‘If you still plan to run, this would be the moment, I guess.’
I don’t know, Wolfie, I can’t decide.
‘What do you mean?’
Well, I wanted to run off to find Miranda the minute we reached land… but I don’t want to just leave the fleet behind, I mean, I owe Elias a lot and Zakuma’s been nice and the guys are fun and the war is kind of amusing… but I also really, really, really fucking miss Miranda.
‘Well, you are our charming personality, after all. Time to decide if we are a selfish asshole or not.’
That’s not a fair way to put it!
‘That’s how it is.’
But I miss Miranda! I want to see her! Now!
‘I know.’
I don’t want to be patient! I want her; I don’t want to wait. I can’t wait! This could take months!
‘I know.’
GAAAAAAAAH! I need some air!
“Sorry, I think I’ve heard something, I will be back before we get to the boats,” Luna remarked toward the sergeant and dashed off.
19
Luna
Luna walked through the smoldering remains of the city. The bodies were everywhere. Torn, burned and crushed under the collapsed buildings. Men, women, children. Death didn’t ask; it took all.
No, not death. The Order did. I did.
‘You never had problems with killing before.’
It was different. I always killed because I had to or because I was hungry… and never on such scale. This town had what, seven thousand people? I would be surprised if there are more than a few hundreds of survivors, most of who shall die in the wilderness before they reach another town.
She roamed through the rubble aimlessly. She heard crying. It was soft and weak, carried by the wind. Luna went to the sound. She focused and followed it. It was coming from under a pile of rubble. She quickly cleared it off and saw a little girl trapped underneath. She stared at her, so terrified she stopped crying.
“Don’t worry; I won’t hurt you,” Luna whispered. “Are there any others.”
The girl shook her head and pushed herself away from Luna. She shouted out in pain, caught herself by her wounded leg and broke down crying.
Why was she here alone? That doens’t fit.
Luna scanned the environment and realized there is a trap door straight next to them. She yanked it open and leaped down the shaft. She fell into a small, dimly lit room. The air was warm and breathed out. Shrieks of terror welcomed her as she fell down. Inside were a dozen children huddled by a wall. In front of them was a man. He was young, not older than Luna, he held a sword and a young girl, who was about his age.
“Sorry,” Luna breathed.
“We have nothing valuable. If you’ve come to loot, there is nothing here, just the children. Please leave,” the man said with as much courage as he managed.
“I was just looking around, sorry, do you need water?” Luna offered and pulled out her waterskin.
They just stared at her, terrified. She drank a bit from it and tossed it to them.
“Do you think it changes anything? You destroyed our homes, slaughtered our families and this should make up for it?” the man asked angrily.
“No, but the battle is over. If you stay here, the building will eventually collapse and imprison you in. You need to leave, now when the Order is returning to the ships,” Luna replied sadly.
“Stay away! We won’t fall into your trap, Palai scum!” the boy shouted.
“If I wanted to kill you, you would have been already dead. I know it won’t change much, but I’m trying to help you save the children,” Luna contested. She stepped toward him.
He put the girl down on the ground gently and stood to block her path. “Why would you care? You destroyed our lives already, why would you try to save us?”
“Because I can. If you go out now, you can head east and reach the coastal forests. There you have a chance to survive,” Luna revealed.
“We can’t move until Ilya gets better!” the boy opposed.
“Let me look at her,” Luna offered, “maybe I can help.” She saw the conflict in his eyes. The conflict between his desire to save his beloved one and the fear of letting Luna approach her. She quickly looked over the girl. “The burned throat won’t get better by itself; she needs a healer. Do you know anyone who might be alive and help her?”
“If I did, I would have taken her there already,” he refused.
“What’s your name?”
“Nirtu.”
“Listen, Nirtu, the only way she might make it if I take her to Palai priests to heal her. I can take her, search for one and try to convince him to help her, but I have to go with her alone,” Luna explained.
“I won’t leave her!” Nirtu refused.
