Blue

by Silenta-Atestanto

The history of our world is a simple one. An Overlord emerges to terrorize mankind, before a Hero rises up to slay him. So the cycle went, until it was broken when a succubus claimed the mantle, seduced the Hero sent to slay her, and created the stalemate we recognize today. But history is rarely ever so straightforward. I should know. I saw the events that would unfold for myself.

30. Chapter 30: Trinity

Chapter 30: Trinity

Although the trail left by Hecatoncheir's passing proved easy enough to identify, the actual task of following the giant in its flight proved far more daunting. Its mere footsteps tore deep chasms and gorges in the earth, turned rivers, and flattened hills and mountains. Even so, Sin followed, crossing canyons and rivers, climbing hills and cliffs in pursuit of his quarry. Days passed, then weeks. The seasons turned, then turned once again. The steppes of the land named Zeist were now far behind him and Jibril, replaced by thick, steaming jungles swarming with insects and larger, more threatening foes. Here, the trees grew so thick together that their branches blocked the sky, wound together like threads on a loom… where they weren't scattered like so much straw in Hecatoncheir's wake.

But for as slow as their progress was, their newest companion eased the trials of their journey considerably. Deneb's mastery over ice allowed him to create bridges to span chasms, or ramps to descend into and ascend from those too vast to be bridged by his magics. But it was his invisible ally that proved the greatest boon. Through his brother, Rigel guided the three to fresh water when their skins were empty, steered them safely around especially deadly beasts, and in the rare instances where the giant's trail was obscured, pointed them toward more obvious signs of its passage.

"Ba- … Sin," Jibril suddenly said one day. "Have you given any thought to what you're going to do if we find Hecatoncheir?"

"I'm going to kill him," Sin replied flatly.

The apothecary huffed. "…I was hoping you'd give us something a little more substantial."

"Alright then." Sin's gaze shifted to Deneb. "Does your brother have any suggestions, Deneb?"

Deneb glanced to the empty space at his side. "…Rigel says… that the giant we saw… isn't the real Hecatoncheir."

Sin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Explain."

" Don't misunderstand," Deneb quickly said. "What Rigel means is that that giant is… a shell. Surrounding and protecting Hecatoncheir's core. His true body."

Sin's glare didn't abate. "This core. Can your brother find it?"

There was another long pause. "…he thinks so. If we can find Hecatoncheir again, that is."

Sin's glare finally softened, though not by much. It wasn't the answer he'd hoped for, but it was better than nothing. "Fine then. Let's keep going."

The heat of the day was too oppressive for travel, forcing the three to move after night had fallen. They moved at a pace that was too slow for Sin's liking, but, with the jungle so thickly grown, and having to rely on Rigel to steer them both toward their quarry and away from danger, they could move no faster. The days were filled with heat, while nights brought thick mist and the distant roar of beasts echoing in the dark far beyond the light of their torches. And all the while, the drone of insects filled the air at all hours, seeming to bore into one's very skull. But the three pressed forward.

Until finally, the forest began to thin.

It was only a little at first, but it was enough to be noticeable. And the further they went, the further apart the trees stood, the more their branches and roots untangled, the more the underbrush began to recede, the thinner the mist grew… until at last, until the trees finally broke, revealing a seemingly endless field of dry grass and brush, beneath a sky painted in the colors of the early dawn.

Standing at the edge of the horizon, barely visible in the half-light, stood a mountain. And near the base of that mountain, leaning against it as one might lean against a tree, sat the towering form of Hecatoncheir. Its massive body heaved, as though trying to catch its breath, the earth rumbling faintly with every wheezing breath. Its back was turned toward them, the blazing blue lights of its eye sockets hidden behind its mountainous form.

The three froze, expecting the giant to turn and face them… but as the seconds passed, Hecatoncheir never looked back, never so much as shifted or swayed, seemingly content to stay in place.

Sin reached back, taking hold of Ixion's horn. He would ensure the giant would come to regret its mistake.

He stepped forward, but a hand reached out, taking him by the shoulder. "Sin, if you have a plan, now would be a very good time to share it," Jibril said.

"We're going to go over there and kill it," he replied, never taking his eyes off the giant for even a moment.

"That's not a plan!" Jibril then looked over at Deneb. "Deneb, what does your brother think about all this?"

But if Rigel had an answer, Sin didn't hear it. Because at that moment, a voice spoke in his head. A voice he recognized. The voice that had spoken to him when he'd fought Ixion spoke to him now. "Are you ready?" it asked simply.

"Yes," Sin answered.

"Then it is time for you to-"

AWAKEN

Sin took a single step forward. Only one step. But with that single step, in a span of time no longer than a single heartbeat, he closed the distance between himself and the mountain, stopping in front of Hecatoncheir. For a brief moment, its eyes flared as its gaze fell on him, as if in surprise, perhaps even fear… before all other emotions were swallowed by rage. It lifted a titanic fist high in the air, seemingly above the birds in the sky, before swinging it toward the spot where Sin stood. Sin didn't retreat. Gripping Ixion's horn, he stood his ground, waiting for the blow. And when the titan's fist was just about to fall upon him, he swung the horn with all his might, meeting Hecatoncheir's blow.

A deafening crack, like the sound of an entire forest being uprooted at once, echoed in Sin's ears. The earth beneath his feet buckled violently, as if the world itself was about to shake apart. But Hecatoncheir's fist was driven back- no, not merely driven back, but shattered entirely, crumbling and collapsing as if it had been made of sand. The titan was thrown back, staggering before falling against the mountain, raising a cloud of dust and stone.

But Sin wasn't finished. Again, with a heartbeat's span, he was climbing up the giant's body before it could rise, before reaching its shoulder. He drove Ixion's horn into the base of Hecatoncheir's neck, trying to cut into its stony flesh, to carve an opening into its vulnerable core.

The giant bellowed, its skin rippling like water. Sin leapt back, just as dozens of massive arms rose from its body, each swinging and grasping toward him with enough force to crush stone and metal. His leap pushed him beyond their reach… but it left him no defense as Hecatoncheir swung its other arm at him. A dozen blows crashed into him, hurling him back and away. He struck the earth hard, but was able to rise, just as the giant's fist came crashing down again.

A heartbeat's span, and Sin had dodged the blow. This time, he struck at the giant's ankle, his horn carving into the stony flesh once again. A bellow, and the hands of the giant came swinging at him again. Another heartbeat's span gave him the chance to rush to the side, away from the blow.

And another.

And another.

Sin didn't know how long he fought- time seemed to slow, then speed up, then slow again as he dodged and countered, carving his way up Hecatoncheir's leg, the living mountain bellowing and rumbling in anger, sending its hands swinging at him again and again. The ground became a wasteland of upturned earth and shattered stone as the titan's blows ripped deep chasms into the earth, almost but never quite able to reach him.

Focusing for a brief moment, Sin thrust the tip of Ixion's horn into the giant's ankle, unleashing a burst of lightning. Chips of stone and dust rushed past him, leaving stinging scratched in his skin in their wake as the giant roared distantly. But something felt… off. Air continued to rush from the hole he'd opened in the giant's ankle, as if a great wind were blowing within it. But then Sin saw the wound close, before Hecatoncheir lurched forward, throwing him from the giant's foot. He scrambled back onto his feet, the titan already raising its fists again. But rather than strike him, the titan drove a fist against the ground- a sickly, almost skeletal limb. But to Sin's horror, the very ground seemed to slide up the giant's limb, forming itself into a new flesh, even thicker and more massive than the original.

This wasn't going to work. If Hecatoncheir could regenerate like this, then their battle would go on forever… or at least until Sin's strength failed him and he was crushed. And against a being so vast, that fate was an inevitability if things continued this way. This had to end now.

IT SHALL

Sin jolted. The voice… it hadn't spoken to him since the battle began. But what did it mean? Was it going to help him?

FOCUS

Sin did as the voice bade, and focused. The world seemed to narrow down to Hecatoncheir alone, the titan'\'s every movement, every twitch, every sound it made, becoming crystal clear in his mind. But beneath that, he could… see something else. Or, did he see it? He could see something, something he didn't see with his eyes, yet somehow knew was there. Thin lines, running through the titan's body like veins. Lines of light, flowing through its body, all radiating from a single point… at the base of the titan's neck.

The core. It had to be. Where the true Hecatoncheir resided. Little wonder it had reacted so violently when Sin cut into its neck.

He rushed forward. Sin was slower, crossing distances within the span of several heartbeats rather than the space between them, but it was enough. More than enough. Hecatoncheir swung a fist, but Sin was already gone, not so much climbing the titan's body as much as sprinting up it, faster than any man should be able to move. Arms erupted from Hecatoncheir's flesh, grasping, flailing, striking at him with fists that lashed out as fast as arrows, as if able to sense his intent. But they were too slow. He weaved around the giant's numberless limbs, slashing through those he couldn't avoid, slowly but surely making his way upward. He kept his feet firmly planted on the titan's body, determined not to make the same mistake twice.

Hecatoncheir roared in fury, the sound shaking the very heavens as the titan reached back, raking one of its massive hands across its back. At the same time, a new arm ripped from its shoulder, spewing earth and stone like a volcano before reaching out to crush Sin in its massive stony grasp. But yet again, Sin dodged, using the momentum to launch himself higher, closing the distance to the giant's neck. He would not falter. Not here. Not when he was so close. With a final burst of speed, Sin leaped onto Hecatoncheir's shoulder, grasping Ixion's horn tightly with both hands. The giant's head turned, bellowing as it saw him. But Sin didn't hesitate. With a mighty swing, he plunged Ixion's horn into the very base of Hecatoncheir's neck, directly into the heart of the glowing core.

For a fleeting instant, nothing happened. Then, in a burst of blinding light, the core exploded. The shockwave hurled Sin backward, Ixion's horn flying from his grasp. For a moment, he saw the titan, its arms raised, as if grasping at the heavens, dust and earth falling from its body, the lines of light now visible to his eyes.

Then, Sin's back struck the mountainside. And then, there was nothing.

…

"Hey… hey! Sin! Sin!"

