A Night to Remember
"Sain!" Alysia called out. "Where are you?"
"Over here!" The green knight called. Alysia looked to see him standing next to Serra. Alysia walked over to him.
"Sain! Kent's been looking for you. You two need to scout the area!" Alysia said sharply. "We've decided to set up camp here."
"Can't he get someone else to help him?" Sain complained, turning back to Serra. "This beautiful wildflower doesn't get any affection."
Serra blushed. "Oh, Sain. You are my sunshine to help me grow."
"Sain." Alysia said coldly. "Now. Before I lose my temper and do something that we'll both regret." She patted the bag that held Sylvanas.
Sain's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"
Alysia shrugged. "Serra's right there. It's not like you'd die."
Sain sighed, pecked Serra on her cheek, and darted off. Serra looked wide-eyed at Alyisa.
"Are you crazy?" Serra half-asked, half-yelled.
Alysia looked at Serra with relief. "Yes. To be honest, I'm not sure what I'd have actually done if he'd continued to refuse."
Serra blinked. "That was an act?" She asked.
Alysia grinned. "Feminine wiles aren't the only way to get things done, you know."
Serra laughed. "We'll have to compare notes some time."
Alysia nodded, and they walked back to their campsite. Their group had purchased some tents back in the village near the late General Eagler's estate, and was busy setting them up. Dark clouds loomed in the direction of Castle Caelin.
Matthew intercepted Alysia and Serra halfway to the camp. "Alysia, could I talk to you alone for a second?" He asked. "It's important."
Alysia nodded, and Serra continued on. Matthew waited for Serra to be out of hearing, then spoke.
"I'm on to you, Fang." He whispered sharply. "Don't think for an instant I don't know your plan."
Alysia took a step back. "Matthew, you're a few arrows short of a full quiver if you're accusing me of being an assassin." Alysia said.
Matthew rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. You really expect me to believe that 'amnesia' bullshit you've been spouting?" He asked. "Come on, you're wearing Black Fang armor for Elimine's sake! Don't try to lie to me!"
"Look, Matthew, I really don't know what I am, or where I'm from." Alysia said. "I have almost no memory of my life prior to meeting Lyn after she rescued me from Death's clutches on the Sacae Plains. That's the truth, I swear."
"Almost no memory?" Matthew asked. "Then tell me, what do you remember?"
At that, Alysia simply shook her head, and quietly turned and walked away, leaving Matthew with even more questions.
Alysia returned to the camp, where the tents had been put up, and people were gathering around a small fire. Wil and Serra were chatting vibrantly, trading stories. Erk was trying to explain the mechanics behind using magic to Lyn, who, for her part, seemed to be following along easily enough. Florina had asked Wallace to drill with her, and they were training with their spears. Dorcas and Rath were staring at each other silently. Nils and Ninian were talking quietly with each other, casting an occasional glance in Alysia's direction.
"Can I help you with something?" Alysia said as she walked over to Nils and Ninian.
"Huh?" Nils said. "Oh, no. It's just..." He trailed off.
"Just what?" Alysia asked.
"Well..." Ninian said. "You... look like someone we've met before."
Alysia frowned. "Really? Who?" She asked, sitting down.
"A good friend." Nils said. "He helped us when we needed his help most."
Alysia nodded, then looked at Ninian. She was wearing Nini's Grace.
"That really is a beautiful ring." Alysia said softly. "You said it was your mother's?"
Ninian nodded. "She was taken from us when we were very young, so we don't remember much about her."
"May I... may I see the ring?" Alysia asked.
Ninian hesitated. "Don't worry." Alysia said. "I won't steal it. I helped get it back for you. I wouldn't do anything to separate you from it if it's all that you've got left of your mother."
Ninian took the ring off of her finger, and held it out for Alysia to take. She reached out and grabbed the ring...
Only to release it again when an intense feeling ran up her arm and through her body. Alysia recoiled in surprise, leaving the ring behind. Her head swam, her body ached, and she collapsed.
"Alysia!" Ninian cried in surprise.
Soon, the entire camp had gathered around Alysia's prone form.
"Is she OK?"
"What happened?"
"Is she sick?"
"Out of my way!"
The crowd parted, and Serra marched up to Alysia and knelt beside her. "What happened?" she asked.
"I... I'm really not sure." Alysia admitted. "My head... kinda hurts."
Dorcas and Rath picked her up, and carried her towards the fire, Serra following her all the way.
"Get some sleep." She instructed. "Hopefully this will all blow over with a rest. You might just be stressed."
Alysia nodded, and settled into sleep...
"What do you want, Sonia?" Alysia didn't bother to hide her contempt for the woman. Ever since she'd married Brendan six months ago, the Black Fang had stopped being the righteous group of assassins that she and her brother had been so eager to join. The missions were literally anything that paid, now. Alysia had a feeling that it was something to do with Sonia, and that man she'd arrived with. Brendan was wrapped around her little finger, and he didn't even realize it.
