Drake's question brought silence into the tent, no one saying a word. Ultear sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. This was going to be a pain.
"This is Drake," she said, pointing to Drake. "And this is Elise and Steph. They're from my guild, and like the mayor said, they're my backup."
"Nice to meet all of you," Steph said cheerily.
"We gonna get into it or what?" Elise asked. Nobody said anything for a bit until the Chief turned to the Mayor.
"Sir," he said. "With all due respect, these kids aren't involved. They shouldn't be here." Mayor Dean watched the Chief quietly, before he looked over at Ultear.
"Ultear," he said. "Are your friends trustworthy?"
"I'd put my life in their hands without a second thought," Ultear said. Mayor Dean smiled back over at the Chief.
"That's the end of it," he said. "They're here now, they're involved."
"But-"
"Enough, Chief Idek." Idek didn't seem pleased by this, but nodded.
"Can we get into it?" A woman with short brown hair and blue eyes to their left said. "We've got a lot to talk about."
"Apologies Lieutenant," Dean said. "Please, fill us in."
"Lieutenant?" Elise asked in Ultear's ear. "Who's she?" Ultear watched as the woman stepped forward towards the table, where a map of Fiore and Seven was displayed.
"That's Lieutenant Quinn," she said. "She's apart of the Fiore Royal Army. She was dispatched to help protect the area a few months before I got here. She knows what she's doing." Ultear knew she was telling the truth. The Lieutenant was always reliable, unlike the Chief. Sadly, she wasn't one for confrontation outside of the battlefield, so oftentimes she let him run amok when she shouldn't have. Truthfully it was rather irritating.
"What we have here is big," she said. "We may have discovered the base. The main one." Ultear felt her stomach knot up at this. Had they really? Surely it wasn't going to be easy. Quinn pointed into the border of Seven, in what looked like a mountainous area.
"That where it is?" Chief Idek asked. Quinn nodded and placed a flag on top of it.
"This is what our scouts found," she said. "A fortress in between two mountains, situated right near the border with Fiore. After watching for a week, at least three dozen different parties came back to it. It's big, too big. Clearly it's important."
"Hm," Idek said. "I suggest a full frontal assault. We take it and we take it loud. Those bandits may have numbers but their scared kittens. We can take it easily." Mayor Dean hummed to himself, and Lieutenant Quinn seemed unimpressed but said nothing.
"I don't know about that," Quinn said. "We don't know what the inside looks like, it may be way bigger and more fortified than we thought originally. It's not a good idea to just storm in."
"It's the best plan," Idek responded, arms crossed. "They won't expect us to come at them like that, and we can take them by surprise." Ultear watched this exchange, and as she expected Quinn looked already done with Idek's shit. She looked over at Ultear helplessly, who cleared her throat.
"I think we should get everyone's perspective," she said. "Mayor Dean, what do you think?" The Mayor looked up at her and hummed before looking back down at the map.
"I don't like it," he said. "If I'm risking my people on a massive attack, it needs to be worth it."
"It is worth it," Idek said, slamming his hand down on the table. "I'm telling you these guys are spineless. Why do you think they attack travellers and innocents? Less of a fight. This is a great plan and it'll worth flawlessly."
"This is a dog shit plan and you're going to get us all killed." Ultear froze as Drake spoke up, his voice cold. Idek glowered at him, but Drake didn't budge.
"What would you know, kid?" He demanded. "You got military experience?"
"I've got enough experience to know you're walking us into a deathtrap, Chief Trigger Happy." Drake shot back, walking up to the map. "Jeez, no wonder you guys are having trouble with these bandits. I'm amazed you all aren't five feet under already."
"Drake..." Ultear warned, but he held up a hand to silence her. He wasn't having it.
"What do you suggest...Drake, was it?" Quinn asked. "Do you have a better plan?"
"Absolutely," Drake replied, pointing to the map. "See this lake that borders the base?"
"What of it?" Quinn asked. Drake pointed back to Ultear.
"You've got the service of a water mage for god sake, use her." He said, running his finger towards the base. "Ultear takes us under water right up into their base. Even bandits need water, so I guarantee their using it to drink from. I suggest you let us take them by surprise. With us wreaking havoc on the inside, you guys storm your forces through the front gate. That way we pinch em between two forces, and get them good." Ultear looked up to see Quinn and Dean looking impressed, and even Idek looked slightly appeased.
"It sounds solid," Dean said.
"What if there's too many for you four?" Quinn asked.
"There won't be," Drake said. "Trust me on that."
"What about the mountains?" Idek demanded, sounding sour again. "No doubt they've hollowed out caves, Lord knows how many of those bastards would be beneath our feet."
