FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Navarro?" She had been dreading this, but she knew she would not have this chance again for a good while as she turned to see Berniere stand behind her, a good ten feet away at the back of the stables near the inn. It was early morning still, at least a few hours yet before her clan would leave Breekheim as he softly walked up to her. His smile was forced and apologetic, his head bowed gently with pompom dangling like a withered grape in front of him before he swept it back behind him with awkward chuckle. "I...see you got my note." "I was surprised," said Navarro, "considering you snuck into the inn to post it under my door kupo." "Y-y-yes...I...I just wanted to...um..." He rubbed his hands cautiously as if about to propose, but she knew it was not that. He struggled to even look at her, her gaze softening as best she could before she asked: "This isn't you Berniere. What happened to that brave outspoken knight that pestered me constantly for the last fifteen years?" "Ahahaha, I-i-i wish I knew, kupo! But seriously um...thank you I...wanted to apologise for what...happened in that courtroom I...th-thank you. Thank you for defending my papa's innocence, I will never forget." "I may not be a social butterfly," said Navarro, "but that does not mean I will idly watch by when injustice has happened kupo." "I know I know, I just...I just have been losing faith in a lot of friends lately and...things have been...falling apart for me." "Really?" "...my clan has disappeared. I don't know where they actually went, I am lost and frought with worry as to what they might do without me. I am so worried but I...do not know what's been happening, frankly you are the only friend I can rely on." "Have you sent out a missing report?" "Two months ago..." The moogle female blinked with surprise understanding the severity of the issue asking: "Why did you not tell me, kupo?" "I was not going to ask you to search for them I knew you had your missions to handle." "That does not mean I will not help you as a friend." "...I...I suppose not, kupo. N-no." She reached out to him once more but he stood away refusing. Her insult was clear upon her face as he struggled to speak furthermore. "Please, l-let...let me ask you something. Would you do me the honour...of facing me in a duel?" "Wh...what?" "I need to lose my head a little, and not in the way I was during court I...I need to feel a good fight, something to clear my head and I trust you more than anyone to give me that, kupo." "This...is rather odd to ask at five in the morning-" "Please, Navarro, just like old times. I have missed clashing swords against you, you were the only one to ever keep up with me, at least in truest strength. I know it is odd for me to ask of this but I need to clear my head and...feeling the test of strength and endurance against a close friend may be the only antidote I have, kupo. Will you fight me?" The knight of Koridai rubbed her chin pondering as she looked towards the horizon, beyond the back of the town figuring out what exactly was going on inside Berniere's head. But she understood what he was going through, that physical exhaustion and exercise were good for heavy thoughts as she nodded firmly. She had known the same inner struggle. "Alright, kupo. But only because you're the true equal I have of my colleagues." "HAH, you have colleagues kupo?!" "Well, my clan rather." "Ah yes of course well, let's head over to this bit where no one will find us so we can spar in peace." The two walked off from the town outskirts where no arable or farming had been made due to its uneven hilly region. The dawn was just rising, the sky still a dark tint of blue but enough light had crept yonder over the horizon that allowed them to see each other. A good small area of clearing could be seen as they stood apart, a flat land amongst the small hills that gave them the perfect focused arena as the male moogle drew his blade first. The shining rapier-like length of thickened blade glinted softly as Navarro drew her much wider mythil sword, which to a hume would be simply but a short sword. "No toy swords kupo?" asked Navarro pointedly. "We are not children Navarro, I know you are confident in your skill as with me. We know how to restrain ourselves kupo." "Very well. Prepare yourself Berniere." She brought up her sword as did he moving into proper stance with left hands firm and steady as the breeze whispering across the hills. They felt a soft dip of the wind turning silent, before they rushed forwards with blades swung low, feet flurried underneath as they raised their hilts upon the perfect clash crossing their swords together brief. They pushed each other away, Berniere swiftly lunging forwards with a stab-thrust reaching no more than he allowed, and were Navarro to have stood perfectly still, it would not have breached past her breast.

But the younger Rocino swiped her blade across deflecting him easily as she swung her left foot forwards to shift her body sideways towards him scraping her sword along his thinner blade. Navarro drove her left elbow hard into his face as Berniere dodged swiftly to avoid it, his sword still locked by Navarro's blade as he drove his fist instantly into her face forcing her to stumble back slightly. With swords now freed from each other the male moogle swung vertically down upon her head as she dodged to her right, sweeping her blade to scrape across his armoured front. But instantly he blocked weakly with his sword swung to his left in mid-swing to counteract and deflect her sword off-kilter at a worser angle towards the soil. The female dodged backwards with a flip springing her legs powerfully before landing perfectly on her feet, blade at the ready as Berniere came running towards her for a vicious attack. Seeing the twitch of his eyes she waited to see which way his hand flexed before she struck first, hitting for his sword as Berniere came down in five directions. Left, right, left, top-left diagonal, vertical upwards, all of which she blocked with perfection with shining glimmers of mythril each time their blades met. Berniere hopped back, but the moment Navarro saw his feet muscles twitch she lunged forwards with her own four-hit strike combo making an X-cross before slicing left and right. The male moogle dodged the X-cross but guarded brilliantly on the left-right strikes pinging off his sword. In the last strike Navarro made from the right he allowed the force of the attack to spin him in one direction, pirouetting on the spot towards his right before lashing out with increased momentum with a spin-attack towards her head. She ducked fast and shoulderchecked him, wide open as she slammed her shoulder into his gut forcing him to stumble back. His guard was down as she went on the pure offensive with her sword striking diagonal, left from below, right from below constantly pushing Berniere to step backwards into a weaker position. But the moogle male soon felt her rhythm and thrust his sword straight through her attack, feinting with his blade to neatly scrape off her thicker sword as he stabbed right into her face. She gasped with shock, the thin blade tearing across her right cheek as blood dripped neatly from the new scar formed across her reddening fur. A few droplets trembled upon the tip of Berniere's weapon as he pulled it back instantly, seeing Navarro instantly counter with a somersaulting strike from above as she flipped forwards ruthlessly, tearing her sword through his attempted guard. The attack was so sudden he barely managed to block, sword swung down as she used the momentum of her somersault to spin round to her left with violent diagonal swing. The sword of mythril came scraping down his armour with a deep clean scar across Berniere's brigandine almost pressing into the hairs of his chest. His look of shock turned into a gleeful grin as he saw the battle began to turn serious, rushing forwards with a lethal thrust before Navarro leapt up to avoid the blade. But in turn Berniere leapt just as high to clash against her in the air. A brief leap both of them made before they swung their swords, Navarro first with upwards swing as Berniere struck down like a hammer upon it before their feet came up to kick each other away. The mighty slam of the moogle feet caterpaulted them down back to the ground as they somersaulted twice before they hit the cool earth, hand without sword planted on the grass to steady themselves as they rushed forwards yet again. Swords pulled back, they struck down violently upon each other's neck knowing the other would strike it perfectly as blades met in a single spark of X-formation, scraping off from each other by sheer recoil of strength. They attacked once again, clashing once more then again, and again, and yet even once moreso with perfect crossing blades matching each other's strength and skill.

The moment Navarro tried something different however, preparing herself for a backflipping kick Berniere dodged back in turn as the moogle female spun back onto the spot with a perfect plant of her feet. He powered forth as Rocino waited for the next attack seeing he was about to swing his blade horizontal when she ducked and slammed her foot ruthlessly into his crotch, the male gasping a choked sob of pain briefly from the throbbing pain of his crotch as he dodge-rolled to his left. She did her best not to smirk as he breathed in deep before he lunged towards Navarro. She striked downwards in expectation but in mid-roll Berniere stopped himself quickly to lay on his back, his hands planted into the earth before the double-kick as he shot forwards like a cannon gone loose. He hammered his first foot straight into Navarro's left arm weakening her grip before the second foot walloped her like a backhand across the face, the ruthless power of his leg spinning her towards the ground behind her as she almost fell and stumbled with a deep bruise to her chin. The staggering younger moogle let her vision reaffirm itself before she turned just in time to see Berniere in mid-leap from above, sword plunging down upon her back from the heavens as she dodged rolling to her left suddenly. The male moogle planted his blade deep into the earth before pulling it back out, racing after Navarro with cruel instinct as she waited for the next attack. His sword swung diagonal from the bottom left before stabbing straight towards her left cheek as she dodged, her elbow slamming into his face from the right arm violently as blood spilt from Berniere's teeth. He cupped his hand to his lips briefly, feeling the red ichor drool from him as he made the signal to stop by dropping his sword as Navarro made no move to attack. He wiped his face clean with the back of his hand breathing droplets down his chin, standing back up fully as he grabbed his sword with a bold chuckle, his left cheek swollen up to a weakened purple mark. "Hhhhmhmhmhmhmhm...hhhhhahahahahaha, ohhhhh...I misshhed thishh kupo." "Are you alright?" "Hohoooo never better...aaaaah, you know it ishh good to bleed shhometimeshh, I feel a little more...lightened for it." "I see, kupo. Are we done?" "Yeshh...hm...you won thishh match Navarro, I'll give you that." She smiled kindly as she sheathed her blade neatly with a bow of respect. "It was good to do this again, thank you Berniere." "No no...the pleashhure ishh all mine my dear." "Do you...require some help?" "Oh no, I'll be fine...but there ishh one thing I want to show you, call it a gift for winning." Sheathing his own sword back faithfully into its baldric, he brought out a large silver badge from his satchel the size of a jar lid, emblazoned with a powerful symbol of stars shining forth from the heavens upon a sword planted in its plinth. Navarro gasped with a tender shock as he offered it to her carefully. "Take it." "What...that is...your hero's badge." "It ishh," he said slurring the blood from his cheek, "I believe that you...earned it far more than me lately, kupo." "But...I cannot take this, that is yours, you earned it not me." "I know...but you earned it from exshhperiencshhe, let me hand it to you. Ashh a friend it will protect you." "Protect...me, kupo?" "Yeshh. Wear it right here." He tapped his left pectoral around the lung area. "If you wear it on your left breashht, it shhall protect you with good blesshhing, kupo. I know that shhoundshh like shhupershhtition but...it'shh very important that you wear it that way for me." "But...why?" "That ishh...what they told ushh when we received it. When you become the high elite of knightly order they alwayshh tell you, you mushht wear it upon your moshht dominant breashht, to shhtand firm againshht evil by shhowing them the light of your courage. Ashh you are left-handed in thishh I ashhk that you wear it upon your left, kupo." He cautiously pressed it into her hand making sure not to touch any of her fingers, blood dripping down his swollen lip. " Never...take it off whilshht you are in your battle armour." "I see...kupo. I will do so then, thank you." The moogle female firmly clasped it on her chest straight above the left lung as asked to. It felt oddly light, but incredibly sturdy as she smiled softly with a firm nod. "Are you feeling...better about things?" "A little...I wanted to give that to you ashh my...apology to um uh...I know I mushht be a nuishhance ashhking you about thishh bu-" "You were always such a nuisance Berniere, what's different this time?" "H-hahaha...alwayshh shharp, you shhould have been in the elite along with ushh, kupo." "I had my duties, kupo. You know that." "Right, shhorry I um...that washh a good fight, I am very grateful to you for letting me teshht my shhkill and um...if...you can find my friendshh and tell them to report back to bashhe for me? They'll undershhtand what you mean, I jushht want to know what happened, I am not angry with them I am jushht...afraid for them." "I will do so when I see them, do not fear." "Thank you, Navarro. Farewell, my dear madamoishhelle."

He bowed once more as he turned to walk away, looking a little happier for his gift as she walked back towards the inn in order to prepare for her leave. She was not the only one to find herself being accosted by an early morning visitor as Roy soon woke up along with Clan Koridai at least an hour after Navarro's little rendezvous with Berniere. Breakfast was served gladly as they all sat downstairs to enjoy their meal of toasted wholemeal bread, soup, butter, ham and cheese in one heartfilling meal almost one sauce short of being a full ploughman's lunch. "Sszho uhhh," began Baldwin, "I heard that the town went and finisszhed up the Jagd bridge sszho we can crossszh over without any real problemsszh now!" "Really?!" asked Kruz impaling a toasted sandwich with his knife in his left arm. "When did that happen, I thought nobody was allowed to leave the town during the trial." "They had already been contracted to get it done sszho they had ordersszh to make a bridge, they got esszhcorted by a different guard to make sszhure of any sszhtuff or uh ssszhifty people." "Huh, would have been nice to have that BEFORE we went on through." "Hhheheh, yeaaaah...Luke'sszh doin' a lot better, he sszhmiled at me today when I checked on him!" "That'sszh wonderful!" cried Fayne. "That makesszh me very glad to know, I think he needed a good talk from thosszhe of a feather." "Indeed," said Navarro sipping a cup of tea, "I am relieved to hear his malaise is passing, kupo." "Agreed, I am persszhonally very glad to get back to Lea Monde and put my feet up after a very arduousszh week." "More arduous than our past missions?" "Mentally, yesszh." "Dahlia, could you pass me the salt kupo?" She said nothing, stirring her soup bleakly as the only person not eating at the table. No one said anything but James reached over to hand Navarro the salt instead. "Thank you, kupo." "S'alright," said FG compiling a sandwich, "so Roy, did you get what we were after in the end?" "Yup," replied Roy alongside him blowing on his soup, "mister Brunhart an' I came to an agreement, so uh mission accomplished." "Really, he gave it to you like that?" "Just wanted to thank me after ah saved him from bein' imprisoned." "Or worse," replied Kruz chewing his toast-kebab, "he must have been really thankful so I guess in the end everything worked out well!" "Sure did! ...um...most of it that is." He glared gently towards Dahlia with some look of regret on his face. Nobody said anything until Baldwin looked at the awkward faces apart from Kruz who was oblivious also, deciding to pop up with: "Your sszhoup'sszh gonna get cold Dahlia come on breakfasszht isszh the mosszht important meal of the day!" "Mmm." "...do you not like it?" "I'm fine." "...okay, hey um I went into town and found the general sszhtore here had the latesszht journal on sszhiensszhe sszhtuff, I bought it for you!" Bringing up from his satchel he pulled out a magazine looking very wordy with a marvellous glowing illustration of various hands from different species grasping upon a single lightbulb, before handing it over the table towards her as she peered at it. "...this journal is two months old." "Wha...oh...I didn't...you already read that?" "Yes," she said coldly, "would have been nice to read when in custody." "I-i-i only bought it the day before the trial I'm sszhorry, I didn't realisszhe...what wasszh it about?" She looked up with the grumpiest face in existence, long hanging ears splayed upon the table whilst slowly sipping her lukewarm soup as Roy looked away trying not to smirk. Jesus she turned into fuckin' Eeyore what the hell. "Did you not bother reading it?" "Heh, you know I'm sszhtupid I can't undersszhtand any of that sszhtuff, why dontcha tell me? Huh?" "...do you actually want to know?" "Well, yeah, you know how to...exszhplain it to me a lot better you know, being really sszhmart and all."

