The medical equipment made soft, steady beeps as it continually monitored Valare's health, ready to alert any of the nurses standing by should his radiation poisoning worsen. They had little precedent working in this kind of environment, so they could leave nothing to chance—but Fate knew that while Valare needed rest, the Bureau needed answers as soon as possible.
"So his hiring was for the sake of money?" she asked, though it was hardly a question at this point. "I don't understand why you'd need to go so far."
"With Avon dead, we had little choice," Valare responded, gesturing weakly. "It was a stroke of luck that she was able to rescue him during that fateful day, a stroke of luck I fully intended on taking full advantage of. The corporations the Bureau had allowed on the planet necessitated such actions."
"Corporate blackmail is what caused all of this?" Fate asked. "How can they even get away with such a thing? They've barely been here long enough to set up a foothold!"
"It's completely understandable that you'd think that," was his reply. "The war that's been taking place here has exacted a price from all of us, even the Time-Space Administration Bureau. They hardly had the manpower to put down the rebellions and keep an eye on every foreigner to set foot on Exavil's soil. It gave the corporations a chance many of them had dreamed of."
He coughed lightly, clearing his throat. "Some of us were calling it 'Pax Economica,' peace through economics. For others, it was a totalitarian rule by the companies, beginning after the civil war," he explained to the Enforcer. "Their aim is a tempered redistribution of the planet's rich resources, I imagine."
The man lifted up his other hand, gesturing to the holographic windows a computer terminal procured for him, bringing up images of several locations on Exavil, including other settlements, a large, offshore oil rig, and a bullet train station. "These wise fiscal masters," he continued with some derision, "Took hold of the resources and the markets alike, driving people into settlements and colonies like this one… and into lives of harsh labor just to eat.
"After Scaglietti altered everything in technological developments with the AMF and his Gadget Drones, Mishima Heavy Industries is nothing more than an antiquated giant. That was exactly why they accepted our offer," explained Valare. "Mercenary mages with skill in illegal activities and dangerous assignments have always been the result of… unsavory political machinations. Wizened warriors, using insignificant Devices… they had no use except as political pawns."
Fate nodded, agreeing with that particular assessment, especially after the recent events. She knew that because of the recent incident, she and Teana and the other Enforcers would find themselves facing off against more mercenaries hired on by men emboldened by such events.
Valare, however, could only shake his head. "Back then, that's what everyone assumed," he said, looking wistful and regretful. "Myself included."
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha MercenarieS:
THE COLLARED
CHAPTER TWO:
Illegally Bound
The temperature in the air had rapidly diminished as night had set in. But here, in this war-weary region of Exavil, the night was neither silent nor still. The forward military compound set up by the local government to watch for rebel attacks on the nearby cities now kept itself under watch, ensuring that it would not be caught unaware by brave or foolhardy enemies seeking out easy prey. A pair of helicopters with mounted spotlights flew in set patterns over the base and the land around it, their rotors pounding at the grass beneath them. Few personnel were seen within the area, each of them going about their final assignments for the day. Several Golem units, brought by the small contingent of Time-Space Administration Bureau temporarily stationed at the fortress, were also on patrol, tirelessly keeping an eye out for any possible threat. Searchlights on guard towers scanned the surrounding countryside, but found nothing.
Just out of the possible scanning range of the local military's equipment, a single hill made a curving motion that made an unfortunate flaw in the compound's defenses. It shielded anything within the curve from visual sight, and with it being situated outside of the detection network, it proved the perfect insertion point for anyone with considerable magical skill.
Within the curving hill, light flashed briefly, forming a circle of crimson light in the Mid-Childan style of magic, and from it a single figure emerged, crouched low with a Device held firmly in hand. Just as quickly, the magic circle faded, and the area went pitch black once more—no one from the forward base saw the light, and the sensor network wouldn't have been able to properly detect the magical symbol even if it had been in range. The blue-black cloth of a Barrier Jacket ensured that it'd be difficult to discern anything out of the ordinary without the aid of a high-powered light source.
The figure crested the hill, keeping low to remain out of sight. The lights of the base were distant, a few glowing marks just before the horizon, and the sounds of the helicopters' propellers were faint. I'm in position, he spoke telepathically, communicating with unseen teammates. They're settling down for the night. No chance of them discovering my presence.
Roger that, Salaux, came the reply in the form of a cool and collected-sounding female voice. Any sign of where the targets are stationed?
I'm afraid not. Shouldn't matter, though, I'll discover them when the time comes. Kneeling, Salaux Enterra opened up a holographic screen as his Device filtered out the night using a targeting system. I'm beginning the reconnaissance now.
Are you sure you want to do this alone? the woman asked, sounding slightly concerned. Bureau soldiers won't make this easy.
It's nothing I haven't dealt with before, Tiffany, Salaux assured her as information flooded into the screen, showing radar and map information, giving him the lay of the land. We'll know for sure soon enough. If anything changes, I'll have you and the others intercept. But I doubt it'll be necessary.
He heard a snort over the telepathic link. You know that Albireo won't like hearing that, Tiffany said.
He'll get over it. Enterra out.
As he cut the link, he ducked away and shut down the screen for a brief moment as a patrolling helicopter came within range. The searchlights passed nearby, but his location remained hidden. Falling back, Salaux gave himself a few minutes before opening the screen back up and resuming his reconnaissance of the area. He kept his eye on the patrol paths of the machines in the sky, making sure they wouldn't spot him.
He mapped out the area and sized up the forces where he could, trying to discern where his targets lay dormant. Patrol paths were recorded and memorized, and he mentally labeled each of the base's facilities based on instinct, pinning down the location of his target in the process.
And when his task was done, he bunkered down, and waited.
It had been little more than a week, almost two, since Roas Lacetti made his return to battlefield, and already the scant few missions he had been sent out on had generated enough money to begin the process of turning things around in Ailotana. They had to be careful, of course—a private doctor had been hired to deal with any injuries that Roas acquired on missions, and the mercenary had needed a place to stay, clothing and food of his own. After Roas' own stipend had been paid, the remaining wealth was loaned out and donated to the rest of the settlement, keeping local businesses afloat and the bank stocked. Emil's careful deliberations had ensured that none of the new money alerted the local government to any potential wrongdoings—the last thing they needed was for the Bureau to suddenly get curious.
