Blackstone camp, Ashfeld
Dominus would be sitting on a log next to the dying fire sharpening his pole axe outside his master's tent. He remained fully armored as he usually did. He practically lived in the black iron armor of a deathbringer captain. When William sat next to him he stopped sharpening his weapon.
"William." Dominus said, simply acknowledging the shining armored lawbringer that sat next to him.
"Dominus." William replied, not making any eye contact. "How are you adjusting to everything?" He asked. His voice seemed shaky and nervous.
"I should be asking you the same thing." Dominous said, continuing sharpening his weapon. His voice was deep, his tone firm.
"Oh well, it's been... a little difficult but we're managing." William said. His leg was now shaking up and down. He was getting anxious.
"Then you need to start stepping up." Dominus replied. "These are the type of things we're trained for." He planted the shift of his pole arm into the dirt and looked over to William. "These type of things should come natural to you, assuming you listened to anything I taught you." He said.
"Yes... I know." William said. "Taking care of myself isn't the issue. It's making sure everyone else is ok that's been a struggle."
"Why are you so worried about everyone else?" Dominus replied. "You take care of yourself and you will come out surviving. That's all that matters." He stood up and looked down at him. "If I didn't know any better, your little friend Scarlet is distracting you."
"What?" William looked up at the Deathbringer. "She's not a distraction, she's my friend. I'm just looking out for her." He said, his voice still shaky but he stopped as if thinking he might regret what just came out from his mouth.
"Keep her out of your thoughts." Dominus said. His voice firm and authoritative. "You don't need distractions. If you keep at it and your enemies will exploit it and the next thing you know your weak and dying with your entrails in your hands." He began to walk away. "Your emotions are only going to lead to your downfall. I'm beginning to question if we are still even brothers." He then left the camp fire, leaving William on his own to think about the words that pierced him.
Mercy is sitting down at her chair next to her tent, reading her favorite epic short novel. She's been reading it non stop since yesterday and it's a drama and romance story. The noble woman didn't want to be a with a low class man but he's deeply in love with her. Normally she keeps these kind of books to herself, after all she's always a loner quiet type. She flips a page to read another. She looks up to see the Warden again, holding a letter and standing in a awkward position like he doesn't know who has to talk to. She feels pity for him but still... He's a perv.
"What's up perv?" Mercy closes her book to look up to him. Liam turns to her to look.
"Oh. Hey Mercy-really??? You're still calling me that?" Liam groans at this of this nickname she gave him.
"Oh come on. Learn to live a little, after all. You're too easy to mess with." Mercy cracks up a smile.
He snorts. "Anyways. Is there a way I can get a permission to deliver my letter in a nearby post station?" He asked.
She looks at him confused. "We're on lockdown and who you delivering for?"
"Well... It's private." He said.
"Yeah.. Sure.." She said in sarcastic tone. "What is it? You got a family here in Ashfeld?" Mercy lays her back on her chair.
"Something like that." He mutters.
She looks at him in curiosity. "Interesting I see." She smirked at him.
He sighs at this. "Look. I just want to deliver this letter to a girl I like ok? Is that hard to ask?" He said impatiently.
"Oh." Her eyes went wide and she let's out a small laugh. It's unusual for her to laugh which is a rare case for her to laugh, she hopes nobody saw her laugh. "Alright. I'll ask Apollyon, just stay put. But I am going with you."
"What why?"
"Ever since the three men died. I gotta stay with you and be cautious. Don't want another forth man to disappear." She answered.
"Right." He nodded.
"I'll be back." Mercy said once more before she turns around to head to the main tent where Apollyon is residence.
Mercy walks in to open the flaps of Apollyon's tent and as she walks in, she sees her master is gripping her head and staring at the table like she's lost in her thoughts, her helmet is resting on the table next to her and her elbows is resting. She walks up to Apollyon slowly.
"Master? Are you ok?" Mercy said softly to get her attention.
As Mercy came to speak, Apollyon would only then snap out of her thoughts and broke her gaze from the table before looking slowly to Mercy with blinking eyes. "Yes, Mercy..I was just caught in my thoughts about this newfound legion." Apollyon came to softly explain to her as she came to simply rest her head upon her armored fist.
"You never had this kind of stuff with you lost your in thoughts." She replies. Seeing her master like that... Is unusual of her to be lost in her thoughts. Part of her wants to say something but she kept it quiet. "Maybe something else than the recent problems?"
A somber yet deep sigh came from Apollyon as she gently rubbed her temple. "Sometimes, I just wonder if the things I have committed can be forgiven..to go back to the way things were, with them..." Apollyon spoke, finally breaking her steel wall and expressing her true thoughts to mercy, something she hasn't done in years...
"Like what if you won't mind me asking Master. Camping outside tends to mess with people's head." She frowns with mix feeling sympathy for her own master.
"A time where the three of us could have lived in peace for the rest of our lives..." Apollyon after a momentary silent pause, a thoughtful look was within her calm hazel eyes. "Marcus..oh how he truly was the link to break the chain between he Kanis and I..." Apollyon then came to say with a small chuckle and a small shake of her head.
Marcus? She never heard of him before till now. She never got close and personal with her Master before. And something about her. It afraids her she hate to admit. It's been a month since they camped out after the incident and it tends to change people. But not her. She's still the same and loyal to her legion.
