chatter in the streets as her mind swirled under the weight of the revelation which has just befallen her and her comrades.

It's her first name... She told me.

Those words floated through her mind on and endless loop. And for the life of her, Gloria couldn't figure out how the Red-Eyed Demon, the most infamous and dangerous assassin in the known world, could possibly be on terms with the Angel of Cre' Est to the point that she'd willingly tell him her first name. Women in Cre' Est didn't reveal their first names to strangers unless the one asking was a social superior like a Noble or Royal, an employer, or someone they were becoming romantically involved with. And none of those fit the Red-Eyed Demon... At least not as far as she knew.

Oscar and Mari were equally dumbfounded and chit chatting about what might be going on, while Xander stared at the open plains outside the Gate with his arms crossed and a deep frown on his face.

”Oh! She's coming.” Mari called.

Gloria looked up to meet Doctor Almna's gaze as she approached. Interestingly she wore the same outfit she did in the clinic. The only thing different this time was the presence of a backpack and a medium-sized pouch slung over her shoulder, presumably for medical supplies.

"Greetings everyone. My apologies for the wait."

Xander didn't turn around, but the others all faced her with calm, mixed emotions.

"Is everything all right?"

”Yes. Let's be on our way.”

In the time they'd waited Gloria managed to secure a new horse and cart from a local stablemaster using the last of their funds, and so they loaded up all of their belongings and hopped in the cart whilst Doctor Almna secured their passage by presenting her travel documentation to the guards who cheerfully bade her farewell and good wishes on the road ahead. Once the doctor was safely on board, they were off down the West Road.

”Doctor, if you don't mind my asking, what did you bring?”

"This," she replied while putting a hand on her shoulder pack, "-is filled with pre-made and non-perishable medicinal remedies, some basic ingredients for making new ones, and a few medical tools I'll be needing to do most of my work. The backpack has a sleeping bag and the materials to make a small lean to shelter."

”Huh. Not much for tents?”

"Oh, no it isn't that. I don't travel much, so it's all I had."

”You can use my tent if you'd like.”

"Oh, no. Please. I don't want to impose."

”The roads leading to Veilbrand get pretty cold though. You sure you don't want to maybe use my tent? It's more than big enough to fit two sleeping bags.”

Doctor Almna chuckled.

"Thank you, Mari. If I feel the need I'll take you up on your offer. How's that?"

”Sure!” Mari beamed.

...

...

The horse whinnied.

...

...

"I hope this isn't out of place, but I'm feeling quite anxious with this silence. Is everyone all right?"

Xander, who was driving the cart, turned his head ever so slightly. But not far enough to see his eyes. Oscar and Mari's faces returned to mixed emotions, and Oscar looked at Gloria who was staring at the floor of the cart.

”Doctor...”

"Yes?"

Oscar and Mari gulped, and Xander turned his head more to look back at the Doctor out of the corner of his eye.

”What's your first name?”

"Hm?"

Gloria's head came up, and her eyes locked on the Doctor's.

”Your first name. May I ask what it is?”

Doctor Almna's face dropped a bit upon hearing the edge in Gloria's tone.

"Lorraine."

”Stop the cart.”

Xander halted the cart's progress, and everyone steadied themselves against the sudden halt in movement.

"What's going on?"

”I was hoping you could tell me, Doctor. You see, we ran into someone after leaving your clinic. Someone we'd never want to encounter even in our darkest nightmares.”

Lorraine's eyes widened slightly and her lips parted.

”You know who I'm talking about, don't you?”

"I-"

Xander turned in the seat and glared at Lorraine.

”He said you told him your name, Doctor.”

Her lips closed, and her face softened under gently raised and oblique eyebrows. Her eyes slid shut, and her chin tilted down slightly as she took a deep breath. As she did so, her hands flattened and faced each other, palms up, and lifted up with the inhale to just beneath her breasts, and turned palm down and were lowered to her lap on the exhale.

”Got anything to say?”

Lorraine slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Gloria.

"What do you want to hear?"

”How about an explanation as to how the 'Angel' of Cre' Est would be on a first-name basis with the Red-Eyed fucking Demon!?” Gloria shouted.

Lorraine remained calm and poised.

"For lack of a more appropriate term, he's a patient of mine."

