by Jake Taylor
Dalgus looked back at her. “We’ll talk with them after we’re done here. For now, let’s work on gathering our dead and searching the soldiers.”
Ophelia nodded. “As you say, General.”
He watched her walk away and start giving orders, and he sighed; she was right, this was a losing proposition for them. He hated to think it, but he had a lot of lives to consider and he’d lost a lot of them tonight to protect one. At some point numbers had to become important. He turned around and joined the others, helping to gather the bodies of their dead and putting off the decision until later, not relishing the thought of making it. Sometimes being a leader was far more trouble than it was worth.
IXH
The return of the mercenaries to their camp was loud and raucous. The mercs immediately started a celebration, as they did after winning any major battle. Dalgus wasn’t going to stop his men from enjoying themselves, but he didn’t feel like joining it. Isabella and Haruka were nowhere to be seen in the middle of the camp, so he decided to sniff them out, not wanting to put off the discussion they had to have. To his surprise he found them inside the meeting tent, waiting for him. “How many dead?” Isabella asked immediately, without even giving them any time to start a conversation.
Dalgus opened his mouth to respond but Ophelia beat him to it. “One-hundred forty-three,” she answered with her usual bluntness, bringing a pained look to Bella’s face.
The mercenary general spread his hands. “We fought against twelve hundred trained soldiers, remember. This is a ridiculously low death count when you factor that in.”
“It’s still far more than needed to die on my account,” Isabella said with a shake of her head. “This reinforces my decision.” She met Haruka’s eyes. “We’re leaving tomorrow.”
Dalgus blinked at them. “You’re what? Leaving?”
Haruka nodded. “She’s determined not to bring any more people into this.”
“This is far from over,” Bella told them. “That isn’t the last regiment Reis will send, and then there’s the Black Sun to consider. This kind of incident, if it continued, could cause a full-scale war between Vaelin and Areya; enough is enough.”
“Running is wiser anyway,” Haruka added. “It is better we try to avoid this rather than cause the death of hundreds.”
Ophelia nodded. “That is indeed the wisest decision. Our company should not be involved in this.”
Dalgus sighed, running a hand over his hair. “I wish it didn’t have to be that way, but I agree. We’ll at least give you whatever supplies you want.”
“We’re coming with you!” All four looked over as Suria threw aside the tent flap and stepped in. Behind her Able sighed and brushed his hair back, annoyed that she hadn’t listened to his warning to stay out of it.
Isabella’s expression hardened. “You’re not coming. You’re staying here.”
Suria folded her arms. “Why would I stay here? You need me more.”
“There is no point in involving you in this-“
“You’re my friend!”
“For how much longer?!” The others went quiet as Isabella shook her head. “It’s not worth your life to help me make it a few more months. My life is almost over, Suria; stay here and get started on your own. I’m glad our paths crossed, but I’m at the end of mine and you’re at the beginning of yours. We can’t keep walking the same road.”
Suria’s arms fell to her sides and her gaze dropped to the ground. “But I… Why aren’t you leaving Haruka behind, too, then?”
Isabella sighed, glancing at Haruka before looking back to the younger woman. “Haruka is in this with me until the end. She decided that a while ago.”
“So why can’t I decide the same thing?”
“Because it’s a waste,” Ophelia interrupted, drawing their attention to her. She glanced at Isabella. “I’m sorry for butting in,” she said before looking back at Suria. “There are three reasons it makes sense for her and not for you. Firstly, you can’t honestly think that a friend and a lover are the same thing; they are bound together regardless of the situation. Secondly, Haruka is far older than you; she has much less to lose. If she dies with Isabella she will have no regrets. Meanwhile you are very young and have just entered the world and begun your life, and neither of them want to waste that. Finally, Haruka is already involved in this situation, as her organization is pursuing them. Even if none of the other things I mentioned were true, her problems still wouldn’t be solved by leaving Isabella. But if they leave you behind, you won’t be in danger. Do you understand?”
