I haven't been home in a week. I chickened out the day after going to the fractured dimension with Ludger and the others. I felt like he was just going to get mad at me. So, instead, I've been taking Bri traveling to different towns and cities, and teaching her the ways of a mercenary. We've taken on a bunch of odd jobs from people. Most of them being little, pesty monsters. It's been keeping me occupied and when we were at an inn, it's actually been really refreshing since Bri is like Teepo. Non-stop talking.

Bri was only fourteen. However, she has very unloving parents that never give her any attention nor any of the necessary things that humans need to live besides shelter. Though her parents weren't loving her, she had some very good friends. Her day consisted of coming to the meeting house for breakfast, going to a friends house for lunch, doing some weird job in order to get dinner. After dinner, she would come by the meeting house and stay very late, then go back to her parents just to sleep.

Bri was one of my mercenaries. I don't let her go on many jobs on her own, unless the monster was a tadpole type monster. I usually take her on the more dangerous jobs. She's very talented when it comes to spirit artes, however she is not very good with her sword. That's why I was the only one that was allowed to take her on the dangerous jobs. If something happened to her, I wanted the blame on me and not on one of my other mercenaries. I wanted this responsibility. I was the boss.

"Hey Achlys," Bri poked my arm to get my attention. "I read about a monster that had been attacking the Fennmont soldiers going to and from the Fort. I thought we could check it out."

I nodded. "Alright. Do you want to take the lead?"

The girl's face brightened. "Sure do!"

I politely bowed to her. "Go ahead. You know where Brauner road is, right?"

She pointed cheerly in the direction. "This way!"

Bri marched on towards the Fort with me right behind her. She was just so happy even though she was non-existent to her parents. She was a very bright girl as well. She reminded me so much of Jude. Even though she didn't go to school, she was always nose deep in a book about spirits, biology, or history. Practically anything. For her birthday, I taught her all about the spirit world and gave her some of Jude's old medical books. She absolutely loved them. It was just so amazing seeing this girl happy. She could brightened anyone's day.

"Achlys," Bri spoke. "Why have you been staying at the meeting house?"

I frowned, not really wanting to answer that question. "I had a lot of work to get done."

"Oh?" Bri replied, cocking her head in disbelief. "Is that why you haven't even been answering any of your calls or texts?"

Shit. This girl can see right through me. "I needed to clear my head. I was under a lot of stress so, I needed to keep occupied."

Bri shrugged, not believing that excuse either. "You sure you don't want to talk about anything?"

"Like what?" I asked.

She shrugged again. "Like a fight? Or Alvin? Or even both?"

I sighed and shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "No. Nothing like that."

Noticing that she wasn't going to get anything else out of me, she dropped the subject. "So, what kind of cake did you pick for the wedding?"

This subject wasn't much better, but it wasn't Alvin. "Pudding cake."

"Oh! I love pudding cake!" She twirled once with a little skip at the end. "Do you want to know what my dress looks like?"

"I'm assuming it's not any of the ones that I've seen you in?" I forced a laugh to brighten the mood.

She shook her head. "It's a short, dark purple dress and the skirt is really poofy!"

"That's nice," I replied, looking around.

There was no sign of any monsters that were vicious enough to attack soldiers anywhere. We were practically at the Fort now. I decided to make our way back, taking the lead this time. I wanted to check the branch of Brauner road that had the river flowing through it. That's where Alvin proposed to me. He made a nice picnic for us and took me out right along side the river. He told me he had tried making a fancy meal, but it burned so he made us sandwiches and bought some pie for us. It was really romantic honestly. Then, when we were just stargazing, he proposed. I had to ask him what the ring meant and he laughed, eventually explaining the significance of the ring. As I thought back, I twisted the ring on my finger and my heart fluttered.

"This is part of the road that the soldiers don't normally walk through," Bri announced, snapping me from my thoughts.

