My brain didn't exactly keep track of names so to say it before anyone notices. Cedric and Fredric aren't the same. Pure coincidence, and if any of you haven't noticed. That's for the better. Best you don't dwell on it, because I won't.

Anyway, I figured I'd get started on the next chapter sooner than later so that I have time to work on it. You know, since I haven't updated lately… aside from the most recent one… Yeah.

15:06:23:17

Half of a month remained before the ever-feared Wave appeared in this land. The King stated that it occurred all over the continent and some islands. Centuries of combat to repel the Waves left most civilizations stressed.

Of course, the delay between each event is in the decades to centuries, so it allowed for some reprieve for each country. If there wasn't such a delay, this land would be nothing more than a wasteland, filled with the very monsters that are said to invade through the rend in the sky.

Each country, despite the apparent threat of the Waves, are still at odd with one another. While she understands that past transgressions are always going to be in the forefront of most leaders' minds, there are times where such things need to be put aside for the greater need of survival.

For now, however, Arturia will continue doing what she must to ensure the safety of the people of Melromarc. Mainly, it involves handling requests from the local guild or the bounties posted on the wall. Even though the Church's shadows are always watching her and Éclair, her priority is to seem as little a threat to them as possible.

So far, it isn't bad, but recent events have led to both of the knights to be put on a watch list of sorts. Thankfully the guards are not informed, and to be frank, they may not even abide by it since they answer to the King, first and foremost.

Éclair, currently, is still sleeping as the sun had not risen over the horizon yet. It's still early. Too early for even Éclair to wake up. It's still going to be hours before the sun even gives a single ray of light upon this land.

Her map of the land and beyond lay on the table, her eyes glossing over different locations. The soft light from the candle being the only source of light in the room. The soft breathing of her partner and even the minute snaps of the candle's wick as it burned could be heard as she sat there.

The next location to look into, at the King's request, is the territory of Idol Rabier. Rumors, despite small ones, reached the King's ear and he made a request to Arturia to investigate the nobleman's activities. Word of torturing demi-humans was the largest concern, due to the peace treaty between Siltvelt and Melromarc, if something like this reached Siltvelt, it would bring problems larger than he could manage.

"My wife handles negotiations better than I ever could. I was but a soldier who took the fancy of a wonderful woman. My dear Mirellia never backed down from a challenge. She is due to be back from Faubrey within the month."

The king loves his wife tremendously, as he should. There were times that she wished she were a man back then, maybe love could have truly blossomed between her and Guinevere.

Returning to the topic at hand, Idol Rabier is rumored to capturing and torturing demi-humans which has already led you choose death as the punishment should it ring true. Mercy cannot be used on monsters. The only good monster is a dead one… aside from the wildlife.

Another noble in that area is one Van Reichnott, a considerably kinder man compared to Rabier. The demi-humans tend to flock to him due to his kindness and there hasn't been one negative remark directed to him. The documents given by Aultcray noted that the man had close ties to Éclair's family.

Interesting, her eyes glanced to the sleeping knight. Having close relations with other nobles and their territories tend to go both ways in terms of benefits regarding food and supplies for small armies. Mostly for their personal guard and militia that protected each territory.

Reichnott has a history of taking in demi-humans, caring for them and helping them back on their feet. Though a lot had chosen to stay in his settlement to repay his kindness by working for him. The town had grown extensively but not enough for larger entities to take notice. Evidenced by Éclair's recollection of the Church taking her home and burning it away and enslaving the demi-humans.

Such a thing was heavily kept under wraps to avoid suspicion from anyone from the demi-human country. Éclair had stated that when the time came, she'd pursue the Church for their misdeeds. The fanaticism of the priests and nuns were borderline insane, if not already.

Their personal shadows are powerful but Arturia has dealt with assassins before in her time as a ruler. However pointless the attempts were due to Avalon's blessing. Poisons were render useless, strikes to the neck were met with heavy resistance. Her blade found its way in them every time.

Reichnott is at risk of someone taking him out because a lot of the territory is still under power by those that do not favor the choices of the King but do not rebel due to insufficient power. Arturia intends to keep it that way by making an example of Rabier. A public hanging or a beheading.

Excalibur will not be used for such a punishment. If anything, her strength alone could take his head off his shoulders. A quick chop to the neck would be enough.

The law of the land that pertained to the former option prohibits the hanging to be done in front of a crowd of more than a hundred.