"If you want I could get close enough to tell you," Drake replied. "Get me within eyesight of the mountain and I'll tell you."
"And how will you do that?" Quinn asked. Drake smiled and tapped his ear.
"Trust me," he said. "I'll hear them." Quinn just looked at Ultear curiously, and she nodded curtly. Drake would know how many there were, and if they had caves.
"Alright, I have another plan." Quinn said. "Drake and I will head out tonight. We should be within sight of the mountain by nightfall. We'll return once he's mapped it out for us. If he's a good as he's saying he is, we'll do even better when the fighting breaks out. How does that sound?"
"Good to me," Drake said.
"Drake's got it," Steph answered.
"Yeah we'll be fine," Elise said. Ultear nodded. Drake would be able to do it.
"He'll manage," she said. "Just get him close enough." Quinn nodded and looked back at Drake.
"We'll head out in a few hours, how does that sound?" She asked. Drake shrugged.
"Sounds good to me," he replied.
"Good, meet me by the northern tip of the city in two hours, and we'll head out."
"Hold on a minute," Idek said. "I never approved of this plan." Quinn cast a look over her shoulder at the Chief, watching him quietly.
"I'm sorry, but you're overruled." Quinn said. "This is how we're doing things."
"This is my city!" He shouted. "My operation! I should at least have a say!"
"You had your say," Mayor Dean replied, eyeing him. "And your say was rush the front gate like mindless barbarians. You call him a child, yet this boy comes in with a better plan than you've ever had." He then turned to Quinn. "Lieutenant, you have my support, and you are now in charge of this operation." Quinn nodded and bowed curtly.
"Thank you, Mayor Dean." She said. The Mayor cast Idek an irritated look before leaving the tent. Idek was quiet, before looking at Drake angrily. He seemed ready to start an argument, before growling and leaving the tent as well. As he did so, Quinn sighed.
"Men," she muttered under her breath, making Ultear smile a little. She looked back up at them. "Sorry about Idek, he's always an issue."
"You don't say," Ultear replied, smiling. Quinn nodded before looking at Drake.
"I didn't mention anything in front of Idek," she said. "But I've heard you're a capable bunch. Won the Grand Magic Games and that. I'm glad you're here to help."
"It's not a problem," Elise said. "Just doing what we do best. Helping people."
"I'm glad," Quinn said, walking for the exit. Before she left she looked back at Drake. "Prepare as best you can, we're leaving soon." With this, she left the tent and left the four friends to themselves.
"Well that was fun," Drake said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Suppose that means I'm not getting any sleep tonight."
"Sucks for you, but you volunteered." Elise replied, heading for the exit. "Next time think before you forfeit your sleep." Ultear smiled as the two began to argue again, Steph and herself standing off to the side. It was odd, being the midst of this. Drake and Elise arguing, herself being a mediator, Steph being a bystander, it all felt so familiar.
Like before.
Ultear's smiled faded and she looked down at her feet. Before. The word was so heavy these days. Before the Olympians. Before they lost her. Before, before, before. Ultear knew hindsight was a powerful thing, but she'd do anything to go back to the way things were. To return to a time when they were all together, not spread out. When they were themselves, not husks of who they used to be.
When Nashi was alive.
"Ul?" Ultear was snapped out of her thoughts as Steph said her name. She looked over to find the Dreyar watching her. "You okay?" Ultear nodded and hid her face as they kept walking.
"Yeah," she said. "I'm okay. Just thinking."
"About what?" Ultear didn't want to mention it. It wasn't Steph's to worry about.
Then again, wasn't that what Drake had warned her not to do? What she'd been doing since Keiko died?
Ultear took a minute to really think about it. Ever since Keiko had died, there had been a dark cloud in the back of her mind. One that not even defeating Zindo had cleared. She usually shoved it to the back of her mind and let it sit there, only surfacing when she was on her own. Her friends didn't need to see her like that. It was her problem.
Then Nashi died, and it got worse. She was sad all the time, no matter what happened. But still, she hid it as best she could. To this day, she hid it.
"It's nothing," Ultear said. "Just kinda nervous about the mission, you know? Don't want to screw anything up."
"Hey, the pressure is on me, not you." Drake said. "I have to map out a base from miles away."
"Is that hard for you?" Elise asked.
"Well no," Drake replied. "But I'm still the one being counted on." Ultear watched the two continue to argue, a sad smile on her face. Now was not the time to think about any of that. She needed to focus on the future, not the past. The future was what mattered.
She just hoped it was a brighter road than the one behind her.