“I…” Suria looked at Isabella and Haruka. “I just want to help. You two are my friends; it drives me crazy that there’s nothing I can do. The only thing I could possibly do to help is to come and fight with you and you won’t let me do that, so I’m useless.”
Haruka smiled slightly. “You don’t know enough about Bella if you think that’s the only way you could help.”
Suria looked at her curiously, but switched her attention when the knight laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve brought about enough death. If you stay alive and do well, nothing will make me happier. Please, I’m hoping for at least some good things in my life that I don’t ruin.”
Suria didn’t fully understand, but it was enough for her to agree, albeit reluctantly. As for Able, he was just glad not to be caught up in more things that weren’t his business. So things were decided - for better or worse - and everyone went their separate ways, only sure enough of their decisions to stick with them.
IXH
The next morning was dreary and overcast. No sight of the sun was visible in the grey skies and the rain was just heavy enough to be constant but not obscure visibility. The group was once more at the edge of the camp just like when Freya had left, but the mood was even more somber today, perhaps because of the weather. Isabella told herself it was only the weather as she stood there looking around. She had abandoned her old armor now, left it with the camp – she told the others it was because it wasn’t a good outfit for travelling quickly, and that was true. However, only Haruka knew that it was because she could no longer spend all day in heavy armor, or fight in it. She used to spend hundreds of hours in a row without ever removing it, performing the most acrobatic maneuvers and sprinting or climbing at full speed with no trouble.
Now it was different. Her body weakened too fast, tired too quickly; she just couldn’t do it anymore. Dalgus had provided her with new armor: strong, lightweight leather armor, fire-hardened and made for her size. She still wore her knight cape over it, blood-red and bearing a symbol on the back of a tree split down the center, half dead and rotten, the other half alive and blooming. She could lose it, as well, but the cape held a great deal of meaning to her and she decided the benefits outweighed the detriments. Today she had the hood folded out from under it, keeping the rain out of her face. Something about the sound of the rain on the thick cloth calmed her as well, making her feel warmer than she otherwise would.
Haruka was wearing a thick green cloak with a hood, protected from the weather as well. The mercenaries had been very generous, even offering their horses, but they had turned them down, mentioning that they needed to move quietly, not quickly. They had, however, each accepted a pack of supplies, since that was something they couldn’t do without. Now there was nothing left to do but leave, and Isabella found herself with no idea what to say. I should probably get used to saying goodbyes soon, she thought to herself as she looked down awkwardly. Nothing came to mind that seemed… enough.
She realized she was overthinking it as Haruka stepped forward, offering a simple but heartfelt, “Thank you. All of you.”
She looked up and nodded, casting her grey eyes over the others. “We couldn’t have made it this far without all of you. And I… Sorry.” She sighed, looking away. “We should go.”
“Freya gets an emotional goodbye and we don’t?”
Isabella sighed again, looking at Suria. “I’m hoping I can save that… I
’m trying to pretend I’m sure this isn’t the last time I’ll see you.” Suria looked down and then shook her head, moving to hug her. Bella set a hand on her head and smiled. “You’re young… You’ll meet so many more people in your lifetime.”
“None of them will be you,” the younger woman said as she stepped back to look at her.
“No… Haruka will see you, though,” Isabella said with a look at the monk, who nodded in reply. Bella smiled. “She’s always had a part of me. And, so can you.” Isabella pulled free the long grey cloth that held her sword tied into its scabbard, looking at it fondly. “My mother’s scarf has been through a lot. It’s very weak and I’m worried it will be destroyed in the coming days. If I entrust it to you, will you promise to take care of it?”
Suria blinked, taking the tattered cloth – the last thing Isabella had from her parents – gently in her hands. “You want me to keep this?”