A voice was calling to him. A familiar voice, weak, distant, but unmistakable. It sounded as if it were coming from inside him… or from outside him, from somewhere deep within the void between worlds. It called to him like a siren song, tempting him to follow.

"Baligant!"

Sin's eyes snapped open. Two figures stood over him- he jumped to his feet, as the figures retreated. "Whoa, Sin! It's alright! It's us!"

Sin's vision cleared. Sure enough, the two figures were Jibril and Deneb- Jibril had her hands raised, to show she was unarmed, while Deneb kept a hand gripped tightly on the handle of one of his axes. They looked… relieved? No, more than that. Almost awed.

"You did it," Deneb said, his voice trembling with emotion. "You actually did it."

Sin looked around, taking in his surroundings. He found himself standing atop a mountain of rubble, the aftermath of a titanic struggle. The earth shook faintly beneath his feet, as if the very land was still quivering from the force of his and Hecatoncheir's battle.

Sin turned back to the two, his mind racing. "What… what happened?"

"Look over there," Jibril replied, pointing to something behind Sin. He looked… to be met with a mound of broken stones and dust… one that bore an uncanny resemblance to a kneeling, headless man, its stony flesh crumbling into dust before his very eyes, as if it had been carved from wax under the sun. The shattered remains of Hecatoncheir. He focused, trying to "see" the lines of light that had flowed within the titan's body… but there were none.

But… he could still see a light, shining within the titan's body.

He glanced around, befores spotting Ixion's horn embedded in the ground not far away. He ran, taking it in his hands, before focusing on the light. "We're not done here."

Deneb and Jibril turned as well, drawing their own weapons. But what emerged was not what Sin expected to see. Stepping onto the remnants of Hecatoncheir's shoulder was what Sin could only describe as… a mud-man. Its body seemed to be made from dark, loamy earth, shaped vaguely into the form of a human, but with no discernible features beyond gaping holes where eyes and mouth should be. It walked with awkward, stumbling steps, but moved forward nonetheless, its gaze fixed on Sin… before it stepped off the giant's body, pitching forward as it fell to the ground, right in front of Sin and the others. The mud-man collapsed into a puddle the second it hit the ground… but after a moment, the puddle shuddered, and the mud-man began to draw itself up once more. But it seemed he was weakened- once its waist emerged, it stopped, one hand clutched against its chest, the other braced against the ground.

"Hurt…" it said, in a deep, rasping voice that echoed like stones grinding together. "Hurt… lot…" Its words were slow and labored, as if the act of speaking was incredibly difficult.

"What… is that?" Jibril asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"The core…" Deneb replied grimly. "Or… what's left of it. At least that's what Rigel says."

The mud-man heaved, as though drawing in a deep breath. "You see… Carl. Hec do… what you say. Hec try… do… good." It paused, a faint glimmer of… something… flickering in its void-like eyes. "Make… world… good again…"

Sin took a step forward. Then, he thrust Ixion's horn directly into the hole corresponding to the mud-man's mouth. "Good?" he asked in a low growl. "You call what you're doing good?" The mud-man's only reply was a strangled choke, before Sin focused, sending a burst of lightning up the horn, blasting the mud-man's body apart in a shower of brown sludge. The sludge that splattered across the ground- across Sin's face- like a thick layer of tar, oily viscous… and utterly still.

"Sin, what did you do that for!?" Jibril cried in anger, stepping to stand in front of him.

Sin returned Ixion's horn to the sling on his back, before wiping away the sludge on his face. "He was one of Bahamut's generals. That's reason enough."

He began to walk away, but Jibril called out to him again, "He wasn't a threat anymore! What could it have possibly done to us in that state!?"

Sin stopped, glancing back. "Maybe nothing right now… but what about later? Can we really afford to take that risk, against Bahamut and the other Fiend Generals?" He shrugged. "You might be, Jibril. But I'm not."

Deneb stepped forward, placing a hand on Sin's shoulder. "I understand your anger, Sin. But… maybe Jibril was right. Maybe there was some part of Hecatoncheir that didn't want this. Maybe-"

Sin shook off Deneb's touch. "You don't know that," he said firmly. "And from what I remember, even if Hecatoncheir didn't want to fight us, that other General seemed to have no trouble making a fight happen, regardless of what it thought." He resumed walking back the way they came. "I won't waste my time wondering about things that might have happened. And neither should you. We're done here."

Eventually the two followed after him, though their eyes were fixed on his back, heavy with unspoken words. For the briefest of moments, Sin couldn't help but feel like he was wrong, like he had just made a grave mistake. But he pushed those thoughts aside, buried them as deep as he could. He wouldn't change his mind. Not now. Not ever. He wouldn't dwell on the past. He wouldn't regret his decisions. Regrets would only prevent him from moving forward.

Because in the end, that's all that mattered. The next battle. The next fight. Because no matter how many monsters he killed, no matter how many of his generals Sin slew, the war would never truly end. Not until he faced Bahamut himself.

And until then, Sin would keep fighting. Keep pushing forward. No matter the cost. No matter the consequences. Whatever destiny the mark on the back of his hand promised him and Sin, it meant nothing to him now. Because he had decided his own fate. And he would see it through to the bitter end.

He would see Bahamut die.

Even if that meant the entire world had to die with him.

Although the name 'Hecatoncheir' is known to all who are familiar with Alondight and his quest, its origins are likely not one known to those who have not devoted their study to the cultures of antiquity, particularly that of ancient Duat, or to those who do not hail from Flanvel, that civilization's final lingering bastion. The Cybelians who explored and settled the distant reaches of their empire kept extensive, meticulous records of the peoples they encountered, documenting their customs, their laws… and naturally, their faiths. This includes those of the Duati civilization, which at the time of Cybele's apex had fallen into steep decline. And one peculiarity of the Duati faith was that, unlike others, the gods did not shape the world, either as a collective or by appointing a single member to the task. Rather, the gods of Duat created a race that preceded men and other civilized races, who then shaped the world according to their designs. What exactly happened to this precursor race is not stated, though the Duati describe them as towering, terrifying creatures with skin of stone, numerous heads and hundreds of arms- indeed, the name 'Hecatoncheir,' itself Old Cybelian for 'hundred hands,' has long since supplanted the original Duati name for these beings.

And there are scholars who believe that these mythical beings sharing a name with one of the Dragonslayer's foes is no accident. Naturally, the Sparrow provides his own input, asserting that Hecatonchier was indeed one of these ancient beings- perhaps even the last of its kind- either willingly submitting to Bahamut, or somehow falling under the Dread Dragon's sway. Other, more orthodox minds within the Church believe that Hecatoncheir was an elemental bound to the Dread Dragon's will, its form shaped deliberately to invoke the image of the myth- as Hecatoncheires were said to be capable of felling mountains and carving chasms as a human might fell a tree or dig a trench, and bore power second only to the gods themselves, such a form would doubtlessly strike fear into mortal hearts, especially those who dwelt at the heart of Duat.

-Dragonslayer, Chapter 6, The Shaman and the Earth-Shaker

---

Abel let out a furious cry, swinging his blade with all his might. But Claire deflected his swing with ease, whirling her staff around her and forcing him back. Step by step, he retreated as the president stepped forward, leaving no openings in her defense. Seemingly at random, the tip of her staff would lash out, forcing him to dodge or parry her strike. But then, she gripped her staff with both hands, swinging it toward him in a wide horizontal arc. Abel stepped back, outside the reach of her staff… only for her to whirl around, and thrust it directly at his chest. His momentum was still carrying him backwards, and against any other opponent, her staff would have struck right in the ribs.

But Abel wasn't any other opponent. For an instant, his wings flared to life, pushing him further back and to the side, outside the path of Claire's thrust. After sliding across the ground, he rose to his feet.

Claire slung her staff over her shoulders. "I thought we agreed we wouldn't use magic in this duel."

"Reflex…" he replied bluntly. "Besides… that was a dirty trick."

The staff whirled around Claire's wrist, before she swung it in a wide flourish. "You said you wanted to spar with me because, as I recall, I 'wouldn't hold anything back against you.'" She tilted her head, flashing a mocking grin. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts."

"Not at all." Abel's grip tightened on his sword, before he lunged at her again.

For her part, Claire only smirked, stepping aside to avoid his blow before her staff lashed out again, aiming for his leg. Abel leapt over it, coming down a short distance away, just as she began to whirl her staff around her again. They had agreed not to use any magic in their spar, but even without her greatest asset, the president had no shortage of advantages- better reach, superior agility, and proper training her weapon of choice. With ease, she continued to push him back, her staff whirling, striking, always managing to keep him just beyond reach…

…but then, he saw her draw her arm back, preparing another thrust. It was a slight movement, but for a moment, the whirling of her staff halted. The smallest opening in her defense, and Abel seized on it, sprinting forward, swinging his blade upward from below. Claire's eyes widened in surprise, and she raised her staff, holding it in both hands to deflect his blow. Sparks flew as Abel's sword met Claire's staff… but in the end, her defense held. She pushed, and the two sprang apart, weapons ready once more.

Abel gritted his teeth in frustration. He thought for sure he'd had her… but that didn't matter now. He had to focus on the present, to wait for the next opening… and when it came again he wouldn't miss.

Again, Claire's staff whirled around her. But instead of waiting for her, Abel struck first. But rather than try to break through her defense, he tried to goad her into striking back against him. He watched her closely, waiting for any sign that she was going to attack- a shift in her stance, a change in her breathing, in where her eyes were focused…

…and then he saw it. Claire's hands shifted away from the center of her staff, and her body turned, preparing a swing.

And the instant she did, he sprinted forward.

Again, her eyes widened in surprise, but rather than try to block, she swung her staff, meeting the swing of his blade. Again, sparks flew… but this time, the impact sent the staff spiraling from the president's hand, and it landed several paces away.

Abel then aimed his sword at Claire's chest. "Looks like I win."

