Matthew's gaze blankly stared at the back of the woman ahead of him. The horse beneath him moved in a rhythm completely foreign to the young man. The land was the same wasteland as everywhere else they went, covered in baked earth with sparse vegetation and more monsters than he particularly cared for. He could hear the jingle of tack and gear as the four horses carried their riders. It was hot as the sun beat down on him without mercy.
The woman in front of him was Natalia. She wore a dark dress with a great coat over it and a pair of gloves. She carried a revolver, but Matthew had also seen her pull a knife on an unsuspecting bar patron that had gotten too close to the woman. Natalia was a crest sorceress.
Behind Matthew, and taking up the rear, was the dark haired Ly. She carried a rifle that was almost as tall as herself. It was amazing how she could swing it around with ease in battle. Matthew had even seen her use it almost like it was a simple wooden staff. While she wore pants there was nothing masculine about her appearance. Her green embroidered vest stood out sharply against her dull brown jacket.
In the front was that man. He was a fair haired man with bright blue eyes and glasses. He was the one that had originally gathered them into a team of drifters. His ARM was practically a hand held gatling gun. He could let a lot of bullets go fast. Matthew he thought he could hear him whistle. His name was Alfred. He was the one that handled their jobs.
Something finally began to rise up in the horizon. It was the ruins of a once grand castle and the surrounding town. There was a dock that at some point had connected to an ocean of water, now it only connected to an ocean of sand. It must have been beautiful back in its prime.
They lead their horses through the town and right up to the gates of the castle. It was about as far as they could safely take their mounts. The four dismounted and tied up their horses before they went inside.
Matthew felt a cool breeze on his face. He clutched his bow in his hands. It made him feel conspicuous that the other three had ARMs and he hand a simple hunting bow. Well, maybe it did not really matter. He had been brought into this group because of his ability to summon the Guardians, not for his combat ability.
"Don't touch anything," Ly said.
Natalia reached into a pouch on her belt and drew out a card decorated with two symbols. She held it up and activated the magic just enough to be a light source.
"Thanks, Natalia. Everyone keep an eye out for anything conspicuous," Alfred said with enthusiasm. He had not actually revealed what they were here for. Some how, it did not bother the two women.
Matthew was about to move back to stand next to Ly, when he found Natalia already there. He saw the two briefly squeeze each other's hands. Matthew felt uncomfortable. He knew the two usually shared a room when they were in a town, but he had never thought anything more of it than that.
With his face red he moved up next to Alfred. He tried to look anywhere except the other man's blue eyes. Alfred shot him a cocky smile before moving forward, leading them deeper into the castle. Matthew was only a step behind him. The two girls would be keeping a look out for anyone or anything coming up behind them.
They searched every room and every corridor, sometimes finding themselves face to face with animated skeletons that they dispatched with speed and skill. They eventually made it to the treasury, the last room left to search. The door swung open. It was empty.
"It has to be here! We searched everywhere else," Alfred said as he entered the empty room to check the rotting barrels and chests.
"This castle has been abandoned a long time. It has already been looted clean." Natalia crossed her arms and looked very unamused.
"What are we looking for, Alfred?" Ly asked.
"It is a blue gem. It feels warm when you touch it."
"A warm gem…" Matthew trailed off as he leaned against the wall.
The wall started to crumble away behind him. As Matthew started to fall backwards, Alfred dashed toward him and grabbed his hand. It was not enough to stop the fall and instead resulted in Alfred being pulled with him. The other two yelled their names and moved to try and grab them, but it was too late. Matthew felt himself fall for an eternal few seconds before he hit the ground and the world went dark around him.
When he opened his eyes again it was like he had not opened them to begin with. He felt a warm body on top of him and something sticky. For a second he panicked, but only for a second. The blood was not his. He began to blindly search with his hands. Fingers touched the warm body. The blood was coming from the body, from Alfred. He fumbled in the dark for a pulse and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding when he found one.
"Alfred, Alfred, wake up," he said as he shook the other softly.
No response.
Matthew searched Alfred's pockets. Finally he found something paper that might be what he needed. He pulled the item out and, yes, it was the book of matches Alfred had taken from Gunner's Heaven. He struck a match and when he had light he began to look over Alfred. There was so much blood. Matthew dropped the match as it burnt down to his fingers. He had to do something. Matthew knew he had some heal berries on him, but would they be enough? Alfred wasn't even awake to eat them. He crushed the berries and tied them over the wounds using strips of cloth torn from both their clothing. Matthew silently hoped that they would have some effect.
"Alfred, I-I'll be right back. I'm going to go find help. I can't move you by myself."
Matthew stood up and pocketed the matchbook. He could feel a breeze and walked in the direction of it. Before he would take each step he would feel ahead with his foot and only when he was satisfied it was not going to break under him did he put his weight on it. When he found one, he would run his hand along the wall. He focused his attention on remembering the way he came. If he could not get back to Alfred then it would not do any good to get help.
The time he walked was a dark eternity. When he did see light ahead he thought he imagined it. After realizing it was real and not something he had just imagined he started moving faster, not being as cautious. He followed the light to a room.
In the room was a beautiful young woman, even younger than him. She wore clothing that looked like something out of a history book. Around her neck was a blue gem on a chain, it was what was giving off the light.
"H-Hello, I need help."
"Yes, yes, help. Help is good. Help others. Help yourself."
"E-Excuse me? My friend needs help. He is hurt!"
"Send the healers to help the wounded. We will hold the gate to the last."
"A-Are you alright? My name is Matthew."
"Names. Introductions. I am Adelhyde."
"Adelhyde? Wasn't that the country that used to be here?"
"Yes, I am a country. The country of Adelhyde is me and I am Adelhyde."
"B-But how can you be a country? Adelhyde doesn't exist any more."
"No! I exist. I must exist. I won't let death claim me. I will protect my people."
"I-I don't think I understand. But, please, I need your help or else Alfred is going to die."
Something changed in the nation's green eyes. "Someone will die? They need help?"
"Y-Yes, the wall collapsed and we fell down here. Alfred is hurt and I can't stop the bleeding."
She reached around her neck and removed the necklace. She held out the chain, the gem moving back and forth at the bottom of it. "The Teardrop can heal his wounds."
Matthew took the offered gem. He was aware of the existence of magic relics that could take any form. "Thank you, I'll bring it back." Matthew turned and began to hurry back to Alfred. Behind him the ghost of a dead nation vanished.
"Alfred, I have something that can help you," Matthew cried out as he dropped to the other blonde's side.
The gem glowed as he held it up over the unconscious man. Light fell down from it like teardrops from the heaven. As each hit Alfred they let out a warm healing energy, knitting together the wounds.
"Augh… I hurt," Alfred moaned as he started to wake up.
"Alfred!" In his excitement he hugged the other man.
"Ouch! What happened?"
"We fell through the wall. You were hurt but this woman gave me this gem and I used it to heal you."
Alfred's eyes widened behind his glasses and said, "Matthew that is the Teardrop. It is what we were looking for."
A sound came from a small side tunnel and out came Ly and Natalia, the two were dirty.
"You idiots can't keep out of trouble," Natalia said with a scowl.
"She means that she was worried about the two of you."
Alfred laughed, "Well my hero here already saved my life. So it is a bit late for you two."
"H-Hero?"
Alfred gave Matthew a kiss. "Yes, hero."