”A Pa-” Gloria smiled, shaking her head, and stood up in the cart and turned away. ”The Red-Eyed Demon is your patient.”

"Yes."

”Get out of the cart.”

Lorraine looked to Xander, rather surprised.

”Nobody who's buddy buddy with that freak of nature's welcome in Veilbrand. Now get out.”

Lorraine's lips parted, but she closed them again along with her eyes.

”Hold on, Xander! We didn't even hear the story yet! And don't forget Veil-”

”Veilbrand doesn't need a Demon lover claiming to be an Angel!”

”Shut the fuck up, man! The Revolution needs her more than we need you! Why don't YOU get out!?!” Oscar shrieked as he too stood up in the cart and stormed up to stand over Xander.

Xander stood up in the seat and grabbed Oscar's lapels, pulling them face to face.

”If you don't sit the fuck down I'll throw you out of this cart!”

Oscar grabbed Xander's lapels back. ”Go on and try it, asshole!”

"That's quite enough."

All eyes locked onto Lorraine who sat calm and poised, her voice calm, yet assertive.

"I made a decision to help the Red-Eyed Demon. I made the choice as easily as I would if it were any of you." She looked up at Gloria. "No matter their past deeds, any human being who seeks help for themselves is deserving of receiving it. And he's no exception."

”You expect us to believe he asked for 'help'?”

"Nobody may tell you what to believe, sir. But I made a decision to help someone who asked for it. If that makes me unqualified to continue with you to Veilbrand then miss Gloria has but to ask and I'll step out of this cart."

Lorraine looked to Gloria who was still facing away, but looking at Lorraine out of the corner of her eye.

A long, palpable silence followed. And Gloria finally turned around fully and sat down.

”If I'm going to bring you to Veilbrand, I need to know that your decisions won't place any of my people in jeopardy. So, Doctor, if you don't mind please explain to me the circumstances that led you to making that decision.”

Lorraine took a breath, and nodded. Oscar pushed Xander when the latter wasn't paying attention to him any longer and went to sit down by Mari while Xander took his seat as well while glaring daggers at Oscar.

"By his own admission he was involved in a mission gone wrong, and was gravely injured before getting to safety. He had fallen to street level and wore a bandana as a makeshift blindfold which fooled some good samaritans into thinking he was actually blind. They rushed him to my clinic, and we don't ask questions in situations like that. We immediately cleared a bed for him and tended his wounds. That night, I had a rather tense conversation with him when he accused me and my clinic of being a farce."

”Wait, what?”

"He didn't believe that anyone would go out of their way to help someone else as we'd helped him."

”Why not? I mean, he's the assass-”

"That's how Te'i Sai raised him."

Oscar's mouth snapped shut, and Gloria's eyes widened.

"In that conversation he said the world outside Te'i Sai is the evil one. Everyone's going to stab you in the back at the first opportunity. Everyone's going to use you, abuse you, abandon you, or try to sacrifice you for their own personal gain. There's no such thing as goodness, or compassion. It's all a fabrication to lower your guard and make you an easy target."

”That's... Disgusting.”

Lorraine nodded. "Yes. But this is what he believed. I saw it his eyes that he believed every word. And despite the fact that he was still injured he was trying to get up and escape from the clinic so we couldn't 'hurt' him."

”Okay, I'm calling 'bullshit' on this. It's way too convenient, and not even bad enough for a children's bedtime story.”

”Xander, be silent.” Gloria said quietly, but firmly.

Xander's lips tightened.

"... I challenged every point he tried to make that night. But at the time I wasn't sure how much of what I was saying got through to him. By morning he was gone, and it was almost three weeks before I saw him again."

Mari was on the edge of her seat, literally, and Oscar was also leaning forward, elbows on his knees while Gloria and Xander both stared at Lorraine in silence.

"I was gathering herbs in the woods outside of town when I found myself surrounded by Te'i Sai. They proclaimed me a meddler, and announced to me that I was sentenced to death for interfering with Te'i Sai's business."

”This is starting to sound like a heroic tale of redemption.”

Gloria gave him a harsh glare, silencing him once again.

"It does, doesn't it? And indeed he was able to arrive in time. Still," Lorraine's eyes glazed over, and her right hand found its way to her chest between her breasts. "Anyway, I managed to survive that encounter thanks to him. And that's when he asked for my help."

