Anje's face gleamed with sweat as she slammed the quarterstaff into the ground. She brushed her blonde hair from her face-her ponytail had become a tangled mess- and resumed a crouched stance, twirling the staff around to a horizontal grip, pointing at her adversary: Cordelia.

"I think that's another point for me," Cordelia sheepishly replied as she rested her wooden practice lance on her shoulder. "Perhaps we should take a break-"

"Again," Anje spat. Her dull blue-gray eyes gleamed as she focused on Cordelia, awaiting the knight to pick up her lance again.

"Aren't you tired?" Cordelia said, her breathing a bit labored from all the morning exercise. "We can take a break you know?"

Olivia giggled from the side, resting up against the railing of the ship alongside Gaius and Lon'qu. "Anje doesn't get tired. She just gets angrier."

"Cram it," Anje gruffly barked. She began to pace back and forth, spinning the quarterstaff while keeping her eyes locked on Cordelia. "Again."

Cordelia let out a sigh. "At least let me help you with your technique a bit." Cordelia paused as Anje slowed her pace, tilting her head for the pegasus knight to continue. Cordelia cleared her parched throat. "You see, while you've got the basics down and you're remarkably quick, you have a lot of wasted movement. Try not to be so, uh-" Cordelia looked over to Lon'qu, "Little help?"

The Feroxi swordsman shrugged. "Every strike should have a finality behind it or set up the following strike. You will just get tired eventually or mess up by using flowery maneuvers that open you up."

Cordelia smiled at Anje; a smile that Anje had come to loathe and despise. It was an understanding and sympathetic gesture. One that gnawed at the acrobat's insides like a rabid hound as her knuckles turned white against the staff's grip. She had to beat her today. Unlike the last two mornings. Listening to Nowi babble on about Cordelia's triumphs like a deranged toddler or Robin using math words as a way to 'help' was torture enough.

"You ready?" Cordelia asked tentatively. "Shall we go over the rules again?"

"No," Anje mumbled. "I remember. No headshots, no crotch shots, no disabling strikes. Just trying to score the first hit or disarm."

"Aren't we forgetting one?" Cordelia raised an eyebrow as the corners of her lips tugged upward. "Go ahead and say it."

Anje rolled her tongue around in her mouth and squinted her eyes. "...and no dirty talk. Which, I will continue to say is complete bullshit!"

"You can't rely on derogatory words to win fights in battles. Most people won't even hear you amidst the chaos," Cordelia replied.

"I dunno," Gaius called out. "I learned a few new words. I'd say it's almost educational."

Lon'qu pursed his lips and then shook his head. He didn't say anything, but Anje could tell he must've been impressed. It was the only natural reaction to seeing Olivia and Cordelia's faces turn a bright shade of magenta upon her first loss. It was one of the few times the broody swordsman looked genuinely shocked and not so dour or bored.

"Attention, companions and compatriots!"

That's Virion. Anje smiled and rested her quarterstaff on her shoulder. Practice can wait, anyway. Cordelia must be thrilled to get a break from the incoming thrashing.

Anje turned toward the familiar voice and spotted her beau standing outside the Captain's quarters. Virion, dressed in brilliant lavender-colored pants and tunic waved to the group on the deck, looking pointedly at Anje and Gaius.

"Yes, you two!" Virion called out. "Also, Olivia, we have need for you as well! Please come forth into the Captain's quarters!"

Virion turned on his heel and entered back into the room, leaving the door cracked behind him. Anje smiled as she heard Gaius let out an exasperated sigh and Olivia's soft footsteps.

"It's about time, isn't it?" Gaius walked beside Anje, nudging her playfully in the shoulder. "And here I was just starting to enjoy this little vacation."

Anje rolled her eyes. "Yes, quite the vacation. Stuck on a piece of wood in the middle of the ocean. So thrilling."

Gaius shrugged and let out a muffled chuckle. "It's a wonder, Thorn, that you've won over Virion with that sparkling personality of yours."

"I really hate how clever you think you are, Gaius." Anje stopped in front of the door, looking toward Olivia who bumbled after them. She leaned into the thief's ear. "So, when's a good time I should tell Olivia that you were throwing your poker games to make her feel good? The middle of the meeting is what I'm thinking. That sound good to you?"

Gauis narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth for a moment before closing it. He glanced at Olivia who was nearing them, and then lowered his voice. "How'd you-"

"Just cause I can't read a book doesn't mean I can't read people," Anje sternly whispered back. "Plus, you gawking at her thighs all night and having a dumb smile on your face whenever she would win is just a bit obvious."

Gaius swallowed hard. "It's that obvious?"

Anje flashed the thief a smug smile and turned to Olivia. "You ready?"

"You two didn't have to wait for me you know," Olivia said apologetically, though her tone and smile were thankful. Her face lit up as she briefly locked eyes with Gaius and began to fidget slightly with her hands. "Are we going in?"

"Go ahead, I've just one last thing to say to Gaius." Anje motioned with her head toward the door. "It'll just be a moment."

