Miata stood at the crest of a rocky outcrop high up in the valley, gazing at the distant haze-covered wall of the Capitol.
The crunching of rocks behind startled Miata, and she looked over to find Roxanne standing close behind her.
"Enjoying the view?" Roxanne said with a smirk.
Miata peered down at her sword that she kept amongst the rocks near her feet, then looked forward again, though keeping her head slightly turned to keep her vision on Roxanne.
Roxanne laid her sword down beside the rocks and made her way over. Miata couldn't help but feel a hint of unease at Roxanne's approach, though the fact that she was now unarmed did provide some comfort. They stood side by side staring off into the distance, at the vaguely visible wall of the Capitol.
"So, what's it like being grown up? You must be used to it by now."
"Why are you back?"
"…Let's just say, I find myself drawn to chaos…" Roxanne said.
Miata said nothing, not quite understanding what that even meant.
"You're a smart girl, Miata, well, woman now I guess. You know it makes no sense for me to be banished when the dragonkin are on their way."
"…You're a killer."
"True, I am, but I hate to break it to you, we're all killers."
"No. You are different."
Roxanne threw Miata an exasperated look."Those regulators I accidentally killed, no one knew their names, and no one cares. They didn't matter."
Miata said nothing for a long drawn-out moment, unsure if that was supposed to be serious or a strange attempt at humor.
"Do I matter to you?" Miata asked.
"Of course you do. You may be an annoying brat, but I like you, genuinely, and I think you know that."
Miata said nothing, and Roxanne peered over curiously.
"Hey, are you afraid of me?" Roxanne asked.
Miata's silence served as her answer, and Roxanne almost looked surprised. The wind whistled around them and picked up to whip up their hair, Miata's long hair almost slapping Roxanne in the face.
"If I wanted to harm you. I would have done so a long time ago."
— "And that's supposed to make her feel better?" A voice said.
Roxanne and Miata peered up, and they saw Skye standing atop the higher rocks, her bow drawn at Roxanne.
Roxanne's voice dripped with sarcasm. "…If you shoot me with that thing, I'll end you, girl."
"Call me girl again and you'll regret it…" Skye said.
Miata's attention shifted from Roxanne to Skye, feeling the tension in the air. She knew that if she didn't do something, the two of them were likely going to kill each other.
"Put it down, Skye," Miata said.
"Why?" Skye said, exasperated. "She'll stab us in the back the first chance she gets. We can't trust her."
Roxanne snorted "Like you're one to talk. I bet you have a higher body count than me. You kill people for fun. At least I do it for a reason."
"I only kill those that deserve it."
"Keep telling yourself that. Now be a good girl and put down that toy…"
Skye was fuming, but one glance from Miata made her loosen her grip on the string. The bow creaked as the tension in the metal went down.
Miata turned over to Roxanne and threw her a serious stare. "…Miria will decide what will happen to you."
"I guess that makes sense," Roxanne said, smirking. "Since she is the captain and all."
Something in the distance drew Miata's attention, and both Roxanne and Skye noticed not long after. Two small dots coming towards them.
Clare was surprised they were allowed to take Raki and Audrey without a fight. Luciela made no effort to stop them either, nor did any of the awakened beings on their way out of the building. She peered over at Teresa and her friend seemed shaken; she kept her gaze forward as if she wanted nothing more than to get away from this situation, like an animal with its tail tucked in between its legs.
Is she afraid?
"Thank you, Clare," Audrey said, her face pale.
Clare managed a smile back at her, and it warmed her heart how she and Raki held each other. The city may have been overtaken by awakened, but at least she saved them. Teresa and her flew them out of the city and back to the ruined war camp in the mountains. There, Clare spent a moment to brief Miria on what had happened in the Capitol, and as she did so, Teresa suddenly flew off by herself in the direction of the mountains.
Clare followed her friend to a rocky pinnacle with a good view of the surrounding valleys. There, Teresa sat against a flattened rock, looking solemn and sad as she glared down at the ruined war camp below. Clare moved to sit down beside her, and for a while they remained silent, listening to the gentle howl of the wind around them.
Clare's fingers traced the contours of the stone, liking the feel of the coarseness. "If we had been here, maybe things could have been different…"
Teresa let out a heavy sigh "Maybe, but there's no use thinking about it now,"
Teresa looked and sounded rather defeated, and that made Clare wonder what was going on in her mind.
"…What do you think she wants?" Clare asked.
"To mess with us."
"How do you know?"
"Because that's what I would do if I was her."
Someone approached them, fast. Clare sensed the energy signature and felt that it was Miria. She wondered what Miria wanted, given the fact that they had just spoken briefly earlier. Miria arrived like a mirage beside them, a ghost that moved like the wind.
"Teresa, can we talk?" Miria said.
Teresa and Clare looked at each other in question before Teresa got up and began to walk away with Miria.