Dahlia could not help but shake her head with a gentle ghost of a smile barely transfiguring across her lips, realising what he was up to. But regardless, she saw everyone was now staring at her sidelined as she opened up the science journal and briefly pored through its table of contents. "The war of the currents continues leading to a great debate upon the usage of electricity in today's society as well as its worth against its output compared to magicite, they celebrate the birth of a new airship that can cross the distance from Rozarria to Archadia within three days as opposed to the usual twelve weather permitting, the recent development of dating bloodstains by wavelengths of magicite transmitted has been approved and lastly this month's Pseudolixir to beware of is Professor Topsworth's Euclidea." "Wow...a whole new airsszhip that can crosszh a continent in a sszhingle DAY?!" "The magicite is heavily compressed, it has been well-preserved over centuries to create a more composite structured form of energy that expands output. It will help in research for the future concerning output increase in airship technology." "I was actually interested," said Kruz, "about the uh Tesla Coil stuff, you know that you talked about with Cid, you said that electricity doesn't work like magicite exactly, right?" "In the sense that there is no cross-interference from any Jagd zones as it is not magicite-based, yes it is rather different." "What's the uh...energy output like?" "The same as a Mark III Balamb Engine, in approximate to your engine." "Isszh that fasszht?" asked Baldwin. "A little slower than the Broken Petal so, relatively." "Oooooh that'sszh really sszhomething...hey uhhh, how come you never became a mechanic or sszhomething Dahlia? You sszheem to know all about thisszh engineerin' sszhtuff." "I'm not very strong," said the nu-mou, "I do the science, not the actual building." "Heh, well uh, if you ever need a dumb brute to build sszhomethin' an' follow ordersszh then uh, cli-click." The bangaa pointed to himself with two thumbs, a wink and a small flex of his rugged arms. "You know who to sszhend for huh?" "Hmhmhm...yes, I do." It was small but courteous and significant to see a gentle smile of respect as Baldwin nodded to his friends, eager at his little victory in winning over her mood slightly. A few minutes later however Roy was interrupted from just finishing his meal when a clerk hume of the inn came up alongside in brimming red suit. "Excuse me, mister MacGregor?" "Hmm?" "You have company, he wants to speak with you privately." "...uhhh...oh-kay, be righ' back." He got up as he headed to the door gently ducking underneath the frame to not bump his head towards the hall entrance before seeing a rather surprising visitor of all people to meet. Gerald Abernathy's shining black hair smooth as anything upon his dark features whilst retaining his red cloak and armoured suit underneath. He smiled gladly with arms crossed to each other. "Good morning," said the prosecutor, "you be off soon?" "Yes...jus' finished mah meal actually uh...whut you want?" "I just wanted to come by and say thank you for the great battle of wits. I never had a chance to thank you at the court." "Oh...heh...well uh, that's all good, ah mean you were a worthy opponent." "You know I did not mean any offence by the um...plea bargain is that right?" "No...ah know you jus' wanted to not get him sent to death, ah understand." "Well...it's the very least I could do for him." "Huh?" Gerald softly grinned as he put his hands behind back whilst rocking on his heels playfully. "Wherever there may be strife or torment or misfortune, we will endeavour to do everything to make most certain, that our children shall be forever cared for. Many of our fledglings have gone on, some even of which have come back to us to great benefit for our next generation, preserving the future of Ivalice. That's what mister Brunhart always says every year at his fundraisers, many of whom have always...come back to roost." "W-wait...you?"

The hume chuckled with a deep mirth across his features. "Hmhmhmhmhm...I was not at the party that day, but I was able to donate in advance knowing that I was too busy and, were I able to have defended him I would have but then you came along, and so took the position for me. I was relegated to prosecutor much to my own chagrin so...thank you, for finding out the truth and saving my...benefactor." "Wow...you were one of his kids too?" "I admit I had my doubts about you hence the uh plea bargain to hopefully give papa a better chance but you...you gave him every strength to succeed and I was very glad to see the real killer emerge. Hence why I allowed you to take the killing blow." "Um...no problem, wow ah had no idea, first Berniere then you, how many of these kids are there that he raised up?!" "Only forty years worth...I am very glad to have been raised by him and found a good family who then showed me the way to higher enlightenment, searching for the truth against the dark and criminal elements of this world." "Ah understand, that's one thing ah always wanted too." "Well, I won't press you on any further, I just wanted to give my appreciation and also commisseration as to apologies for any rather forceful conventions made. I had no desire to win this case, but I had my job and duty to proceed with." "Thuh Law is only but a system of truth," said Roy, "it's because of thuh people within that it can be used for good or evil." "Indeed, absolute power and all that. Well, let's hope that all good cases turn out to have happy endings." "Ah wish...thanks bah thuh way." "Have a safe journey I hope...mister MacGregor." Gerald took his leave shaking his hand as Roy went back towards the breakfast table after hearing sounds of confrontation. Already it was beginning as he rolled his eyes silently groaning as he heard the topic itself with increasing levels of sass. "You are an idiot!" clamoured Navarro. "WHAT!?" cried Baldwin. "What are you talking about it'sszh perfect!" "Yeah seriously!" replied FG. "I think he's got it right!" "No he DOESN'T!" said Dahlia halfway between giggling and frustration. "It's a completely absurd idea, it would absolutely not work, it's too dangerous for starters!" "It could totally work!" added Kruz. "You're just not thinking big enough come on now you're the science expert, it's all about vibrational techniques!" "And what of the sszhparkfire?!" argued Fayne. "Do you have any idea how insszhanely dangerousszh that thing would be in practisszhe?!" "Only a fool would ever wield that," ranted the moogle, "you cannot just take two things and simply meld them together kupo!" "Oh we totally can," hit back the kremling, "what, you live in this world of magicite but you can't make something that easy to work!?" "It's not a question of MAGIC," squawked the nu-mou frantically, "it's about the basics of physics and the everloving threat of being blinded by your own stupidity!" "Wear sszhome goggles then!" crowed the bangaa monk. "HEY!" The people stopped turning towards Roy in mid-sentence before he asked nervously: "Whut's everybody arguin' about?!" "OH, Roy!" shouted FG. "We're tied on this and we need you to weigh in!" "WHU-nawwww naw-naw-naw, ah ain' gettin' involved wi' that shi-" "Just answer this! Do you think gunblades are a really cool idea, or a really stupid idea?!" The utahraptor blinked taking in this sudden odd question as he pondered very calmly for at least a minute, slowly turning his head away with hand on his chin as his eyes widened softly with disbelief. "Whut...lahk, a handgun with a blade on it or lahk-" "Picture thisszh," replied Baldwin, "you have a sszhword, but you got like groovesszh in the upper part connected to like aaaaa sszhpinny-thing where the bulletsszh go through-" "The chamber," added Kruz. "Right, that'sszh now part of the handle where alsszho the trigger isszh, NOW...you sszhoot the trigger, and then your bullet goesszh PING down the blade like a barrel out to where the enemy liesszh on the edge of your blade sszho you sszhtrike, and you go SSZHOOT them through the fasszhe!" "That is," replied Navarro, "if the bullet did not simply fly off the blade, kupo." "Or blind you with its spark," insisted Dahlia. "Or sszhimply not fire properly," corrected Fayne. "So what you think?!" asked FG. "You think gunblades are cool or stupid?" Taking this all in Roy simply decided to say one thing as he smirked cutely, feeling glad that the clan were not so serious in this oddly-entrenched debate. "...FG, you run aroun' with a pair of scissors thuh size of a moogle." "Um, y-yeah so?" "So, you got no righ' to debate on whether a weapon's always cool or completely stupid." "Wh-what?!" "HAH, wrong!" cried Navarro pointing at FG. "W-wait a minute what the fuck Roy!" "Your opinion has been made invalid, therefore the majority is now three-to-two, the clan rules that gunblades are worthlessly stupid kupo." "WHA-WHAT?!" cried Kruz. "Are you serious?!" "Who died and made YOU leader?!" argued Baldwin. "YEAH!" added FG. "I'm fucking leader of this group and I say you can't invalidate me so the score's still on three!" "Wha-you can't do that!" ranted Dahlia. "The hell I can I'm clan leader!" "I DEMAND A RECOUNT!" shouted Fayne a little too enthusiastically. "THISSZH ISSZH AN OUTRAGE, WE ARE NOT AN AUTOCRASSZHY!"

With the town of Breekheim fading behind them after two hours of preparation, the group of Clan Koridai headed straight on home towards the Jagd with swelling hearts of freedom from the tense dramas of the previous week. Mounting their chocobos once more, they strode out finely upon the open cooler plains of northern West Valendia, the gentle crinkling of ice crystals tickling upon the hard firm claws of chocobo feet. A gentle soft rain, almost mist-like had come down upon them, the sounds and smells of the great wilds all around them greatly intensified as they cleared their sinuses. The clear open fields were almost a soft blue like the sky reflected by their colder stiff roots and sprinkling of morning mist giving everyone the sense of a calm moist that was incredibly soothing. Cadbury strode on alongside Luke, with Rinoa right next to him on the opposite side of the red-maned steed whom Fayne was now riding back onto. Roy was privy to their conversation which he relayed back to the group in full as their relief was palpable, with Kruz and Baldwin simply walking alongside them. "You feeling alright now?" asked Cadbury. "Better," said Luke. "I...I feel much more clear-headed than I was before." "You sure look it, not have a face on you like a mu in winter anymore." "Don't be so mean!" squawked Rinoa. "He's got a nicer face than you anyway, you look like a bandercoeurl's rear end!" "The fuck you call me?!" "I'm just saying what's the truth, banderbutt." "Pffffthhahahahhaha!" The red-maned chocobo's laugh was a chirruping wark of nervousness as he smirked towards Cadbury who simply rolled his eyes and playfully bit him before adding: "Seriously, you alright now?" "I...I'm just going to keep walking," said Luke, "if I just keep moving forwards like my brother always did then I can...find something much more, so I can not feel...alone like I was before. I've done enough mourning, I've made mistakes so I'm going to...live my life the way he would want me to, I'm not going to make others feel upset about me like this anymore." "I think that's a good idea," said Rinoa kindly, "and we'll all be right there alongside you." "...can we maybe not have Cadbury next to me always, you are right about his face." "Oh THAT'S IT!" More playful biting as Luke returned the favour towards James' steed as the group smiled laughing at their little antics before they stopped. It was that moment that James decided on an idea to more relieve the group after a rather trifling past week. "Yanno, I know it's kinda rainin' a bit but...who's up for a small race?!" "A what?!" asked Fayne. "Yeah you know like a race, I never seen any of our chocobos run any good like proper against each other sooooo why not have a race?" "I think that's an excellent idea," said Navarro gladly, "we shall have a small exercise for our steeds as they haven't had any good chance to stretch their legs since our appointed mission kupo." "I dunno," said Kruz, "would you like to ASK our friends here yourself?" "Roy?" The utahraptor looked up with a smirk before asking the flock itself. "Hey guys, who's up for a race to stretch our legs an' have sum fun?!" "Kweh-ehhh?!" They seemed almost confused by this choice, pondering to each other as Roy chuckled nervously. "Ah think they don' understand why thuh sudden rush." "Then let's make this interesting," said Navarro. "Tell them that the first one to reach the Jagd entrance shall be the winner, and whoever wins shall receive half-an-extra bag of gysahl greens kupo." Roy responded back to them with the following offer by which they resounded with unanimous cheer. "KWEHHHHH!" Even Luke began to join in which proved they were more than eager to shake their feathers off of dust and get into the rush of athletic skill to cut loose, the moogle chuckling with satisfaction. "Very well then, it is decided kupo!" "W-wait wait what about money?!" cried Baldwin. "Don't we get a prizzhe alsszho!?" "You are not racing, your chocobo is kupo." "Unless you want to run too Baldwin," added Dahlia snickering. "Seeing you are letting Fayne ride for you." "Hey-ey-ey I can totally run that far!" replied the monk. "Then prove it. You said you were the strongman so why don't we see how far you can really run?" "You realise I'm walking too right?" said Kruz. "I mean I'm sorry I'm not a fan of your birds but-" "Fuck that we can rasszhe too, come on don't be sszhuch a molly Kruzzh!" Kruz almost blinked chuckling widely with rows of teeth from his kremling snout as he cracked his fingers slightly before he shrugged. Fayne softly facepalmed himself with embarrassment before the crocodilian replied: "Weeeellll I GUESS I wouldn't want to be a molly now hmmmmmm? Alright, we'll catch up on foot, you guys can go play with your birds like little princesses." "That's the spirit!" cried FG. "Alright, you all ready? We're heading for the Jagd fast as possible across the tundra, that took us about a day to get across the fields here so let's see what we've got! Roy you give them the countdown!" "Alrighty, ON YOUR MARKS!" The chocobos lined up readying themselves for the big rush. "GET SET!" Their tailfeathers hiked up with feet planted deep. "GO!" With a burst of speed and a clump of dirt kicked up underneath their feet the chocobos rushed off squawking merrily towards each other, the diamond dust of ice crystals like sunkissed morning dew as Kruz and Baldwin went rushing as fast as they could. Luckily the early morning provided no sign of monsters, that and the local constabulary of Breekheim managed a very good job of keeping the local fauna well away. From the moment they rushed forwards, James' Cadbury was roaring past everyone with a screaming force of speed.

James was almost taken aback by how fast Cadbury went, the suicidal speed at which he raced was unbelieveable as he clocked out a good fourteen feet ahead of everyone else at the start. He could only imagine the coarse trashtalk he was giving to his opponents behind him as Luke pushed on ahead in second, racing also with a sudden boost of eagerness that everyone was glad to see. Rinoa was tailing back, not because she was tired but rather that she was not built for such speed as her graceful gait fit Dahlia's needs perfectly. The nu-mou giggled whilst holding onto the reins tightly, allowing the headrush of wind to come sweeping past her nose and tickling the nostrils by its gentlest icy breaths of the far northern climate. Roy and Navarro found themselves to be neck-and-neck between Dahlia and Fayne, the cleric hanging on for dear life with a somewhat-panicked exuberance, keeping his hat on desperately with the reins in one hand struggling to remember what Navarro had taught him as Luke kept his caution for his rider, focused on keeping a straight line ahead for an easier ride. The moogle kept Lightning at her pace, checking to see how fast she ran in order to test endurance rather than speed letting the others wear out their legs for an easy victory. She had not felt this competitive before but she always relished the sensation of being upon a steed, a proud strong beast that communed with her on a deeper much more heartfelt relationship than ever she had felt. It was absolute trust and confidence that she appreciated as her mount trotted forwards at a steady pace with firm eyes of practiced efficiency over everything else. Roy had a similar mindset involving Cyrus but that was also because of his own training days in knowing that stamina became more important than actual prowess of speed or strength. The black raptor firmly gripped his reins keeping a rugged pace as his mount could not help but flap his wings' remnants with exhilaration of a good race, feeling a moment of exhilaration almost as if he would shoot up into the sky like a soaring falcon. He chuckled at Cyrus' little daydream but allowed him the benefit as they kept racing on across the tundra plains. Cool grass scrunched up between their feet, undulating small hills offering light obstacles to either skirt or go over with Cadbury jumping into the air with a squawking boast as he pictured himself against the sun above their head. James felt it too, that arrogant desire to be fast and furious all over again as he let his mount press on feeling the wind scar at his face, shrieking beautifully as if a crowd were watching, hollering for a victory. Luke was never able to catch up, but he did his damn bestest as he went around the hill at a gentle angle, giving Fayne a slight heart attack but it was a moment of trust between them. The red-haired chocobo looked back towards the cleric with determination as he nodded knowing that he would not betray him ever again, a sudden glance of honesty that Fayne had understood. Feet tearing up across the sloped green, he bounded off towards the ground once his circumference met halfway around the hill and hit the grass running. Navarro was catching up, leaping mightily with Lightning in the sky to peal like thunder upon the frigid plain as her harsh pale feathered form stomped with ruthless strength, sending a wave of ice crystals brittly shattering around her in a mini-shockwave. Before she ran forth to keep up with the head athletes, Roy came down beside her also just as ruthlessly a good seven feet away from her side making the grass flatten around him, sniggering confidently as they raced off together leaving Rinoa and Dahlia to enjoy a lovely brisk pace over the frost hill. It wasn't long before they soon exhausted themselves, at least Cadbury and Luke after hitting the point of their endurance to end on a sluggish trot forwards out of desperation. Luke was turning dogged, panting feverish with a hot new energy he had not felt before that he knew was the joy of being alive. He had never before appreciated the pulsing sensation of his heart wanting to burst from his chest by exhaustion, but it was glorious in that moment. It hurt everytime he breathed but it was a pain that he loved. Cadbury felt the same as him as they squawked to each other gleefully.

