The moon was out in full bloom as it lit the world in a pale blue hue. The summer night was bearable, a soft wind played along the fields, keeping the day's heat at bay. Many things were out enjoying the night, animal and people alike though not all in good favor.
A pair of riders were nearing their destination. The Tower loomed in the distance, almost muting the moon's glow. Obviously, the evil still lingered within the building, the Longcoats using it as some motivation. The scene sent chills down the rider's back.
"She's out here, why?" Cain asked his son in a hushed tone. His eyes darted around him wildly.
"We'll find out shortly." Jeb replied, straining his ears.
They both knew they were in enemy territory and the Longcoats could be hiding behind every shadow. Jeb lead the way a few meters more down the road to the rendezvous with Zero. The two came to a small clearing, but no one was there.
"So I get the pleasure of dealing with both Cain men." A voice whispered around them. The owner of the voice dropped down from the trees on the other side of the clearing before walking out into the moonlight.
"Zero…" Cain's lips strained.
Jeb ignored his father and dismounted from his horse, "What do you want?"
"Don't play stupid, I know you had one of your men follow me." Zero stated, "The horses won't be able to go, leave them here."
"How can we trust him?" Cain asked, dismounting.
"Why don't you stay here with the horses, father?" Jeb glared, tying the reins to a tree, "I warned you."
"Fine, but I'm taking no chances." Cain stated, tying his horse up nearby.
"Are you two about done? DG won't stay put for long." Zero sighed, crossing his arms, "Plus, there are still Longcoats around here."
"So what are you?" Cain asked.
"Most of the true Longcoats disbanded. It's the Sorceress's alchemists that are in somewhat control. What little they have. They are the ones attacking everyone in the O.Z., but mainly targeting the Royal Family and their allies. Like they did against DG then you Cain. I am not asking for anything for what I've done, though I am doing what I think to repay for my crimes. In many ways." Zero said, leading the men into the forest.
"Princess Azkadellia wants to be the judge of that." Jeb replied.
Zero just nodded, but made no further comments. The three men made their way through the brush in silence, but each having a gun ready for anything. Cain swore the air was thicker and thicker the closer to the Tower they came. All he wanted to do was to find DG.
Dealing with this new threat would have to wait; getting her back safe and sound was priority. Cain's mind reared with images of the last week for DG out here, so close to the Longcoats. What could possible be out here that DG was after, or was it that she was a captive? More chills were racing down Cain's spine.
A rustling noise and a man falling ahead of them from the brush caught their attentions. Standing, the beaten and bloody man raised his gun at the group. He was a loyalist to the Longcoats and knew of Zero's betrayal.
"She may have gotten me, but I'll get you Zero." The man laughed, aiming at Zero. Sure enough, someone had gotten the shot off and the Longcoat fell at their feet dead.
"I did get you." A voice came from behind. A women, clad in loose dark leather, hair pulled tightly back in a braid, and lowering the gun she held. She had shot the Longcoat in the back of the head, "Come on Zero. There's another patrolling around here."
She walked passed the men, never faltering as the moonlight played off everyone. Though the same couldn't be said for the Cain men, who both had their jaws open.
Before either of them could respond, Zero covered their mouths and shook his head. Mouthing he would explain later, "Just stay quiet and behind…" He added before rushing off to DG.
Jeb and Cain had to take a second before following. This wasn't the same DG they knew. This DG didn't hold the innocent and harmonious features instead; she was worn, cold, and inane. Father and son exchanged a quick glance before following Zero, trying to keep out of site, but close enough to hear the conversation.
"…patrol is heading out this way. We can intercept and deal with it."
"How many are in this patrol?" Zero asked, walking up next to her.
"No more than five." DG replied, reloading her gun, "They'll pass by on the road ahead. If we stay hidden then we can ambush 'em."
"Okay, then what?" Zero wondered, reloading his gun and glancing back at the others.
"We'll head home for the night." DG replied with a shrug, "There they are."
She and Zero ducked down into the underbrush as Jeb and Cain jumped behind some trees. They peered back around, in time to see just three Longcoats marching. The troop had barely passed before DG and Zero shot up and started firing. The troop was quick to fall, which Jeb and Cain could only stare in shock.
DG and Zero rushed over to the Longcoats and DG decided to shoot the bodies a few more times. Claiming she was making sure they were dead before walking away. Zero turned again to the other men, motioning them to follow as DG left the scene.
"The hell was that?" Cain asked Zero as soon they reached him, "She just…"
Zero kept walking, letting the others take in what they saw; "She's been like this, for a few days now. Once we get back to 'our safehouse', I'll explain."
"Zero? Who are you talking to?" DG asked without turning.
