Innocent

You can go ahead and add boonless to Reina's list of lacking. If she had Sisyphus shackle she might have something going for her! But she isn't deathless!
Can you tell I've started playing Hades again? 'Cause I have.
So? Let's get down to it!

Something's weird here. My pages are all out of wack. At least, what's on the blog doesn't match the document, apparently...which is suspicious. Yet it doesn't look like anything changed in the document, nor did I add anything to the earlier parts yet. At least, not in this version of the doc. I'll have to go back and adjust the previous updates to match the pages, but for the time being I'll leave it as is, at least, until I solve the problem. Despite the change in pages, the content matches the document exactly so don't mind it too much. In truth, I wound up confusing myself with this so I double checked it. Just need to find the source of this discrepancy...

We're continuing from the sixth floor with the minotauros! As Reina said, the Mine Minotauros and those from the Frozen Labyrinth are different indeed. Everything in the mines was tones of muted colours, so don't be surprised by the rest lol. The selki going on a...what do you call it again? Coming of age ceremony? That's original to the story, but so is their being allies...and the village. I mean you could get Choky as a pet, but otherwise you'd be fighting the Selki! You could talk to her outside the Hot Spring, though. Choky, that is. Vintor is very much really and if you think his mentioning here was just for Reina to flex her knowledge, think again! Do you know what story you're reading! Sometimes there's nonsensical things thrown in for shits and giggles and this might just be one of them but there's only one way to find out for certain! Read more! Get informed! Knowledge is power, dear reader! Get some learning in ya!
I like this moment. Having written the escape and being able to look back on it gives me a clear idea of how far Reina's come. In comparison to others, she's not very strong, but she's much stronger than she used to be. Then, she was helpless and more of an active hindrance to Victoria. Now, she can hold her own, even against the Agasura. Character growth!
As for the minotauros, I really wanted to give them the feeling of being a proper threat. Most of the enemies in the mines were pretty negligible so they were all dispatched rather easily. It wasn't meant to be me taking shortcuts, I promise. Used to do it a lot but that's beside the point. In game, they were somewhat tough enemies, but paled in toughness to the FL counterparts. In this novel, the size, strength and threat they present is equal to what you might expect given their stature. As Reina's monologue implies, one wrong move and she could easily be cleaved in two.
Now, despite the novel not being heavily focused on Agasura, I wanted to draw upon the unique nature of them. This entire arc...if you can describe it as such. Maybe mission(?) is better? Anyway, it kinda draws the parallels between beast and Agasura. Their habits, their approach, and their abilities. Everything in the mines up to this point were beasts, but now we're getting into the Agasura within the depths. The fact they can wield weapons is one of the most intimidating aspects about them, and the danger that presents speaks for itself.
As for the fight itself, it pushes the two and their teamwork to their limits. They plan, challenge the enemy and gauge their strength as the battle progresses. It was a tough battle to write, considering all the ways they could attack, dodge and be attacked, all while attempting to assess their opponent. I'm glad I took a moment prior to it to have Reina steel her resolve, because it does feel like one of the moments she should be scared. For Salem, it's part and parcel to all else, but an axe as big as you are isn't something to scoff at. Nevertheless, the notion of attacking the eyes and ears is where I drew up the concept for what Victoria did in Reina's side story, believe it or not! I know I didn't use it in Frequency which was drafted in...2012? A few years before this. But in all fairness, when you have that team going into Kimara, they don't need to aim for weakspots to defeat an enemy like that lol.

That part where she takes Salem and starts...well, dancing? That was a bit of an homage to my inspiration for this novel. I wanted to show her playful side a bit, call upon that and potentially hint at things in the future. It's also the proof that though she lacks confidence in her ability, she wasn't as bad as she made herself out to be. There's potential there and in her knowledge, if honed well. Likewise with Salem, regardless of the situation, he can quickly adapt and come up with countermeasures. Just as he did when Reina took his hand, he was ready when the minotauros attempted to throw him off. He's a resourceful sort, and that adaptability is one of the things that make the two such a strong unit. Reina's phrase was a reference to...well, it was a song my brother would sing a long, looooooooong time ago. Surprisingly not the quote from Muhammad Ali lol. I can't find it, though! Would that I could.
...I found it. Also I misquoted it, but the song was She Bangs, by Ricky Martin. My bro must've heard that on TV or something lol. But man! That one's....uhh, wild, I guess! After hearing it again I uhh...well, it's a good thing I did misquote it, 'cause if anyone knew the origin of why I put that boy I'd have some explaining to do lol.
For the record, when I say I misquoted it, her getting them backwards is correct, 'cause it's Vanir who made the statement, but I put butterfly instead of flower. Go figure!

Back to the fight, that technique the mino did was something they could do in game also. It'd severely reduce movement speed and prevent you from jumping, so in the novel I made it a gravity increase. By severely reduce, I mean even if you run, you'd move like an 1/8th of the distance you could otherwise. You were practically stuck in place. I don't think the ones the gang fought in the prologue used it, so this was a good chance to show it.
Nonetheless, Reina gets wrecked. It was bound to happen sooner or later. With that, I took the opportunity to further show the nature of Agasura, that the one who did it let out a victory cry of sorts. The animals typically won't do that so it kinda characterizes them, doesn't it? There are other aspects you'll see as the fights go on, but that's one more to the list.
Now, with Reina....somewhat out of commission, we get a Salem focus. One of the things I love about writing him is his fighting style is very distinct within the novel. The only other people who could rival him in acrobatics are Su and Kooh, however the latter's differs greatly from Owl Castle's teachings. It's the whole assassin vs. ninja debacle all over again! What was that series called? World's greatest fighter? Or something like that. TV, game...there was stuff. I hated the game though, and I was shit at it. Do you know how frustrating it is when a spartan throws a spear and it pierces your skull? The battle's over instantly. You can take an L in the first 3 seconds of that accursed game. I cast my salt at that game and its realism!
Now this is where things take an interesting turn. I'd thought about what would happen if one of the two was to do what Salem did here. Piercing the eye isn't too bad, but there's something about the ears that....well, it's probably 'cause of how close they are to the brain. Anyway, he stabs it, and it freaks out. I'd thought of how to bring Reina's plan to fruition, and this seemed like the logical conclusion. It turned out a lot more violent than I originally intended, but such is the nature of this novel. Heck, the whole thing's been kinda bloody, hasn't it? It's strange to think about, but at this juncture it's par for the course despite it not suiting me at all.
Following that? Reina getting yeeted across the room again. A part of me feels conflicted about the course of events but...it fits, no? She doesn't have Salem's acrobatic ability, nor his speed. She can't dodge attacks like he can, but she's got a tough body, if nothing else. Her ability to take a beating and rise again has been her strong suit throughout the novel, and here she shows that too, just as she says. Salem went to help her, but she got up all on her own. At times, it's good to show that they depend on each other, but sometimes showing that she can be strong all on her own helps too. There'll be times where she has to, and I'm sure the novel will mention that at some point, if it hasn't already.
If you thought the joke about Reina being annoying was just that, think again! I mean it mostly was, but it serves a purpose!
One of the things I like about the result of her actions is that again, things don't go entirely as planned. She expected them to chop each other up with their axes, but instead got them going at each other with fangs and claws. This is multi-layered, though! The Agasura throughout the fight show signs of higher intelligence, both in how they choose to fight and how they handle the approach of what they deem to be enemies. When close to death, or mortally wounded, they fly into a frenzy and potentially, attack their assailants with an unrelenting fury. In this case, it was each other, and they literally tore each other apart. It was juuuuuust a tad more brutal than what I'd normally do, but it was a fitting conclusion, no?
Anyway with the end of the battle we get butt-touching! Wouldn't you want to touch your spaghetti-spilling-not-quite-girlfriend's toned glutes just once? I think this was the start of the Reina being secretly kinda horny arc. I mean, it's not a secret to readers cause we get her inner monologues, but Salem doesn't know. In truth, I was conflicted about doing it. Me at the time was like, "It's funny!" But future me is like, "it's...kinda the natural course of things..." so here we are. This might be the first time, but it won't be the last. In all fairness, I don't have to do it with TJ 'cause he doesn't know about the birds and the bees and also he lacks...that? Not that he can't understand it but he doesn't know. The true innocence was the friends we made along the way. Jokes aside though, there are other characters who show an interest, of course. Even Peorth! Once or twice, methinks. Actually it happened in the last main story chapter...she's not impervious to the aura either.
The short talk after speaks for itself, but I'm glad Reina asserted herself there at the end. It'd be a simple cop-out for me to be like, "Yeah, she's too weak to fight so I had Salem do it". Despite her weakness, she decided to continue. At the same time, she was being a big baby over drinking a potion lol. She kinda reminds me of my cat. Loves fighting, hates seeing the vet or taking his meds. But even if he's hurt, he'll still choose the fight every time. Cats. Need I say more?
So a bit unrelated, but I do feel like perhaps Reina should've been more wounded, if not outright incapacitated after getting thrown. It seems like the logical conclusion but I couldn't help but feel it'd be a big waste. With the mission at its climax and them having to fight what seems like an even deadlier opponent than the spriggans, I didn't want the fight to be piss easy or the minotauros wouldn't seem like a threat no matter where you see them. That, and I still think they were harder than the spriggans in game. In all fairness, a well-timed somersault can mitigate a lot of pain/damage from a fall. In this case, it's not quite a fall but it can be done. If not that, one could chalk it up to the efficacy of potions. How effective they are, remains up for debate! They're no senzu beans but you could probably get some bang for your buck outta them, I'd bet.

By the by, there are rockers on the 8th floor of the mines. I think they were even easier than the spriggans, tbh. Minos should've been last, but maybe it was just the struggles of a Wizard that made them seem so tough. The inability to flinch your enemies is the bane of one's existence in that game! But man, so much has changed. While I was doing pillow talk stuff I took a peek for notes on the Saviour class and in the span of me working on it, two new subclasses were released. The rate of updates is insane compared to what I'm familiar with! At the same time, it's kinda reassuring to see that the game is still going strong all these years later. A lot of the oens I played couldn't withstand the test of time and shut down. In all fairness, most of them were shitty, but I had good memories of them. Sometimes. Sometimes they were horrible, nightmarish experiences that consumed my life but! That's a story for another time and place that isn't now nor here.
Hey remember how I said this and that about foreshadowing?! I sure did!  Look alive! There's foreshadowing on this very page! The prophecy was fulfilled!
Now you're probably wondering why Lucia asked for glabella fur. The reason is! Because! It was an in-game item. That's all lol. There were a bunch of miscellaneous items I mentioned before, and most of them were more or less worthless. You sold them for a bit of ely, you fed them to your pets, what have you. That was what they dropped. Therefore! It was Lucia's item of choice. A proper reason for it? Maybe it's really soft or something, I dunno. We like certain cuts of meat cause of the differences in them right? Who's to say a spriggan's glabella doesn't have extra soft fur?