Olivia nodded and ventured forth into the noisy room. Gaius' smile as he watched Olivia pass was strained, and he swallowed hard as Anje placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Just so I'm clear," Anje's grip tightened, "you hurt her, and I fucking skin you alive and feed you to whatever big animal that's around. Are we clear?"

Gaius blanched and nodded. "Crystal."

Anje let go and entered the room, leaving the thief to collect himself for a moment. She's done a lot for me, and if some two-bit thief screws with her I'll kill 'em. She's too damn precious for anything else.

The captain's quarters of the ship was a cramped mess as Anje stepped into the brightly lit room. Lantern's adorned the walls that illuminated the scrolls and maps that littered the walls, tables, and floors. In the corner of the room in a leather chair, the captain of the vessel, a large middle-aged Feroxi man sat with his arms crossed and a sour look upon his grizzled face; no doubt upset Robin had taken over his private area.

In the center of the room, Robin stood hovering over a map splayed across the large rectangular table with Miriel and Virion flanking his sides. Leaning up against the northern wall was the priest, Libra, dressed in his armored attire with an axe and staff strapped to his back.

I've barely seen that guy around, Anje thought as she stepped beside Olivia. Hopefully, we actually have news.

Virion gave the distracted white-haired man a nudge. "Ahh, Robin, my good tactician, they've arrived." Robin didn't budge as his eyes continued to fervently scan the map spread in front of him. Virion coughed and spoke louder. "Miriel, perhaps you could be a dear and help?"

"Pardon me, Robin, but I believe it is time for the procedural debrief for our first contact team," Miriel said in an even tone.

Robin blinked and looked up, his eyes slightly bloodshot. "Oh, right. It is time for that, isn't it?" He looked up and smiled; a bit too wide for Anje's liking. "It is good you have arrived. I've been in the process of cataloging the population statistics of Valm, and the captain's man in the crow's nest has spotted smoke in the distance. Virion has informed me that we approach the island his contact has agreed to meet us on."

Anje squinted at Virion and mouthed 'is he okay?'. Virion tilted his head side to side and mouthed back 'tell you later'. Suppose that's the most I can ask for.

"It is how my friend said," Virion announced, stepping around the table. "I've discussed with Robin and Miriel for a scouting team, and we've decided to send you four," he scanned the room and clapped his hands together, "We've decided that with the smoke we've seen on the horizon and the dense canopy of the island means we should take caution, and a Pegasus rider wouldn't be viable. We'll be hanging off the coast as you four go by lifeboat."

"Why us?" Gaius asked. He had chosen to remain close to the entrance; his face serious and posture relaxed. "Why not just one scout?"

"Because there might be people injured," Libra interjected. His voice was deeper than Anje would have expected with his angelic features. He peeled himself off the wall and looked at Gaius. "The fact that there may be trouble means a smaller team would be better than a single scout. Correct, Robin?"

"That is exactly the reason," Robin confirmed. "The more we know about Walhart's troop movements and tactics, the closer we can get to forming a counter-strategy."

"And I've told you in-depth what he does," Virion said, exasperated. "Must you need such gruesome evidence?"

"Evidence is the foundation of any reasonable plan," Robin countered evenly. "While I understand your intent to help, I must collect the proper data for myself. Only then can we operate with precision and certainty."

Going on again about these plans, Anje idly grumbled. The constant politicking always made Anje's head swim a bit; the fact that Virion never seemed to tire of it. Always smiling no matter the resistance. Though when we're alone, we never talk about it. It's always something else other than other people. He's hardly the gossip people expect him to be in private.

"Very well then," Virion said. His nose wrinkled, and he looked over at Gaius. "You'll be taking point, as per Robin's recommendation on this. Find Cherche near the outskirts of Fort Celis, and she'll be able to handle the rest."

"How will we find her?" Anje asked.

Virion chuckled. "Shouldn't be too hard. My lovely retainer is a renowned wyvern rider. Her beast shouldn't be hard to track, lest she discovers you first!"

Why hasn't Virion mentioned her before? Anje thought, pursing her lips. Robin began to talk again; pointless information to Anje. The mission was simple: row ashore, find wyvern lady, and then bring her back. No need for pointless semantics at that point.

"Anje, do you have any questions?" Miriel said, almost leering at the girl.

Anje blinked, coming to from zoning out and ignoring the relentless preamble. She waved Miriel's comment off in a dismissive manner. "Nah, I'm good. Seems simple enough. Go to place, find woman, come back."

"An oversimplification of procedure, but correct," Robin hummed. He clapped his hands together and smiled once again. The corners of his lips strained, and Anje felt her gut churn as she tried to avoid making eye contact. "Anyone else have a query?"

A silence settled over the room. Anje glanced around as everyone looked at each other expecting someone else to speak up, but no questions or words came out.

"Excellent," Robin affirmed with confidence. "I'll await your return with the informant and any potential components to Walhart's machinations."

Anje smiled and nodded. She wasn't sure what he meant, but it screamed 'hostage'.