But then Navarro had come, seeing them completely wiped out and finding her chance to seize victory was at hand before she boosted herself ahead, the screaming sound of James' chocobo the sore loser long behind her as she felt Roy begin to catch up to her. It was a grand reunion by the time they stopped short of the entrance to the Jagd itself, that familiar looming canyon of hopeless fear and raw powered earth that was the bane of all technology as mother nature's greatest offence against the world. But now they enjoyed their last moments passing through the northwest region before they would be heading home. The great yawning fissure that brought Luke to his knees had now been covered over by a bridge, welded together of iron and wood to be a certifiable passage safely giving wide enough berth for chocobos and wagons even to pass through. Eventually the days would pass, and after they had managed to leave the Jagd area around two days later, they would come home to Lea Monde once more. They hitched up their chocobos at the city stables before meeting Mother Mariel at the greater church. She notified them that one of Kruz's people had been in the church only two days previously, having found up a lead on Hopkins that had some connection to Bhujerban contacts that they had. With nothing more to do but wait until the Broken Petal would return, they decided to head on to the Equestrian needing a good drink. Navarro purchased a good sack of greens for all of their flock to feed from whilst her group chugged down some cider within that old familiar tavern as they all sat round the table. The familiar atmosphere of a good busy night at everyone's favourite locale was the perfect place for a good tale or so amongst frothing beer and rumorous tables full of gossip. Soft fireglow from safe magicite lanterns brought a tender warmth to all as they filled themselves up with liquor against the cold darkening night on the cobbled city streets. Baldwin was currently regaling the clan with a story to start things off a little light-hearted as he wrapped his arm around Fayne's shoulders, the cleric responding with the same before the monk continued: "Sszho, I told Fayne 'hey we better hide thesszhe cookiesszh sszhomewhere or elsszhe mother'sszh gonna sszhniffszh them out easszhily' an' then HE sszhaid-" "What about the pipe organ?!" added Fayne gladly. "Becausszhe if you wrap them up into bagsszh disszhtributing them along each pipe, we would never forget which one wasszh which then it would look asszh if you were cleaning each pipe out, rather than jusszht sszhimply grabbing from one that would look rather unsszhavoury." "Little did we know that the organ PRACTISSZHE group were playing on that sszhame day and they had AAAALLLL their insszhtructorsszh there!" "You didn't," gasped Navarro, "pleashe tell me you didn't kupo." "Well you know what happensszh to cookiesszh when you pound them in F minor?! BOOOOSSSSZH! Cookie crumbsszh EVERYWHERE that jusszht went SSZHPRAYING allll over the entire sszhtaff jusszht being rained upon by exszhploding cookie crumblesszh." "KHHHAHAHA," cackled Kruz, "HOLY SHHHIT THAT'S AMAZING!" "And the besszht part," interrupted Fayne, "the besszht part wasszh that we eventually were found out to be the culpritsszh-" "How old were you two during thishh?!" "...fourteen and twenty-two." "Oh okay, becaushhe if thishh happened lashht year I would be worried." "Hmhmhaha! W-well sszho, we had been disszhcovered becausszhe BALDWIN had not cleaned hisszh handsszh properly-" "You usszhed up the sszhoap!" the monk replied in defence. "And we were sszhent to mother who then told usszh we had to clean the entire pipe organ insszhide out for ruining the organ practisszhe who had to resszchedule, and we replied 'but we never knew it would be TODAY we never planned on them being peppered with chocolate it'sszh not fair!' and then ssszhe replied to usszh with 'well, you know what they sszhay-" "-that isszh the way the cookie crumblesszh, PFFFFTHAAAAHAHAHAHHAAHAA!" Their punchline in unison had the crew rolling with laughter, James, Roy and Kruz cackling with even Dahlia unable to stop herself from giggling despite her often pensive mood of late. Even Navarro found herself chortling unexpectedly at such a story as Baldwin pumped his fist up into the air pointing at her face streaking tears of laughter. "KUHOHOHOHOHAHAHAHAHAHA!" "SSZHE LAUGHED, SSZHE LAUGHED BRO I TOLD YOU, I KNEW THAT SSZHTORY WOULD GET HER GOIN', HIGH FIVE!" "SSZHUCSSZHESSZH!" The two slapped hands together as brothers pulled close together with everyone merrily smiling and sharing drinks. The lighter mood of forgiveness for any past transgressions seemed to turn brighter, and whether it was the constant alcohol or Luke's recovery or even the trial's success, it did not matter for they were all just simply glad to be at home on familiar grounds taking it easy. At least concerning Fayne and Baldwin. With stories drying up as their memory began to turn more foggy by the pint, James turned round to Roy neatly without falling over asking: "Shhoooo uhhhh what you plannin' on doing now Roy?" "Welp," replied Roy, "ahm gonna get me sum sleep an' then hit on out onto thuh road back to Rozarria for mah mission. Ah gots whut ah needed so ah don't got no reason to hang round here anymore." "Awwww really? Damn, I washh jushht shhtarting to get to like you." "Hehehe, same to you! You uh, handlin' that drink okay?" "What about you, you drank like two pintshh!" "Ahm a big dude, takes a lot to knock me out of it. But uh, yanno ah ain' gonna be away forever, ahll be back once ah get mah employer's stuff fixed then maybe ahll find mah way here again." "That'd be cool, you can tell me more high shhchool shhtorieshh about shherial prankshhtershh and pervertshh." "Ah did a lot MORE than just bust people up for bein' assholes." "I know I know..." James chuckled to himself briefly as he thumbed the rim of his glass pint adding: "You know you're not shhuch a huge asshhole oncshhe you get all chill like thishh." "WHUT ah ain't an asshole, YOU is!" "I'm jushht shhayin'!" "I should shay the shame for you," said Navarro forward-leaning heavily, "conshiderin' I had you to deal with after pilferin' my permit."

Slowly James turned towards her before he shook throughout his body with feigned frustration, putting his head slowly into his hands. "Ffffffffffffffohhhhhhhh myyyy goooooooood Navarro you-REALLY!?" "Hmhmhmhahaha," cackled Fayne, "ohhhhh the legend continuesszh, truly, remind me never to crosszh pathsszh with you my dear deputy." "A little too late," replied Baldwin, "consszhiderin' sszhe hasszh usszh by the ballsszh." "You don't HAVE ballshh," said Kruz smirking. "Well-you know what I mean!" "Actually none of ushh do," said FG, "I mean, think about it, we've got uhhh...five reptileshh and two girlshh that meanshh ZERO ballshh!" "I beg to differ!" said Dahlia boldly. "Conshiderin' Navarro'sh got more than any of you." "OOOOOOOOOOOH!" All the testosterone pulled back instantly from the table with shock at her claim, their jaws dropping as Roy shouted: "DAAAAAAAMN gurl where thuh fuck did that come from holy SHIT HAHA!" "S-S-SHHERIOUSLY!" yelled FG playfully. "Like, you...sh-shit I can't even come up with shhomething from that!" "Then you have proven her right," said the moogle proudly, "unlessh you can prove that to her dishpute, kupo." "Well, other than like a fight I don't shhee anyway how-" "We had a way back during the Knightsh Academy without our blood shed or wooden shwordsh. Thish." Down went her elbow onto the table, the moogle rolled up her left sleeve allowing the alcohol to tweak her judgement a little less than it normally would as they all pulled back fearfully with mock expressions. "Ooooooooooooh." "You cannot be shherioushh," tutted FG. "When am I not, kupo?" "I thought you were all 'no party tricks' misshh...shherioushh shhelf-shherving...shhomewhat other thing." "I know, but thish ishn't a party trick. It ish a tesht of shtrength, determination and patience." "From ARM-wreshhtling?! Are you drunk right now?!" "All of ush, but me the leasht kupo." "Are you sszheriousszhly planning on thisszh?!" asked Fayne. "You cannot posszhibly plan on beating usszh, nor any one of usszh!" "And why not?" "Because you're the shhmalleshht!" cried Kruz. "Like, shheriously your arm ishh TINY like a kid'shh!" "What'sh the matter, are you afraid kupo? Too Frightened to loshe your other hand, captain Kruz?" The others sucked in their teeth as a greater wind of discontent ran through them before Kruz flexed his one remaining hand. "Ohoh...you ashhked for it lady. Fayne." "What?!" "You're in, tire her out a little." "Wha-ME?!" "Yeah go on bro!" shouted Baldwin. "Take her down come on ssszhe'sszh got a teeny little baby arm you can take her!" "Ah dunno man," replied Roy, "ah mean it's not thuh size that counts it's how you use it." "That'sh what ALL men shay," retorted Dahlia to him cheekily, "eshpecially when they cannot ushe it properly." "Oh...ohohoho you really wanna go there?! REALLY, okay thassit Fayne get on that shit we gonna take you ladies on!" "But I never arm-wresszhtled in my life!" yelped Fayne. "Don't be a pussy come on it's that simple, just put your hand up lahk this." Roy shoved Fayne to the front of Navarro and put his hand up to positioning teaching him the basics. "You grab her hand an' when we say go, you push hard as you can until her hand touches thuh table, you got it?" "You-but-uh-I...w-well...I sszhuposszhe we have to be that way then." Clasping her hand firmly which clearly was the size of a child's in length and width she gripped firmly with her fingers locking firmly across his palm, the cleric wrapping his around her entire hand as Fayne started: "Navarro, I may resszhpect you greatly and I know you are a competent warrior...but I feel that you are maybe overesszhtimating your sszhtrength compared to your sszhi-" "GO!" "HNNGH­GAAAAH!" It was over in an instant. Fayne was prepared and everything to fight but the moment Roy had shouted for the fight to begin Navarro had him pinned in a milisecond of force. The bishop's hand was mercilessly thrown down upon the table as the moogle grinned wickedly simply letting go as Fayne clutched his wrist pinching his lip with his teeth. "...I wasszhn't readyyyyyy." "Well shhit," said Kruz shrugging, "I mean that washh barely anything okay my turn!" "Wha-n-no-I-a-a-aaaaooowwwww..." "No no you loshht Fayne come on move over." "I-i-i wasszhn't ready, GODSSZH!" "It'sszh okay Fayne," replied Baldwin, "your handsszh are good for other thingsszh like uh...readin' an' wasszhin' my arsszhe." "Oh you can bite me Baldwin." "Come oooon move over." Pulling his brother away carefully without hurting his hand, Baldwin let Kruz sit into the seat with his lone hand ready and firmly-toned as Navarro swapped arms to grip Kruz's right. The moment Roy shouted "GO" he pushed giving fiercer competition than Fayne did as his neck muscles throbbed potently against her strong grip. Despite having her hand clenched inside his, her arm strength was exceptional enough that she slowly began to push him down onto the table around two minutes later. It was a harsh struggle and he went down slow resisting, but still lost. "HOO!" cried Kruz. "Khhahahaha, oh you're not playing eashy are you?" "I never play eashy, kupo. Does anyone elshe want to try me?" "HELL YEAH I DO!"

James jumped into the seat with his left arm gladly out to let Navarro rest her right, pulling up her dominant arm against FG's unknown-to-her synthetic arm. She rubbed the texture of his palm oddly looking at him suspiciously. "Your...hand." "Yeah?" "I have never felt it before but it...feelsh strangely out of order." "Shho what?" shrugged FG. "We're having an arm-wreshhtle not a palm reading baby bird." "DON'T...call me that." "Whuh-Roy getshh to shhay it!" "That'sh becaushe he shays it ash a compliment." "Ehhh fine." "Hey what about me?!" cried Baldwin. "You got bigger armshh than me Baldwin you're like hard mode." "Heh...yeah I guesszh, alright ready?! Sszhet! GO!" The raptor pushed all his force onto Navarro's left as they began cheering between leader and deputy with Dahlia always on Navarro's side whooping as her biggest cheerleader for the contest. James' arm was not comparably any better or stronger than his remaining right but it felt very odd to Navarro in some small way as she focused on her strength. At first both of them appeared to be at a standstill, struggling to gain any ground on each other as their arms remained perfectly solid with the odd leaning to and fro by millimetres of pure strength. But as the cheering rose around them, James curled his lip fiercely with arrogance snarling as he dared to fight the moogle, pushing her hand slightly down towards the table a little further. But she resisted by about halfway, keeping a firm grip of endurance and forcing FG to push everything he had out into forcing her arm downwards, being a wall against him as he forced all he could. But for all his fury exerted he found his strength to be lacking as slowly his stamina began to weaken bringing Navarro close to the kill. It took her barely more than another twenty seconds to force his arm down to the table once he lost all his will to resist, groaning like a plaintive stag submitting to the elder as Dahlia whooped a little too excited. "OHHHHHHHH!" "HAHAAAA!" cried Roy. "Ohhhhh you got punk'd bitch." "Wh-what the fffffuuuuuuuck?" whined FG. "You pushed too hard," said the moogle, "you forced your endurance upon trying to make me shubmit, rather than shaving it to prevent me from shubmitting you." "Sszhome molly you are," murmured Baldwin, "now you really do got a limp wrisszht." "Okay THAT, ishh offenshhive," warned FG, "and I am going to make a complaint to your shhuperior." "You are my sszhuperior!" "Good, that meanshh everythin' went well and you're not doin' it again." "Whatever you losszht sszho move it butt-boy." "Hey-ey-ey I'm your leader shhtill don't you shhasshh me!" "Hhhhehehehe...alright, sszhorry sszhorry um, could you move asszhide pleasszhe sszho I can break Navarro'sszh arm?" "That'shh better, and yeshh you may." Formally standing up to let his seat be taken, the raptor watched Baldwin settle in to put his right hand up showing his brawny scaled arm. This was going to be a tougher obstacle, as Navarro noted whilst gripping the palm with bangaa claws wrapped round it firmly. "I hope you don't mind but I brought sszhome gunsszh to the table, hehehe." He slapped his biceps heftily chuckling whilst she rolled her eyes derisively. "You reaaaaally sszhure you can knock me?" "Like Roy shaid, it ish not the shize that countsh." "Hhheheheh...alright Fayne, you do the countdown thisszh time." The cleric nodded as he started, watching curiously to see how his brother went. "On your marksszh! Get sszhet! GO!" The moment Baldwin began pushing Navarro knew she was in trouble, pushing firmly back with resistance hoping to see his endurance run down smoothly. But the monk was of far more resilience than FG with his training as he chuckled darkly keeping his muscles flexed as he waited for the smallest weakness in the moogle deputy. She tried to push testing him but he gave no quarter as he waited for her to stop before he ruthlessly forced his hand against her. Navarro felt her position weaken, hand falling over desperately towards the wayside as cheers of encouragement rose. But she resisted harder with sweat on her brow forcing against Baldwin's rough-scaled hands as Dahlia rooted for her. "COME ON NAVARRO YOU CAN DO IT!" "TAKE HER DOWN BALDWIN!" cried Fayne. "YOU HAVE THE POWER OF LEA MONDE IN YOU!" "DON'T LISHTEN TO HIM YOU CAN TAKE THISH FILTHY OAF!" "FILTHY?!" snarled Baldwin gleefully. "I take bathsszh every two daysszh THANK you!" "Then you're an oaf SHTILL kupo!" replied Navarro. "Well thisszh oaf...isszh gonna knock you DOWN!" True grit upon their faces as they stared each other down fiercely glowering as their vigorous standstill of fists clenched together powerfully, sweating down each other's wrists as they pushed harder and stronger, glaring fiercely with scorn piercing through their irises on raw strength. But Navarro was finding herself slowly losing regardless as little by little, the bangaa's fist pushed her slowly towards the tabletop by raw purer strength of his muscle. Until Dahlia swept round in an instant and planted a kiss forcefully upon Baldwin's cheek making him sputter and lose focus. "WH-WHAT THE-" "Good luck big boy!" "YOU-WAIT-I-GRRRRRRRGH!" All he needed was to lose his focus for a conscious second before the moogle pushed through with every inch of strength she had piling down to force his hand down. He was out of sorts, calls of jeering came from the male side as he found himself put on the ropes, desperately trying to concentrate his sheer energy but it was all to naught as the moogle had given no quarter. With his hand in a bad position by an instant of losing himself, he lost as his knuckles touched the wood as Fayne began cackling despite Baldwin's mock-fury. "HHHHHAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAA, Y-YOU FELL FOR THAT?!" "I-I DID NOT!" roared Baldwin. "YOU CHEATED!" "I did no shuch thing!" retorted Navarro. "Dahlia did." "YOU-THAT ISSZH NOT FAIR!" "Oh wash that not in the rulesh?" said the nu-mou with coquettish smile. "I'm sho shorry, how TERRIBLE of me!" "DOHHHHH YOUUUU-"