"Talking to myself." Zero replied, "She believes you're dead Wyatt. Been hallucinating about you." He added under his breath.
The walk to the safehouse was in complete silence, amidst DG's babbling. Zero tried his best to keep both Cain and Jeb quiet long enough until they could talk freely. That however, was an increasingly harder thing to do per Wyatt Cain. He wanted his answers at that point.
Zero finally stopped them before a little cave entrance by a waterfall. DG had gone in without looking to see Zero, but it gave him time to explain.
"Alight, the waterfall should block out most of our conversation. Saying you have questions is an understatement, so… shoot."
"First off, the hell did she do?" Cain threw up his hands, "She basically shot, killed four men tonight as if it were nothing."
"You said she thought that dad was still dead, why didn't she recognize me?" Jeb added, "And hallucinating?"
"Find a spot to relax. I'll explain everything I have seen in the last four days." Zero sighed, finding a nice boulder to sit on, "DG was captured within the first day of running from Finaqua. I was released by other Longcoats and taken back to the Tower. Believing I had deserted the Sorceress, I was locked up. DG was down the hall in another cell. Besides a few beatings, I have no idea what they did besides break her will power.
"When I had escaped, I felt compelled to help her. Bringing her out here, I thought she would race back home. I was wrong as she bashed one of the patrolling guard's head with a rock and took his gun. It's been like that since our escape four days ago. She's had this idea that the Longcoats wanted a fight, but hardly talks. Just babbles and I can hardly understand it. Besides you dying, Cain, I have no other clues. As for you Jeb, she might be in denial because Cain is 'here'."
"He never really died. Longcoats attacked Finaqua. An alchemist had gotten onto the grounds and shot DG, who had stopped breathing. While she was recovering, Ahamo, myself, dad, and a number of others had decided to check the grounds for any other loyalist of the witch." Jeb replied.
"We were attacked as they chopped the hedge maze down. I think all, but six of us, out of twenty, survived the attack." Cain interjected, "She left a note saying she was going to deal with this, 'one way or anther'."
"She also added to forget who she was once. Then you said you knew of her location." Jeb added, "This, this is way too much. She is dealing with the Longcoat problem, but not the way I thought she would."
"Believe me. It took me off guard, especially when she asked me to join and help her." Zero shrugged, "I guess to have someone, something to talk to. Like I said, she's been babbling and even has carried on a conversation with you, Wyatt. That's how I knew she was delirious, when not hunting Longcoats."
Cain leaned against a tree trunk and slumped to the ground, not sure how to take all this, "So, what is she like now?"
"Why not go into the cave and see for yourself?" Zero shrugged, "Like I said, she thinks your dead and won't listen otherwise."
Jeb helped his father off the ground, "Go on, dad. She needs to see you first. Then we can go home and deal with this new threat."
Cain could only nodded as he stood. He sighed and collected himself before heading towards the cave. Through all his years as a Tin Man, nothing would prepare him for this. Finding his runaway friend out in the wilderness and so unbalanced. He had to keep in mind that this DG wasn't rational and looked back to his son before entering the cave.
Inside, he could hear her babbling even more. He walked carefully in the cave, careful not to alert her of his presence. Cain could hear her going on about the Longcoats and how she planned on dealing with them. He smiled at that, knowing half the ideas would never get underway.
"…taking Cain away from me was their biggest mistake." DG stated, looking towards the ceiling, "I'll teach them to take away my life. My mother gave them second chances and they didn't take it…" Tears started falling as DG paced in the cave. She stopped upon seeing Cain, their eyes locking. "And here you are again. Come to give me more advice or encouragement?"
"No, I came to take you home, DG." Cain stated carefully, "Time to go home."
"Why? The threat is still out there, you told me we had to deal with them." DG's brow furrowed, "Change of heart?"
Cain was taken back by how cold she seemed. DG had a bloodlust against the Longcoats and wanted to kill them. This had gone too far, "Some changes, yes."
"Whatever, you aren't real. You've been dead nearly a week and I plan to deal with this before they do anything else. Before they can kill or hurt anyone else."
"DG stop this!" Cain yelled, storming at her, "They are outnumbering you and you need to get back to Finaqua!"
"Why? To be stuck in the palace why others are killed?" DG yelled back, "Just go away!" She went to brush away the image of her dead friend, but was met with a solid wall with an 'oomph'.
Cain reached out and grabbed her arms before she fell to the cave's rocky floor. He pulled her close to him and encircled his arms around her, "You okay?"
"You're alive?" DG's eyes shot open, looking her friend over. Her breath was suddenly short and felt her legs give out as a darkness engulfed her.