Just as well, Valare noted. Mishima Heavy Industries and one of its subsidiaries, MCAF International, had partook of Roas' services, had mostly been interested in clearing out rebels and terrorist cells that occupied areas of interest to the companies. It had been a stroke of luck that the targets had been relatively minor in the eyes of the government and the Administration Bureau, leaving his initial plan in the clear. Now, however, he needed to look to other sources of income—fighting rebels would only do so well for so long, else the situation with the Bureau would easily change. He needed to look for opportunities to aid the corporations elsewhere.
The laboratory's overhead lights remained dimmed, allowing the main monitor screen to provide most of the illumination for the chamber. It was late at night, well after most of the personnel had gone home. Now was the perfect time to go about his clandestine work in dealing with the corporations.
Numerous windows were opened up within the screen, detailing various different communications and reports he'd managed to dredge up from the networks, both public and private. Stock values, monetary reports, notifications, and more allowed the businessman to analyze the situation—he had suspected, but it was becoming abundantly clear that after the JS Incident that had occurred a short while ago on Mid-Childa, Mishima Heavy Industries was losing out on the military hardware market thanks to automated weaponry. Scaglietti's defeat had shown that perhaps the use of A.I. controlled weaponry was not the best path to take—after all, Scaglietti's forces, which had relied almost entirely on automated systems, had failed spectacularly against Bureau forces, resulting in his capture and the destruction of the Saint's Cradle.
And now, sales for robotic constructs like the Golem Units were beginning to drop. Emil hypothesized that for now, people would rely on actual manpower when it comes to property defenses, though he feared that the AMF technology that Scaglietti had used would prove invaluable to criminal forces everywhere. Belatedly, Valare wondered if Roas had any training or experience in dealing with anti-magic capabilities; it was very possible that a future mission could pit the mercenary against such technology.
He made a note to ask Roas when he and Mesia returned from their current mission, and returned to his original task.
Chances are, Mishima will be suffering from a sharp financial loss in the coming months, the businessman noted, bringing up more screens. Perhaps they can avoid it if the battles here take a turn for the worse, but that's unlikely. The Bureau has everything under control for the most part.
He minimized the previous reports on Mishima Heavy Industries and started searching for similar documents fielded by other corporations—Caledfwlch Techniques looked promising, having the ambition to expand beyond Vaizen. But they too were under the watchful eyes of the Bureau currently, thanks to their specialization in magic equipment. Minervum Science Technology would perhaps be more appropriate—while holding promising talent in Device part development, the company was small, and likely had need of help gaining an edge over their larger competitors on the market.
Forty-five minutes later, Valare leaned back in his seat, satisfied. The information he had managed to dig up on Minervum Science Technology proved that they'd be a viable choice. He'd ready an offer to them within the week—hopefully, the opportunities Roas would give them would prove too tempting to pass up. He closed everything down and wiped away every indication of his activities before shutting down the mainframe for the night. He was tired, and wanted to go home.
As he exited the building, his mind wandered, wondering how Roas and Mesia would do on their current assignment, but shook the thought off. Roas' skill was hardly in doubt anymore, and he knew the man would do fine. Mesia would send him a report before the mission began in the morning.
The attack was swift, and came without warning. At first light, a baleful red light flashed on the horizon before expanding out, becoming a crimson beam of magic. The fortress wall easily collapsed under its power, and the beam continued unopposed until it struck its target—the large fuel depot reserved for the patrol choppers. There was a roar as a massive fire flower bloomed into the air, spreading smoke and shrapnel through the air. Nearby armories and vehicle garages were quickly annihilated by the explosion, flipping over tanks and causing debris to crush those unlucky enough to be inside. Non-combat personnel were scattered about in the confusion, trying to find out who was attacking, to put out the fires, to do something.
The ground had practically exploded around Salaux as he fired the shot, kicking up a wall of dirt that obscured him from view for the briefest of moments. As the alarm rose up from the base, he took to the air, streaking to it at high speeds.
The Golem Units were quick to arm themselves, as were the soldiers and Bureau mages who hadn't been scrambled by the sudden assault. Automated turrets on the corners of the base walls activated and opened fire. Bullets, both magical and solid, flew through the air, but all of them failed to strike the bogey that shot over the wall and slammed down in a deserted section of the base. Moments later, the turrets exploded violently, struck by delayed magic shots.
As Salaux stood, the soldiers got a clear look at their attacker. He was tall and tanned, clad in a long black coat. Gunmetal gray armor scooped over his shoulders and chest, the breastplate tapering into a blunted point in the center. A staff of gray and black was clutched in a bare left hand, its end containing both a smooth red sphere cupped in a wicked bayonet.
Burgundy eyes glanced over to the nearest mage from underneath shaggy black hair, and narrowed. Spinning about, he swung his staff around, a panel sliding back to reveal a Cartridge System, and a single cartridge slammed into it, summoning a dozen spheres of crimson light. Aiming the weapon, they began to fire out a series of blasts that cut through the air at the native soldiers, burning through their Kevlar and clothing and into their skin. Barriers flew up among the mages, deflecting the shots, before they returned fire at the enemy mage.
Salaux's attack spheres suddenly cut off their stream of shots and surged forward, intercepting each of the mages' projectiles as he flew back, skimming only centimeters over the ground. Bullets swept past him as native soldiers rounded the corner and opened fire, and he deftly swept around a nearby garage as its door was peppered full of holes. The mercenary swung Supplice around as he exited around the other corner, the staff quickly generating blade-like projectiles that he fired one by one at each soldier, impaling them through their vitals and sending them to the ground, screaming in pain.
The mages opened fire once more as the Golem unit came up behind them, hefting up a massive axe, and Salaux quickly took to the sky, flying up to the command tower near the center of the base and landing on its roof. A red magic circle erupted beneath him as he swung his staff into position, aiming downwards at the group. "Supplice, cartridge load!" he commanded.
"Load Cartridge," it said in a deep, almost-robotic sounding voice. "Grand Blazer."
Inscribed bands opened up around Supplice as it charged up another beam, and Salaux grabbed hold of the grip and squeezed the trigger just as the Golem flung its axe at him.
The beam that erupted from the charging magic swallowed the weapon whole, obliterating it before smashing into the Golem itself. Within seconds, the magic had chewed through its armor, causing it to go critical and explode. The shockwave released floored the nearby mages, knocking a couple of them unconscious.