Xander shook his head.

"Don't believe her?"

”WHAT THE FUCK!?!”

Everyone jumped and turned towards Xander and the driver's seat to find the Red-Eyed Demon standing next to the cart just behind Xander.

”Where'd you come from?!”

"Tch." He jumped up into the driver's seat, standing over Xander and glaring down at him.

”Why are you here?”

The Demon looked at Gloria.

"Those men who attacked you were after Lorraine. And they won't stop just 'cause she's left the city. So I'm going to keep her safe."

”If you think for one second we're going to-”

Everyone's eyes widened as a blade comprised of a translucent green metal with a black, liquid-like core was suddenly held to Xander's throat.

The Demon's eyes narrowed, and the light within his crimson irises flared. "I'm going to keep her safe. If you try to get in my way-"

"No!"

His eyes snapped to Lorraine.

"That's something I'd expect from Te'i Sai! Not you!"

His head tilted slightly.

"He's allowed to speak his mind whether you agree with him or not. Please, put it away."

The dagger was slowly retracted from Xander's throat and sheathed, but the Demon's glare returned to Xander who glared back up at him.

”Let's just... Take a moment to come to an understanding, shall we?”

The Demon's gaze slid to Gloria.

”You want to protect the Doctor from those men and whoever they were with, right?”

He nodded.

”We need to keep her safe too since all other doctors and nurses in the nation are either dead or hoarded in the Capitol by Egruus. If you want to protect her then that's your business. We won't get in your way. Just please kindly stay out of our way and let us finish our conversation with her."

His eyes narrowed, but he looked to Lorraine who gave him a calm and assuring smile with a nod of her head. He took a deep breath before hopping off the cart. Gloria, meanwhile, turned back to look at Lorraine.

”So long as you can control him, then he can do what he wants so long as he leaves us all alone.”

Lorraine's smile remained, and she shook her head.

"I don't control him. He trusts me."

”... Fine.”

"Am I still going to Veilbrand?"

”So long as you help make sure he doesn't endanger anyone here, or anyone in Veilbrand who's on our side, then yes. But if you can't guarantee that he won't pose a problem for us then I'm going to insist that you tell him to stay here.”

"Regardless of the trust he's placed in me, he makes his own choices. So, I'm afraid I can't guarantee anything other than my best effort."

Gloria sighed softly.

”Xander, let's get moving.”

Xander shook his head, but obeyed by clicking his tongue to get the horse moving while the Demon walked alongside it.

 

[GojiBean]

At any time in the past if someone had told me I'd one day be sitting within a few dozen feet of the Red-Eyed Demon without running or fighting for my life against him, I'd have called them insane. Yet here we are. The most feared man on the entire continent is walking less than ten feet away from me as we head home to Veilbrand. Why's he here? To protect Doctor Almna from those men who were after her life back in Valkyom. He never said who they were, nor why they were after her. Only that he'd keep her safe.

Do I believe him?

... Oddly enough, yes.

Regardless of what I've heard or thought I knew before, what Doctor Almna said rings true. My eyes are showing me an entirely different being to what I've grown up hearing about. He's distant, that's for sure. He never speaks to us. He never really even looks at us. He just walks beside the cart scanning the environment like some kind of gear-driven clock pendulum. It's really... Unnatural.

Still, as long as he-

”Fuck!!”

Gloria's pen was lifted off the page of her journal as her eyes shot up.

”Get down, ladies!” Xander shouted as he whipped the reins.

The horse pulling the cart took off as fast as it could manage while pulling the cart filled with several people and all their goods. It wasn't exactly fast when compared to a horse with only one rider at full tilt. But it was better than most could run... Keyword, "most."

Gloria looked to her right and her lips parted slightly as she saw the Red-Eyed Demon running evenly with the cart.

Even weighed down like this the horse should be faster than any human at full sprint... How the fuck is he keeping pace?

”Xander! What are we running from?!”

”Rogues! Lots of them!”

Gloria looked behind the cart and saw at least a dozen armed men chasing them, but falling further and further behind. To the sides, a few of them grabbed horses and started after them and were rapidly gaining ground.

”Glo! Can you shoot them?”