The two of them went across a natural path along the edge of the valley. Teresa wondered what Miria wanted with her. As they walked, little rocks slid down the steep slope to their side. Miria's face was low and she looked as though she was in deep thought.
Miria peered over at her. "So, what happened in the Capitol?"
"Didn't Clare tell tell you?"
"She did, but I want to hear it from you."
Teresa threw her an odd look. "Why? Do you think Clare and I would give different accounts?"
"It's not that…"
There was silence as they walked, and Teresa was now truly curious about what was going on in Miria's mind.
"I uh, need to apologize to you," Miria said.
"Oh?"
"…I've been quite rude to you recently. I thought you refused to heal Hysteria out of spite, but I know now there was a reason behind it. I shouldn't have assumed the worst about you. I'm sorry, Teresa,"
Teresa sighed. "I suppose I should've been more open with you, but your apology is accepted."
Miria smiled. "You like to keep others guessing, don't you?"
Miria's smile was warm, and Teresa found it so infectious that she flustered up a little. She smiled back. "Only a little. It's a bad habit…I'm working on it."
"I know that you like to keep to yourself, I'm not against that, just promise me, Teresa, that if there's something you know that affects us in this war, you let me know,"
"War? Don't you think you're being a little too dramatic?"
"Arrylys wants to kill us, not just us but all of humanity. What else do you call that if not war?"
"Hmm, I suppose you do have a point…"
Miria seemed rather animated and looked as though she wanted to say something, thought better of it, and said something more measured. "…Why do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Never take anything seriously. Even now. Why is that?"
"I died once, Miria, and I don't plan on dying a second time. Of course, I take things seriously."
"So you're just confident then."
Teresa smiled faintly. "Confident enough…"
"Well then, that's good enough for me...Clare told me you can heal each other now," Miria said. "…I assume it takes a toll on her, just as it does with you?"
"She managed to heal a small cut, but I don't exactly want to put it to the test," Teresa said,
Teresa said nothing further, even though she knew Miria wanted more. Silence came between them again, but this time it was slightly awkward. Teresa peered about as if pretending to look at something. She felt the urge to continue the conversation, though, because deep down she did like Miria but found it difficult to admit.
Teresa changed the subject, "By the way, how is your girlfriend doing?"
"She's well. Maddy's tonic seemed to have cured the resurrection sickness." Miria said.
"Oh, that's good to hear. And where is she? I didn't see her in the camp."
"…She's keeping her distance."
"Why?"
"She's unhappy about taking the tonic. She really doesn't trust Maddy."
"And you do?"
"Of course not, but I trust that Maddy acts in her own self-interest. I'm honestly really happy that Hysteria is healthy."
"I suppose," Teresa said. "By the way, If the tonic wouldn't have worked, I would have attempted to heal her for you."
"I know Teresa, and thank you."
Teresa kicked a small rock down the slope and washed it roll down, knocking others down along with it. "…Suppose I were to end Maddy's miserable life, would you object to that?"
"Not at all," Miria said. "And even if I had, it's not like I can stop you from doing what you want."
"Why haven't you done it yourself?"
"Because I made a promise to her, and I can't betray that. Look, I don't really want to talk about Maddy. There are more important things to focus on."
"This is true…"
Miria smiled at her and looked away, as if lost to another thought. They continued to walk together, talking for a long moment about small things that didn't even seem to matter. Miria pointed to a growth of beautiful flowers and commented on how something so frail and lovely could exist in the same violent world they inhabited. They talked and they laughed together. There were times when they looked too long into each other's eyes. Teresa felt closer than ever to Miria in that moment, and it was a strange but welcoming feeling.
"There's going to be a meeting tonight. Please be there with Clare." Miria said before she slid down the side of the valley to return to the others.
The meeting went on for longer than expected, and Clare's confidence had dropped sharply by the end of it. Hearing about all the problems that plagued them, all the enemies they faced, she questioned whether Teresa and herself were capable of dealing with it all.
Everyone else looked worn and defeated, and even Miria tried to put on a brave face, but Clare could tell she was affected just like everyone else. It was only Teresa who showed little emotion, almost like she wasn't worried about anything at all.
Later at night, Clare spent time socializing with her friends. Teresa spent some time with Miria and Clare was glad for it. She wanted Teresa and Miria to get along, especially now more than ever considering the situation. At one moment she noticed Hysteria and Teresa talking one on one, which piqued Clare's curiosity. The two ended up talking for only a short time, but Teresa ended up smiling through most of it. The two never seemed to like each other much at all, so it was curious to see them interact as if they had become friends all of a sudden.
What would they be talking about?
Later that night the regulators pulled out casks of alcohol that weren't destroyed in the battle with the awakened, and all that wished to drink were welcome to do so. Teresa and Clare did not partake and chose that moment to walk away.
Teresa had been unusually quiet as they walked side by side heading back to their half-collapsed tent.
"Teresa…What were you and Hysteria talking about?" Clare asked.
