In theory, the plan was simple. The Arthuan Unit, Talvish, and the Milletian would ride off on the backs of mystical unicorns to reach the Sanctum. The rest - should anything happen within the sacred place - would be handled from there. On the other end, the generals of the Eiler and Heruin units would remain within the mainland to closely watch over the rear. It was a necessary safety measure to be sure that the Prophets, their Apostles, and any other possible threat would not follow the voyaging group or further endanger the fields of Avalon.
When the knights came to a consensus, their forces split into two teams. The team heading to the Sanctum was already initiating their departure. They continued to move along the precipice that separated the rest of Avalon from the island containing the sanctuary. Towards the edge of the cliff, the knights had made note of, was a band of unicorns. The beasts were known by their ancestors to lightly trot about the cliff and occasionally munch at stray stalks of grass. However, right then they appeared to be lined up as if in wait. If the group failed to act in a reasonable time frame, the unicorns would surely take off for the Sanctum without looking back.
With the unicorns' patience being of the essence, each member of the voyaging team placed his or herself onto the back of a unicorn. The knights were seemingly all settled and well, at least until all eyes followed Altam. He seemed to fancy stroking the mane of the unicorn of his choice. His captain had to shout at him in order to grab his attention.
"Altam! We don't have time for this!"
Avelin's tone was orderly and dripped with annoyance; a fine indicator that she meant business.
Altam couldn't help but look away from the unicorn to meet Avelin's gaze. A meek smile took over his face when he saw her. "R-right!" As far as he was concerned, there were no ifs or buts to be considered when it came to his captain. He gave the majestic beast's mane one last stroke before mounting himself onto it as comfortably as he could. Holding on tight, he waited while the creature carefully began to position itself for takeoff.
After the small mishap, Talvish surveyed the situation once more. "Let us make haste." he promptly announced. "Caswyn, Pihne, I task you with guarding this place. If anything should happen, act at your discretion."
The two named unit leaders gave a nod of acknowledgment to their Commander.
"Understood." Caswyn replied. His companion from the Eiler Unit chimed in.
"Got it! Be careful, everyone!"
Giving the two captains one last look, the voyaging team allowed the unicorns to take over and dash off to the edge of the cliff. Majestic as they were, the unicorns moved at breakneck speed. The wind beat against their hooves as they used the air as a gliding path to the island above. The sight was almost surreal to the onlookers: a neat formation of unicorns galloping on air with such grace and confidence. It appeared to be a reminder of how wonderfully beautiful, yet mysterious the Avalon region remained.
Once it was clear that the others were out of sight, Pihne and Caswyn shifted their attention back to the cliff, remaining still for a few moments to harvest very similar thoughts. It seemed unlikely that there would be much - if any - threatening activity along the cliffside, even with the promise of vulnerable unicorns. A plan had to be discussed to ensure productivity.
"I think it would be best if we scouted the rest of the land, just like before. Why don't we split our units and search two distinct areas?" Pihne suggested with a slight smile. "We can meet here again after we've scouted for at least thirty minutes. Hopefully that will be enough time for the others to take care of business in the Sanctum and return."
Caswyn reached for his crossbow, then an arrow within the quiver strapped to his back. He figured they would prove to be more useful for the terrain he had in mind. Holding the weapon steady, arrow nocked, a sufficient response had already been prepared on his part.
"That sounds fine. My unit will scout the beach once more." he responded very clearly.
Pihne nodded. "-And mine will scout the City Ruins again."
With the arrangement made, the two leaders parted ways.
Caswyn walked along the shore with the rest of the Heruin Unit present, yet scattered about. His unit was very meticulous when it came to missions; absolute carefulness and preciseness were key. Therefore, it was no surprise that its members had made sure to check every edge of the region, every nook and cranny, and every stray barrel and object half-buried under sand.
Still, even with the unit's collective effort, the overbearing presence of a Prophet, let alone an Apostle, was nowhere to be seen or felt. The creatures that were spotted along the beach appeared to be Avalon's guardians, and even then, there were no harmful influences detected from them. The creatures also appeared to be uninterested in combat unless provoked - a principle the Heruin Unit could comply with. As long as the guardians didn't attack them, the knights would reciprocate.
Twenty-six minutes of scouting passed with no results. It seemed quite safe to conclude the Prophets were not hiding within the area, therefore it was officially made known after another minute passed. The beach was declared safe. The Heruin Unit would remain on patrol until the thirty-minute time frame was up, however.
In the meantime, Caswyn busied himself with making sense of the region, piecing together the ancient puzzle that was the land of Avalon itself. He stood in close proximity to a long-abandoned ship that had been damaged and weathered by time.