The sun hung high in the sky as the sound of water splashing brushed up against the sides of the lifeboat. Anje rubbed her hands together and blew into them, trying to generate some heat. Even on a sunny day, the ocean was much chillier than she'd remembered.

"Why is it that I'm the one rowing?" Gaius complained, though he didn't stop moving the oars. "Like, if one of you wants to trade off..."

"A kind offer, Gaius, but I'll politely decline," Libra replied. His eyes fixated on the island and the trail of smoke wafting above the treeline.

"But we're already going so fast! We'll be there in no time with your efforts!" Olivia assured the rogue. He smirked and began to row a bit faster. Olivia held the side of the boat and a small squeak jumped from her throat. "Wow, such power!"

Anje's lips twitched with amusement as she gave Olivia a wry look. Way to shut him up and do his job. Nicely done.

"Anje, I've been meaning to chat with you."

The acrobat grimaced as she turned toward the low and appealing tone of Libra. The blonde cleric's eyes were closed as he smiled at her, though Anje immediately opted to pull her knees toward her chest. The biting chill of the ocean's breeze helped mask her unease.

Most people who start with that line always have something damning to say.

"What is it, Libra?" Anje flatly replied. Olivia and Gaius appeared distracted and uninterested in the conversation; politely ignoring them or eagerly awaiting for her to stir up more gossip.

Anje rolled her eyes. Unbelievable.

"I'm not here to accuse you of anything. Not intentionally." Libra shifted in his seat, leaning forward with a slight smile on his face. "I'd actually like to congratulate you. Truly."

"Uh, thank you?" Anje murmured. She pulled her legs tighter into her chest. "For what exactly?"

"For following in Naga's light. It's quite admirable considering what I've heard from the Shepherds." Libra leaned back and sighed. "Still, I find it only a little disheartening I've yet to speak with you until now on this expedition."

"I don't really follow your religion or anything," Anje said, avoiding eye contact.

"You don't?" Libra replied, his eyes widening with shock. "Virion had said you were a foreigner. Do you hail from Valm? I'm quite adept at recanting the old mythos of Duma and Mila-"

"It's complicated." Anje shook her head and looked at Olivia. Her friend shrugged, managing to get a huff of irritation from Anje before returning her attention to Libra. "Look, I'm not sure what I believe in. Especially when it comes to gods and shit. I'm just trying to do what I can and not think about all this," Anje waved her arms around, "magic bullshit and nonsense."

"Whether you believe in it or not, trying to better oneself is part of following Naga's guidance." Libra gave a pointed look toward Gaius. "Regardless of those who are still figuring it out."

"What?" Gaius asked in between breaths. He continued to row, though his pace slowed down as he frowned at the cleric. "What did I do?"

Libra sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I haven't forgotten about you wanting me to steal candy from orphans for you."

"You've got it all wrong, Padre. I was asking you to ask the management to have the orphanage leave some extra candy out. Completely different!"

"Gaius, it doesn't work that way. I can't ask Naga to steal candy for you." Libra's voice sounded ragged as he turned back to Anje. "As I said. Some need more guidance while others can find the way themselves."

"Did you really want to steal from children?" Olivia softly asked.

Gaius turned away, his cheeks reddening and Anje's grin spread wide. Ha! That'll keep him quiet for a bit.

Except for the churning of the waves, silence washed over the group in the form of Libra and Olivia glaring at the embarrassed rogue, and Anje looked over at the land that was quickly approaching. The craggy shore was crowded with sharp rocks, corpses of dead fish, and tufts of seaweed strewn about as far as the eye could see that littered the shore with a slick and sickly green color. Valm already looked much like she'd been told: bleak, rough, and desiccated.

The smell of salt and smoke buffeted against Anje's senses as Gaius steered them through the choppy tides and onto the shore. It was a familiar scent to Anje, minus the faint smell of garbage that usually would accompany the fires from the homeless people near the docks in the many portside towns of the Black Sea she'd frequented in years past with the circus. She smiled and hopped out of the lifeboat with a spring in her step. It was a welcome upgrade, even as the smoke in the air had a slightly familiar, tangy smell to it.

"What do you see, Anje?" Gaius said as he hurriedly tied down the boat to a nearby rock spire. "Anything interesting?"

"Trees." She deadpanned. Anje turned around and placed her hands on her hips. "Anything else you'd like me to report-"

She inhaled, letting the fumes brush against her tongue. Narrowing her eyes she crouched and began to slowly creep toward the forest. I know this smell. Something's burning, like-

"Bodies," Anje confirmed as her face twisted into a scowl. "That rotten metallic taste is from bodies being burned."

Olivia approached Anje, her face strained with discomfort. "Are you sure? Maybe it's something else that-"

"I know that smell. It's not something I'll ever forget," Anje replied in a frantic tone. "Work long enough in a circus with fancy stunts, you're bound to find some asshole dumb enough to play with fire."