"Oh…nothing, really. Just war business, you know?"
War business?
Clare raised a brow at that but chose not to challenge that. She had a feeling that Teresa was being evasive for some reason.
Their shared tent was held up on one side by collected junk, and they entered the make-do front entrance. They lay down across the blankets they made across the floor, placing their swords down beside them.
"Try and get some sleep, Clare, you'll need your strength tomorrow," Teresa said.
"…Where are you going?"
"Nowhere. I'm staying right here. I'll wake you when It's your turn to take watch."
"The other you. I can sense her…she's still in the Capitol."
Teresa avoided eye contact. "Hopefully that is where she stays… Now get some sleep…"
Clare thought Teresa was acting somewhat strange, a little too pushy. Clare tried to get some sleep but failed miserably, then just settled on pretending to sleep instead. Her instincts told her that something was up, and after a while of remaining perfectly still, her instincts ended up being right. She heard Teresa sit up, reach for her sword, and quietly leave the tent.
"Why do you insist on keeping Maddy alive?"
Miria shifted upon the lumpy mattress and turned over to Hysteria, who was giving her a salty stare. They had this conversation multiple times already, but the woman never accepted any answer.
"I'm not going to kill her just to prove a point. I know you think that makes me weak but I don't see it that way."
Hysteria was salty. She looked at Miria with piercing eyes. "Do you want to sleep with her?"
"Why would you ask me that?"
"Do it, if you feel like you have to. Get her out of your system."
"…You're angry at me, I get it," Miria said.
"I am not angry at you."
"Disappointed then? How is that any better?"
Hysteria said nothing, still salty.
"I did what I had to do in order to keep you healthy. And if that means you stay angry at me, then so be it."
Hysteria blushed, and Miria found it amusing how quickly that saltiness washed away. "So romantic, Miria…"
"I don't like Maddy, at all. But if we lose tomorrow, the dragonkin are going to slaughter all of us anyway. It will be the end of everything. You, me, Maddy. Everyone, so why does it matter?"
Hysteria slid a hand across the sheets, stroking the fabric and glaring at Miria with an intimate seductive stare. "I appreciate you, Miria. I want you to know that."
"I know you do, and I appreciate you too," Miria said.
"This could be our last night alive, and I think we should make it count…"
"Hmm? What do you have in mind?"
"…I have a surprise for you." Hysteria said.
"Do I have to close my eyes?"
"Of course…"
Miria complied, eager to know what the surprise was. Hysteria was quick to change her moods, and sometimes Miria swore she did it on purpose. With her eyes closed, there was only darkness, and she could hear Hysteria move about the tent with light steps. There came other sounds, perhaps the picking up of an object, or something being moved around, it was hard to tell.
"Don't tell me Evelina brought you a new uniform?" Miria said.
"No uniform."
"Can I open my eyes now?"
"No."
Then Miria heard steps that sounded as if they came from more than one pair of feet, and then whispers that sounded as if they came from more than one individual, but it was probably just her imagination. Miria felt uneasy, though. Hysteria certainly took her time with whatever 'surprise' she had.
"Now can I open them?"
"Yes."
Miria opened her eyes and she couldn't believe what she saw. Teresa stood naked before her, standing next to Hysteria who was also naked, both women with coiled smiles and lustrous reflections in their eyes.
She glanced over at Hysteria as if to silently ask 'what's going on?', but Hysteria seemed unusually comfortable with the situation. Something didn't quite add up. Miria's instincts kicked in and she instantly reached for her sword and had the tip of the blade pointed straight at Teresa's neck.
"Skipping the foreplay, Miria?" Teresa said.
"…How do I know you aren't the other one?"
Teresa pressed herself slightly against the sharp edge, cutting skin and drawing drops of blood that ran down her neck. Red blood. At the sight of that, Miria's fears were instantly doused, replaced instead with the deepest sense of confusion.
It's the real one…
Miria lowered her sword, hand wobbling slightly. She stared into Teresa's spellbinding gaze and did her best not to look down, but she couldn't stop her eyes from going where they wanted. Teresa's beautiful golden hair came down in waterfalls that partially covered her breasts. Her body was lithe and slightly more on the athletic side compared to Hysteria's.
Miria's gaze went up again, and she flicked her attention between the two smiling women before her.
"…What is this?" Miria said.
"Teresa is here on my invitation," Hysteria said, twirling one of her braids with a finger.
"Invitation?"
"Yes, that is what I said, Miria."
"…Why are you both naked?"
"She's cute when she's confused," Teresa said.
Miria swallowed, heat flushing through her cheeks as she realized what was going on here. Both women were giving her looks of pure desire and longing
"…I thought…you two didn't like each other."
Teresa and Hysteria turned to each other, both snickering, clearly enjoying the situation. Miria liked the way Teresa's lips curved upwards at the edges. She was in a playful mood, and Miria had seldom seen such a thing before.