Claire let out a long breath, but her expression was far from defeated. "…Hmph. I'll admit, you've improved." In a flash, the president's staff disappeared from where it had fallen, reappearing in her hand. She pointed it in his face- he stumbled back, preparing to fight on, but Claire didn't pursue. Instead, her staff disappeared once more, and she turned away. "But that just means I haven't been training enough to stay ahead of you." She started walking away. "Don't get too full of yourself, degenerate. You might've beaten me today, but that only means we're even now. And I don't intend to stay that way for long."

Abel sheathed his sword, panting heavily, but triumphant nonetheless. And the moment his blade was tucked away, a voice called out, "Nice job, Blue." He turned, to see Raine crossing the training yard, a broad smile on her face. "So… wanna fight me next?"

He shook his head, waving a hand for extra emphasis. "No, I think I'm good for today."

She quickly slid next to him, slipping a hand over his shoulder. "Hey Blue, what's up? I thought you'd be happier about finally getting a leg up on Prez."

Abel shrugged, looking away from her. "I know. It's just… I don't know why, but Claire seemed… slower than I remember. Slower than she was the first time we fought."

"Maybe. Or it could be that you've gotten faster. Remember, when you and Prez first fought, you hadn't found any of Alondight's altars. But now you've found three." Raine squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't sell yourself short, Abel. You beat her fair and square. That counts for something." Her arm slipped from his shoulder, and she stepped away. "You're a whole different person than you were when we met back in Istar. And for what it's worth… I like this new you."

Abel felt his face burn, and he turned his gaze elsewhere. "Uh- th-thanks, Raine."

"Hey, no worries. Just keep being awesome, okay?" With that, she gave him a playful wink and skipped off.

Abel watched the witch depart, before looking down at his hand. The first time he'd fought another person- really fought them, one on one, Niel had to guide his hand. Now, he could cut through both an enemy's sword and its wielder alike. He was faster, stronger, more resilient… and yet- perhaps the most incredible part- was that his potential was only half -realized. Just how much stronger would he become?

…And what dangers would Ilias push into his path to try and stop him?

The thought caused his sense of accomplishment to evaporate. He was stronger, perhaps… but he was still far from where he needed to be. And enemies stood on both sides. On one was the Overlord and its generals; on the other was the Church, the very institution meant to aid him. Both would try to stop him, to defeat him, to kill him. And if he faltered, even for a single instant, everything would be lost. All his struggles, all his sacrifices, would be in vain.

…No. He couldn't afford to think like that. He wouldn't falter. He wouldn't fail. Because no matter what Ilias threw at him, no matter what monsters stood in his path, no matter how many enemies he had to face, no matter how much Ilias tried to make it seem so… he wasn't alone. He had allies who believed in him, who would fight by his side. He had the faith of all the people he'd helped, the people he'd saved, who had seen his efforts and believed in his strength. And he had his patron, Bacchus, a god who saw his worth, who supported him… in her own unusual ways. He had so much… so much more than he ever thought he would. And… perhaps thinking that way made him selfish, or greedy, but… he refused to let any of it go. He would protect it all, with every ounce of strength he possessed. No one would take what he held dear from him.

Not monsters, not the Overlord, not the Church…

…not even Ilias.

But his thoughts were interrupted when a gentle voice called out to him. "Lord Hero?"

He turned. It was a woman, with short, golden hair, clad in a loose black skirt and black jacket… with a pair of golden fox ears and a pair of bushy, golden-furred fox tails at her waist. "Tamayatsu…" he began. "Did you need something?"

"I heard from the others that you were training in the village square," she said, before bowing. "I thought you might like some tea to refresh yourself." Sure enough, she was holding a tray, with a small teapot and a steaming cup sitting atop it.

"Uh, thank you, Tamayatsu…" he took the teacup in his hand, bringing it to his lips. But just before the liquid passed his lips, he glanced at her, freezing in place. She was still bowing, the loose fabric at the front of her jacket hanging open slightly, giving Abel an almost completely uninterrupted view of her front, all the way down to her waist- only the edges of her jacket, conveniently positioned to block her nipples from view, kept her modesty intact.

He spluttered, quickly averting his eyes, something the fox-girl noticed. "Lord Hero?" she asked, looking up. "Is the tea not to your liking?" From her tone, it seemed she was entirely unaware of the fact that she was exposing herself to him.

"Uh- n- no! I mean, yes - I mean… t-the tea is fine." Abel fumbled with the cup, trying to take a sip without spilling it everywhere.

The fox-girl's brow furrowed as she tilted her head, one of her ears tilting to the side as well. The edges of her jacket shifted as well, covering up one breast… and completely revealing the other. He spluttered, sucking tea into his nose, and he doubled over, coughing violently.

"Lord Hero!" she cried, rushing to his side. "Are you alright!?"

"I'm- I'm fine -" he coughed, trying to speak while the tea burned his nose. But at least now, her jacket was positioned to cover her properly. "I- …I'm not really used to the taste of tea…" he mumbled. It was a pathetic excuse, and he knew it. But surprisingly, Tamayatsu appeared to accept it, nodding slowly.

"I see… perhaps the blend was too strong." She bowed again, once again allowing the fabric to hang loosely, again only just barely concealing her breasts. "Forgive me, Lord Hero. I'll fetch you some water."

He waved his hands. "N-no! It's okay. You made it for me so…" He searched for something to say- anything at all that might change the subject. "A-Anyway, are you… okay?"

The fox-girl looked up again. "Yes, of course, Lord Hero. I feel perfectly fine." One of her ears tilted to the side. "Why do you ask?"

Abel scratched the back of his head. "I mean, uh… you got hurt pretty badly when you tried to fight the gashadokuro, so… I was wondering if you were… feeling any better."

Her expression softened, and she placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you for your concern, Lord Hero. But I am fully recovered." She then pulled away, with an odd look in her eye. "Would you… like a demonstration, perhaps?"

"Demon…stration?" he repeated warily.

"I saw your spar with that mage woman earlier. Would you perhaps like to test your abilities against me?" Her tails swished behind her, and she straightened up, rolling her shoulders.

A spar. So that's what she meant. Abel breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh. Uh, thanks for the offer, but I'm not really-"

But the fox-girl's expression did not waver. "Please, Lord Hero. I would like to show you that I can do more than just prepare meals for you. If you will permit it."

Abel frowned. He didn't doubt Tamayatsu's resolve. And, truthfully, he was curious. Her battle against the gashadokuro, brief as it was, didn't give him a sense of her true capabilities.

"Alright then…" he said, setting the teacup aside. "Let's see what you've got."

Tamayatsu smiled, then bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Hero." She then reached into her jacket- Abel jolted, but she simply pulled out a long knife with a single edge. "I promise I won't disappoint." She flung the knife into the air… before there was a pop and a burst of smoke surrounded her. Before the smoke cleared, a golden blur leapt out, snatching the knife out of the air. It was Tamayatsu, but in the blink of an eye, she had transformed from a golden-haired girl into a golden-haired fox. Her eyes gleamed, and she let out a low growl, the knife clenched between her teeth.

Abel stepped back, unfastening the strap that held his scabbard to his belt. "Alright, Tamayatsu. Just like with Claire, I won't hold anything back. Ready?"

The fox-girl crouched lower, her tails swishing. Then, with a single, powerful bound, she sprang forward.

Almost two weeks had passed since Abel and Kagura returned to Enji. The blight was now but a memory, Isha bursting with so much green, so many flowers that at times it felt as if the island were drowning in color. But the end of the blight did not bring an end to the troubles Isha and its people faced. Bandits still prowled the countryside, and crops growing in the fields still needed time to grow, even with Isha's- or rather Hestia's blessing returned to the soil. What few crops that matured in that short time Saburo commanded to be gathered, either to replenish Enji's stores, or to distribute them to the towns and villages near the city. And every crop being used for the sake of Isha's citizens meant that none could be spared to prepare stores for the Peregrine 's return trip across the Titanian Ocean.

Still, despite the hardships, life in Enji had begun to return to a semblance of normalcy. Merchants and traders came and went, sharing news from across not only the island, but all of Zipangu. And the city itself was slowly recovering from the damage inflicted during the blight- buildings were repaired, roads cleaned, gardens tended to, and the people as a whole began to regain some of their old vitality. They were still thin, still pallid, but they walked with purpose, their eyes glinted with life, and even managed the occasional smile or laugh- a far cry from the hollow, almost soulless husks Abel and the others encountered when they first arrived.

Oko and Saburo had come to terms some time in the early morning the day after Abel had found Alondight's altar. But even now, the exact details of their discussion remained a mystery, not only to Abel, but everyone else in Enji. However, based on the events that followed, Abel gleaned an idea of what at least some of the guardian's demands had been. First, in all the time since then, the daimyo had never summoned Abel to continue his interrogation. And second, two days after negotiations concluded, Sister Yumie had vanished from the Azai castle. Allegedly, she had boarded a ship bound for Zipangu's capital, having been dismissed from her position as the Azai clan's spiritual advisor, along with a message stating explicitly that a replacement was neither required, nor welcome.

But Sister Yumie was not the only one to quickly disappear from the public eye. Oko had departed as soon as negotiations had finished, presumably returning to Hinode, not even waiting for sunrise. And Abel had barely seen Kagura since glimpsing her in the castle audience chamber. When he did see her, it was only ever at a distance, and never close enough for them to speak. Abel wondered if she were trying to avoid him, or if- as Saburo's heir- she had taken on responsibilities that left her little free time… though he couldn't help but notice that she had taken to carrying a sword on her hip wherever she went.

As for Abel, he had thrown himself into work, escorting shipments of food and supplies to the villages surrounding Enji. In fact, that was precisely where he and the others were at that very moment- a small village by the name of Zonda, on a shoreline south of the city. They never went far- no more than a day's travel at most- but it helped keep his mind off his troubles. Sometimes, a few of his friends would accompany him, to keep their skills sharp, or simply to break the day-to-day monotony of the city. Fiann accompanied him nearly every time, and Raine ventured out often; Violet and Minze would accompany him on occasion (the former mostly to study the various plants growing around the island), and Holly had joined him once on a prior shipment. The others, however, chose to remain behind, pointing out- and not wrongly- that Enji's garrison was still not at full strength, and that someone would need to stay and help protect the city.