"Never thought you had a lover Master. My condolences." She said quietly.
"It has been years since his passing, he must stay in the past with all other things...what must be looked forward to is the future, even if it pains us to. The greater good always must be pushed for..." Apollyon came to reply, her steel wall slowly began to creep back into light to hide her emotions.
She lowers her head, frowning looking up to her. She can relate of what's like loosing a loved one. She wants to ask more about her past life but she doesn't want to pressure her. It's a step of them talking like... Normal people. And she actually... Enjoy that kind of talk, it's unusually for her talk about her past when she first known her. But... It's nice for her talk about her past for once.
"Even he passed Master. It doesn't hurt to talk about it often. Didn't you have great moments? With him?" She said softly, like she used to did back she was raising the streets when her parents died during the horde.
As Mercy came to ask if they she and Marcus had any good times together, a small-rare smile made its way onto the face of Apollyon..
"When he used to come home from work at night before our village was raided, we would always lay in each other's arms on the couch near the campfire and talk to the brink of dawn...those nights alone would have been enough to keep me happy for the rest of my life..." This, this was the true-small ounce of humanity left in the mad Warlord. Oh was it ever a sight to see a truly happy Apollyon.
She let out a small smile at her, hearing her talk about her past at least gets those feelings out of bottling up. She remember that night when the Viking first invaded Ashfeld at North, everything changed in Heathmoor. "Eve makes me happy somehow. You know her right? The Templar one. I don't know what it's like to have love one unlike yours but Eve is the closest in some ways." She replies.
"The daughter of Grandmaster Jacques, I know of her-she's a nice young woman. You see her as a sister, it's good to have those you consider family..Mercy, do be weary though of the one you may meet. For you do not know what their true intentions could be." Apollyon warned her, she was only doing this out of her own personal experience. She may have been cruel, but she would never wish her past upon any other living soul.
She nodded at this, smiling sadly. "I know... But I'll try my best Master." She promised. She pulls her hood up over her. Letting out a heavily sigh. "Oh! I almost forgot... Is it ok to if I escort the new recruit? He wants to deliver a letter to his loved one. I don't want him to go missing like the others." She explains.
"You may, Mercy. Just make sure he doesn't try and get another peak of you or he'll have to lose his eyes at the hands of your blades..." Apollyon said with a little smirk as she looked up to mercy, for once she had actually made a joke. "But don't be too long with him, we're going to be on the move first thing tomorrow morning looking for this newly hired legion..."
She nodded at her in smile. "I won't take long. And. Don't worry Master, once we find them. It will be over soon. Just like we did when we went into Valkenheim and fought many Vikings and yet we still won." She said.
"We will win, we always do.." Apollyon replied with a simple nod and a somber smile as she rose from her chair. "Go and accompany our new brother to the village, it would be best to not keep him waiting.." Apollyon spoke once again as she came to place her helm upon her head and began to head for the exit of her tent, too had somewhere to be.
"Right. I kept him waiting long enough. I'll be back soon." Mercy departures as she walks out of Apollyon's tent opening the flaps to find liam. She makes a quick stop to her own tent to gather her satchel bag and her hand crossbow, straps it around her lower back. Sheathing her shortsword on her back and her dagger on her side. She grabs her book that she was reading, taking it with her so she can continue reading that she was enjoying. Mercy puts her on face helmet and walking up to the Warden. Who is sitting at a rock playing with the pummel that he took of the hilt.
"Sorry I kept you waiting perv, I had to have a long conversation with the warlord about your travel." She said to him.
"It's fine." Liam sighs attaching his pummel back on the hilt. "I guess we're walking?" He asked sheathing his Longsword on his back.
"Why not. It's a nice day out so let's go." Mercy responded with a muffle behind her helmet adjusting her face helm. He nodded grabbing his bag to strap on his back. They both walk out of the camp walking toward the road that is covered by forest each sides.
It's been mintues since they are walking on the roads and they're at the open fields that shows farms and large hill in the distance. They can see the town ahead about halfway to their location. Mercy is reading her book on walk. And Warden is looking at the environment.
"So you have a woman waiting for you back home? Why did you come here anyway."
"Well, I wouldn't necessarily call her mine just yet. I kind of have a crush on her and have for quite sometime. It was only recently she told me she felt the same way. I decided to come out here, needed to make some steel for the both of us." Liam explained to Mercy as his gaze shifted around the area as he simply admired their surroundings. "How about you, Mercy, what made you join the legion if you don't mind me asking ?" Liam then asked as his gaze came to look upon her.
"Quite a strange though you come all the way here to earn steels in state of war with the Vikings. And me? If you want a honest truth, I stole their food crate and then I met the leader Apollyon. And she was impressed of skills so I joined." She explains of how she joined the legion, keeping her eyes on the page that's that she's reading of the short story.
"Well the lodging at west can be expensive nowadays that's one of the reasons and really?? I'm surprised she didn't punish you for thievery." He said in surprised, walking at the path looking at her.
"I was surprised as well. She saw something in me to be potential in her ranks and she offered me to join and I did. Better than surviving at the streets." She replies closing her book and she puts in her satchel.