“Then she will die. She, the children and you, you all will die here in this cellar.”
“Swear to me you will help her!” he shouted desperately.
“I swear.”
“Listen, Ilia; it will be fine! She will take you to a healer, he will heal you and then I will find you. I swear to you, I will find you and we will be together,” he told her resolutely.
She just groaned.
Nirtu softly handed her to Luna, who gently took Ilia into her arms.
“I will go first if you hear me whistle, the air is not clear and you need to wait,” Luna announced. She didn’t wait for confirmation and just spun to scale the ladder. The air was clear; Luna gave the terrified girl a quick glance. “Your friends are alright, Nirtu will take you away from the town.”
The girl’s weeping softened. “Is Illia… alright?”
Luna smiled at her warmly. “Don’t worry about Illia; I’m taking her to a healer.” She didn’t wait for a response and ran off. She hid a few houses away. Soon she saw Nirtu come out with the children, pick up the little girl and lead them east, exactly as she told him to. She smiled weakly and ran off.
‘Sorry to bother you with petty details, but how do you plan to find a priest who can heal her and is willing to do it?’
Shut up… just… shut up.
Luna ran through the town. She checked on the army. They were reforming the units and tending to the wounded. She spun and jogged to the outskirts of the town. She found a quiet spot and put her down. Luna quickly looked around to make sure nobody is around. Tears bust into her eyes, but she steeled herself to speak.
“I’m sorry, Ilia, I lied. It’s not just your throat; your lungs are burned as well. There is no healer among the common priests who would be able to help you. I’m sorry, but the kids would have died too if I let you stay there. I’m sorry, I can’t help you,” Luna squeezed out of herself as she started crying. Her eyes burned, her throat felt stuck, her insides were heavy. “I’m sorry, the only thing I can do for you… is to end your suffering… I’m sorry.”
She felt a soft touch on her cheek. Ilia gently held Luna’s face in her palm. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she was calm, almost grateful. Luna closed her eyes, grit her teeth, turned her fingers into claws and sunk them into Ilia’s skull. She opened the eyes just to see the light of life leave Illia, to see her last breath.
Luna sat back and cried. When she regathered herself to function, she dug up a shallow grave, put Ilia’s body into it and covered her with mud. She sprinted back to her unit.
“Look who’s back,” Bull remarked warmly as he saw Luna return. He didn’t comment about Luna’s red swollen eyes. Nobody did.
“Anyway,” Sergeant Red broke the silence, “time to make her a nick. She ain’t no newbie anymore.”
“My daughter’s got nightmares often. She says a woman is pursuing her, pretty woman who turns into a monster and eats her when she catches her,” a soldier not far from Luna said.
“Luna, the Nightmare… sounds good,” Bull evaluated, “but it’s too long.”
“It’s not!” Luna protested.
“Fucking shorten it to Night?” Rod tossed up.
No! Nightmare is just fin
e!
“The t doesn’t go well, Nigh’ is better,” Bull offered.
Stop shortening it! Nightmare sounds perfect! Nobody will understand what Nigh’ stands for!
“Yeah. Fucking Nigh’ it is,” the soldier agreed.
Nightmare. My war name is Nightmare.
“Anyway. Sorry for making a scene… I just… lost it,” Luna apologized awkwardly.
“What you talking about, Nigh’? I’ve seen quite a few commander kills, but ripping off his fucking armor, biting off the fucker’s head and then devouring his fucking heart was among the coolest ones,” Rod remarked.
“Thanks, Rod,” Luna breathed.
“Sergeant Red, would you happen to have some free space on the boat?” a man walked to sergeant. The man wore black leather armor, hood and a featureless white mask over his face.
That looks exactly like Miranda’s outfit.
“About ten, fifteen if you don’t mind the sweat,” sergeant replied.
“Who’s that?” Luna asked Bull.
“Dunno. One of the Shadowless. They swim at first to kill the lookouts, so they usually need a ride back. They’re Order’s assassins,” Bull answered calmly.