In any case, life continued, and while Abel might have found it difficult to relax, there was no denying that things were improving. And as he and the others crossed the verdant fields of Isha, he could almost believe that the nightmares of the blight and the gashadokuro were nothing but bad memories.

Almost, but not quite.

The Peregrine remained anchored in Isha's harbor, its crew spending their days in maintenance and minor repairs. Occasionally, they would set out, trawling the coasts for fish or other seafood, but otherwise, they held position, waiting for the day that their ship would once again set sail for Bastok. And while he understood its necessity, Abel couldn't help but be frustrated by the wait. Every moment, his enemies grew stronger, laying traps, mustering their forces, preparing for war. And while he wouldn't allow time to slip past him, there was only so much he could gain from bouts against his friends and an ever-dwindling number of bandits.

"Dragonskin!" Abel raised his arms to defend himself just as a fiery missile impacted him, driving him back. But even before he could recover, the fireball landed, rushing towards him at an almost blinding speed. A bright glint within the flames was Abel's only warning, before a split-second later, something impacted his sword, sending him stumbling back, his blade nearly falling from his hands. He was completely vulnerable… but rather than press the attack, the flames died away, revealing the golden-furred fox, breathing heavily. And with a burst of smoke, the fox too disappeared, with Tamayatsu taking its place, breathing heavily as well. "What do you think… Lord Hero?" she asked, her chest still rising and falling rapidly, "Are you… satisfied… with my performance?"

She was fast. Faster than Claire- maybe even faster than Fiann. She was nowhere near as strong as the bard- but then, almost nobody was- and her magic, while similar to Raine's fire magic, seemed far more… limited in its use. The witch could throw fireballs and streams of flames from her hands, create smokescreens, and though he'd never witnessed it himself, she claimed she could create glyphs that exploded when touched and even superheat the air to melt through practically anything. Tamayatsu, on the other hand, seemingly could only coat herself in flames. Her sister Zaramatsu was similarly restricted, capable only of conjuring vines (at least from what he'd seen), but the vines at least had a far more practical application.

"You're fast…" Abel finally said, after catching his breath. "Very fast. I'll admit, I'm impressed."

The fox-girl bowed, though Abel caught the smile on her face before she straightened again. "Thank you, Lord Hero," she purred. "But I will ensure that I…" Her ears twitched, and she trailed off, slowly turning towards her right.

…What's the matter?" Abel asked, following her gaze, though being behind the village walls, he didn't see anything.

"Something's coming," she replied bluntly, before shifting back to her fox form. Mere moments later, a low gong rang out over the village, followed by cries of "Oni! Oni!" Tamayatsu raced off, headed directly for the city walls, as the villagers scrambled to prepare. Abel groaned, unsheathing his sword.

At least his muscles were loosened up from the sparring.

---

A few more days passed. Abel would guard a handful of additional shipments, but as he and the soldiers he accompanied returned to Enji from another outlying village, he stumbled across Liz, wandering through the city market. The market couldn't be called "lively," not compared to others he'd been to, butagain, it was at least filled with a sense of purpose- a stark contrast to the empty shell they had first encountered.

"… arigatou." Abel heard Liz say to one of the stall-owners, before she noticed him, and hurried over. "Oh, Abel! There you are!" She stumbled slightly, a pack on her shoulders that was filled to bursting with all sorts of things: bundles of cloth, books, scrolls, small sacks of what looked to be spices, and even a long sword with a curved blade.

"Hey Liz," he replied. "What are you up to right now?"

"Just getting some last-minute shopping done." The merchant girl adjusted the straps on her shoulders "The selection has definitely improved since we first got here," she commented. "I just wish I had the time to search around some more. Hopefully the Company can turn a profit with what I've found."

Abel's brow furrowed. "Last-minute shopping? For what? What's going on?"

Her smile faltered slightly. "We're leaving. The daimyo's men just dropped off a bunch of supplies for us- enough to get us all the way back to Bastok. They said it was compensation for your service to the domain." Liz then tilted her head slightly. "Is this really the first you've heard about this?" She seemed genuinely surprised.

It was. "…How soon are we leaving?" Abel asked.

"Well not that soon… Captain Baird needs to take stock, and there's things we need other than food," Liz replied with a shrug. "But it might be tomorrow… or the day after. I'm not sure."

"Alright thanks…" Abel said absently, already heading toward the harbor. He had a feeling in his gut… and when he reached the Peregrine, his feeling turned out to be correct. A number of crates, barrels, and jars were being loaded onto the ship, overseen by Captain Baird, and…

"…Lord Hero," Kagura said, turning to face him, her eyes cold, expression unreadable.

"K- …Miss Kagura," he replied. There had been much Abel had wanted to say to daimyo's daughter. But now that he was finally given the chance… he was utterly lost for words. What should he say? Should he apologize? Thank her? Should he even dare to speak to her at all? In spite of his apprehensions however, Abel's need to know won out. "What… what is all this?"

Kagura turned to the Peregrine, face still unreadable. "In recognition for your service to our domain, my father has seen fit to provide you with the supplies necessary to return to your homeland." Her voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

"But, what about your people?" He asked. "Don't they need these supplies more than-"

"The Azai clan is merely acting in accordance with the terms set by Lady Oko," Kagura interrupted. "My father also wishes to express his apologies for the delay."

Abel could only stare. The "delay" she spoke of was waiting for enough crops to grow to replenish Enji's stores, to ensure that its citizens wouldn't starve. That wasn't a delay. It was a necessity- but Kagura made it sound like ensuring the survival of her people was some… inconvenience to him.

In fact… Kagura's entire manner struck him as strange. While their relations throughout their journey could hardly be called friendly, Kagura had always at least spoken to him with some modicum of civility, at least after their initial meeting. But now, she addressed him as if he were a stranger. And even before now, just after the rite, it felt as if she were avoiding him, refusing to speak with him.

He had to know why.

"Kagura," Abel said, his tone firm, "Can we… talk?"

"We're speaking right now," she replied, still expressionless. "If you're referring to a private conversation, I'm afraid I don't have the time."

"It's important," Abel pressed on, ignoring her obvious dismissal. "Kagura, something's different about you. Ever since we met the guardian. It feels like you're… avoiding me."

For a moment, her mask slipped, and Abel saw a flicker of something in her eyes- fear, perhaps, or even pain. Then it was gone, replaced once more by that cold, distant look. "I am not avoiding you," she stated tersely. "My duties as the daimyo's heir are simply… demanding. That is all." Abel couldn't help but notice her hand slide onto the hilt of her sword as she said this.

"But it's more than that, isn't it?" Abel insisted, slowly reaching out toward Kagura. "Ever since we came back… no, ever since the rite, you've been-"

"That is enough!" Kagura barked, slapping his hand away. "Lord Hero, I have no desire to continue this conversation. We have delivered you your supplies as instructed by Lady Oko. I trust you will find them to be suitable. Now if you'll excuse me." With that, she stormed past him, her footsteps echoing down the pier.

Abel stood there, his hand still raised. What had happened? Kagura wasn't just distant; now she was outright hostile. But… why? Why did she suddenly hate him so much? Had he offended her somehow? Done something wrong?

…the rite. It had to be the rite. She had said that she had done what was necessary to save her people, that her own feelings were inconsequential in comparison… but it seemed those feelings were indeed consequential.

Abel sighed, rubbing his forehead. He needed to talk to someone about this. Maybe Raine could shed some light on the situation, or Edelweiss. Someone who could help him understand what he'd done wrong, and how he could possibly make it right.

…but as his gaze traveled over the ship, the crew, and the crates full of supplies, Abel couldn't help but feel a deep pit in his stomach. As much as he may have wanted to stay, to make things right with Kagura… he knew he couldn't. No matter how much his soul protested, he couldn't linger in Enji. Because his duty wasn't here. Nor was it to Istar, or Mavors, or any other place he had been, to any place he might venture to in the future. After all, Heroes couldn't afford the luxury of clinging to personal matters.

His duty lay with the world itself, and the ever-present threat that loomed above all else.

The Overlord.

His heart ached for Kagura, but he had to move on.

The Hero must journey onward.

They forged ahead, into the unknown, to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

That was what Abel would do.

That was what he had to do.

---

The return to Bastok proved far more difficult than the initial departure. But in those first days, there was no signs of the coming turmoil, no whispers of the storm awaiting them. In fact, on the day of their departure, the seas themselves seemed to welcome the Peregrine, the waves gentle and calm, the winds favorable. But, no one came to see them off- not Saburo, not Kagura, not even Oko. The only words of parting came from Zaramatsu, after several minutes of tearful farewells to her sister… and switching places with her on the deck of the Peregrine several times in a puff of smoke, as if to ensure Hestia's promise to them hadn't been an empty one. "Please take care of my sister," she had said, wiping tears from her face. "And don't forget about me, either. Okay, Lord Hero?"

"I won't," Abel promised, trying his best to smile for her sake. He reached up, trying to pat the fox-girl on the head, something that was a bit awkward with how much taller than him she was… and by how close it brought his face to her bosom. But the moment he tried to pull back, Zaramatsu threw her arms around him, burying him face-first into her chest. He flailed, trying to free himself from her iron-tight embrace, but the fox-girl held him fast, squeezing the air out of him all the while… until there was another pop, and Abel found his face pressed into something smaller, but no less soft. "Sister," Tamayatsu's voice then said from directly in front of him, "that's quite enough." His eyes snapped open to find himself pressed against the golden fox-girl's forehead instead.

"Sis, I wasn't done yet!" Zaramatsu whined from the deck of the ship as Abel stumbled back from her sister, gasping for breath.

"You are now," the golden fox-girl replied bluntly. "And you also promised me you wouldn't cause a fuss when it was time for the Lord Hero to leave." She turned toward Abel. "I apologize again for my sister, Lord Hero," she said, bowing deeply, ears flattening against her head. "She can be… overly sentimental at times."

"N-No worries," Abel managed to say, still fighting for breath. "I'll… I'll take good care of both of you, I promise. But… maybe Zaramatsu should come with us first. Just for a little while?"

