I don't own Arknights or Type Moon content.
Ursus Empire's City of Chernobog / Year 1092 / Clear Skies...
Hellagur sat in his office accompanied by his assistant, overlooking the many documents about the clinic's patients and the not so insignificant amount of funds Ivan and Neon managed to secure in no small part thanks to their activities and businesses these past years.
The old general couldn't help but frown, a long sigh escaping him. He held no illusion that those two would stop anytime soon, their current success and growing dominance of the underworld had thoroughly demonstrated how expertly they made use of their teachings to eviscerate the competition.
If he was being completely honest, their endeavors were far from unpleasant for the most part; between their fight clubs, gambling houses and originium trades on one hand, and the stores and apartments on the other, the duo had been disciplined and wise not to overstep or cross any lines.
Their profits had also been a great help for the clinic's own growth, even though a lot of the money was used to treat their men from the various conflicts they've had with Chernobog's military police and other gangs.
Many took to calling them the flower and sword of the abandoned manor and many who tried to take that manor grew to understand that no one could tarnish that place with them around.
Last he heard, the two managed to secure the paperwork for the manor and officially own it under a false identity.
Signing the last of the files, he stood up and took the register and gave it to his assistant so that it would be sent to the archives. He picked up his phone and dialed his daughter's number.
It didn't take long for her to answer.
"Hi dad, how are you doing?"
He could hear the workers performing their duties from the noises in the background, it seems that his daughter is busy as usual.
"I just finished the last of today's work, I wanted to check up on you since you've been absent throughout the day."
"I see, we're in the mansion, today was supposed to be the final day of the renovations, and it's that time of year again. I'm overseeing the preparation of the lanterns as we speak."
"I understand, and what of Ivan? Has he been on his best behavior?"
"Of course, Miss Rose's tutelage and surveillance has done wonders that all of us are eternally grateful for."
Hellagur chuckled at his daughter's dry tone, he knew very well of the uncountable number of headaches and sleepless nights Ivan had put Neon and his associates through.
Of course, the boy learned early on how much of a poor choice that was. Hellagur and Rose made sure of that.
"Very well, I trust you will save two lanterns for me and your mother."
"No problem, there's still some time before we light them, should be enough for you two to get here."
Ending the call, Neon kept her eyes on the groups distributing the lanterns while making notes on the papers on her clipboard. She was startled as the workers cheered together, finally taking note of the fact that the preparation is officially over.
She joined them in their toast, before she moved out of the site and into the interior of the building. Although the hallways were back to good shape, the furniture wouldn't be coming for at least two weeks, so it's still barren.
Many of the infected have called this place home for two years now, many of them from different professions and backgrounds, be they masons, carpenters, or teachers among other such fields.
All of whom were now branded as infected or low lives.
Stepping into the great hall, she slowly went up the stairs and turned to the balcony nearby, finding Ivan and one of the infected kids sitting there. The young sarkaz was dressed in a grey leather jacket over an equally grey T-shirt, as well as black pants and boots.
"Hey Ivan, what is the purpose in life?"
The question made her stop where she stood. She grew curious, wanting to hear Ivan's answer. She remained near the door to overhear their conversation.
"Why do you ask something like that all of the sudden?"
"A lot of people hate us, even when we didn't do anything bad. They always say mean stuff and tell us that we don't deserve to live, so I wanted to ask you what meaning there is to life."
The boy seemed nervous, constantly fidgeting as he tried to maintain eye contact with Ivan. Ivan chuckled at the display.
"Well, you're not wrong about that. I remember asking that same question once too."
His eyes grew somber as he gazed at the gardens of the mansion, memories came to him of a time when he was bitter at the world around him for all the wrongs and injustice he suffered.
He remembered the suspicions he held for his savior, and the embarrassing behavior he exhibited as a result, looking for flaws that weren't there.
He must have been quite the amusing, albeit shameful sight back then.
"The one I asked admittedly didn't have a clear answer, as each of us would find their own purpose at one point or another in their lives."
