Scene Two: A Daunting Task

"You made it."

Will nodded, looking upon what remained of his squad with worry. Out of the missing members, only three had made it to Harohto: Oliver, Leif, and Alex. Oliver lay in the infirmary bed, his chest and head heavily wrapped in bloody bandages, his dark eyes looking at us weakly. His tall, bloodred Scizor sat with him, similarly bandaged but in slightly better shape. Leif's Frogadier nursed an arm in a sling, matching Leif's in the same state. Alex and his purplish Ledyba, Violet, just had scrapes and a few odd bandages, the better off out of the three.

Will sat down next to Scizor and Oliver in the bed. I stayed near the door with Sira and Lusari, hesitant and worried. "What happened to you? I thought you only went off to scout, but then we heard the screams…"

Oliver stared out the window to the bright city outside. "The Keeper," he murmured. "It fell upon us like a storm. Alex and Leif came running down the path, having heard something off in the woods, but then… Julian and Ray were the first. They…" He dropped his gaze and hung his head in shame. "I let them down. I am the most senior of the squad next to Lancet, and yet I could not protect them."

Will, Leif, and Alex all gave him supportive looks. His Scizor matched with a sharp, low cry.

"You could not have done anything more than us," Alex insisted. "Will, we think the Keeper was already angered. I talked to the guards at the city gates. They claim the raiders have cut down a massive section of the woods to the southeast and made their camp there! If I were that beast, I would be enraged!"

Will nodded. "We came to the same conclusion. Other than that, the forest is quiet. We traveled up to the center plateau and saw it all." He turned his head back to Oliver, studying him for a moment. "If there is blame to be carried, it is on me. I only thought to let Ryoku rest, and left you all to scout ahead without me."

"No, the blame isn't with you, either," Leif replied, to my relief. He gave me a small smile. "He is here with you. A lesser man would not accompany you on this grave visit, especially if he found guilt in it. We chose our job wisely, all things considered."

"I agree," Oliver grimaced at me. "In a forest where four of our soldiers lost their lives, you kept our Will safe. For that, I would lay down my life."

I gave Will a look. "I think you've got it backwards."

Will raised a brow at me in return. "I led you down a treacherous path, but you and Snacks came out on top. I think I would not have survived without you, nor had the power to carry on alone after hearing those screams. I would surely have been food for that creature. And now I will need your perseverance again, if my theory is correct."

"You want to go back in there? After that thing?" Leif questioned.

"That might not be fully necessary." Will shifted in his seat, then beckoned to the rest of us. "Come in, you lot, and close the door behind you. And sit. This may be quite the discussion. Fellows, I must introduce my new comrades. This is Sira Jessura, and Lusari Atella."

Our newest friend hung nervously in the doorway, only closing the door after Will asked. Sira offered her a place among us, and so she joined. I came to sit near Will, and Sira leaned against the wall behind Leif. Lusari remained close to the door, still anxious.

Along the way, she explained that she had nowhere left to go. Her mother and father were both victims of the latest raids on the Capital, a raid that hit the northern wall opposite from where we'd visited so far, just over a week ago. The deaths of her parents were the reason for her tardiness at the Harohto Capital Academy. Eventually the rent for her family home would pile up, and her parents didn't have the kind of money to keep the place flowing after they were gone. Sooner than later, Lusari would be without a home. Still grieving and with little well-paying work left in the Capital, especially for someone close to my age, she would wind up homeless before long.

We did offer her a sizeable chunk of the bounty we received from the Capital, but it was of little interest to her. She had no reason left to stay in this city. According to the governor we'd briefly spoken with at the scene, the Capital was up to its head in recent raids. Thugs and brigands knew they could get away with anything, and the guard force was stretched too thin to control it all. In such a place, the next situation Lusari walked into could well be her last.

"These are your friends?" Lusari timidly asked Will, holding her Ralts, Starlight.

Alex beamed at her and strode forward gallantly. "Milady! Sir Alex Retton is my name, a man of the Syaotoan Army, at your beck and call!"