"We don't," Teresa said. "But I just wanted to see the look on your face."
"I told you she would like this," Hysteria said. "Miria is a dirty girl."
Miria glared at Hysteria in bewilderment. Many things had caught her by surprise in her life, but this was on a whole other level.
The two women strode closer with slow, swaying steps, and Miria's heart began to race in her chest, making her feel slightly lightheaded. Her palms began to sweat as they crawled on all fours atop the lumpy mattress heading towards her.
Miria remained frozen in place as they nestled up on either side of her, Teresa on one side, and Hysteria on the other, both women touching her with playful, gentle strokes. Miria wanted to speak but no words came out. All that existed was the warmth of two wonderful bodies next to her own, the pleasant tingles of their touches.
Miria became lost in Teresa's seductive gaze as Teresa's fingers traced delicate patterns along her arm.
"Teresa…"
Teresa silenced her with an unexpected kiss. Teresa's lips were so soft and warm and incredibly intimate. Miria did not react all that much. She simply let Teresa kiss her until the woman finally withdrew with a yearning look in her eyes.
"…Do you want me to leave?" Teresa said.
Miria's mind was blank. She could not think of anything else except the taste and feel of those lips on hers. Teresa was so beautiful, mysterious, and captivating.
"No."
Teresa kissed her again and Miria was hardly ready when a tongue slipped into her mouth. This time she responded to the kiss and answered with her own tongue, dancing with Teresa's own. Teresa's hands explored her body and her own hands explored Teresa's greedily, her curvy sides, her well-rounded, soft breasts.
Hysteria got jealous and broke in to steal her lips away, kissing her with a heightened passion, as if it she wanted to upstage Teresa. Miria enjoyed those familiar lips but she missed Teresa's, and when Teresa stole her back, she lost herself to a raw, undulated passion and completely gave in to her own lust.
Miria's heart was pounding as her clothes were taken off one by one. She became lost in a sea of wonderful sensations; kisses and touches, fingernails tracing lines across her skin, hands fondling her breasts, hands sliding along her body, lower and lower until Teresa's touches went to her growing wetness.
She gasped as Teresa nipped at her neck, and Miria lost herself in desire, to the sweet scent and taste of Teresa.
"This is crazy…This is…"
Teresa whispered in her ear, her voice sweet like honey. "Don't speak…"
Miria was pushed back against the lumpy mattress and allowed herself to surrender to the wildest night of her life.
Rubel sat on his recliner and poured himself a glass of his favorite whisky. He looked out the window and marveled at the walls of the capitol that were almost hidden away by the distant haze.
"It was rather difficult to find you," A female voice said.
Rubel became so startled he almost fell off his chair, but he quickly regained his composure, putting on a calm facade. "…I used to pride myself on my elusiveness. Seems I overestimated my own abilities."
Priscilla helped herself inside the cabin through the front entrance. She was in her awakened form, and had to bend over to fit under the doorframe. "Is this your home?"
Rubel gazed over at the awakened for a moment before returning back to the vista before him. "Of course not. It is one of my safe places, though clearly, that is no longer the case. I suppose you wanted something from me?"
"Yes. I want something from your organization."
Rubel's brow furrowed "I am no longer affiliated with them."
"I know you're the boss, don't even try to deny it."
He finished his whisky, then set the empty glass atop the small table stand beside the recliner. "…Tell me what you want."
"Your organization is in possession of weapons known as 'destroyers'. I'll need you to take me to them."
Rubel's fingers tapped a rhythm on the arm of his chair "I suppose you want to absorb their power…I must warn you though, the likelihood of this ending up how you think is rather unlikely."
Priscilla walked in front of him and bent down so they were at eye level. Those hellish yellow eyes brought a terror within him. "The dragon queen managed to merge with one of these weapons. There's no reason I can't do the same."
"And what if it takes control of you?"
"I'm willing to take that risk."
After a moment of contemplation, Rubel nodded and heaved a sigh. "There's already two apocalyptic events happening at the moment. I suppose it wouldn't make much of a difference adding a third to the mix…very well then."
Miria propped herself up with an elbow and admired the woman across the other side of the bed. Teresa wore a smile of pure satisfaction as she lay on her side, her beautiful wavy hair stuck to her body. Their lust had been satisfied for the moment, and yet they still eyed each other as if they wanted more.
"You know, I believe I've figured you out, Teresa…" Miria said.
Teresa tilted her head, curious. "Have you now? Do tell."
"I think you're far more powerful than you want everyone to believe. More powerful than Arrylys, more powerful than your awakened self. More powerful than anyone. It's the reason why you never seem worried about anything."
Teresa's smile instantly withdrew, and she almost looked surprised to hear that. "…Or maybe I'm just a good actor?"
"I see through you, Teresa. You like to keep us on our toes. Make us all think there's a chance we can lose….its quite cruel, really."
"And if that were true, would it be a good or a bad thing?"