"If you do not have a purpose to follow, why not take me as your meaning to live until you find one better? I would be extremely saddened if anything happened to you, as would everyone else. Never doubt your importance in our lives."
Ivan's eyes focused on the main entrance of the mansion, his thoughts instantly took him to the day he first stood before the destroyed building after Edward was imprisoned.
He watched, helpless and powerless, as the one who pulled him from hell was chained and ridiculed. Rusty iron shackles tightly binding his limbs and neck as he was taken to court.
The scrawny, unassuming sarkaz child gritted his teeth in frustration at the thought. Uncaring for the rain that drenched his body and shabby clothes, he ran inside the ruins as tears mixed with the raindrops, looking for anything he could salvage.
Ivan's eyes shut and his breath quickened. He almost released his arts unintentionally. He drank some water from the cup on the table next to them and finally turned his attention back to the little one beside him.
"You don't need to look deep or far to find a meaning to life or a purpose to live for. If you want one, then take us as your meaning to life, after all, we would certainly hate to see anything happen to you or anyone among us. I believe we can live simply by each other's happiness. That is the answer the one I asked had given me."
"I heard the others mentioning that your scar was also because of Edward, is that true?"
The kid pointed at the scar in the middle of Ivan's right hand and palm. The sarkaz glanced at the scar and let out a hearty laugh.
"This was merely my way of swearing fealty to him, my mother once told me old tales in which sarkaz warriors would stab their sword hand and make a sincere oath to serve someone they deemed worthy of following with all their heart. Safe to say Edward was not amused at all by my younger self's actions."
The boy looked surprised for a moment, but grinned as the words sank in. He jumped at the young man and trapped him in a bear hug the sarkaz didn't anticipate.
"Thanks a lot for the talk, Ivan. You're the best!"
Ivan awkwardly tapped the younger boy's back, careful to avoid getting stabbed by his horns while also thankful that Miss Rose wasn't able to see this lest she pulled him into even more lessons about how to properly hug a person.
"Sure thing, now go tell Zarkoff to take you home, it's getting late."
Nodding, the boy went into the mansion. Neon immediately gestured for him to stay quiet once he saw her, the kid thankfully being discreet enough to leave without much noise.
Neon stepped out shortly after, her beige dress and crimson overcoat fluttering as a nice breeze passed by. Sitting down next to Ivan, she watched the scenery before them without commenting.
"Your braid looks beautiful. You should have it more often."
"Thank you, but it's too much of a hassle."
"You would be one of the few women I've come to know who would say something like that, Neon."
"I'm sure Miss Rose would be thrilled to know you are such a ladies man, Ivan."
"You speak as if you're not aware of the fanclubs you boast amidst our good company."
Ivan gave her a smirk as she giggled. They were content with watching the sun set and the night slowly taking over. Soon enough they spotted Hellagur and his wife entering the mansion, while people were beginning to congregate in the gardens.
They descended to the gardens and welcomed the two adults, their presence caused the crowd to become silent. Ivan took a lantern, decorated with the finest materials his current resources allowed, and observed the waning moon. Lighting the lantern, he gently allowed it to take flight, everyone doing the same after him. The lanterns gradually flew higher and further away into the horizons.
Next to him, Neon closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. The people behind them began to whisper their wishes and aspirations while looking at the now distant lights.
"May these prayer lanterns carry and send all our feelings to him."
Ivan solemnly nodded at Neon's words, turning his attention from the locket in his hands towards their followers. His back straightened and his eyes narrowed, his disposition changing to a more regal, serious one.
"All of you, I thank you for joining us in our annual ceremony. We are the ones who carry on the legacy of those who died and suffered defending us, and we will continue to seek victory and pursue our happiness. I ask for your continued commitment to our shared ideals as we move onwards."
The followers cheered, their willpower raging like wildfire in their eyes, Ivan raised his fist, an action mimicked by all the people present, save for Miss Rose, Hellagur and his wife, who observed the event with slight approval.
"Tomorrow awaits us, and we will show it what we got."