Back to the story! A moment of introspection from Reina! I think moments like these are nice. She does a bit of joking around and she does put on a brave front like her best girl friend, but deep down in the end it is just a front. After thinking it over, she comes clean and reconsiders her approach. It'd be interesting though. I wonder if she'd pull a casual fire emblem. Get beaten pretty badly and be like, "Oof! I'm too story-important to die here so I'm gonna retreat!" Sorry FE lol. Despite my incendiary joke, I do love the few in the series I played. It's the same as always! Also after hearing Lost in thoughts all alone again, I realized I never finished Revelations! Heck, I haven't used my 3DS in some time...goddamn. Though in truth, I used to do it all the time in transit, but now that I take a different train and have data and way less time it's hard! Used to do that a lot as a college student...man, what a throwback.

So then, same as always, make a plan and execute it! If this was the main gang that thing would probably get crushed by a boulder and die instantly lol. Makes me appreciate the struggle more...when I'm not writing it. Retrospect is a beautiful thing, isn't it? Past me suffered so future me could be like, "ah yes...this is a thing." Took me a good long while to write this whole scene of events and I'm breezing through it lol. But I do feel like it lasted the test of time well, which is a good sign! Often times, my work ages like milk and I hate it.
You likely noticed, but in this case too, I showed how some Agasuras might follow their instinct. It wasn't Salem's words but Reina's stance that made her seem like a greater threat. It underestimated him, and paid the price for it shortly after. He made use of that opening and as you can see, so the battle went! Though reading this reminds me I don't use their switching tactic frequently enough later on...how it should be used is the big question, though. Easy to do, hard to utilize well.
Next, risk taking! She's right, though. A single cut can make all the difference in these battles. You miss the opportunity, you're in for a bad time. I'm glad that despite Reina not being entirely out of commission, I did take into consideration that she wasn't healed from the previous fight, so she's constantly fighting against her own weakness. That, and I even remembered the corpse and how Reina could know its position! Impressive, past me! I always feel like I'd forget those details or rather, not consider them at the time 'cause a lot of things come clearer in retrospect. Working around her disability at times can be difficult or just simply easy to forget. Managing how much happens and how is also a concern, but it's always a difficult balancing game. In the end, you can only aim for averages as everyone's tolerance to certain things differs.
As for Reina's taunt, I kinda thought of that one suggestion for dealing with certain bears. That if you make yourself as big as possible, you can scare them off? That. In this case though, it isn't to strike fear but something to serve as a pseudo-taunt. She kinda gets a response out of them, too! I'd really put a lot of thought into this whole thing, huh? I've no idea why, but I was really on a roll back then lol. The one thing is, having multiple spriggans makes it rather confusing. In most cases, there might be one or two of the same enemies. Numbering them may have helped, but as always, I typically differentiate them by the state they're in. Standout features like wounds and other such things help that substantially.
I suppose you could say Reina's spin was one of their switch tactics, but that cut...sheesh...the violence really was something else in these fights lol. I forgot about the whole intestines thing but yeah...that did happen. The other two getting mad was a nice touch though! Agasura habits! Mwah! That's something I put to use when I was doing the Hanging Gardens, so you can see I had some practice before hand. I love how the...3rd(?) spriggan gets felled. The two put it in a situation where it has to choose which of them to focus on, and everytime it looked away the other would take the chance to strike. A really good use of aggro, in this case.
Of course, the end of the fight follows shortly after and boy was it an ending. What led to it might've been the only time Salem was in any actual danger throughout that mission. It was a refreshing change of pace, having Reina come to his rescue instead. I can't say it ended well for her but...those faults, each serve as a lesson. With every mistake, every battle and every experience she grows as a character. She won't likely reach Salem's level of skill but she shows that she can make use of the knowledge he imparts on her and improve.
One thing I think I could do better here is to show her in pain after the event. On one hand, I do like that her first instinct was to check in on him. On the other hand, if she staved off her cries of pain until after the fight was over, or rather, her adrenaline wears off, I feel like it'd be a lot better. The problem lays that in doing so the entire flow of events would be altered and most of the dialogue would have to be changed accordingly. It's a tough call. Doing it that way feels more realistic, but doing it this way feels more like a better show of character. If there's an in-between, I don't know it yet, but I'd like to find it. Gradually, yeah? I'll work at it.
I do think Reina not planning ahead for the situation was a mistake, but in the heat of the moment perhaps it could be excused. Using warp tech isn't something the two do often, but logically speaking they could probably get in and out before any Agasura respawn or beasts show up. For the record, typically beasts don't respawn...though they do in game. Not that it differentiates them. But ideally I want there to be consistency in that, so rather than them respawning, more would show up from nearby areas.
Anyway, perks of being employee of the moth I guess! Your boss'll hook you up with warp tech lol.

And that's all for this update! If I had interesting stories to share I would! I mean I might, but I need to get back to FF14 'cause I've been too busy and too nervous about other things to play and I'm super behind.
Though I will tell you this. I started playing Hades again the other day and I got cocky and thought I could still beat extreme measures Hades. I was wrong. He killed me 4 times. Man was hitting for like 40 dmg a pop and I had 150 health so you can imagine how that went over. Need a new build for my bow, so I'm gonna tinker with it more next time. I have some ideas, just need to put them to the test. Game hard, but so, so fun. It'll have to wait though, as it's Eorzea time. I'm ready to get some Harvest Moon in my FF14, babyyyyyyy.

That said, more soon...? Until next time!

The two staggered their way back to Madelaine's and opened the door. The bell chimed at their arrival and drew the attention of the barista shining a glass.
“Welco-oh it's just you kid-gods!” He cried, dropping his cloth.
Skuld peeked around the edge of the kitchen's door before hurrying out to greet them. At the sight of the bloodied Reina, she screamed.
“If I had it in me, I'd scream like that too. Didn't even know you could reach that octave, Skuld.”
The brownie hurried over to her barista and immediately started pushing him along.
“What? Whaaaat? You want me to do something?”
She pointed to the stairwell and then to Reina.
“Oh, fine. You're hardly in any state to be helping anyone, Other Kid, so I'll drag her sorry ass upstairs so Skuld can give her some first-aid.”
“You have my gratitude,” Salem answered.
Reina could feel Vanir gazing at her, standing before the two.
“The hell happened to your arm? I bet I could twist it 360 degrees with it in that state.”
“A spriggan hit it really hard,” she answered sheepishly.
The barista sighed audibly.
“Why the hell are you so reckless? Take a page from the other kid's book and try not to come back mutilated, why don't you?”
“Thanks for worrying about me, Vanir.” She smiled at him.
“Worried? Me? About you? Don't be ridiculous! I'm worried about Skuld. Her poor virgin eyes have to bear witness to your mangled body.”
The brownie crossed her arms and frowned.
“Kiku,” she said.
“Alright, alright, I'm going. Step aside, Other Kid.”
Vanir cracked his knuckles as he stepped towards the swordswoman who smiled nervously.
“Had you been smaller, cuter and a brownie, I'd give you a princess carry. Since you're none of those things, you get this.”
He put one hand between her legs and one of her arms over his shoulder as he gave her a fireman's lift.
“This is even more embarrassing than that,” Reina complained.
“You've no one to blame but yourself.” Vanir remarked as he made his way up the stairs, Skuld following closely behind.
He made his way to her room and dropped her on her bed.
“Alright, the last thing I need to see is you undressed, so I'm gonna go back downstairs and do more important things, like tending to my store.”
She knit her brows at his statement.
“As a girl, I feel both insulted and somewhat glad,” she remarked.
“As you should!” With that, he waved and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
“Reina...are you okay? You've got bloody bandages all over and your arm...” Skuld murmured, the worry evident in her tone.
“I'm okay, I'm okay!” She reassured her miniature companion. “A few scrapes and bruises won't keep me down.”
“You might be stuck in bed until you recover...”
Reina raised a finger to object and opened her mouth but found herself at a loss.
Training was definitely out or she would open her wounds again. It would at least take a few days for the wounds to close. Working in the shop was out also. Practising with her weapon would be on the back-burner for a few weeks while her arm recovered.
“I...well...maybe after a few days I'll practise with one arm. My good arm, that is.”
Skuld took her hand and raised it slightly, likely using it to compare the state of the two.
“We should probably get you to the hospital. First-aid won't cut it for your arm.”
Reina grit her teeth as she began to sweat profusely.
“H-hospital? Oh...no...I don't think we need to go that far. Just bandage me up and I'll be good to go!”
“Rei-na!” Skuld complained, placing her hands to her hips.
Reina had very little affection for hospitals. She had spent long enough in one, in what felt like an eternity. A second trip was something she could do without. However, just as she worried for Salem and he did her, she could only imagine Skuld's terror at witnessing either of them coming back looking like she did.
Her dream drew ever closer, but to fight in the state she was in would be reckless, to say the least. The two had taken on Agasura this time around—she knew as well as Salem did that any warrior worth their salt would take any advantage available to them. If she went into battle with a glaring weakness, she would be inviting death to her doorstep. The pain the people of Madelaine's would experience, let alone everyone else she cared for threatened to rend her heart in two. The idea of that looming over them made her realize how spineless her previous concern was. An important lesson for the future.
“I'm sorry, Skuld. I'll be sure to give the doctor a visit, but can we just put it off for today at least? I really, really need to see Lucia!”
Reina raised a hand before her face and lowered her head.
“Mmm...” The senior waitress seemed to be looking and thinking as hard as she was about the matter.
“Please please please!”
“Mumumu...”
The Brownie let out a gentle sigh as her shoulders slumped.
“Okay...but we're taking you tomorrow, okay? No ifs, ands or buts about it!”
“Deal!” Reina said with a grin.
She was beginning to understand why Skuld could make even Vanir act. She was pretty strict when she needed to be. That aside, in spite of her stature she had an air about her that made one feel as if they did not want to invoke her anger. Or perhaps it was because of her stature. It was rather hard to say.
“Before you go see Lucia, we need to change your bandages and disinfect the wounds.”
Reina had half a mind to object but chose to hold her tongue.
The recent events had made her come to understand something about herself. Despite how much time had passed and how strong she had become, she still had so much maturing to do. Her childish demeanour to run away from things she did not like or refuse to accept things she could not lingered. It was that childishness that became the burden that Virgil and Alessa had taken on. The burden of her wish for the two not to go to fight—for them to stay in Xenym so those mirthful days could continue...her selfish wish made manifest.
Now more than ever, she understood that it took courage to face those who would not go into battle with you. They could only wait, praying every day for the safe return of their loved ones as they leave to fight. Vanir had warned her about this—Beatrice and Grant mailed her regularly to check in on her, to see how she was doing...and most important of all, to know that she was still alive. She may have just been one person of millions, but to them she was not just anybody.
All of those little things she always complained about: eating vegetables she did not like, having to learn to dance and getting scrapes, being told to put her book down and other, minuscule things. All the times her family, her friends and her teachers had supported her...she understood now. Even now, Skuld, Vanir and Salem were with her, bearing her burdens with smiles. They were her strength all these years. She knew that well but did not see the gravitas of the situation.
As she smiled, a single tear ran down her cheek. Before she knew it, they just would not stop.
“Reina? What's wrong?” The brownie asked, the worry evident in her tone.
“Nothing's wrong...I'm just...I'm happy. Sorry Skuld...and thank you.”
“It's...my pleasure?”
Though confused, the brownie did not press her for answers. Instead, she continued her work. The stinging pain of the disinfectant served as a stark reminder that like all things, pain would pass. Reina would be stronger for it following the experience.
To fight, took courage. To promise to return, took courage. To live, took the most.