Salaux leaped off the roof, plummeting down to the ground, only to have a trio of APCs and a pair of mages attack, sending a flurry of projectiles screaming through the air at him. He darted out of the way, skimming across the ground to a safe distance, letting gunfire and spells tear apart the surrounding area. Another magic circle expanded beneath him, generating more attack spheres, and he unloaded into all of the targets. The three APCs were blown apart, and the mages were forced to fly out of harm's way. Retaliatory shots swarmed down from the sky, and once more he sent his attacks to counter them before taking off into the air after his enemies.
The morning skies became ablaze with light as streaks of blue clashed with a single bolt of red as the Bureau mages engaged the mercenary. Soldiers looked up in awe at the dogfight, watching in morbid fascination as Salaux quickly went on the offensive, sending bolts of crimson energy hurtling into the nearest mage, sending him back down to earth with a crash. Round shields deployed around him as the mages counterattacked, the force of which knocking him through the air as he defended. Supplice loaded a pair of cartridges as its bayonet split and elongated on either side of the interface crystal, activating a shooting mode.
As more shots swept in, a magic circle opened up and channeled, sending dozens of magic bullets swarming through the air at them and the mages, detonating the incoming attacks harmlessly and forcing the mages to break away lest they too get shot out of the air. One mage spun about and opened up a Round Shield, blocking the shot—as the smoke cleared, his reward was only to see the crimson glow of a Grand Blazer smashing into him and sending him screaming through the air.
Seeing an opening, another mage charged forward, gathering magic into his staff and swinging as he neared. Staff clashed against staff, sending the exploding magic downward, along with Salaux. Gritting his teeth, the mercenary stabled his flight, using barrier spells to deflect more incoming shots. Above him, the mage brought about his staff, charging up a beam and swinging the staff around to take aim.
Salaux decided that it was time to end this fight—there was no more point in playing with them. "Supplice, Full Drive! Strike them down with magic damage!"
Another two cartridges were loaded, and Supplice spoke up. "Marche Au Supplice."
Binds suddenly clamped down on most of the surviving mages, causing them to yell out in surprise as they were held in place. A magic circle opened up before Supplice's targeting rings, and four smaller ones quickly followed at its outer edges—Salaux pulled the trigger and each one fired simultaneously, sending a large sphere hurtling through the air. The mages quickly freed themselves from their binds, but by then, it was too late—each sphere exploded into half a dozen smaller ones, each of which blew apart into more magic bullets.
The sky was blanketed in red as explosions ripped through the air and the mages, rending their barrier jackets to shreds and knocking his opponents unconscious. The few mages that had escaped the onslaught and the soldiers down below looked on in horror as Salaux turned his Device down at the base, readying the spell again.
"Marche Au Supplice."
Soon, the base was little more than fire and rubble. Soldiers and personnel fled, screaming as explosions and magic tore them asunder.
Seeing one of the surviving mages try to get away, the black-coated mercenary turned Supplice on him, casting several binds to hold him in place before he unleashed another Grand Blazer, sending the mage hurtling through the air before slamming into the side of a destroyed building, unconscious. Seeing his comrade fall, the last mage took off at fast as he could, darting around the first building he could. Smirking, Salaux gave chase, readying Supplice before him
The Bureau mage waited with baited breath for the mercenary to appear, holding his Storage Device at the ready. Finally, hearing the mercenary's approach, he flung himself out of cover, firing as many magic bullets at Salaux as he could. Blue fire seared the air.
But for all his trouble, the mercenary darted to the side, easily evading the shots as if he knew they were coming. Salaux swept around the mage, ducking under as the Bureau officer swung his own staff at his head, and lunged forward, stabbing Supplice forward.
The bayonet of the staff cut through the mage's barrier jacket and shoulder, parting magic and flesh and bone, eliciting a scream of pain from the man. Salaux paid no mind to the blood that splashed across his face and Barrier Jacket.
Silence seemed to reign as the mage's blood ran down the edge of Supplice's bayonet—all military forces in the base had been neutralized. After a brief moment, Salaux tore his Device free, causing his victim to groan and collapse against the wall of the building, smearing blood across it as it seeped out of his wound.
"Mission accomplished," he said as a holographic screen appeared. The mercenary looked down, his eyes narrowing. "Ready for the extraction."
Beneath him, the mage looked upon Salaux in terror.
The mission had been given to them by Mishima Heavy Industries' subsidiary, MCAF International, a company specializing in the creation of missiles and rockets, both for scientific and military use. The local terrorist faction, known as the Elitrean Liberation Front, had stolen a trio of such rockets, intent on converting them into weapons of mass destruction. The theft was coinciding with an inspection by the Bureau, and the company was eager to retrieve the rockets before the inspection happened. They had hired Roas on to secure the rockets from the desert fortress the Liberation Front and retrieve them with a mass teleport courtesy of Mesia. Normally it would be an easy mission for any mage of decent strength and moderate competence.
The devil, Roas decided, was in the details.
When they arrived, they had discovered that the entire area had been blanketed in a fierce sandstorm that had reduced visibility for miles. What's more, the Liberation Front had apparently known they would be coming, and had sent out an advance team to intercept him.
"Enemy signatures detected nearby… They're right on you!"
Mesia's monitoring of the situation and the unending volleys of mortar fire pounding the sand into broken sheets of glass all around him made Roas certain that was the case.
"You're surrounded!" Mesia exclaimed, frantic. "Get out of there!"
Roas dropped the defensive spell he had been maintaining and bolted, flying across the sand and leaving it kicking up in his wake. His ears were ringing from all of the explosions, but he knew he couldn't stop. Buildings loomed up ahead, and he ducked inside one of them, out of the winds. Peering out a nearby window, he soon saw that his escape hadn't gone unnoticed. There were tanks moving in to attack, which also meant that the enemy artillery would be adjusting their aim.
"Lancel!" he called out.
"Affirmative, comrade," the Device acquiesced. "Aegis."
A green barrier of magic flashed up around the building, just as Roas heard the telltale whine of mortar shells over the wind. The ground shook as the attacks slammed into the defensive field, causing decades' worth of dust to rain down from the ceiling. Several more volleys followed before there was a pause, and Roas knew he had to escape. He darted out to the next building, and made his way through the abandoned town building by building before exiting out the other side.
"Enemy forces are coming in thicker now," Mesia warned him over a holographic screen, bringing up a map display with radar. "Stay sharp or you'll be in trouble."
"Roger that," Roas said, glancing at the screen once. "See if you can get a lock on the target."
"I'll get right on it."