Ursus Empire's Northwestern Tundras / Year 1092 / Snowy...
Within the frozen lands of Ursus, lies an encampment that contained many of the infected. Among them, an elafia in simple villager clothes was discussing with a Draco in a military uniform.
"I remember that, time flies by so quickly, it's hard to believe it's already been two years."
Alina smiled as she gazed at the children playing nearby, containing a giggle at a certain part of the recollection she and her friend were discussing.
Talulah's fight with FrostNova was the gossip of many among the fighters. There's hardly anyone who didn't get the chance to hear one version of the tale or another.
The draco was certain that many of them were exaggerations, the memory of her sword tasting frost for the first time was still fresh in her mind, as was the sight of those bewitching twin blades blocking both her flame covered sword and FrostNova's ice blade.
"And what of Edward? I doubt he allowed the fight to go on when FrostNova became violent."
"Yeah, he stopped the fight when his sister became too aggressive, and once FrostNova calmed down, she apologized after he pulled her ear and admonished her."
Alina laughed at the image of the cold and aloof FrostNova being treated like a child, a glint of mischief in her eyes as she glanced at the amused Talulah.
"Speaking of Edward, you two seemed to really hit it off these past two years, given how much time you spent together. I wouldn't even be surprised if there are rumors about your relationship amongst the fighters."
Talulah gave her friend a resigned smile as she shook her head in exasperation.
"I am only grateful to Edward for his hospitality, he seems to prefer my company for the most part and has been considerate and open to my projects."
"Sounds to me like you're very happy about that."
"Can you blame me? After all, this is the tundra's infamous reaper we're talking about, his name is only second to Patriot's in these lands, his support and help are invaluable."
"Indeed, many infected look up to him as a hero, all the kids want to hear these days are those fascinating stories he always tells. Last I spoke with him, he told me that you and Yelena were similar in some places, as you both took interest in roughly the same stories."
Talulah smirked as she sensed a bit of annoyance in her friend's tone. Her eyes were downcast, and her gaze turned somber.
"Must be hard to see your students enjoy his tales rather than yours, doesn't it?"
"Not at all, but I find it puzzling to see him tell those tales with doubt in his eyes...or perhaps I should call it confusion?"
"What do you mean?"
"There's this feeling I get when I watch his expressions as he tells his tales, it's as if he's looking for something in those stories, a missing piece of a puzzle he's trying to solve."
Talulah silently contemplated Alina's thoughts, having never noticed such a thing when it came to Edward despite spending most of their time together.
"I guess it must be hard for him, being a figure that everyone places their faith on like Patriot. Almost all of the infected, be they guerrilla fighters or otherwise, sing praises of his undefeated streak."
"I heard some of the yetis say that Edward's back never touched the ground in all their battles. I dread to think of the day an opponent could destroy that image they have of him."
Talulah agreed with that sentiment. The morale of all the infected would be severely damaged if either the aegis or the reaper were to be snuffed out.
"Well that's not going to happen in any case, I'm the kind of hero who doesn't lose after all."
The two turned to see Edward approaching them, accompanied by many of the children.
Edward discarded his usual cloak, leaving him in the usual soldier's garb he's used to wearing. He gave the two women a confident grin as the children nearby congregated around him.
His raven approached Alina and docily stood on her shoulder, its head gently brushing against her cheek. None of the bystanders could come to terms with the sight of the notorious miscreant being so tame and friendly.
"You shouldn't grow arrogant, Edward, Ursus's might far exceeds whatever canon fodder they discarded in the tundras."
"Please don't start, I get enough chastising from Patriot and Yelena as it is, I'm well aware of Ursus's true military might."
Talulah giggled as she watched her friend continue to chastise Edward while the man helplessly took in her words, his eyes meeting hers, the silent plea of aid went unspoken.
"He was only joking, Alina, there's no need to be so strict on him."
Luckily her friend relented and dropped the issue, Edward grinned at the draco as he moved to stand beside her and wisely distanced himself a bit from the frowning elafia.