The duo arrived at Club Abio, all of the items requested by Lucia in a rucksack on Salem's back. As they made their way down the stairs towards the entrance, Reina swallowed hard.
“You know, I know the worst is over but I still feel kinda tense about all of this.” She said, eyebrows knit.
“We must not let our guard down yet, Reina,” Salem began. “Perhaps here we need not be guarded, but once the mission begins anew then we must be ever alert. Not only will we likely be stepping into unknown territory, but we will also be engaging our enemy rather than having him come to us. To that end, he would have the advantage.”
“Mm...yep, I can feel all of my muscles tensing at that thought.”
He smiled.
“There is time. At the very least, you'll need some to recover. During that period, we can make preparations.
“For the time being, however, let us not keep Lucia waiting.”
She nodded solemnly.
The duo had a tough battle ahead of them. Though weakened now, she would bide her time and do all that she could to prepare herself for what was to come.
Without further ado, the two pressed on into the club. As ever, it was lively with music and people dancing and chanting, By the sound of it, Monica had taken the stage and had made quite a splash with the club-goers.
Led by Salem, the pair made their way around the crowd towards the wall, their destination awaiting them. Between them and it, was Naomi leaning against the wall.
She shifted the lollipop in her mouth before she looked to them. She blinked once, took it out and smiled knowingly.
“Well, look who we have here! You two work fast, don'tcha?”
“We take pride in what we do.” Reina said with an impish grin.
“You're pretty dedicated to your cause, huh? I can dig it. Just don't let that excitement get to your head, yeah? It's easy to throw yourself into a fight but whether you come back, that's a whole 'nother load of shit. It's not just Sis...we might've just met but I don't wanna be the one recovering your corpse.”
She paused for a moment, seemingly shifting her lollipop and perhaps choosing her words.
“Heard some good things from her, y'know? You're pretty scrappy for someone who didn't do a whole load of fighting. I respect that. That bravery. So don't you go dyin' out there, y'hear? I wanna hear how the rest of your story plays out.” She let out a light chuckle. “It'd make for some good info.”
Reina could not help but smile at her words.
She seemed a little rough around the edges, especially in comparison to her sisters, but she was really sweet. They all were. To hear those words reinforced her resolve.
“I'll fight tooth and nail to come back alive. I will. That's a promise.” Reina answered, a fist clenched.
“I'll hold you to that, yeah? You too, boyfriend. No point in only one of you coming back in one piece. It's all or nothin'.”
“On my honour.”
Reina pursed her lips.
That boyfriend thing was quickly spreading and she was not too gung-ho about it. That aside, Salem still remained unfazed, though he likely knew what it meant. Either he was actually interested in being her boyfriend or he just did not retort it. It was times like these where she felt like his straight-man. Vanir typically being hers.
“You answered that with way too much gusto, Salem. You should clear up the misunderstanding first, next time,” Reina added.
“You two really are two peas in a pod, aren't ya'?” Naomi laughed. “You're pretty fun. We're gonna get along just fine.”
She turned around and gestured for them to follow.
“But that's enough bush beating. Sis is waiting, so I'll take you guys to her.”
“Thanks Naomi!”
The pair followed her to the staff only section once more and she opened the door, gesturing for them to enter. Without missing a beat, the two stepped into the hallway and made a beeline for Lucia's dressing room. Salem knocked three times. At his action Lucia responded.
“Please, enter,” her voice chimed.
The two stepped into the dressing room and upon doing so, Lucia chuckled gently.
“My, what a pleasant sight. To see you returned and so quickly at that, I'm impressed.”
“It was a bit rough, but we got the items you requested, Lucia.” Reina said with a grin.
Salem placed his rucksack down and removed the items from it. He placed them upon her vanity table and she nodded with approval. She picked up one of the vials and swirled the venom around in it with a thoughtful smile. Immediately after, she picked up some of the furs and ran her hands across them.
“This shall do nicely.”
“Lucia, if you don't mind me asking, what did you need these for?”
She laughed at the question.
“How bold you are, Reina! Asking an information broker a question like that!”
The young swordswoman's cheeks flushed as she realized just what she had done.
“Ah...right...sorry.”
Lucia shook her head and twirled her long golden hair around her finger.
“Oh, not at all, it's nothing that needs be kept secret. The fusu husu venom is for the miscellaneous shop just down the street. They use it to prepare antidotes. One must have the poison to cure it, after all. As for the spriggan fur, they're to make coats. The winters of Elias, let alone the Deserts of Elfa are not to be underestimated. Even if the days are hot, the nights are bitter and cold.
“Nonetheless, shall we begin our discussion?”
Salem looked to Reina and she gave him a nod.
“Yes, let's begin,” he answered.
After the two took a seat, Lucia placed one leg over the other, her hands in her lap.
“As you've fulfilled your end of the deal, I shall fulfill mine.” She cleared her throat gently. “As discussed before, Kazuo has taken some of the people taken captive and fled Aoich. Among his ranks are soldiers of the Dark Moon that were bribed to join him, shinobi that were loyal to him and abandoned their posts and finally, sellswords hired by him. He set up an outpost in the heart of the Desert, one that seems to have grown into a fortress, of sorts.
“Nonetheless, this was not the end of his actions. As there are people interested in your kind, he sells them to interested parties.”
Reina bit down on her lip and Salem scowled.
“Unforgivable,” he hissed.
“Such is the greed of man. It is not that alone they use as a means to obtain ely. Those sellswords that patrol the surrounding area mug any unfortunate souls that come within their territory, be they Human or Cerebian. Those bearing your artifacts bring them back and sell them for exorbitant prices to wealthy merchants.”
“Do they not know?! Those are...those are--!”
It took all of her willpower to just utter those words. Those artifacts were not just items meant to displayed in a mansion! They were relics of war! Weapons of a bygone era! If any of them were activated, if even by chance the destruction they wrought could be massive! To steal them and sell them off so carelessly was a mistake in and of itself but to buy them, perhaps knowing something of their origins, or worse yet, not was reckless to say the least!
“Relics from millenia ago, correct?” Salem asked. “Artifacts used to wage war against the Agasura.”
At this, Reina's mouth fell agape.
“Salem...you knew?”
He nodded grimly.
“Word of mouth spreads quickly. Parties that seem to stumble upon these relics wish to know their worth. Some of them were weapons, their abilities unknown but the value of them unimaginable. By the design, the material and that which is infused within it, one can easily tell they are not ordinary weapons by any stretch of the imagination.”
“How correct you are,” Lucia remarked. “The more unique and mystical the object seems to be, the higher the possibility its finder will be overtaken by greed. Some do it as a living, mind you. This practice known as 'tomb raiding'. Much of its origins is reflected in the history of Elfa, for the treasures contained within the pyramids. There is no shortage of raiders who would brave the dangers of them in order to have a chance at the riches within. Not all come back with treasure to speak of, let alone their lives. But those who do likely never need to do so again.
“When it comes to people, however, no one has power over the well-being of all. This only occurs in certain places, mind you. In cities like Elias, Yong Gyoung, Aoich or Ves, the ruling powers are those that will decide whether or not they need to deploy their forces to defend the people. It was war that had brought this time of peace. The ruling powers once waging war against each other in a bitter bid for power, for territory, for resources. This, bringing death and destruction and little else. As such, the borders between city states was drawn and treaties were formed.”
Reina clenched her fist against her pants.
Humanity had waged war against itself? For what reason? Did they not share a common enemy in the Agasura, as they did with the Cerebians? It did raise the question of why they waged war against the Cerebians in the first place. What were the Cerebians to Humanity, exactly? Was it the power they controlled that attracted them? The land that they had taken up following their exile from Asgard? Or that which they had brought or their ancestors left behind following the Agasuric War? There was also what Hotaka mentioned...the promise of a new world order.
Leaving all of that aside, there was something Ageha mentioned that resurfaced in her conscious mind. The Dark Moon had turned its swords inwards on its own people. The people of Aoich were not those who chose to act against the greater powers, nor the Cerebians. The Dark Moon had conscripted people by force, killing those who chose not to obey their orders. But...why children?
“Lucia, there's something I need to know. Do you know the reason the Dark Moon turned on Aoich?”
Reina's question gave her pause.
“Ah...yes, it is little surprise that you would not know of it. Consider this service part and parcel to your mission.”
She smiled but the tone of her voice was soft, forlorn.
“It took place within the same time frame that the Asgardians had begun their descent to Midgard. There is little doubt in the minds of survivors and witnesses that the two are mutually exclusive. The Cerebians were forced from their home and to the world below, while the Dark Moon prepared to add new soldiers to their ranks. If not to wage a war, what would their cause be? Yet, in spite of their actions they did not begin a march on the other cities, until Xenym.
“Something or someone found a way to detect and break the barrier that protected your village and to that end, they marched on it. I fear that this is only the beginning. The other Havens are at risk—this puts your kind in a very dangerous position. Do you fight back, or flee?”
Reina was silent, the gears turning in her head while Salem quietly muttered something.
“A barrier...?”
“It prevents Humans seeking it from finding it, while those who might stumble upon it feel an urge to wander away.
“Nonetheless, back to your question, Reina. Given that there are limitations to the ability of those older, it would be best to train your soldiers early on, no? Physical and mental ability deteriorates with time. Hence, to prepare for a war greater than that which men could wage, you must have soldiers that are even greater than your best. This was the origin of The Warriors of the New Moon.”
“The warriors of the...? You don't mean...”
“Yes, exactly that. The children were taken from their family and were conscripted by the Dark Moon. From their childhood up until adolescence, they were bred to be the greatest warriors the Dark Moon had ever seen. Some trained to fight among the ranks of the Dark Moon and others taught espionage in Owl Castle. Their skills and senses were honed to a fine edge and as such, a new force within their ranks came to be. These children, many too young to know their parent's faces let alone the warmth of a mother's touch. Born killers with all the tools they need to slay any who opposed the Dark Moon without being detected, leaving nary a trace.”
“Why would they rob these families of their own flesh and blood?! What right do they have to do such a thing?!” Reina snarled, barely on the edge of her seat.
“Reina, take a moment and collect yourself.”
She unclenched her teeth and sat down, her head drooping apologetically.
“Sorry for losing my temper like that, Lucia. I just...it doesn't sit well with me, that's all.”
Lucia shook her head, her golden locks gently brushing her cheeks as she did so.
“You bear that burden also, do you not? To voice that concern, I will not condemn you for it.
“However, there is something you must understand. This world is not lawless, but there are places beyond the eyes of those in power where people are vulnerable. Though within the territories of those powers, they each have places where the Agasura reign and as such remain unguarded. There, in the eyes of some only one law exists: that might makes right.
“The hope that there would be a chance at diplomacy would be vain. You will run the risk of facing off with some of these warriors and I can assure you, they will fight with a blood thirst unbeknownst to you. Tread lightly.”
“Thanks for the warning, Lucia.”
She nodded grimly, a hopeful determination in her eyes.
“There is one more thing that I must inform you of, Reina, Salem.”
“Yes?” Salem asked.
“As you have completed both of my requests, I shall have Maya lend you her aid in locating Kazuo's fortress.”
“R-really?” Reina asked.
“Yes. Before I made the request, I did have her scout out the Desert. We, being Vampanelars, can sense the presence of Cerebians. They stand out among those of Humans. As such, she confirmed his location and will be arriving in Elfa in the coming days.”
“Wonderful. That will save us time and supplies during our raid,” Salem remarked.
“Yes. She is conducting business in Ramalda currently, so it will be some time before she arrives. You may use this time to rest and prepare yourself for the journey ahead.”
“We shall do that.”
Reina could feel his gaze on her and she smiled sheepishly.
It seemed that both he and Skuld would make sure that she was on her best behaviour.
“Nonetheless, that is all I have to share with you. Again, I must ask that you be ready for whatever may come, as your enemies will strike from the shadows. Some using any means necessary to accomplish their goals. As for Maya, she will accompany you there, but she will not engage in battle alongside you.”
Reina shook her head.
“That's fine. Salem and I've been preparing for those sorts of things anyway. I'd be hard-pressed to put her in danger for our mission, anyway.” She grinned at those words. “Still, thanks for doing all this for us, Lucia. What once seemed like an insurmountable wall seems like something that we can overcome now.”
The broker's laugh surprised her somewhat.
“As ever, you are gracious. You need not thank me, as business is business. Nonetheless, it would be our pleasure to do business with you again in future, Reina, Salem.”
“As would we,” Salem answered.
He got to his feet and offered her a hand with a gentleman's grace.
“Let us return, Reina. For you to rest and recover would be ideal. I'm positive it would be a load off of Skuld's shoulders as well.”
She could not help but smile as she placed her fingers upon his.
“Yeah. I'm beginning to understand why Vanir tries not to get on her bad side.”
Watching the two hand-in-hand, Lucia smiled ever so slightly, ever the watcher of their growth.

