Chapter 15 "Back to Base"

The war was senseless, a fact which Noah and Mio knew all too well. The skirmish at Elsayer Cape had added five more husks to the toll, one of which belonged to Lennick, the ether-lined sharpshooter of their group. Now down to four, the other two members who remained were Bowan, the blue-finned defender, and Moraine, the lavender-skinned healer.

After decompressing and camping in seclusion overnight, the grief-stricken soldiers resumed their trek under the morning sun. Nobody felt like talking while they traveled through the tableland's southeastern corridor, the death of their fallen cohort looming over their heads. For two days they hiked slowly but surely, during which they crossed the border from Fornis to Pentelas. It was Noah's first time setting foot in the region, although he hadn't come as a sightseer. Now on the Urayan Trail in the late afternoon, the focus had reverted to Colony Rho and Mio's mission therein.

"We've almost made it back to base," the cat-eared Agnian was the first one to speak.

"I think I see our Ferronis," Bowan spied the distant machine between a couple of crags along the trail.

"Guess Colony 5 didn't trash it while we've been gone," Moraine assumed from their vantage point.

"They might be waiting for us," his eyes dimmed warily.

"So might our consul," the oldest soldier of the group shrunk in place.

"Mio?" her travel partner immediately noticed her marginally quivering stance. "Do you need a moment before we enter?"

"I'm scared," she admitted quietly, "but I'm also ready."

"Pardon me to asking," the defender interjected, "but what exactly are you ready for, anyway?"

"We're going to challenge her, remember?" Mio tried to steady herself, though with little success. "I'm going to remove her from the colony so I, er, we can live out the rest of our lives in peace."

"It's why I've accompanied her all this way," the swordfighter stood resolutely by her side.

"Oh, right, your… um, commitment," the healer's tone exuded incertitude.

"I hope you weren't expecting Moraine and me to get involved," Bowan frowned at Mio, arms crossed and foot tapping.

"I wasn't going to ask," the zephyr's expression nearly mirrored his. "Although you may benefit, this is personal for me."

"As much as I hope for your success," he swallowed before voicing his obvious concern, "I fear you might be accelerating your death by going through with this."

"We'll be okay," the ponytailed soldier stated simply but unconvincingly.

"Forgive me for doubting again, but what makes you think everything will go to plan?" the blue-finned Agnian focused on his Kevesi cohort now. "We couldn't even come out of the skirmish with that Colony 18 unit unscathed."

"We've already defeated my consul, so fighting yours shouldn't be too much harder," Noah reasoned with confidence which nobody else seemed to have. "Besides, we'll have reinforcements, this time."

"Reinforcements?" Moraine tilted her head at him. "Who?"

"The City folks we met in Ribbi Flats arranged for us to meet their friends in this area," he revealed the vague setup before turning to his running mate. "Mio, we should be on the lookout for them as well."

"Hold up," Bowan cut in again, waving his hands laterally. "You're trusting people from that mysterious colony we know nothing about?"

"Mio and I know a little bit," the pacifist rubbed the back of his neck. "They described the City as a place of unbound living, built around their mission of removing Moebius and freeing us soldiers from their reins."

"Uh-huh…" the defender stared at him blankly. "What's Moebius?"

"Moebius are the consuls, so they say," the lone Kevesi relayed the City folks' proclamation. "It's… rather complicated to explain, not that I have a full grasp of it."

"Oh, if you don't understand it, then there's no way that I will," Bowan sardonically tossed his hands in the air.

"Oi, don't be rude," Mio lightly reprimanded him, "even if I don't get it myself."

"S-sorry… still not over Lennick's death," he reeled himself back in. "Ahem, you were going to explain, Noah?"

"Yes," the patient swordsman stifled an indignant sigh, "the City folks said Moebius are the reason why we fight, why Keves and Agnus are at war."

"Don't we have to fight to stay alive?" the lavender-skinned girl placed one hand on her chin and the other under her elbow.

"We do, but it's allegedly under Moebius' control," he prepared to divulge what he'd learned. "Doubtless, my consul orchestrated the battle between our two colonies."

"Wait, what's this now?" the blue-finned Agnian snapped to attention again.

"Shortly before Mio killed him, my consul indirectly fessed up his deeds," Noah recalled the fateful day. "What I'd like to know is wheth-"

"You killed a consul?!" Bowan faced his oldest ally, fists shaking by his sides. "I thought you said you only fended him off."