"I know, but we didn't see anything on the way to the Fort, so we might as well check here," I addressed, walking up to the spot where Alvin had proposed. "You know, this place puts me at peace."

"Is it because of the night clime?" Bri pondered.

"Well, that's half of it," I admitted. "I have such a happy memory here, that it just soothes me and all my stress goes away," I turned to look at Bri who was standing a few feet behind me. "Do you have any places like that?"

She nodded. "I like sitting in the trees at Hamil. I like sitting on the docks at Aladhi Seahaven. Most of all, I love sitting in the princessias in the north branch of the Mon Highlands."

"You like the cold, huh?" I grinned, turning back to the river.

"Yes. It relaxes me," She responded. "Just how the darkness relaxes you."

"Hm, I see," I mumbled, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

I heard a bubbling sound from right in front of me and suddenly, this place wasn't so relaxing anymore. Shooting straight up in front of me was a huge worm like creature with little, sharp teeth that roared like a dragon creature. This was totally the creature that was attacking soldiers. They must have come through here. If not, then they would have never found the creature because along the creatures body was gill like slits. This thing needed to be in water to survive.

"Bri! Get back!" I unsheathed my sword and charged straight at the creature.

It's skin was as hard as a rock. My sword barely cut it. The creature roared and casted blue sphere over me. I froze the water around it and ran from the arte. A dark mist glowed around my blade, and I slashed at the creature. That had worked better, but it wasn't enough. The worm flailed, breaking the ice from under me. Before I hit the water, I froze a patch of water so I didn't go under and be at the creatures mercy. I casted a few dark beams at the creatures head. They did nothing but anger the creature. His head came surging towards me, trying to snap at my face, but I was able to dodge out of the way and jab at the creatures head with my blade still in the dark mist.

The creature roared and it's tail came up from the under the water and swatted at me, but I dodged it. This creature was slow, but to make up for that, it's skin was unusually tough and it was huge. I casted a chaotic tornado and right after, dark wings. The creature again flailed at the attacks, breaking the ice from under me again. I froze the water under me and again charged at it. I had to create a plan that would actually work. These attacks of mine weren't really working. It was just putting this creature in a rage that could get me killed. There had to be away.

"A light comes forth."

Bri? I looked across the way towards the land. Bri was standing there starting to cast a spirit arte. What the hell was she doing? This creature was too dangerous for her artes. She couldn't take this creature. The creature pricked its head up and turned to Bri. It's teeth bared and it started to drool. Bri, looking at the creatures head, started to stutter and eventually failed to cast the arte, and just stood in her spot like she was frozen.

"Bri!" I shouted and charged in front of her.

I turned to face the creature, pointing my blade at it to encourage it not to attack, but it did anyway. It bit my blade, ripping it from my hand. I could feel my wrist burning from the force of the rip. The creature spit my blade out somewhere and it's head surged at me once more. I put my right arm up horizontally in front of me to block the blow, but again the creature bit my forearm and wouldn't let go. A blood curdling scream escaped my mouth and the creature lifted me up in the air by my arm, shaking me harshly. My screams grew louder, tears escaping my eyes and pouring down my face. I could feel my bones in my right arm breaking and my right shoulder escaping from it's joint. I didn't even realize I could be conscious through so much pain.

The only thing I could think to do was claw it's far with a dark, misty claw. The claw glowed around my left hand and I slashed at the creatures head a few times until it dropped me. I landed on my left side, hitting my head on a rock and pretty sure my left arm fell out of it's socket. I groaned, trying to rub my head, but everything hurt. Every part of my body. Even my leg, which I could feel a liquid, probably blood, oozing down them. I opened my right eye slightly, just in time to see the creatures head come at me again.

"Encrust!" I was able to cast through the pain.

The creatures mouth was encrusted with a dark shield, but that didn't stop it from bashing into my stomach and rubbing me roughly on the ground. Right to left. Up and down. I could feel my whole back being ripped apart by the sharp rocks underneath me. I was really sure that I was going to die. My adrenaline kicked in, but I could do nothing.