"Were you a orphan?" He raised his eyebrows.
She gazes at him and nodded. "For my whole life."
"Must've been rough. Sorry." He said sympathetic.
"Don't be. It's what Survivors do." Mercy takes off her face helmet and pulls her hood down for a quick minute. She inhales before she let's out a heavy sigh. Enjoying the fresh air. "But anyways enough about me."
He nodded in understand and looks at the town that they are approaching of few meters from them. He doesn't know what's it like to be a orphan but he grew up a normal family and a girl he liked but never had the courage to ask her. But he couldn't help to feel sorry for her, nobody should live in the streets like that, he did once have a money to a homeless when he arrived a Ashfeld. To restore faith and being humble to others. He felt great that day.
As they enter town of Langden, people are sitting at their porch either talking about something else and playing their music, dust everywhere as the wagons and carriages through in and out, A few buildings and houses are spread out and some closed in together. Liam is walking straight towards a posting station with Mercy as she guides him of where it is, the building wasn't large and there's a ramp that leads up. They both walked and stopping their tracks to open their door. There is a few people in the station, Liam looks around if there's a booth available but he sees one but with two people standing in line.
Liam shift his head to Mercy. "I'm going to deliver this now. I'll be back." He answered.
"Take your time. I shall wait here." She replies as she takes a seat next to a person minding their business, he nodded to her and went to go make a line. He lays her back against the wall, moving her right leg to lean other leg as a resting, putting her hands on her knee.
"It's a surprising to see a Blackstone up close from hearing stories about them." A voice can be heard next to her, Mercy glances next to her, showing a peacekeeper who counting her steels in her hand.
She didn't say anything. She looks back to read her book again.
"How does it feel? To loose three people in one day?"
Mercy stops reading her book and she looks at the peacekeeper once more, slowly. Her heart began to beat, closing her book and setting on her lap. looking at her, reaching for her dagger slowly.
"I'm not here for you. You just happened to cross paths with me. I'm just delivering steels for my nephew at West." Grace said in a mellow tone.
"What did you do to them?" She ignores her words, being calm at the situation.
"Doing my job. It's nothing personal, my group is in desperate of needs of making steels." Grace said calmly, tapping her finger on the bench.
"How many of you are there..." Mercy whispered.
"Just me. But there is a lot of us if that's what you're asking." Grace answered.
She breathes heavily looking at her book that is resting on her lap. She doesn't know how to feel about this whole situation. Meeting a Merc who is responsible for killing three of them and she's sitting with a killer.
"They want your warlord. They think they will be rich if they kept her alive."
"Yeah. I doubt it. I haven't seen her months." Mercy lied.
"Why is my guts telling me that your are lying to yourself. I could make a offer to them that they won't hunt you and you can give me information of where she is and her legion." Grace replies as she looks at her.
"Aren't you tired? Of all the hiding. An hopeless so called legion. Wandering around with no purpose, someday your legion will dissolve slowly, aren't you tired of all? It's understandable that you're loyal. I get that." She said to her.
"Like I said. I haven't seen her in months." She answered once more.
Grace sighs before she gets up from her bench. Adjusting her equipment and her bag. "A pity. It was interesting to talk with you. Have a good day." She said as she depart her way by leaving the door outside.
She didn't even bother say nothing back to her. She grips her book tightly and she gasped to herself that she's been holding this feeling for mintues but it felt like forever. Putting her hand on chest to calm herself. She looks at the window seeing Grace getting on her horse to leave, the horse runs away from the station. She looks back to her book of her letting out heavy breathing. It was a situation that could've escalated quickly. Liam is walking up to her in smile but that quickly changes when he saw her behavior.
"You ok?" He asked concern, looking at Mercy.
"What? Oh. Yeah I'm ok. Let's head back." Mercy responded of her getting up from her bench putting her book into satchel as they leave outside.
Harrowgate, Ashfeld.
"You know. It's adorable when you sneaked out, but if you don't mind me asking... What happened to your face?"
Evelyn is sitting at the couch with Mia in a living room, she came to visit Eve in Harrowgate, she's not wearing her blackstones colors and she's been sneaking out of the camp often to visit her new friend now and then. They been talking alot for the past week now. Eve is cleaning her wound at her scar.
"Stupid shit that's what happened." Delta said calmly while Eve cleaned her face. Out of her Blackstone colors Delta wore Black and purple crested standards that went together with her armor much better than the blackstone colors. "What can I say sneaking out gets me away from that dump and the people I can't stand."
"I'm no healer but it looks pretty bad." She finishes cleaning her wound of the scar, putting down the cloth next to her. You're always welcome to stay here, I don't mind. But wouldn't the people at your legion will miss you? Friends?" She said worriedly, looking back at the scar once again.
"Friends? More like friend everyone else there is dead to me. They wouldn't care if I left they would only care that they don't have me around with my new weapon." Delta said coldly.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that you think that." She looks at the floor in frown, she gazes at Mia. But she quickly realized of what she said about a new weapon. New weapon? That sounds exciting. What is it? A new sword?" Evelyn said in curiosity and now looking at her in full attention.
"I call it Namielle." Mia said as she stood up and grabbed the matchlock from her bag.