Tank shells exploded in the sand around him as he flew, and he raced around them, casting Napalm Shot arrays to seek out the armored vehicles and blow them apart, and clear his path to the enemy stronghold. The desert remained clear of more obstacles, and soon, decrepit castle walls loomed up from the sands before him. On each parapet a large turret had been mounted, looking distinctly out of place. The Elitrean Liberation Front clearly meant business in the war. Roas halted his advance and brought Lancel up and channeled.
The targeting rings quickly expanded around the Device's barrel and charged. "Aura Strafe," the Device called.
"Fire!"
The piercing beam cut through the closest turret, hitting its ammo storage and causing it to detonate violently, tearing the machine apart and giving Roas the opening he needed. He flew in past the outer wall, and quickly sent a volley of Napalm Shots raining down on the gunmen within.
"Elitrean stronghold perimeter breached," Mesia announced, appearing on-screen once more. "Now get in there and secure the objectives."
The map she provided for him showed him where they were. He flew out to the left-most courtyard, and quickly spotted half-constructed ICBM launchers, each with the large rockets already mounted on them. Roas landed hard and spun about, sending another volley of projectiles to ward off incoming terrorists before returning his attention to the rockets.
He aimed Lancel at them and pulled the trigger. "Sealing."
Bands of magic burst out from the weapon, wrapping around each of the rockets in turn and halting all functions within them, shrinking them down and leaving them in stasis.
"I've secured the targets!" Roas called over a holographic screen. He threw up an Aegis barrier around him and the machines as more gunmen came around the corner.
"Understood! Transferring now!"
A massive magic circle of blue light expanded over the sands beneath the ICBMs, charging. Within moments, each missile disappeared one-by-one as Mesia's teleport spell transferred them onto the cruiser up in the sky.
"Transfer of the objectives confirmed," she said to him. "Head on out of there."
Roas nodded and fired more Napalm Shots, dropping his barrier. As explosions sent the gunmen flying, he blasted off into the sky, out of sight. He quickly met up with the cruiser, and entered it through the airlock.
Mesia was waiting for him just outside, having let the support crew handle the piloting while she handled Roas' support during and after the mission.
"I'm glad you're alright," she said, smiling at him. "Let's go home."
Ailotana continued to reign peacefully, doing its best to move past the initial unpleasantness that had brought Roas Lacetti into the community. The sun was bright and the sky clear, and Roas allowed himself a brief moment to relax on the bench overlooking the large river that cut through the settlement. His vantage point gave him a clear view of the bridge that spanned over its waters, which were now thankfully clear as Exavil entered its summer solstice. The settlement had a quiet bustle as its inhabitants went about their daily lives. The mercenary closed his eyes and leaned back, basking for a bit. Times like these had always been few and far between for his kind.
Granted, few mercenaries really had the time to take advantage of such luxuries. Oftentimes their lives dictated that they always be on the move, constantly on the lookout for the next contract, himself included before the destruction of his Storage Device. Now he had a place to live, an apartment near the laboratory, and he'd been able to trade in the old Leganza Tech uniform for some decent clothing. Now he wore a tan, long-sleeved shirt and beige cargo pants, and he felt much more comfortable. Lancel still hung from his wrist, ever close at hand, its cord tying the cuff of his sleeve down. He could make meals he wanted; sleep on a regular schedule for once. He wasn't going to let these moments go to waste, that was for sure.
"Ne, mister?"
Roas cracked open an eye and looked about for the youthful-sounding voice, and quickly spotted a young, green-haired girl, hardly six years of age, looking expectantly up at him with bright eyes. Not expecting to have such a visitor, the mercenary straightened up. "Need something, kid?"
"Are you really a mage?" asked the child, her expression curious.
Roas eyed the girl for a moment, unsure as to what to do—this wasn't exactly something he gets subjected to in his line of work. But after a moment, he shrugged and decided it couldn't hurt. Lancel gleamed in the sunlight briefly as he lifted his right hand up. The girl started as a small magic circle formed beneath the two of them, and Roas channeled. "Detection," Lancel announced as a sphere of pale green light formed above his hand, then floated over in front of the girl.
"Wow," she whispered in amazement, looking wide-eyed at what was very likely her first experience with magic.
"Kia?" the two of them heard an older woman's voice call. Roas looked up, spotting who could only be the girl's mother stepping away from a nearby bazaar stall. "Kia, come back here!" she called.
"Coming!" the girl called back, running back to her mother as Roas dismissed the spell. As they met up, the child waved back at Roas, while the mother gave him a wary, guarded look, causing him to frown slightly even as he waved back to the girl. With that, the two departed.
Roas sighed. He should've been expecting that.
"I didn't know you had a way with children, Roas," Mesia said, her voice hiding a chuckle. Roas looked up to see the woman approaching him, dressed in a loose white blouse and long skirt, with a dark-patterned shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She brushed a strand of red hair from her face as she approached and sat down next to him, handing a canned drink to him.
"I don't," he said gruffly, relaxing back into the park bench as he cracked the tab on his drink. "Mercenaries aren't meant to deal with kids anyway."
Mesia only smiled at his terse response. "Still, I didn't really expect you to humor her," she said, sipping at her own drink. "Some might even think you were a softie."
Roas gave her a sidelong glance and snorted.
"Still, I noticed her mother's reaction to seeing you use your magic," the technician continued. "I'd have thought they'd gotten over it now, since you're helping out."
"It'd take longer than that," Roas said, shaking his head. "The people here aren't used to mages like me. Hell, probably aren't used to mages in general, and I doubt you really advertise your magic like I just did."
"Well, no," Mesia admitted, glancing off a moment. "My magic's nothing spectacular, and I got most of my training on Mid-Childa anyway…"
"Exactly. They're just going to remain scared of me. I was expecting it."
"I just don't understand why they're so afraid of you, Roas," Mesia said, frowning. "I get being scared of other mercenaries, but I don't understand why they're so afraid of trying to get to know you better. I'm sure if they did, this would all stop."
While a skilled operator, Roas could see that Mesia was still dreadfully naïve about this line of work. And knowing now that she'd be unwilling to leave him to his own devices, he knew he'd have to break that part of her. He stood up and beckoned to her. "Roas?" she asked, looking somewhat confused.
"Come on, I need to show you something," was all he said.
She nodded after a moment and took Roas' hand to get up off the bench, and the two of them walked side by side as they proceeded to Ailotana's main road. Unsure as to what Roas planned on showing her, Mesia held her tongue, and the trip was made in silence. As they walked, however, she noted the other people around, giving Roas looks ranging from wariness, to apprehension, and to outright fear. She frowned, and kept herself from making eye contact with them.