Frustration ran through him rather playfully, gasping with widening grin as they all laughed resoundingly, with Fayne getting rather too ahead of himself and laughing so hard that he almost started to go backwards on his seat. "PFFFTHAHAHAAHAAHAA, HUHUHEHAHAHAHAHA-WHU-WHU-AAAAAGH!" "W-WOAH FAYNE!" His raucousness had become his undoing as he fell back suddenly, not giving any attention to his seat having leaned too far to slide off its legs as Kruz tried to grab him sitting right next to him. But he was too late, the kremling's hand pulled hard by the cleric as he fell on top of him, chest against blue cloth with their snouts almost touching just perfectly enough to meet. His eyes started twitching with a hot deep fear, the bishop not even wanting to think as he reeled back in his neck desperately to try and keep as far away from Kruz's lips as possible. A sudden sickness in his stomach began overwhelming him as the look of panic rose even greater within his pupils from his sudden remembering of what they spoke of previously before the trial. He did not want to think of this, he did not want this merryful night to be ruined struggling with himself as his hands began spasming within an instant for all three seconds that they laid upon the floor, gasping only once as Kruz simply nodded softly with a subtle wink, saying: "Khheh, careful now Fayne!" Pulling him as he got off, Kruz gave him a hand allowing Fayne to neatly get back onto his own two feet with a sudden coquettish look upon his bangaa features. "We're just sharing drinkshh, not a bed together right?!" "A-a-ahhh hahaha, aaahahaha, aaaah y-yesszh um...g-good one um...hooo." "You okay bro!?" asked Baldwin. "I feel...rather hot all of a sszhudden." "He'sh fiiiiiine," replied the kremling, "jusht got a little tipshy that's all, can't handle hish drink like real men." "Pfffft typical Fayne, can't ever handle your drink like me with that weedly little body on you, like a real bookworm." "Yeah sherioushly." Kruz put an arm around Baldwin to keep Fayne relaxed so as not to worry. "Real men like ush drink every night, all night long right?!" "RIGHT!" "Y-y-yesszh," added the bishop, "I jusszht...feel sszomewhat a little off-balansszhe I think...I think I may have drunk too much, I feel a little...upsszhet in my belly, I think I may have to call it a night." "Awwwwwww...hhehehe, you laughed too hard bro. Alright then, you need sszhome help?" "No no I will be fine, thank you Baldwin." "Alrighty, I'll be at our room probably in a few hoursszh after sszhome more drink up here." "That'sszh good...well, goodnight all and...hope to sszhee you around." "G'night Fayne!" The group waved him off as he stumbled his way back to the cathedral, desperately trying not to look drunk and more as if he had hurt himself by a small limp as he made his way back to his room. The two brothers still had a place to call home within the grand halls of the church, a place of peace for them of solitude and comfort amongst all their greatest memories together. Fayne however was not going to find comfort in anyplace such as his stomach turned sick with butterflies pounding around viciously turning him much more queasier than usual. He knew what was the reason but now he had started to feel himself turn pale as he curled up into his bed nervously feigning sickness for at least another day or so to have his head rearrange its thoughts. With the clamour of the court trial now over he was forced to gaze into the abyss of his inner workings, and the more he began to think, the more tears he began to weep. A few days after their return to Lea Monde, Roy was busily hitching himself at the gate entrance to the city ready to leave as James stood with his clan ready to wish him farewell. The black raptor made sure of his supplies after restocking at the local store as he turned towards the Koridai Clan along with Kruz. Unbeknownst to any of them, Fayne handed a small note to Kruz discreetly whilst everyone was paying attention to Roy's departure as the kremling made not a word nor change his look as he slowly put it in his satchel.

"Thanks again for doin' all that stuff with me." "No problem," said FG, "thanks you for the sweet payment." "Heheheh...seriously ah appreciate you puttin' up with me." "Considering what you put us through," said Navarro, "I should think so kupo." "Hmhmhahaha...ohhhh ahm gonna miss you most baby bird. Don' worry though, ahll be plannin' on comin' back soon." "Hopefully with much less troublesome affairs." "Ah promise. Also thank you too Fayne for uh, standing bah me." "More sszhtanding by my misszhter Brunhart but..." The cleric shrugged nervously a little out-of-sorts standing alongside his brother. "Merely sszhemanticsszh, regardlesszh I am very much appresszhiative of the time we had together. I admit I am looking forward to more of your faith consszhcript in future sszhould that ever be." "If ah had a spare bible ah'd give you it, maybe when ah get back home ah can find a copy." "No need no need, I cannot read the language either way do not fret, but thank you." "I wouldn't worry," replied Kruz from behind, "maybe get a bible book with pictures in it that might help." "That for Fayne or you?" replied Roy. "Khhahaha, watch it I'm still a captain." "Uhhh you ain't even a captain amongst this group remember, when you signed off your ship?" "...fair point, good call I'm still waiting on them coming soon with our info about Hopkins hopefully." "Aw cool, well ah hope that uh all works out for you...and uh..." He turned lastly towards Dahlia, who simply stood by patiently with her hands clasped politely with a neutral expression. "Ah want to apologise, again." "It's alright," said the nu-mou firmly. "Naw look seriously ah feel bad about that, ah had no idea." "I-it's fine, I know you were not being intentional and I am...sorry for the way I acted." "Well...you had every reason to come at me, ah wouldn't want that to happen to me either...tell you whut, when ah come back from Rozarria ahll get you sumthin'? Maybe whutever latest science journal's goin' on down there." "Are you...really?" "Sure, ah mean you once said that you come from Rozarria don't you, maybe ah can get you sumthin'." "Well...I mean, since you offered now that you mention it..." She pondered briefly to herself with finger to her chin. "If you ever come back to this area, I would not mind seeing the Rozarrian Advancements catalogue again, I have not seen those in quite a few years and I always missed seeing those." "Heh, well thuh lady knows whut she wants alrigh' then sure! It's a deal." A smile glowed from her appreciating his diplomacy before her leader walked up to Roy with cautious grin, gently rubbing his neck as if about to leave his date at the doorstep. "Hey um, you know these omni-tool things have a long distance on them, so if you ever wanna talk-" "Sure. Ah mean ah haven't tested it but considerin' it managed to go all thuh way to spaceships orbitin' above thuh planet back on Benning an' shit, ah think we got enough of a distance to cover on this." "Alright then uh...don't be a stranger Roy. I'm really glad we worked things out between us a little." "Hmm...yeah, same here." "Um...before you leave, I wanna ask you...what was Chicago like, before you left to come back here?" He looked uncomfortable asking this, as did Roy in turn answering it trying to be as kind as he could. "It's...bad. Lahk...real bad, thuh whole place has been under martial law for about a year, usual violence an' riots all interspersed." "Is...is the 'Armee' doing anything?" "They acted as thuh home guard, lahk uh military police...that should tell you all you need to know about thuh place." "Shit...is the place real bad like, locked down?" "Armed guards on every exit from thuh city an' back, sum are thuh local PD, sum are A.R.M.E, but none of them actual military forces, were all private contractors. Ah had a hell of a tahm tryin' to get in there an' uh...ah heard a lot of bad things on thuh human/anthro divide down in thuh city." James' heart turned crestfallen upon hearing this, a bitter sigh as he looked up slightly before Roy added heartily: "Ah DID however see that thuh bar Sarah ran is up still an' runnin', ah checked over it but ah never went in, ahm not goin' near that place or else ahm gonna be eatin' lead from her after thuh first tahm ah went years back whilst huntin' for you." "Heheheh, yeaaaah I bet she'd give you a full course with that...so, it looked okay, really?" "Not...that run down actually, ah think she's copin', ah saw her area just a li'l better than everybody else's so uh if she managed to make stuff work somehow she doin' great." The relief on his face was palpable as James' sigh turned much brighter for the future. "Ohhhh...thank god, that's good I'm...I'm real glad that you told me." "Heheh...seriously, ah hope you find your way back an' whutever it is you plan on doin' ah hope things work out." "I hope they work out for you too. Thank you, for coming back and...telling me about all this Roy." "No problem...James." The two firmly shook hands with nodding respect before Roy hiked up himself onto his wingless steed who carefully rustled his neck feathers to clear them out slightly, as they rode off slowly down the road that lead to Lea Monde. He waved goodbye to his nemesis with a grin of honesty as the raptor waved back at him slowly heading off over the horizon. Cyrus spoke once they were clear from civilisation as he kept his eyes forwards. "Are you done pretending now?" "Yes," replied Roy, "jus' gotta get to that ol' place an' all will be good." "Would he really not have told you the truth?" "Only cuz he doesn't know it...it's just that...ah can't shake that feeling...sumthin' about FG just doesn't add up for me." "Like what, besides the obvious?" "Two years he cannot remember, an' from whut Kruz told me he already had that loss of memory way back when cuz he is DEFINITELY two years older than he said he wuz an' he got no reason to lie about it. That's such an oddly specific thing, that demon inside him causes blackouts, he can't remember any of that shit cuz he didn't remember that stuff back in Raccoon City...ah know whut that demon can do." "You suspect the demon was the one you are searching for?" "...ahm not suspectin' anythin' anymore, ah got only one way to find out thuh truth...an' it's with this key." He gently pulled out from his satchel the bizarre-looking spectacles, his fingers pushed through the empty lens firmly out of curiosity as the chocobo simply rolled his eyes and headed onwards. "Was this another prophecy by that mysterious presence from your dream?" "Could say that...ah had an inklin' an' that voice pushed me in thuh right direction...yanno somebody once told me that thuh great kings of the past are up there, watching over us." "Hmhm...there are no gods or kings to me...only sky for all flocks know we must depart to it." "Really? Whut do you believe in?" "Do you see those clouds up there?" They stopped on the road watching the sky above with Cyrus reflecting its clear blue gaze within his eyes. "We Chocobo believe that each cloud is but the soul of our ancestors and when we depart, that's when our wings shall become born as truly gifted to be and spread to the heavens, where we shall run free amongst the sky itself. Every white cloud is enlightened with soft peace...every dark cloud contains the soul of a tortured beast." "Damn...that's...that's kinda beautiful actually." "You have your world philosophy and so we have ours." "...which ones do you think are yours?" His head turned towards Roy at this question with a mournful look upon him, shaking his head with uncertainty. "I don't know...I hope they will not rain tears on me for I have wept too often without more received from them." "Ahm sure they're at peace, Cyrus." "I hope they are...I never will be." "S-sorry, forget ah said anythin'." "No. Do not let sorrow be a curse, make it your strength. I will not hide my tears for I feed the earth with them so even in my moments of misery some part of the world will feel better for it." "Or you let it become you an' then consume you, lahk you said Cadbury wuz with his anger." "He understands, it is why he was not aggressive as such with me...he knew that look I gave him that howling torrent of abyss. Speaking of, are we going by airship once again to the desert?" "Only if you up for it, ahm okay with jus' walkin' down there." "Of course, because you're not the steed." "You lahk walkin'!" "I do, but you are not the one doing it." "Pffft, whutever, hey how about a song cuz ah got one." "Mmmmm very well, I suppose we could do to pass the time, which one will we sing today?" "Hehehe...ahll sing thuh first chorus you sing thuh second an' we join thuh third alrigh'?" "Alright, go for it." "MMm-hmmph." Roy took in a deep breath and readied himself to start belting out a classic song from his childhood, their voices receding long over the horizon as Cyrus joined in with the second chorus, singing with warking melody. "Ahhh can show you thuh wooooorld...shiiiiinin', shimmerin', spleeeeendid, tell me princess, now when did you last let-your-heart, deciiiide?" "Iiiii can open your eeeeeeyes, taaaake you wonder by woooonder, over sideways and-under, on a magic-carpet ride, a whole newwww woooooorld! A new faaantastic point of vieeeew! No one to tell us no, or wheeeere to go, or say we're only dreaming-" "A whole newwwww woooooorld! A dazzling place I neeeever knewwww! But when I'm waaaay up here, it's crystal clear, that now I'm in a whole new woooorld with-youuuuu." "Now ahm in a whole new wooooorld with-you-" "Unbelieeeevable siiiiights! Indescriiibable feeeeelings, soaring tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond skyyyy, A WHOLE NEWWWW WOOOOOOOORLD!"