Evelyn looks at the Weapon in awe, her eyes widened of a shaped of Crossbow like. This is probably the second time of her discovering a new Weapon. First time was seeing a stranger using a gladius, an ancient Weapon from the old legion. But this... She never see anything like that before. "You name your Weapon? By god. I think you finally lost it." She said trying to hold her laughter.
"I lost it long before this. I named it because its now my second companion. It hasn't let me down yet." Delta said with a smile as she set the weapon down and sat back down.
"Wait. If that's the "Weapon" that my father keeps mentioning about that it's been stolen... That was YOU!?" Evelyn went in panic mode, thinking the punishments she will receive for she harboring a criminal in her own home and who stole from the iron legion.
"Noooo I was taking a nap and I just so happened to find a weapon. BUT listen I don't intend on doing anything bad with it." Mia said trying to calm down Evelyn. Plus she didn't want to give up her most prized possession.
"Oh my... I'm breaking so much rules in this house." She moaned before she facepalmed in front of her. Shooking her head. "You don't know how much laws I'm breaking." She said jokingly, but cracking a smile in her face but couldn't help to worry of the situation.
Delta scooted over closer to Evelyn until she leaned up against her. "Oh come on Eve where is the fun in following all of the rules? I grew up on the streets this is all I know." She said with a smile.
She looks up to her that she is dug into hands on face of shame of harboring a thief. "That's the thing Mia. I grew up to follow the rules and never break them, but I mean. It sounds fun but yet dangerous though. Can you imagine they find you here that you stole their property? Things could get worse." She stated.
"Eve Look its hard for me to change i'm stubborn you've learnt this by now..If you want me to return it then if that's what you want." Delta offered kindly.
"No no!" She said quickly. "You can keep it- Wait what? What am I even saying?! I'm agreeing to a thief to keep the stolen weapon. Oh my goodness." She starts to laugh at her own statement, she lands her side at mia's shoulder, laughing in muffle of her clothing. "Just keep it and only use it for good things." She said muffling.
Delta felt like being mischievous with Evelyn whom she was starting to like more and more. "Aww thanks!" She said happily as she hugged her side before lightly kissing her forehead with a grin.
She blushes lightly touching her own forehead. Going back to her sitting position. "It's a nice day out do you want to walk around? Walking around in Harrowgate can be refreshing. But don't steal." She teases Mia.
Evelyn looks at her in suprising. "Why abandon the legion?! Won't you miss anyone though?" She frowned, she didn't want Mia to abandoned her legion if her friends will miss her, she doesn't want to do that if she regrets it.
"That legion has caused me nothing but pain. I could care less if people miss me there." Delta said back to Evelyn quickly.
"But still Mia. There will be certain people who will miss you, I don't mind you staying with me if that's you wish. After all I enjoy your company." She smiles at her.
"Evelyn I want to do what's best for me and you the Me in this cant stay in the Legion or more bad things will happen like my face here" Mia explained.
"That's what they did to you? Oh I'm sorry Mia." She embraces her friend with a tight hug. "If it's really bad there. You can stay in this house, but be warned. I'm doing a lot of field work with Travis and such for my legion." She replies.
"There's a workbench under the basement. My father and I don't use it. But you seem like a person who enjoys that. Who knows? Maybe you can modified that Matchlock." She said giving her the idea, getting up from her couch to walk at the door that leads to a basement.
"My father can be strict with newcomers in my house, but that's just him." She chuckles.
"Ill be respectful as I should be. I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with him. Mia said with a smile as she saw the workbench.
"I can different put myself to work here for a few weeks maybe months I'm simple."
"It's rarely used sometimes. But I only use it for training and learning." She said as she quickly realized something and looks at Delta. "Did you work on a bench before!?" She said in excitement.
"One of the few things I was taught yes. I'm good with my hands." Delta said happily as she wiped some dust off of the table. "What about it?"
"Oh! Then you could give me pointers of becoming one. Since Travis never has the time to teach me of working on a workbench. But you? I can fascinate you hard working." She teases her, poking her side.
"If It means I can spend more time with you im all for it if you catch my drift. I can teach you everything I know about this ol dusty table. We can work on the rifle together if you like." Mia said as she dusted off the workbench and cleared some space so that she could work properly. "That and I can also help out around here too to earn my keep."
"W-What? Oh my. You're too sweet, I think my father wouldn't mind having you here but that's totally up to him Because he duties as a grandmaster... But my aunt? Well she lives next to my house so she often visits sometimes." She explained to her looking at the bench. "Honestly. To be honest with you. I'm kinda glad your staying here, that way we get to know each other more!" She let out smile and looks at her.
"See now your seeing the positives about me staying here its a win win! I might as well live down here to give this basement some use orrr I could sleep with you but I don't think that would go over well with your dad so I can easy set up a bed down here." Mia said moving a few things out of the way to make room.
"S-Sleep with me!!? M-Mia. I-Uh. Oh.." Evelyn let's out a mad blush in her face hiding it. "You know my father will not allow that. But... I could make exceptional-Bah! I'm not supposed to be saying that. I have vows for my legion." She let out a embarrassed laugh.
"Eve. That sounds too strict to me. I know liking another girl is forbidden and everything but when it's actually something or someone you truly care for? I see an exception. Plus if I cant sleep with you then the occasional snuggle I can get by with." Delta said smugly.
