-The Story So Far-
Departing from Goldshore after defeating a greedy apothecary, Alfyn and the Shining Hope Squad come to the town of Saintsbridge, where Alfyn hopes to keep saving people far and wide like the man who did the same kindness to him.
Little do they know that the next patient they will heal, isn't no ordinary man…
In the town on Saintsbridge, a man kneeled by the side of a house as a rough looking man walked by.
"Care to spare a scrap of food? I only ask for a little bit." the man kneeling known as Miguel asked.
"You seem injured. Let me look at that." the rough man said looking. "The wound has festered. You'll be dead by next sunrise."
"Wha? Oh...you're one of them apothecaries is that it? Luck is on my side." Miguel said.
"Before I treat you...I like to ask a question." he said.
After the man asked and Miguel answered, the man stood up.
"Sir...I'm afraid you're out of luck." the rough looking man said walking away.
It was then that Alfyn and the Shining Hope Squad arrive.
"Hey! What're you doing, that man's wounded!" Kendo said.
"And who are you people suppose to be?" the rough man asked.
"I may not look like it but I'm an apothecary myself." Alfyn said.
"A fellow druggist huh? Well...it's a free world. I have the right to choose my patients." he said.
"What? But… he'll die!" Erica said.
"Like I just said...some lives just aren't worth saving." the man said as he walked off.
"Argh…!" Hope said running to Miguel. "Don't worry, that guy was just some jerk. We'll fix you up."
"There. That should do it. You'll be better in no time." Alfyn said as they moved him into a house to rest.
"I can't thank ye enough lads. In no time, I'll be healed up thanks to ya." Miguel said.
"Don't mention it. We help out anyone in need." Hope said.
"But why did that guy not cure you? Everyone's in need of treatment." Gemini said.
"Uh not sure. See...I'm just a former mercenary now a farmer who is trying to feed his three kids." Miguel said.
"Mercenary...I see…." Daisy said. "I think we should stay in town till Miguel recovers. Let's leave him to rest."
The group left the house as Hope came up to Daisy.
"What's up, sis?" Hope asked.
"There's something I don't trust about Miguel. Hope, you know I've known the truth of our family the longest so I know when someone is lying. He isn't telling us the whole truth." Daisy said.
"What do you mean? That other guy is a sham? Didn't even bother to heal him." Hope said.
"Really? Take a look at that." Daisy said pointing to the distance as the same man was healing a child.
"That guy healed that kid… so that means he was right." Hope said. "You don't think… is Miguel really a Mercenary?"
"Hope, you're still not getting it. Oh for the...come on." Daisy said dragging him off. "Excuse me, sir."
"You were with that apothecary earlier." the man said.
"I wanted to ask...why did you refuse to save that man's life earlier?" Daisy said.
"I thought I told you...his life wasn't worth saving." he said.
"But every life is worth saving!" Hope said.
"Every life huh? Let me tell you a story. I was once an apothecary with that same belief until one day. I met an escaped criminal and brought him into my home and healed him up. One day when I came back, I found my house ransacked and my wife killed in a bloody pile." he said.
"Oh my god…." Hope said.
"After that, I dedicated myself to helping others across the land while also choosing my patients." the man said.
"I see. So you knew Miguel was not the man he made us believe he was." Daisy said. "Or rather he made everyone other than me believe." she said looking to Hope.
"Come on...we helped him...maybe he'll return the favor." Hope said.
"Uh huh...look, he's doing it right now." Daisy said looking in fear as Miguel was holding a young boy at spear point while getting a ransom from the mother.
"Oh god! Miguel!" Hope shouted as Miguel heard and ran into the woods with the child.
"We need to go after him." Daisy said as they two ran into the forest before finally catching up with Miguel and the child, lying on the ground with a wound in his stomach. "What in the?"
"The kid wouldn't stop whining so I had to keep him quiet." Miguel said.
"But...why would you do this? You're supposed to be on the narrow!" Hope said.
"Come now. I'm just a farmer with four kids at home." Miguel said.
"Four? I thought it was three?" Hope asked.
"Oops. Heh. Guess I should learn to keep my stories straight." Miguel said.
"You lying bastard…!" Hope said. "You tricked Alfyn into healing you, and worse you made a fool out of me!"
"That ain't my fault. You heroic types were always so gullible." Miguel said. "You're the easiest type of person who falls for whatever sob story you hear."
"I'm gonna kick your ass!" Hope shouted.
"I stretch the truth for time to time, but I wasn't lyin' about bein' a mercenary. Miguel Twinspears has killed a hundred men if he's killed a dozen. Soldiers, mind you, not mollycoddles totin' a bag full o' weeds." Miguel said drawing his spears.
"Daisy, let's get this bastard." Hope said.
"I was hoping you'd say that." Daisy said.
"Good...then the two of ya can die together." Miguel said rushing at Hope and Daisy swinging his spears in a cross formation.
"Oh, you wanna dance?" Hope said drawing the Lightscale Trident. "Come on, then!"
Hope and Miguel clashed spears as he used the Lightscale Trident to catch Miguel's spears.
"You're not so tough. I thought ye fight with yer hands." Miguel said.
"I branch out. But I'm not the main attraction." Hope said. "Daisy, now!"
"On it." Daisy said drawing her twin pistols as she fired at Miguel as it seemed like all the shots missed.
"I thought you would be a better shot." Miguel said.
"Oh I wasn't aiming for you." Daisy said.
"Huh?" Miguel asked before his wound reopened as he shouted in pain.
"She was aiming for your wound, genius." Hope said. "Bet you didn't think it would bother you… think again!"
Hope then kicked Miguel away and then stabbed him in the wound with his Trident. "Sorry. But that's the favor we owe you."
"The bleedin'... Not this… again…" Miguel said before collapsing.
"That'll keep you down until the guards come and get you." Hope said.
"Uh...Hope...the guards are gonna be burying him...he's dead." Daisy said checking the body.
"Wh...what?" Hope said shocked.
"We can discuss this later...the child is what needs attention now." Daisy said picking the kid up as they ran back into town.
Hope then took the child back to Alfyn and the group.
"Hope?" Alfyn said.
"Talk later, this kid needs some treatment, now!" Hope said.
"Right…" Alfyn said carrying the child off. After treatment...Alfyn was informed of what happened as he fell into a slump.
"Maybe it isn't right to save every life." Alfyn said.
"Yeah, that guy had a point. I gotta stop being so stubborn and believing everything I hear from people like Miguel." Hope said. "So...where to next?"
"I...I just don't know anymore." Alfyn said as he wandered off out of town.
"Alfyn?...Alfyn?!" Hope said.
And so Alfyn left Saintsbridge behind, his heart once brimming with confidence, weighing heavily and hollow in his chest.
"Was I wrong to believe what I believed?"
"What would he have done?"
He called out to the man who once saved him, but to no avail. His steps unsure, he sets out to Orewell in the Clifflands with the Hope Squad not far behind him.