Gloria wasted no time fetching her pistol and frantically began loading it as the first rogue began drawing closer. Mari's scream caught Gloria's attention as a rogue she hadn't seen had reached the cart and swung a sword at the girl, thankfully missing and hitting only the side of the cart as Mari lurched away from him. Oscar did his best to draw his blade and stab at the rogue only for the assailant to lead the horse away from the cart to put himself out of reach.

”Gloria! Look out!!”

Gloria's eyes snapped up as she saw the rogue rushing on her side had all but reached her with a sword pulled back to stab directly at her.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Gloria's eyes opened wide and were drawn to the side to see a shadow rising over the horse's face. Looking towards it slowly, she caught sight of the Red-Eyed Demon who'd leaped upward mid-stride, spun around, and kicked the horse across the face. Hard.

Time returned to normal as Gloria witnessed the horse jerk to the side in the direction of the kick before tumbling to the ground and crushing its rider several times before getting up and shaking itself off. The rider was either dead or unconscious as his limp body was dragged behind it with one foot still in a stirrup.

The Demon landed after the kick and returned to his run alongside the cart with Gloria shaking her head in silent wonder at the feat she just witnessed.

”One kick.” She muttered.

”Glo! More coming! Get that gun ready!”

Gloria snapped out of her daze and finished loading the pistol. Looking out to the side and spotting another incoming rogue she took careful aim before squeezing the trigger. The back of the rider's head exploded and the horse slowed down and shook its head after feeling the spatters of blood on its main and neck and began grazing with the rider's body falling out of the saddle. Gloria then went to reload before looking up to see Oscar once again engaging the other rogue who'd come in for another series of stab attempts.

As she fought to reload, she felt the cart dip on her side. In her peripheral vision she saw a shadow looming and tilted her head. The Red-Eyed Demon had leaped into the cart, took a single step over the bags, and jumped over Oscar's head with a reversed spinning motion and slammed his heel into the thoroughly shocked face of the rogue knocking him clear off the horse. Catching the reins in hand and quickly using the saddle as a platform, the Demon dropped into the saddle and rode alongside them.

Oscar looked to Gloria, who shared his awe, before he shook his head with a smile.

”I love this guy!!”

”Focus dipshit!!”

It took some doing, but they managed to shake off the rogues and escape into the forest off the beaten path and lose their pursuers. The Demon hopped out of the saddle of the horse he'd stolen and tied the reins and handed them to Oscar who hopped into the saddle in his place.

”Sweet! Free horse!”

”Yeah! We could use it!”

”Is everyone all right?!”

”Yep!” ”I'm good.” ”Yes, ma'am!”

Gloria looked to the back of the cart where Lorraine sat quietly, but in obvious emotional distress as she clutched her chest and breathed deeply. Gloria moved to sit next to her, and placed one hand on the one clutching her chest, and the other hand on her back.

”Breathe, Doctor.”

Lorraine fought to control her breathing, but her wide eyes and dilated pupils, not to mention how quickly and deeply she was breathing, weren't looking promising. Suddenly the Demon was in the cart and kneeling in front of Lorraine. Gloria gave him a hard stare, but he paid her no attention. Instead, he lifted Lorraine's chin until her eyes were looking at him.

"It's not them." He said with surprising softness in his voice.

Gloria blinked and looked back to Lorraine as her breathing began to slow.

"Relax, Lorraine. It's not them."

Her pupils began to return to normal as tears began forming in her eyes. Her other hand, which had been gripping the side of the cart, moved to cover her mouth as she wept softly. Gloria looked long and hard at Doctor Almna, and committed the look she'd seen on her face to memory. The hand on Lorraine's back slowly moved in circles, and Gloria used the thumb to stroke Lorraine's other hand as it clutched her chest.

”This happens a lot near Velibrand, Doctor. And we're nearly to the border. Don't be surprised if this happens again. Okay?”

Lorraine could only nod as she closed her eyes and continued to weep quietly.

”Is she all right?”

”She will be.”

Gloria moved away and sat back in her designated seat while the cart continued on at a steady pace. Oscar rode next to them and did his best to help Mari comfort Lorraine as she continued to cry in the back of the cart. Xander tried making small talk with Gloria about the rogue situation, but Gloria remained silent and focused.

That night as the sat around a camp fire with the Demon on watch, Gloria's eyes remained fixated on Lorrain who'd since managed to recover and was chatting casually with Mari and Oscar about what Veilbrand is like. Xander watched their exchanges as well, but sat closer to Gloria and remained silent.