It wasn't too long before the two of them had stepped outside of the settlement's limits, leaving them alone in the open green valley at southwestern end of Ailotana. Trees were sparse, but the land showed that it was quite healthy, barely touched by the still-growing settlement. Roas diverted his path, subtly angling off to the left. Mesia followed, and it was over an hour of walking before the two of them reached Roas' destination. The two of them clambered up the tall hill, Roas helping Mesia with a hand up for some of the way, and finally stood at its crest.
The mercenary heard his companion's sharp intake of breath when she saw what lay before them in the adjoining fields.
The ground showed a sharp contrast to what lay behind the two of them. Here, it was pockmarked with dozens of craters, blanketing the valley floor. The grass had been shredded away in the blasts, leaving it remaining only in stark patches few and far between the many craters and the charred soil. Here, no birds flew and chirped, leaving the area completely silent. They both recognized what this area was—it was the site of Roas' last battle as an unemployed mercenary, where he had been jumped by three other mercenaries, only for Mesia to send him to safety at the last minute.
"This is why they fear me," Roas said quietly to his companion. He hooked his thumbs into his pockets, staring on over the obliterated field. A breeze caused Mesia's skirt to flutter, but she didn't notice as he went on. "We're weapons. Any mercenary worth his salt can do this kind of damage and more within moments of showing up. We don't hold back, and we don't follow the Bureau's standpoint in combat. For us, it's kill or be killed. There's no real in-between."
"That's a terrible way to live a life," Mesia said quietly.
"It is. And for most of us, it's the only way we can afford to live," came his reply. He glanced over at Mesia. "Unless something miraculous happens, they'll be afraid of me. And they're not wrong in doing so. That's… just the way things are."
"And can you really say you're content with that?" Mesia challenged, her voice still quiet. For several moments, the only sound was the wind blowing over the wasted fields.
"Would anyone be?" Roas finally replied. "I don't have to like how things are for mercenaries. But until things change, I just have to live with it."
Mesia only shook her head, a frown marring her features as she looked at her friend.
"You shouldn't have to."
"… has been confirmed that there are no survivors from the attack, and initial surveys of the damage show estimates ranging into the hundreds of millions," the news reporter spoke into the microphone, her voice being broadcasted into the laboratory chamber. The screen showed the reporter standing before the burning remains of a military compound. Black smoke was billowing into the air as firefighters did their best to douse the flames. The ammunition stores had already ignited, destroying much of what had remained. "The Local government are collaborating with the Time-Space Administration Bureau, who had forces stationed at the facility, in order to ascertain the culprit behind this shocking assault…"
I suppose I spoke too soon, Emil thought, frowning. It seems that Mishima Heavy Industries will still have a purpose on this world.
The businessman frowned, his chin resting upon an upraised fist as the news report continued. He knew that Mishima would never pass up the chance to rebuild this massacred base, as it could provide replacements for nearly all of the destroyed military hardware. They'd remain a contender on Exavil's stage for now… but regardless, he knew that he had to extend Roas' services to beyond just the single corporation and its subsidiaries.
"That looks unpleasant," someone remarked behind the man, causing him to look over his shoulder.
The door to the lab had opened up, allowing Roas and Mesia entry into the room. "Emil, what's happened?" Mesia asked, stepping around her companion as she moved the screen. "Did something change in the war?"
"I believe something did," confirmed the man, nodding at the screen. "Someone managed to completely obliterate the Aspho defense base in a matter of minutes. The details are sketchy, but from the looks of it, I'd say a mage was responsible. Likely a mercenary."
"There's someone out there strong enough to cause this much damage?" Mesia breathed, as the screen gave a bird's eye view of the damage.
Roas nodded from where he was leaning against the wall. "I can think of a few," he remarked. "I don't suppose that mission notice you called us here for is about this, is it?" He didn't think they'd gotten such publicity that the Bureau or the government would be willing to hire his services.
"I'm afraid not, Roas," Emil said, clearing the screen of the news report and bringing up the details, among them a captured photo of a single, native man. "No, our concerns are still in the interests of Mishima Heavy Industries. This one's going to be unlike the other missions you've done for us."
"Let's confirm the mission," Mesia's voice said over the communication screen.
Once more, Roas found himself in the Leganza cruiser's hold, with the rumbling of the machine cutting through the sky trying to drown out his friend and operator's voice. Multiple screens had been put up before him, detailing a map of the staging area, overlaid in wireframe around the various buildings of an abandoned city—it had been recently discovered that Exavil too had been part of the old Belkan conflicts centuries past, and this area too were some of its remnants. Other screens detailed the local weather and other notable conditions.
The main screen showed an old road being cut through the staging area, marking the presumed target's path. "Intercept the Elitrean Liberation Front's ground transport convoy, and eliminate their greatest asset—the mage known as Mahindra, the Desert Wolf," Mesia relayed to him, as the main screen switched to a display of a sun-dark man, clad in a heavy brown coat and cloak of a Barrier Jacket, holding a staff-shaped Storage Device in his right hand.
Captured video data of the mage in question began playing, showing him in the thick of battle, his red-orange colored magic tearing through the air as it sought out the Bureau mages he had apparently fought. "By taking on a lethal amount of magical stress, Mahindra has achieved a degree of skill in battle far beyond the levels of his magical power," Mesia detailed for him. "You're dealing with someone anti-establishment groups across Exavil consider a hero. He's too dangerous to engage in conventional combat. Mahindra's Storage Device is based on the standard Bureau model, and his set-up infers a preference to speed over firepower—his defenses should be minimal. Try to take him out before he can engage you in battle."
"Shouldn't be too difficult," Roas remarked, downloading the known data into Lancel. He wondered how things would go—it'd be his first engagement with another mage since Hogire's destruction.
"Those are your orders—be careful out there," Mesia told him as she opened up the hold's loading bay. The floor shuddered underneath Roas' feet, and as light spilled into the chamber, he leaped out, already engaging his Barrier Jacket.
The raven made jerking motions from its perch on the rooftop as sudden movement caught its eye. A green light flashed high in the air, causing it to shriek and take to the air, scattering a few errant black feathers in its wake. Roas hurtled through the air, speeding towards the city ruins as quickly as he could, before Mahindra could get within scanning range. His form could barely be seen in the evening's dying light, with the setting sun casting an orange and black pall over the desert battlefield.