"Your outburst is exactly why I didn't announce it to all of Colony Phi," the moonblades-wielder glared in return. "Couldn't risk starting a riot."

"I… see your point," the defender calmed himself again, having been made self-conscious by her counterresponse. "Those soldiers might've been more loyal to their consul than we are to ours."

"Right," the ponytailed soldier recaptured their attention, "and as I was about to say, I'd like to know whether or not your consul was in cahoots with mine."

"What makes you think so?" Bowan questioned predictably, his nerves in check for now.

"Well, she insisted on us fighting back," Mio's ruminative gaze momentarily dropped to the ground, "even after we'd already lost so many troops."

"Maybe we should lay out all the facts we know," her travel partner suggested to the group. "We may have the full story without even realizing it."

"Okay," she was willing to cooperate. "I guess it started with us, then."

"Ah, our resource team," Moraine's index finger pointed in the breeze. "They'd gone to Dannagh Desert to collect some obscurian, but then one of them called us for an emergency pickup."

"The Agnian… I let escape…" his voice softened by both gladness and guilt. "Come to think of it, they'd come a really long way just to gather one type of material."

"Our supply suddenly vanished the day before, so our consul ordered them to replenish it," the cat-eared Agnian added to the pool of knowledge. "We hardly have need for it."

"What if your consul disposed of your supply as an excuse to make them enter my colony's territory?" Noah wondered aloud, swiveling his head back and forth to catch everyone's facial reactions. "Despite my team not being Colony 25's strongest, it was… relatively easy for us to overwhelm the Agnians."

"Slow down, you're thinking our consul sent our comrades to get slaughtered just so we'd want to seek revenge?" the blue-finned Agnian connected the dots. "Why do such a thing?"

"Like I said, Moebius wants us to fight, to take each other's flames. I'm already convinced of that much." The lone Kevesi stared pensively at the Ferronis, though the Flame Clock was obstructed by foliage in between. "As for why, the City folks claim that Moebius feeds off those extracted flames, but I can't even begin to imag-"

"Feed off the flames? W-what…?" Twice now had Bowan interrupted Noah, nearly ready to scoff this time. "Our consul wants to eat us?"

"That's what went through my head when they first told us," Mio confessed whilst wrangling for his attention "I blew it off as rubbish…"

"It is rubbish!" the defender wasn't finished expressing his incredulity. "Noah, don't make me lose faith in you now."

"The theory's not mine," the pacifist shook his head.

"But you believe it," Bowan approached him, his eyes seemingly rattling.

"I believe the consuls are corrupt and manipulative," Noah stood his ground unflinchingly against the brunt of the doubting Agnian's exasperation. "Remember how mine obsessed over the Flame Clock and wanted to make a meal out of you guys for Colony 25? He even knew your names despite having never seen you previously."

"That's right, he did know our names," the healer clasped both sides of her face upon the realization.

"H-he knew about my… death wish, too," the zephyr's ears wilted which didn't go unnoticed by the sympathetic Noah.

"Ugh, that's… beyond creepy…" her blue-finned friend shivered in disgust.

"It's all so suspicious, too specific to be accidental," the swordfighter summed it up, "from your consul sending your comrades to Dannagh Desert of all places, to my consul knowing details of you survivors."

"I'll agree on those points," Bowan finally conceded an inch, "but I'll never believe we're food for… whatever you called the consuls."

"Moebius," the lone Kevesi retold him, "and if they're truly the enemy of the City folks, then a confrontation with your consul may prove enlightening for us."

"Whatever you learn, it'd better not be at our expense," the defender backstepped, slowly, tensely, almost standoffishly.

"Of course not," the ponytailed soldier displayed his palms, ready to concentrate on their present situation. "Anyway, Mio, what's the plan?"

"The consul will surely appear when we enter the colony," his running mate reasserted what she'd told him a few days ago. "We should prepare for battle."

"What about the City folks we're supposed to meet?" he reminded her of their prior arrangement. "Should we look for them first?"

"I don't think it's safe for us to do that," Mio swiftly vetoed his idea. "We've been away for so long, Colony 5 probably took control of the area."

"A valid point," his projective stare reached as far down the path as it could go. "Hopefully, our contacts will come to us if they see our activity in the colony."

"Right, let's go," she assumed the lead, "slowly now."