"Snuggle is fine. But let's take things slow for now." Evelyn interlocks her hand and smiles at her. "I need time to process but Don't get me wrong. I like you very much and it's been awhile since anyone made me happy this much."
"That I can do for you. I'm usually all or nothing so Ill do my best. This is the first time ive ever felt so happy myself." She said smiling as she held her hand. Mia was probably going to have to sneak back to the Blackstones to inform Mercy she was done with the legion she couldn't do it anymore.
"Me too! So for now... The bench and the basement is all yours for you to sleep! I'll come by to give you what you need. You know." She waved her arms around of the basement. "Just to decorate a little and make it nice for you!" She grinned at this.
"Thats perfect Ill have this place looking better than it ever has before!" Delta said excitedly and thought of all the Ideas she could do.
She nodded smiling at her close friend. "I'll be back though! I gotta go do squire stuf at the legion! Talk later tonight?" She asked.
"Ill be right here when your back." Mia said seeing as she wanted to kiss Evelyn again she refrained from doing so.
She nodded at her smiling before she walks upstairs to leave the basement, leaving Delta alone.
After Evelyn left Mia made sure to take all of her things down to the basement and start getting it cleaned up to be a comfortable space for her to stay in.
"I am not going to sell my friends out. You all can die in hell for all I care!" The Merc said out loud, his arms tied up with chains behind a pole, Apollyon, Vortiger and Bile is standing next to captive. Apollyon leans against on her chair to talk with him.
"Hell..." Apollyon came to only say with a small yet eerie chuckle. "What makes you believe that you aren't here already ?" She asked with a slight tilt of her head as gently tapped her clawed fingers upon the back of her chair before she would simply rise to her feet and walked in front of their captive, gripping the bottom of his jaw and cutting slightly into his flesh with her metal claws. "You will give us answers...or we will make the rest of your worthless life a cruel, agonizing hell..." Apollyon hissed at the man as she looked down upon him.
He grunts in pain of her claw digging into his jaw. "You people- are being hunted from the Iron legion that they hired us. They are paying good steels on all of you... All of you! Will die like nothing. Nothing but payment for killing, nobody gives a shit about all of you." He started to wheeze but mix with laughter that's he's holding in.
"Nothing but ragtag mercenaries Apollyon. I bet they're unorganized that we can find them easily." Vortiger's voice can be heard behind Apollyon.
"Fuck you. We're killing you for a reason. To get rich or feed our families. We're desperate and it's an offer we couldn't refuse. But they want your warlord so much. Alive." He stated.
"Nothing but pathetic mercenaries for hire.." Apollyon hissed as she took her claws off the mans jaw but making sure to let go as painfully as possible-dragging her claws across his face and leaving three long cuts on the bottom and side of his jaw. "You and your hired legion shouldn't have taken the suicide mission, you all were deemed walking corpses the second your boss made the deal..."
He cried out as the claw cutting his jaw leaving the three marks, causing it to bleed. Dripping a few bloods on his pants He puts his chin down to stop it somehow. "Yeah. Maybe we should've have. But they won't stop till all of you dead, they know your names, they know your legion, people won't remember you." He started to chuckled but painfully. "Look at all of you. You have no army! There's barely any of you! You're all just wandering!! Dying out like an extinction you all are!"
"The strong will always find a way to survive. The strong prevail from those who wander with no purpose. Our numbers may be few, but we still are who we always have been...the Blackstone Legion..." Apollyon came to reply to the bloodied Captive behind her hellish helm. "Those who have tried to take us down, have failed. And those who will come for us now-will fail...Bilé, Vortiger. Do as you wish with him..."
"Finally." Vortiger gets his back off the tree walking up to the captive.
"You can kill me if you want. But I am not going sell my friend's out! The iron legion will come after you if not WE WILL! Think about it! The world is moved on! The people don't need the blackstones anymore! They will forget about you! Just watch!! It's only a matter of time that you either give up or die!" He shouted at the warlord who is walking away.
Bilè simply laughed and shook his head whilst approaching the man "What happens when you complete your purpose. The iron legion let's you go home? If you truly think that you're deluded past saving you filth. There is no good nor evil in this world. Only bad and evil." Bilè pauses then continued as he unsheathed his sword "Don't you understand? Everyone wants something in life. Offer someone something they want and watch as they destroy people who were friends and family" Bilè finished his explanation by taking his sword by the blade and using the hilt and weight to shatter his knee
"AAAAHH!!"
Apollyon can hear the man screaming of being tortured, shattering his knee. She shooked her head and kept walking towards back at the camp, hearing the sound of metal armor weight as she walk.
"They can try and find us, but they all will fall..." The words Marcus had said years ago, echoed through her mind as she headed back to the camp. She knew that they would come, that survival wasn't a guarantee. But being the woman she was, she and her legion would go down fighting.
Harrowgate, Ashfeld
Stone is trying to look for his helmet that he swore put it in his bedroom, he curses that he shouldn't drink much when he and Sofia and Wyot were hanging out with him again, as a drunkard he is. He looked under his bed to see his helmet there, until he heard a door knocking on his door downstairs. He groans in frustration, slamming his fist down. He gets up from the ground and jogs out of his room to walk downstairs. The knock became more aggressive. Banging the door.