Isabella nodded. “I want it to be safe. The parts you can see… here, look.” She had her turn it over, where she could see images on it, faint from time and weather but still visible. Demons, angels, fighting, some sort of ceremony, all done in pictures along the scarf that had held up far longer than it should have. “That’s the story of my parents, told in pictures.” She traced a finger over it, her eyes growing distant. “It happened centuries ago… This scarf is over three hundred years old. Nothing else remains of that story… except me.”
Suria shook her head. “I can’t…”
“It’s going to have to go somewhere anyway,” Bella said softly, smiling. “Years ago I would have clung to that, to the past, in my last hours, but that’s no longer necessary.” She looked over her shoulder, smiling at Haruka. “The past is no longer my focus.” She turned back to Suria. “But someone should remember it, and I hope it will be you.”
Suria nodded. “I… I will. I’ll even work on renewing this scarf so it lasts another three hundred years. I know I can.”
“I knew you were the right choice,” Bella said with a smile.
Haruka moved over to Able, who stood a short distance away with his hands in his pockets as always. He seemed to be paying little attention, but she knew the truth. “Alright?”
Able smirked, glancing up through his bangs at her. “I’ve lost a lot of people. With a life like mine you don’t get used to anything because it can always change. Don’t expect me to get emotional.”
The monk chuckled and folded her arms. “I wasn’t expecting that. Those two are the emotional ones. Are you gonna take care of Suria?”
He nodded. “As well as I can. I figure, I don’t have any goals anyway, might as well do whatever she’s doing.”
“Good call. You won’t regret it.”
Able snorted. “We’ll see. Might regret it the twenty-seventh time she gets me in trouble.”
Haruka grinned. “Maybe. But I haven’t.”
Isabella stuck her head around Haruka from where she’d come up behind her. “Ruki, dear, are you saying I get you in trouble?”
Haruka jumped and spun around. “What? I – What? No, not at all!”
“Which one of us is the trouble-maker here?” Isabella folded her arms and quirked an eyebrow. “Who attacked whom in the beginning?”
“Hey, that’s not fair! Besides, technically, it was your fault for getting in our way.”
“And it was your fault we got attacked by assassins two days later.”
“That isn’t true, actually, it’s your fault because I had to choose to go with you. If you were somebody else I never would have made that decision!”
Isabella blinked. “Are you saying I’m too special?”
“…Yes. That’s what I’m saying.” Haruka nodded. “Let’s hear you argue with that.” She cocked her head and grinned. “Go ahead, try to argue that you’re normal.”
“…I hate it when you win.”
“Only because it happens so often.”
“I still don’t know how!” Isabella threw up her hands and turned to the others, smiling. “Anyway, we should be going. I want to get far away from all of you before something else happens.” She looked at Dalgus. “Watch over Able and Suria, will you?”
The werewolf nodded. “They’re in good hands. They’ll be getting to know others in the Company, fitting in. Don’t worry.”
“Good.” She looked at the two. “Try to get involved, okay? I know what it’s like to stand outside the group all the time. You’ll be happier if you get into it.”
Able smirked at her. “Thanks, mom.”
“Don’t sass your elders,” Isabella said with a grin.
Haruka chuckled, grabbing her hand and starting to pull her away. “We’ll be here all day if you keep talking.”
“But… But… I have important things to say!”
“Yell them.”
Suria ran forward a few steps and waved. “Come back! Okay? Make sure both of you come back, or I won’t forgive you!”
Bella smiled and waved back at her. “I’ll see you again… I promise.” She turned around and walked beside Haruka, letting out a sigh. “I hope I can keep that promise,” she said once they were further away.
“We’ll do our best,” Haruka said as she squeezed her hand. She looked back over her shoulder once they were far enough away to be out of sight of the others. “Well… It’s just the two of us again.”
Isabella nodded, looking at her. “That’s not a bad thing… I’m kind of looking forward to it a little.”
“If our luck gets better, it might not be bad at all.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.” Isabella looked up as they walked, blinking water from her eyes. “Have you noticed it’s always raining when the two of us leave somewhere? I think rain is following us.”
“Now that you mention it… The weather does seem to hate us.”