It was a short but unnerving hike down the Urayan Trail to where Colony Rho's byway began. The central chasm's din and the occasional breeze created an eerily calm ambience for the arriving quartet. Although there were no signs of any patrolling Kevesi soldiers, Noah, Mio and her allies knew that the consul could literally be hiding in plain sight.

"Just a little bit further," the cat-eared Agnian drew her Blade, as did the others upon their final approach to the abandoned base.

"Let me lead the rest of the way," Bowan scooted past everyone with his heavy sword in hand.

"M-Mio… do y-you really think our consul's watching us?" Moraine held her unsteady wand against her chest.

"She's a control freak, so she has to be here," the moonblades-wielder remained adamant.

"I think… I can check for you," Noah offered before he extracted his inner sword.

"W-what are you…?" the blue-finned Agnian started to ask.

"A little quiet, please," the pacifist politely shushed everyone as he pointed the thinner piece of his Blade in multiple directions. Although he'd yet to understand it himself, Noah knew from past experiences that his sword would react to the presence of a consul. However, no such vibrations were felt, even as the group finally entered Colony Rho. Reassembling but keeping his Blade holstered to his belt, he turned to face his Agnian cohorts and deliver his report. "I've detected nothing suspicious. We should be safe here for now."

"H-how do you know?" Bowan peered over his heavy sword which he'd dragged in front of him.

"My Blade…" the lone Kevesi gave it a trusting glance. "It behaved weirdly every time it was near my consul."

"You mean the smaller part shaking?" Mio recalled from their tussle with his consul near a desert sinkhole. "I thought that was because of the wind buffeting it around."

"It was absolutely in response to him," his hand settled on the hilt. "I hope it'll do it again if your consul appears."

"Like a warning, huh?" the lavender-skinned girl slowly relaxed while she and her Agnian comrades reacclimated themselves to their cliffside home.

"Yeah," he walked further ahead, "that's what I was thinking."

"Still, I don't think we should let our guard down," the oldest soldier advised, ever aware of her mission. "Just because the consul isn't here now doesn't mean she won't be in a minute."

"Since she's not here though, perhaps we should take the opportunity to inspect the condition of the colony," Noah recommended to its surviving residents. "We'll have to maintain this place if it's to be of any suitable refuge."

"You're right," Moraine disarmed herself, turning towards the nearest structure. "I'll check the barracks."

"And I'll check the canteen," the defender likewise withdrew his Blade and scurried further up the gradual incline.

"You and I ought to stay outside in case the consul comes," their cat-eared ally stood by Noah's side, ring swords still active.

"You don't trust my Blade?" her travel partner's brows came down together.

"I just… don't want to be caught unawares," Mio provided him with an unsatisfying answer. "Come on, someone needs to look over the grounds, anyway."

"Fair enough," he opted not to push the issue upon their stroll up the colony's path. "At any rate, your Ferronis appears to be intact."

"That's a good thing while Bowan, Moraine, and I are tied to the Flame Clock," she gazed dispiritedly at the object which bound her life.

"It's a little less empty after we killed those Kevesis from Colony 18," Bowan rejoined them, having already finished his search. "I'd gladly trade their flames back for Lennick, though."

"Yeah…" her voice withered temporarily. "A-anyway, I take it the canteen's clear?"

"I think so," he scratched the top of his head, "except there's a mess that seems oddly fresh."

"Oh?" the zephyr shot him a concerned look before turning to their other ally who'd just returned as well. "Moraine, did you find anything?"

"All the beds were empty," the healer informed the group. "However, I went into the bathhouse afterwards, and the floor was wet."

"Sounds like someone has been using the facilities while you've been away," Noah surmised from their inspections of the colony.

"Yeah, but who?" her hands dropped to her hips. "Surely not the consul."

"We need to keep looking, then," Mio stepped ahead, closer to the base of the Ferronis. "I'm… not in the mood for any surprises."

"Me neither," the blue-finned Agnian briefly scanned the nearby Levnis scrapyard. "Only a couple more places le-"

"Docca hear commotion!" an unfamiliar voice suddenly burst from one of the unchecked structures, prompting Mio's allies to bring their Blades back out. Seconds later, a male Nopon with light brown fur shuffled out of the officers' tent. "Meh-meh? Visitors show up uninvited?"

"Visitors?" Moraine objected to the intruder's mislabeling, well past the initial shock. "This is our colony!"

"Yeah!" Bowan staked his heavy sword imposingly. "Who are you and what are you doing here?!"