His advance backfired, Lusari recoiling from his touch. Will and Oliver exchanged bemused looks. "Surely can get his own titles right to impress a lady," Oliver said ruefully.

Leif pulled Alex back, cringing. "Alex Retton is just a novice in the army, Miss, before you decide to file a harassment case against the army. I am Leif Cartos, a median. Will and I share the same ranking, though he is still a superior to me."

"And I am Oliver Rouge," Oliver waved from the bed. "High-rank soldier. I apologize that I cannot rise to greet such a lady properly. You… are local to Harohto?"

Lusari nodded shyly, and Will answered for her. "She recently went through quite the ordeal. Her and her Pokemon, however, helped us and our mutual friend out quite a bit. She may prove even more useful yet." He gave her a soft, private smile, and she timidly returned it.

Sira raised a hand. "I'm not from here, though. Ordenite."

The gazes of all three soldiers, friendly and relaxed moments ago, sharpened like drawn blades. Leif even reached for the gladius at his hip, but Will stopped him with a hand and silenced him with a look. "Stay your hand. She once served in their army, but she is a friend to us. Without her, Ryoku and I would still be in those woods, dead or alive."

Alex relaxed the easiest. "Oh, a friend, then. You should have said so sooner! Sorry, Sira. We have had nothing if not ill encounters with Orden."

"Noted," Sira replied, rolling her eyes. "Consider me Ordenite in name only. And besides, you're gonna need me around with Willy-boy's plans."

All eyes turned to Will, and Leif chuckled, nudging his friend. "Hear what she calls you? Did you pick up a girlfriend on your travels?"

Before Will could reply, Sira stood behind Leif's chair, cracking her knuckles. "The hell did you just say?"

Leif blanched. "N-Nothing!" He dodged away from her in his chair. "Nothing at all! S-Say, Will, what is this plan she speaks of?"

"Coward," Sira muttered, but she stepped back.

Will leaned forward, closer to Oliver than anything. "Is your stone safe?"

Oliver's gaze sharpened immediately, his eyes taking in everyone in the room. "Will, are you mad? What do you speak of in such company?"

"I speak plainly, well-aware of who accompanies us," Will said. "Alex and Leif would learn before long, serving under Lord Brom Gerenadh like the rest of us. And we are not the only stone-keepers in the room."

Oliver's eyes quickly went to me. "Your Eevee…?"

"I don't know the full details yet," I admitted quietly. "However, I have to visit the stones. I think it's the only way I'll remember why Snacks and I are here."

Leif chuckled. "I forgot you'd named her such a silly thing." He turned to Oliver. "What are we talking about?"

"Perhaps it is best Oliver fill you in after I brief you," Will reasoned. "I have the feeling we are operating on borrowed time."

Oliver's gaze did not lighten. "My shard of the stone is safe, yes. Continue to speak plainly then, Will. If we cannot trust those in this room, then we will surely pay for it at a later date."

Will smacked his palm with his fist, startling an already on-edge Leif. "We attack the raider camp!" he declared. "If they are the problem which riles the Keeper, then we may strike down two birds with one stone."

"By ourselves?" Alex asked. He didn't sound nervous at all – rather, the idea clearly invigorated him. "Their camp is massive – we had to pass by it to get here. Perhaps you saw it as well. Could we truly hope to cause any damage?"

"They are but raiders and bandits," Leif reasoned. "Starved men, mostly peasants persuaded to switch sides in order to not starve. As much as I am certain Harohto's governing is lacking something fundamental that caused this, they will be no match for us, if that's your big idea."

"It could be wise to reach out to Field Commander Lancet, as well," Oliver added gravely. His words brought an instant drop in the vigor of Will, Alex, and Leif, and their shoulders drooped. "He will not be happy with what happened to us. Saving face now could prove better for us in the long run."