The total population of Rabier's territory only numbered ninety eight if one subtracted the mercenaries and merchants that did business there. All human, with the slaves numbering over two hundred. An alarming number considering a portion of the townsfolk can't afford a slave, much less their livelihoods.

It's on the list of objectives in need of checking off. As it stands, the one thing that's bothered her since the beginning. Are the other three as powerful as her? Or are they randomly chosen and guided to grow from there. The nearest kingdom is Faubrey, and word of the Bow Hero already making progress in handling small issues is making its way here.

The Shield, as far as what's known, has escaped Siltvelt due to some matters over presentation? Seems whoever it is, they didn't like what they saw and fled to Faubrey. The issue with that is the Church's presence there is slightly less but without a doubt in possession of a good amount of sway in the politics there.

The Three Heroes' Church plays favorites, after all. If they find the Shield, chances are they will face no small amount of discrimination.

A small ray of light glared into her eyes, prompting her to turn towards the rising sun.

She's been sitting there longer than she realized. A slight mumble made itself known in the direction of the bed. Éclair has started to wake up. Good.

"Mhmm… turia?" Éclair rubbed her eyes before focusing on the knight at the table.

"You're up early…"

"I've been awake for a few hours now. Wake yourself up before we speak. Breakfast should be served downstairs soon."

The inn was on the higher end of the spectrum, but the price was manageable. The sack of coin was still filled with a hefty amount of silver and a second, smaller pouch for the copper since towns outside of the city tend to be cheaper and use copper more often than not.

"Aside from that…" Her sentence was cut off by a yawn, stretching her arms out.

Arturia didn't wait for her to finish.

"We have something that needs to be investigated, and it should prove to provide a sum of experience to allow your… level to increase. One of the King's shadows delivered this to me earlier this morning, so it should allow for us to remain outside of the city for the time being."

"The Church is really persistent, aren't they?"

"Indeed. Their reach is much too far, farther than it should've been allowed in the first place. If it were up to me, I'd have dismantled the cult."

"If only."

"…"

Éclair got dressed and headed downstairs to grab them both something to eat before it was time to leave, leaving Arturia to her thoughts.

"…What will happen." Her thoughts were made audible as she pondered about the wave that is set to arrive in just two weeks. Her conviction remained firm, but unknown monsters are just that, unknown. There could be some that are as powerful as Berserker, or as weak as Shirou, able to be cut down with just a swipe of her sword.

She sighed, "No use bothering with what-ifs."

She stood from her seat, rolled up the map and stuffed it in the travel pack before shouldering it. With a few steps, she was already out the door and towards the stairs.

Éclair waited for her at a nearby table in the dining area, breakfast had been set out already. Arturia walked up to her, before looking at the food.

"Seems today's selection is stew and bread." Arturia mused, sitting down in the spot opposite to Éclair.

"Yes. Don't worry, the baker makes the bread fresh so there's no worry in biting a rock."

Oh, how true that statement was. Her armies were lucky if they even found bread that wasn't stale. Wartime was a string of events pertaining to lousy food and casualties, and not much in between.

"Let's make it quick, I'd like to set out soon."

They ate in silence before placing a few copper pieces on the table before leaving.

The guards at the gate did little to stop them, only stopping them to praise the Sword Hero. Talk was cheap, but if it meant they could leave without burden, a minute was spent.

"I've known Idol Rabier almost as long as Reichnott has been lord of his territory. He's a scoundrel who uses a whip over anything else. Rabier was once a soldier for Melromarc, and has a personal distaste for demi-humans."

"So, the rumors may hold a modicum of truth, more-so than we already assumed."

"I have no doubts that he hold demi-humans in captivity, and torturing them sounds like something he would take pleasure in."

The pace was set for arrival in half a day, allowing time to formulate a plan of action. More on the lines of staking out the location, and making a decision based on evidence. If enough evidence is presented before the royal court, Rabier will be tried for breaking the recently set laws of basic human decency.

It wouldn't been better if slavery was abolished right from the start but this isn't her kingdom, this isn't her home. The laws here will differ, no matter what.

"Will you tell me of the one who has your heart?"

Arturia flinched, startled at the sudden question. She looked at Éclair with widened eyes before schooling her expression.

"What brought this on?"

"Back at the restaurant, you seemed lost in your thoughts when you spoke of a significant other. Is there more to it than just a lost love?"

Arturia mulled over the statement/question.