"I'm on my way Sofia! Hold your horses." He yells out, stopping his track's, to open the door. And it revealed two people leaning against the stair case railings. "Can I help you guys?"
"Yeah. Malcolm sends his regards." Tiberius got the club that he was hiding on his back, he swung the club by hitting his jaw, the splattered blood spilled out of his mouth, the club was enough to knock him out cold. He falls down on the ground on his rug.
"Tiberius..." Ambrosius said quietly looks at him in furious.
"Relax pal. He's out cold." Tiberius said grinning.
"We need to bring him by the harbor at the outskirts of Eitrivateen, Malcolm wants it quiet." Ambrosius informs him.
"Easier than done. I fucking hate this civilization anyways." Tiberius starts to grab Stone's arms to carry him, Ambrosius helps his friend to carry Stone.
"Did you guys get him?"
"It went easier than I expected. Hit that fucker hard with the club though, you should've seen it Amorges!" Tiberius hollered, as he carrying unconscious Stone with Ambrosius, they both shoved inside wagon. Ambrosius slams the bars and shuts it tight. They are alleyway behind the tavern.
"Malcolm and I had a agreement that he wants commander Stone gone." Amorges said calmly.
"Why's that? Risking our neck of kidnapping an a commander of the iron legion." Ambrosius asked serious.
"From what I heard. His reports of being good friends with a Blackstone peacekeeper name Mercy, all his records and such. Sounds to me that he's allied with our common enemy for awhile." Amorges explains as he puffs out of the smoking pipe.
Ambrosius scoffs at this. "Do you think he knows where they are?"
"Man fuck that! We should kill the bastard to silence him!" Tiberius snapped.
"No I have a better idea. We can send him to Valle Dei, our rivals can do whatever they want from him. they'll never find him there. Amorges replies calmly.
"Let's not waste time then. We got to move before anyone saw us." Ambrosius said to them.
Westhold, Ashfeld. Meanwhile.
"I bumped into of the red eagles. They have a peacekeeper among them, suprising that she didn't kill me in that spot." Mercy said to her Master.
Mercy is sitting inside Apollyon's tent where Kanis standing next to Apollyon, and she's sitting at the table to talk with Mercy.
Apollyon would give a somber nod as a small sigh escaped her mouth. "Did this peacekeeper say anything in particular, maybe have given the name of her legions commander ?" Apollyon asked as she came to cup her armored hands upon the table.
Kanis only stood in silence as the two talked amongst themselves at the table. Kanis was merely stood near the entrance of her tent from the inside. His hands were simply placed behind his back and his hood was lowered from his shoulders, showing the long and braided snow white hair that accompanied his poofy beard.
"No. But she did tried to make a deal that I can sell you out and I'll live." Mercy frowned, looking at her knees.
"Master if I may ask. Not only We're dealing the iron legion. We're dealing with mercenaries that has eyes and ears on every sight of possibility ambush and such. I could be wrong but we should take extreme cautious." She replies.
As Apollyon heard these words, her calm face went to a look of annoyance at this Red Eagles words. Hell, it even made Kanis look over his shoulder and at the two.
"A fools bargain, nothing but a ploy to try and make you fold under pressure. But you're smarter than that, and that is what I like about you, Mercy..." Apollyon said, giving credit where it was due. After she had spoke, she simply took a sip of her drink from her cup. "Don't take the words of the enemy so highly, for all we know it could be a nothing but a empty lie. But if you suggest we take caution, then that is what we shall do.."
"I know master. They're intelligent, I'll give them that." Mercy said to her.
"Not all of them." Vortiger said loudly, Vortiger walks in wiping his clothes with a rag. "Bile did got some information out of him. He finally talked. They're at a port village, outskirts of Eitrivateen. They're getting their supplies from a guild and he tells me that their leader name Amorges. Is going be there." He explains in gruff tone, leaning against the shelf.
"Amorges..." Kanis muttered silently to himself at the entrance of the tent. Why did that name sound so familiar to him ? Kanis didn't know why, it just must've been deja vú..
"The cat now becomes the mouse..." Apollyon said outside as she came to lean back within her chair with a smirk slowly starting to form upon her face. "Vortiger, let us gather a group and scout out their port tonight and gather any information we can." Apollyon suggested to the others who were within the tent.
"Right away Apollyon." Vortiger did small bow and walks out of the tent.
Mercy looks back at Apollyon. "Master are your sure this is a good idea? What if they expect our presence.." She said concerned.
"Kanis-I wish for you to come along for this mission, I will be attending alongside the others as well." Apollyon also said whilst her gaze looked over to the deathbringer whom stood at attention.
She sighs at this, shooking her head. Looks like all of them are going to war with the Mercenaries, perfect. She wondered she can find that peacekeeper again in the port village, she literally told her some information about their group, and didn't kill her. She needs to get ready. Holden and Jacob will be surprised that they are going too.
Later at evening...
"ARRRGHH!!! GODDAMNIT!"
Stone is laying on the ground, nothing but a plan shirt and leather pants, holding his stomach in pain from a branch that he got smacked by. Tiberius is walking around him, a smoke pipe in his mouth and a branch stick resting his shoulder, he wields the branch stick once more and slams on his back.