I saw Will's reaction. His mouth opened to reply, and I knew the gravity of the words waiting there – but Alex cut in, punching the air in his bravado. "Lancet can wait! We have an important job in service of the good people of Harohto – and to avenge our own! Even a snide, berating dog like him can—"

"Alex," Oliver gave him a severe look, "mind your tongue. I am injured right now, but I am still your superior and must advise you against such words."

"This could end up paying out if we take down their camp." Leif crossed his arms, staring deeply at the ground. "Say what you will about Lancet. We bring back a tidy sum, and our losses wouldn't make the bastard bat an eye."

Oliver, despite himself, laughed dryly. "I could not disagree. Still, with that in mind," he continued, returning his gaze to Will, "you brought up my stone. Why? What is your plan?"

Will was quiet for a moment, reading the room. "Everyone here will be involved in some way, so I do not fear to mince words. With what Ryoku saw of the Keeper, I have strong reason to believe it – a Pokemon – is a guardian of the Grass Stone."

An eerie silence washed over the room. Oliver turned to me. "You saw the Keeper? Up close?"

I nodded. "As close as I could get. Snacks saved me, or I would be a pile of gore on the forest floor right now."

"Us too, by proxy," Sira added. "Even Infernix took a serious hit back there. That timely evolution of hers…"

I caught Leif and Alex regarding me like I was a hero. If only they'd seen the terror I felt when I stood face-to-face with the Keeper.

"Ryoku and Snacks hold some kind of connection to the stones," Will told Oliver. "Given Snacks' abilities, I feel it is a very strong one. Ryoku also has the marking of a Stone Guardian. Somewhere out there, perhaps, his partner Pokemon guards a stone without him.

"And Sira," he went on, "protects a shard of the Fire Stone. She escaped Orden to protect it, and she came with terrifying news: Orden's emperor seeks to gather the stones for himself."

Oliver looked whiter than before, putting a hand reflexively on his Scizor. "And what do you intend to do about that? Stand and fight? Gather the stones for yourselves?"

"Perhaps if we could gather enough shards, it would give us a better fighting chance," Will said, "but no, not primarily that. I need Ryoku to regain his memory, and we need to find his Guardian Pokemon. Who knows what could have happened? Maybe a stone has been destroyed and his Pokemon is gone. Maybe his Pokemon guards a stone that will be beneficial to us. Maybe it has fallen into Orden's hands already. But, as I said, I sense Snacks' role in this is pivotal. Something about her evolution has to do with the stones. Perhaps the answer lies with her original trainer. Maybe they are a Stone Guardian, too."

Alex and Leif were exchanging glances, trying to understand what they were talking about. Lusari looked perplexed, too, but she didn't press the matter.

"There is more, too," Will said, his tone heavy. "We have reason to believe Orden knows about Ryoku and Snacks already. They could be on their way here. With Stone Guardians and their Pokemon here, and perhaps a guardian of the Grass Stone, we need to extend the warning before we leave."

"Then your mission involves returning to Syaoto at some point," Oliver said. "You intend to go to Brom. If anyone should know the status of other Stone Guardians…"

Will nodded solemnly. "Then I shall find the city guard. With their help, we might be able to actually make a dent in the raider forces."

Oliver frowned. "Could we, though? Surely you have seen Harohto's forces lately. They are stretched thin, tired, worn out. Harohto does not hold honor as highly as Syaoto. They do not have the manpower, let alone the initiative, to tackle these raiders. In truth, much of their militia is roughly-trained men and volunteers."

"Perhaps I could be of assistance."

All heads turned to the door. A man had opened the door behind Lusari, initially startling her, but she appeared to recognize the man who stepped into the room, his head held high. He dressed in Harohtian armor, a medium helm tucked under his arm, shaggy brown hair curling to his shoulders that framed an angular face. His brown eyes hung low with dark circles. Although young, his face retained stress lines and scars that pockmarked his features.

He approached Oliver, who regarded him guardedly, and extended a hand. "Mosten Clienne, captain of the city guard, at your service." He shook Oliver's hand. "My condolences for your current condition, but your wounds tell a plain story of what you faced."