Part of the fractured vessel poked out from the ocean, while the rest somehow managed to become stranded in both the sea and sand of the shore. At its highest point - because the most intact fragment was tilted at an angle - the bowsprit stood tall and erect, reminding him of the rapier that Avelin of the Arthuan Unit carried. His eyes carefully traveled down from the bowsprit to the deck, then the mast, and finally the numerous wooden crates half-buried under sand.
"This must have been even larger back when everything was still intact. Possibly a cargo ship..." Caswyn thought to himself aloud. But where the ship arrived from was the real question. It was known that the island of Belvast was tucked neatly between both Uladh and Iria. Originally, Iria had been kept secret amongst trader circles in Uladh, with rumors indicating that they possibly wished to monopolize on the goods discovered within the more abundant land. If the ship Caswyn was looking at had been a cargo ship returning goods to Uladh from Iria, it seemed likely that a storm would have been enough to blow the ship off course. Just towards the northwestern region of Belvast: Avalon.
The Heruin general shook his head. He realized that the conclusion he came to was a bit too hastily drawn; it was built on a shaky foundation and also nothing more than an educated guess. Perhaps the trip was planned and the first settlers' had the full intention of arriving in Belvast from the start. It was also fair to consider that Uladh and Iria weren't the only other landmasses in the world.
Caswyn sighed, brushing a gloved hand against the top of one of the many wooden crates next to him. What was once-polished, sturdy wood felt rough and uneven, yet ready to crack with a bit of pressure. The mark left on his glove also appeared to be a mix of dust, sand, and dirt; gross grime.
In the meantime, the ocean waves repeatedly rolled in and out, lightly beating at the broken ship and all of her components each time. Caswyn took another deep breath.
I don't even want to bother...
Pihne's unit was tasked with scouting the ancient city ruins. Surrounded by massive, demolished walls and toppled down pillars, the sights were breathtaking. The rubble that surrounded the general area seemed to tell a story of either multiple buildings built closely together, or a once-massive building that possibly served as a place of worship. Seated in the back of it all was the altar, which, for the most part, had been carefully preserved. The emblems representing each unit of the Alban Knights was etched onto a stone suspended in the air and housed within a miniature gazebo, glowing brilliantly.
It was almost difficult to believe that such beautiful architecture could still exist within the sanctuary, given the damage done by the Heretics paired with the corrupted Divine Light suffocating the land. And, while Pihne lingered on the train of thought of impurities, she remembered that there were even more reports regarding hostile zombified priests within the area, courtesy of the Prophets. The captain of the Eiler Unit redirected her attention from the architecture to the general field. As if on cue, an undead ancestor looked very eager to ambush one of her knights.
"Watch out!" she called out, charging up Thunder with the raise of her wand.
The moment the unsuspecting knight turned around to face the adversary was the same moment he noticed its body jolt uncontrollably. The undead priest was struck by lightning, with the harsh sound of clapping thunder following shortly after. The long-deceased body hit the ground hard, severely burnt and sprawled out. The knight couldn't help but think it was a rather unsightly figure upon closer inspection.
With the undead put out of its misery - permanently so, Pihne hoped - the captain rushed over to her knight to check on him. She recognized him as a new recruit, fresh out of Squire status.
He's definitely going to have to be more alert if he wants to keep up, she thought with a mental chuckle, but outwardly smiled reassuringly when she approached him nonetheless.
"Everything alright?" she asked, "Our main objective is to seek out the Prophets and their Apostles, but we also have to keep in mind that their weaker minions are still lurking within the area."
The knight nodded, a bit of blush from embarrassment taking form on his cheeks. "Sorry, Captain. It's just that some new information relayed to me had me thinking…" Suddenly, his posture straightened up. "Which reminds me, I should tell you!"
"Yes?"
"We received a report that a ghost... er, non-maleficent spirit of one of our ancestors remains within this area, towards the altar. Apparently the Milletian interacted with it at a previous point in time, therefore it's safe to say that it's real. We may have better luck asking it if it has sensed anything since our patrol began."
Or in other words, the Eiler Unit would need the 'okay' from their Captain in order to interrogate the spirit. To Pihne, it seemed fitting that she should be the one to ask the questions, therefore she agreed.
She made her way to the altar and walked over to where she was told the spirit was still present. Initially, she felt confused, as she did not see or sense anything. However, something prompted her to look down, and only then did she begin to sense the traces of a spirit. The traces would fully form to reveal a miniature male spirit.
...A little boy? Pihne thought a bit off-handedly. No... He's one of our ancestors. But did he always look like this?