Roas slowed as he approached the building, landing easily through a broken window on its top floor. He made it way through the rooms to the other side, seeing that it offered an unparalleled view of the route his target was reportedly taking. It'd be the perfect place to set up a long-range ambush.
As if, Roas snorted. He had the feeling that he'd need to get in and make this quick and messy—his long range attacks weren't meant for this kind of battle.
But if he were lucky…
Target sighted, Mesia sent him telepathically. A small screen depicting the road ahead appeared, showing the large transport truck he had been tasked to destroy. En route via ground carrier vehicle.He couldn't make out the driver through the tinted windows—he had to assume that it was Mahindra himself driving it.
Don't get ahead of yourself, she cautioned. Let the target come to you, then attack.
Roas waited with baited breath as the vehicle crept closer—now he could see it, a tiny vessel just coming around a dune. "Lancel," he whispered, glancing down at the Device.
Silently, the Device activated, configuring into its Cannon Form.
Target has entered combat range, came Mesia's telepathy again, her voice becoming carefully neutral in tone. Let him get as close as possible, then hammer him.
Glancing back up, Ailotana's mercenary watched. A single black feather drifted into his field of vision, caught on a breeze and fluttered out and away from the building.
Now!
Roas sprung into action, channeling his magic. The magic circle burst up around him and he took aim, even as Mesia continued.
Assault the target! Aim to cripple him before he can get his Barrier Jacket constituted!
"Aura Strafe."
Roas ignored Mesia's last bit of advice—to disable, rather than destroy—and had aimed Lancel right at the vehicle's gas tank and readied for physical destruction, rather than magic damage. He squeezed the trigger, and a bright beam of green magic cut through the targeting rings and through the dying light of the day.
The beam struck true, igniting the fuel. For several moments, the truck continued forward before the cabin exploded, its windows shattering as fire bloomed out of them. The truck stalled, coming to a halt on the broken asphault in seconds, quickly becoming a pyre.
Did I get him? he wondered, lowering Lancel. He couldn't see—
Something blasted out of the top of the inferno, streaking into the air, and Roas cursed. He leaped out of the window, streaking up into the air after it. The Desert Wolf halted in midair, his cloak billowing out behind him in the wind. Brown eyes as hard as stone regarded Roas imperiously, then started to burn with a zealous fury.
"Coward!" Mahindra roared, bringing his staff up to bear. "The unrighteous will be made to pay!"
Gritting his teeth, Roas struck, thrusting Lancel forward and pulling the trigger, loosing a volley of Napalm Shots at the Elitrean mage, only for them to crash against the Round Shield he had conjured, giving him the chance to counter with a beam of his own.
Red-orange fire hurtled down from the sky, forcing Roas to roll out of the way, shooting off to the left, with Mahindra tailing behind him. There was no doubt about it—he was fast. The freedom fighter was hot on his tail, and already gathering up magic to shoot him down. Roas spun about just as Mahindra fired, conjuring up his own projectiles. The evening sky became ablaze as the attacks detonated against each other.
Roas charged through the explosion, Lancel's blade swinging into place as it configured into Slasher Form, and closed the distance between himself and Mahindra. Their Devices flashed out, blade and staff meeting in a clash of magical energy. Mahindra forced him away, deflecting his attack with a Round Shield, but Roas pressed the attack.
"You might as well give up!" Roas shouted, coming back around and chopping downward at Mahindra's skull.
The staff was again used to deflect it, and Mahindra used the opening to blast him with a short-range projectile. His autoguard took the brunt of it, but the desired effect was achieved.
"I can't die here," the freedom fighter stated coldly as a magic circle formed beneath him. "Not to your scheming."
"Blaze Cannon," his staff announced as he swung.
Red-orange fire blasted out at Roas, searing the air and forcing him to block with his own shield. Gritting his teeth, he summoned more Napalm Shots and fired them backwards behind him and away, streaking around and about the buildings. The Blaze Cannon died out, freeing Roas up, and he quickly dropped the shield and took advantage, shooting up and swiping at the freedom fighter, forcing him to dodge.
"You won't get away from me!" Roas shouted, chasing after him.
Green and orange light streaked through the skies as the two clashed, with neither giving an inch on the offensive. A Riser Slash found itself trying to cut through a Barrier, and Roas snarled as he put his back into the swing. Mahindra cocked his hand back, readying another close-range shot, when Roas smirked and dove back. He thrust his left arm out, and then up, clenching his hand into a fist.
Numerous Napalm Shots blasted up from their hiding places in the ruined city, streaking up towards Mahindra and exploding with untold fury.
Bits of shredded cloak fell away from the smoke as Mahindra dove back, his Barrier taking the brunt of the damage. "I see… a logical move," he said, staring at his opponent. "Ravens aren't to be underestimated."
"What?" was the reply of Ailotana's mercenary. Is he calling me a bird?
He cut his musings short as Mahindra swung his staff around, a sphere of red and orange magic forming at its tip. With a roar, Mahindra smashed his Device through it, causing it to explode into dozens of tiny bolts that ripped into Roas' Barrier Jacket, sending him reeling back.
"Target's skill level is increasing, comrade!" Lancel warned as Mahindra charged forward, sending more projectiles at him. The autoguard deflected them, but Roas knew that it wouldn't hold up under a sustained assault.
"Cannon Form," Lancel announced, swinging its blade back as he brought it up to bear. "Napalm Shot."
"Fire!"
The shots burst free and immediately exploded around Mahindra, only for the man to rush through the flames and swing his staff down, smashing it into Roas' shoulder and setting off its gathered magic in a powerful explosion. With a yell of pain, Roas was sent plummeting downwards, right through a building wall. Wasting no time, Mahindra chased him down to the same level, readying another spell.
His follow-up was cut short as an Aura Strafe blasted out of the building, cutting through his defenses before he could even raise a shield. Only a quick duck prevented the beam from being fatal, instead letting it torch his shoulder where it pierced his Barrier Jacket.
Roas stepped out of the wrecked building, glaring. His Device was raised up again, targeting rings signaling another incoming Aura Strafe. Mahindra fired more projectiles at him and bolted, only for them to be destroyed as the Aura Strafe cut through them as easily as it had his Barrier Jacket. The beam missed, but Roas made sure more Napalm Shots were tracking him down.
"He's on the run," Mesia told Roas, appearing in a window. "Don't let him escape."
"Not a chance," Roas agreed, soaring after the man. He had to close in and finish the job—there'd be no point in letting this continue.