"It isn't lost… I was prepared to wait for eternity. Instead, I found myself here and not where I was meant to go."

"So, the afterlife is somewhere you know?"

"Only to a select few could they reach where I was destined to rest… I don't even know if he even has a chance of reaching it."

"I'm sure the chance is there, you just have to have faith."

The once King looked at her partner and smiled.

"Thank you, Éclair."

"Of course, though I do have to ask. From one girl to another."

Arturia raised a brow, waiting.

"What would you say to him? If he were right in front of you?"

That may be more troublesome than she expected. Such a thought never crossed her mind as the near impossibility of the prospect usually was first to come to her. In truth, she didn't even know what she would say. Hello? I missed you?

It wasn't even a month since last she saw him. The feelings were still fresh, if anything, she'd maybe just say…

"Welcome back…" she whispered to herself.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

She shook her head, "It's nothing. I don't know what I could say, given the opportunity."

"Well, if it's any consolation, I'm sure he'd be very happy to see you."

"…"

The horses cantered in silence, their riders not speaking a word or making movement in the reins. The mood had turned but did not sour.

"First thing we must do when we arrive, is adhere to the lord, even if it's to play nice to make sure he doesn't suspect anything at the start." It's a simple plan, but an effective one.

"How about we say that we're passing through on our journey to prepare for the waves. That way he'll offer a room well away from his property. It would make it seem like we're only there for our own needs and don't want to pry into any other thing."

"I understand where you're coming from, but Rabier may just offer a room in his very own manor to garner any more favor from the Church. He's a fanatic of the religion here. Putting their Hero anywhere other than the best would most likely be insulting themselves."

"I only said that because he knows me. He knows I care about demi-humans. He'll want me far away from his home. Wait, that's it!"

Arturia looked at Éclair, "If you mean to split up, that may not work. The people have seen us together for more than two weeks. Word has no doubt travelled far across the land of our names and faces."

The knight's expression fell at the realization, before looking ahead again.

"I should've kept that in mind. It didn't even occur to me at this point that so many would know of us."

"Exactly. Rabier will most likely suspect something if we both arrived but at different times and locations. He already knows of us and will want us away from his dealings if he can help it. Meaning he will offer the best inn the town nearby has to offer."

What little information is known is that he is a shrewd, fat man who is not easy on the eyes. The few guards that quit or got fired from placement there spoke of the same things.

Rabier is an evil man. Takes pleasure in others' suffering.

None of them spoke of anything more. Whether out of contract or threat, they kept themselves quiet. She wasn't sure if magical contracts exist here, but it wasn't important enough to care about at the moment.

"While it's not ideal, the best course of action is to approach from the front. Act as if we're passing through before leaving in the morning. Once nightfall comes, I will ensure our quiet entrance into the manor's premises."

Arturia already had the plan to enter through one of the less patrolled areas in the cover of the night. The cloaks in her saddlebag will make it difficult to spot if they were quick enough. There's little doubt that Rabier keeps a tight schedule on his men and patrols to keep himself protected and any illicit activities that proceed unhindered.

All in all, it would have to work as any other way would make too much noise and bring too much attention on them.

"Knowing him, he'll keep some eyes on us the entire time we're there." Éclair stated, knowing the man to be paranoid to an unhealthy degree.

"I know, which is why we'll make sure that whoever follows us will be taken care of before we make any other move."

"And if they escape back to their lord?"

"Then we will raze the walls and force our way in."

"With what I've seen you do, it'd be possible. Easily so."

"What you've seen is only a fraction of what I am capable of. The only reason you've yet to witness any more, is that most of those abilities are… destructive."

"It'll be a sight to see when they're needed."

"Provided that no one else will be within the radius."

Éclair hummed at that, nodding in agreement.

"Well, knowing the waves, there's bound to be casualties despite not wanting it…"

"I mean that if anyone is within range, my power wanes. Excalibur has thirteen seals on it to prevent too much destruction from taking place anywhere I may find myself. It's for a good reason, as the power this sword holds is akin to what you would call a catastrophic event of country wide proportions."

Arturia watched as Éclair's eyes widened at the implication.

"Ah… that- Uh…"

"I understand such a thing is hard to believe, but I do not lie unless it's absolutely necessary."

"No, I believe you. It's just… wow. I can't seem to imagine what would require such power to be used."