Later that evening, Reina stood on the balcony of Madelaine's basking in the moonlight. The sun had long since set and many of the adventurers that would occasionally pass through the district had went their separate ways. The only sound in the entire area was that of the fountain in the heart of the district, the torrent of water clashing against the pool below.
She did not typically go to the balcony, but she wanted to today. To feel the fresh air on her face, to be a bit closer to the sky as she had that night on the cusp of the new year. There, with Salem by her side, her head on his shoulder.
Now, her destiny was upon her. Once again, she would face one of the greatest challenges in her entire lifetime. They were fortunate to have faced off against Hotaka alone, but this time the two would be outnumbered substantially. Not by Agasura, but by battle-hardened fighters. The thought made her tense up, yet she could not help but remind herself she must not be taken by fear or she would hesitate at a crucial moment.
Thinking back on how she had gotten here, she recalled Vanir's words and could not help but chuckle.
“Kid, I'm not gonna say you can't go up there, but if you trip over your hostage or knock one of Skuld's canvasses over, you're gonna be in for it. I won't feel bad or be held responsible if you fall off the balcony either.”
It seemed Hotaka was sleeping. She would have liked to ask him about the other general, but it would have to wait. There was time before they took the fight to Kazuo, however it felt like the threat was looming over her. She could not shake the unease in her heart.
She nervously held the magatama on her necklace and let out a gentle sigh, her head tilted toward the moon.
“Reina,” Salem's voice came from behind her.
“Eep!” She nearly jumped out of her skin at his sudden arrival. “Salem, you need to make more noise when you're approaching someone!”
He seemed to find her remark humorous.
“I shall keep that in mind for next time.”
“T-there's gonna be a next time?”
He took a few steps forward and joined her at the railing.
“So, tell me. What brings you out here on a chilly night like this?”
She scratched her cheek gently as she mulled the question over.
“The cold air makes my brain work faster so I can get inside quicker, I guess!” She laughed and he chuckled with her. “I do want to take in the ambience of Elias, though. I remember feeling kinda homesick during our trip to Aoich. I imagine it'll be a good few weeks before we can come home again so...I feel like I wanna give it some serious thought. Just bask in it a little.”
This was indeed their home. A place she had come to love with people that she loved, those feelings growing more and more everyday. Those precious bonds she held close to her heart gave her the courage to move forward, knowing that she would return—that she had to. For herself, for them and for everyone else who would speak her name.
“I see. It would be ideal to hold these feelings deep in your heart as you venture away from here, no? It is somewhat difficult to imagine going out on a mission yet...willing yourself to return, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. That courageousness and that straight-forward desire...I feel I am as of yet to truly grasp it. But this next venture may just change that drastically.”
She lowered her head, now facing the ground but listened intently to his words.
Did he go on expeditions expecting to lose his life? It was possible that he would sacrifice his to protect hers, knowing him. Given their circumstances, sometimes she wondered if she would be able to protect him if push came to shove. She hoped and wished with all her might that it never would, but if it did that she could. As she had told him before, she did not want to lose him. However, she could not be afraid to take risks because there were many others she did not wish to lose either.
She nearly jumped once more as she felt his thin fingers caress the side of her cheek, placing her bangs behind her left ear.
“Reina, I must ask something of you.”
Before he continued on, there was a silence. She waited in bated breath as moment after moment the yearning to know his desire grew.
“Whatever happens on this mission...please, trust me.”
She turned to him, a look of confusion on her face but he said no more. He gave her a gentle tap on the forehead, as was his custom and disappeared into the attic. His silent footfalls leaving nothing but the young woman with her racing thoughts. She placed her fingers to the spot he had touched but moments ago.
Little did she know of the truth that waited to be illuminated over the horizon.

Salem
A few days had passed since the duo had gone to see Lucia. The days were peaceful, albeit by Madelaine's standards. Vanir and Skuld had a hard time keeping Reina in bed due to her fervent desire to neither neglect her training nor her job. After a series of struggles, they did eventually get her to stay. More often than not, this required the supervision of the miniature waitress.
Salem still attended his job regularly, as he did that very day. He had already informed Verun of the circumstances that would be approaching in the near future. Though he expected his employer to question why he would be out of the city for so long, he had accepted it and gave the young man his blessing. Salem could not help but suspect that Lucia may have pulled some strings to convince him. Whether that was the truth or not, he could not say, but he was thankful for the opportunity nonetheless.
“Salem, table six, if you would?” Verun's voice chimed in the kitchen.
All around him, the chefs were busily preparing meals during the lunch rush. Dishes lined the shelves and the chefs worked side-by-side, each preparing different meals using the set of items at their disposal. On the other side of the kitchen waiters flitted back and forth, while Verun issued orders to them.
“Right away,” he answered as he approached and took the two plates in hand.
He made his way through the hallway and into the restaurant itself before approaching table six.
“He's coming! Now's your chance!”
“I-I dunno if I'm ready!”
There were two customers at the table, likely young adults if he was to hazard a guess. Both of them women.
“Forgive the delay. One house soup and one special of the day.” He said as he placed the plates down before both customers.
“Um...Salem?”
He tilted his head at having his name called.
“Yes? How may I be of service?”
“C-could I...umm...your...can I get your autograph?”
He blinked slowly as he took in the request. It was not out of the ordinary, but he certainly felt unsure as to what warranted it, regardless of the number of customers that requested it.
“As you wish.”
He removed the pen from the pocket on his sleeve and picked up a napkin before scribbling his signature on it.
“Will this do?”
He handed it back to her and she looked positively elated.
“T-thank you so much!”
Her friend nudged her with her elbow and grinned.
“Told you all you had to do was ask!”
“Well then...” At those words he bowed and took his leave.
As he made his way into the staff kitchen he glimpsed one of his coworkers who seemed to have watched the event play out. The man chuckled dryly. As he neared, Salem recognized him to be his senior, Pat.
“The Ladykiller strikes again.” He said as he shrugged and shook his head.
Ladykiller. A title of sorts, it seemed. One that was placed upon him following his employment at the restaurant, but one that he did not quite understand. He asked his coworkers about the title but most of them laughed it off. He had also tried Vanir once but at the question, the barista only clicked his tongue and glared. Reina however, he felt reluctant to ask, given the words chosen to make up the title he acquired.
The title aside, he could not figure out exactly how he had so many people that had come to know his name, let alone seek him out for service. He felt certain that he had kept his identity rather incognito, blending in as best as he could among his coworkers. He had not done anything out of the ordinary during his stay there, but many and more women came in search of him. So much so that Verun had described him as the restaurant's 'main attraction'.
Nevertheless, his true identity was as of yet to be revealed so he was somewhat relieved. In spite of this, though, he would not let his guard down so easily. Should there be a mole from Owl Castle amidst the ranks of customers, he would need to be ready at a moment's notice. To that end, he kept kunai on his person at all times hidden in his coat and pant legs.