"Thunder blade!"

I watched in amazement as a blade appeared over the creature and sliced at it. Not doing much damaged, but at least it distracted the creature. I could feel small hands under my arms and drag me across the ground and leaned me against the rock wall. Bri kneeled down next to me and watched the creature try and fight off her thunder blade.

"Boss! Boss! Can you hear me?" The girl yelled frantically.

"Y-Yeah...," I breathed sharply. "Bri... You-"

"It's okay! I'll... I'll...," Bri was frightened. I've never seen her like this and I hated it.

In agonizing pain, I brought my left hand up a bit to stop her. "You have to... leave."

"Boss?" Bri frowned, on the verge of tears.

"Go," I repeated.

"I'm not leaving you!" Bri cried. Her thunder blade running out of time.

"Leave!" I hissed, gently pushing her away. "Save yourself."

She looked at the beast, then back at me and nodded. She leaped over me and ran in the direction of Fennmont. I don't know what was going to happen to me. I didn't much energy to defend myself. Maybe for a few minutes. If I was lucky, and used my energy wisely, I could maybe defend myself for as long as twenty minutes. When the thunder blade finally ended, the creature was able to sniff me out using my blood as reference and started reaching it's head for me. I was lucky. He could barely graze my foot.

"Fireball," I casted the arte at it's body, not wanting to anger it anymore than it was.

The creature just stood there and took the arte. I could have sworn it grinned at me. It was totally mocking me. I surged it's head at me again. I pulled up whatever dark wall I could, blocking it's head from reaching my foot. It was too painfully for me to move my pinky, let alone my whole leg. However, if the creature got at my foot, I was definitely dead. The beast rammed into my wall once again. Hissing as it backed up for another charge. I closed my eyes and readied myself for the impact. Readied myself for the final blow. But it never came.

I could hear shouts from humans. I could hear the roar of the beast. I could hear the clashing of steel with the creatures skin. I could hear the empty chomp of the creatures mouth as it tried to bite down on someone. I could hear everything, but I couldn't recognize anyone.

"Homing shot!"

I knew that voice. I knew that arte. Opening my right eye slightly, I wheezed. "Al?"

He was too transfixed on the battle to even hear me, but he was here. He was saving me. The others? I couldn't recognize the other voices. A little hand, smaller than Bri's gently shook my shoulder, causing me to winced in pain, but not scream. I rolled my head over to the right and looked at the face. Elle? Elle was in this dangerous place? Oh Ludger. Well, I guess she was fine in the fractured dimensions. Those were way more dangerous than any monster that I could think of in the prime dimension.

There was a loud, hard thump that vibrated all around the area. The vibrating hurt me. It hurt a lot. I could help but scream, probably scaring Elle in the process.

"Achlys? Achlys! Can you hear me?" Alvin kneeled at my side, rolling my head to his side so that he could look me in the eyes.

"Y-Yeah...," I was able to say. I grimaced and grabbed at a wrist that tried to touch my other arm. It was Rowen, looking older than usual, or it could have been the blurriness in my eyes. "Please... unless yo-you're going to heal... don't touch."

"We should get her to an inn," Leia addressed.

"No," Rowen stated. "We shouldn't even try to move her in this condition."

"Shit," Alvin growled. "None of us can heal this extensive injuries."

"I-I'm fine," I said in order to try and brighten the mood.

Alvin chuckled through some tears. "Stubborn as usual."

"Maybe he's still in the area," Ludger mumbled, taking out his phone and dialing a number. "Jude? Are you still in Fennmont?"

"Yeah, why?" I could faintly here the kid say.

"We're on Brauner road, the little branch that has the river flowing through," Ludger started. "We found Achlys and she's hurt badly. We need you here. Now!"

"I'm on my way," Jude announced. "Tell me what I'm dealing with as I make my way to you."