“It’s very foreboding. It’s like it’s trying to force us back into a somber mood.”
Haruka adjusted the pack on her back. “I’ve had enough of somber. I don’t care what the weather says.” She glared up at the clouds. “You hear me?!”
Isabella grinned. “And so, the last of Haruka’s sanity disappeared on that day…”
Haruka snorted. “You drove that out of me a long time ago.”
“I can’t help it. I have negative sanity; it actually kills sanity around me.”
“Do the voices in your head agree?”
Yes.
Gods yes.
“They do,” Isabella said with a roll of her eyes.
“Well, at least life is never boring when you’re insane.”
They walked for hours, eating a little around noon without stopping. They made it a good distance, as Isabella found it easier to travel now that she wasn’t burdened by heavy armor. As the day neared its end, though, their conversation tapered off and they pulled their cloaks tighter as the rain’s intensity increased and the air grew colder. A wind picked up, twisting the tree branches around them as they picked their way over roots and muddy ground. Finally, Haruka had to insist they stop; it was quite dark by this point and torches were useless in this weather, but worse, Isabella had started coughing again and it seemed to worsen by the minute.
They set up the tent Ophelia had supplied them with, a very large, square tent that did most of the setting-up itself, as it unfolded itself once it was untied. It had apparently been enchanted quite heavily, according to Ophelia, and that was clear as soon as it was unfolded; despite the wind and rain growing fiercer by the moment, the tent didn’t move at all but remained solid on the ground. They stepped inside paused for a few seconds simply to stare. Slowly they rid themselves of their soaking cloaks, hanging them near the entrance. The tent not only seemed much larger than it had on the outside, but it also wasn’t a tent at all but the inside of a wooden cabin. Bella had to poke her head out of it to check if the outside was still canvas, and it was, but the inside was quite clearly solid wood, as if they had been transported to somewhere else entirely.
The
rain, wind and thunder could still be heard outside rather loudly, so they knew it wasn’t that; the inside of the tent was simply different. There was a bed in one corner that looked ridiculously comfortable to the exhausted Bella, a single in size but complete with two pillows and several thick blankets. Near the bed there was an old wooden desk against one wall with parchment and quills on top and numerous ancient-looking tomes piled around it. There was a table in the corner opposite the wall and even a cupboard, but the strangest thing – even more so than the rest of this – was that the wall opposite the bed had a fireplace and a spot for cooking, already full of wood.
“Where are we?” Bella asked as she sniffed, deciding to voice her wonder. “And how does that work?” she added, pointing to the fireplace.
“Who knows,” Haruka said with a shrug, looking back at her. “I don’t really care how it works, only that it works. But it does seem that Ophelia gave us a much more valuable gift than we first thought. The expense of the enchantments alone to create such a thing…”
“We’ll have to thank her if we see her again, then,” Bella said before coughing into her arm.
“Yes, but right now I’m more focused on you. Get out of that wet clothing and into something dry, and then into bed. I’ll start a fire.”
Bella coughed again, nodding and beginning to remove the leather armor so she could get out of the clothing under it. “Can’t you just do your fireball thing and light it in seconds?”
“Sure,” Haruka said wryly as she knelt in front of the fireplace, “if I wanted to burn this whole place down. It’s not very controlled.”
“Oh, right.” In a few minutes, Haruka was kneeling in front of the fire checking on the soup she was getting ready in an iron pot suspended above the flames. Isabella sat in the bed against the wall so she could watch her, and despite having every blanket in the place wrapped around her she was shivering. At this point she didn’t know if that and her sniffling were some new facet of her sickness, or if her condition simply made her vulnerable to more mundane illnesses and she had caught one of those thanks to travelling through a forest in this weather. Her coughing she knew to be a symptom of her initial condition, though it seemed to be worsened by whatever she had now. “It’s too bad I’m sick,” she said as she watched the crackling flames just past Haruka. “Otherwise this would be pretty romantic.”