Tamayatsu looked surprised, and then smiled. "I'm sure she'd like that, Lord Hero. I'm glad my master turned out to be someone so considerate." She bowed once more. "Farewell, Lord Hero. Safe travels, and may Lady Isha continue to bless you on your path."

With that, the Peregrine set sail, Enji and Isha growing smaller and smaller, until they were little more than distant dots on the horizon. Abel stood at the stern, watching them go, his thoughts drifting back to them, wondering if he would ever see them again. If he would ever see Kagura again.

If he would ever have the chance to make things right.

"What's the matter, lad?" Captain Baird called from the helm. "Yer not thinking of turnin' back now, are ya?"

"No…" he replied. "Just… had some unfinished business. That's all."

"Unfinished business…" the captain repeated. "Business involvin' a lass, by my guess."

"…How did you know?" Abel asked.

"'Cause I've seen that look before," Baird answered. "Hell, had it myself, more than once. But let me tell ya somethin', boy- sometimes unfinished business stays unfinished, much as ya might wish it didn't. Now I'm not sayin' ya can't think about it, or regret it, or try ta fix it, but…" He glanced back for a moment to regard Abel, his weathered face creased with a deep frown. "Well, sometimes, the past is like an anchor. It's good for its intended use… but sometimes all it does is stop ya from movin' forward. And for times like that…" He turned his gaze forward. "…ya gotta know when to cut the rope."

Abel nodded, knowing the captain was right, but still not fully believing his words, watching as Enji and Isha grew smaller and smaller, until they finally vanished entirely beneath the horizon. d the winds favorable as they sailed west, chasing the setting sun across the waves.

For some time after, the skies remained clear and the winds favorable as they sailed west, chasing the setting sun across the waves. Abel did what he could to keep his mind occupied- reading what few books were aboard, helping the sailors with various tasks, and sparring with whoever would give him time: Fiann, Minze, Claire… even Tamayatsu, when her sister could be convinced to swap places with her. And while his thoughts still drifted back to Enji, back to Kagura, that was only partly the reason he threw himself so vigorously into his training.

Ever since finding the third of Alondight's altars, he had suddenly become… aware of his companions. Specifically, the fact that all of them were women. It wasn't as though Abel was entirely unaware that there were differences between men and women, but, ever since returning to Enji, he had become… much more keenly aware of them. The incident where he'd accidentally glimpsed down Tamayatsu's shirt had not been the first of its kind, nor had it been the last: before that, he'd walked in on Seth, stripped down to her undergarments as Minze mended her clothes; before that, as he soaked in the Azai castle's bath, Holly had unintentionally walked in on him, with only a thin towel that barely managed to cover her modesty. And soon after leaving Enji, Abel had taken to knocking- loudly and multiple times- prior to entering any cabin within the Peregrine, after stumbling upon one too many of his companions in the midst of some stage of undress… not that his efforts had done much to prevent further accidents.

And Abel's sudden awareness had brought with it a strange tingling sensation, almost like a low hum in the back of his mind whenever he was close to one of his female companions. It wasn't a bad feeling, necessarily… but it was a distracting one. And more than once, that hum would be accompanied by a thought- a curiosity of sorts- about what his companions might look like… without their clothes. At first, he could simply push the thoughts away and focus on the task at hand. But… the thoughts refused to stay away, growing stronger with each passing day, forcing their way into his head, and eventually, even his dreams. Abel didn't know how else to describe it, except as though a part of him had... awakened, and now it wanted… something. Something he couldn't give. Something he didn't fully even understand.

So he did the only thing he could do: He worked. He read. He fought. Anything, just to keep his mind occupied. To avoid dwelling on the strange, tingling sensation. And when great, dark clouds appeared on the horizon, and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, he was actually relieved. Grateful for the distraction from the constant, gnawing uncertainty within him.

And when the storm finally fell upon them, he welcomed it.

Rain lashed down in torrents, turning the sea into a churning, foaming monster that threatened to swallow the Peregrine whole. Lightning flashed, illuminating the chaos in brilliant, blinding strokes. Even with Nephrys guiding them, the storm seemed inescapable, as if the very heavens themselves were trying to prevent their return.

And yet, against all odds, they persevered. Captain Baird, Cinquedea, and the rest of their crew worked tirelessly to keep the ship afloat, patching damage and fighting against the relentless onslaught of the elements, as Nephrys continued to chart their course through the turmoil. Abel and the others did what they could to assist, but a raging sea was not an enemy that could be fought with swords or magic. All they could do was trust in the experience and skill of the Peregrine 's crew, and hope for the best.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the storm began to subside. The rain slowed to a drizzle, then stopped altogether, leaving behind a calm, glassy sea. And as the sun broke through the clouds, they saw a shore on the horizon, growing larger as the Peregrine limped towards it, her hull battered but intact. But what relief the crew and passengers felt was fleeting, as the shore they approached was devoid of signs of life or civilization. Instead, the land stretched out before them as a desolate expanse of sand, rock, and scrubby vegetation, unbroken by even the barest hint of settlement. Nephrys worked tirelessly, analyzing charts and comparing them to the foreign shore, though it wasn't until the sun set, and he could enlist the aid of the stars, that he finally determined their location: along the eastern shores of Windurst.

But, foreign land was land all the same. And as the Peregrine sailed north, they found that the region was not as desolate as first impressions- and maps- would have suggested… although not all of the towns and villages along the shore were amenable to travelers, even with Abel's abilities to ease communication troubles.

But now that they were in familiar territory… relatively speaking, the ship now sailed with purpose, a clear destination in mind. That destination? A city on the northern lip of the Windurst continent, nestled within a bay named the Bay of Lear, named Flanvel. According to Raine, Captain Baird, and a few other sailors, Flanvel was the last surviving city of an ancient kingdom named Duat. The kingdom had existed for thousands of years- stretching all the way back to Alondight's time- but it eventually fell, its remnants conquered by the Cybelians who would then use it as a penal colony. But, after the Vinland War and the collapse of the Empire, with no wardens to watch over them, the prisoners broke free of their shackles and reclaimed their independence. Though infamous as a den of cutthroats, brigands, and rogues of all types, Raine assured Abel and the others that Flanvel wasn't nearly as dangerous as the rumors claimed… though she would also admit that the city could hardly be called "safe."

In any case, they wouldn't be spending much time there, only staying for as long as it took to resupply before setting sail again. Abel's amulet had indicated the next of Alondight's altars lay somewhere to the west, and once they were docked, they could use the measurements taken from Enji to determine the altar's exact location.

And two weeks later, as the Peregrine sailed into Bay of Lear, the city of Flanvel loomed before them, a ramshackle mass of buildings huddled together at the base of a great, craggy mountain. There had been a great variety in the structures in Lohan, but here in Flanvel, seemingly every building was rough cobbling of seemingly whatever materials the inhabitants could scrounge up. Roofs were built from mismatched tiles and wood, walls constructed from a jumble of brick, stone, and wood scraps. The streets themselves were narrow, winding alleys of dirt and broken stone slabs, choked with merchant stalls and tents, erected by those seemingly too destitute to afford even the scanty shelter offered by the surrounding buildings. The city seemed to grow out of the very rock itself, as though the mountain had somehow sprouted into a jagged, haphazard metropolis, an almost palpable air of decay and squalor hanging over it like a thick, heavy shroud.

But despite the squalor, there was life in the city, or at least some semblance thereof. Merchants hawked their wares, armed soldiers patrolled the streets, and the sounds of hammering, sawing, and shouting drifted from the myriad workshops scattered throughout the city. Abel caught glimpses of people going about their daily business- men and women, children, and even a few half-human creatures- though he noticed that many of them kept a wary eye on the ship, and by extension, them, as the Peregrine sailed through the spider's web of piers and docks that stretched into the bay, finally dropping anchor alongside an unoccupied wharf.

As the Peregrine 's crew scrambled to tie lines and lower the gangplank, Claire stood near the bow, looking out over the city. "So, this is Flanvel…" she said, before turning to Raine. "…So, are there any catastrophes or major events happening that we should know about?"

"Huh?" Raine looked puzzled.

"It seems like every time we arrive somewhere new, it's always right in the middle of some crisis that requires our intervention to solve." The president shot the witch a glance. "I'd like to brace myself for the worst."

The witch tapped her temple in thought. "There… shouldn't be. There's aren't any major holy days coming up, and the most recent elections would've happened before we left for Zipangu, so-"

Holly interrupted. "Elections?"

"Flanvel isn't ruled by a king or emperor, but a council of magistrates known as 'Archons,'" Minze began to explain. "Every three years, citizens can vote to have the current Archons either keep their position, or have someone new replace them."

"And… anyone can be chosen?" Holly asked. Her eyes glinted with a mix of curiosity and unease.

"There are a few stipulations, both official and unofficial. Officially, you have to be 'a citizen of good standing, who has resided in the city for no less than five years.' Most of the time though, the Archons are selected from a handful of guild leaders, army commanders, and the occasional local adventurer who makes a name for himself."

"Speaking of guilds… we should pay the Fighter's Guild a visit," Abel then said, heading for the gangplank.

All eyes turned to Abel. "Whatever for, Sir Abel?" the maid asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Raine then cut in. "We've been at sea for two months with nothing to fight. You can't blame Blue for wanting to give his sword arm a workout."

Abel nodded. "Not to mention, Captain Baird and the others are gonna need money to afford supplies."

"But, shouldn't we search for the next altar? Figure out where we need to go next?" Seth asked.

"Oh, let him go, Madame," Raine said with a chuckle. "Blue's finally developing a sense of independence. We should be encouraging him…" The voices of the others trailed away as he climbed down from the ship. While it was true that Captain Baird and the rest of the crew needed money for supplies, ever since the storm had cleared, the hum had returned, louder and more insistent than before, as if in defiance for being ignored for so long. And unlike before, no amount of reading or labor would banish it. The only solution he could conjure was to separate himself from the source of his distraction: his companions. But sequestering himself in his cabin for days on end was neither sustainable, nor an actual solution to his troubles. He would have to confront the problem eventually. Sooner or later, he'd have to face his companions, and the sensations they brought with them. But for now at least…

…perhaps the Fighter's Guild could provide him with the distraction he needed. So, Abel quickly lost himself in the streets of the foreign city, searching for the guildhall. He was surrounded on all sides by strangers- merchants and craftsmen and beggars and soldiers, all bustling through the streets, haggling, arguing, or hurrying to their next destination. The air was filled with scents both pleasant and foul- the smell of cooking food mixed with the reek of refuse. And the noise… it was a cacophony, a constant barrage of shouting and conversation, hammers and saws, and the creak and clatter of wooden wheels against stone and earth, with shopkeepers and stall owners vying for the attention of passersby:

"I've distilled an elixir of lead and pomegranate! Ideal for the limb!"