As the sun began to set and Salem finished his work for the day, he returned to Madelaine's and stepped into the shop. There were a couple sets of customers that lined the bar and the various seats around the store.
“Welcome back,” Vanir muttered.
He seemed to be serving a customer a cup of coffee as he did so.
“Nyo!” Skuld said as she glimpsed up from the ground, sweeping as she went along.
“Good evening, Vanir, Skuld.” Salem said as he took his coat off.
There were multiple sets of eyes on him, but he did not sense any malicious intent from them. He did not stare back either, so as not to draw more attention to himself than need be.
He made his way upstairs and rounded the corner before approaching Reina's room. He gently knocked three times and waited for a moment.
“Reina, may I come in?” He asked.
But moments before he could hear some activity happening within but it seemed to come to a sudden and abrupt halt.
“H-hold on Salem! Juuust a sec'!” Her voice chimed in turn as her footsteps rang through the room.
The sound of papers fluttering, pencils and other writing utensils hitting the ground and perhaps even Reina bumping into things in her frantic mad dash followed suit. Finally, the sound of her bed creaking.
“Alright, you can come in now,” she said, seemingly out of breath.
He opened the door and glimpsed her room in disarray, she laying on the bed with one hand to her cheek and the other arm wrapped in a cast, resting on the bed itself. Hidden underneath her chest and protruding from between her legs, he could see the outline of her training sword.
At the sight, he had to stifle his laughter.
It was just like her to attempt such an endeavour. He saw right through her guise but he would not tell her as much. Though she may not have the makings of a shinobi, she certainly knew how to garner the attention of one. He recognized that the chance she would give up her training even for a day were slim, but he respected her determination. It would certainly be easy for skills to decline if not constantly tested. As he was taught, the dullest edge is the one that is not honed.
“Do you mind if I join you for a spell?” He asked.
“Oh sure, sure!”
Since Reina needed to rest more often than not, she very rarely got to communicate with customers, let alone be out and about. To that end, he would accompany her every now and then alongside Skuld and share some interesting anecdotes from his days.
“You know, I actually got a lot of visitors today!” Reina said, positively beaming.
“Is that so?” Salem asked in turn, a smile on his face.
“Check it out!”
She raised the arm in the cast and he saw it, much more colourful than it once was. Notes from a variety of people were written on it. Messages that wished her to get well, some signatures and drawings.
It seemed that here in Madelaine's, Reina had become quite beloved among the customers. The styles of writing varied from the young to the elderly and circled all around the object.
“Vanir said that a lot of the regulars who came in were asking why I wasn't in the shop. When they heard that I had my arm in a cast they all asked to sign it and now it's super colourful!”
He blinked.
“Is...that normal?”
“Apparently,” she laughed. “I didn't know that this sort of thing happens, but this was the first time I've had it done for me so I guess it is.”
He nodded affirmatively.
“To have all those people seeking you, I am certain it's because you've made your mark on them in one way or another.”
Just as she had him. The days he spent working at Verun's felt longer as he thought about her. His thoughts would wander to idle things such as: what was she doing? Had she eaten lunch already? Was she using her breaks to train? Or read? Was she possibly thinking of him, too?
“Most of the kids call me 'Kluzty Reina'. They're really mean, you know! I might be a klutz but I've gotten better! Before I fractured my arm I only broke two plates that week! That's a new record!”
“It is indeed,” Salem laughed.
“Vanir just can't appreciate good help when he sees it.” She muttered, wrinkling her nose.
“I'm sure he does appreciate you. But as you know, he values Madelaine's and its assets also. For him to scold you is only the natural course of things. When you've mastered the art of being a waitress, however, I'm certain that he'll praise you.”
“...Would you do it too?”
He raised his brows at her earnest, bashful request. He closed his eyes, smiled and nodded.
“Yes.”
She grinned at his words.
“I'll hold you to that!”
There was a brief silence as she rocked back and forth on her bottom.
“H-hey...Salem?”
“Yes?”
“Would you...write on my cast too? I umm...saved you a spot.”
She held out a red marker in her working hand. He took it from her and uncapped it.
“It would be my pleasure.”
He sat down next to her on the bed and gently wrote a get-well message. She smiled from ear-to-ear, cheeks flushed.
“Thanks.”

It had been a couple weeks and Reina finally had her cast taken off. What stood out about that specific day, however, was that the duo had received a letter from Lucia. It informed them that Maya had already set out for Elfa and would be arriving within the next week. To that end, Salem and Reina knew the time had come and so they made their final preparations.
“Here, take this.” Vanir said as he came down the stairs.
He threw a set of cloaks at the two.
Judging by the colours and feeling, they were a mixture of blue wolf leather and spriggan fur.
“You're not going vacationing on Orca Beach so you're gonna have to dress for those nasty Desert nights. It'd be kinda pathetic if the two of you froze your asses off before you even made it to Elfa.” He said as he shrugged.
“You're so kind, Vanir.” Reina said, grinning.
“I don't need your sass, Kid! But it's true. I am.”
“Kiku,” Skuld said.
“Your opinion is the only thing that matters, Skuld.”
He picked her up and rubbed his cheek against hers, much to her dismay. Cheeks flushed, she seemed to be protesting but chose not to fight him off, per se.
Whether she agreed to it or not, Salem could not say. Nonetheless, it was their way of getting along, in a sense. Skuld usually seemed happy to receive the affections of her barista.
“You have our thanks for assisting in our preparations, Vanir. With this I am almost certain we shall be able to reach Elfa.”
“Of course you can! I did the math. I've also made that journey too, so I'd know. If me, with my incredibly fit bod and my roguish good looks could pull it off, with my plan even you...training...junkies...can do it! Guaranteed. You won't get your money back, though. All sales are final.”
“Mong mong!” Skuld said excitedly, her fists clenched around her broom.
“Skuld says she has the utmost faith in you.”
“Thanks, Skuld!” Reina said with a thumbs-up.
“I've little doubt in my heart that your plan will fail us, Vanir. We shall follow it to the letter.” Salem remarked, a confident glint in his eye.
“So you're saying there's room for doubt? After all this, you're still doubting me, Other Kid? I'm hurt! Wounded even!” The barista said, clutching his chest dramatically.
“Not enough to warrant hurting your feelings, I imagine.”
Salem was getting somewhat used to his theatrics. According to Reina, the best way to handle it was a swift and clever rebuttal.
“Do you want me to kiss it better?” Reina asked, a hand over her grin.
“No! You think I want you slobbering all over me?! Not in your dreams, Kid!” He stepped back and covered his chest with both hands. “I hope you two dry up like raisins in that desert!”
The two laughed at his statement.
“I'm gonna miss your snark while we're gone, Vanir. Make sure to serve the customers properly while I'm gone, okay?”
“Of course you will. My brilliant remarks are what keep idiots like you in line. Also I don't need you telling me how to do your job better than you can! Nobody breaks dishes like you do!”
“T-that's a sensitive topic!”
Salem crouched down and Skuld's eyes followed him as he met her gaze.
“We leave Madelaine's as well as our favourite barista in your care, Skuld. Be well.” He said, smiling at her.
She beamed in turn.
“Nyo,” she said.
“Skuld says: Master is great and Madelaine's has been in a golden age since his arrival,” Vanir remarked.
“Kiku!”
Skuld began to pout and he grinned, guiltily.
“I'm kidding! She said: We'll take care of Madelaine's, so be safe you two.”
She gave his translation a nod of approval.
“We will, Skuld. I'll write to you once we get to Elfa, okay?” Reina said.
She smiled, but Salem could not help but suspect there were hints of loneliness in her voice.
The two had become closer than friends and were almost like sisters. He had become acutely aware of how well they got along and to some extent, how difficult parting could be.
Skuld walked over to her and gently pulled on her coat. At that, Reina knelt down and she draped her arms over the elder waitress' shoulders and embraced her.
“I'm gonna miss you!”
“Nyo...”
Vanir sniffed. He turned away and rubbed his nose with his finger solemnly.
It seemed even he was getting somewhat emotional about their parting.
“It'll be a while but...we'll come home and we'll celebrate. It'll be lots of fun, I promise!” Reina said, her hands to Skuld's shoulders.
Having recovered from the moment, Vanir turned to her.
“Celebrate? That 'celebration' is gonna come out of your celebratory paycheck!”
“I'm getting one?” She asked, her smile gaining its usual cheeriness.
“By 'celebratory' I mean regular.”
That simple banter defined them. No matter what hardships life would throw at them, it always felt like something that could help them bounce back from the mire that was sorrow.
Reina got to her feet and put her rucksack over her shoulders.
“Vanir, Skuld, we'll be back with another one in the bag.” Reina said with a confident smile.
“Don't. By that, I mean don't bring someone in a body bag. In fact, don't come back at all. Just don't die. I'd rather not have wasted all this time training you.”
Reina began to pout and Skuld knit her brows.
“You have my appreciation for preparing us for the road ahead, Vanir. Should Lucia or any of her sisters come by, please give them my regards.”
“Gods know what'd happen if I didn't. Also, I won't do that! Ever! I'm gonna put a picket sign outside to ward off any blood gluttons. They can't come here! They're harbingers of ill omens!” He clicked his tongue. “That lot's just a prettied-up version of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. I don't need them in this fantastic, homely little cafe.”
Salem would miss this also.
“Thank you for your well wishes.” He said with a smile.
As they said their final goodbyes, the two set out on their next journey.

It's-a-me! Chris Pratt! I've been thinking about that Mario movie trailer. We all knew he'd sound like that, let's not kid ourselves. But that Toad? I swear they broke one of the treaties of the geneva convention with that performance. I swear, everybody can do a half decent toad voice! Get one of the guys who play him in the games! Or Rachie! She can even do a song number!
So? Let's get down to it!

Skipping the formalities, I'm back! More later, but for now, it's a return to Madelaine's. Wondering if I should've given Skuld a scream. You know, that was one of the things Brownies actually did! One could say it was inaudible cause it was in a chat bubble, but it was one of the like...four things they would say in the pet tab. Ever the voice of reason in this dysfunctional family lol. Vanir probably would've helped anyway. but Skuld pushing him to act just sped up the process. In truth Vanir's lines about her body were kinda a meta joke about the whole situation, but saying that makes him sound like an actually bad guy. Like I said before, he's a bad guy, but he's not a bad guy. Though in all fairness, the more you learn about his story the worse he becomes, so he's kinda a bad guy. Though hey, though this might be word of god and all that, opinions are subjective! So make of it what you will, as you learn more, and decide! In other words, I'm shirking responsibility of my own words and actions.
This part, I really love. He has 0% interest in her body and she's 50% fine with that lol. It kinda sums up their dynamic in a few sentences, doesn't it? They get along well, those two.
On the other hand, I love the dynamic between these two also. Skuld kinda feels like an elder sister here, doesn't she? Trying to convince Reina not to put herself in mortal danger just so she doesn't give up her training. Vanir was right calling them training nuts. But also we get a deeper look into her coming to understand what's at stake and a little bit, perhaps her acting a little more like Virgil. When you compare how she reacted to seeing his arm in the early scenes in Innocent, it does feel like she's come a long way, doesn't it? Those aspects, and her understanding of the dangers that would arise should she take a gamble like that.
I suppose you could say this about the whole scene between these two, but it's one of my favourites in all of Innocent. A lot of it is the culmination of Reina's experiences from the start of the fall of Xenym to now. She looks back on how she felt before it happened, knowing her friends would someday leave to go on bigger, better adventures. That the days they spent together in Xenym would end, and she could only pray for their safe return. That's illuminated through Beatrice and Grant who stay in touch with her, through Vanir and Skuld who are her benefactors, and though different, Salem who fights alongside her. It's a major milestone for Reina because we see her looking back on herself and some of the aspects that made her who she is; many negative aspects of her personality that felt like miniscule things, or rather, do so now in the grand scheme of it all. It draws a fascinating parallel to who she was and who she's become, but also will become in the future. If you've read USSR, it might call into question the decisions she made later on, but I think that's one of the best parts about this scene.
That final line, I feel really...hits home. I dunno how else to put it because it's something I feel very strongly about, but also feel it's something understated. I really do believe there's a fine line between surviving and living. For a warrior like them, there's no shame in dying on the battlefield. It's often said throughout my series, but adventurers will risk their lives with every adventure they go on. Promising to return is easier said than done. Living especially, doubly so. That too, is a choice we actively have to make. That aspect may be a cornerstone of Reina's character, and by extension the class she plans to found.
All in all, I hope this scene moved you as much as it did me both when I wrote it, and even as I read it over now. A little bit, I feel I poured out my heart and soul for it, and I hope it delivered on that within the frame of the rhetorical triangle and the knowledge of Reina's story.

