— Let's try to face this rationally. We're lost in the middle of a sea of sand and our guide is dead. Even if we make it to some settlement, we don't speak Marleyan and have no explainable reason to enter their territory. — Gunnar explained. — And there's all this dried blood on our clothes as well. Anyone would find that suspicious.
Hodritz looked at the horizon. He was fascinated by the heat, so strong it even distorted the air. He had never seen something like that happen naturally in Eldia. He turned around to face Gunnar.
— We could succeed if we managed to find that city we were being taken to. — Hodritz suggested.
— Jovian surely took the wrong path in order to kill us with no witnesses. And didn't you listen to what I said before? What would we say at the gates? We can't understand or speak Marleyan.
Hodritz stroked his goatee. "He's deep in thought. That's not common at all." — Gunnar thought while observing Hodritz's contemplative stare.
— Then let's go back to Eldia. There's nothing more we can do here. — Hodritz suggested.
— What manner of spirit has possessed you? — Gunnar asked in surprise. — I thought you would prefer to destroy their cities one by one to eliminate the menace.
— I thought about... some factors that might make things harder. Plus, who'd want to traverse all this desert just to stomp some insects?
Gunnar scratched his head in confusion. He was pleased they were taking the most rational decision and retreating, but Hodritz was acting strange.
— Let's do it the swiftest way. We'll take turns in titan form.
— Are we leaving the camels here? — Hodritz looked back at the animals. — They're such fascinating beasts.
— Uh, we cannot take them with us. But don't worry, they're creatures of the desert. I'm sure they won't die easily.
Gunnar took some distance and bit his hand, transforming into the Jaw Titan. He lowered his head so that Hodritz could climb on him.
— You made quite a big sand cloud with that explosion. — He said, coughing and waving a hand in front of his face to disperse the sand.
They moved northwards with great haste. Gunnar still found Hodritz's actions very suspicious but went along with it so that Hildegard's faulty plan would go wrong, thus reducing her prestige and influence. Perhaps Hodritz thought the same, yet he decided not to ask him anything.
Back on Paradis, there was an enormous amount of tension in the inn. The patrons and the head cook, as well as the few other employees, had asked about Thaddeus. The other girl always replied he went for a walk in the wilderness and didn't return. Sören was not prepared to take drastic measures should the worst happen. "A young girl like Ulrika shouldn't have hands stained by blood, yet she is far more determined than me." — He thought to himself. Among the other shifters, he was probably the only one who hadn't taken lives yet.
— Oy, Sören! Snap out of it! — Ulrika said, clapping her hands in front of his face. — Again with that empty stare? Come on, we have to work!
He looked back at the doorway which led to the front counter. Leaning on the wall, Thaddeus' other victim gazed at him with a concerned look. Perhaps she wanted to tell him something, but the ever-present language barrier made it hard for them to communicate. If at least Arnulf was around, he could translate her words. It was strange for him to be gone for so long.
— Sören... — The girl said softly. — There's someone asking for you outside.
She gently pushed him and Ulrika outside. Actions literally meant more than words on their case, so they went along with it. Five fully equipped soldiers, four of them with spear in hand and one with a roll of parchment stood outside. A small crowd gathered around the inn and, among the curious eyes, Sören noticed a more serious and determined gaze. Arnulf was among them, quietly witnessing what would transpire. The guard began reading what was written on the parchment.
— Thaddeus Numerius' body was recently found in the surrounding wilderness. — The crowd gasped upon hearing the statement. He continued after a short pause — Along with the body of Felix Valerius, a member of the City-State of Arbeia's garrison. Upon questioning the only witness, the commoner Tatiana, a provisory council concluded that these two foreigners are guilty of the murder of two of our citizens.
The crowd whispered among itself. Both Sören and Ulrika turned to look at Tatiana. She was unable to look them in the eye, instead avoiding them by looking at the ground.
— What a cunt. She put all the blame on our backs despite being an accomplice. I understand it, being imprisoned, or executed sounds bad no matter how you look at it. — Ulrika remarked.
— But we didn't kill the guard. There's something more at play here. — He felt his legs trembling. — Now what? Do we surrender?
— So it seems. I mean, you alone can squash all these people like insects, but let's go along with it. I'm sure Arnulf has thought some strategy up. Did you see him in the crowd?
— Have you something to say in your defence? — The soldier asked. He was answered with silence. — I suppose you don't.