Meanwhile, the Desert Wolf had narrowly avoided the tracking shots. "He's actually got me on the defensive!" Mahindra growled, astonished. It had been long since he had fought an opponent that could stand against his superior skills. If he weren't careful, the interloper—this Raven—would take him out, and then the cause of his brethren would be in jeopardy.
Don't worry, your friends thought you could use a hand! This is Warren Galant, a cool, confident voice sounded in his head, giving him pause. Help is on the way. Hold out 'til I get there.
The mercenary was closing in again, his Device already becoming a sword again. Mahindra sneered, and brought another spell up to bear.
The air became awash in fire as Roas surged forward, ducking and rolling between the exploding projectiles, and brought his Device back. Energy exploded around its blade.
"Riser Slash."
The blade smashed hard against a Round Shield that blocked it far too late. Roas twisted and pressed the attack, shattering the shield with such force that it threw Mahindra back. Halting his advance, Roas calculated another spell and cast it, capturing his target in a series of binds.
"Hyper Bind."
"Target secured!" he called, raising his weapon high above him. Another blade of energy formed.
A holographic screen suddenly appeared, along with Mesia's frantic voice. "Roas, you have an unknown incoming! I think it's another mage!"
"What?" Roas exclaimed, checking the screen—sure enough, a bright white light was streaking across the desert, kicking up a tail of sand behind it. Checking the coordinates, his head snapped up, searching.
There—off to his left, a white glow could be seen on the horizon.
He noted one thing about the unknown. Fast!
Mahindra was already breaking free of his binds. Roas cursed and channeled his magic again, forming another cluster of Napalm Shots that he sent hurtling at both his target and the incoming bogey. This was the last thing he needed.
The shots flew out, streaking at both targets and exploding violently, obscuring both from view. But before Roas could follow up, he saw the white light streaking around his attacks, and something flickering in the distance.
A shot? Looks like his aim's off—
The white projectile halted high in the air and flared, causing the mercenary to curse—before he could move, an alabaster wave of energy rocketed down from the sky, straight at him. He flung up a shield, but it wasn't enough; the beam crashed right on through it and struck him directly. Pain exploded through him as the shot sent him hurtling to the ground, smashing him hard into the sand.
Groaning, Roas picked himself up, noting the scorched cloth of his Barrier Jacket and the painful ringing in his ears. No way that was a normal shot, he pondered, only to then hear his Device call out to him. "Comrade!"
His head snapped up just in time to see the white streak halt in the air above him, causing particles of magic to fly apart in a brilliant sunburst.
In its place, a man stood in midair, a flowing coat of white draped around his body. Black cloth and silver metal was overlaid around his sleeves and legs, with hints of gold set into the trim. Black hair slicked back across his scalp and a small soul patch on his chin framed tanned skin, bright hazel eyes, and a confident grin. Wings of white energy flit off the armor on his wrists and ankles, and a sleek, silver-plated rifle was held tight in his left hand. Its Cartridge System was impossible for him to miss.
Is that…? Mesia's voice sounded in his mind, shocked at the man's sudden appearance. Roas, be careful! My scans indicate he's a Triple-A ranked aerial mage!
Roas growled, standing up and taking off to level himself with the interloper. Mahindra was also soaring up behind him, singed by the Napalm Shots but looking completely unworried about the newcomer who'd just intercepted him.
"The name's Warren Galant," said the newcomer, giving a salute that Roas, as a mercenary, was all too familiar with. "And I'll be your opponent."
Roas sneered. Taking on one mage was nothing new to him. Taking on two at a time wasn't outside of his range either. Magic bullets materialized around and behind him as he narrowed his eyes. "You're in my way, Galant, so if you don't leave, then I'll just have to shoot you down as well."
The interloper's grin only seemed to widen. Roas struck, thrusting Lancel forward, sending the Napalm Shots flying outward in all directions.
This mission just turned ugly.
Warren jolted back, letting the shots collide against one another and detonate harmlessly in front of him. Mahindra was flying out of the way, using a Round Shield to defend himself, and Warren used the chance to attack, darting through the blasts and aiming with his Device.
"Lancer Dart!" Aspina announced, loading a cartridge.
"Shoot 'em down!"
White-hot bolts seared through the air from Aspina's barrel, streaking at Roas. A few of them cut right through the autoguard and Barrier Jacket, and cursing, the man dove to the side, darting around the shots as Warren stitched more of them through the air after him. Seeing him flee, Warren cut off his attack and shot after him, and the two of them swept around a pair of buildings as Warren opened fire again.
Roas spun about, hurling more projectiles at his pursuer, only for Mahindra to zoom up into the sky, readying another beam. The Desert Wolf thrust his staff forward, but Lancel had already taken the initiative. "Wave Dash."
In a flash, Roas was gone, streaking high into the air away from the bombardment. He jolted to a stop, surprised by the sudden spell Lancel had cast, but he took advantage of it. A magic circle opened up beneath him as he locked on to his target, Mahindra. "Fire!"
The Aura Strafe cut through the evening sky, lighting it up in a pale streak as Mahindra narrowly avoided it. The beam cleaved through the building beneath them, causing it to implode and Mahindra to sneer. He aimed his staff upward, generating more projectiles, and soon orange spears of light were cutting up through the air at Roas, forcing him to retreat.
"Disappear, disappear, disappear," Mahindra whispered manically, sending more and more bursting projectiles after the Raven that had schemed to take his life.
He's on the run! Warren remarked, grinning as he shot forward after Roas.
Be careful, Mahindra warned, following. This man… the Raven, he is a tricky opponent. Do not get overconfident.
Gotcha. Let's take 'im down!
Aspina chimed, loading a pair of shells. "Overed Boost."
A white glow encased Warren once more, and the two chased after him, forcing Roas onto the defensive. Bolts of magic rained down through the buildings, tearing them apart, and every time Roas tried to counter, the other was there with another attack. His Barrier Jacket was getting shredded apart piece by piece from every errant strike he couldn't block. He knew that if he didn't do something quick, this was going to end badly for him.
A series of orange bolts hurtled down at him, and he deflected them with a Round Shield before sending his own volley back up to meet the Desert Wolf. "Let's go, Lancel," he said, seeing Warren streak in, cutting across the sands. "Time to end this."
"Alright, comrade," Lancel replied. "Slasher Form!"
Lancel's blade swung down and formed a Riser Sword, and Napalm Shots materialized all around him as he hit the dirt. Seeing the change, Warren came to a halt, sliding over the sand and regarding Roas warily. Across the way, Mahindra lowered himself to the dirt, trapping Roas between the two of them, but Roas kept his gaze centered on Warren.