Alright, rhetoric time is over, now we're back to the regular spaghetti-spilling shenanigans this dork is known for. Reina being nervous is a character trait that will always remain. She's stalwart when it counts. Most of the other times, nah. You'll get used to it lol. Now at Club Abio, we get the return(...?) of Naomi! I really like her lines here. Her first paragraph implies that recovering corpses is something that the Club Abio sisters can do. Whether it is or not, I'll leave to your imagination, but death is a thing! There's no cats to cart you home lol. Though if Monhun had perma-death that'd be a predicament...you'd need multiple generations of hunters to pick up where the last left off. At that point, isn't it just Oreshika?! That'd be cool! Capcom this is free real estate here! Fund it!
Ahem...in all honesty, I love girls like her. My tastes...tend to vary though. So let's just say the type is within my strike zone, but! In spite of that! It isn't the reason she becomes a part of the crew. Though I said all that, after the whole Burger Priestess thing you already know what I would do if given the choice lol. My tastes aside, I wanted to keep her tendency to use nicknames here. Before she started addressing TJ by name, she called him Abellan, and Peorth is still Queenie in spite of them being friends. Heck, she might call her that because they're friends. That aside, we get a little banter between the three of them, and Reina with another binding promise lol. Also, I know Reina said she wasn't gung-ho about it, but she is. I mean, let's be honest here lol. She's all aboard that train but this is a character who hasn't been in the friend zone and doesn't want to run that risk.

Moving on, the two get to Lucia once more and negotiations pick up from the last time. Asking an info broker questions is a big no-no though! Unless it's in regards to whatever situation you're in...as for Lucia answering it, that's just...just her, really. She's taken a shine to the two of them and knowing her and her relationship with Vanir, she is supporting them in her own way. Now, there are two things that might not be immediately obvious about the situation!
The first: It's true that Dora needs the fusu husu venom. Symbolically the need for it and the point of it was in reference to the arc itself. One could say much of the two's story. In order to overcome the Dark Moon and it's forces, they would need someone who is of it. Act 2, is as you've likely guessed, Salem's arc in much more vivid detail. Since the two are pursuing his previous master, who better to fight him than his own student, no?
The second: It's probably a little more obvious since she mentions Elfa's desert, but she sent them out to get materials for themselves. And for...(I assume you read the rest already) Maya! Vanir had them get blue wolf fur which he'll use in conjunction with the Spriggan fur to make their coats. One could also consider it a test of their skills, given the dangers within the Mines. If they wound up mortally wounded and unable to take on Kazuo, chances are they're not ready to fight him and his entourage. It's a roundabout, abstract way of showing she cares lol.
Back to the discussion, we doo hear a bit about what Kazuo was up to. I can't say there are too many cases where we'll see who the 'interested parties' are. If they revealed themselves so easily, they'd be pretty shitty at their jobs, now wouldn't they? Still, it does raise the possibility for other threats. Not very likely powerful ones, but influential ones. They may be fanatics, but human trafficking might be out of their budgets lol. In truth, Kazuo himself likely wouldn't have much use for the captives himself since it was Truong who was continuing the Gene Manipulation Project. Mercs don't have a use for research papers, but coin speaks.
Hey! Is that lore in this story?! Wow! Jokes aside, we do hear a bit more about the artifacts and as Reina said, or rather monologued, they're relics of war. We've seen a couple of them in the main story, not the more destructive ones mind you, but they do exist. Then again, Pandora's Box contains the Sinners so if some curious sort decides to open that back up well...there goes like 5-10 years worth of effort. I ain't re-writing all that shit. We did see a couple more artifacts in the side story also. Most, I would say would be better for dueling, but things like Favosa's Prism could be a powerful item in the right hands. There likely could be items that were just destructive, but such things would likely be the antithesis to the Asgardian's goals, so having a limited scope for use and destructiveness would likely be ideal. That sort of power is typically limited to the God's Governors and to some degree, the Keruz. Given that, most can't use those items without being one of the two.
On the topic of the city states themselves, I wanted to draw a parallel between some real life facets and story things while also expanding on Jienda's lore. We get the knowledge of tomb raiding, learning that the city states were once at war also and the reason for it. Very much like real life, the only thing standing between Humans and the utter annihilation of themselves and their neighbours is knowing that they could destroy each other. Eons of war and strife led to this, the pinnacle of Humanity. It's underwhelming, really. Unlike the story, however, we don't have a third enemy to contest so our main issue is each other, still. However, Mother Nature does whatever she wants, so natural disasters are gonna happen and we're powerless to stop them lol. But we can sure as hell make them worse!
So we finally hear a bit more about the whole Dark Moon scenario, prior to all this beginning. The last time we heard anything remotely close was likely in the earlier arcs when we got a glimpse inside Moon of the Sixteenth Day. It feels strange to think about, seeing Lucia mentioning it here; that the other Havens are at risk. It's a stark reminder that all of this takes place before the fall of Hanamah and that despite their best efforts, they couldn't prevent it. But it does feel nice to expand upon things prior to that. It adds weight to it, seeing what the characters were doing prior and how they attempted to combat that scenario and the others. You'll learn more about the other Havens gradually through the novel, to some degree of course, but also how the characters responded to this growing threat.
Following that, it's the knowledge of the Warriors of the New Moon. Thus far, there are two that we know of, if you've read the main story. Here Lucia mentioned that some were a part of the Dark Moon but I feel like I didn't really follow up on that...maybe I could, but it'd be a bit tougher to do. The characters who are a part of that group have their ties to Owl Castle, so they wouldn't know the other side of the coin. Like I mentioned before, I'd need characters who lived that experience to talk about it.
Reina losing her cool is something I feel doesn't happen often and it does feel a little odd, but fitting at the same time. There are things she's passionate about and for her to be upset at that prospect is reasonable, especially given what she had been through and seen. Having Salem there to counterbalance her really helps build the relationship I feel, from a writer's perspective. Neither is particularly known for having a temper, so having those moments every now and again can be good for them. It makes them more rounded, whole characters.
Lucia's warning here is a very good point. The cities are one of the few places where the Agasura can't exert their control. It makes those that can bypass that all the more intimidating, but also in the greatest danger, as Humanity can exert its own by sheer number and territorial advantage. Outside of those places though, Humans have to contest with each other and the Agasura, so the stronger party will likely prevail. It's somewhat obvious, but it's a stark reminder of an understanding Reina needed to come to and likely will have to further cement in the future. That, and one TJ is still coming to grips with over the course of the novel.
As mentioned prior, Maya will be joining the party for this quest! It does feel like a bit of a waste not having her fight, but to some degree it makes sense. It's not that she can't, but doesn't need to. All else aside, if she was enlisted as a fighter and something happened well...who's responsibility is it, anyway? There's no insurance in La Tale!
That more or less wraps up the negotiations. There's a little nod to something from a long time ago in Lucia's dialogue, but nothing to write home about methinks.

Next! Reina on the balcony! I don't really do much with the attic throughout Innocent, do I? Let alone Hotaka to be honest...maybe in the good copy I'll remedy that somewhat. Nonetheless, a moment of introspection from the heroine, per usual. With the arrival of Salem, the two are back to their usual back-and-forth and we see her typical demeanour. That part about Madelaine's being home...oof. That hits close to home, pun not intended. After having written further into the story, I appreciate this excerpt a lot more, especially given how Salem responds.
Though not much is said, I feel like this scene, and I somewhat intended it to be, the hard confirmation that this arc would be heavily Salem-focused. It felt like just the right way to leave off with Reina's perspective and to start with his as we further explore his story and how the following events change him. It's gonna be his perspective for a good long while, but don't mind it too much. Heck, it might be better that way!

Speaking of, next scene! With the good copy I'd like to do more daily life stuff. There are a lot of events I could fit in between the main story...by that I mean Innocent's, to expand on the world and the lives of the Madelaine's crew. I lamented how years pass ins tory but there isn't much explored, so I'd like to remedy that. However, too much can be a bad thing. A lot of the time, nothing will happen. Nothing major, that is. If all of my snooping through social media taught me anything, it's that people don't have the attention span for slice-of-life scenes in a story with action. I realize I don't do much with Salem and Reina at work and I very well could, 'cause I'm rather intimately familiar with such experiences but! If people started calling it Cafe Namek or some other nonsensical thing I would freak. Balance is important, but striking that perfect balance is nigh impossible, even if it does advance the characters' growth, if it doesn't advance the plot, the hell never ends.
This scene could be considered one such event. It's short, but it gives you a better idea of what his life at the restaurant is like. I could potentially extend the scene, or keep it short and do another at a different time. Probably better that way, since days and weeks pass in the blink of an eye in this novel. Changing scenes is always a good opportunity to show the passage of time, so a series of vignettes of their lives in between the main story arcs would likely work best, rather than one long scene and then a brief(perhaps 1 or 2 month) timeskip to the next scene.
The next scene is within the same day, but it kinda gives you an idea of what I mean. It's not story important, but you can see the passage of time, what the characters are doing and get a better feel for them and their relationships. In this case, it's more Reina being lame, but that's part and parcel to how she is. Through Salem's perspective, we get an idea of how he feels about it, her, and we see things as they take place rather than prior to it when it comes to her. Feels different, no?
Getting your cast signed is a human thing lol. Never had to wear one myself because I'd never broken any bones, but man, you'd think I would've. There's something...I'd like to say nostalgic about it lol. Kinda like getting your classmates to sign your yearbook. Do people still do that? Am I dating myself with that statement? To some degree though, it's kinda like...a reminder of them, y'know? At the time it might seem like just a sentimental thing but many of those faces you won't likely see again as you move on to high school. Or College/university, but I don't think I did that in high school...in all fairness, didn't really grow up with those there but, y'know how it is. Life happens, and everyone goes their separate ways. It's just a series of partings sometimes, isn't it? But something we never quite grow used to.
I dunno what I'm getting sentimental for lol. In this case? There will be people that'll come and go, but they'll likely be regulars at the store. I might design a few for the good copy. There's a fair amount of characters in Innocent, not all recurring, mind, but having citizens of Elias would make it feel more lively, outside of the recurring cast. Having events like this, serves as a reminder for me. If I do the good copy and see this, I could likely do a scene introducing the kids who gave her that nickname.
Now, I know it doesn't make a whole lot of sense having people write stuff on her cast when she can't read any of it but! Well, there are characters who can. But that aside, it's more about the sentiment than the message. It's the idea they went to her, spoke to her, took the time to do that. Show they care, y'know? For her, it lets her know how much she means to the customers. For readers, it's a sign that she's made her mark in more ways than one, that she's growing and changing and changing her world. If you've read the main story, you know she won't always be here, but it is a place that housed her, that she had an impact on with people she affected. She's a part of its history, just as Salem is. Him writing on her cast is a part of theirs.