All the while, the little spirit man seemed to not notice her yet, content and mumbling something to himself. Pihne decided to change that. She immediately grabbed his attention with the start of her voice.
"Greetings, sir. I'm Captain Pihne of the Alban Knights' Eiler Unit." she formally began with her usual friendliness - something a few of the other unit leaders seemed to lack, "I apologize if this seems sudden, but have you noticed or sensed anything strange within this region? As you can probably tell, my unit is on patrol."
As the spirit man looked up to see her, she could see the expression he wore on his face. He didn't appear to be bothered; humored, perhaps, with his eyelids barely slanted and what appeared to be a small, cat-like smile.
"Ah! So then you can see me as well. Fascinating..." he responded, shaking his head disapprovingly just afterwards. "A few other local knights had spotted me, but they were hesitant to speak up, heh."
On the other hand, the Eiler captain was surprised to hear a mature voice that definitely did not match the tiny outward appearance.
"So, you're the current leader of this generation's Eiler knights? Hm…" continued the spirit. For a moment, he rested a thumb under his chin, deep in thought. "Oh, I believe I saw you earlier! You were with a group containing that one person who was not a knight. They were quite something. Heh heh."
Realizing he had spilled quite a bit of his thoughts aloud, he took a brief moment to straighten his glasses and even his throat. "My apologies. That was a bit sudden, wasn't it? I surely hope I didn't startle you."
"Oh, no; it's fine. I'd probably have a lot to say as well if my spirit was still… well, here." Pihne gently reassured. The last word she uttered came out a bit awkwardly.
Even so, her reassurance was enough, therefore the spirit continued. "I may as well introduce myself first, heh. I am Kaelic, the last to be put to rest when this sanctuary was closed. I have no idea why I'm still here, but that's at the back of my mind now, everything considered. As for your question regarding the status report for this general vicinity…" Kaelic angled his head so that he was looking straight ahead at the field before them. "Outside of my brethren, who have become hostile thanks to outer influences, it's been rather calm since that last battle you had back there."
"Yup! Whatever you did to our Milletian friend really saved us!" exclaimed Pihne. "Mmm.. But are you sure you don't sense anything?"
"No, and I'm definitely not senile, heh. This spirit body certainly limits how much of my power I can use, though."
The way the spirit man dismissed his initial notion suggested no hint of pride or braggery on his part; in fact, his intentions seemed innocent, though perhaps a small, mischievous nature was hidden behind it. He tapped his chin with his thumb before his voice spoke up once more.
"Oh! If you see that 'Milletian' person again, could you tell them to stop by? It seemed like they had many questions for little old me."
Pihne imagined had she been in the Milletian's place, she would have a lot to ask as well. He did figure out how to help them harmonically bridge together the different energies within them. She couldn't help but nod. "I can certainly do that, Sir Kaelic."
"Heh. Just 'Kaelic' will do. No need for the title since I was a mere priest, and now long gone from the material world."
Pihne agreed to respect his request with a smile. Beyond that, she had gathered from the conversation that no new harmful presence had been made known since the last encounter with the Prophets. The conclusion was greatly reassuring, in a sense. Even so, it could potentially spell bad news if the Prophets weren't spotted anywhere else in Avalon.
Additionally, Pihne couldn't help but feel like Kaelic would have been more interested in speaking with the Milletian rather than herself. As such, she did not press the conversation on any further.
"This area can be declared safe," she announced. The rest of the Eiler Unit had been observing the conversation. "Let's finish up here and take a small break."
Inwardly, however, Pihne felt a small prick of worry pluck at her heart.
No Prophets were discovered here. That can only mean…
With the Heruin and Eiler units being temporarily dismissed from their duties, the members were left to seek relief within the sanctuary, so long as the knights' general code of conduct was followed and the natural balance of the land was not disrupted. Numerous campfires were started along the city ruins, while a large bonfire was present on the beach. The faint sounds of knights chatting, laughing, singing, and telling stories could be heard. The smell of fresh ingredients wafted through the air as food was cooked and kitchenware was passed around in time for dinner.
The atmosphere being fostered in Avalon was warm and homely; virtually the same as the lively atmosphere that typically existed within the gate after missions had been cleared for the day.
Somewhere else, Pihne and Caswyn reunited at the cliff, as promised. Caswyn had returned earlier than Pihne, much to the latter captain's expectations, but she did not keep him waiting long. The two settled just several meters away from the spot where the unicorns grazed to report their findings.
"Any luck?" Caswyn asked. His armored mask and breastplate faded in a small puff of light.
"No... If they're here, then they're certainly good at masking their presence. I... doubt that's the case, though." answered Pihne. She heaved a long sigh afterwards.