"Beings, where I come from, are powerful enough to warrant Excalibur's near full might. The Thirteen Seals is a response to the first time I ever used its power. The choice to force a damper on the sword has always been a proper one. For as long as I hold this sword, the day its full might is needed may never come again."

As small as a possibility there is of such a reason for it to be brought to light, she'll do her best to refrain.

"I hope we never encounter anything of the sort."

"So do I."

Hours passed, and they found themselves at the border to Rabier's domain, a watchtower and guard shack sat next to the road. The occupants were there, no doubt to collect a toll or to ensure the safety of the people. Or both.

The head guard walked forward before holding his hand out, prompting the two knights to stop in their tracks.

"What is your reason for entering this territory?"

A straightforward question, one that Arturia answered without hesitation.

"Our journey lies past this land, and we made the decision to rest in the town ahead for a night or two. Is that acceptable?"

The guard stared at the two, gauging reactions before looking at the slate in his hand. A small charcoal stick in the other. Seems that it was more efficient to use charcoal and a slate to keep track of material or names that enter and leave through their checkpoint.

He looked back up, "It is, but our Lord would like to meet with the Sword Hero before you continue your stay here. One of my men will accompany you as your guide to Lord Rabier's estate."

"Very well."

He nodded before turning around a waved over one of the men that was stationed by the watchtower. The young man didn't notice at first before one of the others by him slapped his arm. Their voices couldn't be heard but the man quickly scampered his way to the three at the shack.

"Yes, sir?"

The guard scowled at him, "I've told you many times before, no wandering eyes while you're on duty. I've got an assignment for you, these two-" He gestured to the two knights, "- are in need of an escort to the estate. Do your duty and come back when you're dismissed by one of those that are there. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

The young man in armor approached the two before bowing lightly.

"I apologize for my behavior, Lady Sword Hero, it will not happen again."

The boy did it with such fervor that it made her inwardly sigh. He bowed more than once, as if the emphasize that one was not enough. Maybe…

"I applaud your efforts to appease us, but it is unneeded. Do be a good guide for us, yes?"

His inexperience could bear the fruit of information if she treaded carefully. But no matter the age, loyalty comes first. If anything, the younger they are, the stronger their beliefs due to a lack of control over emotions. Young blood, as most veterans would say.

"Of course, Lady Sword Hero. If you'll allow me to fetch my horse, I'll be sure to guide you to the lord's estate."

Of course, it didn't take too long, the perks of having a stable at the main entrance to the territory allowed the boy to retrieve his mount in only minutes. When he returned, he waved his hand in a "follow" gesture, to which the two knights obliged.

Arturia waited until the checkpoint was a fair distance away before testing the waters.

"Pray tell, what are your thoughts of the lord here. I hear he's strict, but fair."

Her little lie was more for keeping the soldier at ease in case he favors the Lord. Judging from how he squirmed in his saddle, she deemed it to be false.

"I… um.. would I have permission to speak freely?"

"You are in the company of those that protect the people, just like you. There are no commanders here. Hold nothing back, speak.

The boy seemed stiff before relaxing slightly. Mustering up courage, he spoke.

"Lord Rabier is… not a kind man…"

Perfect.

"Elaborate."

"He… I've seen him with a multitude of slaves from Beloukas' caravan. The trader frequents his estate almost weekly… I dare not tell the others, for they do not seem to care." The boy took a deep, shaky breath.

"I grew up in a small village, before I decided to be a guardsman for one of the territories surrounding this area. Idol Rabier's was the closest and seemed to be the easiest to get into. They let me in, so long as I didn't ask questions. Needing the money, I accepted."

The rumors proved to be partly true, only one question left.

"Does he do anything to the slaves? Or does he simply just put them to work?"

He shook his head.

"More often than not, he chooses mostly children. His main weapon is a barbed whip. I've seen him leave his personal dungeon one night, a wide smile on his face. The whip hung from his hip, and I knew it had blood on it. I fear he tortures the children."

That was all that was needed.

"You did not see fit to alert him to proper authorities? What about the king?"

Aultcray may have let go of his hatred for the demi-humans, but it seemed Rabier clearly did not.

"What good would it do? He's in most of their pockets. I feel the king is left out of the loop for a reason."

It's not a surprise that that would be the case, considering the war against Siltvelt was only a few decades ago. A lot of people still held grudges, some more than others. The recent laws regarding the slaves' protection were upheld much higher there than out here.

It'd be difficult to have a proper trial. Not that there would be one anyway. The man deserves death.