With Roy now departed the rest of the clan began to busy themselves on various things hoping to pass the time until Kruz's ship would return with some news. James decided to check on the Cupid Mark Crusaders along with Dahlia to see how well they were doing; Navarro asked around town on whether anyone had seen Clan Herne on the passing chance that they had been through Lea Monde recently; whilst lastly Fayne and Baldwin went back to resuming their tasks at the cathedral. So far there came no sight of Kruz's ship, and Kruz himself had nothing to do until then. He decided out of respect to help with the church duties as a way of keeping an eye on Fayne after his rather sudden change from the drinking party a few nights ago. He already had an inkling on what had been worrying him after receiving the note from him, which asked if Kruz could meet him in his room around 5pm the next day when it was time, he walked up towards Fayne's room, gently knocking upon the door. The bishop soon answered: "Who-is-it?" "It's Kruz...I read your note." The soft hobbling sound of wood upon stone cobble was audible as it came closer by at least ten steps before he opened the door allowing Kruz in. The brothers had made a rather charming room for themselves reflecting their different sides clearly indicating who slept in which. Two beds placed underneath resplendently tall windows of sturdy wrought iron where light dappled inbetween with sunset rays pouring through the aged whorled glass to the kremling's right as he walked through. Fayne had his bed furthest from the door next to the darkest corner where his things were all kept in a dresser tidily composed and neatly dusted away with his cupboard in the coolest spot, the brother closing the door behind Kruz as he made his way over towards that same bed sitting down upon it lightly. Baldwin however had his bed closest to the door and showed a different story entirely, a little less tidy with creased sheets never straight and a cupboard on the opposite wall. The dresser's top however had old blood stains never fully cleaned for some reason, with a trophy shining gold from the top of the cupboard showing a raging fist clenched tight commemorating a contest winner as it caught Kruz's eye. "Five-forty-two," said Fayne, "the Iron Fisszht tournament of Valendia Wesszhtern region. Baldwin never won anything before, or anything after that." "That's a shame," said Kruz gently, "but if he won at least one thing that must be important to him huh?" "Yesszh...that...and..." The cleric nodded towards his own cupboard which Kruz could not help but open with his permission to see several older robes of various colours but also a trophy self keeping six gold and silver-studded titles. Most of them showed some form of card-holding hand clasping with victory. "I never like to keep them out in public, I feel...unkind to do that to Baldwin." "Khheheheh...wow, well he doesn't seem to mind, I mean he did encourage you all the way into going to that tournament, or leaving my crew empty-pocket." "Hmhmhmhm." "...sooooo uh, you needed something from me?" "Yes. Forgive me, I would have wanted to sszhpeak previousszhly but I had plenty errandsszh to keep me busszhy. That and...I wanted to brasszhe mysszhelf." "For what?" "...Kruzzh, come sszheat besszhide me." The subtle pat of his hand on the bed invited the kremling over as Fayne began with soft shivering anticipation. "I...I read your ansszhwer, before the trial went through and...I have sszhtarted to undersszhtand how you feel." "Really?" "Yesszh...I am sszhorry for all I have sszhaid to you." "Heeeey now, you barely said anything to me, same with Baldwin I mean he doesn't know right, does he?" "About you? No, he doesszh however sszheem to sszhusszhpect rather due to the way you are rather mosszht comely towardsszh my leader. Then again he alsszho believed that Roy wasszh a lover of Jamesszh upon arrival." "Khhhah, really?! Come on you're joking." "No, I wisszh." "Khhheheheh...jeez I mean, with all due respect, your brother's kind of uh...well, let's just say that brain and brawn combine together extremely well and you are most certainly not the brawn." "Hmhmhm, how very diplomatic of you to put it that way." "I never liked hiding things, and I learned that it rarely helps in some situations." "Well...there isszh that, and um, one quesszhtion I do have for you in that casszhe." "Oh? What is it?" The cleric breathed deep as he braced himself with dry lips, licking them feverishly once to wetten them. "...do you think...that...it isszh possszhible you may hide sszhomething for sszho long that...you forget that it wasszh even there?" "What...what do you mean?" Fayne began to turn towards Kruz fully as he shifted himself with quivering hot lips feeling sudden sickness in his stomach. "I...I-i-i do not want you to asszhume anything of me. I sszhimply wanted to learn about how you felt sszho I can learn more about mysszhelf. And...a-a-and I...have come to the following conclusszhion after your impromptu ansszhwer to me." "What's that?" "...I'm afraid." He softly almost whispered this gently rubbed his hands along each other nervously turning them over constantly as he began to sweat. "I am afraid of...sszho many thingsszh I never knew I could be afraid of, before you...made me realisszhe that." "Like what?" "Everything, my life turning harsszhly, fear for my brother'sszh life, fear for me and what to do with mysszhelf if...I thought I could...sszhimply put on thisszh robe and hide behind my brother'sszh body, merely becoming hisszh own ssszhadow but now I...have revealed too much of my own sszhelf into a mirror and I can't look away becausszhe you sszhowed me it." "Wh-what are you talking about, h-how did I-" "P-pleasszhe let me sszhpeak...Kruzzh." His soft pale hands of copper scale gripped Kruz's hand firmly. "Do you...believe I will alwaysszh be the way I am now...even if a part of me had become changed to sszhomething that...I never thought wasszh able to? Do you...do you believe I can sszhtill be the sszhame persszhon that people love me for, after knowing of thisszh...new thing?" "...of course I do." He squeezed his single hand sweetly around Fayne's warmly. "You're an intelligent good-hearted member of the Lea Monde church who wants to protect his brother, you care about other people, the way I saw you stand up for Brunhart before you even turned counsel at the inn made me realise you cared deeply about justice. You're the kind of person who can't stand seeing the innocent get persecuted and that's something most good people have already but I feel...that it might be deeper for you." "M-m-maybe, no...no it, i-i-i-it isszh jusszht the way I am, I am not-" "Fayne...please, tell me what's wrong, tell me what's scaring you, why are you so afraid? What...what is it you're so afraid of, is it because of what we said to each other? Because of all those questions you asked me and they were actually for you?" He could no longer resist, the cleric softly putting a hand to his eyes and weeping softly as his heart beat insanely fast, pulsating with quivering fingers onto Kruz's own as he held them firmly to steady Fayne. "I know you're frightened...I can't understand that sort of fear the way you do but I want to help you. This, whatever you're now feeling I can guess very easily but you know somewhere deep down inside of you that it's not some disease, it's not some illness bu-" "WHAT IF I'M WRONG THEN!?" cried Fayne with tears pouring through his cheeks. "WHAT IF YOU ARE WRONG, AND I UPSSZHET MY BROTHER OVER A FOOLISSZH MISSZHTAKE I SSZHOULD NOT HAVE MADE?!" "I'm telling you it's NOT wrong, there is nothing bad about it! Me and James are perfectly fine and you have no evidence that it's wrong!" "I have no evidensszhe that it isszh RIGHT either, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK! Every other topic I can read on or congregate or debate but thisszh, THISSZH I cannot handle!" "Handle what?!" "THAT I AM A DISSZHEASSZHE!"

A bitter wince ran through him as the bishop fell forwards to press his head against Kruz's chest, the captain softly holding him as he felt fearful emotions run through him from the sobbing bishop. Heaving shoulders as he quivered with wailing muffled by the kremling's embrace, he tried to soothe him with a gentle rocking against each other stifling to hold back his own bitter tears. "You're not. You're not diseased you are not...you're a wonderful person Fayne. You love people...you just want somebody to love you as well and you don't care about either gender...don't you?" "I-i-i cannot hide it a-a-anymore, GODSSZH HELP MEEEE!" "You have no reason to hide this...no one should make you hide it." "C-couldn't...sszh-sszhould have...my own needsszh turn thingsszh worsszhe f-for everyone, I-i-i love women I do b-but...m-my heart, it yondersszh f-for men too a-and I f-fear that I will losszhe it and the w-world will be different becausszhe I'm a f-f-F-FILTHY SSZHODOMI-" "SHUT UP!" Kruz screamed and pulled him back with creases glistening on his cheeks, his eyes mournful as he shook with sorrow upon the fearful bishop. "Don't...don't ever call yourself that, you are not...filthy, you're a wonderful intelligent person who cares about people, you came to me when I couldn't save James, you sat with me, you stood by me and let me weep on your shoulder because you KNEW, you understood my pain and didn't let me push you away! ...I've been a captain for so long I never let anyone do it for me, people always let me tell them what to do but...you." He slipped his hand underneath Fayne's cheek to brush away the tears from him. "You understood me just a little bit more than most. Now I'm returning the favour, not because I have to...but because I want to." "Y-you...w-want? But...no, n-n-no one could...posszhibly ever give me love like that, a-a-any love f-f-from a male would never be right, it would not be true at all!" In that moment Kruz gripped him by the back of his head, stroking him softly as his lips neared to him. "I can prove you wrong." "Wh-wh-what?" "...I'll prove to you my love is real. If you want me to." "......p-p-pleasszhe...h-help me. Help me...I'm sszho afraid...I need-" "Shhhhhh...don't be. Don't be afraid because I'll help you. Like this." The moment he felt Kruz press his lips against him Fayne's eyes tried to scream his fear and horror of betraying everything he had tried to build before another strange sensation came through him. At first it was but a glimmer at the depth of his belly, but slowly it rose through to a deep swell of his heart. He had not felt that in years, occasionally a gentle flicker with the odd lady or two, an attraction but not a love he could quite call such as this. Kruz kept his snout pressed against him with lips pushed forwards as Fayne began to suckle. He could not resist, the tender sounds of a kiss burned into his ears as it set him off into a deep embrace holding Kruz's head closely before he shifted his snout, and opened wide to allow him in. He felt his tongue resist instinctively, but feeling Kruz enter with hot breaths rolling across his teeth made him moan gasping in return before the kremling's tongue laid against his. Twisting softly in undulating motion, Fayne began to moan with rising heat in his lungs as Kruz shuddered hotly, pulling the cleric closer as he guided him. His cheeks burned red-hot on the inside whimpering with trembling hands before he felt Kruz move away sliding his tongue out from his lips. Panting bliss ran forth from his mouth as he covered his lips reeling back slightly, the kremling smirking with such innocence as he watched Fayne's expression. "H-hhhhh...h-hhhhhhh...g-g-godssszh...I...h-h-h-hoh...F-faram f-f-forgive me-" "Shhhhh...he already has Fayne...he forgave you a long time ago." "D-d-don't s-sszhay sszhuch thingsszh...nobody c-can...forgive me." "Why?" "...I...I'm sszhorry. I cannot do thisszh, I hoped there maybe wasszh a sszhmall foolisszh ansszhwer within you, sszhomething that could tell me I would be free, n-not contaminated not...but I can't...I can't do thisszh." "You can." Kruz took his hand once more firmly squeezing it. "You can do this. I'll be with you." "Wh-wh-what?" "I'll be here...with you. When you need me, I'll be there by your side so you don't need to do it alone. Promise." "You...you are willing to...c-commit that?" "I will. I...maybe I'm just needy for someone to share my love with...but if I can share it with you, when you are suffering and need to learn what it means for true love..." He moved his hand up towards Fayne's cheek stroking softly. "I won't regret giving my love to you, if that'll make you happy again." Fayne bowed his head turning away from him with bitter tears constant as they dripped down his cloth, shivering with dark deep shame that even Kruz could see was not anywhere close to moving. He tried to think of more words to help him but nothing came to him as he slowly reached out towards him with his hand. Then stopped, he realised there was nothing more to give besides what he had already given him with no result other than fear and greater doubt. His heart saddened as he slowly wept, gently getting off of Fayne's bed and walking towards the door. But he reached no further beyond Baldwin's bed when he heard Fayne speak towards the floor. "...onsszhe upon a time, there were two familiesszh who lived upon a mountain plateau." "Hmm?" "They were of the sszhame people, but of sszhlightly different rasszhe which gave plenty enough accusszhasszhion towardsszh each other over which of the two were more inferior. Old bitter rivalriesszh turned true to hatred, and out of thosszhe family membersszh were two children, one from each group. One wasszh a boy around thirteen, the other...wasszh only five yearsszh old. "The younger boy, not yet embittered by the hatred of hisszh family made friendsszh with the older sszhon of a different family. In turn the older sszhon could not help but become friendly towardsszh the younger child. Over the coursszhe of three yearsszh, they sszhoon became closszher asszh good friendsszh, the only true friendsszh they had for they undersszhtood each other." "The younger wasszh of wild imaginasszhion and innosszhent joy consszhtantly exszhpanding the older'sszh mind with new ideasszh. The older taught hisszh friend how to defend himsszhelf asszh well asszh in becoming sszhtronger and yet both undersszhtood the other'sszh problemsszh of their daily routine. How they had to deal with thisszh ignorant group of people in their everyday life, sszho different and yet sszho very very sszhimilar. "Becausszhe both children were up away in the mountainsszh they had no one elsszhe but each other, hiding away towardsszh a sszhecret area where none knew of their sszhmall gamesszh and sszhecret talksszh with forbidden need, knowing that both were on the opposszhite sszhide of a boundary that none had ever needed, or even asszhked for. "Then, one day, the young boy wasszh eight and the older one wasszh now sshixszhteen. The youngesszht turned to hisszh friend and sszhaid sszhomething that would change their life forever. 'Can I...tell you sszhomething?' he asszhked. 'Coursszhe you can' sszhaid the elder cockily, 'you know you can tell me anything'. The younger boy felt hisszh heart thumping in hisszh throat feeling asszh if he would throw up at any moment, asszhking: "'Have you ever...liked ssszhomeone that you know but...really really lotsszh more than you ever did before?'. 'What you mean?' asszhked the older, 'like after a really cool battle or sszhomething?' 'No,' sszhaid the little one, 'I mean like you feel...sszhomething really warm insszhide you when you lay right besszhide them...being with them and enjoying the time you have with them becausszhe you...they make you feel good about yoursszhelf being with them and no one elsszhe?' "The older one looked curiousszhly at hisszh younger friend tingling with unsszhertainty knowing he had had a good fearful sszhtart insszhide him asszh he took the younger boy'sszh hand to make him sszhtop sszhaking, pulling him closszhe to him. 'I do,' sszhaid the older, 'I know what you mean. Isszh that how you...really feel about me?' "The younger boy nodded, desszhperately hoping he would not let go asszh the older...p-pulled him closszhe to him...planting a sszhoft kisszh upon hisszh young head sszhweetly asszh he tightly embrasszhed him...he...h-he then sszhaid sszhoftly into hisszh ear...'I love you Fayne...you are the greatesszht friend I ever did have in my life'. The boy felt a wondrousszh relief through him asszh he gripped hisszh friend tightly asszh closszhe asszh he could before sszhakily gasszhping...'I love you too...Baldwin'."