"That confirms a suspicion I had, then." It was Caswyn's turn to sigh. "The Prophets must have breached the Sanctum before us, especially seeing as Talvish and the rest still have yet to return."
"I don't like where this is going at all."
Caswyn's eyes began to travel from Pihne to the grass below them. "Well, if the situation presses on for too long, we'll have no choice but to head to the Sanctum and take it from there."
The leader of the Heruin Unit promptly seated himself. Stretching out his legs, he comfortably placed his back against the grass of the precipice, even with the incline. "For the time being, however, let's have faith in the others and take a moment to regain our energy."
"Or in other words, rest." corrected Pihne as she situated herself near him.
"Scouting the beach took a lot more out of me than I would've liked."
"You double checked the area just to be sure, huh? Always attentive to detail." The Eiler general couldn't help but shake her head. She then looked directly at him with a small smile. "You really never change, Caswyn."
"Would you expect me to?"
"Mmm… To tell you the truth: no. Though it wouldn't hurt to see you smile more often. Even the Milletian smiles sometimes, despite the many difficulties they face."
Her companion considered the suggestion. Outwardly, he hummed and closed his eyes as a soft breeze came through.
The two remained still as they basked in the quaint moment of rest they were given. Other than the clacking of dishes and numerous voices calling out to each other, the only sounds that could be heard belonged to the unicorns a little further up and the wind current leading to the Sanctum. The setting was definitely peaceful, but between the two of them, perhaps too quiet. Pihne decided to change that.
"Well, what do you know? We ended up getting stuck with guard duty, just like before."
She had been fixated on the darkening sky, but took the opportunity to redirect her gaze back to her companion lying in the grass. "Remember? There were times when we were tasked with watching the gate. And just watching the gate."
Caswyn opened an eye. "So it would seem." He had answered back in his usual neutral, steady tone.
"You know, this really takes me back…" Pihne continued, "Back then, I just really wanted to be appointed an official knight so I could finally take on real missions!
"And remember the uniforms we used to have to wear? The skirt for mine was seriously cut so short. At least you didn't look half-bad in your uniform. It's kind of funny thinking back on how you looked then, actually…"
Both of Caswyn's eyes were open again. His pupils darted away from her direction. "Don't remind me of that. The male Squire uniforms are less comfortable than they appear."
His companion covered her mouth, doing her best to contain a giggle. Caswyn remained silent. He didn't seem to share her sentiment, let alone interest in the topic she had presented. Thus, it was no surprise when the atmosphere between them started to fall silent again.
"...Hey, now!" Pihne piped up, just moments later. Her desire to disturb his silent brooding was quite obvious. "Don't tell me this is going to be a repeat of that one time when we were watching the gate late at night. We didn't get anywhere in terms of conversation then! Tell me, Caswyn: what's on your mind right now?"
Caswyn's silver eyes returned to her. Had it been anyone else speaking, he certainly would've ignored the question. He and Pihne were closer than that, however. Furthermore, it was decided that they would be more open with one another after his companion's self-inflicted Apostle incident. It would be not only difficult, but disgraceful to simply brush her off.
"Nothing coherent." he replied back. His expression remained uncommitted, however. "You suddenly seem very talkative right now, though. Are you nervous, Pihne?"
"Well…"
The situation regarding the Sanctum invaded both of their minds again. It was a painful and irritating thought; an embarrassing reminder that the Prophets had once again been a step ahead of them. Upon the realization, Pihne's cheerful expression transitioned into a frown. The friendly sparks in her eyes left as her eyebrows curved downwards, tinged with worry.
"I just hope they're okay. The Commander, Arthuan Unit, the Milletian, and all. This place is still very fresh and new to us. I almost can't believe we're actually beyond the Avalon Gate… To think that the Prophets may truly know more about this place than we do..."
The Heruin captain's voice softened. "Pihne…"
He studied his closest companion's face. While she was in deep contemplation about the situation they faced, he was more focused on her. His friend's countenance in that moment reminded him of impressions she made not too long before, when she was afraid to reveal herself as an Apostle - when she had still been an Apostle. Back then, she would act strangely and run off. She would hide herself from everyone during missions. She had even once considered throwing away her own life...
Thoughts of the past were not pleasant. For a person like Caswyn, who preferred to move forward, lingering on it was unproductive. Events that had already occurred, passed.
The mood in the air was changing from light-hearted to worrisome, however. He needed to counter it.
Caswyn sat up, pulling a bit closer to Pihne. Once satisfied, he'd lie back again. That particular time, his head rested upon her lap. His wild blue hair flowed along her thighs as he looked straight up at her.