"I can agree with Anje's assessment," Libra affirmed, his eyes trained on the blue sky that was covered in a thick gray haze. "Plegians would often burn bodies after a battle. The sand made it difficult to have proper burials, and pyres would be used instead. It's...a hard scent to forget."

Gaius hustled up beside the group, popping a fresh lollipop into his mouth. "Well, that's a bit grim. Let's hope our contact isn't on the pile then, eh?"

Anje let the rest of the group amble forward before plunging into the thick underbrush of the island. Fort Celis had stood as a strong part of the Novis dukedom within the Valmese territory, one of the few forts that had survived from the wars of old. The smells of rotten meat grew stronger as the group inched closer toward the source, yet the forest remained quiet and still. No birds sang, and no cries of battle roared through the treetops. Anje ground her teeth and hummed under her breath, giving her something else to focus on.

Gaius held up a hand, and the group slowed from a light jog to a crouched creep. Anje peeled back a few branches as they entered a lush, golden wheat field; her eyes drifted up toward what looked like rows upon rows of smoldering scarecrows outside the main gate of Fort Celis.

They weren't scarecrows, though the message they sent worked just as well, if not better. Anje's stomach turned violently on itself as everyone besides Libra turned away from the display for a moment to collect themselves. The priest only grimaced and held a mournful vigil as everyone gathered their wits.

"Naga's tits, look how many of them there are-" Gaius paused and looked over his shoulder at Libra. "Sorry, Padre. I meant that respectfully."

"I'll be sure to let the management know next time I'm in prayer," Libra hummed with pursed lips. "Still, it's an unsettling sight."

"You're really not going to let that go, are you?"

Libra shrugged. "I figure gentle reminders are a blessing for someone like you, Gaius. Just think of it as me not giving up on you."

Gaius scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm feeling the love."

"Can we move?" Anje spat, crouching just low enough to stay under the top of the wheat. "I don't want to meet the people who did this, and if we do," she pointed at the myriad of charred bodies, " I want to kill them before they do that to us."

Olivia gave a frantic nod to the group, and Anje gave an exasperated gesture for Gaius to continue onward. Begrudgingly, he nodded and pressed onward, carving out a small path through the wheat field toward the stone outer walls of the weatherworn fort.

Tall, scraggly trees outlined the perimeter of the walls with their lifeless branches and pitch-laden bark glistening in the sunlight. Gaius walked up to the wall, pressing against it and looking up the sheer surface with a focused look. Anje stood in the back beside Olivia with her arms crossed, observing the rogue's poking and prodding with scrutiny.

"Well, I don't think we can scale it," Gaius said as he pressed against some of the small protruding bricks. "Not enough for a handhold and too tall to jump. We'll have to find a break in the wall or an unoccupied entry point."

"Why not jump?" Anje pointed to a nearby tree. "I could make that with a good leap."

Gaius sighed and leaned against the wall. "Maybe you can, Thorn, but what about the rest of us? I ain't wanting to try and jump that gap. Nor do I think Padre can make it either with all his gear."

"The vantage point could help, nonetheless," Libra cooly replied. He smiled at Anje and nodded. "Go ahead and see if you can get on the battlements. Tell us what you see."

Anje grinned and gave a quick salute. Gaius is such a baby. A thief and he's afraid of a little height? With a running start, Anje quickly pulled herself up to a low branch and began to scale the tree with practiced ease. Reaching higher and higher, the branches began to bend a bit as she stood with her full weight on a sturdy-looking branch several meters up.

"How's it going?" Gaius asked, earning himself a dirty look from Anje. He rolled his eyes and nodded. "Got it!"

Focus on my breathing. Soft softs. Anje walked to the edge of the branch, using some nearby twig-like branches for support. She dipped her weight, feeling for when the branch would give. Need to figure out my jump point. If not, it'll be me jumping right into a brick wall…

"You've got this!" Olivia cheered as Anje walked back toward the trunk of the tree.

Anje gave the pinkette a thumbs up, and her vision focused on the wall ahead of her. The ledge was slightly higher than her elevation; which meant jumping just enough to grab onto the stone railing, and then being able to pull herself up. Too short and she'd just fall, and over jumping would send her careening over the ramparts.

Been a while since I've made a jump.

She took a deep breath and sprinted forward; the branch bobbed with each step. The wind brushed against her face as Anje became airborne and soared for a brief moment. Her trajectory was a bit overestimated as her stomach collided with the stone railing of the wall.

Anje wheezed as the rocky outcropping knocked the air from her lungs; her hands clung to the outside with a white-knuckled grip. Well, that probably bruised my ribs. With a grunt, Anje pulled herself over the wall and landed on her back with a dull thud. The last of the air in her chest left her body with her rough landing.

"Think I'll just rest a moment," Anje coughed out.

"You dead yet.?" A smarmy voice echoed from the outside of the wall.

"Fuck off, Gaius," Anje groaned as she stood up. She brushed off her rust-colored leather tunic and form-fitting light brown pants. She rolled her neck and took a few breaths to stabilize herself before looking over the ledge at her team. "I'm alive."