Oliver nodded back. "I apologize for my words about your people. I am Oliver Rouge, second in Lancet Cooper's Field Regiment. How long did you eavesdrop on us?"

Mosten gave a brief smile. "Not long at all. And don't apologize – your words sting, but they are the truth." He turned his gaze toward me. "Governor Thorne told me about your deeds today. I apologize for having you followed. Under normal circumstances, I might have acted more honorably. I'm afraid times are tough."

"No need to apologize," I told him earnestly. "What brings you here?"

He straightened, folding his arms behind his back. "Word has spread fast of your arrival in this city. A new League Trainer does not see Harohto's walls very often these days. We have an academy for trainers, but those of League level are seldom seen. Of the few that are, they hardly make such an impact as you have – you and your Eevee, I might add. Word says you seek to hunt the Keeper and, in turn, to attack the raider fort to the southeast."

"Could you offer us any assistance?" Will asked.

Mosten's jaw tightened. "Aye, but your friend is right. Our forces stretch to a breaking point. The raiders attack our walls day and night. Many break into the city and raze buildings. They beat our people, kill our Pokemon and our livestock, and rifle through our resources like we grew it all for them. Last week, they even broke our northern wall's defenses and killed over a hundred. More joined them, left without a choice. Many are orphaned by them, and we cannot support that many mouths with no source of income. Our job market runs dry, our granaries depleted before winter has even struck. We are in dire straights, my friends."

The words were clearly getting to him, and his fist clenched his helm tighter. "We have little option left, and even littler men for it. Governor Thorne has cleared me to assist, only if I were to sign your group on. The way you battled in the square suggests it is a wise choice. I can spare fifteen or so men and their Pokemon, including myself."

Leif frowned. "Fifteen men? What are we to do with that?"

Sira shrugged wryly. "Walk up to their gates and nicely ask them to stop?"

Oliver, however, scratched his chin in thought. "We could potentially cause enough of a ruckus to disperse them. If you and your men have knowledge of the area, perhaps we could use the Old Forest to our advantage. Under the cover of night, we could steal their food supply. Perhaps even torch some tents and damage their turf. If they are attacking the city at night, that could put us in a position to hit them where it counts without endangering ourselves too greatly."

"Is that not a little… cowardly?" Alex sounded disappointed.

Oliver raised a brow. "Cowardly? Well, Alex, if you think you can waltz into the front gates and do battle with a force of thousands, no matter their lack of training, then go ahead. Just do not risk any more of my men."

Alex's chin fell. Reading the room, I felt like all the Syaotoan soldiers wanted nothing more than just that. With their expertise, it almost seemed possible, but I knew the notion was foolish.

"This could sate our old green-garbed friend," Sira agreed. "This'll take a lot loner than just beating some sense into it, but it might be the only way." She turned to me. "What do you think, kid? This sound good to you?"

I mulled over it for a moment. Part of me wanted what Alex and the others clearly desired: to fight their forces head-on in a proper battle. However, that would cost lives we didn't have. I didn't want any more lives on my hands if I could help it. Like Sira said, it might be the best way to get the Keeper's attention without putting ourselves in its immediate path. I felt vengeful against it, too, for the lives it'd taken, but I wondered if we couldn't come to terms with it.

I caught Lusari's glance. She stayed by the door behind Mosten, hands folded, still ultimately nervous with everyone in the room. Despite that, I caught the determination in her gaze that was plain to me. Lusari lost her family recently to these raids. If she were to accompany us, and to help us achieve Travel, then I wanted to do right by her. This wouldn't bring her parents back, but it would be a huge step in making sure it didn't happen again – while dealing a blow against the wretches responsible.

"What happens when we attack the camp?" I asked. "What if we steal their food, so they just attack here and get it all back?"