"Mmm?" Pihne began, suddenly removed from her stiff contemplation. She could feel the weight of the resting figure's head upon her lap. "It's been a while since you've done that."
"This?" Caswyn seemed to consider his current position. It was comfortable enough. He gave a low hum before closing his eyes once again.
"Yup. The last time I found your head on my lap, you had just finished getting patched up for a minor head wound."
"To be fair, your lap was more comfortable than the pillow I was given in the infirmary."
"Was it really just that, though?" The Eiler leader teased back. "You seemed so eager to get away."
"There was a person who kept crying in there… He wasn't convinced that he was still alive after his first encounter with an Apostle. On top of that, I wanted to see you."
"I can believe that. It really did seem like you had gone out of your way just to find me, considering you managed to sneak past the Eiler Unit quarters undetected."
There was some magic in the moment, inciting another pleasant sweep of nostalgia within Pihne. "It was nice, being able to sort through our thoughts at the time. It was on an evening just like the one we're facing now, too: the sun was still setting, yet the stars were already out."
"That's true." Caswyn was just starting to take notice of the faint traces of stars in the sky himself. His line of sight curtailed back to his friend.
"Are you still nervous now?"
Pihne considered the question for a good moment. When she settled upon an answer, she shook her head and a very faint smile took form on her face. "...You know, you were right. I have faith in the rest of them as well as our own units. If the Commander and the others are in the Sanctum with our enemy, then they are definitely fighting back. All of that training wasn't for naught. Also…" Her green eyes traveled down toward her companion, looking straight into his own silver eyes. "You're here with me. I couldn't feel any better."
To that, Caswyn was not exactly sure of how to respond. He knew he had sort of brought it onto himself, but at the same time, even with it being just Pihne, atmospheres dappled with warmth and sentimentality were not exactly his forte. He was starting to think that she intended to bring up...
"Which, speaking of… Caswyn, I was never able to finish what I was saying while we were in the Forest of Temptation."
It seemed that his suspicions were correct. Caswyn remained silent, waiting for Pihne to continue. But she kept silent as well. In fact, it wasn't until a few minutes had passed when she picked up her voice again.
"Do you think we'll get a day off after this long war is over?"
Being more than a little surprised, Caswyn hadn't expected that. "I doubt it. There will still be other matters to take care of, like informing the public about what's been happening once the right time comes, and then assuaging frightened citizens..."
"That's true, but there's sooo many knights to take care of that now, not to mention public figure number one: the Milletian!" Pihne responded, with some emphasis to her wording. "I think it'd be fair if we received some time off for once."
"Still, evil never rests. We can't let our guard down, even after all of this concludes."
"Are you saying you don't want a day off, Caswyn?"
"Well, no… but-"
"Aha! I thought so! I'll ask the other leaders about it. Once this whole thing is done with, that is. Granting a day off for our hard work every once in a while can't be that unreasonable. I mean, even the Squires receive time off."
Before Caswyn could say anything about it, Pihne quickly continued, friendly sparks forming in her eyes again.
"So… I heard there's this nice restaurant in Emain Macha. My parents once mentioned that they wanted to take me there when I was young, but…" Her tone wavered as she remembered the brief time she shared with her parents, however she quickly cleared her throat to continue. "Anyway, I was thinking we should both go there someday and-"
"Is this what you wanted to tell me?"
Pihne was taken aback by his question. To his sudden interruption, she couldn't help but scoff. "Geez, Caswyn! Maybe I was about to suggest throwing you into the lake there, since I heard the restaurant is floating right ON it!"
Mildly amused by the comment, Caswyn formed a small smile that crept up on one side of his face. "Heh. Do as you please."
"No objections? Well, if I were Avelin, I would probably take up on that. It seems like she's baffled by your actions and behavior more often than not."
"Tell me about it…"
"Seriously, though: One of these days, we should stop by there and enjoy a nice meal."
Caswyn's half-smile faded. "Wouldn't that be expensive? Shuan already complains about the lack of funds."
"Don't worry. It wouldn't come from the Alban Knights' personal bank. I'd be treating!"
"Why would you do that?"
"I'd do it because I want to show my thanks for everything you've done for me in a way other than just saying 'thanks.'" Pihne answered back with a wink, "Besides, we really haven't eaten any good food in a long time. It would be so much better than eating the stuff the other knights make!"
Caswyn considered the idea. "While that is true, we're on a strict diet. Avelin would rat us out afterwards."
"She doesn't have to know."
"She has ways of knowing; we have eyes and ears all over Erinn. And even with that, I'm not well-informed when it comes to good food."