"Wonderful. What can you see?" Libra asked in a kind tone.

"Right," Anje turned and squinted her eyes as she scanned the remains of Fort Celis. "Bunch of burned down buildings...dead bodies everywhere...and a-"

An ear-piercing screech shot through the air, coming from the center of the fort. Anje moved down the ramparts to give herself a better vantage of the source. That's not a person. It sounds like one of those giant fucking lizards with wings.

"Are you okay?" Olivia's quiet voice echoed from over the wall.

"I'm fine. I'm going to check out the noise." Anje looked around the walkway and spotted a wooden ladder leading down to an alleyway wedged in between two stone longhouses. "Sounds like one of those lizard things. See ya in there."

"Wait-"

Anje slid down the ladder and planted her feet on the hard clay-like ground. She could hear her allies babbling about something, but she shrugged. It's not like they had time to waste in finding their contact, and getting away from Gaius' comments was a gift on its own. Not watching Gaius and Olivia shyly glance at each other was much needed.

Creeping along the alleyways, Anje walked in a crouched position as she peeked her head around the corner. If I was a giant dumb lizard, where would I be…

Her foot stepped on something soft, and uneven. Anje looked down to see a small doll made of twine and cotton, torn apart with blotches of dried blood staining its blonde, stringy hair. Anje knelt down and held the child's toy for a moment, observing the missing arm to the happy expression on the doll's face.

What in the fuck happened here? Anje glanced around the alley, but only the signs of footprints embedded in the sodden ground and the sounds of charred wooden beams faltering creaked around her. Anje squeezed the doll tight and slipped it into her pocket. What fucking monsters did this? This was more than just killing the enemy. Should have guessed that by the people placed on sticks at the front. They went after everyone.

Slipping and sliding between cover, the sounds of mashing and gnawing drew closer in the relatively quiet fort. Poking her head out to look in the central square, Anje's jaw dropped as a wyvern tore into a dead Valmese soldier. The beast's powerful jaws easily sank through the corpse's steel cuirass, and the sound of metal grinding and breaking rumbled from the wyvern's gullet.

"Damn, this one's not a fat piece of shit," Anje whispered under her breath.

"Atta girl, Minerva," A feminine, melodic voice similar to Virion's style accent cooed.

A tall woman in black and silver armor stepped from behind the wyvern, gently caressing the beast's back as it munched. Specs of blood covered her from her steel-toed boots to her pristine and chiseled face. She placed a boot on the head of a wounded Valmese warrior barely hanging onto life by a thread, dressed in an odd shingled style armor. With a malicious grin, she pressed down and his skull splattered underneath her boot like a water balloon popping.

"Did you get the last one?" Her voice was playful, like praising a baby as she pet the wyvern. "Yes, you did. Aren't you such a precious little thing."

Hardly anything little about a giant lizard. Anje pursed her lips and checked the band keeping her ponytail intact. Well, considering the lizard is eating the people we are against, this must be the lady. Virion said she'd be hard to miss.

Anje stepped from cover, making sure her hands were up and visible. "Uh, hey there-" The red-headed woman's attention snapped to Anje, her hand hovering above the hilt of the battleaxe strapped to her back. The acrobat took a tentative step forward. "You don't happen to be Virion's contact, would you?"

The woman immediately relaxed and nodded. The wyvern remained uninterested in Anje's appearance as it continued to chomp at the corpse-like a grotesque chew toy.

"Depending on who I'm speaking with," The woman replied in a friendly manner. "Your name?"

"Anje, but the rest of my group should be here shortly." She took another step closer, more confidently. "And you are?"

"I am Cherche, Virion's humble retainer to his dukedom of Rosanne," Cherche said with a curtsy. "It is splendid to hear that he has arrived at long last. How are the navy and army? Are they with you or are they on their way?"

It took all of Anje's willpower to not facepalm. Oh, Virion, you dumb bastard.

"Did he say army or navy?" Anje asked cautiously.

The wyvern gave out a small burp, and Cherche patted its back. "He said that you had a highly skilled force-" Her jaw set and her delicate face shifted into a deep frown. "Where is Lord Virion? I must speak with him at once about-

"In a bit," Anje interjected. She pointed toward the wyvern and blushed. "That's a wonderful looking mount you have," Anje said with a sense of awe, trying to break the tension. She circled around the wyvern as it remained unphased. "From its beautiful scales to its presence. If only I had such a creature back during my performance days as an acrobat."

C'mon, talk about the lizard. Virion is going to be wyvern lunch if she goes back pissed. Anje chuckled under her breath, keeping a pleasant facade as she approached Cherche, and stood before the woman who stood nearly a full head taller than her. I'm sure I'll be able to get whatever I want out of him later if I save his skin.

A smile tugged at the corners of Cherche's lips. "Fond of wyverns?" She said, her voice strained but distracted. "You are familiar? I wouldn't have expected that of a foreigner."