"If you agree to this mission, we can pinpoint our efforts," Mosten replied. "I can double the city's defenses without needing to spread my forces as far as the raider camp. If we hold out the walls long enough, they'll hand themselves over. We imprison the worst of them, set the rest to work replenishing the food stores they've drained, and we start preparing for a harsh winter. With the right amount of manpower, we can survive it."

"You have thought this out," Oliver commended.

Mosten nodded simply. "It has long been a half-baked plan with no means to come to fruition. With your help, I can change that."

I couldn't help but admire his tenacity. Even knowing the city was somewhat corrupt, Mosten had an action plan to change things. If we could pull through, he could turn this city around. He might not have the same power as a figure like Governor Thorne, but he had the heart and the means to start somewhere.

"Then we'll do it," I agreed. "If we play our cards right, we can avoid an all-out war and end this."

Snacks chirped cheerfully in my arms. I was surprised, looking to the others, to see how much weight my words seemed to carry. Alex and Leif exchanged eager looks. Sira grinned, hiding her smirk behind her fist. Lusari flashed me a private smile. Will squeezed my shoulder.

"I owe you for even considering this task," Mosten regarded me gravely, and bowed deeply. "I assure you I would not request an impossible mission from you, but it is not without its dangers. We've considered every angle possible. I can send out some men straightaway to find the best entry point, but I already have a good idea of where to start."

Will nodded. "Let us know. Even if the specifics change, I would like to know where we might begin."

"Very well," Mosten agreed. He leaned against the window, arms crossed, staring out into the city. The hospital wing overlooked much of the southern half of the city, and the all-too-familiar Old Forest beyond it. Even from here, looking carefully, I could see the smokestacks of the raider camp. We'd avoided it getting here, but perhaps Will did that purposely.

"To the eastern end of the plains," Mosten said, "right along the edge of the Border Range, there's an old trailhead leading into the forest. Path cuts right through, all the way to the plateau. More importantly, it circles right around where they've made camp along the higher plains. Somewhere along that trail will be the breaking line. If we take out a guard team, it could be a free run to the heart of the camp – so long as they choose to attack tonight."

"They will," Sira said, nodding approvingly. "Like you said, winter approaches. They've gotta keep acting to feed their growing numbers. So we bust in, take some down, steal a bunch of their food, and do some damage, huh? Fine by me."

Will turned to Leif. "How is your arm? Will you be able to join us?"

Leif rotated his shoulder in its socket, pulling at the sling his arm was in, and only winced lightly. "You bet. Just a sprain on the same arm I hurt back in the woods a few weeks ago, so… count me in."

Alex punched the air as rapidly as a Hitmonchan. "You can bet your ass I'm in, Will! I've been waiting for this!"

Oliver smiled sadly up at Will, who gave him an understanding nod.

"I have to sit this one out," Oliver said. "You would be the one in charge of us. Given your stance in Bytold and all you have done sense, I believe I have little cause for worry. You could be better suited for the role than I ever was. Certainly far more than our commanding officer."

Will smiled tightly, clasping Oliver's shoulder. "I will lead us to victory in your stead. Hold tight until we return, alright?"

Oliver nodded somberly. "I will write to Lancet while you are gone. And please." He paused to pick up a silver Pokeball at his side. "Take Terrus with you. Scizor and I are not fighting fit, but he is. Perhaps he can help you out in the field. If even one extra life is saved, then he has done his due."

Will accepted the Pokeball with a firm nod. "Okay, Oliver. I will protect him."

Mosten looked around at all of us, looking a lot happier than he'd been when he arrived. "Right, then. I will go and prepare. At nightfall, meet me at the northern trailhead I mentioned. Come prepared. If your Pokemon need to be patched up at all, please visit the barracks and mention my name."

He shook the hands of all the Syaotoan soldiers and I. He gently touched Lusari's hand in a respectful gesture, likely familiar with her story already. He hesitated before Sira, and the swordstress stuck out an irritable hand to shake. Smiling, Mosten accepted – and returned with a reddened hand. Grimacing, the militia captain took his leave, and our company followed suit for the last of our preparations.