"We can work on that. I mean, together. I'm not all that well-versed in exquisite cuisine myself."
"Hm…"
Pihne raised a brow. "Are you against my idea, Caswyn?"
"Well, it's not that." he answered back before his eyes diverted from hers.
"Then?"
His gaze returned. "I feel like you're beating around the bush here. In the forest, you spoke of being honest with your feelings. Here, you're saying something completely different."
To that response, Pihne's eyes widened. "...Hey, you got me!" Relaxing them again, she made a small smile. "Well, I'm sure you already know how I feel."
"Do I?" It was Caswyn's turn to raise a brow.
"That was part of the reason why you interrupted me back then, right? You said it wasn't the right time to say it."
"There isn't anyone else here to hear us right now. You can speak your mind."
Pihne nervously considered his words. "...You're right. But before I speak, you have to sit up."
The expression on Caswyn's face momentarily changed from placid and carefree to glum. Pihne's lap was warm and comfortable. He didn't feel like getting up from it. He understood her intentions, however. She wanted to speak to him as her equal, and in order to do that, she needed to see him eye to eye.
The Heruin captain removed himself from her lap. Backing up just a bit, he found a seat in the grass and settled himself there. He leveled his silver eyes with Pihne's green ones.
"Caswyn. I'm really glad I met you." began the Eiler captain. "You're like my polar opposite, you know? You're so blunt and honest, never afraid to hold back your true thoughts... I really admire you. You really care about your work and it shows through your efforts, even if you seem lazy to the others at times.
"I'm sorry that I kept secrets from you. Honestly, it's really amazing that you were able to see through the masks I put on. You even knew about the voices in my head… and that I was hiding the fact that I was becoming an Apostle. Thank you so much… for actually caring about me. And for working with the Milletian to help me."
After her sincere monologue, Pihne couldn't help but place her hands on the empty space in her lap. Her gaze wavered, falling to them. "You know what, I'm seriously beating around the bush here." Her eyes then leveled with his again.
"Caswyn, I like you. As a friend - and more than that. As a guy... no, a man." The blushing of her cheeks was growing more and more apparent. "I know we're knights and our work always comes first. Dating might even be out of the question, but still… Will you accept my feelings?"
Caswyn stared back at her, but not blankly. He seemed to consider her question - at least outwardly. Inwardly, he had already been set on his response. It had been with him long before she had even asked.
"I will." he answered. "I like you too, Pihne. I could tell you always put others before yourself. And despite the tendencies I possess that the other units find strange, you've always been accommodating." His gaze remained steadily fixated on hers. "My trust and faith in you has never changed, even with all that we've been through as knights and now as leaders. I don't think you know how much you mean to me..."
After speaking, his lips pulled into a smile. That lovely smile Pihne had been wanting to see.
"I'm glad we feel the same." Her blush faded, as there was no reason to feel bashful anymore. A wide smile of her own took over. "I'm sure that we'll be able to learn a lot more from each other with this. Will you share your piece of mind with me? I want to be more honest with my feelings around the others, but showing my anger and sadness is still a bit difficult at times, especially when I want them to be happy."
The request wasn't impossible. Adjustments could be made. "Of course." Caswyn responded. He wasn't done there, though. The learning process his companion proposed had to go both ways in order for their minds and hearts to grow. As such, he made a request of his own.
"...In exchange, I would like you to help me learn to deal with lively atmospheres better. If we're to get days off after this, Talvish and most certainly Altam will try to make a celebration of it."
"Aw, yeah! It's a deal. Now all we need is a day off!"
"More than one, ideally."
Words spoken and feelings out, the two leaders felt satisfied, turning their gazes to the sun dipping into the horizon.
After minutes of watching the Palala set and Ladeca and Eweca begin to rise, the captains felt content and rested enough to head back into action. They both looked towards each other with knowing, confident glances, but there was also another spark in both of their eyes that motivated them to move forward.
"It's time we head to the Sanctum." Caswyn gently spoke, prompting his companion to remove her head from his shoulder. She had quickly found herself leaning against him in their sky-watching.
"Thankfully, our units will still be able to function just fine without us." Pihne added with a stretch of the arms. "So, let's get to it!"
However, before any proper measures were taken, Caswyn and Pihne raised their heads in unison. There was a sudden shift in the atmosphere - an influx of energy that felt almost entirely foreign. The two captains could easily detect it. Furthermore, they could pick up on a faint voice coming from somewhere in the distance.
"It has to be… here! Hah! See! I knew it!"
