Where does the time go? You blink and months have passed. It's incredible, really.

Thank you to my beta, StardustAndAsh, for tackling this beast of a chapter.

~12~

As the party drew closer, Dahngrest steadily grew in size until it filled the horizon. It was a city to rival Zaphias, but the two were unlike in many ways. While Yuri's hometown was full of steel, granite, and cobblestones, Dahngrest was all bronze, wood, and red bricks. Dahngrest had a more relaxed atmosphere than the subtle anxiety that filled Zaphias' main streets. Huge chains held up buildings and bridges hung across the city, giving it an unorganized look that was in stark contrast to the neat, layered streets that Yuri as used to.

There was a huge backup of travelers trying to get into the city. All of them were lined up on the bridge to the East entrance. Karol, Repede, and Yuri stopped at the end of the line. Even from the other end of the bridge, Yuri could hear the noises of the city filling the twilight. Dahngrest was bustling and alive, and Yuri was reminded of why he had always enjoyed it when Clay and he had stopped here in the past.

Yuri scanned the crowd and sighed. Dahngrest didn't require papers to get into, but the five Master Guilds had collectively agreed on a list of illegal items and substances that weren't allowed in the city. All the incoming travelers were checked over and their belongings inspected.

"We'll be waiting for a long time," Karol commented as he worried the strap of his bag, "but when we get inside the city, I know a cheap place we can stay."

"It's not a total dump, is it?"

Karol took a step back as his cheeks flushed. "Of-of course not! It's a very nice inn, and the lady who owns it is really nice, too!"

"If you say so, Captain," Yuri replied blandly.

"Well, it is," Karol huffed as Yuri smirked down at him.

Silence settled between them. Karol began fidgeting, and Yuri pulled his gaze to Repede, who was sniffing around on the other side of the bridge. Yuri had yet to tell Karol the truth about what had happened in Heliord and this was an opportune moment. Karol and he were anonymous in the line, as everyone around them was more concerned with their own business. Yuri reminded himself that he needed to tell Karol the truth, even if it was difficult.

"Karol."

"What is it, Yuri?"

"In Heliord—"

"Well, look who it is! What are you doing here, you little shit?" A drawling voice interrupted Yuri.

A thin teenager with a face full of pimples was sneering in Karol's direction. He was flanked by two other boys, one with a large nose and the other with a scar running down the side of his face. They had materialized out of the lineup in front of Yuri and Karol and were now blocking their way.

"I thought we finally chased you out of town," the one with the scar said with a vicious smile.

Karol took a step back, terror filling his eyes. "I-I.."

"Look at 'im. Still a total wimp. Weren't you with the Hunting Blades when you left?" The one with the large nose sneered down at Karol. "You're so useless that another guild tossed you out! How many's that now, all of them?" He reached forward and shoved Karol to the ground.

Yuri unsheathed his sword and was between Karol and the group in a moment, and Repede rushed forward, snarling. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Oh look, the little shit's got a bodyguard! How much is he paying you to watch out for his sorry ass?" The pimply-faced teenager pulled out a dagger and stepped forward with a vile smirk. "I'll double it, and then you can help us beat him senseless."

The people around them had backed away, and many of them were staring at the scene with interest. Yuri easily disarmed the boy. He held his sword at the teenager's throat, and Repede circled him as fear spread across the boy's face.

"Hold it!" a deep male voice rang out.

A man with messy red hair and an eye patch, of all things, stepped up to the confrontation. A few others trailed behind him, authority in all of their stances.

So much for laying low.

"Charlie, how many times do I have to drag you to jail before you stop picking fights? If Felicia hears about this, you'll be kicked out of the Risen Order," the man scolded.

The pimply teenager was already pale from having Yuri's sword at his throat, but his face became bone white at the man's comment.

"That goes for the two of you, as well." The redheaded man scowled at the boy's cohorts. The two other teenagers turned to flee, but were grabbed by the man's companions. The man paid their plight no mind and turned to Yuri. "You've made your point, now put away the sword."

Yuri raised his eyebrows but didn't pull back his weapon. "Karol, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," Karol mumbled as he got off the ground.

Yuri smoothly put away his sword. "You're lucky this guy showed up, or you'd be dead." He gave the blond teenager a sharp smile. He wouldn't have actually killed the kid, but the look of terror he gave Yuri was well worth the threat. Served the bastard right for bullying Karol.

The men that had been following behind the redhead corralled the teenagers together and none too gently led them back towards the city. The silence that had descended on the bridge lifted as people began to gossip and get back into something resembling a line. The redhead hadn't left and was staring at Yuri, Karol, and Repede with one sharp eye.