"Meat pies! Can't have a meal without meat!"

"Why loot the dead when you can buy from me?"

As Abel walked, he was constantly forced to shift aside as the crowd pressed in around him, or stop and step aside for carriages, wagons, and carts, all piled high with goods of various types. And yet, amidst all this chaos, Abel sensed a peculiar quiet, a stillness that seemed to follow in his wake. It was as if the city itself were watching him, studying him. He could see the people's eyes flick toward him as he passed, then dart away just as quickly; conversations seemed to quiet ever so slightly as he neared, then resume as if nothing had changed when he moved on. Even the animals- the horses and mules, the birds, the dogs and cats that roamed the streets- seemed to regard him with a curious wariness, as if sensing that he didn't truly belong in their world. Abel tried to shake off the feeling. He was just imagining things, surely.

Abel hadn't been using his amulet for guidance, certain that he could find the Fighter's Guild hall without it. But as the minutes turned into an hour, his confidence in navigation skills began to falter. The city was larger and more complex than he had anticipated, and every street seemed to twist and turn in unexpected ways, eventually dumping him into a narrow alleyway with high, crumbling walls on either side. And worse yet, in all his wanderings, he hadn't spotted a single sign- now he had no idea how to get back to the harbor, much less find the Fighter's Guild. With a sigh, he concentrated, feeling his amulet pull towards his destination- Abel couldn't be sure that asking a stranger for directions wouldn't end up with him being robbed… or worse. The amulet tugged back the way he came, so he followed, only to come upon a group blocking the alley entrance: three strangers- two men and a woman- clad in black leather armor, surrounding a fourth figure he couldn't make out. Abel quickly ducked into a small alcove before the figures in black noticed him, though thankfully, it seemed their attention was fully focused on the person in the center.

Someone was speaking- presumably the person in the center- and she said, in heavily-accented Mavorian, "…I am not looking for trouble. I have just lost my way."

"Well that's too bad, because you found trouble," one of the men growled back. "See, this here is a toll road. Pay, and you get to pass. Don't, and you're fair game." He stepped forward, drawing a curved blade from his belt, his companions drawing their own weapons. "So what's it gonna be? Because we're getting everything you've got, one way or another." The man grinned, revealing a row of yellowing teeth. "And I ain't picky."

Abel gritted his teeth, and began to reach for his sword. But at that moment, one of the figures with their back to Abel was suddenly… encased in a thick shell of ice, before the man's frozen form was shattered into a thousand shards, revealing the fourth figure, her fist extended where the frozen man had been standing. It was only for a brief moment, however- enough time for Abel to see that the fourth figure wore glasses- before she turned, leaping into the air as she turned, before bringing her heel down on the crown of the other ruffian's head, driving her into the dirt face-first. The woman landed lightly on her feet, then turned to face the remaining assailant- she had no weapons, merely a pair of metal bracers on her forearms. Undaunted, the final ruffian charged while her back was turned. But again, in a matter of moments, the woman in glasses whirled around, deflecting the man's sword with her bracers, before striking him three times- first across the face, then directly in the stomach, making him double over, before driving her fist upwards, under his chin. The blow carried the ruffian off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground. Abel could only stare, awed, hand hovering over the hilt of his sword- though it felt much longer, in reality, the entire "battle," if it could even be called that, couldn't have taken more than a few seconds.

As the dust settled, the woman stood surveying the results of her handiwork- a single body lay shattered amidst the debris, and the other two were motionless where they'd fallen. She looked around… before her gaze instantly snapped to Abel's hiding place. He cried out in surprise, stumbling back as if her gaze itself had struck him, her glasses seeming to magnify her glare. "Hey, hold on! I'm not with those guys! I-I'm a traveler, same as you!" he managed to say, hands raised.

The woman studied him intensely, her eyes narrowing further, still tense, as though ready to strike at any moment. "You are… not involved?" she asked, her voice surprisingly gentle despite the brutality she had just displayed. "Then why were you hiding? What business do you have here?"

"I was looking for the Fighter's Guild and ended up getting… lost…" Now that he had a clear view of the woman in glasses, Abel had a sudden realization. He… recognized her. Though it had been some months since he last saw her, very little about her had changed. She still wore a pair of round, golden-rimmed glasses with darkened lenses. Her attire still consisted of a sleeveless red shirt and knee-high trousers, though with the addition of an orange sash tied at her waist. Her black hair was still woven into two braids hanging at her shoulders, though they had grown longer since the last time he saw her.

"Hold on…" Abel began slowly. "I… I know you. From Lescatie. You're… Xiao, right?"

The woman slowly blinked, her expression shifting from suspicion to cautious curiosity. "I am," she replied, her eyes briefly sweeping over Abel from behind her darkened lenses. But, I am afraid I do not recall you."

Even now, Abel had to admit he didn't exactly cut an imposing and memorable figure. Even so, it took more effort than expected for him to try to not appear offended by Xiao's words. "I'm Abel. Bacchus's Champion."

There was a brief spark in Xiao's eyes, though if it was because she recognized him, Abel couldn't tell. "I see," was all she said, though she finally lowered her guard.

Abel also finally emerged from the alcove. "Are you… staying somewhere in the city? If you are, I can help you find your way back. It would probably be safer for us to travel together, anyway."

Xiao's eyes narrowed again. "That is unnecessary. I am quite capable of handling myself."

After what he had seen, Abel had no doubt that Xiao could take care of herself. But those ruffians were likely just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the dangers lurking around Flanvel's every corner. "It's no trouble," he insisted. "Besides, we might be heading in the same direction anyway."

Xiao remained silent, her lips pursed, eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

"Well what about this?" he then said, pulling out his amulet. "This is my Relic. It points toward things I'm looking for. I can use it to guide you to wherever you're going."

Xiao's expression didn't soften."If your Relic is capable of such a thing, then how did you end up becoming lost?"

"I-I- that was…" Abel started, then swallowed. "It's… complicated."

"Hm." The woman in glasses folded her arms, the suspicion never leaving her face. "Show me."

"Uh…"

But before Abel could demonstrate, a voice called out, "Ah, there you are dear." Abel turned, to see a man approaching them. He was clad in a loose suit of pure white, which served to make his curly black hair and ashy skin seem even darker in comparison. His smile was wide and toothy, but the way his eyes seemed to gleam when his gaze fell on Xiao… it unsettled Abel, though he couldn't explain why. But those feelings were quickly submerged when, once again, a feeling of recognition washed over Abel.

He'd seen this man in Lescatie as well. He was a Hero, just like him and Xiao. The Champion of Poseidon. Shavran.

"I told you, dear- this city is no place for a lady like you to wander around alone," Shavran said, stepping over one of the bodies of the ruffians, before placing a hand on Xiao's shoulder. His attention was fixed on Xiao entirely, seemingly taking no notice of Abel at all "Wouldn't want you getting hurt, or worse."

Xiao fixed the other Hero with a steely glare. "I do not need your protection, Mister Shavran."

But Shavran ignored her, stepping forward and offering his hand. "Come now, let's head back to the inn. We've gathered everything we need, so we should all rest while we can." Shavran reached out, as if to take Xiao by the wrist, but before he could pull her away, Abel cut in.

"Wait a minute- you two are working together?" Abel had thought that, being Champions of different gods, Heroes would be enemies … but then again, he and Roland had worked together to oppose a common threat. Perhaps these two were doing something similar.

Shavran's gaze flicked to Abel, his smile fading, replaced by a decidedly less pleasant expression. "I'm sorry, but do I… know you?"

"I'm Abel. Bacchus's Champion," Abel replied, repeating his introduction to Xiao. "We… met in Lescatie." He tried to gauge Shavran's reaction, but the other Hero's face betrayed nothing.

"Oh? Did we?" Shavran chuckled, but it wasn't a warm sound- it dripped with annoyance, a clear indication that he neither remembered their previous meeting, nor did he wish to continue their conversation.

"Mister Shavran," Xiao suddenly said. Her voice was sharp, cutting through Shavran's dismissive tone. "Do you see these men here?" She motioned to the three figures lying not far from them. "They surrounded me and demanded I pay them money. But this man- Abel- stopped them."

Abel was stunned. Too stunned to speak. That hadn't been at all how things happened. But before he could contradict Xiao's claim, Shavran glanced at the bodies casually, then looked back at Abel, his eyes narrowed. "Is that so?" he muttered. For a brief moment, Abel thought he saw something flicker in Shavran's expression. But he wasn't given much time to identify the emotion before Xiao spoke again.

"I believe that Mister Abel can help us. You mentioned that you wanted to hire…" Her face scrunched, as if trying to recall something. "…body guards for our upcoming expedition, did you not?"

Shavran paused, expression twisting, before he replied slowly, "…yes. I did say that, didn't I?" as his gaze lingered on Xiao before returning to Abel, a mix of curiosity and wariness now present. "…Abel, was it? There's an inn near the river that flows through the city, named 'the Wheelhouse.' That's where me and my associates are staying. If you're interested in discussing terms, meet me there tomorrow morning." Shavran then turned to Xiao. "Come along, dear. We don't want the others worrying about us. And I'm certain you're eager to rest."

He offered his arm to Xiao, which she eyed distrustfully, before walking past Shavran without a word. Shavran hurried after her, calling, "Wait a minute, dear! You're not even going the right way…!" his voice trailing off as they disappeared down the narrow street.