Hmm… Miranda’s underling. That could prove useful.
“So, what happens now?” Luna tossed up once they were on the boat and rowing back to the ship.
“We wash up and go to sleep. Today was fun; tomorrow will suck,” Bull revealed.
“Why?”
“Fighting’s always fucking fun. Tomorrow, we gotta go get back the fucking siege balls and loot whatever’s left in the fucking city. That’s just hard fucking work,” Rod joined in.
“Siege balls?” Luna asked.
“The things you saw fucking flying from ships. They’re big fucking steel balls with holes. Inside we put the fucking whale oil or whatever fire spells the fucking mages got prepared. The fucking things are tough as fucking nails but expensive, so tomorrow we are combing the city to take them fuckers back to the ships. Looting’s the usual; we take all food and valuables we find. Careful with the gold, it’s our fucking wage… literally,” Rod grinned.
“So, we set the city on fire, kill everyone we can and then go loot the place? How’re we different from the pirates?” Luna breathed as the realization hit her.
“Scale. I’ve done more fucking looting in three years of being in the fucking army than I had done in twenty fucking years of being a fucking pirate,” Rod made a wicked smile.
“So… we are worse than pirates, much worse, actually,” Luna evaluated.
“On the other hand, we’re not demons,” Bull added.
“Aaahaa… you’re all former pirates, aren’t you? How the hell did you end up with the Palai navy?”
“Well, that’s one thing most of us have in common. Our pirating career’s were ended by the Pirate Hunter, Admiral Elias la Grace himself. The subsequent choice between death and service to the Palai navy is usually an easy one,” Bull revealed.
Murderers and criminals… I fit right in, don’t I?
“I will take a swim back to the ship. Need to wash before I get there,” Luna announced.
“Don’t worry, Nigh’, we ain’t gonna fucking snitch you to the priest,” Rod smirked.
“Thanks. I still don’t want him to see me like this,” Luna admitted.
“Well… you do have brains in your hair. Literally,” Bull laughed.
“Thanks, guys. See ya tomorrow,” Luna said before she leaped off the boat.
“See ya.”
Luna leaped to the sea. The cold water soothed her soul. She broke down into tears once more.
Luna spent the entire night and the next day avoiding Zakuma. But that was over since they did take everything valuable from the city and were to sail off back to the sea. Together with twenty stolen boats.
He’s going to shout, swear and want to kill me… and he will have every right to do so because I did exactly what I promised I wouldn’t do. What he trained me to not do, for months. I completely failed him, his trust in me, his good faith. I want to run, hide and never come back. But I can’t. I owe him at least this much. GAAAAAH!
Luna walked to stand behind the wall so that she would speak to Zakuma over a corner. It was easier when she couldn’t see him.
‘My hero.’
Shut up.
“I’m sorry,” she started weakly.
“Nigh’… not the worst war name,” Zakuma breathed.
NighTMARE!
“I tried… really… I’m sorry,” Luna kept apologizing.
“How much did you transform?” Zakuma asked calmly.
“Mouth and claws, the usual,” Luna revealed.
“You still have a long way to go. Are you ready to continue the training?” Zakuma remarked.
Luna peaked behind the corner to see him. Zakuma’s face was calm, undisturbed.
“Aren’t you mad at me? Disappointed? Wanting to kill me?” she whispered.
“Yes, I am. I do not approve of what you had done, but I do not see a point in making a scene over it,” Zakuma smiled warmly.
“You said I have a long way to go… to go where?” Luna pried.
“Well, the proper partial transformation is when you change your entire upper body half except for the face, not counting the mouth. But that takes more than a lot of practice,” Zakuma revealed.
“Why not legs as well?”
“It’s too hard to move precisely on transformed legs.”
“Okay… how do I get to do the proper partial transformation?”
“More training. You need better control over your body, which is one of the main things I’m teaching you. That and how to actually fight when transformed,” Zakuma explained.