"AAH!!" Stone turned his back in pain, the stinging started to hurt him and he arched his back and letting out heavy breathing.
"Oh come on man. We're just getting started. That's just a scratch." Tiberius said jokingly, laying the branch on his shoulder. they are at the forest waiting for Amorges to check village is clear with no iron legion involvement. Waiting for the signal.
"Commander Sofia won't be pleas- GAAAH! DAMN IT!" He yells out in pain, as his hand got crushed by a boot from Tiberius, pressuring it more.
"It's going be raining tonight Tiberius. We gotta get our supplies and ship him out of here to Valle dei, last thing I want is the iron Legion after our asses." Ambrosius glares at him, sitting at the tree stump. Where they are close to a village.
"Man. I just wish we killed this guy you know? Why send him to the damn slavery lands so Snyder and his goons can take him?" Tiberius scoffs at this.
Stone is catching his breath, gazing at the two men. "Is this Malcolm's sick idea? You two getting paid to kill one of my good friend including me? Why?"
"Don't care. As long we're getting paid to get rid of you and the others, we have no problems." Tiberius smirks tapping the branch on his shoulder.
"You're going somewhere that you wish you were dead. Our rivals at the other land will make profit out of you since your iron legion." Ambrosius smirked looking at Stone, Tiberius once again swung the branch to hit him...
At Night...
The rain is started to pour on campsite of the Blackstones, the knights are packing their stuff up to head in one of their tents, Holden is helping Jacob and Davis to pack up the supplies and stuffing at the wagon. Mercy has her hood up, trying to find Delta but she's nowhere to be seen... Of course... Ever since the incident with Evo. She been sneaking off camp... She groans at this as she keeps walking as the raindrops are hitting her armor pads and her hood, she sees Liam is holding his bag on top of his head to cover from the rain.
"What's going on?" Liam said loudly, covering his head with the bag from the rain is pouring heavily.
"We're going to do some reconnaissance to a port village possiblity it might go wrong but it depends. Holden and Jacob are going and I need you to watch my back for this." She responded, clutching to her hood from the rain.
"Sounds dangerous but sure! Let me just get my things." Liam replies, she nodded to him, the warden went to go his tent to gather his things. Mercy stands there at the rain waiting for him.
Liam steps out of his tent and puts on his helmet, adjusting it and they both nodded making their towards the exit of the camp Mercy is holding her backpack. Seeing Aragon, William, Jacob, Holden, Apollyon and Kanis talking with each other, Merlin is leaning against the tree without her companions this time. She usually goes with them but now it's different, Alaia couldn't go because she's too sick and Scarlet has to stay in watch for the camp. Leaving Vortiger in charge. Mercy walks up to her master, the muddy ground that is covered by the rain. She looks at her.
"What if things goes wrong master? In theory." She said concerned in tone of her voice again. She couldn't help to worry.
As Mercy came to speak, Apollyon would shift her gaze from the towering man beside to her Mercy. "If we stick to the shadows and keep out of sight from their soldiers, we won't have anything to worry about. We have lived out in the wilderness long enough to learn to adapt to hiding in plain sight. We'll will be fine, Mercy..." She reassured the peacekeeper.
"Things will go well, Mercy. We will be in and out of the port before anyone knows it, I know we will." Kanis spoke to break the ice in a relaxed and calmed tone. "Afterwards, you and the perv can bond on our walk back here..." Kanis joked with Mercy to try and relax her timid and nervous mood. She nodded her head.
"Not this again.." Liam sighed in annoyance. "It was accidental." He mutters, adjusting his bag.
"If you say so Liam." She snickers, clutching her hood.
"Me and Jacob will be driving the wagon to our destination." Holden informed them but mix with chuckle at this. He hops on the driver seat and Jacob who is grinning at this, he sits at the passenger seat and the others are sitting at the back of the carriage, flaps around the back to cover them from the heavy rain.
"I'm only kidding, Liam. Don't take it to heart.." Kanis said to Warden with a soft and friendly chuckle before he looked to everyone. "Come guys, let's get ready to head out." He then spoke as he stepped out from underneath the tents cover and raised his hood over his head.
Apollyon followed suit beside Kanis as they headed for the carriage. "Keep an eye on Liam for me, Devin..I want to see how he holds up in a mission like this.." Apollyon then silently informed her loyal deathbringer.
"Very well, Master.." He replied quietly with a somber nod of his head before he opened the two flaps that covered the back of the carriage to allow easy entrance for Apollyon, and to be a gentleman to his "mother" of course.
At Harrowgate.
Evelyn is putting up small furnitures in their basement, she's still wearing her uniform but didn't bother to put normal clothing. Evelyn finishes her routine work at the legion and her father won't be coming till a hour. She has the time for Mia, the crates are set up all over the the ground like clothing, tools and fabrics. They got done organizing stuff in the basement to make her own little home that Mia can enjoy. Mia is working on her matchlock that Eve brought for modifications.
"Well. That's enough for me organizing your room for now." She said tiredly, her red hair is tied into a ponytail and her sleeves are rolled up as she was working on her room.Now that she actually had a bed Mia was very comfortable where she was now. Her rifle sat on the table. She had her armor off to just be in comfortable clothing she could work in. "This is all perfect for me."