Judging by the strange energy that was introduced, the voice could not have come from an Alban Knight. Talvish and the others were still in the Sanctum, while the knights from their own units were still enjoying a break. It was equally unlikely that anyone out of the proposed options would even try to grab either captains' attention with such an informal tone.
Quickly, Caswyn rose and watched as Pihne did the same. He reached for the sheathed daggers at his waist as she withdrew her wand and shield. In the brief moment their eyes met, a silent conversation well understood by both individuals took place.
Apostles?
Unlikely. I don't sense corrupted Divine Light, but some other kind of energy.
Same here. Still, possible threat.
Indeed.
The two remained still as the energy became more concentrated. The source was moving closer. But from which direction? The leaders, more alert than ever since their mission began, remained side-by-side to have each others' backs.
Pihne looked at Caswyn one more time. They shared the exact same thought.
If they made it this far, then they must be here to reach the Sanctum.
Caswyn drew a deep breath, preparing for the worst.
"Now, I'm pretty sure the spike in energy here indicates that…"
The voice piped up again, but that particular time it felt closer than ever. The direction became clear: the source had to be traveling up the cliff.
"-the sanctuary within the sanctuary is…"
Then the voice fell silent, seemingly having realized that it wasn't quite alone. Standing before the source of the voice and along the incline were two Alban Knight captains standing on guard, ultimately blocking the path leading farther up.
"-Uh... wait…" the voice picked up again, but with slight hesitation that particular time.
An especially odd-looking fellow stood before the two, bearing a fascinating aura composed entirely of magical energy. His hair was white and his attire was incredibly informal. A heavily modified glove covered one of his hands. Strangely, the gemstones on it matched the gem-piece on his necklace and the stud earrings he was wearing along one ear.
Seemingly too flamboyant to be an Apostle and far too careless to be a Prophet, the man stood before them with more than a bit of surprise taking over his facial features. His bright-white appearance was incredibly difficult to miss, especially since it contrasted with the darkening sky that had long begun to roll in.
He was definitely quite the stranger.
Sensing possible danger, Pihne instinctively began to charge up Thunder. Caswyn held both of his daggers firmly and proceeded to take on a defensive stance. Both decided to give the man a chance to explain himself.
"Who are you? ...You possess neither Divine Light nor corrupted Divine Light. Just how did you enter this land?" demanded Caswyn.
"Whoa, whoa. Slow down there, buddy." The stranger raised his arms as if to surrender, then stepped back a bit with caution. "Looks like I counted my chickens before they hatched." he muttered, more to himself than to the knights who were on the defense.
"Do you always greet others like this? Because I'm not the one you should be raising your weapons at. You guys are the knights working behind the scenes to protect the world from danger, right?"
"How do you know about us?" Pihne asked in confusion. Her grasp on her weapon and shield remained tight.
Crossing his arms, the stranger continued. "Let's just say I know someone who has been working alongside your organization for some time now."
That caused Caswyn to cock a brow. "And how does that make you any less suspicious?"
The man sighed, lowering his arms. "Not good enough? Okay then… Look, I came here because my gut instinct told me something big - like, world ending big - was about to go down starting here. And it's all rooted to a promise I made to someone who helped me a long time ago. I said I'd return the favor by helping him when the world was in great peril. That time is now."
The two knights felt even more confused, but no less suspicious. Still, Caswyn considered the stranger's words and lowered his weapons - slightly.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The other man did his best to resist posing heroically. The struggle in doing so was visible. "My name is Merlin. Heard of me? I should be the most famous Druid in the history of Erinn by now, given everything I've done."
"Merlin?" Pihne gave a confused look. "That's not a common name at all. It sounds familiar, but…" She seemed to ponder on it for a moment, but just as quickly dismissed the idea. "Either way, we have no proof that you are who you claim to be, or that you intend to act based on the intentions you've mentioned."
"Aw, come on! I really don't have time for this!" 'Merlin' shouted in a frustrated manner. "I just told you that the world is going to fall apart. You still think the best action to take right now is to continue interrogating me?!"
To the man's sudden fit of emotion, Caswyn contrasted with him by remaining composed. "You still haven't answered my question. You're a stranger; a possible threat to this land. How did you enter the fields of Avalon?"
Merlin's posture stiffened. He was seemingly lost in thought as he decided on a satisfactory answer, or otherwise, an excuse. His facial expression fluctuated between frustration and annoyance. Faint sounds, but no coherent words came from his tongue.
All the while, Pihne and Caswyn, still very much on guard, continued to survey him carefully. The weapons in their hands were still gripped firmly.
"I have two words for you." Merlin finally stated after his moment. Where frustration had once been in his tone was replaced with anger. Suddenly, a small blue and white magic circle appeared underneath his shoes. The magical aura that shrouded his being spiked significantly.