"Wh-...wh-wh-...what?" gasped Kruz. "'I...I never thought I could feel...th-thisszh w-warm in my wh-whole life'...h-hhhhh..." Fayne could not bring himself to continue clutching his stomach hard as he shivered harshly, feeling his stomach turn with a deep heart falling through into the pits of his own despair. "The boy sszhaid thisszh and in that moment he had never felt happier...for that week they felt asszh if there were nothing in the world but them, and their love. Then...that day came. My father." "No." "He had followed me unknowingly, he sszhaw me and Baldwin, a kisszh that meant nothing, an embrasszhe of warmth and not lusszht...I wasszh too young to know of lusszht, Baldwin never intended that to me but my father...my father could not think it be anything elsszhe of a filthy degenerate who would dare taint hisszh sszhon. I wasszh not even beloved, I wasszh but a posszhesszhion to him, a sszheed to be planted to presszherve hisszh legasszhy. He then demanded me, to tesszht my faith to him...to sszhlit Baldwin'sszh throat." "N-no." "I could not do it...I tried to beg him, I-i...I-i-i..." Tears dripped down into his hands clutched upon his face, gasping quiet sobs as Kruz rushed to embrace him once more hurriedly sitting at his side. "H-h-he sszhtruck m-me...'worthlesszh little sszhit', B-baldwin sszhtood up for me, tried to fight him, I wasszh sszhcreaming begging them to sszhtop. M-my father wasszh sszhtronger, he p-picked up a rock an...a-a-and...it wasszh my FAULT!" "No, no no no it wasn't your fault, it was not your fault-" "YESSZH IT WASSZH!" roared Fayne. "BECAUSSZHE I LOVED HIM, MY FATHER ALMOSSZHT KILLED HIM! H-h-he...Baldwin fell...b-back over the cliff...I could not sszhtop him, but neither could I sszhtop mysszhelf...I grabbed hisszh hand...and sszho we fell. Down into the river...for a brief moment...I hoped that we would drown together." "H-hhhhhh...hoh my gods Fayne." Kruz couldn't stop himself, overwhelmed with sorrow on Fayne's behalf as he pulled him tight against him, an arm firmly around his back as he kissed him upon the cheek. "It wasn't your fault, i-i-it wasn't your fault Fayne you have to realise-" "I-if...I had not...w-we would have been happy." "With what, your horrible families? Is that what happiness is for you, to suffer in silence?!" "WHAT ELSSZHE DO I DESSZHERVE KRUZZH!? I COULD NOT EVEN LOVE HIM, I COULD NOT EVEN HAVE THE ONE I LOVED, EVERYTHING WASSZH TAKEN FROM ME!" "W-wait...what do you mean, Baldwin's still-" "No...h-he...you do not know what happened...when I woke, upon a bank with Baldwin by my sszhide, I sszhaw hisszh head wasszh bleeding...I cried for help, a boy only eight yearsszh old pleading, sszhcreaming...a travelling carriage took usszh to Lea Monde...and sszho we arrived on the doorsszhtep. ...Baldwin did not wake for two monthsszh." "No...oh gods I'm...that must have been horrible." "...he woke up. I sszhaw hisszh eyesszh flicker and hope sszhprang through me. I cried 'Baldwin? A-are you...are you alright?' He gave me the blankesszht look...and asszhked...h-he asszhked me...'do I know you?'." His eyes turned slitted with bitter tears as Kruz's face fell, fully understanding the vicious cycle. "He could not remember...a-anything...nothing came to him...I asszhked 'you do not remember me? Do you not remember my father, what happened?' 'No,' he sszhaid, 'no I...what isszh thisszh plasszhe and...who are you kid?' And in that moment, I thought to mysszhelf...in a foolisszh way that...if he could not remember what he had been...then I could give him a new life...not asszh a friend...but sszhomething more sszho I sszhaid to him...'you don't even remember your own brother? You sszhtupid, big bro'." "But...wh-what about the two of you, he...he loved you didn't he? Why didn't you tell him-" "He could not remember...there wasszh no love in hisszh eyesszh anymore...I did not want to overwhelm him, but I wanted him to be more than friend...I-i-i wasszh vain, I did not want to losszhe him for a friend you cannot remember isszh a friend you forget...and...t-to be forgotten...isszh worsszhe than death. I made him my brother...sszho I could never losszhe him. Over time, our relasszhionsszhip changed, and I could no longer love him. It only became worsszhe when in hisszh newfound sszhelf he...he became a foolisszh ignorant basszhtard." "Why is he like that then?!" "I DON'T KNOW! I DID NOT DO ANYTHING, I ASSZHKED HIM! And he told me...it wasszh a feeling...sszhomething he remembered...that he could not trusszht a sszhodomite...I had managed to, over time, make him more sszhympathetic, to not hate them but...pity them, godsszh he wasszh far worsszhe when younger but I begged him, pleaded him, demanded him to not hate them becausszhe it upsszhet me. Eventually he learnt not to...and while he isszh not trusszhting of...thosszhe like you and Jamesszh...he at the very leasszht learnt to tolerate...then pity." The cleric grabbed his chest once more rocking back and forth, a pain swollen inside his heart as Kruz brought him into a kiss once more. The taste of their tears had been shared upon their lips as he spoke back to Fayne. "You have suffered enough...please...let me take your suffering away. No one ever said you had to love one gender...you love whoever you want Fayne." "I...I-i-i...I'm afraid...what if...the day I open my heart to another male the world sszhall rob me of him asszh well? The one I loved isszh forever by me, I cannot even tell him becausszhe I am afraid th-that he will turn into my father! H-heh...hhhehehehe...hhhahahahahaha...n-n-not even r-related...a-and he...I jusszht sszhaid that...th-that I fear he could become...my father more than me...but...it wasszh only a few monthsszh ago that I had him by the throat almosszht asszh if I were about to szhlit, him and becausszhe he protected our mother like...like he did with me hhhahah...hhhhhahahahahahaha, ha ha ha ha ha, hhhhh...hhhhhh..." His pitiful laughter broke down to lament, hunched over as the kremling never let go of his shoulders as he hugged him close, cradling him with a tender voice to his ears. "He loves you...you know that, you know that he will love you no matter what-" "H-he won't...h-he sszhaid to me, that he would never, ever let me become that...become infected. I cannot...I-i-i cannot tell him-" "He is not your father Fayne, he loves you, you know deep down that his love for you will break through anything, don't you trust him!?" He looked up and turned towards Kruz with haunted gaze, eyes burnt raw with a hollow misery as he softly spoke. "...h-how can I trusszht him, when he isszh not even the one I onsszhe loved anymore? I don't...I don't even know what I am anymore..." "You're Fayne. You're Fayne his brother, Fayne the one who kept him safe, Fayne the cleric, Fayne the kind-hearted person who stopped himself from hurting his mother and his brother because you knew you loved them more...Fayne...the one who sat beside me and...never left me alone until I felt better about...despite what you've been going through." But that did nothing to calm the ruinous storm within his heart as Fayne sighed with head bowed hoping the floor would just consume him entirely. For just one instant, briefly wanting the world to stop existing, he heard Kruz once more trying to speak as he bent down forwards slightly towards the cleric, his hand resting upon his weighted shoulder. "Listen, what does your heart tell you? Like right now, what does your heart tell you?" "...that...that I feel...I-i feel sszhameful." "Okay. Now, take that guilt away, put it over to one side and show me what's underneath." "...I...I can't." "You can. Just, for me, move that shame away from you, put it away, ignore it, tell me what ELSE you are feeling other than that." "I...I feel...I-i-i feel warm." "And does that feel good?" "It...it doesszh. It feelsszh...I feel more complete with that warmth...but...I don't-" The captain simply smiled placing his hand on Fayne's chest. "Then that is all you need to know." "Do...do you love me? Truly?" "...I didn't want to say yes in case I was wrong." "Wrong?" "About...how I feel about you...I respected you before when we first met but now I feel my heart reach out to you because it has no one else...I don't have anyone else either and, the only one I loved is now well...not available for me b-but I don't want you to be somebody I settle for, I wanted to be certain that I loved you because I needed to be with someone but also to be with someone I could help and care for...and if I can be happy making someone else happy like you then..." He pulled Fayne close with a gentle embrace, his arms wrapped carefully as the bangaa found himself with his arms around Kruz in turn. "I want to make you happy...Fayne." It was in that moment on the brink of tears as Fayne wept meekly onto the kremling's shoulder that the world began to tremble underneath their feet, before the sound of a great explosion came from outside the church with windows rattling violently. Terrified by the sound they hugged each other fearfully as Fayne cried out with the greatest confused panic "WH-WHAT'SSZH HAPPENED?!" "I don't know, but-...that sounded like a cannon!" "A cannon?! W-we have no cannonsszh in Lea Monde!" "...oh shit." Before Fayne could even reply to this he heard the door slam open with Baldwin's voice screaming down upon him as they instantly let go of each other stiff as nails. "FAAAYNE!" "WHA-A-AAAH, B-BALDWIN!" "COME HERE QUICK!" "WHAT'SSZH GOING ON, WHAT WASSZH THAT NOISSZHE!?!" "MOTHER NEEDSSZH YOU QUICK, WE GOT AN INVASSZHION!" "A WHAT?!" "JUSSZHT GO, COME ON!"

The three rushed out the door not thinking of anything else as they hurried towards the front area of the church. All of a sudden the world had turned explosive with fire storming across the front entrance of the main hall, the clergy running out desperately to put it out as the sounds of furious conflict burned their ears from the outside. Cries of panic, citizens in desperate need as the city briefly became a war zone with guards rattling themselves up into an armada bracing themselves to defend the church, as well as all who still remained on the streets. The churchgoers and staff went back and forth trying to put out the fire, or at least doing their best to combat it with aquatic spells before the fire could spread as the main hall wafted with smoke. Coughing panic as other mages gusted with Aero spells driving the smoke up towards the windows and out of the cathedral swiftly trying to make sense of the chaos that came before their township. From what little they could see of the entrance burning still, they saw something made of steel roll towards the high street of the central square, pointing its cannon straight towards the church. "GET DOWN!" Running as fast as they could, Kruz, Fayne and Baldwin grabbed anyone within reach and forced them to the ground with sudden burst of hot flames and raucous firepower scorching through the belfries over them. The door was now broken apart, both sides of its hinged oaken frame creaking pitifully with hollow groans of despair before another explosion burst forth obliterating the entire structure clean off, wood flying as hot splinters rained down upon the floor, killing one person and scarring two across the face howling with hot shrieks of pain. "WHAT'SSZH HAPPENING?!" cried Fayne. "An invasion," said Mother Mariel beside him. He had not turned in less than a second before being terrified by her presence, gasping at the shocking speed by which the old dear lady appeared before she coldly nodded towards him. "WH-WHAT THE-...g-godsszh mother don't DO that I'm already frightened asszh it isszh, what'sszh happening to our home?! Why isszh it under attack?!" "I do not know, it only just happened perhaps twenty minutes ago, some strange machines rolled their way up through the city square and began firing on the church. Thankfully half of them were decimated by our good friends up on the ship before they ever reached through the city gate." "What happened to the guard?!" asked Kruz. "Don't you people have a garrison?!" "We are a holy city, the only guards we have are foot soldiers, this place has never been under attack like this!" "Not even with your Mullenkamp cult?!" "That was OUR city and even then we only had a garrison. Any soldiers try to break into our cathedral we'll be ready for them...but not steel carriages and flaming shots of magicite-powered cannons." "Thisszh musszht be Hopkinsszh!" replied Baldwin. "That BITCH, sszhe'sszh trying to break into our church!" "It is," added Kruz, "that steel thing out there, it's definitely the same kind as the one that chased us out of Archades, madame you should get somewhere safe." "And leave my people?" scoffed Mariel. "I should think not." "M-mother pleasszhe-" " NO." Her voice suddenly dripped potent with acid for the soul. "I will make any intruders pay dearly for even trying to break into my church, and so will you my dear sons...as will your friends in turn behind you heading up the steps." She nodded up towards the door as James' silhouette formed itself in the flames before he blasted with ice water, splashing cold thick liquid onto the fire allowing him to pass through along with Dahlia and Navarro. The sound of guards clamouring for defence came from outside closer still as all three had their weapons out and ready for anything, whilst Dahlia immediately began tending to the wounded she found at the door. "You alright?!" asked FG. "For now," said Mariel. "What the fuck's happening?!" "That carriage in the square," replied Navarro, "I have definitely seen it before from one of Hopkins', kupo." "How many are there?" asked Kruz. "Three, they are not a lot but with superior firepower they can easily damage the town structure if need be." "Then we'll have to break them another way!" cried FG. "I got my nano-stuff I'll lead the guards and tell them what to do." "I'll help the wounded," replied Dahlia, "there's a few here badly hurt I'll take them someplace safe with the other nurses if that's alright with you." "Good, keep out of battle and help anyone who needs it. Navarro, run to the Equestrian and grab me a drink, make that three." "What?!" cried the moogle. "I need three bottles, four if you can but three'll do cuz I have an idea, we just need something flammable." "There's enough fire HERE kupo!" "Just trust me! Mariel, what are you planning on doing?" "I will protect the reliquary firstly," said the matron, "but I do have some uses in battle unseen by others so near to me." "Do what you can, but if it gets too heated you stay inside and protect yourself, you're a valuable target." "Oho well, thank you my dear." "Fayne, Baldwin, you stay in the church and protect the place, anyone comes through that gate you give them hell for it." "If they want thesszhe artifactsszh," said the monk proudly, "they're gonna have to rob usszh blind or dead." "Kruz, you're not really in my clan so I-" "What are your orders?" Kruz stood firm to attention understanding the severity as well as where he was, the raptor smiling for a moment at this small deference before he said: "Stay with Baldwin and Fayne, they'll need a hand plus you have a gun." "Nobody's getting past me, I promise." "Alright good, let's get this done Koridai!"

Taking full authority with sharpened sense of need he rushed out the door towards the city square, with Navarro next to him whilst Dahlia helped with the medical staff escorting the wounded to a sideroom near the entrance away from the cannon's blast. Kruz, Fayne and Baldwin stood firm on point waiting for anyone to come near the church keeping their eyes out for anyone unfamiliar with sword, fist and holy might at the ready. Outside within the plaza square, two steel carriages were waiting to fire once their cannons had cooled off, as the guards of the city came out full-force with swords and spears. The actual problem was not the steel carriages, but rather the sudden mass of an enemy garrison all wearing black cloaks and face guards made of steel, most of them hume as they ran throughout the city with swords up towards the cathedral. The people screamed from all around them, hiding inside their homes as they witnessed mostly the dead guards around them. Burned by fire or run through with blades well-soaked with red, the remaining guards did everything they could keeping back the sudden force of invasion, but the cannon fire that came in slow intermittent bursts had weakened their forces considerably as evidenced by the horrid stench of burning flesh. James wished he would never have to smell such ever again. The raptor rushed forwards as Navarro headed straight down towards the Equestrian perhaps half-a-mile away tearing through the city streets. Occasionally she would meet resistance in the form of mysterious cloaked assassins, four of them being three women and one man at one point that tried to stop her in a small roadblock semi-circled in front of her. With sabres out and one spear they swung all at once as she dodged swiftly underneath the left assassin and tore straight into the ankle of his foot, his howling screech forcing him to buckle. Almost instantly she dodged round still with sword carved into his leg tearing a neat circular pattern of bone-scraping noise like a knife carving into an apple, before she drew her sword back to plunge upwards into the hume's throat. Blood spurted in his violent gasps upon his cloak before he fell impaling himself to the hilt, the knight of Koridai drawing her blade back once more to deflect another sword that came down on her head from behind as she turned fast upon her feet. Two more swords swung down on opposite sides of her as she rushed forwards, with one of the humes trying to stomp her ruthlessly as the moogle grabbed the bottom of her cloak and tugged harshly to make her fall. Collapsing with a ruthless crack to her steel-covered face, she groaned from the pain as Navarro slammed her sword down upon the woman's hand cutting it straight off and robbing her of the ability to fight. Left bleeding as she rolled crying in anguish from inside her helm, the moogle turned and swiftly guarded herself from the third attacker that cleaved down on her head. Scraping swords off from each other, the knight dodged left upon the third hammerstrike of the blade deflecting it off neatly before driving her blade into the woman's arm just above the elbow. Screaming with agony her blood poured out as the moogle ripped down her arm destroying every inch of nerves in one shredded gash of black and red as she was forced to drop her sword. She swung out at Navarro with her other arm but she ducked underneath the haymaker before stabbing upwards into the other elbow, cracking it violently to snap it within the flesh as the hume fell shrieking, disarmed with no means of fighting back as Navarro focused on hume number four. The last one stopping her had a spear, which made things more difficult with the proper weight of its swing more capable of breaking through the moogle's guard as she ducked under the first swoop, dodging the second attack to the right as it came down above her head. Clacking its steel barbed tip upon the ground, it swiped harshly for the moogle striking her across the ear and tearing part of the skin as she gasped panting. Blood dripped neatly down the sliver of flesh from her twitching ear now given a half-moon cut like a clean bite as she ran underneath the length of the spear before the enemy could react. Forced to fight in close quarters, the spear-wielding fiend had little room to navigate as she tried striking the moogle with the now-ungainly length of fire-hardened wood. But Navarro blocked it easily, having less power in its swing at the base as she grabbed it with one hand before she plunged her sword into the woman's foot, tearing it up as she bled openly with a fierce snarl beneath her throat. Dropping the spear, the hume pulled out a dagger from beneath her cloak to fight one-on-one as she swung viciously at the moogle. Navarro blocked effortlessly, the dagger comparable to a short sword for her people but still a threatening length to impale her if useful in the right hands. Slicing back and forth in diagonal carving sweeps, the hume lurched forwards on her bleeding foot as Rocino blocked her with glancing blows, not even trying to fully guard herself as she backed up slightly. Once the foot had reached its limit and the woman stumbled, the knight drove forwards and sliced apart her throat the moment her head bowed itself, leaping straight upwards to slam her blade entirely spitroasted through the neck. Blood dripped gently down the nape of her back as she choked with head shivering underneath her iron mask as Navarro pulled herself back out to let the hume collapse shuddering in her last moments, her sword unsheathed dripping potently as she made her way down to where the Equestrian was still, as well as to make sure that her flock of steeds were unharmed by all this.