"Docca is name!" the Nopon announced, tentatively tipping his beret. "We hid in colony when chased by a meanie vollgull."

"We?" the ponytailed soldier narrowed his eyes at him. "Who else is with you?"

"Docca?" another strange voice sounded right on cue. "Feriferi can't find key in drawer!" This time, a smaller, female Nopon with green fur emerged into the dwindling sunlight.

"Another Nopon?" he slackened his posture at the sight of two members of the largely innocuous race. "Not exactly who I expected to find here."

"I'll say," the defender conversely retained his rigidity. "You two furballs need to leave!"

"Is impertinent request!" A scowl formed on Docca's slightly pudgy face. "We take care of colony whilst accusatory soldiers absent!"

"How dare you?!" Bowan stomped his foot, peeved by the rotund occupant's ignorance. "We're out there fighting for our lives, and you have the nerve to come in here and make shambles of our home?!"

"We've lost all our comrades!" the lavender-skinned girl similarly slammed the air with her fists. "Now we're the only ones left!"

"Oh?" the brown-furred freeloader outstretched his wings. "Story sound tragic, but how can truth be verified?"

"Perhaps you ought to observe the Flame Clock," the lone Kevesi's tone tempered the adverse discourse. "Regardless, I think we should start over, preferably with less hostilities."

"Noah, I no longer have the patience for negotiations," the blue-finned Agnian peered over his shoulder, displaying for him the look of both physical and mental fatigue.

"I understand," the swordfighter assured him as he moved between the two sides, "but these are neither Tirkins nor Kevesi soldiers."

"Hmph! Very well then." With a huff and a pout, Bowan relinquished his frontal position to the volunteering mediator.

"Thank you," Noah acknowledged the defender's cooperation before returning to the beret-adorned Nopon. "Docca, correct?"

"Feriferi here, too!" The green-furred inhabitant hopped twice.

"Right, Docca and Feriferi, my name is Noah," he introduced himself decorously, "and this is Bowan, Moraine, and Mio."

"Pleasant to meet," Feriferi reciprocated his politeness with a winsome bow.

"Just now realize, a Kevesi among Agnians with no head-bashing?" Docca commented on the oddity of the group's dynamic. "An unlikelihood, it seems."

"It's an even longer story, but the gist of it is that they're now my friends who've kindly taken me in," the pacifist summarized their situation. "We have reason to believe that they were sent to be killed by my colony, but these three are the survivors whose lives I'd spared."

"Gee willikies!" the female Nopon raised her thin brows. "Tale is tall! Taller than Feriferi!"

"That because Feriferi is short Nopon," the male one offered her a factual yet irrelevant aside.

"There's more to it," the cat-eared Agnian broke her silence. "Any moment now, my consul should show herself, after which we'll confront her."

"Oh-ho-ho? Soldiers intend to challenge own consul?" Docca hobbled forward, barely stepping on Noah's shadow.

"That's the condensed version of it, yes," the lone Kevesi confirmed with a glance to his running mate.

"Not everyone is on board, though," Mio likewise peered over to her wary and weary allies.

"Considering we lost Lennick only three days ago, I don't think I'm in condition to do something that crazy," the defender groused as his heavy sword nearly tipped out of his loose grip.

"Me neither," Moraine wrapped her arms around herself, wand still in hand. "I'm tired and hungry."

"Friend say hungry?" the brown-furred freeloader jumped on her utterance of the word.

"Yeah, s-so what?" she contorted half her face in bemusement.

"Maybe can help friends!" his beady eyes began sparkling. "Back in City, Docca known as fine chef!"

"Of worst canteen on main street," Feriferi supplemented his description with an errant smirk.

"That information unnecessary," the larger Nopon momentarily spun around to rebuke her while Noah and Mio exchanged bewildered looks at Docca's mentioning of the City.

"So, you're the one who made a mess of our canteen," Bowan ascertained from the Nopon's squabble.

"Admitting," Docca raised one unwavering wing. "Cooking not easy in semi-outdoor kitchen when wind wreak havoc."

"Hope it was worth using our hard-earned stock," the blue-finned Agnian tried to instill guilt in the freeloaders.

"Oh indeedums!" the green-furred Nopon remained oblivious. "Feriferi eat well lately!"

"Er… how long have you two been staying here?" the ponytailed soldier interjected with a question which he felt should've been asked sooner.

"Four days," the self-proclaimed chef wasted no time answering. "Meat long spoiled, but made good use of dried ingredients."