"I guess I would question your motives, but if you plan on saving the day at the last possible moment, how can I or anyone else complain about that? We should all be thankful to you."
Teresa looked away, thinking. Her eyes soon drew back to Miria. "…You describe me as some sort of savor. I'm not sure if you really believe that."
"Honestly, I don't know what to believe. You've surprised me in many ways so far…"
Teresa came closer until they were face to face. "Do you want the honest truth, Miria?"
"I do,"
"Promise to keep this between us?"
"Of course, Teresa."
The look Teresa gave her, Miria would have promised her anything. Teresa averted her gaze, as if to take the time to collect her thoughts. When she returned her gaze, Miria was stricken by the look in Teresa's eyes, something she had never expected to see. Something that looked like fear, real fear.
"…I'm terrified…" Teresa said, her voice having a slight tremble to it. "…The other me, I don't know how strong she is. I don't know what she's planning. She's free to do anything she wants and I just have to hope she plans on being merciful. All I know is that I cannot let my guard down…"
Miria wasn't quite sure what to think. She had convinced herself that Teresa of the faint smile was in a league of her own, that she, was indeed invincible. But with the way Teresa looked now, seeing her vulnerability, the illusion was shattered. At that moment she saw through the facade –– she saw the truth.
Teresa was powerful, but she was not invincible. She was vulnerable. She was Human. She was afraid.
Miria was incredibly touched by this revelation and she reached out to brush one of Teresa's loose strands of hair behind her ear. "And this isn't letting your guard down?"
Teresa smiled at her, and Miria smiled back. She felt a deep connection with Teresa –– a need to support and protect her. Teresa lay there, her eyes widened slightly, looking flushed and even a little embarrassed. Miria felt the need to kiss her, but something stopped her.
Miria had an inkling that she had forgotten something, something important. It took her a time to realize that it something was missing, or rather, someone.
Hysteria…
She quickly peered about the tent in a vain effort to locate the woman, despite already knowing she was not around.
"When did Hysteria leave?" Miria said.
Teresa threw her an odd look. "A while ago… I thought you were fine with it?"
Miria felt a pain in her gut as she imagined the hurt Hysteria must have felt. Teresa had been such a distraction that she completely forgot about Hysteria's entire existence.
How could I be so selfish?
What is wrong with me?
"…This was a mistake," Miria said.
A faint smile came across Teresa, and Miria was disturbed by how much the woman seemed to enjoy the situation. "…That's not quite the word I'd use…"
Miria got up and scrambled to collect her clothes, in a panic of thoughts as she thought about Hysteria, thought about someone else… "And what about Clare? I'm guessing she doesn't know about this?"
Teresa peered down at the mattress, no longer smiling, clearly riddled by guilt, like someone who had not fully thought out the consequences of her actions.
"We're both terrible…" Miria said as she dressed herself and went for the tent exit.
"Miria…"
Miria turned around. "What?"
"Take your sword with you."
After searching for Hysteria for quite some time, Miria came to the conclusion that the woman did not want to be found. Giving up, she decided to leave the ruined war camp and head out into the wilderness for some solitude. She climbed a ridge and discovered a dell that was nestled among the rocky outcrops. There, she lay upon a blanket of soft grass with her hands behind her head, her sword resting beside her.
Why would she invite Teresa over?
What was the purpose?
Miria felt more confused than she had at any point in her life. She wondered what Hysteria must be feeling, rejected and betrayed. The thought of hurting someone she cared about was unbearable.
Miria considered getting some sleep, but guilt and uncertainty prevented that from happening.
At twilight, she climbed to the very top of the closest mountain to survey the battlefield ahead. It was a new day, and perhaps even the final one at that. The fight of their lives was coming, and she could envision the dragonkin in their huge numbers spilling into the valleys and coming at them like a great flood. They would be greatly outnumbered, and even if the environment gave them a defensive advantage, the odds of victory seemed slim.
She heard a sound behind her, and her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her sword. She whirled around just as a shadowy figure lunged at her with the glint of a sword. Miria avoided the steel, but only just. The cold edge of the steel graze her arm.
Her attacker was a claymore –– a regulator without armor. He wore a dark cloth mask with eye holes that showed his silver eyes. He caught her off balanced and hit her with a powerful strike that left her disarmed. Miria panicked as her her sword left her grip and flew through the air.
He lunged at her but Miria dodged it and managed to kick him hard in the gut, doubling him over. She disarmed too by twisting his wrist, seeing his sword flying off in the opposite direction of hers.
They engaged in a brawl with fists. She got a few good hits on him and he got a few good hits on her. She fell to the ground and so did he, kicking and punching and descending into a dirty fight. She elbowed him in the face and he threw sand in her eyes.
He ran for his sword and Miria went for hers. She was faster and managed to pick up her sword before him. She attacked him but he blocked her attack. They withdrew from each other and he began to circle around her.