The man's eye focused solely on Yuri. "What guild are you a member of? You have the attitude of someone from the Blood Alliance."

Yuri put a hand on his hip. "I could ask you the same," he easily deflected.

"I'm a member of Altosk," the man replied, showing no sign that he was annoyed that Yuri hadn't answered his question. "It's our job to keep the peace. From what I've heard, you tend to do the opposite."

Yuri felt himself tense at the comment. He was certain he'd never met this man before in his life. "I see my reputation precedes me."

The man huffed and shook his head. "A mutual friend told me to keep an eye out for you. Said you'd probably cause trouble before you even stepped into the city. Looks like he was right."

Yuri narrowed his eyes even as his heart lurched. "A mutual friend?"

"You seem like a smart guy. I think we both know who we're talking about. He told me to get you a pass into the city and a place ready for you and the kid to stay until he gets here. If you're interested?"

"Raven did all that?" Karol spoke up. "Wow, I didn't know he was he was so important. Is he a member of Altosk, too?"

Yuri resisted the urge to rub his forehead in exasperation, and the redhead sighed.

"You guys are quite the characters. Raven made it out like you were a couple of dangerous spies in his letter, but you look pretty average to me. And, yeah, he's in the guild. He's my boss. If he says 'jump', I ask 'how high' and offer him a glass of scotch to go with it." He crossed his arms over his chest. "If we're using names, mine's Noah. Now, are you coming, or not?"

Yuri stared hard at Noah, but he just impassively stared back. Although Yuri didn't like the idea of going exactly where Raven wanted him to. Yuri did know a huge secret of his, and who knew what Raven might do to keep things quiet.

"I'd rather not."

Noah shrugged. "If you want to pass up a free ride that's your business."

"W-wait! M-my name's Karol, and this is Yuri." Karol stepped forward and stood between them.

Noah peered down at Karol and gave him a small smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm glad to see someone around here has manners."

Karol sputtered at the complement and quickly turned to face Yuri to hide his blush. "We should go with him. Raven's just helping us, why shouldn't we accept it?"

Yuri found himself staring right at another opportunity to tell Karol the truth. He would have if it hadn't been for Noah watching them both intently. He wasn't about to go and spill what he'd seen in Heliord to everyone he met.

"Fine," Yuri said, looking at Noah instead of Karol. "If the place is dump, we're going somewhere else," he added to give himself a way to back out later.

"I don't think that's going to be a problem. It's one of nicer inns in the city."

Noah began to walk towards the front of the line, and Karol followed after him. Yuri and Repede trailed behind, as Yuri continued to doubt his decision. When Noah reached the line of guards at the end of the bridge, they moved aside without a word and barely spared the four of them a glance as they passed.

Walking through the twilight-filled streets brought on an onslaught of memories. The last time Yuri had walked these streets, Clay had been beside him. Now he maneuvered through the crowds with his eyes set on a stranger and Karol, wondering if he was walking into a trap. Karol kept looking over his shoulder at Yuri, as if checking that he was still there.

Noah led them to the center of the city, where many of the most powerful guilds had their headquarters. A statue of a giant bronze sword sat at the center of the circle of buildings, and it held the engraving, Our swords serve our freedom. Our shields serve our friends. Our lives serve everyone. Yuri remembered Clay scoffing at the sight of it, telling him that it was a propaganda piece the Don had commissioned. Yuri still liked it, especially because all of the statues in Zaphias were of past emperors and boring looking old men who had been knights or councilmen. The statue was interwoven into the tall spire that held the barrier blastia.

In the circle of buildings, a tall and thin red brick tower was marked at the Ruin's Gate headquarters, the guild emblem of a gate cluttered with excavation tools glinted orange in the dying light. Yuri wanted to investigate the HQ and try to find more evidence of thefts, but he would have to wait until later tonight. He needed to deal with whatever Raven was planning, first.

They turned down one of the branching streets that lead to the west side of the city. The buildings only grew larger in size and less people milled around these wider streets. Noah finally stopped a few blocks away from the Center, in front of an inn that was four stories high and hosted multiple balconies. Yuri balked at the sight of it, as it was nicer than any place he had ever stayed. From Karol's star-struck gaze, Yuri assumed he wasn't the only one.

"Wow!" Karol beamed up at their escort, "I never thought I'd get to stay in the Yoeman Inn!"