"She won't let any of us touch her, but...," Ludger looked at my face first. "She has multiple cuts on her cheeks. Her head is bleeding from multiple places."

"My back," I groaned and tried to lean forward.

"Hey, hey. Don't push yourself," Alvin cautioned and helped me lean forward. "Deep cuts all over her back from what looks like rocks, honor student."

Alvin leaned me back against the wall and took a breather. He couldn't look me in the eye. Why? With my shaking left hand, I slowly, and gently, picked his chin up so that his eyes were locked on mine. He took my hand in his and kissed the back, choking back tears. I tried so hard to smile, but even that was painful. I breathed in. "Alvin-"

"I'm...," Alvin's voice was shaky and choked up. Ludger was still examining me, telling Jude all the injuries that he could. "I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry I y-yelled at you," He took a breath to fight back the tears. "I know you were... you were just trying to help and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I called you Presa."

"Al...," I wanted to tell him it was okay. I wanted to tell him that I wasn't mad.

"If it wasn't for me," He continued. "You wouldn't be in this situation."

"Don't be stupid," I was finally able to blurt out. "This... this is my fault. I shouldn't... I shouldn't have left for that long."

"Alright, I'm here," Jude gently pushed aside both Ludger and Leia, and looked me once over. "Alright. I'm going to heal whatever I can to get her to walk. I can't heal all of this myself so we should take her to the medical center," Jude hummed, turning my head gently both ways. "First, her head so that she doesn't want to sleep."

His hands hovered on each side of my head. I felt immediate relief and let out a loud, comfortable sigh. "Oh, I feel much better already."

"Good!" Jude laughed, examining me once more. "I'm going to leave the arm for the medical center. That's going to take a while," He mumbled to himself, scratching at his head. "I'll heal your back and legs. Then you should be good to walk to the medical center."

"My left shoulder," I glanced at it. "It feels like it's out of the socket, but I can still move it."

"Probably a bruise on the muscle," Jude nodded. "Alvin, lean her forward for me, please."

Alvin nodded and leaned me forward. "This good?"

"Perfect," Jude affirmed and started to relieve me of my back pain.

"Al?" I whispered, turning my head to face him.

"Yeah?"

"I love you," I gushed. "I love you and I'm sorry."

To my surprise, he laughed and kissed me on my dry, cracked lips. "I love you too. You don't need to be sorry about anything."

"Alright, you can lean her back," Jude instructed. "Now the legs."

While he went to work on my legs, I glanced back to where the beast laid. "Wow, you guys really took it out."

"Alvin did most of the work," Ludger admitted. "He was so livid."

"Well," Alvin rubbed his neck.

"You're blushing Alvin," Leia giggled.

"Alright, you should be good," Jude finished. "Let us help you stand. I don't want you exerting yourself."

I nodded. Alvin scooted behind me, putting his hands around my waist. Ludger and Jude got on each of my sides and they all hoisted me up to my feet. They stayed there for a bit, making sure I got my balance and that I wasn't in agonizing pain. My right arm dangled at my side, screaming with pain, but I ignored it. Just concentrate on standing. Concentrate and ignore the pain.

"Boss?"

I looked up from the ground and cocked my head. "Bri?"

The girl nodded and held out my broken sword. "It's broken..."

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter. I don't even have a sheath for it anymore anyway."

She nodded, teary eyed and grasped at handle tightly. "I-I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked, taking a few wobbly steps towards her.

"I should have listened to you when you told me to stay back," Bri whispered and dropped her arms to her sides. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"Whoa, whoa. Hold up," I objected. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be standing here. You saved me."

"Boss," Bri sighed and avoided my gaze.

"Hey," I put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You're my responsibility. If anything happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself."

"Boss," Bri repeated in a whisper.

I looked around the area. "Where's my bag?"

"I've got it," Elle scrambled up to me and held out my bag.

"Thank you," I grinned and rummaged through the bag, grabbed at a small cloth bag and tossing it to Bri. "Here."