However...

”Doctor?”

Oscar and Mari went silent, and everyone looked at Gloria.

”Care to show us your chest?”

Lorraine and Mari's faces flushed deeply, Xander arched an eyebrow, and Oscar's mouth dropped.

”You reached for your chest when telling us about how you survived the Te'i Sai attempt on your life before, and you were clutching it again while suffering from what I can only presume is either a panic attack or some kind of PTSD.”

”Isn't it normal though? Clutching your chest while breathing hard from panic attacks?”

”Yeah Glo. You sure you're not reading too much into it?”

Gloria ignored them and stared at Lorraine who stared back in calm silence, still with pink cheeks.

”If I'm mistaken, feel free to speak up.”

Lorraine was silent for a long time before taking a single deep breath and reached up for the buttons on her blouse. Mari elbowed Oscar to look away, but he was frozen with a red face. Xander cleared his throat, glanced to Gloria, and then back to Lorraine. Slowly, she opened the blouse just enough to show everyone the space between her breasts as she gently pulled them apart as well.

Gloria took a deep breath in and sat up a bit straighter. Mari's jaw dropped, and her mouth was covered by both hands. Oscar's blush vanished almost instantly as his eyebrows furrowed and he sat up with a more combative posture. And Xander's jaw opened slightly.

In between Lorraine's breasts was a massive scar running the length of her breast bone and perhaps a few inches extra down towards her stomach, stopping about an inch or two shy of her belly button.

”What the fuck happened?!”

Lorraine's eyes had glazed over, and she stared blankly at the ground.

"When Te'i Sai came for me, one of them had an executioner's axe. He fought to protect me," she said while pointing towards the Demon who was looking at them over his shoulder while she told the story. "But he was one man fighting several. I was knocked to the ground and the axe was swung at me. He caught the shaft, but not in time to stop it from striking me. The result is what you see."

She then closed and buttoned the blouse while everyone else looked in silent wonder. Meanwhile, Lorraine's eyes welled up. But no tears fell.

"Physically, it's the most painful thing I've ever endured. It narrowly missed my heart and lungs. And it's nothing short of a miracle, and Peur'Tia's grace, that I survived the amount of blood loss and the shock which set in immediately."

”How did you survive, Doctor? No offense, but he doesn't strike me as the type to know first aid.”

Lorraine shook her head, and the glazed look in her eye slowly faded.

"I would never recommend this, but he picked me up and carried me to the clinic."

”Probably caused a major panic.”

"Yes. My staff were able to save my life."

”That must have taken a long time to recover from.”

”No kidding. And if Te'i Sai marked you for death, didn't they try to come for you again?”

"They did. But he kept me safe." She said as she looked up towards the Demon.

Their eyes met for a brief moment before he returned his gaze to the forest.

”That's not the end of the story between you two, is it?”

"No," she said as she looked to Gloria. "But the rest is a story better told by him."

”Good luck with that.”

”Another time, perhaps. Thank you Doctor.”

Lorraine nodded, and an awkwardly long silence followed.

”Anyone wanna play a game?”

”Oh for fuck's sake.”

Gloria rolled her eyes, and Lorraine couldn't help but chuckle as Mari took Oscar up on the game offer and moved over towards him to play a game of cards.

”Need anything?”

”No.”

Though her response was for Xander, her eyes remained locked on the Red-Eyed Demon who stood tall and silent watching the forest for signs of danger. And Gloria couldn't help but wonder...

Who the fuck are you?

 

[GojiBean]

The moon sat high overhead as the majority of the group slumbered in their tents and sleeping bags. But two were still awake. One was the Demon who stood a silent vigil on the forest. The other...

”Who are you?”

He glanced over his shoulder and met Gloria's steely gaze.

”Everything I've ever heard about you has been as dark and gruesome as you'd expect the topic of a Demon to be. And yet here you stand protecting a group of strangers because one person among them seems to have made a friendly acquaintanceship with you.” While she spoke she walked closer until they were shoulder to shoulder.

”So, who are you really?”

"I'm not sure I understand the question."

”I mean, who are you? Where do you come from? How did you get into Te'i Sai? How much of you reputation is true? Why are you trying to protect the Doctor when you seemingly stand to gain nothing from it?”