Come to think it; I never fought like I did yesterday. I mean, I was parrying, dodging and using pretty much every move Zakuma taught me. I didn’t realize it at all, but in retrospect I used everything.
‘Is that why you didn’t run off to search for Miranda?’
I don’t know, it’s… complex. I need to belong somewhere. I don’t know if this is the place, but I will never find out if I run away at the first opportunity. I do miss Miranda, but well, at least you are here for me, Wolfie.
‘Getting sentimental?’
No, just, thank you. Thank you for being with me.
‘It’s not like I have a choice.’
Can’t you just shut up and let me be happy about it?
‘I suppose I can.’
20
Zerae
“Birdie’s tired. We should take a break,” Astril tossed up.
“We don’t have time for breaks. Force him,” Zerae refused.
“Don’t worry, it will be fine,” Astril smiled softly.
No, it’s not. The best plan I got wouldn’t normally make it through the first screening. Even after the first success, it involves two to three more impossible tasks and completely falls apart if anyone betrays me. I don’t even remember the last time I had a plan as shitty as this.
But I can’t say that. I can’t show weakness; I can’t show doubt. It is impossible to convince others of something one doesn’t believe herself.
“Not unless we make it on time,” Zerae pressed.
“Uuuuugggggghhhhhrrrrrrrrr,” Leena groaned as she woke up.
She was out for six days. I was afraid she wouldn’t wake up.
“LEENA!” Astril instantly teleported to Leena’s wyvern to hold her.
“Ggggggggrrrrrrrrrr… waaaateeeerrrrr,” Leena’s voice was hoarse and raspy. Astril instantly reached for water and started to slowly pour it into Leena’s mouth.
Seeing you like this tears my heart. I know I did this to you. I am sorry, I really am. But I cannot give up.
“There there… it will be alright,” Astril gently held Leena and stroked her hair.
“Got the information we needed?” Zerae asked straight.
“ZERAE!” Astril gave her a sharp look.
“No time for bullshit. Do
you have it, Leena?” Zerae pushed, ignoring Astril.
“Rrrrgggghhh… I do… Sibyl… ain’t happy… had to… blackmail her,” Leena focused to form at least a semblance of a sentence. Going to Dream World for a night was difficult and taxing. Zerae couldn’t imagine what it was like to go there for six nights and six days.
I have no right to ask this of you. I know it. But I have to.
“I will handle Sibyl, don’t worry about that. Try to get some rest,” Zerae smiled sadly.
I can’t do it. I can’t tell her. But I have to. I have to. Goddess forgive me.
“When you are physically able, I will need you to head in again and reach Salazar. We need a meeting with him no further than Alexandria,” Zerae said.
“WHAT THE FUCK, ZERAE? THAT CAN KILL HER!” Astril shouted angrily.
“I. KNOW. You know who else is gonna get killed? HUNDREDS of our sisters if we don’t get this plan running as soon as possible. We are out of time! I know it hurts, I know it’s bad but it has to be done so SHUT THE FUCK UP, ASTRIL!” Zerae shouted back.
Astril kept looking at her like she wants to murder her, but didn’t say anything. Zerae kept her gaze.
“I will… need a few days… then I… can try,” Leena breathed.
“Take at least three days of rest, it doesn’t hurry that much,” Zerae remarked coldly.
Leena started crying. Astril’s gaze was so full of anger that Zerae almost flinched.
“Can you do it?” Zerae didn’t let up.
“… I… will…” she squeezed out among the sobs.
I really deserve to burn in hell for this. But not yet. First, I have to see the plan through to the end.
“OI! Where is everyone?” Zerae shouted as soon as they landed in the main camp.
“They left for the ships a day ago, War Leader,” one of the sentries bowed.
So much for the hope of my mother wanting to be late on purpose.
“Fetch me Oria!” Zerae ordered them. They left. “Get Leena to Oria’s tent,” Zerae commanded Astril. Astril still had murder in her eyes, but got down from the wyvern and gently carried Leena, who was sleeping.
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