Evelyn sat on the bed and crosses her legs, she lays her back against the stone wall. "It wasn't easy to carry all these stuff all by myself. Travis was asking why I was carrying it." She said, patted her hand on the mattress, signaling for her to sit by her.
Mia didn't need to be told to sit next to Evelyn as she plopped herself down up against her basically snuggling with her. "I haven't had a room I could call my own in like..Ever."
Evelyn wrapped her arms around Mia. Laying her head against her side. "When's the last time you had your own room?" Evelyn said in curiosity.
"Like..Never." Mia said sadly.
"Never had my own room.."
Evelyn looks at her, frowning. "Oh. I'm sorry.." She held her close, she couldn't imagine of what's like not owning your room since forever... She feels so sorry for her. Maybe she is starting to believe of her captivity in blackstone, where she was wasn't in a good condition. "Well your here now, you can live here as long you want Mia. " She smiled kindly, looking at the bench and holding her close to her.
"I was kept in cages with what I thought were my friends. That turned out to be a lie. Hell I don't even want to be called Delta anymore. A personal plaything for so many people..That's why i'm leaving." Mia spoke embarrassing Evelyn closely.
"I'm afraid to go back."
She shifts her eyes to Mia, her arms wrapped around with her. She frowns. "You don't have to go back if you want." Evelyn whispers. "I'm sure people who you miss will understand why you left. You're much happier here if it's way better than living in the legion that causes you harm."
"That's the best thing i've heard you say ever. Maybe I can help out the Templars if you wouldn't mind?" Mia asked she could be useful for them.
"And technically It returns the rifle to their owners."
"Oh my... You're asking to join my legion????" She is trying to hold her excitement.
"I meannn Yeah?" Mia said with her cutest face.
"AH! I would want you to join!!! I can arrange my father for you to join!" Evelyn is hugging her tightly, stuffing her face into her chest.
"Really? Oh that's awesome! Thank you so much!" She said blushing a little with Evelyn stuffing her face into her chest only brought out a little grin. "Comfy in there Eve?" She teased.
"S-Shut up!" Evelyn moves har face sitting back into her usual sit up. I just got excited when you wanted to join!" She huffed blushing on her cheeks.
"That's ok I know you were just excited." Mia patted her on the head and leaned her head against Evelyns chest. "The best part of this is that your father isn't home until late so we have a quite a bit of free time to work with everyday." She said with a smirk.
"W-What!? But Mia! I only got excited of you joining my legion" She stammered shyly, seeing her leaning on her chest.
"Im just returning the favor you know? After all I'm a big cuddle bug." Mia said teasingly
"T-True. B-But. Perhaps next time. I don't want the neighbors coming here unexpected." She said embarrassing, looking away to hide her blush.
"Ok ok Ill let you go so you can calm down before be gets here." She sat up from her comfy spot and booped Evelyn on the nose. "I'll be down here working on my stuff."
She looks at Mia. "T-Thank you. I- I still like you. " She said shyly, Getting up from the bed walking towards upstairs untill she stops her tracks before she goes to Mia, she gave peck of kiss on Mia's cheek. Smiling shyly. "Goodnight." She said quick as she runs upstairs to go to her room.
"Goodnight." Mia said as she touched her cheek where she was kissed. Mia sat up and went over to the workbench to work away the night.
Evelyn is walking the stairs till she saw her father who walked in. "F-Father! You're here!" Evelyn stuttered, seeing her father who smiles at her.
"Yeah. I had to help with commander Sofia. She's... Not feeling well." He said feeling pity.
"Is she ok?" Evelyn said worriedly, looking at her father.
"It's Stone. He's gone missing, hasn't reported this morning. We looked everywhere." He replied.
"O-Oh?! B-But I just saw him this morning when I walked by to go my legion for work." She stammered at this shocking moment. What happened to commander Stone? It's unusual for him to disappear.
Meanwhile in the basement Mia could hear the conversation just barely. It was curious to her to say the least. She lean her head on the doorframe to hear more of what's going on.
"I guess he just got tired. That's my assumption."
"There's no way he was tired father, I know him personally. He loves being in the iron legion. You don't think he..?"
"It's a possibility he might gone deserted.""
"But that's not him. He's not that kind of person to leave his legion.."
"Eve. Sometimes we can't tell what's going on their personal life. They may be happy on the outside but we don't know what's going with them in the inside."
"Anyways I only came by check on you because of that disappearance of Stone. Just be safe and I'll see you tomorrow, I need to go search outside the walls for him with the iron legion."
It's raining bad out there. You sure you'll be ok?"
"I'll be fine, I have commander Sofia and Edmund with me. Just take care and night."
"So that pervert is missing. Someone like that doesn't just disappear out of nowhere..Hopefully everything works out." Mia said to herself as she listened. When Evelyn's father left the house again Mia sat there in silence debating what her next action would be.
Phew! thank you for reading this far! I how y'all enjoying it so far with the story, like I said before I'm doubling checking of Grammers and errors during release! I love writing about Mercy's Warden SO WE FINALLY GET TO SEE THEIR RELATIONSHIP START :)
stay tuned for more!!!