Abel watched them go, a small frown tugging at the corner of his mouth. Something felt… off about all of this. The tension between Shavran and Xiao was palpable, and the way the Champion of Poseidon had acted… it was clear that there was more going on than met the eye. But for now, he had other matters to attend to. Namely, finding his way back to the others. And hopefully not getting himself robbed, stabbed, or worse along the way.

---

"I don't like this, Blue…" Raine said.

"What's the problem, Miss Raine?" Holly asked, before Abel could speak up. "Both Mister Shavran and Miss Xiao are Heroes, aren't they? Isn't Heroes working together a good thing?"

"Normally, I'd agree with you, Jugs…" the witch began. "But not every Hero's like Prince Roland. I stayed up late last night to ask around, and I heard a few things about Shavran… not very good things, either."

Abel raised an eyebrow. "What kind of things?"

Raine's expression turned grim. "Our guy has a bit of a reputation as a ladies' man. But even though he can hook ladies just fine, he seems to have trouble keeping them around. Apparently he burned through twenty traveling companions just while we were in Zipangu."

"'Burned through?' What does that mean?" Holly asked, face paling. "Did they… die?"

"Some of them, yeah. Seems like Shavran's got a bad habit of ditching his allies when things get rough. And let's just say that survivors don't exactly find that kind of thing endearing." Raine shook her head.

"…well, what about this other Hero? Xin?" Holly then said, as if trying to steer the conversation away from Shavran.

"It's Xiao. And honestly… I couldn't find much of anything about her. No real reputation, good or bad. I couldn't even tell you how long she's been rolling with Shavran." The witch shrugged. "Guess she's not big on making waves."

"Well, even though they're working together, it didn't seem like Xiao was very happy about it," Abel pointed out, recalling their brief interaction.

"Alright, enough," Lailah then cut in. "We're here." Sure enough, Abel looked, to see a large building up ahead, with three floors and an enormous wooden wheel built into the side, slowly turning as a river flowed beneath it. They had arrived at the Wheelhouse.

After returning to the Peregrine the day before, Abel had shared his encounter with Xiao and Shavran with the others, along with the Champion of Poseidon's offer. Reactions were… mixed, though on the whole were mostly negative. Lailah, Niel, Holly, and Seth- all having accompanied Abel to Lescatie and having actually met Shavran in person- were skeptical of the other Hero's intentions. Claire refused to have anything to do with him outright; and Tamayatsu claimed that Abel had returned with the "stench of ill intent" clinging to him. Raine, despite being well-aware of the rumors surrounding Shavran, wasn't opposed to at least meeting him in person before making a final judgment. The only members of their party who weren't at least skeptical of Shavran were Violet and Zaramatsu, both of whom seemed excited by the idea of working alongside other Heroes. However, both had the tempering influence of Minze and Tamayatsu, respectively, to keep them grounded.

With all that in mind, Raine decided that if Abel was to meet with Shavran, he wouldn't do so alone. Nor would Raine alone suffice as company- the other Hero's skills of persuasion might prove more formidable than expected, and even with her own social awareness, the witch wasn't fully confident that she wouldn't end up falling for the other Hero's charms as well. In the end, Raine nominated Lailah and Holly to accompany them, her hope being that their group would be large enough to not be swayed by Shavran's charisma, but not so large that the other Hero would suspect something was amiss and call off the meeting entirely. It was a delicate balance, but one she hoped would work.

Taking the lead, Abel stepped in first. The interior of the Wheelhouse was dark, lit by candles and a single torch at the counter where the innkeeper labored over his paperwork, oblivious to their arrival, and otherwise surprisingly empty. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust, but soon enough, they spotted Shavran, leaning against a wall in the corner, arms crossed, watching them approach with a hint of amusement in his eyes. But Shavran wasn't alone either, and it wasn't just Xiao with him. There were three other women in his company: a woman with dark hair held back with a cloth band, clad in black trousers and a dark leather vest; a woman with long auburn hair, wearing knee-high heeled boots, light grey shorts, and a white shirt whose buttons strained visibly to contain her prodigious bosom; and a woman with short white hair wearing a simple black robe, a silver chain with a crystal pendant around her neck. None of them seemed particularly friendly, their faces stern, their eyes fixed on the newcomers.

"Looks like someone has a type…" Raine muttered. Indeed, Abel noticed that, aside from Xiao, and setting aside that all of them were women, Shavran's companions all shared several traits in common: they were tall, fair-skinned… and each one had a fairly sizable chest.

"So that's him…" the auburn-haired woman said in a low voice as Abel's group neared. "The infamous Whoremonger."

"He doesn't look all that intimidating to me…" the woman wearing the headband replied, her tone equally quiet.

Shavran rose to his feet, flashing another toothy grin, though once again, his attention wasn't on Abel- rather, it was focused on Lailah and Holly. "Ah, welcome, welcome. I see we both had the idea of introducing our entourages to each other. How considerate!" His eyes roamed appreciatively over Lailah and Holly, causing the mercenary to blush brightly and the priestess to scowl. Curiously, much like with Abel, he barely seemed to acknowledge Raine at all. "You've already met Xiao, and you know who I am, of course, so let's get down to business!" He held out a hand for Abel to shake.

But Abel didn't take the other Hero's hand. "I'm Abel, Bacchus's Champion. And these are a few of my friends- Lailah, Holly, and Raine," he said, motioning to each in turn. His eyes then fell on the three women with Shavran. "Are these the associates you mentioned?"

Shavran's smile faltered slightly. "Ah, of course," he replied in a low voice, before pointing to each of his companions: the woman in the headband, the robed woman, and the auburn-haired woman. "My associates. Iris. Katrya, and Miss Vanessa Montague, from the Magrad chapter of the Aglis Mage's Guild."

"How do you do," Katrya said faintly. Iris gave a curt nod, while Miss Montague seemed to be about to speak when Shavran cut her off.

"Now, enough small talk," he said, clapping his hands together. "Let's discuss the matter at hand, shall we?" He glanced around at all of them, his gaze lingering just a little too long on Lailah and Holly. "But first, a question. How familiar are you with the surrounding region?"

"We're… not all that familiar," he replied honestly. "We've only just arrived in Flanvel."

"I see. In that case… Miss Montague, please fill them in on the situation," Shavran instructed. At his command, the auburn-haired woman cleared her throat, stepping forward.

"Of course, Mister Shavran," she began, her voice smooth as silk. "In the deserts southwest of Flanvel are ruins of a city known as Mayfil, once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Duat."

At that moment, Raine cut in. "I think I get what this is. You're going treasure-hunting in the ruins, aren't you? Well, you should forget about it. People have been picking through Mayfil for centuries now. Anything worth finding would be long gone by now."

"Maybe in the main city itself…" Shavran then said. "But a source has told me that in the hills surrounding the city, there's a tomb dating back to the earliest days of Duat, completely untouched by grave-robbers." His eyes gleamed with avarice. "A tomb belonging to one of the founding kings of Duat!"

"Alright… so how does Abel fit into this?" Raine asked.

"That's simple- as a bodyguard. The tomb is doubtlessly filled with the restless spirits of the long dead, and possibly other… dangers, as well. I need someone with your abilities to watch my back. …and my associates' backs, as well. Naturally, you'll receive compensation for your efforts: a share of any treasures we can find and carry back with us."

Ancient treasures… Abel certainly couldn't deny the thought sounded tempting. But… "This tomb… how can you be sure someone else hasn't already found it?" he asked, eyeing Shavran suspiciously.

Moments passed, but Shavran said nothing, the toothy grin seemingly frozen on his face. "…Well?" Lailah asked impatiently.

But Shavran cut in with a chuckle. "Ah, secrets, my dear. If I told you and then you declined to help us, you could very well run off to the tomb to claim the treasure for yourself," he said, wagging a finger at her. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with us to unravel that particular mystery." He turned back to Abel and his companions. "So what do you say? Will you join me on our expedition?" The toothy grin broke across his face. "Or will you be seeing work elsewhere? I can assure you though, no other job you can find will be half as rewarding as this one…"

Abel hesitated, feeling a deep sense of unease. The prospect of delving into an ancient tomb and dealing with restless spirits didn't exactly fill him with excitement. And something… well, honestly, everything about Shavran felt off. His overfamiliarity, his arrogance, the lecherous gazes he kept shooting toward Lailah and Holly… the way he kept touching Miss Montague's leg, seeming unaware that Abel could see it… or simply not caring. But at the same time… Abel knew that his party was in dire need of cash. And although he doubted Liz would take issue with granting him a loan, Abel didn't want to become overly reliant on the young merchant's charity. Besides, maybe being apart from the others, if only for a while, would give him the time he needed to clear his head and figure things out.

Abel took a quick glance at the others, to gauge their reactions. Raine seemed to be studying Shavran intently, her expression unreadable. Lailah stood with her arms folded over her chest, scowling. Holly, meanwhile, was blushing furiously, eyes cast downward. Xiao, as usual, maintained her stoic silence. And as for himself… "Can we… have some time to discuss this among ourselves?" Abel finally asked, trying to sound neutral.

Shavran's smile never wavered. "Of course, of course. Though, I wouldn't delay too long, if I were you. We're setting out for Mayfil tomorrow morning." He glanced at each of them once more before turning away. "So think carefully, my friends. I assure you, this is an opportunity unlike any other."

Abel and his companions left the inn, with the weight of Shavran's words still echoing in their ears. It was clear that they had no choice but to decide quickly, one way or the other.

Raine was the first to speak. "I really don't like that guy," she said bluntly.

"I know…" Holly agreed. "I felt like he was staring right at me the whole time."

Abel was in full agreement. But even so, he pushed those feelings aside. "But, it's not like we have many other options right now. We really need the money…"

"What're you talking about, Blue? We've got plenty of options!" Raine said sharply. "We could try our luck with the Fighter's Guild. Or a merchant caravan could be looking to hire some guards. Worst case, you can send Psycho out to play some songs around the local taverns until we get back on our feet. And worst worst case, we can just take a loan from that merchant girl. We know she likes you, Blue. She'll probably cut us a good deal."

"Enough," Lailah cut her off curtly. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Abel. "There's something else going on here, isn't there? This isn't just about money for you. So what is it?"