"Who are you?" Miria said.
Right as he was about to charge for her again, he froze as the tip of a sword was pushed through the back of his skull and out of his mouth, spraying blood. His eyes went wide as his body fell limp causing him to fall lifelessly to the ground, his blood pooling about him.
Miria's breaths came in ragged gasps as she saw Riful of the West with a bloodied sword in hand, her regulator armor stained with his blood.
"Riful…what are you doing here?" Miria said.
"I noticed this one following you. Did you know him?" Riful said.
"No, he just came out of nowhere…Why did you help me?" Miria said.
"Because I told you, we're friends, Miria, but you really do need to watch your back."
Riful began to wipe the blood from her sword in some shrubs. Miria could still not quite get used to Riful looking like one of them, wearing regulator armor.
Miria peered down at the corpse of her attacker. She removed his mask and saw just an ordinary face that she did not recognize.
"Who did he worked for? The organization?"
"Well we can't ask him anymore. I'm sorry, Miria, I probably shouldn't have killed him."
"It's alright, I'm grateful that you're here…" Miria said.
"But if he did work for the organization, why would he want you dead? And why now?"
"I don't know."
Riful sheathed her sword behind her back and shrugged. "Maybe he didn't work for the organization at all."
"Then who?"
"Maybe Evelina?"
Miria thought about that, but somewhat doubtful about it. Why would Evelina want her dead now?
It's probably not Evelina…
As Miria thought about it, another name came to mind.
Maddy?
No, unlikely.
She would rather pay someone to free her than have me killed.
"I guess you have a lot of enemies, huh?" Riful said, smiling."You should be extra careful from now on."
"I guess I should…"
"Allow me to be your personal protector, Miria. You shouldn't have to be constantly worried about being attacked out of nowhere."
"You don't have to do that, Riful " Miria said.
"I want to. It's the least I could do to make up for everything that I did."
Miria nodded. "Let's keep this to ourselves, for now. I don't want to start a panic."
"Alright, whatever you say." Riful said.
"…We should probably get back to the others now."
Miria was disturbed by her attempted assassination. Riful suggested all sorts of theories on the way back, some plausible, others not so much. Miria wondered if Riful herself had something to do with it but it was probably just her paranoia. That theory didn't make all that much sense because if Riful wanted her dead she could have done it herself without the need of anyone.
The sun was rising properly and the regulators were all assembled, all had washed their armor in the nearby streams, and besides a few dents and marks, they looked as good as new and ready for battle.
In the center, General Karter's tent was pulled apart, leaving only the central war table which had been broken in two and crudely repaired, held up by debris and rocks placed underneath it. Karter stood at the front of the table, leaning against it, while Galatea and Isley stood on either side of it, engaged in what seemed to be a rather intense conversation with the general.
"Something's going on there," Riful said, pointing.
There was a commotion nearby, a group. Her friends were gathered and arguing. When Miria saw Roxanne, she knew what it was about.
"So you're back after the fighting is over. How convenient." Deneve said, her arms crossed.
"What are you talking about? The dragonkin haven't even arrived yet!" Roxanne cried.
"I wasn't talking about the dragonkin, but you already knew that."
Everyone turned around when they noticed Miria's approach. Miria walked up to Roxanne, her eyes narrowing "…I heard what you did. You killed a few regulators. Do you deny it?"
Roxanne met her gaze without flinching. "I do not, but I'd like a chance to explain myself to you personally since I didn't get the chance last time."
"Alright then, explain."
Roxanne peered around at all the unhappy faces around her, glancing at Riful who stood behind Miria.
"What are you looking at?" Riful said.
Roxanne returned her sight on Miria. "Well, you see, my growth has been stagnating as of late and I needed a fresh source of energy to rejuvenate myself…I didn't intend to kill anyone but it just so happened that way. It is what it is and I have no regrets."
Miria raised a brow. "You have no regrets about killing your own allies?"
"I only wanted a tiny bit of their power! It's not my fault they were so weak that they ended up dying."
Deneve said. "How stupid do you think we are?"
Discussions raged all around her, insults flung at Roxanne. Miria wasn't quite in the mood for such a thing, and she made it clear by strolling straight up to Roxanne."I don't want any more trouble, Roxanne, do you understand?"
"Of course, Miria…that's why I'm back because I want to help, and you need me."
"If you harm anyone else," Miria said. "You're done."
"Oh, I know. Miata will probably kill me herself if I do anything wrong. You have nothing to worry about!"
Nearby, Miata was watching closely. The others weren't happy about it, but Miria had no time to discuss their grievances with Roxanne. She detested Roxanne just as much as anyone else, but they would need as many swords as possible if there was any hope of surviving the dragonkin.
Miria noticed Clare standing away from everyone else, watching and listening. Teresa was not by her side, and Miria looked about but could not see Teresa anywhere.