"Give it up!" Mahindra ordered, aiming his staff at Roas' back. "Accept your fate with some dignity!"
"Your odds aren't improving much," the man in white remarked, cocking an eyebrow and swapping Aspina to his right hand. "Ready to give up?"
Dumb question, Roas thought, flinging his free hand forward, firing the Napalm Shots. "Bring it!"
"As you wish!" Warren yelled, shooting forward past the bullets. A cartridge was quickly ejected from the side of the Device, and energy coalesced beneath Aspina.
"Aura Blade."
A sharp, forward-jutting bayonet of white magic burst out from the rifle, and Roas narrowly avoided, taking a cut across his chest for the trouble. Lancel swung around at Warren's midsection, but the man had already twisted about and parried the Riser Slash away. Roas swung again, getting parried once more, as the Napalm Shots he fired were maneuvered back around—he had to catch Galant off-guard; his speed and Cartridge System put him at a level above Roas.
Let's see if you can see this coming!
Another Napalm Shot formed in his hand and Roas flung at Warren, causing him to roll back out of the way and letting the shot slam into a dune harmlessly before he charged back. The Aura Blade and Riser Slash sought repeatedly to land a killing blow against each other, but both Roas and Warren proved too maneuverable. A wide slash sent Warren reeling back, and the man in white charged at the sudden opening the Raven was giving him.
The bayonet struck hard against a Round Shield, and Warren smirked. A cartridge was slammed into the rifle, and magic built up through it.
"Sybillium!" Aspina called.
"What the—!"
A burst of wind smashed through his shield, sending Roas flying back. Though caught off guard, Roas knew it was his chance. He gestured with his hand, and his waiting Napalm Shots blasted down all around them.
None of them struck Warren Galant, who proved too fast and too maneuverable. But Roas wasn't targeting him specifically—each shot smashed into the sand and exploded all at once, sending a huge cloud of dust and energy into the air. Warren looked about wildly as Roas disappeared into the mess.
And Mahindra cursed as Roas shot out the other side, streaking right at him with a snarl on his face.
He threw up a Round Shield as quick as he could, and Roas brought down a Riser Slash right on top of it with enough strength to stagger the Desert Wolf. Roas angled his attack and pulled back on the trigger.
"Riser Sword," Lancel called as the blade launched at point blank, piercing the barrier. Blood flew as it cut through Mahindra's Barrier Jacket, laying open his shoulder. Mahindra cried out, but pressed forward, pushing off of the sand and darting forward. Zealous fire burned in his eyes as he whipped his staff around, smashing the butt end into Roas unprotected side. Thrown to the ground by the surprise attack, Roas looked up, just in time to see Warren flying out of the mess and Mahindra leveling his Device at his face.
"I will be the one to finish this!" snarled the Desert Wolf, gathering up his magic.
"Not this time!" Roas shot back, shoving his feet forward into Mahindra's chest. The man staggered back with a shocked cry, and Roas brought Lancel forward and aimed it at Warren.
"Chain Bind."
Glowing chains erupted from small magic circles all around Warren, who, caught off-guard, was quickly ensnared. Cursing, the interloper struggled against as his rifle loaded another cartridge to break it.
"Bastard!" Mahindra roared as he regained his footing, swinging his staff around. Roas shoved himself up off the ground just as the rebel fired, kicking up a wave of sand as the scattershot impacted it.
Roas landed feet-first in the sand from his jump, and looked over his shoulder as Lancel configured into its Slasher Form. The black and silver blade gleamed in the last bits of the sunset as Roas channeled his magic, forming a sheath of energy over it. Mahindra swung his staff around again to continue the fight.
Roas struck, pivoting on one leg and swinging Lancel around. The blade cleaved upwards through Mahindra's staff, surprising the freedom fighter and giving Roas the chance he needed. Bringing the blade back around, he closed the gap and swung.
"Riser Slash."
The weapon cut effortlessly through autoguard and Barrier Jacket, flesh and bone and came out the opposite side. Lancel quickly configured back into its Cannon Form as Roas pointed it at the just-freed Warren Galant, who halted in mid-air, shocked.
Mahindra collapsed to his knees before Roas, his sun-dark face ashen. Brown eyes looked up at the Raven, disbelief and respect warring within them.
"So this… is the end…?" the Desert Wolf whispered. "Or are you…?"
Mahindra was unable to finish his question, and with his last breath, he toppled backwards into the sand.
Burned and bloody, Roas could feel his body aching, but he kept his aim centered on Galant, who had finally lost his ever-present grin. A holographic screen appeared beside Roas, showing a trembling Mesia on it.
"Mahindra… has gone silent," she said before her voice regained its strength. "The mission was a success. Good work… come on home."
Roas nodded as the screen cut out. Wordlessly, Galant stepped back, knowing that this time, he had failed his mission. Roas gathered his magic and took to the air, keeping his gaze and Lancel centered on the man in white as he levitated upwards, before he finally turned and blasted off into the darkening sky.
Roas clambered into the airlock and sealed it behind him, and took a step forward. He stumbled, but never hit the floor as Mesia grabbed hold of him, slipping her arm around him to support him. "You okay?" she asked. He nodded.
"I've been worse." Not by much, though.
Quickly, the woman helped Roas to a spare room onboard the cruiser, knowing he'd need to relax and not aggravate his wounds further.
"That mission could've gone better," Roas grumbled as he sat back on the bed, not even fussing as Mesia started cleaning his wounds.
"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I should've detected his approach sooner."
"It happens," Roas said. "There's nothing to apologize for. We knew we weren't the only ones hiring mercenaries."
Mesia nodded, but stayed silent as she finished cleaning his wounds. A bright blue magic circle formed beneath Roas as she readied her own magic, preparing a healing spell to deal with the worst of his wounds. The silence continued for a brief moment before Mesia opened her mouth once more.
"Mahindra had been working alone for some time," she explained. Roas opened up one eye, watching her, but her face was kept carefully neutral. "He didn't want to endanger his Elitrean comrades."
So she'd dug a little deeper during her research of the target. Roas could also tell that this was likely the reason why Mesia hadn't expected Mahindra to have some backup. "It takes all kinds," he replied, closing his eyes again. "Sometimes there are heroes amongst thieves."
"A hero… hmm," Mesia frowned, knowing he was right. "Maybe so. He may have taken it all upon himself from the very start."