Anje forced a smile, trying not to think of her unpleasant first encounters. "I'm a bit familiar," she said, though lacking any conviction. "I can easily say this is my favorite one I've met."

"Really?" Cherche's eyes widened with a thinly veiled giddiness. "What do you like most?"

Anje paced around the wyvern as it tore into the carcass with little care for the outside world. The creature was muscular, well-built, and obedient. It was an exemplary form of order amidst the broken and bloodied shores of Valm, though it looked to be having the same amount of fun as a child building a sandcastle would.

"Everything," Anje stated with finality. "Everything about this wyvern is better than the one I know."

"There you are!"

Anje rolled her eyes and sighed. Well, guess at least Gaius finally found me.

"Those your friends?" Cherche piped up. She looked over her shoulder at the wyvern, who was now watching the three new people walk down the main strip of Fort Celis. "Easy, Minerva. They're friends."

Minerva blew out air from its snout and went back to digging into their meaty morsel. Anje let out a sigh of relief as her allies joined up with her, looking equally fascinated and wary of the tall and powerfully built wyvern rider.

"Well, you want to come back to the ship? I'm sure Virion will be happy to see you. We've certainly got some news for you," Anje said firmly.

"That'd be splendid. I'm anxious to see the grand force Virion has managed to gather to challenge Walhart's lackeys."

Gaius leaned toward Anje, whispering, "Is she talking about what I think she is? Did ole' Ruffles pull a fast one?"

"Just be nice and try to keep her happy for now," Anje whispered back. "He can't pay you if the lizard is chewing on him."

"Point," Gaius sighed. He turned to Cherche with a grin and bowed. "We'd be honored to have you speak with our chief tactician upon our great vessel. May we escort you…"

"Cherche will do, and that would be splendid. So nice to see good manners," Cherche turned toward Minerva, "see Minerva? They aren't all uncultured and impolite as those merchants."

The wyvern spat out a rib bone and belched.

"What am I going to do with you," Cherche said, shaking her head at her mount. "I'm ready when you all are. This place has been scarred by Walhart's forces, and I've only cleaned out the remnants of his weapon salvage team. There's nothing left in his army's destructive path."

Gaius and Olivia flanked Cherche as she whistled for Minerva. The wyvern stood to attention and plodded behind her like a well-trained pup, occasionally sniffing at Gaius and Olivia. Libra and Anje walked in the back, checking for any remnants of survivors or places left untouched as they approached the main gate.

"It's worse than I thought," Libra mused. "Such senseless destruction."

"Didn't the Plegians do the same thing?" Anje replied, grimacing as they passed the threshold of the gate and stepped in between the rows of scorched bodies.

"Perhaps to an extent," Libra said with a nod. He gestured to the displays of human dedication and frowned. "But Gangrel would at least take prisoners. Leave survivors when a battle was won. This wasn't a fight to win. This was to demoralize."

"Then good thing we are here to stop him, right?"

Libra nodded, though his face was tight and his eyes looked off in the distance. "To have turned on their brothers and sisters in such a manner…we should tread carefully."

I couldn't agree more, Anje thought as they left behind the ruined wheat field. Nothing remained of Fort Celis as smoke continued to flow from the cinders. Walhart hadn't come to conscript or fight anyone. His navy had sought vengeance and left a trail of ashes in their bloodied wake.

Anje dared not turn back, lest she see the petrified faces of the scarecrows, screaming silently for a merciful fate to never come.

Anje stood with her back to Virion's quarters as another crash echoed throughout the room.

It took Cherche only two minutes to see that Virion had stretched the truth in his cleverly worded letters. A truth he was now paying for in tears and ceramics. Anje felt obligated to stand vigil, but not enough to engage. Virion had a lot of catching up to do with his retainer, and a wyvern was a hell of a deterrent for getting caught up in the middle of Cherche getting her feelings out.

Another shattering sound boomed beyond the door.

"Cherche, my dear retainer, that was my favorite hand mirror-"

"An army, my lord! You promised an army would come back! Cherche said, her voice stern, but never rising to a shout. "I would have prepared differently knowing you had just a handful of people. You must be honest with me if I'm to best serve you!"

Anje winced as another object broke against the floor with a dull, shattering sound. I think she's moved onto the fine plates and cups. Well, there goes date night with good silverware.

"Anje, a little help to ease this fair maiden's temper?" Virion desperately called out.

"You're doing great, babe," Anje leaned her head against the door and snickered. "Cherche, just don't break him too badly. I'd prefer him in one piece."

"I'd never truly cause harm to my lord," Cherche coolly replied. Another ceramic cup shattered against the hardwood flooring. "But, I've my ways of letting him know how serious I am."

"Not the antique vase!" Virion gasped.

It, too, shattered against the ground as Virion groaned in agony. To the unknowing ear, one might think the man was being subjected to the worst torture imaginable. Virion would be quick to agree.

This sounds like it's going to take a while, and it doesn't seem like Virion is in any danger. Anje stood up and let out a yawn. Might as well report what I found to Robin. Surely the others already did, but I still might as well.