Miria spotted Hysteria staring. As soon as their eyes met, the woman looked away as if she could not bear eye contact. Miria desperately wanted to talk with her, to clear things up, but now was not the time.
She made her way to the war table, where the more important discussion was happening. As she approached, Karter slammed her hands on the table, knocking over some of the war pieces. "Do you honestly believe the awakened of the underworld city are loyal to you? A king who has spent more time outside his kingdom than within it?" Karter then peered at Galatea, "And a queen who is not even an awakened being? No, I think it is far more likely they are here to finish us off, and you two are too blind to see it."
Miria rounded one side of the long table, running her hand across the surface, fingers sliding around the pieces on the map. All three looked over at her. "Don't let me interrupt. Please, continue." Miria said.
Isley turned to Karter. "I haven't spent all that much time governing in that city-state, but I've dwelled rather deeply into the politics to know that its inhabitants are not all that fond of the dragonkin."
"I sense their intentions," Galatea said. "There is hatred only for the dragonkin, not us."
Karter scoffed. "Forgive me if I don't completely trust your feelings on this. My regulators will not fight beside awakened beings, not after what just happened."
A silence.
"Perhaps it would be better if we fight the dragonkin separately…" Isley said.
"What do you mean by that?" Miria asked.
"I will head out and meet the forces of the underworld city, lead them straight for the dragonkin."
"That would be ideal," Karter said. "I suppose if they kill you we'll know for sure where they stand."
"It will be a suicide mission, Isley," Miria said.
"It may well be, but I don't see any other option." Isley said.
Isley then walked off, heading towards his tent. Galatea appeared to be lost in thought but decided to go off and follow him there.
Isley entered their shared tent and Galatea followed him inside. He moved over to the decanter and poured himself some wine. He drank it down quickly, not even savoring the taste as he normally did.
"Is it really necessary for you to be on the front lines?" Galatea said.
"You know the answer to that, Galatea."
She only stared at him, hating the fact that he had become an expert at reading her. Isley remained his calm and cool self. He put the drink down and approached her slowly. He reached out and gently brushed her cheek with a gentle hand.
"Are you worried about me, dear wife?"
Galatea answered him honestly. "Of course I am… You volunteered to lead a suicide mission like Miria said."
He withdrew his hand. "I am an awakened being, Galatea. I need to be with my kind. I must lead the underworld city's army as King."
"Go to Priscilla, she isn't all that far off. Tell her to lead them." Galatea said.
"Priscilla is no longer Queen,"
"Stay by my side. I need you by my side, please. I need you."
She was reduced to begging, and she did not even care. She cared for him that much. Isley fixed her a longing stare.
"Priscilla appointed me as King, and I accepted it, just as you accepted being by my side as Queen. Yes, I may very well die, but it would be a worthy sacrifice. We cannot risk the underworld city turning on us. I will protect you, by leading our army."
Galatea didn't know what else to say and she knew further begging wouldn't change things. He was right and she didn't want to admit it. She was never one lost for words but the thought of never seeing Isley again was a pain she did not want. Their gazes locked, and in his eyes, she saw love. He was an awakened being and yet she loved him, and he loved her.
Isley leaned in, his lips brushing against Galatea's in a tender kiss. He pulled back then, turned around, and left without saying a word.
In the midst of discussions with Karter, Miria was distracted by the heavy thud of wings in the distance. Miria looked up and saw Teresa soar down towards them, her giant wings casting a shadow below.
"At least she's back," Karter said. "…I was getting worried."
Miria was glad that Teresa was back but she also felt slightly awkward about it. Guilt tore at her insides when she saw Teresa and Clare standing uncharacteristically apart from each other, with Clare having a particularly blank expression.
Every now and then Miria noticed Teresa giving her strange looks. She wished Teresa would be a little more subtle about it, but the woman was clearly enjoying tormenting her. Clare threw her looks as well, and Miria wasn't sure if Clare just suspected something or if she knew the truth. Regardless, she found it difficult to look her friend in the eye.
Hysteria was nowhere to be seen, and Miria figured she must have gone off by herself somewhere in the mountains, clearly wanting to be left alone. In her mind, she envisioned the woman crying her eyes out or kicking a tree to vent her frustrations, or perhaps she was just plain angry.
When the sun was high in the sky, they were all prepared for war. The Capitol's regulators were organized into regiments and spread out strategically amongst the mountains and the valleys. Galatea and Isley's regulators covered the far outer flanks to prevent spillage of the enemy towards the main valleys.
Miria chose the neck of the tallest valley as the location for herself, and her closest allies. The sharp inclines, as well as the trees and rock formations provided natural cover that would act to restrict the movement of the dragonkin forces.
Miria watched her friends as they all huddled together and waited for the beginning of the end. This was it. This was likely the final battle and the one that would dictate the fate of the known world. She looked at all their faces and felt a sadness on the inside that this could very well be the last time she saw them.
Tabitha approached and stood beside her, "If things go wrong, I'll miss you terribly, Captain.."