"A little chat, Alysia." Sonia said. "It's come to my attention that you failed your last mission."
Alysia's blood ran cold, but she didn't show Sonia her fear. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Sonia." Alysia said, loosening the grip she had on the reins of her horse. "I killed all of my targets. There was no failure."
Sonia smiled that sick little smile of hers. "Yes, you fulfilled the first part of your orders magnificently. Every single target was found dead. But, the second part of your orders was to kill all witnesses to your act."
"Are you saying that I left someone alive, Sonia?" Alysia asked. "If you're going to accuse me of something, do it."
Sonia smiled. "A little girl was found in the attic of that house. Such a sweet young thing. Do you know what she said? She said that a man and a lady killed all of those people, and that the lady told her not to tell anyone what she'd seen." Sonia pouted. "The poor thing was so worried that the lady was going to come and get her."
Alysia's gaze flitted to Sonia's companions for a moment. They weren't members of the Black Fang. They were with that man. This wasn't right. This couldn't be happening.
"The Fang's punishment for failure is death, Alysia." Sonia said. "For you and your brother."
"It was my idea." Alysia said quickly. "My brother didn't know anything about it."
Sonia laughed. "I'll bet that is the same thing that your brother's going to say. 'It was all my idea.'"
The knives flew from Alysia's hands, striking two of the men that Sonia had brought with her. Both collapsed in heaps. Two more charged forwards, swords raised to strike. Alysia drew her paired knives, the Silver Fangs, and struck out. The first fell quickly, his armor pierced as the knives cut into his heart and lung. The second got the chance to put up a fight, and Alysia dueled with him for a few moments, dodging a pair of his blows as she dug another throwing knife out of her coat and delivered it to his throat, before ripping it out. Now, it was just Alysia, Sonia, and two of her less-courageous companions. Alysia drew one more knife, and hurled both.
Sonia incinerated them with a flick of her wrist, and Alysia rolled away from the fireball, coming up with two more knives in her hands.
The second fireball hit her as she was coming up, and the power behind it sent her flying, her green robes resisting part of the magic, while the rest hit her directly. There'd probably be some scarring once the burns healed, but that wasn't the worst of her worries right now. Sonia towered over Alysia's prone form, looking down on her with those cruel, golden eyes, and picked her up with that inhuman strength of hers, their faces a few inches apart. "Now, before I block your memory, place a sleeping charm on you, and leave you to waste away on these plains, do you have any last words?"
Alysia spat in her face. Sonia smirked. "I hoped that you would say that." Her free hand held Alysia's head. Slowly, a dark cloud began to descend on her mind, and Sonia dropped her to the ground. "Good night, Alysia. Sweet dreams."
Alysia woke with a start. The dream was fresh in her mind, and it terrified her. The Black Fang… Sonia… Her brother… Everything was bouncing around in her mind, a disorganized mess of thoughts and feelings. She had some answers, yes, but even more questions. Was her brother all right? Why had things changed? Nothing made any sense.
"Awake so soon?" A voice asked her, forcing her mind to a halt. Alysia turned to see Matthew standing there, arms crossed, face serious.
"I've been out for a while, haven't I?" Alysia asked.
Matthew nodded. "You talk in your sleep. Sounded to me like you were having one nightmare after another." He paused, then continued. "There are a couple of questions I'd like you to answer."
Alysia frowned. "Like what?"
"Let's start with the basics." He said. "Are you Black Fang?"
Alysia sighed. "Was, apparently. I'm sure you overheard bits and pieces of it from my dream. I was a part of the Black Fang before some woman, Sonia, married Brendan. Then, I guess the Fang changed, and my opinion of it fell."
Matthew's frown deepened. "How'd you get out? The only way out of the Black Fang is death, either yours or that of someone else."
Alysia nodded. "Sonia tracked me down in the Sacae Plains. Ambushed me, and placed the memory charm on me, in addition to some sleeping charm. She said she'd let me waste away on the Plains. I probably would have, too, if Lyn hadn't found me."
"Why were you in the Plains in the first place?" Matthew asked.
Alysia shrugged. "I don't know. Some mission, if I were to hazard a guess."
"But you don't know what mission?" Matthew asked.
Alysia shook her head. "No, Matthew. Sorry."
Matthew sighed. "Well, you're either an extremely convincing fake or being legitimate, and since I've no reason to think you're being dishonest..." He sighed. "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I've come to like Lyn, and I guess, after putting two and two together, I got fish, not four."
Alysia laughed. "Well, there's no harm done." She offered him a hand. "Truce?"
Matthew grabbed Alysia's forearm, and lifted her to her feet. "Truce. Now, you've had your nap. Time to help with the watch!"