The few hours had passed, and Drake was on his way towards the edge of the city to meet up with the Lieutenant. The girls hadn't let him go without making sure he was careful, which he couldn't blame them for. Steph had even tried to come along, but he'd stopped her. It was only a recon mission, and those were best done with less people. Come to think of it, why was he heading out with the Lieutenant, not some random soldier? Maybe she wanted to see it done herself, no matter.
Turning around a corner, Drake saw the Lieutenant sitting on a rock waiting for him. Despite being in the army, she was wearing a regular white jacket and black pants. She looked up as he approached her, nodding.
"Drake," she said. "I'm glad you made it."
"Not exactly difficult," Drake replied. "I tracked your scent here." This made her raise her eyebrows. "You don't smell bad, I just have a strong sense of smell."
"Dragon Slayers do have those, don't you?" She asked. Drake nodded.
"We do, yeah." He said. "Ready to go, Lieutenant?"
"You can called me Quinn," she replied as she stood. "You aren't under my command, we're working together." Drake nodded, and together the two walked off onto the road.
"So," Drake said, pocketing his hands. "What's the plan for getting there?"
"We'll get as close as you have too," Quinn replied, hiding her face in her jacket as the wind whipped snow around them. "There's really not much to worry about until then. With all the trouble Seven is in right now, crossing the border is as easy as walking into your kitchen."
"A member of the royal army breaking the law?" Drake asked, smirking slightly. "That's strange." Quinn smiled.
"It's not my law," she replied. "I won't get in any trouble. As long as you don't say anything."
"Don't worry Lieutenant," Drake said. "My lips are sealed."
"I appreciate that," she said, eyes on the horizon. "We should get close enough for you to see the mountain by nightfall like I said, so I hope you don't mind walking."
"I'd rather," Drake said. "Vehicles make me sick. Literally." After a few seconds, Drake figured he should ask. "By the way Quinn, why are you coming along? I'd figure a Lieutenant would just send someone else to come with me."
"I needed to get out of there," Quinn replied, growing irritated. "If I had to listen to Idek any longer without any sort of getting some space, I'd lose my mind. I don't know how that prick keeps his job protecting that city, but he doesn't deserve it at all. Worthless asshole."
"Damn, tell me how you really feel." Drake said, watching her grow even more irritated. "I don't blame you though, that guy is seriously full of himself. You outrank him though, why do you take his crap?"
"It's not worth fighting over," she replied. "I'd rather just let him do his thing. This is his city after all, pushing him away from the operation would be kinda rude."
"Well if he's so intent on suicide missions, maybe that'd be best." Drake replied. "It doesn't sound like he knows what he's doing."
"He just wants this to end," Quinn said. "I can't blame him. This has been going on for far to long. If this mission goes well, we can put an end to this, and finally return people's lives to normal."
Return life to normal, huh? Funny. Wasn't that why Drake was here?
"That's what we do," Drake said. "Make sure people can live normally. At our own expense."
"Too real," she said. "Have you had your fair share of hardships?"
"Sadly," Drake replied. "I...lost someone. Last year. She meant a lot to me, and she's gone."
We don't even know that for certain anymore.
"I'm sorry," Quinn said as she looked back at him. "I know losing people is terrible. You always wish you could have done more. If there's one thing I've learned though, it's too not let hindsight destroy you. It's always easier looking back then forward. Don't let it bother you." Drake made a face and looked over at her.
"You're pretty wise for a Lieutenant," he said. "I guess that's cause you're a old lady, huh?" Quinn gave him a teasing glare at this.
"Old lady?" She demanded. "I'm twenty-eight. Calm down."
"Still somehow smarter than that Chief, too." Drake said, smirking. It was nice, getting to know a new person. It wasn't something Drake had experienced in a while. The two continued on their trek, still talking occasionally about the mission and other things until they stopped. Up ahead was what appeared to be a military outpost, maybe a border crossing.
"That's weird," Drake said, watching soldiers walk around it. "I thought you said the border is unprotected."
"It is," Quinn said, narrowing her eyes. "And we aren't there yet." Drake frowned at this. What was she getting at?
"What are you saying?" Drake asked.
"I'm saying this isn't a border outpost," she said. "Or even the border. They're bandits." Drake looked back at the building. Upon closer observation, it did look rather out of place right on the road, and the men walking around it seemed untrustworthy to say the least. Drake cracked his neck and walked forward.
"So," he said. "What's the plan for getting past their shitty border outpost?" Quinn watched the outpost quietly before turning to look at him.
"How good are you at being stealthy?" She asked.
"I'd say I'm fairly good at it," he replied. Nodding, Quinn looked over at him and jabbed her thumb towards the snow.
"Let's get across this border," she said.
Chapter 292: Mount Cryc