"You owe me."
"As if, you should be thanking me still for stopping Yelena from beating you black and blue for messing up her precious cloak."
"You're just jealous she didn't have the same reaction when my flames burned a bit of that scarf you gave her."
"You're talking really shamelessly for someone who can't seem to stop burning other people's clothes."
Edward victoriously smiled as Talulah found herself at a loss for what to counter that point with. Alina shook her head as the two argued like children, a smile spreading on her face as she saw Talulah cheering up a bit.
"By the way, I heard you tried to talk to Patriot about your plan again, any luck?"
"Unfortunately, no, he still wouldn't budge."
"Don't worry about it too much, he'll come around eventually. He's just that stubborn. Besides, you already have me and Yelena supporting you."
Talulah drew comfort from that prospect, yet she couldn't help but feel that convincing Buldrokkas'tee is going to be even more of a challenge than she thinks.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Edward flicked her forehead. Talulah glared at him as she nursed her forehead, but the magus's playful grin never faltered.
"You're too distracted, don't overthink things. Come, let's have a small spar, maybe some training would help you relieve some stress."
Talulah nodded, the two of them heading off to a secluded corner, the two fighters faced each other in the middle of the snowy field. Edward smirked playfully, drawing a simple ursus sword and pointing it at Talulah.
"I trust you haven't been slacking off? I wouldn't want to hurt your pride too badly like Yelena did."
Unperturbed, Talulah gave him a smile of her own, the gesture unable to mask her overflowing ferocity as the snow around them began to melt. The eerie sound of her blade leaving its sheath loud and clear.
"I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."
Both fighters dashed at each other, sparks flying as Edward and Talulah struggled for dominance. Talulah disengaged, dodging a leg swipe and deflecting the incoming sword aiming for her side.
The two were locked in a deadly dance, circling around each other, aggressively pushing each other's defenses to the limits with each clash and sparks their strikes generated.
As their weapons collided once more, flames ignited around Talulah's sword, forcing Edward to reinforce his own to protect it from the heat. His arts promptly covered his body, shielding it from the flames.
Talulah gritted her teeth as she quickly moved her head to the side, dodging the curse fired towards her. She felt an invisible pressure bearing down on her, her knees threatening to buckle under the strain.
Taking a deep breath, her flames explosively increased in intensity, forcing Edward to create distance between them. Jumping back, he could see that a bit of his jacket was scorched by the fire.
"Not too shabby, flames for brains. You actually burned a bit of my jacket with that one."
"I could say the same to you, swords for bones, a bit more pressure and you might have actually given me a cramp or two."
"Then I'll turn it up a notch."
Edward clenched his fist, visualizing a glass wall in front of him. His eyes narrowed as he punched it, the glass wall cracking against his fist. His arts activated in response, a violent torrent of telekinetic energy sending a shockwave towards the swordswoman.
Flames gathered and condensed around Talulah's sword, covering it completely. She swung at the incoming attack, her flames colliding with the incoming force, the impact sending snow flying everywhere.
She remained calm as her sword sliced through Edward's shockwave, ignoring the violent rattling and shaking of the trees behind her. Her flames were quickly extinguished by the violent wind.
"Impressive, that was quite a refreshing breeze, Edward."
Edward grinned as his hand clenched and pulled back, an invisible force dragging Talulah off her feet towards the magus.
'He used the earlier shockwave to encircle me in his telekinetic energy.'
Undeterred, Talulah prepared herself. Edward read her intentions, stomping with great force and successfully covering her line of sight with the snow he uplifted.
She striked as soon as she collided with the snow, although her blow was intercepted. It didn't take much for her to realize being midair left her completely wide open, especially when Edward's knee slammed into her stomach.
Edward grabbed her arm and slammed her to the ground. He pinned her down and sat on her back, his foot placed firmly on her sword.
"Do you surrender?"
"No, I do not."
Edward dodged the incoming tail strike, before he grabbed it. He smirked as he felt Talulah's body finally relax in response, her struggles growing less aggressive.