As the moogle ran off, James headed forwards into the town square as he watched the carriages circle around the fountain in the middle of the district like sharks, constantly aiming their cannons towards the church front. The old rustic cobbled streets circled around a fountain pure as the coursing streams that dotted around the various districts, separating the town with bridges, four of which split off from the main square all around the fountain itself. The houses practically trembled at the sight of the steel primitive-looking tanks that waited ready to shoot again. "HEY, FUCKFACE!" Flipping them off violently to make himself a target, FG brought out his left arm shimmering with bright fickle lights coalescing into a multi-coloured shield that grew larger than his body, all whilst he had one finger straight up towards them. The rate his nanos built such a construct was almost sudden like a balloon made of solid blocks, keeping 70% of his body well-guarded from the gunfire that came raining down upon him before he waited for them to reload. Soon as they had dropped their rifles from within the steel beasts, he raced ahead towards the first stately carriage and fired up his scissors burning with hot flames to white piercing intensity. Leaping upwards with his foot planted on the slit as support, he snapped his scissors shut onto the end of the cannon's length and forcefully drove it upwards roaring with white molten steel lengths burning on the tank's weapon. It was too thick for him to cut through completely, but he had managed to cut through enough of the barrel to suddenly weaken it and twist the length harshly upwards. Scraping steel shrieked underneath his fingertips as his scissors cut through with the cannon now dangerously out of service, crippled but not enough to stop the crew from within firing their rifles at the guards busily fighting their allies against the church. He also saw the other tank turn slowly towards him with its riflemen aiming towards FG as he brought up his nano-shield once more, pinging bullets harshly as he leapt forwards onto the fountain. Without a second to spare he planted his foot for but an instant upon the watery spout, bursts of gushing spring beneath as he thrust himself forwards by a gust of wind forced from his spark-struck hands, blasting the fountain water behind him onto the glistening cobbled streets as he landed upon the second steel carriage with scissors out and ready. "OPEN WIDE FUCKER!" Clamping scissors shut on the cannon's length he burned them white as the sun before screeching steel resisted against his force struggling to weaken the barrel's strength as he forced it off-kilter just enough to be rendered unusable. The tank underneath rumbled furiously trying to shake him off but he kept close using the cannon for leverage, scissors crushing into the steel like monstrous jaws crunching upon bone as he crumpled the barrel's tip. It wasn't a complete bend out of shape, but it was all he needed to put the cannon out of order to prevent any further destruction on the cathedral. But still the tank tried to rumble onwards trying to throw him down with the other carriage's rifles aiming upon him as he ducked out of shot and leaped to behind the steel beast he rode on as he noticed Navarro run for him. Carrying three bottles in her hands, he grabbed quickly for one of them and rushed towards the front of the carriage to the slat as he sprayed the entire contents of what he smelt to be whisky sloshing all over the insides. The people from within recoiled back in sudden shock and disgust, clamouring to try and stab him by the length of their rifles or at least run him over. "_FIRE ONE! _" His other hand blasted a hot fireball straight into the slot, vigorously latching onto the hot streams of alcohol poured all across as the people within suddenly screamed piercing with agony from being burned alive as the firesmoke belched wroth from the beast. The steel tank rumbled on with desperation, clouded smoke and shrieking burns from inside as they were cooked before feeling the carriage plow into the church steps without warning as fires burnt harsh upon the doors of the cathedral. The other carriage received the same fate as Navarro understood exactly on what James was doing as she rushed round to lob one whisky bottle into the slot smashing it on the back wall within whilst spraying the other all over the riflemen with her hand latched onto the bottom of the slat. James came through almost immediately upon seeing her readily dousing their enemies before he fiercely burnt his fingers through with scorching nanofire. "_FIRE TWO! _" The second fireball was perfect, instantly setting the tank ablaze amidst screams of terror and frightening anguish as the carriage came to a near-stop at the fountain, the banging sounds of people desperately trying to get out as they slammed the door open to douse themselves by leaping into the fountain. Completely unarmed and burnt through rippling with dark tones of sienna on their clothes as James and Navarro pressed swords against their bodies wetly. "You've had enough to drink," said FG smugly. "Now it's time for you to pay your tab."

During the grand cathedral's assault, Fayne did his best to heal anyone requiring help, mainly for the fact that no one had managed to break through inside the cathedral from enemy forces thanks to the guard's efforts. The surprisingly sturdy garrison of holy lancers, warriors and paladins shining forth with the Light of Kiltia embossed upon woven silver tunics, kept back the forces with godly devotion as blood flensed itself across the hallowed steps upon the cathedral. But none would ever set foot inside despite Kruz and Baldwin keeping guard at the door's remnants. The clergy continued to run back and forth until all fires had been output, with smoke well-cleared and the wounded carried through towards the safer back regions of the church halls. Dahlia found herself rushing off with them in turn, whilst mother Mariel went back to the reliquary to guard her sacred hidden treasures as the cleric stood waiting for armed foes next to his brother monk. Kruz simply kept ready at the door with gun holstered and his sword out ready to fight, asking: "Is this the only real way into the church?" "No," said Baldwin, "there'sszh a few other waysszh in but I haven't heard anything and it'sszh kind of difficult to get through the guardsszh all out there." "I can tell...that garrison is good at least for armed soldiers...not so much against those steel things." "Jamesszh will handle them," said the bishop, "he hasszh never sszhown incompetensszhe in battle, not onsszhe." "Good to hear...you alright Fayne?" "I am fine, I musszht focusszh on protecting my parisszh no matter what." "Don't push yourself." "He'sszh right Fayne," replied Baldwin, "I know you've got heart and ready to protect but we can handle thisszh if you ever need to-" "I am fine." Fayne sentenced any argument to death with his words before firmly gripping his staff awaiting the garrison to come back, seeing the battle turn intense from outside as Lea Monde's soldiers rammed spears and swords through their foes ruthlessly, but not without receiving some heavy losses in turn against the cloaked steel-faced enemy advancing on towards them. Kruz took a potshot at any coming too close, his aim running for the throat and sternum as one coughing cloaked foe screamed for his blood to spit dry from his lips before collapsing harshly. It was only then that they saw the flames burst rising from the smoke-filled steel tanks as one rushed forth into the steps of the cathedral, plowing into the masonwork and crushing its front seamlessly despite the frightened screams of those inside as it blocked their view of the city. Clashing steel and roars amidst black and silver occupied the entire front of the great church, but slowly they saw more silver than they did black as the tide was slowly turning. Then they heard a woman's scream back within the grand cathedral. "WH-WHAT THE-" "D-DAHLIA?!" "THAT'SSZH HER, COME ON BRO!" Rushing without a thought, Baldwin headed first to where the scream had echoed from, recognising it to be the main hallway that ran between the library and the medic's quarters. With footsteps clattering upon the halls, they found themselves witness upon a scene where seven cloaked assassins stood pointing five swords and two guns towards Dahlia. The nu-mou was on her knees gasping with hot tears as she shook screaming her heart out: "S-STOP IT! STOP IT PLEAAAAASE!" "DAHLIA!" The two guns pointed towards Fayne, Baldwin and Kruz as one of them stepped forwards across the hall to where Dahlia kept fearful. A woman's voice they instantly recognised as one they had heard plenty from their previous engagements, the monk curling his fists as she spoke lowly upon the white mage quivering with tears. "Fiiiiithos." "P-PLEASE, S-STOP IT!" "Luuuuuusec." "STOP SAYING IT! NOOOO!" "Weeeecos...viiiinooo-" "STOP IT! DON'T FINISH IT YOU'LL WAKE HIM UP! YOU'LL WAKE HIM UP! _" "_LEAVE HER ALONE!" roared Fayne. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" "D-DON'T MOVE!" A voice came shouting studiously from the second gunman. "I...I-I-I DO NOT WANT ANYMORE BLOODSHED TODAY!" "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" cried Baldwin. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" "We are not going to harm her! We just simply mean to examine a rather curious intrigue of ours along with our current objective. Don't try to run, or send for help, I WILL be forced to shoot you!" "Like you sszhot my mother who didn't even FIGHT you until you tried to kill her?!" "I-I DID NOT SHOOT HER, THAT WAS HER FAULT!" He pointed over at the woman who stood firmly in front of the weakened mage as the gunman continued. "I am sorry for what I did, I had no means of wounding anyone but this is a matter of urgency! We need the artifacts that-" "HOW DARE YOU DEFY THISSZH CHURCH?!" roared Fayne piercing with authority. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EVEN DOING?! I WILL SSZHEND YOU DOWN TO THE DEPTHSSZH OF DARKNESSZH MYSSZHELF, ASSZH MANY OTHERSSZH HAVE TRIED BEFORE YOU! I WILL NOT LET YOU, EVEN ONE OF YOU SSZHET FOOT WITHIN MY HOME AND LIVE! _" "...you have your reasons, I will not...argue that I am not deserved of being here but I promise you now...if you give us the artifacts, the Sercian Stone and the Farthing Wood piece then we shall leave without incident. I swear upon my clan's heritage we will not harm anyone else today." "What clan?!" asked Kruz. "Who are you working for?!" "UHM, n-no one, I-i-i didn't-" "Miss Hopkins doesn't work for any clan I ever heard of, who are you?! What are you hiding?!" "I am not hiding anything!" "What about Maggie then?!" cried Baldwin. What about that BITCH torturing my friend over there with sszhome fucked up sszhit sszhe sszhpouting-" " BE! QUIET!" She raised her gun as Fayne leapt in front of her. "_NOSPROTEGA-" Bang.

The sound of a gun echoed across the halls of the cathedral for the second time, as Fayne stood bravely before his brother and Kruz. The woman had roared fiercely before she pulled her gun up towards them and pulled the trigger, but the moment she did Fayne had cast his incantation quicker than ever he had spoken in his life. A single bullet clattered uselessly upon the floor between them as monk, bishop and ship captain stood behind a shield glimmering soft baby blue with protection upon them. Baldwin turned towards Fayne with shock and relief on his face, before the cleric mouthed silently three words to him before they acknowledged without nodding. The bishop turned back towards the woman demanding with staff raised: "Leave our sszhacred home now, or sszho help me Faram I will rend your very sszhoul to eternity...and if I fail to do that then Mother will asszh sszhurely you know." "I am not afraid of some old toothless biddy," snarled the woman, "but the moment your shield fails I will send this bullet to help you meet your gods." "Isszh that right...MAGGIE?!" "SCINDITEH!" Within a sudden rush upon Fayne's signal, Baldwin charged up his fists and blasted a holy might of wind with a cold shocking slap of his fists, striking the woman harshly in the face as her hood sweeped back with cloak fluttering against a typhoon briefly. The sword-wielding fiends as well as the second gunmen suffered also a sudden loss of footing stumbling back against the wall but kept their hoods up, before there came a gasp from Dahlia upon the woman revealed to her. Blonde curled hair, cold stiff expression with eyes piercing into the reptiles across the hall. "It-....i-i-it...oh my gods...Maggie...you...you're Margaret." "Mitford," ended the female hume, "yes...I admit that I am surprised that you sluggishly found your way into my sister's archives, I expect my colleague must have vegetated on something to leave you with a clue." "W-wait who ISSZH that woman?!" asked Baldwin. "Hmph, so you're the stupid one, should have known by those raw limbs practically giving me salmonella by looking at them." "B-but," asked Dahlia panicking, "why are you...why are you doing this, wh-what happened to Berniere, wasn't he with you up in Breekheim?!" "Of course not, we were absent for then as we were busy with other duties is that not right...Enoch?" "WH-WHAT!?" The second gunman pulled off his cloak's hood to reveal it was indeed the old nu-mou of Clan Herne with shameful look on his face, his pistol still raised rather shakily towards the Clan Koridai group. Dahlia shook her head with disbelief gasping as her heart tore up slightly. "Wh-wh-...what is...what are you doing mister Enoch?" "I'm sorry," said the sage of Clan Herne, "I know you will not understand why, and I cannot explain this to you either. Just...give me the artifacts I promise on my utmost behalf that no one else shall be-" "QUIET!" shouted Margaret. "Honestly I expected someone of your seniority to have a little backbone rather than bend over for simpletons! YOU have a mission, and so shall you proceed or else the entire world is at risk, I will take care of the girl. Now take care of these wastrels before they interfere any further!" "...you heard the lady." His gun kept pointed upon them now longer quivering with fear. "Either you leave us now, or you shall face the consequences." "We're not leaving without our friend!" cried Kruz. "Give her back or else!" "That is not an option, miss Orosco is rather important to us for the few minutes we have together. Don't worry, she will not come to any harm, we just need to...expound her beliefs, what past that she hides from all of you." "DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" cried Dahlia. "HE KNOWS NOTHING, STOP THEM BEFORE THEY-" "QUIET!" Margaret striked her across the face violently with the back of her pistol, bludgeoning her ruthlessly once as her cheek throbbed bloody red. "YOU BITCH!" Baldwin ran forwards without even thinking by a sudden fury in his feet, punching the gun out of Margaret's hand before she expected it and socked her across the face hard enough to throw her down. The blonde hume yelped falling as she spat blood on the cobbled floor before she staggered swiftly back onto her feet, chanting: "BLIZZARA!" Without warning the monk was solidly hit by a huge chunk of ice coalesced by the elements, slamming right into his chest taking the wind out of his sails bruising him as he tumbled backwards gasping heavily. The black mage brought out two items from her cloak, one of which she dashed across Dahlia's face briefly blinding her as she breathed in specks of particles before suddenly coughing harshly. Screaming out, she found herself being suddenly silenced gasping out a plea for help, but to no avail before Margaret brought out another item before turning to her colleague. "Enoch...don't fail me, remember I'll be watching you." She threw the other item down at her feet, a large mote of dust spiriting around her before she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Not a single trace of them remained as Kruz shouted: "WHA-SH-SHE VANISHED!" "Not for long," replied Fayne, "the fool you are for not knowing my power to disszhpel the art of-" "AERO, EMPROS!" Before Fayne could even search for Mitford using his clerical prowess, Enoch had blasted them with the full power of wind backwards hard enough to send them rolling onto the floor, the five swordsmen racing towards them to fight head on with cold steel masks glaring viciously upon their heads. The Clan Herne sage simply holstered his gun as he walked forwards readily for battle. "I gave you one warning Clan Kordai...leave us now, or else you shall suffer greatly and I know that neither of us want this." "FUCK YOU!" cried Baldwin. "YOU WANT USSZH THEN COME AN' GET USSZH YOU OLD FUCK!" "Very well...I know you won't forgive me." He snapped his fingers as his staff of copper green appeared suddenly from thin air, called by its master in all its ornate glory as it glowered with potent skill, his hand gripping it as arcane origins flowed through its wreathed form. "You had your fair warning, now face eternity against me and my people!" The two bangaas along with the kremling stood firm as they waited for the enemy to approach, the monk fighting first with fists out at the ready as one swordsman swung cleaving for his head. He ducked readily with a boxing dodge and hammered both fists straight for the stomach, the armour underneath the cloak not even hurting his fists other than by a dull sting that he had long since overcome the feeling of. The sword came down but he blocked it perfectly by smacking his arm against the assassin's wrist, trapping him for an instant before a violent uppercut cracked his head upwards. The first swordsman was down in but an instant, falling back completely unconscious before the second one came to attack. The sword carved diagonal streaking across his chest, but Baldwin backed off enough to only allow the tip of it to slice red across his flesh in but a thin layer that bled sweetly. Not even caring as he rushed forwards, he grabbed the sword-holding wrist in both hands before it could swing back up as he forced it up and away from him, aligning his elbow perfectly in line with the hume's steel face before slamming right into it.