"Glad to know we soldiers struggle to survive while you Nopon use our facilities at your leisure," Bowan dished out another helping of his barbed sarcasm.

"Ahem, getting back on topic, you said you could help us?" the lone Kevesi steered the conversation in a more productive direction.

"Did say, now to expound," the brown-furred one smiled nervously but graciously. "Perhaps Docca and Feriferi can earn keep if cook for friends?"

"That's a very good idea." Noah felt the slightest chuckle wiggle up his throat but kept it contained. "I was about to suggest it myself."

"Feriferi help too!" Feriferi enthusiastically volunteered her services. "Was nannypon before adventure with Docca, so maybe provide personal care if friends accepting?"

"You two really want to stay, huh?" the swordfighter discerned from their parley.

"Understand, biggie vollgull haunt area," Docca reminded Noah of what'd driven the furry duo into Colony Rho originally. "Is hungry for soft, round Nopon."

"Colony is safe, hiding place!" the smaller of the two waved her wings erratically. "Wouldn't dream of leave!"

"I see your… er, predicament," the pacifist tapped his lower lip before facing the other soldiers. "Everyone, what do you think? Ultimately, the decision should be yours to make since this is your colony."

"Well, I suppose I wouldn't mind having a couple of caretakers," the healer acted open to the idea, "especially since we're really down on numbers."

"Fine," the defender accepted, grumblingly, "but if your cooking's lousy, then you're out of here."

"Worry not, tastebuds to be elevated," the alleged chef promised confidently. "Docca will prove worth!"

"Likewise, Feriferi useful by tucking friends in bed at night!" the other Nopon added as a bonus. "No wink of sleep shall be lost!"

"That will be, um, most appreciated… I think," the ponytailed soldier rubbed the back of his neck. "Ahem… when can we look forward to our first meal?"

"Can cook now," Docca informed his prospective table guests, "but supplies emptier than vest pockets."

"Oh, that right," Feriferi suddenly remembered her prior task. "Was looking for key to storage when friends arrive, but desk not yield such thing."

"That's because we use codes," Moraine briefly explained their system. "None of us were ever in charge of supply, however, the code should be in the commander's notes."

"Both he and the lieutenant snuffed it in the desert, so we'll have to fetch the code ourselves," Bowan stared tiredly into the officers' tent.

"Feriferi spotted many notes but not know which contain code. Please to wait!" The green furball scurried back inside before returning with a bunch of booklets. "Perhaps friend can help find?"

"Er… sure," the lavender-skinned girl withdrew her Blade, as did Bowan, before taking a gander. "Let's see, castle receipts, journal, colony roster, administration. Ah, the code is in admi-"

"Hold on, did you say journal?" the moonblades-wielder perked up after having fallen silent again. "M-may I see?" Now disarmed herself, Mio proceeded to flip through the pages in search of identification while Moraine led the two Nopon to the storage shed.

"Is this journal one of yours, Mio?" her travel partner watched with fascination.

"No," she found a name at last, "this belongs to… the commander."

"I didn't know Commander Reese kept one," the blue-finned Agnian unscrupulously attempted to peek.

"Not him," Mio corrected her curious comrade as she closed the journal, "Commander Masona, the girl he replaced… the one I was close to…"

"Oh, your mentor, then," the lone Kevesi needed no further descriptors.

"I had no idea this was still around," she held it tightly against her chest. "Ugh, I'm getting distracted. Have to stay ready for the consul."

"Somehow, I don't think she's coming," Bowan offered his shallow guess, "at least not tonight."

"Honestly, I'm more curious about the City folks," Noah imparted his own priority, observing the return of the rest of the newly expanded party. In their grasps were several bags of grain, powdered eggs, and frozen meat. "For now, shall we prepare the canteen for Docca? Perhaps dinner will make everybody feel better."

"I haven't got an appetite," his running mate turned away. "The consul's not showing up like I thought she would."

"Mio?" The pacifist watched her leave for the barracks, presumably to store her mentor's journal with the rest of her belongings.

In a delightful surprise, Docca's first meal as Colony Rho's chef turned out to be a tasty success. True to Mio's word, however, the cat-eared Agnian could barely enjoy it while her nemesis weighed heavily on her mind. Sleeping wasn't much easier later, even with Noah's detecting Blade active. Before closing his eyes for good that night, he wondered if this was only the beginning of an unhealthy routine for her.