He figured something wasn't right the moment he felt the heat against his cheek. He hastily created a barrier between him and her tail, noticing the attack that was about to strike his face.
'She used the closest part of her to my face to try to score a winning blow.'
Edward was flung from his position as the force of the miniature explosion sent him flying. He twisted his body midair and planted his feet deep in the snow, leaving a deep trail until he slammed against a tree.
Edward winced from the impact, but was able to stay on his feet. He spat the blood in his mouth and resisted the urge to caress his cheek.
He needed to be more aggressive to make her surrender.
Runic symbols on his skin shone with magical energy, amplifying his strength. Edward quickly punched against the incoming sword, the resulting shockwave strong enough to send Talulah flying and shake her to her core.
The draco's body sailed through the air, but she pushed through the pain across her body, her hand reaching forth. Edward sprinted in random directions as explosions and flames followed after him.
Falling to the ground, Talulah grunted as she rolled before standing up, her ears still ringing from the shockwave earlier. Edward made use of her disoriented state and pulled her towards him once again.
Expecting such a thing, the draco boosted her momentum with a small explosion and tackled the ursus to the ground before he could react, her sword pressed against his neck a moment after.
Sparks nearly got in her eyes as her sword took a second to slice the invisible barrier Edward shielded his body with, time that sealed her defeat, his victorious smirk getting just a tad bit on her nerves as she felt cold steel pressed against her neck.
"Now that we got most of the aggression and pent up frustrations out of the way, care to tell me what's on your mind?"
Edward pulled his sword away, carefully making sure to expect another attack. Thankfully, no such thing occurred as she reached out to him and helped him up.
He chose not to comment on her indignant glare though, his experiences with such expressions on women told him no good would come from further teasing after he won.
"I feel like I'm not getting anywhere at all, despite all my efforts these past two years."
"I'm impressed he's still hearing you out after two whole years to be honest, you have to be doing something right for him to still want to listen."
Edward walked next to her with his hands behind his head, his expression mostly neutral and his gaze somber as he observed the skies.
"I don't need you mocking me as well, Edward."
"Trust me, I'm not mocking you. Knowing the old man's temper, he'd have ceased any conversation after the first attempt had he really rejected you. I learned from experience that Patriot can be quite difficult to converse with on the best of days."
Edward chuckled at the many recollections of Patriot admonishing him for one reason or another. Lazarus did make a habit of keeping count of the times the magus irritated Buldrokkas'tee with his reckless behavior.
"Besides, it's not like I don't share your frustration, even if we succeed in convincing Patriot and heading to greener pastures, thinking of the number of people we would fail before such a dream can take flight can be very depressing."
Talulah cast a glance to her companion, noticing the distant look on his face. She knew just how much Edward cared for others, and how devoted he was to his own dream.
"Alas, patience is a part of the process, even if I think it can feel very shitty when things take so long at times. All I can say is that you shouldn't grow despondent or hasty, else all of this would be for nothing."
Talulah silently nodded as the two of them entered the camp, soon separating to their respective tents. Edward simply sat in front of a bonfire on his lonesome, staring into the flames absentmindedly.
'Hey Eden, what day is it?'
'Today is April 20th, year 1092.'
'Today is that cursed day.'
Edward caressed his neck, the thin scar circling around it feeling like an everlasting brand of shame. What happened ten years ago never failed to leave a bad taste in his mouth every time he recalled the incident.
'That was one of your worst moments yet, Edward.'
'I don't think you could beat me any more than I did myself, friend.'
'I would beg to differ, and shall continue to remind you that you should never do something like that again.'
Edward was conflicted about the fact that the only time his friend and partner showed his emotions in a very straightforward and honest way was because of that particular bad decision.
Not like he could blame him. Even he regretted his action that day. His emotions ran too high and he momentarily lost himself completely due to the tragedy that befell his family.
The sight of the bonfire also brought his mind back to the many hellish landscapes he's been made to witness over the recent years. He subconsciously clenched his fists as he tried to get the memories off his mind.