"That's more than your original question."

”These questions are implied to be part of my original. So just answer them.”

His eyes narrowed.

"Don't give me orders."

”Why not?”

"All I ever did in Te'i Sai was follow orders. I'm done doing that."

”You followed Te'i Sai's orders willingly?”

"No."

”Then why did you follow them?”

For the first time since they locked eyes, he broke eye contact.

"Pain."

”What do you mean?”

"Pain is a complete answer."

”The hell it is. I need more detail.”

His head whipped back in her direction and his body turned slightly to face her. The light within his eyes flared wildly before slowly returning to normal.

"Pain. Is. A complete. Answer." He growled through grit teeth.

Gloria felt her heart skip a beat, and a bead of cold sweat rolled down her temple as he turned away to resume his vigil.

”Pain... As in they hurt you if you didn't follow orders, right?” She asked in a quieter voice.

No response.

”Look. I understand if it's not something you want to talk about. But if I'm going to trust you, then I need you to trust me. And I can't trust you if I don't know who I'm dealing with.” She took a breath and swallowed. ”Will you please explain to me what you meant?”

He remained silent for a long time. So long in fact she was ready to turn and go back to bed before she heard him take a deep breath which encouraged her to stay. And finally...

"If I refused any order, I was beaten within an inch of my life and thrown into a small dark chamber."

”Were there any other reasons they'd do that to you aside from disobedience?”

He nodded. "If anyone spoke to me and I acknowledged their existence, beating and confinement. If I spoke to anyone other than the Grandmaster or my mission Overseer, beating and confinement. If I didn't demonstrate or perform to perfection, beating and confinement. And if I ever spoke back to the Grandmaster or questioned his teachings, he would torture me for four hours before the beating and confinement."

”...”

"Anymore questions?" He asked, glancing out of the corner of his eye.

”No, I-... I think I understand now.”

He nodded and returned his gaze forward.

”What about where you come from and how you got to be in Te'i Sai?”

Another long silence, but the wait paid off.

"I was born in Auxeras, Capitol City of Triveila.-" he began, and Gloria's heart instantly skipped another beat. "Mother and I didn't know dad was part of a cult worshiping Demons. So when he said we were going on vacation we were happy to go. But he led us to Roda Valley, and his cultist friends were waiting for us."

Gloria noticed his hand, previously resting calmly in the crook of his elbow, started gripping the fabric of his jacket.

"Mother tried to flee with me, but they shot her in the back and knocked me out."

Gloria inwardly flinched.

"When I woke up I was tied to a pole in the middle of a ritual circle in the mountains. Dad and the cultists were chanting from a book, and he came up and stabbed me under the heart. Almost punctured my lung. After my blood dripped into the circle, it gathered a living shadow which manifested a Demonic spirit that forced its way into my body. Not sure if "luckily" is the right word here, but luckily mother survived the gunshot and managed to throw a torch into the circle which dispelled the shadows and the spirit. It ended the ritual prematurely which is the only reason I'm alive."

He took a breath, and Gloria found herself unable to move or even think. All she could do was listen.

"Even now I can't figure out how she fought them off with her injury. And that's not counting that she was stabbed multiple times while continuing to fight. But she managed, somehow. She cut me off the pole and tried to carry me away, but she collapsed near the edge of the ritual grounds. Before she died she pushed me into the river that flowed down into the heart of Roda Valley. And that's how I ended up in Te'i Sai."

He glanced down to her. "You know the rest."

Gloria nodded and slowly made her way back to her tent. As she lay on top of her sleeping bag and stared at the roof of the tent she couldn't help but find herself thinking about his story through a mixed bag of emotions. Part of her didn't believe him and felt he was fishing for sympathy. But on the other hand what possible reason could he have to make it all up?

She didn't know anything about Te'i Sai other than the fact that they were an organization of Assassins who were unrivaled in skill and efficiency on this continent. Their only true rival was an organization from overseas which didn't operate here, as far as she knew. But locally nobody else came close.

But she was from Triveila as well. Born and raised in Auxeras. At least, until she ran away to Veilbrand when she was eight. But this story of his...