"Anything else?"

"There's a statue depicting a wingless dragon, it's apparently a sealed monster from the previous heroes trapping it. I think he's able to break that seal whenever he wants. If he's under threat, he may release it."

Depending on how strong the monster is, she'd have to be careful not to cause any undue collateral.

"You know a fair amount for not being on with them for long."

"I keep my eyes open, and my mouth shut. My mother told me that it was one of the best ways to know and not be seen."

Éclair remained quiet throughout the conversation, mulling over the implications of what's soon to happen. Idol Rabier buys and tortures demi-human children. She didn't put it past him to be so low. The Church, Rabier, anyone else who thinks of themselves higher than they truly are.

Despite the differences in physiology between humans and demi-humans, all of them have a soul. As sad and abhorrent as it is, children are enslaved along with their parents in this country… At least the king is making progress in changing that.

"- ends, you'll be already on your way to Melromarc to tell the king, not the Church, that Idol Rabier was judged by me, and I dealt with him as I saw fit. Do you understand?"

Arturia told the boy to leave the estate come nightfall, and not to report back to the checkpoint. Éclair understood that good soldiers follow orders, but morality will always have a foothold in every single one of those orders. A soldier can still be good, disobeying if they felt that an order was immoral or inhumane.

But alas, there were still a good portion that felt that no matter the situation, orders were orders… In a way, it reminded her of her time of warring against the other tribes that threatened her borders. Not sparing a glance at villages on the precipice of collapse, favoring supplies. Only… her heart still felt those stares, those people that were left with nothing after her armies had passed through.

Enough of that, Arturia continued down the path, following their guide.

The lights of the manor lay ahead, the plan soon falling into play. Her gaze turned to the young soldier.

"It's best you leave now, boy. Things will only escalate from here."

With a nod, the young man turned his horse towards a direction opposite from the manor and took off.

"Yah!" The horse carried him a distance before the two knights turned away, focusing back on Rabier's place of stay.

"What do we do first?" Éclair asked.

"I can clear the walls in a few strides, I'll be sure to open the gates when I secure the area. Or…" Arturia looked to Éclair.

"I can carry you over the walls. Judging from what I see so far, the walls are well over twenty feet in height with more than ten guards for each facing. We'll be against a fair number of men if they spot us."

"I like those odds."

Arturia snorted lightly.

"As do I."

For the next few minutes, the two stayed at a canter, avoiding the path by staying within the grove of trees that are scattered across the stretch of land. Since Arturia could see in the night as well as she could during the day, she made sure to guide Éclair through some of the darker portions to avoid anything that could spook the horses and give them away.

Less than two hundred feet sat the wall that encircled the entirety of the manor, stables and compound for the soldiers and maids. The king's eyes darted across the top of the wall, searching for an opening in patrol patterns.

Despite Rabier's disposition for horrid acts upon slaves, he keeps a well-maintained grouping of guard positions. No matter.

"Let's hitch the horses here."

Arturia made sure to gather the cloaks from the saddlebags to ensure a better cover for their identity. Invisible Air will play a part in that, since Excalibur's light will draw too much attention, and will no doubt reveal her to those that see it.

There is no mistaking a holy blade, foreign or domestic.

Éclair followed closely behind, her sword still sheathed and hidden. The two followed what shadows that the trees cast, drawing closer to the wall.

"It's almost time." Arturia glanced at her companion. Éclair nodded, staying closer as they walked.

"What would be best played here?" She asked.

Arturia looked up, then towards the sunset.

"There's still light out, but if we wait too long, Rabier will become suspicious at our absence. If we remain quiet enough, we can enter unseen using the shadows from the watch towers. We'll have to be careful, those in the watchtowers are likely to see much better than the average guardsman…"

"I don't think that'd be the case. Rabier is stingy when it comes to expenses that don't pertain to his… pleasures. But I will follow your lead regardless."

While Arturia understood what Éclair meant, as with how the general layout of the manor only held a cosmetic appeal rather than something fortified. Her thoughts only cemented that when she and her companion walked up to the wall to find that the material used wasn't proper.

While it could hold its weight and those on it, it wouldn't survive a single hit from an outside offense. Cracks were already forming along the main support columns, and a few missing stones from what mortar was used.

From a distance, it couldn't be seen.