A big shadow loomed over him, and he impassionately glanced to see Patriot looking down on him. The wendigo sat next to him without saying a word, although that didn't really matter to Edward.
They haven't spoken to each other for a year, save for the occasional strategy meetings. So it's not like it would make any difference now. Edward sighed before he stood up, his mood visibly taking a turn for the worse, his raven quickly following after him.
Patriot stared at the man's retreating figure, the words he wished to say stuck at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to call out to him, but ended up saying nothing.
His gaze, sombre and contemplative, simply returned to the fire, unable to understand his own hesitation.
"You failed again, didn't you?"
Patriot turned to the approaching Yelena, the young woman sat facing the wendigo and casually tended to the fire. Buldrokkas'tee nodded and looked at his daughter, despondent.
"I don't know what I can do."
"I think you worry too much, father. He has nothing against you, he only believes that what you said that day in the mines was wrong."
Buldrokkas'tee thought back to that mine raid a year ago, and his discussion with Talulah and Edward after the battle.
"Despair is never a measure of resolve, old man."
"She's a woman who speaks nothing but armchair strategies and fantasies, unaware of the consequences of her wishes."
"Yet you would sit here, content with a slow death without even a single attempt to change things."
"Our meaningless deaths would change nothing, we have no way to contend with Ursus's might on our own."
"This has nothing to do with the odds and both of us know it, you still refuse to look at her as anything more than a puppet of the snake."
Edward promptly headed after the woman, stopping for but a moment and casting the wendigo a fierce glare. Buldrokkas'tee had never witnessed such a reaction from him before, he stood in complete silence as his eyes mimicked Yelena's own wide pair.
"If we don't dare to struggle regardless of the odds, then we will never achieve true victory, nor will we deserve it. Even if she experienced the despair you spoke of, you still won't move, if only because you refuse to accept her out of your loathing for what has been forced upon her."
Buldrokkas'tee was shocked to see how much Edward really knew about Talulah, but even more so how heated the normally composed warrior got so quickly.
Patriot had assumed that he might have touched upon some trauma Edward might have had, but Yelena too seemed surprised by his anger.
It must have been something that happened before he ended up in the mines.
He acknowledged Talulah's skill and strength, as well as her plans' validity, as far-fetched as they were. Yet neither Edward nor Yelena knew the danger the pursuit would pose to all of the group, and had it not been for their protests and insistence, he would have never accepted her into their group.
His long life had taught him many things, and he grew to expect little other than a new battlefield to wage his battles in.
Be it Kazdel and its rulers, or Ursus and its emperors, his path had granted him nothing but grief and pain all the way. A part of him believed Edward's path might show him the same sights and tragedies he had already experienced.
Yet the young man had not faltered despite the challenges up until now. Even now, his words and aspirations still rang clear as day in his mind, reminding him of what he used to be once upon a time.
"You know, this might be the first time I've seen you so deep in thought without appearing sad, father."
"What do you think I should do, Yelena?"
"There's nothing wrong with introspection, you should try it every once in a while. You're too stubborn sometimes, but this is one opponent you won't be able to match in stubbornness in my opinion."
Yelena giggled as she stirred the wood, smiling encouragingly at Buldrokkas'tee before pointing in the direction Edward went.
"But what you need to do right now is head there and make sure you've reconciled with him. I hate to see my family arguing over such trivial things."
Patriot sighed as he stood up, his hand patting his daughter's head gently, his smile hidden behind his helmet. He left her next to the fire and walked after Edward, his steps hurried and steady as he continued to think over his own actions.
He soon spotted the magus sitting on a log, accompanied by two children. Getting a bit closer, he began to hear the gentle flute notes.
It seemed that Edward was in the midst of playing his usual tune, while the other two were content with listening and watching him as he did so. He saw Edward stiffening a bit, likely detecting him as the tunes slowly faded away.
"Sasha, take Eno and go back, it's getting late."
"Okay, good night Edward."