Anje jogged down the narrow hallway of the ship toward the upper decks. The salty breeze greeted her as she crested the top of the stairs; the ship had set sail once they had returned, heading for a port called Greith. It was somewhere on the edge of the Rosanne dukedom, or what was left of it. Neutral ground from what Cherche had briefly explained before going off on Virion.

A few sailors worked the ropes that connected to the mast, but none of Anje's allies lingered about on the top deck. Taking in a deep breath of the fresh air, she continued on her way to the captain's former quarters: Robin's temporary workshop.

Robin's domain was closed off, but Anje didn't bother with knocking and quickly opened the door and strode into the room. She was expected to report, and it's not like the tactician was privy to manners. Sure, he was an eccentric fellow, but results and timeliness seemed to rule above all else.

Inside the quarters, it was much like this morning albeit a bit messier with papers covering the large center table, the captain's bed shoved into the corner with several crates stacked on top, and Robin sitting at a corner table with a pensive look with a chessboard in front of him.

Anje walked up to Robin slowly, eyeing the chessboard. He looks to be in the middle of a game, but there's no other chair at the table. Weird.

"Uh, hey there. You winning?" Anje asked as she stood a healthy distance from Robin. "I'm here for that report."

Robin rubbed his chin and kept his gaze focused on the board. Anje let out a sigh and crossed her arms.

"Anytime you're ready." Anje looked up at the ceiling and sighed loudly. "Anytime."

Robin muttered something under his breath, reaching an arm out and then quickly retracting it, shaking his head. He repeated it two more times, reaching for different pieces before deciding on a different course of action. Anje began tapping her foot, feeling the impatience for Robin's start to create a pressure within her head. Waiting on pointless things while Virion was in distress wasn't how she'd like to spend her afternoon.

"...There," Robin said, moving a pawn forward. He turned toward Anje and waved. "Oh, hello there. I thought you came in earlier."

"What gave it away?" Anje scoffed. She breathed in deeply, her chest rising and falling gently. "I thought you wanted things in order, or whatever."

"Certainly. I apologize." Robin pushed himself away from the table gently, careful to not jostle the pieces. "It's just I've been dealing with a very difficult opponent."

"Yeah, sure. I bet that wall is one hell of a chess player."

Robin held his sides and barked out a single laugh. "That would be impressive! But, no I'm not playing the wall. I have a very real and tangible opponent. The best chess player on the ship to keep my senses sharp?"

"And you're playing without them?" Anje asked, her voice clipped.

"Not at all. We take turns. A single move a day. Gives us time to think," Robin explained. He looked back to the board with a mix of longing and apprehension. "I still doubt whether or not I made the right move. My opponent is sure to punish me if they discover my gambit."

"Not playing Virion then, huh?" Anje remarked. "I think I would have heard about it, since he's pretty good. He tried teaching me a bit, but, uh," Anje rubbed the back of her head and blushed, "he said I used 'unethical tactics'."

Robin gestured for Anje to continue with a toothy smile. That weird smile still makes me want to be literally anywhere else. Why can't he be normal?

"I might have threatened to stab him with the pointy piece if he kept taking my pieces," Anje grumbled out. "Also! The fact that the King can't do more is bullshit."

"But those are the rules."

"Whatever. It's a board game. Not like it actually matters," Anje huffed. "Have fun playing your mystery opponent, I guess. You want that report or not?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something tomorrow," Robin replied in an upbeat tone. "But, yes-"

"Wait, hold up." Anje stepped over to Robin and looked at the board with scrutiny, and then back to Robin. "You're playing against...yourself?"

"It was the only logical option. Miriel's favored strategies are predictably formulaic at this point, and Virion became a much easier opponent when I stopped accepting all the free drinks he would grant me. I needed a challenge, so who else better than myself?" Robin clasped his hands together, and glanced once more at the chessboard, eyeing the black pieces. "They're getting more difficult with each move. Such maddening cleverness. Moves and counter-moves every step of the way..." Robin said barely above a whisper. He turned to Anje and nodded. "Anyway, you have a report?"

"Right…" Anje drawled as she pulled back from the corner table. She looked the tactician evenly in the eye- one of the few people that was her height in their group. "Anyway, you'll probably know that Fort Celis is ashes at this point. Literally no survivors."

"That's what Libra said. People burned and put on pikes," Robin hummed as he rubbed his chin. "They were meant to be found. A scare tactic no doubt to warn the rest of the island dukedom of Novis to what Walhart means. I presume the lack of bodies to be the surviving people were extracted to be prisoners. War is a resource intensive venture, after all. Anything else of note?"

"Besides it being deserted and the weird armor one of the enemies had-"

"What kind of armor?" Robin interjected with excitement. "Details, please."

"It was like tiny roof shingles, I guess?" The corner of Anje's mouth curled downward as she tapped her foot. "Yeah, I think that's right. Didn't see much else since he was getting munched on by an angry lizard."

Robin nodded. "Chon'sinese."