She sighed and looked at her left hand, specifically her index finger, as she visualized a small ring made from a small twisted branch of a Cherry tree appearing on it. Once that visual was in place she heard the sounds of children laughing. Conversations mixed together all at once and became garbled and incomprehensible. But every so often she could hear a few words creeping through the haze. She heard the sounds of splashing water, grass rustling, a dog barking and snarling, and... Her parents.

”. . .”

She clenched her fist and turned onto her side.

Much to her surprise, she felt tears silently dripping down her cheek and onto the sleeping bag.

”Gods be damned.” She whispered.

With that as her final thought of the day, Gloria fell asleep.

 

[GojiBean]

The cart moved along at a steady pace for the next few days with no interruptions. And as they came to the border of Veilbrand the cart came to an abrupt stop jerking everyone in it awake from their slumber as the sun began creeping over the horizon.

"Uoohh... Oi, Xander. What's with the rude awakening?" Oscar grumbled.

"We're here."

"Mmmhmm... Really?" Mari asked as she rubbed her eyes.

Gloria and Lorraine both roused themselves more gracefully than their companions, and Xander tied the reins and turned in the driver's seat to look at the others. Specifically, Gloria.

"Orders?"

Gloria took her canteen and splashed a bit of water into her face, spreading it with her free hand causing her skin to glisten in the rising light of morning with put a slight blush in Xander's cheeks as he watched.

"Do I need to give an order?"

Xander waited for her to open her eyes after cleaning her face before he pointed over his shoulder to the Red-Eyed Demon who was standing a little further up the road and looking out ahead. Gloria looked back to Xander who was giving her a calm, but firm stare. She took a deep breath, and sighed through her nose.

"We move forward."

"I object. We can't take him into Veilbrand. We discussed this, didn't we?"

"Why not, man? C'mon!"

"Because he's a fucking murdering psychopath, and I refuse to let him anywhere near the Revolution!" Xander growled under his breath.

"Can you prove he's a psychopath?"

"I don't need to. His history proves it for me if you bothered to use your brain and pay attention."

"Hey! That's not fair, Xander! You don't exactly have the nicest history either, but you've changed for the better over the years so we trust you! Why not give him a chance too?"

"Because I didn't have a choice, Mari! You know that! I had to fight for everything from an early age in order to survive! Nothing was given to me! Death is just part of life in Veilbrand, and you can't blame me for doing what I had to in order to protect myself!"

"Then you and he are the same, Xander." Gloria said calmly.

"All due respect Gloria, that's total bullshit. Don't compare me to him, and don't tell me you bought whatever story he told you when you talked with him that one night."

Gloria's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Thought I was sleeping? Who can sleep with that thing so close by?" He asked, again gesturing over his shoulder at the Red-Eyed Demon. "I couldn't hear what you were talking about, but I saw how affected you were by it. And if you let sentiment cloud your judgement, you're going to get us all killed."

Gloria felt her blood boiling, but took another deep breath.

"Xander. I'm not obligated to explain my reasoning to you if you've chosen to close your ears to me before I even begin."

"Pulling rank?"

Mari gasped, and Oscar about leaped from his seat until Gloria shouted for Oscar to sit down. Oscar begrudgingly sat back down as Gloria looked Xander dead in the eye.

"I don't need to pull rank over someone who has no rank."

Xander's eyes darkened, and Mari's eyebrows went up as she watched him carefully.

"You're just another Revolutionary. No rank. No authority. No significance. You're another body in the masses. And you're only here because you want to be here. Supposedly, this is because you have more love for your country and countrymen than you have for yourself. But given how you've been speaking to me I'm not so sure of that anymore.

"Care to explain?" He growled through grit teeth.

"You know exactly what you've said to me, how you've questioned my judgement, and how you've disrespected my authority nearly every step of the way since we managed to convince Doctor Almna to come with us. Between the two of us, if anyone should be questioning the other's judgement and soundness of mind I think we all know who it is."

Xander's hand gripped the wood of the cart until his fingertips turned white from the blood being forced out of them.

"You asked for my orders and I gave you one. If you didn't intend to follow them unless they involved leaving him behind then you had no business asking in the first place. If you're this averse to his presence then get out and walk back. You could stand to blow off the insolence and insubordination along the way."

Xander's face turned a shade of pink, but not from embarrassment. His grip on the cart earned soft wooden creaks and moans before he released a long sigh through his nose.