Arturia looked up, grabbed Éclair and hugged her, then jumped up. Éclair let out a small yelp but kept most of her voice quiet, as she was already mostly prepared for it. Didn't stop her from being caught off guard anyway.

Arturia grasped the ledge, her grip more than firm enough to allow them to hang for any given amount of time. She peeked over it to find a small patrol already on their way past their spot. With a swift grunt of exertion, she pulled up and over the ledge, dragging Éclair with her.

She looked all around her, along the walls and watchtowers. Good. Nobody noticed.

The sun had already reached the mountain range in the far distance, and soon will disappear behind them.

The two crouched by one of the crates near the end of the walkway leading to the next watchtower.

Arturia looked over the boxes before spying a particular subject of interest: Idol Rabier himself.

Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the smirk that he wore, one of pride in himself. As the young soldier described, a whip hung at his hip, and the minute droplets of blood dripping off the barbs. A set of stairs lay behind him as he walked to one of the side entrances to his home, leaving the two knights to dart across the courtyard to their goal.

As they looked down, Éclair spoke up.

"For once, I pray that I am wrong about Rabier."

Arturia nodded in agreement, "I second that, but let it be known that we may hope for the best, but we must prepare for the worst. Be on your guard, there could be a jailer that will have to be dealt with."

Soft steps were heard as they descended down the stairs, anticipating what resided behind the door. As Arturia approached the door, she grabbed the handle and pulled. Locked.

Using her strength, she pulled harder before the lock broke inside, allowing for the door to open. The stench of torture and death wafted outward, prompting Éclair to hold in a gag.

Years of war allowed for better tolerance to smells of the dead and dying.

Cages, cells, anything to do with torture and imprisonment lined the walls. Their occupants?

Éclair muffled her own noise of despair at the sight. Children, more specifically, demi-humans. All of them.

The king leveled her gaze at the little ones, who were starting to stand and look their way. Realizing the two women weren't their torturer that left only recently. There's no guard in sight, so Rabier has confidence that they wouldn't try to escape.

The first cell Arturia walked to held two, a boy and a girl. The boy was holding on well enough, but it seems that the other is in dire straits. Her illness would take her soon if nothing was done.

Grabbing the lock in her hands, she squeezed. The iron crumpled in her grasp, before pulling it off the loop, and let it fall with a clunk.

"You're not here to hurt us, are you?" The boy asked, his eyes narrowed at them both.

Éclair stepped forward, making her way to the little girl.

"No, we're here to rescue you. All of you."

"Our crests won't allow us to leave. He said so. If we leave, we die."

Arturia mulled over the information before an idea came to her.

"Éclair?"

The knight looked to her.

"How does one effectively remove a slave crest without the ink?"

"Kill the owner."

Arturia nodded, "My thoughts exactly. The man must be judged. I will be back, you continue releasing the rest. I'll look for medicine for the little one here while I'm in the manor. No doubt there has to be some. Stay here, I shouldn't be long."

With that, Arturia turned around and went back up the stairs.

Éclair watched her go before focusing back onto the children in front of her. The little girl is obviously sick, and judging from her complexion, it's not looking good.

"How long has she been sick?" She asked the boy.

"I'm not sure. But it started not long after we got here. There's no windows so I couldn't keep track of how long it's been." He said, looking at his friend. Éclair looked out the cell doors to anything that would provide a small amount of warmth.

Spying a chest off the side, away from all the cells, she made her way to it.

When she opened it, she was met with clothing and blankets. Most are too large, but the blanket will suffice.

Returning with the blanket in hand, she went to cover the little girl with it. It wasn't much, but increased temperature will help fight the sickness.

"What's your names?"

"My name is Keel. She is Rifana." He finished, gesturing to the girl, Rifana.

Éclair nodded, before smiling at him.

"We're here to rescue you all. A neighboring lord will take care of you and Rifana, he'll keep you safe, along with the rest here."

"There's just us. The lord recently sold a majority of those here, including our friend. Her name is Raphtalia." Keel spoke with anger, no doubt towards the lord that wronged them, tortured them. It was only natural for a child to have feeling like that.

'First things first, we have to get the two of you out of here before any guards come. Can you move?"

Keel nodded, but looked down at his shackles.

"Don't worry about that, hang on." Éclair drew her sword, before swinging down on the chain. It broke easily enough, and proceeded to repeat the same with Rifana's bindings.