Next! Weeks pass and the main story continues! I suppose you can say that Vanir may have had a hand in Lucia's request lol. I'm glad it wasn't explicitly said in the novel; I feel like it's something I'd do. That aside, the moments where Skuld says something and Vanir doesn't elaborate are my favourite. Reminds me of the conversations between characters and Bane. Speaking of, we even get a mistranslation from him lol. I'm laughing now, but you should never do that for real, lest several troubles arise. I don't want it to be my fault. Between friends is OK though, 'cause who better to do it than someone you trust, amirite?! Messing with each other is the heart and soul of friendship. That just about sums up this entire dialogue lol. Salem kinda points that out, but it's more for him than for readers. More of a sign that he's learning about them and how they get along and making mental notes of it. There's some foreshadowing here but...well, y'know how it is lol. I won't specify though!

The following scene is less so lore and more so many and more game things carried over. The Warp items are as they are, but as mentioned in game the crystal needed to be recharged. It had a 30 day use period and to some degree the story has a similar mechanic for it. Think it was mentioned in the prologue. The potions and the potion cookies were a thing also. There were a variety of potions in LT and the design changed the more effective and higher the level the potions were. Having some on hand was a must. The capsules are as they are and I do believe the prices did increase like that. Though, despite the amount of zeroes it wasn't too much. If you were to think in terms of dollars, that sounds absurd, but the numbers just tend to go really high. It's like comparing dollars and yen, or pounds and kilograms. Same idea. It's still expensive though, warp travel! Speaking of, in game you could only buy up to Aoich from Elias. As Vanir said, that's how it was, and Atlantis was the same. It was honestly easier to hoof it to Atlantis from Elfa, and cheaper at that. Aoich to Elfa was a giant pain in the ass, though.
For the record, you couldn't teleport your friends when you used a capsule, let alone warp crystal. Count your blessings, FF14 players! But I did change that for the story because...well, astros aren't real. Also if everyone needed a goddamn warp crystal it would be a giant pain and I don't wanna have to write my way around that lol.

Anyway, that's all for this update!
It should've happened sooner but my cooling broke and needed to be replaced. It is done. For like 2 weeks I had to use my old college laptop and that thing is garbage. It doesn't have any memory left so just trying to open the blog caused my chrome to crash. I did do some writing, however. Wrote the side story after TJ's training arc. Immediately afterwards however, my Libre office stopped working and I thought I lost the document. Had to turn my computer on to transfer it before running the risk of my craptop corrupting every single file on my external hard drive. I was honestly afraid my computer woould burst into flames with how hot it was running. It'd constantly shut down too because it'd overheat. It was hell. But I salvaged it!

Also speaking of Oreshika, I dunno if I ever mentioned it but I never did finish it. My elder brother punched his way to(and the face of) Abe-no-Seimei with his ridiculous clan of pugilists but I couldn't do it. Used every trick in the book: techniques, secret arts, relic armour and weapons and even expensive gods. Nothing! I got to Kyoto and the demons brutalized my entire clan. Didn't even make it to the big bad. I'm still kinda salty about it tbh. But god, that was a damn good game. I might go back for revenge someday.

In other news, I started watching the new gundam. After watching some of the others with the boys it got me thinking about a lot of things. We watched some of the initial series but since they were from the 80s it made me think a lot about the expectations of viewers then compared to now, so as I watch Witch from Mercury, I keep that in mind. I like it, and I like the characters which fills me with dread. I often see the running joke that most of them are gonna die horribly and I know people who say that are right and I hate it. I know it's coming but...I'm not ready! At all! I hate it!
I might talk more about that later. Not the show itself of course, 'cause nobody needs my bad takes on it but about my own focus! Slightly unrelated but perhaps useful focus!

That said! Until next time! Whenever the heck that is! I'm still figuring things out.

In a matter of moments, the two had arrived in the City of Aoich. Very much unlike their last visit, the entirety of the city was blanketed in snow. As one would expect, both citizens and adventurers alike were dressed for the season. Some had their hands in their pockets or were intertwined with their significant other's. Some carried umbrellas and others brandished their weapons, ready for a new adventure.
“It's so peaceful here,” Reina said. “It's a shame we didn't come here again during the Spring. Though it's pretty lively now, the sight of the cherry blossoms in bloom was a real point of interest, huh?”
There were indeed many people that came to see them. It was a point of interest both to those who had lived in the city and those who did not, it seemed. Prior to his time at Madelaine's he would not likely have enjoyed such simple things, but now, the statement made him consider it.
“Perhaps we should consider visiting when the seasons change again.”
At this, his companion grinned.
“You mean like a proper vacation? Usually I'd be worried about being homesick but in that case, a nice Aoich getaway would be a great change of pace. Though I dunno what Vanir would do without us.”
She laughed at the prospect and he cracked a smile too.
“Indeed. I imagine he would be rather lonely without his second waitress.”
“Someday he'll admit it.”
It was rather unusual for him to be here. In a sense, Aoich was his home—his birthplace. Yet he did not know it like Reina knew Xenym. It was always there, in the background of Owl Castle. A city that loomed on the other side of the mountains. He could not help but look at it with a sense of longing—a desire to truly know of his heritage and what he had not over the years he had spent at Owl Castle.
As the two made their way through the main street Salem could not help but scowl at the sight of Dark Moon Castle.
What once served as a point of pride, of import in a quiet city now served as a blight on the land in his eyes. Now that he was no longer blinded to the truth of the actions of the Dark Moon he could see it for exactly what it was.
Reina let out a low grumble as she furrowed her brows.
“I dunno why but...being around here makes me feel...anxious? Maybe just wary...not sure but something feels off. There's something around here. It's really high up, but it has a sort of...sinister aura, I think. Like the presence of a strong Agasura,” she explained.
He blinked in disbelief for a moment.
Was it possible that she noticed something about the castle he could not?
“Could you point in the direction to where that sensation comes from?”
She nodded once and outstretched a hand, her finger aiming near the top of the castle.
“Though I cannot say for certain but...that may just be the location of the Dark Moon Princess' quarters. Nevertheless...that you sense a sinister aura...could it be that there is something at work that we are not aware of?”
She straightened her lips, nodding gravely.
“If what Hotaka told us is true, it must have something to do with the Agasura...with Agasura King Asmodeus.  Given that knowledge...it's something we have to stop, isn't it?”
“To run into the castle alone would be nothing short of suicide.”
“I know.” She huffed as she rubbed her arm.
“That aside, I imagine even if we were to get there, we would have to face off with Hayato.”
The mention of his name made her freeze up.
“Hotaka's description of him...I still remember it. To think there's someone out there that could be so brutal...I know sooner or later we're gonna have to fight him but...”
She held herself and shook her head. In those moments she looked small and frail, as she had following the period after the invasion.
“In truth, I'm scared. He's completely different from the others, isn't he? There's not a doubt in my mind he'll just kill us if he finds us.”
She clenched her fists and shook off her unease.
“Like you said though, that's where the Dark Moon Princess is, right? She was going to be sacrificed...to be Asmodeus' vessel. But if we're to try and put a stop to all of this, we have to face them both. I can only imagine what horrors he'll wreak upon the other Havens if he isn't stopped.”
Salem placed a hand to her shoulder.
“Let's take this journey one step at a time, Reina. Let us put our current objective first and work towards that next. If we are to lose ourselves in the thought that the greatest enemy is yet to come and underestimate that which waits before us, there is much and more we can lose.”
She nodded solemnly.
“You're right. Hayato might be intimidating now, but that just means we have to get stronger. Strong enough to take him on so that no one else has to—so that no one else needs to die.”
“The road ahead is long but let us work towards it. When the time is right, we will meet him on the battlefield.”
Reina's grip on his arm tightened as she continued to face forward, her face taut and determined.