The dark haired boy left with his shy friend towards the camp, leaving the magus alone as he sat there, watching the snowfall alone.
Patriot approached him, and casually sat down right beside Edward. The wendigo was relieved to see that the young man didn't leave, their gazes meeting for a few awkward seconds.
"I apologize."
Edward was the first to break the silence, his fingers lightly scratching his trimmed beard and his eyes focusing on the snow rather than Buldrokkas'tee. He sighed before he continued.
"My actions were too immature and emotional, it was wrong of me to lash out like that and to stop talking to you. You have seen and experienced more than I will ever do in my lifetime, so it's only natural for you to be distrustful and skeptical of someone like Talulah."
Patriot could tell from the way Edward refused to make eye contact, and his constant twiddling of his fingers, that he was definitely new to this. He guessed that he didn't have many such talks due to his unfortunate circumstances.
Seeing that he became silent, Buldrokkas'tee decided to also get things off his chest as well.
"I also wanted to apologize. Your words have remained in my mind ever since that day, I am aware that you only sought what was best for us all. Despite my reservations, I trust in your judgement and you have proven your strength and resolve all this time throughout the countless battles we've been through."
Buldrokkas'tee would admit apologizing remained a very hard endeavor regardless of age. He coughed a bit and also took to observing the horizons.
"Even so, I have to ask, why do you place your faith in her? I am aware that you've seen her story through your abilities, so why would you trust and support her, knowing full well how volatile and dangerous she could be?"
Edward casually caressed his raven's head, the bird enjoying the attention as it ate the food in his other hand. It stopped and looked at him, its eyes meeting his own before it flew off to a nearby tree.
"I find her impressive on multiple levels. She is caring, level-headed and strong in will and body among other things. Even if I don't agree with some of her opinions, her perseverance and will to achieve her goals by her proper methods have earned my support."
He had observed Talulah for a long time now, taking in her actions and words and scrutinizing them to the best of his ability. Be it organizing the village or fighting with the soldiers, her efforts were clear for all to see.
Edward was adamant on keeping a close eye on the woman by spending as much time as he could with her and Alina, and in doing so he came to understand her a bit.
She was someone worth fighting with, and even more importantly, she needed people to keep her on the right track. Buldrokkas'tee knew this point as well.
"You don't need to be too on edge with her, if it comes down to it, I will take full responsibility for her."
"I see."
The wendigo rose to his feet, letting out a somber sigh. His shoulders finally relaxed and the tightness he felt in his chest finally unraveled. His hand reached out and ruffled Edward's hair, much to the latter's annoyance.
"You really need to stop that. I'm an adult, you know."
"Compared to me, you are still decades away from being considered an adult, young man."
"Not everyone has a three digit average lifespan, old man."
Buldrokkas'tee snorted, amused. He began walking back to camp, stopping for a brief moment. Edward remained there, his eyes still gazing at the night sky.
"I wish to see her will with my own eyes. If she proves to be as you speak, then we shall aid her to our fullest capacity regardless of the enemy."
"You will not be disappointed, Buldrokkas'tee."
Patriot nodded silently, before he went back to the camp. Edward was glad to have fixed the mess he made with the wendigo, his tense shoulders relaxing just a bit before he got poked in the back of his head by a certain troublemaker.
"One of these days, I will do unspeakable things to you."
The bird remained unperturbed, sitting on the rock beside him. Edward chuckled at his familiar's antics, his attention shifting to the presence behind him.
"I know you're there, dear sister."
Yelena stepped out of the cover of the trees, her expression neutral as her gray eyes analyzed him. She sat beside him without saying anything, satisfied with gazing at the stars that dotted the night sky.
"I see you're still mad at me."
"Not at all, I'm only relieved that you two sorted out your differences."
"I'm sorry we worried you."
Yelena sighed, her gloved hand brushing her hair to the side. Her gaze shifted to Edward, watching his melancholic face. His eyes appeared tired, his shoulders slumped and his smile saddened.
It appears something else had been bothering her idiotic brother other than his argument with her father.