Abel flinched. In truth, he'd hoped to accept Shavran's offer without any real opposition from his party, so he could use the brief separation to sort out his… inner turmoil. Even now, he would see brief flickers of the others- of them without-

As if moving of its own accord, Abel's hand snapped up, before driving his fist into the side of his head. The world spun for a moment, and the images cleared. "Whoa! Abel what the fuck!?" Raine cried out.

He shook his head, trying to regain focus. "Listen, I- …I've been doing some thinking. Ever since I went out by myself to look for Kagura. While I was out there, I… I realized I rely on all of you too much." Abel was surprised by how naturally the words fell from his mouth. It was true that traveling with Kagura, things had been difficult, but he'd held his own… right up until the encounter with the gashadokuro. But he seized on that thought, leaning into it further. "And if I'm going to face the Overlord, I can't keep leaning on you guys forever. Niel said a long time ago that becoming stronger was the whole point of this quest. And I think the best way to do that… is to become more independent." As he said this, Prince Roland's words about how even Alondight didn't face the Dread Dragon Bahamut alone echoed in his ears, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

All of a sudden, one of the pockets on Raine's jacket began to rustle, and a small black-haired figure emerged. "While I appreciate you holding my words so close to your heart, Abel…" Niel began, "and while I also appreciate this sudden desire to cultivate some self- sufficiency…"

"Good morning to you too, Parrot," Raine suddenly cut in. "Nice of you to finally join us."

The former angel had been… oddly quiet ever since his return to Enji, seeming to spend all of her time sleeping. Abel had been so wrapped in his own thoughts that truthfully, he hadn't spared much of a thought for Niel at all. The realization actually made Abel feel a bit guilty.

"As I was saying, Abel…" Niel continued, unfazed by Raine's comment. "…while I appreciate this sudden desire to become self-sufficient, going off on your own to raid some forgotten tomb with a bunch of strangers doesn't strike me as the best way to do that."

"See, Parrot agrees with me," Raine then said. "So let's-"

"I didn't say that Abel shouldn't go…" Niel then cut in. "But if he's going to do this, he needs to do it right. Not rushing headlong into danger without any support."

"But you said-" Abel began.

"I know what I said. But an acrobat doesn't walk across a tightrope without practicing with a net at first. And if you're going to be facing the kind of dangers that Shavran mentioned, you're going to need that net," Niel finished.

Abel sighed, rubbing his temples. As much as he may have wanted to, arguing against Niel wouldn't get him anywhere. At the very least, she wasn't outright telling him to refuse the offer. Though it seemed the others weren't as willing to give up their reservations. "And what exactly does 'right' look like to you, Parrot?" Raine asked skeptically.

"Well, for starters, Abel won't be going alone," Niel replied matter-of-factly. "But at the same time, all of you won't be going either. It should be a smaller group, three or four people at most. That way, Abel has some support, but not so much that he feels like he can lean on you without putting in any effort himself."

"It sounds like you already have some idea of who should go with Abel," Holly said, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"I do," the former angel replied, before pointing directly at the mercenary. "And you're one of them, mercenary."

Holly's eyes widened in surprise. "Wha- me!? Why!? I can't fight like the others! I'm useless in a battle!"

"That may be, but after the bard and the fox-woman, you're the only one I can trust won't be swayed by that other Champion's… charisma," Niel said bluntly.

Raine sputtered incredulously. "What, you trust Goldie and Psycho more than me?"

"You're wrong about that, Your Grace," Lailah added, eyes narrowing. "I can see exactly what sort of man Shavran is. We all can. It doesn't matter what he says- we won't fall for it." Her tone was cold and detached, her expression a perfect mask of ice.

"And that sort of thinking is exactly how Shavran will get to you," Niel countered sharply. "I know exactly how men like him work. They put up a front, letting you think you've figured out their game, and that makes you complacent, it makes you less wary. Then they'll say, or do something- it could be something big or something small, but it'll be just enough to make you doubt your original impression of them. And before you know it, you're questioning your allies, your own judgment, and then they'll have you right where they want you. Believe me, the most dangerous words you can say around a man like Shavran are, 'It could never happen to me.'"

Raine plucked Niel out of her pocket and held the former angel in her hand, her already narrow eyes narrowing even further. "If you're that worried about it, birdbrain, then why don't you go with Abel?"

"You say that like I wasn't already planning to," Niel retorted, not missing a beat. "Witch, give me to Abel."

Raine blinked, but did as she was told, placing Niel into Abel's open palm. "What are the rest of us supposed to be doing while you're off gallivanting in some lost tomb, then?" the witch then asked. "Just sit around twiddling our thumbs until you get back?"

"You came up with a few ideas just a minute ago to occupy your time…" the former angel replied. "Though maybe that's exactly what you should do. Who knows what chaos you'll bring about without anyone to supervise you."

Raine's eyes cracked open, gold-and-blue light flickering dangerously. But before she could say anything, Abel turned, putting himself between the witch and the former angel. "Hey, that's enough Niel! What's the matter with you!?" But the former angel didn't answer him, instead looking past him to glare at Raine. "Niel." Abel repeated. But she showed no signs of relenting. So he did the only thing he could think to.

"Alright that's it. I'm calling this whole thing off."

The former angel blinked, looking back up at him. "…what?"

"I'm not taking this job from Shavran anymore." Abel continued, his tone brooking no argument. "We're done with this."

"Didn't you just say you wanted to be more independent?" Niel shot back, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you backing down now?"

"Because it isn't worth this. For god's sake all we're doing is talking about it, and you're already at each other's throats!" Abel then replied, his tone sharp. "So I'm putting an end to this right now. We'll find another way to make money. I'll even take a loan, if that's what it takes. But this… if this is what being independent leads to… then maybe I'm better off staying where I am."

There was a long, tense silence, everyone seemingly processing Abel's words. Niel stared up at him silently, her expression unreadable. Raine was just as silent, her eyes no longer glinting, but her expression still grim. Holly was quiet as well, her gaze fixed firmly on the ground. Only Lailah seemed unfazed, her icy facade having remained unchanged.

"If that is what you've decided, Abel," Niel finally said, her voice strangely devoid of emotion, "then we'll abide by your decision."

"Right…" Raine agreed, her tone equally subdued.

"I still think you should go."

They all looked at the priestess, surprised. Lailah continued, "If you're sure about not going, then we'll find another way. But… if this really is what you want to do, if you really think this will help you become less reliant on all of us… then you should do it."

Abel blinked, staring at the priestess in surprise. Ever since he'd lifted the blight… since she learned how he'd lifted the blight, there had been an undeniable tension between him and Lailah. He wasn't quite sure where the two of them stood now. So, to hear her speak in support of his decision…

"You don't… actually trust that guy, do you?" Holly then asked, voicing her surprise.

"I don't. And if I was making this decision based solely on how I feel about Shavran, I would tell Abel not to go," Lailah said matter-of-factly. "But, this isn't about what I feel. It's about what Abel feels he needs to do." Her gaze met his. "And if this really is something he thinks he needs to do, then he should do it."

Another long silence settled. All eyes fell on Abel, awaiting his answer. Finally, he spoke. "Alright. I'll go."

"Hmm… I'm not so sure you need to go out there anymore, Blue…" Raine suddenly said. "You seem to have grown a nice sturdy backbone outta nowhere." She grinned crookedly at him.

Abel couldn't meet the witch's eye, shaking his head. "Maybe. But, I need to prove to myself that I can handle things on my own. Not to mention… we need that money. If there is treasure in that tomb…"

"And if there isn't?" Raine asked cheekily.

"Then I guess we'll just have to take out that loan after all," Abel replied with a shrug. The witch snorted.

"So it's settled then," Niel interjected. "We'll need to get enough supplies for you and the others to cross the desert. Witch, how far away is Mayfil from Flanvel?"

The witch tapped her temple, thinking. "About… a week of travel, I think. If you guys go through the Krios riverbed. It's the most direct route, but it's also the most dangerous." She perked up, as if suddenly realizing something. "Huh… now that I think about it, if less people go, then that's less we have to spend on supplies to get them to Mayfil and back." Her gaze turned to Niel. "Gotta hand it to you, Parrot: you were already thinking two steps ahead of the rest of us."

"Speaking of supplies, we should stock up," Holly suggested. "Shavran said he was leaving tomorrow morning. That doesn't give us much time to prepare."

"I'll give you and Blue a hand with that, Jugs," Raine replied, before heading away from the inn. "Sis, you should head back to the ship, let Goldie and Psycho know they're going on a road trip."

Lailah nodded, before also heading away from the inn. After a few steps however, she paused, glancing back at Abel. "Be careful out there, Abel," she said quietly. With that, she left, leaving Abel alone with Niel.

For a moment, Abel merely stood, watching the two women depart. But any ruminations were interrupted before they could begin when Niel spoke up. "She wasn't wrong about you, Abel," the former angel said. "The witch, I mean."

"About what?" Abel asked, his voice neutral.

"About you growing a backbone," the former angel replied. "I have to admit, I'm surprised. Not in a bad way, mind you. Just… surprised."

Abel didn't reply, unsure of what to say. Because… everything that Raine and Niel said about him growing a spine… was completely untrue. Abel had considered other options if the others felt he shouldn't go: namely, that he'd go with Shavran anyway, along with anyone else he could convince to go with him. Fiann would've followed him without a second thought, and he likely could have persuaded Tamayatsu and Seth as well. But he hadn't considered the possibility that he would agree with his own ploy to end Raine and Niel's fight.

But, as always, Lailah's words moved him. Her belief in him kindled a spark within Abel. A spark that made him want to prove her right. To show her that her faith in him wasn't unfounded. If she thought he was capable of this, then, maybe…

"Abel?"

Abel was suddenly thrust from his reverie by Niel's call. He blinked, turning towards the former angel. "Y-Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to go help them?" Her gaze shifted, turning toward Raine and Holly. "If we're leaving tomorrow, we have a lot to do today."

"O-Oh. Right." With that, Abel set Niel on his shoulder, before hurrying after the witch and the mercenary.