"We can't leave until my partner handles the lord of this place. But we don't have to stay in here directly-"

A loud boom resounded around them, the ground shaking at whatever impacted nearby. The tell tale sound of a sword being swung but… greater. Like being used for more than just a singular enemy. Éclair understood that Arturia is much stronger than her, but she never knew the true extent of her abilities as such a situation hasn't called for it yet.

Roooaaarrrr!

… That was loud. The monster outside must be gargantuan for its cry to reach them with such volume. The demi humans covered their ears instinctively, the cry of whatever beast is out there is causing them pain.

"Easy, you two. It'll be okay, it's best we wait until it goes away." Éclair tried to ease their fears, to a somewhat degree of success. Whatever made itself known just now was rocking the walls around them. The footsteps were felt easily from underground. It made her wonder where Arturia is.

Did the Lord's death bring about the beast? Or was it attracted to something here?

It didn't take long before an odd sound rang out, kind of like the swinging of a sword but… greater? Louder? The death throes of the beast were heard just afterwards before there was one final tremor, with everything going quiet.

The door atop the stairs opened then, revealing Arturia, her sword in hand.

"The beast is dead, you can bring them up." It was all she said before turning around. There must have been something else that required her attention. Éclair focused back on the two.

"Let's go, then. Shall we?"

Arturia sensed something else nearby but couldn't place it. It didn't feel malevolent, but it wasn't friendly either… More… indifferent. Its gaze continued to bore into her, and it frustrated her. It knew how to hide, but not enough to be undetected.

"Show yourself. I know you're there." She spoke softly. She knows it can hear her.

A gust of wind was all that was felt before the knight turned around to find… I little girl. Arturia steadied her blade, waiting for a strike that might come. But nothing happened.

"You're an enigma… the Holy Sword is within you, yet it isn't. Why?" While young in appearance, Arturia knew that the girl's eyes betrayed everything else that was perceived. Old eyes. Experienced eyes… All too familiar eyes.

"I do not know. I did not ask to be brought here, but I will protect it all the same."

"A preferred choice of words, one that I accept." Wings that weren't easily seen before splayed out slightly, showing her heritage.

"Demi human?"

She shook her head, "No. I am more than that. I am the queen of the Filolials. I am Fitoria."

Arturia let her sword hang down, relaxing her grip.

Fitoria looked at her, "You are more as well. There is dragon blood within you. The rivalry of our two species has no place here. You are safe here."

"The heartstrings of a dragon don't make me one."

"It does not matter. Your battle was short lived. Your strength is great and seemingly endless. Your fight did not tire you at all."

"…"

"You are suspicious. I understand. We will wait for your friends before making way to the friendly lord across the way, yes?"

Éclair arrived not a second later, carrying the little girl while the other stayed next to her. The boy looked at Fitoria with awe before his eyes widened.

"An angel?"

Firtora smiled, "No, little one. I am not. But if that is your wish to see me as, then I will not deny that wish." Her arms opened, beckoning the boy. He stumbled slightly before wrapping his arms around her, accepting the hug. She rubbed his back, telling him it will be okay.

Arturia looked to the queen before speaking, "You know of the creature I'd slain?"

"Yes, and it is good that it is dead."

"We were told that a hero of the past had sealed it away. It broke free when I had killed Rabier, almost immediately."

"Then his lifeforce was connected to the seal itself. He must have made it to be a sort of trap if her were to ever die. Hoping to ensure whoever killed him would be killed themselves."

Éclair frowned, "Without any say from his guards? Or advisors? To let the beast just kill indiscriminately?"

"Men of his stature tend to not care for those lower than himself."

The tense silence lasted for but a few seconds.

"So, what now?" The boy said. Arturia looked at him before looking at Fitoria.

"I intend to take these two to the lord that resides in the territory nearby. He is known to care for demi humans."

"Of course. I will make sure they're comfortable for their trip."

Without warning, a Filolial-drawn carriage appeared out of thin air. Or was it there this whole time?

"We can speak more on the way. A… mutual friend of ours wanted me to tell you, Arturia, that he's looking for you."

She never gave the queen her name… what?

"Who?"

"A mage that likes flowers, apparently."

Don't hate me. I found a good job not long after my last update and have been working six days out of the week. I haven't been able to really focus on this and for that I'm sorry. I ain't dead but I feel that my time away from this is impacting my work.

I can't tell if it's good or not, but I try.

Anyway, I wanted to say that this story is in my head, but not as much. Updates are probably far and few in between I'm afraid.