"What's this?" The girl felt through the cloth and her eyes widened. "Boss, I can't accept any gald."

I shrugged my one shoulder. "For a job well done."

She threw her arms around my chest and squeezed gently. "You're the best."

"Now, come on," I rustled the kid's hair. "After this is over I'll treat you to some mabo curry. How does that sound?"

"Mmm, mabo curry!" Bri squealed and skipped off towards Fennmont.

"That was really kind of you, Achlys," Rowen simpered.

"She looks quite young," Alvin pointed out, putting an arm around my waist and slowly helping me towards Fennmont.

"She's only fourteen," I declared. "However, she doesn't have the best home life."

After a few steps, my legs didn't want to move anymore and I fell to my knees. I've never felt like this before. I've never felt so useless. Suddenly, I was whisked up off my feet and I found myself being cradled by Alvin. "Don't worry," He said. "I'll carry you."

"Thank you."


"You really are a lucky one," The doctor laughed, healing up my right arm. "You'll have to rest for a few days though. I can only heal so much. You're body will need to do the rest."

"Okay," I nodded.

"I don't think the bite is infected, but you may still develop a small fever," He informed me, hovering over my stomach now. "Wow, you really are lucky. I would have sworn you would have internal bleeding."

"I really thought so too," I sighed, getting fidgety on the table.

"Hold still," The doctor instructed. "If you fidget, I can't heal you correctly."

I winced, but held still. "It's kind of... agitating. It doesn't hurt though."

"That's good that it doesn't hurt," He said. "Now, I want you to rest however much you can, but make sure you take a nice stroll once a day to get your strength back up."

"Will do."

The doctor took his hands away from my body and walked towards the door. "I've left some pants, a shirt, and a pair of clogs on the chair next to the desk. I suggest you change into them and come out when you're done. I will inform your husband of your condition and what he needs to do," And with that, he closed the door behind him.

"Huh, husband," I smirked, gently sliding off the table. "I like that."

I wobbled over to the chair, taking off my clothes and heels and slipping on the other clothes. The loose shirt and pants felt relieving on my body, but shit. I was really short. These clogs were comfy though. My clothes, even my heels, were sliced up and damaged beyond repair. Sighing, I threw everything in the trash and wobbled my way out the door to see the group that was patiently waiting for me in the waiting room.

"Hey short stuff," Alvin smirked. I never really realized how tall he was until he was looming over me.

"Wow, you're shorter than me!" Leia exclaimed, comparing her height to mine.

"Okay, okay. We all get it. I'm short," I huffed and wobbled over to a seat. Bri sat next to me, giggling. "Hey giggles, want to go for mabo curry now?"

She nodded. "Yes please."

I looked at the group with a smile on my lips. "Would any of you like to join us? On me."

"Can't argue with that! Count me in!" Alvin laughed, helping me up off the seat.

"Yeah, I think we could all go for some," Rowen smiled.

"Only if they can make it Elle style!" Elle informed us.

"I'm sure they can make it Elle style," Ludger winked at the girl.

Alvin brushed my hair down and away from my ear and purred. "And then after, you're coming home with me."

I nodded and kissed his now cool cheek. "Yes, I am."

"Oh!" Alvin gasped and rummaged through his own bag, taking out a few stacks of paper. "I-I wanted you to sign these for me."

"What are these?" I asked, peering at the writing.

"The contracts," Alvin replied. "I know you ripped the originals up, but I could still make out which farmers and shippers they were. So, I went to all of them and took a contract from them. I just need you to sign them."

I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed tight, not caring about the pain that was developing in my right arm. "Alvin, of course I'll sign them."

"Alvin," Ludger elbowed him to get his attention.

Alvin looked at the boy who was holding Alvin's old coat in his arms. "Oh, yes," Alvin took the coat from Ludger and put it over my shoulders. "It looks better on you than it did on me."

Leia blushed as her stomach started to grumbled. "Uh, can we eat? I'm so hungry!"