The force of his strike dented the mask and hurt his elbow throbbing, but it also made the hume's muscles spasm from the brief pain in such a way that he dropped his sword leaving him defenceless. Baldwin spared no quarter beating his face in rapidly with violent hammering blows that crumpled his face in ruthlessly, crunching steel upon flesh until it broke into the man's skull with blood pouring out from each hit, dripping down his neck as slowly the front of his skull was being crushed by his protective mask. The monk finished him off by forcing the hume to bow forwards from exhaustion and intensely burning pain from his face being suffocated, before his knee made the final blow cracking upwards into the crumpled steel mask. He could not tell whether the snap was the hume's spine, his mask or his face completely cracking inside itself, or all three as the man spasmed collapsing to the floor simply overwhelmed by the pain focused all in one place, twitching convulsions before Baldwin noticed something strange about the first hume he fought. "...oh you've got to be sszhitting me." Enoch was far more potent than expected to be as he cast his spell out upon the beaten-unconscious foe, whispering soft words that the staff gleefully listened to as it shook its frail light upon the concussed swordsman. Bathed by a wondrous holy existence peppering its light upon him, he slowly felt his body turn as soft and fresh as a newborn babe. Wounds completely healed, his body and mind sharpened with such intensity as he was raised from unconsciousness, cracking his neck slightly with renewed fervour as Enoch smiled well pleased with his skill. "Thisszh gonna be one of THOSSZHE fightsszh then?" murmured Baldwin. "Fffffuck." The other three swordsmen decided to focus on Kruz and Fayne, seeing the cleric was most possibly an easy target but the kremling decided to make things easier. By simply taking one out of the equation, he fired straight for one hume with his gun, killing him almost instantly by a well-aimed shot towards the sternum that pierced into his weaker armour before gurgling frantically upon the floor. With now two to concern themselves on, he switched from his gun to his sword readily in time to defend himself as they struck upon his body. Fayne had himself protected by a shield of magic but he knew it would not last as he kept himself behind Kruz seeing nowhere else to go. The kremling captain guarded himself using both his hook hand and his sword as he deftly slanted the sword against his own on the right forcing it to slide off the blade, whilst he twisted the sword on his left with his hook trapping it briefly by his grip. The moment he did, he swung himself underneath with a sliding graceful move as his feet dragged forcefully tearing the sword out from the assassin's grip and throwing it across the floor spinning out. The unarmed opponent rushed for him with a dagger pulled out from underneath his cloak, the kremling waiting for the sudden thrust before he dodged spinning gracefully around the foe's right. Almost instantly the hume found himself stabbing at thin air with Kruz's leg swinging round in a rond de jambe, cracking down heavily upon the enemy's head as he fell forwards seeing stars explode from his eyesight. The other still-armed swordsman ran towards Kruz's back, the kremling waiting before the sudden bow of his knees to the floor as he thrust his cutlass deep into the man's abdomen, scraping deep into his armour underneath. The sword swung high trying to come down upon the captain before Kruz made a wondrous half-spin and slid away like a dancer, sliding with foot extended out behind him before slipping back onto both feet as he swung back round to face the enemy. Hitting one-on-one, the sword-wielding assassin striked left, right, down with Kruz deflecting each time until the downwards strike he blocked violently fast with his sword upwards. Almost instantly he lunged forwards with a solid kneethrust straight into the hume's stomach, forcing him to kneel slightly as his left-hand hook whipped round to the back of the enemy's neck. Stabbing viciously to hook the flesh, the kremling pulled his head harshly back as if being lead by his spine before thrusting him forwards to fall and tumble, the kremling's leg sweeping out underneath the assassin's knees to trip him violently forwards falling flat onto the hard stone. But before he had the chance to come down on him with the killing strike he was struck by a horrifyingly powerful light from Enoch, far away from the fight as the nu-mou focused on him with crippling magic aura that made him blink against the infinitely overwhelming light screaming into his senses. "I-I...I'M BLIND! D-DAMMIT I'M BLIND F-FUCK!" "KRUZZH!" cried Fayne. "H-HELP ME, FAYNE I CAN'T SEE!" "I-I HAVE SSZHOMETHING TO HELP, L-LET ME-AAAGH!"

One of the swordsmen had gotten up from the floor and had grabbed Fayne's left foot, forcing the bishop to kick him hard away as he brought up his staff against him. The foe glared at him with piercing steel mask as he swung his blade down upon the cleric, who dodged back panicked by the sweep of the sword as he tried his best to guard with the staff. Clacking steel upon bronze, the sword came down from up high as Fayne blocked desperately before thwacking the man across the face stunning him briefly to back off desperately. "TERSANCTUS!" Chanting his holy light he blasted full force into the wounded stomach of the enemy as he was thrown back by the powerful light of Faram. The bright blissful spark felt almost like being electrocuted through the very soul even amongst mortals unaffected as the hume was wounded enough to fall back to the floor. Kruz however was finding himself struggling to fight being completely blinded by magic, gasping as he tried to focus on the sounds of any incoming upon hearing the cloaked feet of a charging enemy. A thrust of a sword to his left forced him to dodge right, ducking low with hands sweeping before he spun singularly on his foot swinging the other leg out violently sharp, the crack of someone's shoulder made upon his ankle being heard as he stopped and waited for the next move. Relying purely on his hearing, the kremling waited for the sound of feet to shift before dodging the swipe of a horizontal blade, ducking to his knees with balance unbowed. Waiting for the next attack, he felt a foot sweep upwards to try and kick him in the face before he went fully on his knees arching back entirely, his whole body bending like a wooden pole bracing to be snapped in half before he rolled promptly to his right. The moment he felt his hands plant on the ground, he bounced up into a handstand almost perfectly straight with legs in the air before flipping forwards to land on his feet, shakily off-balance for but an instant without any visual cues to help him. The enemy came from behind with thundering steps as he leapt brilliantly into the air with legs straight out perfectly in a line both behind and in front of him, a grand jete that cracked ruthlessly into the assassin's face before he had the chance. Landing before spinning on his foot, the kremling rushed two steps forwards before the swooping grand leap as he struck fully out with his leg almost like a karate kick, planting the sole of his foot like a hammer down upon the steel face of the enemy overtoppling him to fall straight onto his back slowly. Kruz gave no mercy, his entire body became a weapon as his foot remained planted upon the steel mask before he bounced straight up into the air with feet fluttering briefly beneath him out of habit, before he dropped his knees crushingly down upon the hume's chest shattering his lungs from within as his entire weight cracked through the very ribs of the cloaked fiend. The sound of desperate gasps wheezing from his foe made him grin with relief as he got up hearing someone's claws clack hastily up towards him. "KRUZZH!" He turned harshly with sword out and ready before hearing Fayne's voice. "Jusszht be sszhtill and keep your eyesszh open, let me cure you!" "Alright!" Trusting the cleric gladly he heard something uncorked before cold water splashed all over his eye making him panic and stagger back from pure irritation, the light fading from his blinded eyes as he saw the room come back to him. Old familiar stone walls and the smiling meek of Fayne Smithee stood promptly before him with relief. "A-are you alright?!" "Th-thanks, I was worried!" "BALDWIN!" Fayne caught sight of his brother ruthlessly snapping the neck of one of the humes resurrected from unconscious state, making permanently sure that death would be the end of him. His hands grappled both sides of the iron mask and twisted with a vicious crack, throwing the foe's body to the side before he rushed straight for Enoch amidst the five bodies of the fallen guard. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU OLD BASSZHTARD!" "VENIN HOSTEM!" The sage blasted a virulent green effluence that poured into Baldwin's face, choking him harshly as he gasped painfully staggering before he fell to his knees. His eyes turned pale briefly with a foul sickening lurch in his throat as his stomach turned into a burning swamp, shuddering harshly as he sneered bitterly: "P-...p-poison...you f-fuck." "BALDWIIIIN!" Fayne ran forth to help his brother who was stumbling onto his feet desperately trying to attack Enoch with lumbering weakness in his gait, swinging his fists slowly as lethargy took hold of him deeply. Dripping vomit from his throat he swallowed with resistance as the sage stepped back ready to strike again, this time aiming for both Fayne and Baldwin with another spell from his staff. "_AQUA, EMPR- AAAAAGH! _" Dropping his staff he clutched his right arm violently shrieking from his wattled throat as he felt the piercing burn of a gunshot wound rattle through his nerve endings. Spasming fingers from the right hand that held his staff, his left hand squeezed fiercely upon the shoulder wound bleeding rancorously sharp as he went down on one knee dizzying from the sudden pain so sharp against him. "Your magic show's over scrimp."

Kruz kept trained on him with his gun still smoking as Fayne rushed to his brother and brought out a small bottle of green fluid for him to drink. A little choking gasp but he said nothing before feeling the sickness slowly drift away from him, the magically-influenced poison now negated and destroyed by the antidote within almost an instant as Baldwin staggered back onto his feet looking perkier than ever. "H-hoooo...th-thanksszh bro." "Don't mention it...brother." Fayne simply smiled before they turned on the sage who was now kneeling rather fearfully at being made exposed, the monk slowly walking up to him with fists ready to crack. "Where isszh Dahlia?" He said nothing staring up towards Baldwin as he gingerly grabbed his staff, before the bangaa stomped down on his hand making him shriek with pain as he kicked the crosier away. "DON'T...fucking think about it, WHERE isszh my FRIEND?!" "Th-th-they...they are...I do not know." "We'll sszhoon find out, Fayne you ready?!" The cleric nodded before turning towards the main corridor for the widest scope of his next trick, holding his staff high before shouting: "DISPELLERRRRE!" Glowing with wide humming noise that rippled throughout the halls, something shimmered briefly to their eyes next to the windows heading towards the library, as something shattered like an unseen mirror before them. The vanishing spell of magic had broken neatly, stripped away by Fayne's dispelling art as Mitford revealed herself to them, a good twenty-seven feet away from them as they saw Dahlia knocked completely unconscious laying down rather weakly. "YOU ALWAYS WERE A VEGETATIVE OLD SOD!" shouted the woman. "ALL WORDS AND NO BACKBONE TO SUPPORT IT!" "I DID MY BEST!" cried the nu-mou. "I NEVER SAW YOU DOING ANYTHING BUT HIDE AWAY YOU BLOVIATED SHE-DEVIL!" "GIVE USSZH BACK DAHLIA!" shouted Baldwin. "OR ELSSZHE I'LL FUCKING BREAK THISSZH OLD BASSZHTARD'SSZH HEAD SSZHO HELP ME FARAM! "YOU THINK I CARE?!" snarled Mitford. "YOUR FRIEND WILL DO MORE THAN ENOUGH DAMAGE TO YOUR SANCTIMONIOUS LITTLE TEA PARTY THAN ANYTHING ELSE!" "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!?" "...I will show you." She knelt down beside Dahlia and whispered into her ear faintly as the full incantation was made. "Fiiiiiiiithos...Luuuuusec...Weeeeeecos...Viiiiinoooseeeeec." With words uninterrupted at last there came a deep essence flowing from Dahlia's body. Her mouth bled with darkened drops of green and amber, as did her eyes slowly bleeding along with her ears as the stone piercing sharply pulsed. Flickering to life it began to glow with a nuclear threatening, as Margaret slowly backed off watching the grey nu-mou female slowly bleed from every orifice until a pool of jaded red filled itself around, with Fayne shouting: "D-DAHLIA! DAHLIA WHA-WHAT DID SSZHE DO TO YOU!" "Emperor of scions," began Margaret, "I call to your spirit within this vessel bound for you. Furious imperial who so defies Deudalephon, so too shall be your freedom from this prison of flesh. Wroth tormented, take your stand as I say your precious words that shall be the key to unlocking your truest essence." The growing bleeding puddle throbbed with a potent energy slowly consuming itself around Dahlia's limbs as she began to wake up. Flickering her eyes softly, she gasped with horror screaming intensely as she tried to pull away. The moment Baldwin rushed forth to try and help her something had thrown him back with vicious assault, slamming him into the wall violently at a speed enough to crack the stone. He gasped moaning from the bruise of his back, burning hotly as Fayne tried to cast holy might upon her. "TERSANCTUS!" The light burst upon the nu-mou who screeched with violent agony crying harshly up towards the heavens as she felt the ooze of the essence spasm and twist her limbs sharply to the point of nearly breaking them apart. Pain ran forth through both it and her as Margaret chanted: "SO YOU SHALL BE, GREAT MARTYR OF THE OTHERWORLD, YOU SHALL TAKE YOUR STAND ONCE MORE AND BRING THIS WORLD TO ITS KNEES WITH THUNDEROUS FURY UPON YOUR SUMMONED BEING! YOUR NAME I CALL TO YOU-" "NOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Dahlia. "D-DON'T! DON'T, PLEAAAAAAAASE! _" "_YOUR NAME OF SOUNDLESS ILL, YOUR GREAT VEXATION UPON THE EARTH-" " PLEAAAAAAAASE!" "ADRAMMELECH, WROTH INCARNATE! _" "_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! _" Shrieking to the very reaches of the cathedral, Dahlia's body floated to rise above the thick fluid that swallowed her completely, forced back down her throat and eyes as it consumed her entirely from the face, diving straight into her brain as it began drowning out entirely all thoughts and reason within her sole existence. Her shadow began twisting behind her body, looming upon the walls, something grew to a demonic form of tall wings, sharp angular body and a draconic face with the horns of a goat, claws dripping thickly as its arms mimicked that of hers. "_Wh-what in the name of gods..." Kruz gasped softly upon seeing the ghostly image of a demon's wings imposed upon Dahlia's back, spreading forth wide open with green and reddish-amber before the creature's shadow walked forth with cloven-hooved feet. Dahlia walked in turn guttural in her voice, her head lolling slightly as her eyes had been completely devoured by the acidic form unknown to them, but they could still hear her soft voice pleading to them. " P-please...F-fayne...Baldwin...I'm s-s-sorry...u-u-uuughk." "Dahlia?!" cried Fayne. "DAHLIA WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU!?" " H-he...has come...my body...is but a vessel for his...incarnate." "Indeed it shall," said Margaret coldly, "I shall summon you to a place where no fool would ever go for risk of suicidal want." " Yes...you have summoned...Me." Her voice went a darker tone as her innocence was consumed briefly, the monstrous shadow now speaking directly as it had grown to a size of 40 feet looming upon them as it turned towards Margaret. "_ You...why have you summoned me from this prison vessel? Why not the child herself? " "She is weak, pitiful and frightened of your infinite fury, but I am not. I have but one task for you, something that shall help you to exert your indignation." " Who amongst your enemies must I destroy, sorceress? " "Take to the skies and cast your fury upon this designated point. One-three-seven, the lone island to the far southwest between the land of the Garif, and the Tomb of Raithwall." " And who must I destroy within this cursed place? " The woman turned with a cruel grin upon her lips facing towards the three members of Koridai. "Whosoever comes near that cursed destination. ALL of them." The demon's shadow nodded as he took flight without warning, Dahlia's body suddenly breaching through the very roof of the cathedral with violent explosion of brick and mortar raining down upon their heads. Baldwin and Kruz ran swiftly with Fayne together as they dodged between the crumbling fall of the church ceiling as the dust clouded briefly their vision with every chunk that came brutally crushing upon the floor. Margaret stepped swiftly to where Enoch stood and grabbed his arm whilst pulling him, ignoring the screams of his wounded limb being violently jerked to where they could safely escape from. "A-_AAAH-AAAAAAH!" "QUIET YOU OLD FOOL!" "WH-WHAT ABOUT THE ARTIFACTS?!" "WE WILL PLAN OURSELVES BEST IN FUTURE, CONSIDER THIS OUR EXPEDITION INTO THE ENEMY'S SECURITY!" By the time James and Navarro arrived two minutes after the dust and debris had cleared, they had witnessed the aftermath of a great destruction where five bodies had buried underneath their cloaks and mortar, but no other person could be seen amongst the rubble beneath the clear sky. Fayne stood with Kruz and Baldwin staring at the scene of chaos, a large gaping hole seething with the light of gods as the sun's rays luminated upon the ceiling's remnants. Navarro was first to ask with James speechless at the sight of ruin. "What in gods' name happened, kupo?!" "She...she left," murmured Kruz. "Who?!" "She left...Dahlia just...she had this thing inside her and...two people had come and pulled it out of her and-" "Stop babbling and start making sense, who is responsible for this?!" "Mitford," replied Fayne coldly. Margaret...Mitford, alsszho known asszh Maggie...our Maggie that we had been sszhearching for." "Wh-...wh-wh-what? Are you...-B-berniere's colleague?" "Correct. Dahlia...sszhe had been taken by Margaret who then sszhlowly...brought out a sszhummoned being from within her." "A what?" asked FG. "Wh-what do you mean 'summoned being'?!" "An esper." Mariel's voice drifted from the ruined corridor standing now upon the breached ceiling's stone architecture, her lone withered pale form hunched before them slightly. "Dahlia...had an esper inside of her."