"Uh, excuse you?" Anje quizzically replied.

"No, that's the enemy you saw. Conscripts from southern Valm under Walhart's control, if I'm not mistaken," Robin explained. He walked over to his messy main desk, sat down in a wooden chair, and began sifting through papers. "I've been compiling a detailed report about the political geography from the sailors, which reminds me I need to interview Cherche later. Is she available?"

"Uh, not yet. I think she's still getting, uh, reacquainted with Virion."

"That's fine. Whenever she's next available, please tell her to see me. We should reach Greith in about two days if the weather holds, and I'd like to be fully briefed before we create a plan of action."

"I'll be sure to let her know." Anje walked to the door, but as she gripped the doorknob and turned it, she paused. She looked over her shoulder, back at Robin who was now tinkering with some metal birdcage-looking device on the table. "Hey, Robin. Can I ask you a question?"

"I believe you possess the ability, yes," Robin distractedly replied. "But my studies indicate that you have a question to ask me, not merely notify me of your social prowess, correct?"

Anje let go of the doorknob and let out a ragged breath. Her hands felt clammy and damp with sweat. "Robin, are ghosts real?"

Robin didn't look up from his project, but his hands slowed. "Ghosts?"

"Yeah, you know, like dead people-"

"Of course they're not real, Anje." Robin began to work at a normal pace again. "You shouldn't worry yourself. It was all probably just a bad dream or something. People's fears manifest in odd ways. It's just how our brains work."

"Right, right. I was just, you know, thinking about that note you gave me, and seeing all that death earlier-" Anje exhaled deeply and her hand had found its way into her small satchel pouch, touching the doll she'd picked up earlier. "Something just stinks, and I figure you're smart and all, so you could maybe make sense of it. I can get wanting to beat someone who's coming to a fight. But why go so far?"

Robin stopped working on the cage-like apparatus and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. "It's hard to say, Anje. Sociology isn't a specialty of mine, unfortunately. Just ready yourself for the times to come. I expect many difficulties awaiting us on Valm. Part of why I chose to come. The challenge is enticing." Robin raised an eyebrow and looked Anje directly in the eye, a twinkle in his own as he frowned. "And I never gave you a note, by the way."

"Right. Right. Anyway, What's the other part of you coming to Valm?" Anje asked.

"The other half?" Robin mimicked with a hint of surprise. He crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. "There's something I must do, but I can't quite remember it. Something from before I lost my memories. Something important." He shrugged and laughed. "Funny, isn't it? I'm sure it'll come to me."

"Alright, I'll be on my way then, take care," Anje said as she opened the door. A gust of wind billowed through the opening, threatening to lift papers up from Robin's desk. "I'll see you later, Robin."

"Of course. I'll be here!" Robin cheerily replied, waving after Anje.

She closed the door and shook her head. He's easily the weirdest person I know. I'd ask Miriel how she puts up with that, but I already know she's kind of weird. Just different. Pushing her errant thoughts from the forefront of her mind, Anje descended back into the bowels of the ship. Either Cherche had gotten her enough satisfaction terrorizing her lord, or Virion would be a sobbing mess from losing so many delicate curiosities and finery.

Anje grinned as she heard the sounds of clattering still emanating from Virion's room, yet now the outside of the door had an audience in the form of Gregor and Nowi. She walked up beside the grinning merc and manakete with her arms crossed, but a ghost of a smile across her lips.

"They're still going at it?"

Nowi turned toward her and giggled. "Nobody told me we could play with Virion's dishes! I want to have fun too! I think the tall lady is winning!"

Gregor chuckled lowly and shook his head. "It is not game. Gregor knows from experience."

"Oh really?" Anje piped up, pushing past Nowi. She playfully elbowed the towering mercenary in the side with her elbow. "Care to tell the story? Some kind of lovers quarrel?"

Gregor made the gesture of using a key and locking his lips. He grinned as another ceramic piece met its shattering demise. How many ceramic plates and cups had Virion bought in port anyway? Cherche didn't sound like she was slowing down at all despite Virion's dramatic gasps and pleas for her to see reason.

Nowi giggled and pumped her fist in the air. "Another ten points. Whoohoo!" Nowi chirped.

Anje couldn't help but smirk. They were a bunch of oddballs, but she felt right at home. Something she hadn't felt in the circus, as that acted more like a gilded cage. Here, she could be herself and smile. Even if it was at her beloved's expense.

They could always just buy more plates, anyway.

A/N: Been a bit, huh? I haven't forgotten, I've just been busy with grad work and commission work. Life creeps up on you.

But anyway, onto Valm! Gonna be a chonky arc for sure. What do you think is going to go down in Valm? I've big things planned, so I'm curious to see if anybody picks up on what I'm brewing.

Big thanks to all the feedback, y'all make writing that much more pleasurable and enticing.

For more quality fics from other authors, writing advice, memes, or if you want a place to chill, come stop by the Fanfiction Treehouse Discord at discord . gg / 9XG3U7a

That's all for now and until next time!