"What's on your mind?"
Her hand reached out and caressed his cheek, her eyes worried.
"I'm just melancholic, I suppose. I wonder how things back home are going. I didn't exactly leave in the best of circumstances."
He leaned into her cool touch, closing his eyes. Yelena hugged her brother, comforting him from his woes. His arms held her tightly for a small while, before they separated.
FrostNova frowned as she glanced at the barren lands before them.
"You would long for such a place? After they sentenced you to the mines in this dead land?"
"It's complicated. Chernobog holds as many good memories as it does bad ones. I long to know how my friends are doing, and hope that they have suffered no harm or illness since our last farewell."
Yelena stood up and walked in front of him, her hands placed on her waist. She smiled, her finger poking Edward's forehead.
"Then you'll have to take us there one day, so that we can meet them."
Edward nodded, a smile of his own growing on his face once again. He stood up and began walking back to camp with Yelena.
"That's a promise, I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet you."
Hui-Chieh:
It appears that fate has decided to be kind to us lately, I already fear what our apparent good fortune would entail in the future.
I could not describe my happiness when Patriot had opened up a little to me, as we finally had a very productive conversation over my plans and visions. It seems that the tensions between him and Edward had lessened greatly as well, a very joyful thing to see.
Sasha has started training under Edward, his marksmanship was quite stunning for his age, an opinion shared by his mentor. The yetis seemed to welcome him and Eno into their fold quite passionately as well.
Despite the difficult life we lead, there hasn't been any increased pressure from the Ursus army other than the occasional hunting force or two that pushed us to move the village elsewhere.
Although we have had a challenging time growing used to their golems as Edward had labeled the originium creations, we have made great headway in dealing with them without support from the reaper.
Edward himself seemed quite determined in investigating them, perhaps there is a connection there that I'm unaware of.
However, we have been noticing a very surprising and disconcerting trend for a while now. A vast majority of the mines we've come across during our travels were deserted, with no signs of a mass grave or even a struggle, only the dead, rotting bodies of overseers and guards, horrifically mutilated in the most disgusting way you could imagine.
We were surprised to encounter a number of different infected groups, all of them were former miners who shared the same story. They were working one day, and the next day, they found their tormentors in their pitiful state, with a message left behind to escape before an inspection team was dispatched. Whoever saved them had been able to secure some supplies for them too.
A most concerning detail some of them mentioned is that they saw black snow and unknown black figures in the distance observing them.
All of the fighters had been tense ever since then, especially Edward, Patriot and myself. It was clear that we shared the same opinion on what was roaming the frozen wastes alongside us.
We could only guess the reasons for which Ursus's protectors were doing this. Whether they were friend or foe remains to be seen. I can only hope for the best and expect the worst.
PS: I finally managed to catch Edward's raven as he attempted to bite my tail. Alina saw fit to save it before I roasted him. She took to calling him Kutcha, he liked it as far as we could see, having all but abandoned his owner and submitted to Alina.
Name: Ahkmatov Edward Viktorovish. (Formerly Edward Miles)
Race: Ursus.
Age: 22 years old.
Element: Fire, Air, Earth.
Originium-Cell Assimilation: 6%.
Originium blood concentration: 0.04 u/L.
Arts: Telekinesis.
Current condition: Healthy.
Inventory:
-" Introduction to the field of Alchemy. "
-" Intricacies of Transmutation. "
-" Advanced Bounded Fields. "
-" Advanced Runes and the engraving process. "
-" The paths of Healing magecraft and Spiritual healing. "
-" Holy sacraments "
-" Puppets. "
-Ursus weapons and Equipment.
-Food and Rations.
-Flute
-Class card( Archer class heroic spirit designation: "Nameless" )
-Holy shroud.
-Carbon (20Kg)
-Ammonia(4L)
-Lime(1.5Kg)
-Phosphorus(800g)
-Salt(250g)
-Niter(100g)
-5000 LMD.
Points: 3200.
Thank you for reading
Have a Nice Day and Stay Safe.