"The boss must like you," Noah commented offhandedly. This only made Karol smile wider. "Just tell the hostess that Noah sent you and give her this." He held out a worn piece of paper, and Karol took it.

Noah didn't bother saying goodbye before he turned and walked away.

"Come on, Yuri!" Karol waved the paper around in the air triumphantly before charging into the inn.

Yuri scowled at the cheery sign above the inn proclaiming that it held the softest beds in the city.

He looked down at Repede and sighed. "The old man is trying to bribe us into silence."

Repede growled and went to lie down under one of the inn's wide windows.

"You're right. I shouldn't let him get to me." Yuri looked up and saw the stars just beginning to blink into existence in the darkening sky. "I'll do what I have to, no matter what."

~12~

The room they were staying in was large enough to pass as an apartment. If fit two full beds, a long wooden table, and two armoires. The bathroom was about the size of Yuri's room back in Zaphias.

Yuri was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling while Karol sat at the table and scribbled away in his Monster Book. All throughout dinner Yuri had waited for Karol's good mood to sour, but the boy had kept happily babbling on. Yuri was done trying to be gentle about it. He had to tell Karol the truth, and if Karol hated Raven for it, that was on the old man's head, not Yuri's.

Yuri opened his mouth, but Karol looked up from his book before Yuri could say a word. The boy's brown eyes were sad, and the corners of his mouth were drawn downwards.

"S-sorry about earlier," Karol mumbled as he looked back down at the pages of his book.

"What are you talking about, Captain?" Yuri asked, though he wasn't sure if he was relieved or annoyed that his opportunity had been stolen again.

"Those guys from earlier. They wouldn't have bothered us if I wasn't such a-" Karol stopped abruptly, gripping his Monster Book tightly.

Yuri sat up. "You don't need to apologize. Those guys were a bunch of bastards."

"W-what they said was true. I've been kicked out of every guild I've ever j-joined. I-I keep thinking that maybe it would have helped if they had just beaten me up. Maybe then I'd wake up tomorrow and be d-different."

Karol's words hit Yuri like a tidal wave, and all his annoyance disappeared. "Karol, you're not going to wake up one day and be someone else," Yuri began as he got off the bed and approached Karol. "Everybody gets a certain lot in life and that's what you have to work with. Getting the shit beaten out of you isn't going to change that. Back when I was still a stupid kid, I wanted to be someone that I wasn't. I tried as hard as I could to become like them, but it was never enough. I was still me."

"Wh-what did you do?" Karol whispered, his eyes still glued to the book.

"I've decided to live my life as only I can, while doing what's necessary. I'm not saying you can't change. I'm just saying you don't need to become someone else, especially if it's for scum like those guys."

Yuri raised his hand, and it hovered uncertainly just over Karol's hunched shoulders. Finally he set it down on Karol's right shoulder, and Karol finally lifted his eyes from the pages of his Monster Book.

"What if I want to be different for someone I cared about? The way I am now, I'm not good enough for her."

"Are you talking about Nan?"

Karol looked away before closing his Monster Book and setting it on the table. "Yeah, but it doesn't matter anymore. She's given up on me."

"Just because she has, doesn't mean you have to. You need to keep moving forward. Besides, what about the people who haven't given up on you?" Yuri squeezed Karol's shoulder before letting go of it. "I think you can hold your own, Captain."

Karol looked up again, and surprise flashed across his face before it was replaced by a hesitant smile. He looked back at the book before saying, "Thanks, Yuri."

~12~

By the time Karol was fast asleep, the oppressive mugginess so common in Dahngrest had turned into a damp cool that wrapped around Yuri the minute he was clear of the inn's threshold. He was going to go have a look the Ruin's Gate HQ, and he did not want Karol to come along. Yuri was going to tell him all about what had happened in Heliord tomorrow, and Yuri wanted to let him rest before dropping a bomb like that.

Repede approached Yuri and barked in greeting.

"Thanks for waiting," Yuri said as he started walking.

Yuri had a decent understanding of where the main streets in Dahngrest led, but he wasn't sure about the street the inn was situated on. There were a collection of nice apartments and a small closed shop on the street, but the only thing that really stood out was the inn's sign. He started heading in the direction they had come from, since he needed to get back to the center of the city.

The street lead Yuri and Repede back onto a major thoroughfare that was packed with people enjoying the night life of the city. There were at least three groups of drunks stumbling around and singing off key. Yuri knew some people might find the sight offensive, but it was a relief to him. He could remember the dark and deserted streets of Heliord and enjoyed seeing the proof that the populace of Dahngrest didn't have a curfew hanging over their heads.