"The. Gate. Now step out of my way!"
The 'simple' answer was given and Merlin threw his gloved arm out. The magic circle underneath him disappeared, with a white light that engulfed the man's already startling appearance replacing the circle. He was channeling his magic to cast a spell. Furthermore, he kept his arm out, seemingly prepared to send it in their direction.
Upon seeing Merlin's reaction, the knights were forced to jump back. The energy he was releasing was purely based on magic and mana, then fortified immensely. It was unlike the powers bestowed to the Alban Knights by God. Still, they had been trained better than to behave purely reactively when it came to pressing situations. Therefore, in the act of jumping back, Pihne had raised her wand, locking her aim onto the man's figure. She released her Thunder spell.
The cackling of a thunder clap soon followed as the initial lightning strike shot forward. At the same time, Merlin released his own spell. A ridiculously bright light flashed and expanded when the spell Merlin had cast and the lightning strike collided. The captains were forced to shield their eyes.
When they recovered, the two discovered that the stranger, Merlin, was no longer standing before them. Worse still, the lightning apparently failed to interact with its target. The attempt to counter his spell was unsuccessful.
"What?!" Pihne yelled out. She whipped her head to look back. Her companion mimicked her actions.
To their shock, they were met with the sight of Merlin not quite far from them. He was at the very top of the cliff, running towards the unicorns.
"Listen, Twinklehooves. I need you to make this fast." he hurriedly told one of the beasts. He appeared to be slightly toasted as he propped himself up onto the unicorn with ease, suggesting that Pihne's Thunder magic had, in fact, interacted with him. Even so, Merlin managed to settle himself instantaneously and with absolutely no problem.
The unicorn responded to his request, kicking its front legs up and neighing loudly. It then ran off towards the edge of the cliff. Adjusting its footing, it began to dash across the sky en route to the Sanctum.
"..."
The two captains had not expected that. Initially none the wiser, Caswyn and Pihne realized that the spell Merlin cast was not and had never been meant to be offensive, although it had been presented to them as one. Still, they were not the least bit pleased when it dawned on them that they had been fooled by a cheap teleportation stunt.
"Druidry tricks." Caswyn sighed.
Pihne scratched her head, mentally re-evaluating the situation at hand. "Weird… Yet I can't help but feel like this one means no real harm." She ultimately shrugged in defeat, noticing the Heruin captain's silver eyes return to her once more. He seemed eager to continue along the subject.
"He said that he knew someone working alongside our organization. I have a feeling I know who..."
"That can only mean the Milletian! And if the Milletian knows him well, he's definitely on our side!"
There seemed to be a sense of relief that swept through Pihne. On the other hand, Caswyn merely narrowed his gaze at the spot where Merlin once stood. "He seems like an idiot if you ask me."
A chuckle was offered back to his blunt response. "I guess he was a little more than strange, but it's good to know that he isn't here to harm Avalon."
"Yes, let's hope that's the case."
With one less problem to worry about, the leaders went about with visually scanning the area once more. Pihne would remind Caswyn about their previous idea when they were satisfied.
"Well, we were just about to head to the Sanctum anyway, so it can't be helped. Let's keep going."
Proceeding where they left off, the captains ran up along the incline to the flat region of the cliff, closing their remaining distance to the unicorns. A sizable number of the magical creatures continued to roam the cliff, still peacefully chewing at stalks of grass. It was as if none of them were particularly bothered by the previous minute's ruckus between the strange man and one of their fellow brethren.
Caswyn and Pihne peered into the distance from where they stood on the cliff. There, a quarter of the way along the journey could they still make out the outline of Merlin and his unicorn of choice escaping.
"He's not that far off!" exclaimed Pihne. "We can still catch up to him!"
With swiftness, the two leaders approached the band of unicorns lining up for the next scheduled takeoff. They decided to pick out two that were closely situated to each other, because even while mounted, they would have each others' backs.
"Ready to forge ever onward?" Pihne then asked as they settled themselves.
Caswyn's full attention had been focused on the escaped target. However, his companion's sweet voice took him away from it. When he looked over to her, he could see a bright smile on her face. It was a genuine expression, unlike many of the ones he'd seen her put on for the sake of hiding her imperfections. He couldn't help but notice his slight irritation from the previous moment melting away at the sight of it.
"...Yeah," he finally replied, feeling a genuine smile of his own creep up onto his face, "let's catch up to him and finally put an end to this war."
"You got it!"
With that, the unicorns took off for the Sanctum with the two leaders mounted on their backs.