"If wanting to protect my country and countrymen, as well as maintain the security and secrecy of this Revolution counts as insolence and insubordination then maybe I've been following the wrong person."

Oscar's fists clenched, but he and Gloria both glanced over Xander's shoulder as Mari and Lorraine both covered their mouths.. After a moment, Xander understood why as he quickly turned and looked up to see the Red-Eyed Demon standing over him.

When did he...

He didn't even felt him step up into the cart.

"Your bias against who I used to be isn't something I'll conform to." The Demon then looked up to meet Gloria's gaze. "There's movement on the horizon. You should come take a look."

Gloria turned and got out the back of the cart, as did the others while Xander remained firmly in his seat with the Demon continuing to stand over him until the other's had already passed them by. The Demon glared down at him a moment, and then hopped out to join them leaving Xander alone in the cart.

Gloria looked ahead at the twisting road through the hills of Veilbrand and saw what could only be an armed convoy making its way Southwest towards the coast.

"Not one of yours, I take it?"

"We don't have the luxury of arming our convoys."

"Gotta be Egruus' men."

"But where are they going? They don't have any bases that way, right?"

"Raid."

"What?!"

"Mari, please keep your voice down." Lorraine whispered as Mari covered her mouth.

"Glo. You agree that it's a raid?"

"Either a one-time raid, or the beginning of another small campaign against us in this region."

"Want me to take care of them?"

"No, we'd-" Gloria, and everyone else, jerked their head his direction as he watched the Convoy like a wolf stalking its prey. "You-... You're serious? We don't even know exactly how many there are and you want to just go fight them?"

"I didn't say "fight" them. I said "take care of them." There's a difference."

"And that difference would be...?"

"If their chain of command crumbles then in all likelihood they'll run back to wherever they came from with their tails between their legs."

Gloria's eyes briefly filled with hope, but it rapidly deteriorated.

"What's your basis for that conclusion?"

"I can see the glint of their armor from here. So they're probably covered head to toe in the stuff. In other words, they're cowards. And they're looking to avoid any chance for harm and compensate for their lack of skill with an overabundance of "protection.""

He glanced down at Gloria from the corner of his eye.

"Cowards don't advance when their leaders falls."

Gloria's eyes betrayed no emotion as she glanced back to the moving convoy in the distance.

It was true. She'd seen it happen herself on the battlefield in battles against Egruus' forces that they retreated once they realized their leaders were either dead or gravely wounded. Face to face, many of Egruus' men who'd faced her in combat showed the telltale signs of fear. Wide eyes, oblique eyebrows, hesitation, not following through with their strikes, poor and jerky footwork, falling over themselves, etc. Not to mention she'd already seen what this man was capable of on the way over here. Kicking a horse off balance and kicking a man off his horse and landing in the saddle in his place.

"You think you can pull it off?"

"Not a problem."

Strange as it seemed to her own conscious mind, she found herself unsurprised by his answer.

"Fine. Let's see what you can do."

The Demon's pupils dilated, becoming much smaller, and a single dagger was instantly drawn as he sprinted away in the direction of the tree line to the West.

"And now we wait. Get the cart off the road and into the trees."

"On it!"

"I'll help too."

Gloria remained silent and still as she watched the convoy moving into the trees and disappearing from view, and Lorraine remained with her just a pace behind.

"Gloria, are you all right?"

"Of course. Why do you ask, Doctor?"

"Well, you just had a rather intense argument with Xander. And now you're waiting to see if K-... If he can back up his words. It's quite the sudden mental and emotional shift."

"As I recall psychology isn't your strong suit, right?"

"That's true. But one needn't be an expert to intuit when someone's going through something and may need support."

Gloria couldn't help but smile, though she made sure to turn her head away enough for Lorraine not to see it.

"Isn't that the truth?" She whispered.

"Pardon?"

Gloria turned around, stoic as ever. "Nothing, Doctor. Come on. We should help with the cart and be ready to keep watch on the road for a while."

Lorraine nodded with a slight bow, and the two of them joined the others who were all helping move the horse and cart into the trees, even Xander, though Gloria wasn't the least bit surprised that he stuck around. The man was far too stubborn and dedicated to their bonds to walk away no matter how mad he was about something, even when challenged or passive-aggressively ordered to do so.