As Yuri walked, he kept an eye out for a bar called Comet. Though he had seen more taverns than he thought practical, he still hadn't spied it. He scowled at a particularly gaudy sigh that depicted a bottle of wine with a crown thrown over it. He still hadn't decided if he was going to meet with Raven or not. Lot of good it does me if I'm staying exactly where he wants me to. Yuri turned away from the flashing sign and kept trudging down the street. He had more important things to deal with right now.

After maneuvering through a busy area where a few street performers were playing music and doing acrobatic stunts for the passerby's amusement, Yuri and Repede finally made it back to the center of the city.

The windows of the Ruin's Gate HQ were dark at such a late hour, but that was just what Yuri had wanted. He cut into the alley next to the building, the sharp stench of garbage assaulting his nose immediately. Repede and he made their way past a particular high pile of weeks old trash before they came upon a rusty side door. Yuri tried the doorknob, but it was predictably locked. He pulled out his picks and knelt down, careful to keep his knees from the filthy brick floor of the alley. Repede whined next to him.

"The smell's not that bad," Yuri grumbled as he worked the lock.

Repede growled in reply, and Yuri sighed.

The lock opened with a click. Yuri slipped his picks back into his belt and opened the door. Repede rushed in the moment there was an opening large enough for him, and Yuri waited for him to return. A minute later, Repede's nose poked out of the dark of the building, before disappearing back inside. Yuri finally stepped from the stench of the confined alleyway and into the warm dark of the Ruin's Gate headquarters. Despite the dark, Yuri still closed the door behind him. He hardly wanted some drunk to notice the door hanging wide open while he dug around inside.

He stood in front the door and waited for his eyes to adjust. His heart beat impatiently against his ribcage as his eyes slowly caught on the faint light wafting in from the front entrance's windows. He could hear Repede moving around and sniffing at everything. Yuri doubted Repede would be able to find anything. Yuri was following a paper trail, and he doubted it would have a specific scent.

He could finally make out his surroundings. The hall he stood in was bare, and the floor was plain and hardwood. A stairwell to his right led down to a basement floor and three steps lead up towards the front hall. Yuri went to the stairwell to the basement, knowing there'd be nothing of interest to him out in the open.

The stairwell was darker than the rest of the HQ. Yuri felt around on the wall until he hit a switch. He flicked it and a few blastia powered lights set in the wall along the stairwell came to life. Yuri doubted that the glow was bright enough to be seen from the front windows, so he made his way down the stairs.

The basement floor was much larger than the narrow building above ground. It smelt musty and old and filled with shelves and shelves of books. Yuri had never seen so many books in his life. Repede had followed him down the stairs, and rushed off between two shelves with a bark. Yuri followed him, weaving his way through shelves and piles of books. He caught up to Repede and drew his sword at what greeted him.

Lying against the wall was a huge man, easily twice Yuri's height and berth. His midsection was brutalized, a gaping hole sitting in the middle of it. The hole was burnt, as if caused by a fireball. Yuri scanned his surroundings. The corpse didn't smell strongly, and the blood on the floor was still fresh, as Repede's bloody paw prints attested too. This kill was recent.

"I thought you gave the all clear," Yuri said as he scanned the multitude of shelves that surrounded them.

Repede let out an indignant bark before nudging Yuri's leg. Yuri lowered his sword.

"No one's here, then, just this body?" Yuri asked as he glanced back at the gory sight.

Repede barked again in confirmation. Yuri sheathed his sword in relief. He didn't want to end his night dodging fireballs.

He approached the dead man and looked him over more closely. The man had a small pouch gripped in his hand, and Yuri pried it from his fingers.

The sound of coins jangling together rang out as the Yuri pulled the pouch into his hand. He opened it and saw gald and gemstones sitting within. He pulled out a brilliantly red ruby and stared at it in awe for a few moments. There was only a few hundred gald in the pouch, but the gemstones were worth thousands.

Yuri slipped the stone back into the pouch and knelt back down by the body. Besides the hideous hole burned into the man's chest, he had no other injuries. Yuri looked up and scanned the shelves around him in thought. This man was probably murdered over blastia cores, since he had at least a hundred thousand gald worth in valuables on him. There wasn't much else Ruin's Gate dealt with that was worth so much.

"You left the light on?" A low-pitched female voice wafted down from upstairs, her tone exasperated.

Yuri swore and rushed to hide between two shelves, his heart pounding as footsteps rang out on the steps.