The other soldiers tightened ropes around their wrists and pulled along so that the prisoners would start walking. Ulrika and Sören did not understand Marleyan, but it was clear that the crowd was insulting them. "I rid their island of one bastard and that's how I'm repaid." — Ulrika thought. It was clearly unfair, but Thaddeus' crimes were impossible to prove. Three soldiers and the prisoners walked on foot while the other two rode horses in a slow gait. Not too long after they left the city's borders, a great explosion echoed, accompanied by the flight of numerous birds.
— He really did it... — Sören whispered.
The soldiers became restless with the sudden explosion, looking back nervously. The horses got spooked, neighing, and jumping about. One of the riders fell off and just stared as his mount galloped away.
— Is anyone here familiar with this sound? — The man with the parchment, who appeared to be the leader, asked.
One of them cowered on the ground and appeared to be praying, repeating certain words over and over with tightly shut eyes and clasped hands.
— You two seem awfully calm. — He addressed the Eldians. — Can you say anything about this?
— You should transform right now, Sören. It's the best way to escape since my hands are tied and these men are fully equipped. — Ulrika said.
Sören and the leader heard strange sounds that were too similar to screams. The leader unsheathed a sword while the other soldiers looked in silence.
— One of you will have to go on to deliver a message to the closest city-state! Aurelio! Since you're the only one with a mount, go quickly and say we're under attack! — He ordered. Aurelio wasted no time and left within a few seconds.
— What are our orders, general? — One of the remaining soldiers asked.
— We go back, assess the situation, and help as many civilians as we can. As for these two, I can't leave criminals loose, so I'll stab them and leave them for dead. They won't last long.
The man who was cowered on the ground suddenly leapt up and ran at an incredible speed towards the forest, disappearing among the trees.
— These new recruits are too soft... Now, let's get on with this.
He stabbed Sören's abdomen and pushed him to the ground. Feeling an immense amount of pain, he could only heave as his wound ached and the blood flowed out. "It's not my first time getting stabbed, but I'll never get used to it." — He thought. He concentrated deeply to suppress his healing ability.
— As for you, girl, I'll leave you to nature itself. — He addressed Ulrika. — You won't survive for long alone.
They marched away towards Arbeia. With great effort, Sören sat up on the ground. Ulrika stared at him with a strange look in her eyes.
— I'll go back there to confront Arnulf about this. You stay here and wait for us.
She nodded. Sören got up and walked away a small distance before transforming into the Armoured Titan. Smiling and wordless, Ulrika stared at the giant in awe. "Sören is such a coward in human form, yet he's filled with courage upon transforming." — She thought. Land animals fled as he approached, some of them, deer, boars, among others, even passed by Ulrika in their rush to run away from such an unconventional threat. Sören could vaguely identify a humanoid shape amidst the smoke rising from Arbeia. Running towards the city-state, he felt his blood boiling. How many had Arnulf killed already?
...
— So they have failed.
— Unfortunately, my queen. It is as lord Grimwald reported. I am sorry.
Hildegard turned around and faced the hooded messenger, her face red and her ice-blue eyes filled with frustration.
— Calm down, the messenger has nothing to do with this. — She whispered to herself. — You may return. Thank you for delivering these... quite dismal news. — She said.
The messenger bowed and sprinted away. Hildegard was once again admiring the statues, an old habit of her father that was slowly becoming her own. In just under a month, a part of the mission was unsuccessful, and she wasn't prepared to be informed of another failure. Her hopes rested on Paradis and Tauremania yet she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
— Should I just wait for everyone to come back and turn Eldia into a hermit empire? No wars, no aggression, closed borders... Ugh, ruling a nation is incredibly hard.
The issue of Ingvild's apparent treason bothered her as well. She always seemed to be a calm woman. "If no one from the next council meeting is against it, I think I will pass on her titan to the next successor."
Despite all the power and influence she held, Hildegard felt useless. She could only wait as the other shifters, who mostly disapproved of her, struggled to follow her arbitrary orders. At least among the half-Eldians she felt less worthless. Quarters scattered throughout the capital were reserved for them, where they lived without an identity other than names chosen for them. They were effectively resources kept around to be turned into fodder or unstoppable weapons in the form of titans. Suddenly being visited by what they're told is a goddess who governs the nation and can heal their ailments with a touch made them feel less worthless as well.
— I'm so selfish... Feeling good about being adored... That's no better than warmongers who seek glory on the battlefield.
Each statue depicted one of her predecessors. Most of them held weapons, some displayed dramatic poses. Some faces were familiar to her, either due to other artwork or from her memories. "Abelard the Conqueror. Ingrid the Lioness. Siegfried the Beheader. What will I be known for?" She sighed deeply and went back inside the castle with her mind made up. Despite Rena's advice, she decided to send a letter to Eckhart.