Miria looked over at her friend, and smiled. "We won't let it go wrong. We'll survive this."
They watched Helen playing with her apple, juggling it with one hand while balancing her sword with the other. "You know," Helen said with a wry grin, "This might be the last apple I ever eat. Should I eat it or toss it at the dragonkin? It might blind one of them if I get a good hit."
Deneve chuckled, shaking her head. "Always finding humor in the darkest of times, Helen."
Cynthia and Yuma sat together nearby, listening.
"I'm not afraid of death," Cynthia said.
"You're not?" Yuma said.
"No. I feel so privileged to have had all of you as friends. If it has to come to an end I'm glad it's when all of us are together."
"Do I count as your friend?" Riful said.
"We're all friends now, I suppose," Deneve said. "Unless you abandon us…"
"I promised to protect Miria, and that is what I plan on doing. But I'll protect all of you too."
"How nice…" Deneve said.
A bolt thundered past them and slammed into a tree. All of them looked over and saw Skye approach with her metallic bow in hand. "This is so exciting…I'm glad I'm here and not back at the Capitol. I want to be where the action is, even if I don't have enough bolts…."
"How many do you have?" Helen asked.
"Not nearly enough…"
"Well, we may as well count our kills," Deneve said. "Because if we survive this ––"
"You mean when we survive this," Helen corrected.
"Yes, when we survive this, thank you Helen…we'll have something to brag about."
"I bet I'll get more kills than you," Helen said.
"We will see…"
Miria smiled amusingly at the ongoing banter with her friends, realizing now more than ever just how much she would miss them all. She noticed some movement in the trees and Miria peered over and saw someone watching. Long blonde hair. Braids. Leery eyes. Hysteria. Miria caught her gaze and they stared for a moment before Hysteria walked away.
"Is everything alright with you and her?" Tabitha asked.
Miria sighed, not quite knowing what to even say, embarrassed about the truth and reasons behind their issues. "I don't know."
"You should go talk to her, Miria, you may never get another chance," Tabitha said.
Clare walked alone through a lonely section of the mountain wilderness. All around birds were tweeting their songs and the air smelt of fresh earth and vibrance. She thought the tranquility would make her feel better but it did nothing of the such. She felt lonely and isolated, betrayed by someone she never thought would betray her. She felt stupid and naive for believing everything she had, that perhaps Teresa had feelings for her but feelings for another. Reality had finally hit her that they weren't the only two in existence, and that perhaps true love wasn't a real thing after all.
"There you are," Teresa said. "What are you doing here all by yourself?"
Clare didn't even turn to face her. As Teresa walked towards her, dried leaves crunched beneath her boots.
"You've been avoiding me," Teresa asked. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," Clare said.
Teresa paused. "Are you sure?"
Again Clare didn't answer. She wanted to be left alone and she didn't. For the first time, she felt uncomfortable in Teresa's presence.
The silence stretched, and from the corner of her vision, Clare could see that Teresa was at a loss for words. She rounded to Clare's front so they faced each other, but kept her distance. Clare looked up and met her eyes, but still she said nothing. They stared at each other for a long while, until Teresa's expression changed from confusion to realization. Then she flushed like someone who realized she was caught.
"You followed me last night," Teresa said.
Clare said nothing and peered away.
"…I feel like I owe you an explanation."
"No, you don't," Clare said. "It's none of my business who you chose to be with."
"I don't want to be with Miria."
"Then why did you sleep with her? Am I too boring for you?"
"Of course not…why would you say that?"
"Then why?"
Teresa turned away in shame, unable to find any words. Clare walked up to Teresa and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Why didn't you invite me?"
Teresa seemed taken aback, and she almost stumbled over her words. "…You're not serious?"
Clare blushed, her confidence fading. "Of course I am… Why wouldn't I be?"
"You wouldn't want that…"
"How do you know what I want? Did you ever ask me?"
Teresa seemed lost for words, and Clare felt silly for saying something that wasn't true. She didn't want to share Teresa. She didn't want to sleep with Miria or anyone else. Teresa knew that, and she wore a mask of remorse, and Clare could see it.
Teresa sighed. "I made a mistake, Clare. I didn't think about how you would feel about it. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I've come to realize that now more than ever."
Clare felt her anger slipping, and she was a little annoyed by how easily Teresa could sway her emotions. Clare's cheeks flushed and she could not hold herself back from saying what she truly felt, no matter how vulnerable it would make her.
"…I only want to be with you, Teresa, no one else."
"I know. I want that too, Clare." Teresa said, smiling.
They embraced each other and remained that way for a sweet moment, rocking slightly and feeling at home in each other's arms. They withdrew and Teresa wanted to kiss her, but Clare pulled back. There was confusion in Teresa's eyes, and Clare felt slightly bad for doing what she thought she had to do.
"I'm not sure that you do," Clare said, before walking away.