Chapter 28

Cain finished stuffing the last of his belongings in his worn rucksack, taking a moment to glance about the room for any straggling items. While the nomadic life had suited him for some time, the lack of anything to call his own was starting to wear on him and he longed for a bit of earth to set down roots again. He thought of some hidden away land he passed on his way to Finaqua, still near enough his old home to be familiar but far enough to not be tainted with the pain of old memories. It was a small clearing covered in wild flowers that abutted a creek on the edge the woods. The elevation provided a gentle slope into a valley where the water emptied into one of the many lakes of area. He could envision DG there easily, barefoot in the creek, her laugh mixing with sound of the water as it flowed down the hill side. He had sent an inquiry to the magistrate and, pleased to find it unclaimed, put in a settlement request.

He pocketed his razor that remained on the night stand and made his way to the city street below. Central City was looking better than it had in years with the Sin District being pushed back into the blocks of confinement it originally occupied. Families were moving in and a new park was under construction in the center of the area now taken up by the refugees. Even Cain had to smile at the excited children bouncing up and down at the edges of the site, eagerly awaiting their new playground. He nodded at a Tin Man stationed at the corner, glad for their return. It seemed to be another sign that the OZ was returning its once previously stable state.

It wasn't long before he made it to the stables and was saddling his horse when a familiar figure appeared in his peripheral vision.

"What can I do for you, Commander?" he asked as he pulled the last leather strap snug and turned to to face the man. He was surprised to see him in civilian traveling clothes and a pack at his feet as he leaned on his ever present sword.

"Since our regiment has all been given leave, I thought I would see if you would like company on your travels."

Cain gave him a shrewd look, "A whole year wasn't enough togetherness for you?"

Bowen smiled, "It is a good thing it's your destination and not your company I'm after. I received an invitation to Princess Azkadellia's coronation. I assume that is where you are heading."

Cain smirked, "Alright then. You ready?"

Bowen nodded, "Just need to saddle up. I'll meet you out front."

The Commander made for a decent travel companion. As mouthy as he could be sometimes, he did know the value of silence as well as that of a sharp word. Overall, Cain was glad for his presence as solitude did not hold the appeal that it once did. The start of the excursion was mostly uneventful, save for that one night that Bowen had far too much to drink in the tavern and a local was far too vocal about his opinions on the eldest Gale sister. Cain's revolver and Bowen's, albeit unsteady, sword squashed the dispute before it could really get going and the evening ended with profuse apologies upon bar patron's recognizing one of Heroes of the Eclipse.

A few days later, just as Bowen's hangover had finally subsided, they were skirting the edges of a village when Cain reared his mare to a stop, raising his hand to signal Bowen to do the same. They both dismounted, ears straining in the silence when he heard it again, a muffled scream in the distance.

"Shit," muttered Bowen unsheathing his sword. He and Cain sprinted towards the line of houses, entering the the one they deemed most likely to be the source of the noise. Cain peered through the windows, moving silently around the home, Bowen covering his back. He finally spotted them in the bedroom, a family of four, tied and bound at the wrist and ankles. Their aggressor was not in sight. He pried open the window and stepped in, pulling the gags from their mouths.

"Longcoats," the father sputtered out, his mouth dry.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, just a little roughed up and they took anything of value they could find."

Bowen carefully cut through the ropes a the children's wrist.

"Where did they go?"

"Probably making their way through the village. Mean sons of bitches... especially the one leading them."

"Yea? What did he look like?"

"Tall, blonde, cold eyes, and a weird name..."

Cain paused as he sawed through the man's bindings, his blood running cold, and he looked up to meet the his eyes.

"They called him Zero."

Cain and Bowen exchanged looks, a silent agreement passing between them.

"How many were there?"

"Five came into our home, but there could be more...What should we do?" asked the father.

"Send your wife and children into the woods to hide. You take up any weapon you can find and then look for us. We're as far as the bastards are going today."

DG walked briskly down the echoing hall, her heart hammering in her chest. She could feel Azkadellia's aura pitch in agitation, swirling in her head as she picked up the pace.

She entered her office, forgoing any greeting, "What is it?"

Azkadellia looked up from her letter and held it out to her sister for her own inspection.

"It is a report on some recent Longcoat activity in a village to the South. Apparently they had not been able to find passage through the shifting sands of the north and are planning on trying their luck to the east. Their leader's description is reminiscent of Zero's."

DG's eyes shot up from her reading.

"He was supposed to be dead."

"It seems he survived the prison riot by disguising one of the burned corpses as his own."

"Cain suspected as much... but after a year of nothing... why now?"

"Desperation? Madness? I don't doubt we'll be able to ask him ourselves soon."

"What do you mean?"asked DG confused.

The Longcoats were thwarted in their attack by two men. These two managed to subdue the Longcoats and turn them over to local authorities, all except for Zero. They kept him as their own prisoner. One of these men was described as chatty with a sword. The other as angry with a gun."

DG's heart lodged itself into her throat and it took her a moment to speak around it.

"But... where are they?"

"I don't know. This just says they left in a generally North direction," said Azkadellia, a smirk starting to turn up the corner of her mouth as a brilliant smile broke across DG's face.

"Seems your General is on his way back, little sister."