It did not take the two long to get through the City of Aoich. As they continued ever closer to the Desert, the snow-covered landscape of Aoich faded into the distance and the barren earth that separated the two cities grew ever more dominant. After a few hours of walking, the whole landscape became an endless expanse of desert. The sights of Aoich once present, now but a memory over the dunes.
As Vanir had warned them, the heat of the desert was not to be underestimated. Though winter in the cities had brought about a biting cold, the desert was completely unaffected during the daytime. The sun's burning glare bore down on them and made it difficult to see and judge distance.
When night fell, the duo made camp and ate soup over a fire.
As Salem spooned some soup into his bowl, he looked to his companion who solemnly sat, the bowl resting in her hands, the soup untouched. The fire crackled and lit up her pensive features briefly every couple of moments.
“Is something the matter, Reina?” He asked.
In spite of his question, she did not respond, let alone react. A few moments passed, leaving him in bated breath before she raised her head to meet his gaze.
“Salem...do you...do you...fear me?” She asked, her voice choked and anxious.
She did not say much throughout the day, which was very much unlike her. He suspected that something was wrong, but he wrote it off as saving her stamina. The heat of the desert made it difficult to stay energetic, let alone hydrated. To his surprise and concern, those were not what bothered her.
“What brings about that question?” He asked, blinking.
“Realistically speaking, our persecution by Humanity isn't all that strange, is it? They're right to fear us. We're not like them—we'll never be like them. Humans give birth to other Humans and Cerebians are the same way. The same could be said for Agasura and beasts. We're different from each other. The same could be said for you and I.”
He knit his brows.
“I...I don't follow. It is true that you are a race separate from our own, but I see little difference between us. You look and act like a Human would, do you not? For what reason should you be persecuted given those circumstances?”
“That's just it!”
She forcefully placed her bowl down and some of the soup within spilled on to the sand.
“We look and act like Humans but we're not! We have wings! We're nothing but imposters! If the Agasura could do the same, does that mean they're not dangerous?! We have magic and weapons and artifacts and all sorts of things that bend the rules of logic. We know how they work. Only we do and that alone is reason enough for us to be feared.”
“I do see your point. However, would you go so far as to do such a thing? To take up arms against Humanity?”
“That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm reinforcing that fear with my actions.”
“But you do not do so unprovoked, correct? The Cerebians have been persecuted by the Dark Moon and as such, you retaliate.”
She clenched two fistfuls of sand before she continued.
“Sure we have, but not everyone knows this. If I fight back and other people join in, what would it look like from an outsider's perspective? It'd look like we're waging a war against Humanity. If they knew the truth, others would band together with the Dark Moon and turn on everyone. It'd all just devolve into needless bloodshed!”
He gritted his teeth at her statement.
Was she doubting herself now? Her cause? At what cost would surrender come at, and at what cost would continuing the fight?
“Do you feel that your cause is not just, then?”
“War is never just. There's never a good reason for it. Be it starting it or continuing it, we just carelessly throw away lives like it's a game of chess. Who pays the price, though? Not the leaders. Not the rich or the unwilling. Not those who decide it's someone else's battle. Just those devoted enough to fight. Those who aren't given a choice. Those who live to serve their king and country.”
Her lips trembled as she lowered her head.
“But I need to know, Salem. Do you fear me?”
He shook his head gently.
“I have no reason to, Reina.”
She raised her head as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Then let me give you one.
“The girl you see before you? This isn't all there is to me. After all, I'm a Cerebian too. When the time comes for us to wage war I'll change. The visage will disappear and I'll take on my true form. What that is, I dunno...but when it happens I won't look the least bit Human anymore. If we haven't scared Humanity off yet, I've no doubt that'll seal the deal. I've little doubt that you'll experience that bone-chilling fear, too.”
Salem pressed his lips together as he closed his eyes. He waited, silently for a few moments as his companion sobbed, not to think, but to reinforce his resolve.
In this time of doubt, of fear and impending danger he would need to be her shoulder to lean on. Her fears and doubts were not misplaced but as Lucia had told them, at times war may be the only way to bring a lasting peace.
For the Dark Moon to succeed in their quest would only mean disaster for all of Humanity further down the line. Perhaps he and Reina alone were not strong enough to sunder the Dark Moon and Owl Castle, but there were many Cerebians scattered across Jienda. To start this battle, whether the hostages are reclaimed through trade or through battle would without a doubt be the start of something greater. Like a chain reaction, the actions of the two would stoke the flames in the hearts of others and set them on a path to preventing the destruction of the world they all held dear.
He got up, took a few steps over to her and took her cheeks in his hands. With his thumbs he wiped the tears away as he prepared to speak.
“Listen to me, Reina. In the entirety of my life, there has been nothing I feared. Not captivity, not danger, not even death itself. But in the past few years there is one fear that has developed. That is, to see you come to harm. I care not for your outer appearance, what you are or what you aren't. All that matters to me is that you are who you are. Be it the somewhat clumsy waitress that Skuld and Vanir and many others are fond of or the gallant swordswoman who stands on many a battlefield, that is what I know and appreciate. Perhaps you may grow and some facets of your persona will along with you, but at your core I know many of those traits will remain.
“The you that dreams of a brighter future for your people and for Humanity...the you that would throw herself into one battlefield after another...the you that would stand at the front lines, risking life and limb for her convictions...those need not change. You need not doubt yourself after you've come so far. If you feel your path is not just, believe it to be so! You have taught me that justice is in the eye of the beholder. At no point should someone who actively seeks peace be wrong in their convictions. If you must take up a sword and fight for it, so be it! After all, it has been a way of life since time immemorial.
“Alas, I digress.”
He removed his hands from her cheeks and embraced her.
“Shed no more tears for the doubts in your heart. Save them for the future. Save them for the people you love and who love you and that you will fight, tooth and nail to see again. I assure you, I will stand by you every step of the way and even after that. My opinion of you will not be shattered no matter what you may become.”
She let her fists come to a rest and instead rested her head against his chest, her hands tightly clenching on to the back of his coat.
“Thanks...Salem,” she said.
“You're welcome, Reina.”
She sniffled quietly and knit her brows.
“Don't tell Vanir about this, okay? I don't want him to make fun of me.”
The ex-shinobi chuckled under his breath as he closed his eyes again.
“I will not tell a soul.”
Her lips curled into a small smile.
“Let's...let's stay like this just a little longer. It's nice and warm.”
He smiled mischievously in turn.
“This, coming from the girl who 'eats the tundra winds for breakfast'?”
“T-that was a long time ago! Being in Elias made me soft!”
“Yes, yes.”
The night passed quietly with the two sitting next to each other by the fire.

By the third day the two were feeling rather exhausted by the desert heat but pressed on without hesitation.
“...I just finished serving a customer and when I went into the kitchen, Vanir totally scared the daylights out of me! Then I dropped the teacup and it shattered and he flipped out on me.” At those words, Reina pouted.
Though it was just the two and they had been walking for days in the desert heat, Reina still remained as talkative and animated as she would during their time at Madelaine’s. In spite of Salem’s ever-reserved nature, she still engaged with him. Hearing her voice made the days feel much shorter than he could imagine.
“How dreadful. It does seem to be more his fault than yours, however.” Salem remarked, a light chuckle hidden in his words.
“Right?! He’s sneaky! Took it out of my paycheck too…”
She crossed her arms and pursed her lips.
“I’m glad you two are getting along.”
She wrinkled her nose.
“The two of us will never get along! He’s catty and mean.”
At her retort he could no longer hide his laughter. Though it was unlike him, he burst out and covered his mouth as he tried to stifle it somewhat.
“There was an adage that aptly describes your scenario. I believe it was to ‘fight like a cat and dog’?”
She groaned lightly, eyebrows knit.
The fact that she did not debate the matter and instead made that expression meant that she agreed, she just did not wish to openly admit to it.
“Do you miss him?”
She nearly jumped at the question.
“Miss him? No way! I miss Madelaine’s and the customers and Skuld but not him.”
At this, Salem grinned.
The barista was part of the experience. Though the two fought more often than not, it was their means of getting along. At times, he envied it somewhat.
Though unsure of when, sometime during his stay in Elias, he began to read magazines to better understand the culture surrounding the city and its people. More than anything else, he wanted to appear normal to Reina. He did not quite know or understand what that normal he sought to achieve was, but he wanted her to see him as her companion Salem, not the shinobi of Owl Castle Salem. Though she did not know that about him, his mannerisms reflected that life. To some degree, it could be attributed to his growing up in Aoich, as the mannerisms were vastly different from many of the other cultures in the other cities. Thankfully for this, she did not seem to suspect him too much—or at least, she kept an air about her that made it seem so.
What concerned him now, was that the truth would soon come to light. Whether Master Kazuo would recognize him as a member of Owl Castle or not, he did not know. Very rarely would they see each other out of their uniforms. As a Warrior of the New Moon, it was possible he was more aware of him than his superiors, thus, he could only hope that it would not be the case. Regardless, whether Master Kazuo revealed the truth to Reina or not, he would ensure that she came to know it. She deserved that much and much better from him.
For the time being, he would hold that secret and his tongue so that Reina could face forward without unnecessary doubts clouding her thoughts. That and he wished to enjoy these precious moments together. When all was said and done, he would need to work towards regaining her trust and compassion. That is, if there was even a chance she would forgive him.
“You know, Reina,” he began.
“Hm? What’s up?”
“When I was passing through the Free Market the other day, I had seen a very interesting sweater. When I saw it, I felt it was something you would like.”
“Oh?” Her demeanour seemed to brighten at his words. “Tell me about it!”
“Well…it was pink and big enough for two people…”
Though she walked beside him, her expression seemed to freeze up as the gears in her head turned. Suddenly, her face flushed and she let out a startled gasp.
“Y-you’re not saying y-you…and I…”
She pressed her fingers together nervously.
“I mean…we’re already sharing that scarf but…if you wanted to be closer than…”
This made him chuckle.
“In truth, I don’t think it is the type of sweater meant for people like us to wear. Our relationship is rather amicable, if I do say so myself.”
At her words, she raised a brow and tilted her head quizzically.
“Rather, it might be more befitting of you and Vanir, according to the shopkeeper. The words, ‘this is our getting along sweater’ were sewn into it, after all.”
She pursed her lips as she crossed her arms.
“Two would get in it, only one would come out.”
This gave him a start.
“A gauntlet?!”
“Fight of the century! I’d bet people would flock to Madelaine’s to see it!”
“It would be rather impressive if things escalated to such a degree.”
“I think it’s a good idea.”
She grinned and he smiled in turn.

On the fourth day the two had begun to pass by the pyramids and with it came Agasura. Massive birds that stood as tall as an average human called axe beaks and small, cactus-like creatures that were about calf-high.
The axe beaks were similar to vultures in the way that their necks and heads were not feathered and that they craned their necks. They were flightless birds, however. Due to their massive size accompanied by the shape and size of their deadly yellow/crimson beaks, they had acquired their name and the fear that accompanied it. Their aggressive attitude only exacerbated this.
Shotaro were cactus creatures that donned a cowboy hat, belt and a water gun within a holster. Unlike the axe beaks, they had no legs thus only allowing for them to hit the legs of passing adventurers.
During their travels the duo had come across a few of them, making short work of them. Reina easily cut down the axe beaks, having improved substantially by overcoming the Agasura of the mines. Salem had taken down a few Shotaro and collected water from them.
Though Vanir had given them more than enough, he believed it would be crucial to not underestimate the journey.
That night, the two decided to roast the meat over the fire.
“It’s been too long since we didn’t have to eat something out of a can!” Reina chimed as she held her hands to the fire.
“Be careful not to get too close, lest you burn your hands.” Salem added as he skewered a piece of meat and stuck it over the fire.
“You worry too much,” she snickered.
Perhaps that was the case, but he found it better to be safe than sorry.
“How much longer do you think until we get there, Salem?”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a couple of moments.
“I would say one to two days at best. We've been travelling at a good pace. In most cases, it would take two or more weeks to traverse the distance between cities. However, in those cases one would assume that travellers would be moving with a caravan. This takes into account the time that one would spend stopping to feed mounts, allow families to rest and prepare for the next leg of the journey.”
“Mm...okay.”
He blinked slowly before he turned to her, her stoic expression illuminated by the fire.
“You seem pensive. Is something worrying you?”
She pressed her lips together and lowered her head, seemingly in thought for a moment. Following this, she turned to meet his gaze.
“I know it's a little late to have doubts. I won't say that we can't...I want to believe we can. But...do you feel that we can do this? If there's even a chance that we could make it through this successfully, that's more than enough for me.”
She had good reason to be concerned. Fighting Hotaka alone and coming out of the battle successfully, albeit with some wounds was plenty fortunate to say the least. To take on a veritable onslaught of people would likely be nothing short of a suicide mission in and of itself. The easy solution would be for Salem to go in alone and attempt to assassinate Master Kazuo himself. However, how could he get the upper hand on a master of the trade? To add insult to injury, he did not have most of his tools. Only those he had brought back from the mission at Xenym.
All things considered, it was highly likely that Vanir had planned for this. To have such expectations was nothing short of praying for a miracle but...in a world where the duo had few allies save for the brokers, the other Confidants, Cerebians like Beatrice and Grant alongside Yggdrasil and finally, Vanir and Skuld, what options did they have? Vanir once called in a favour from Revolution. Though they described it as such, it seemed that the barista held some sway among the guilds from differing regions. Was it possible that he had suspected they would need aid and had prepared some ahead of time? He always seemed to work behind the shadows despite his negative disposition towards everyone that was not Skuld.
“I believe we can. We may be outnumbered, but you have my back and until the very end, I will have yours. Know this and let your courage and belief in me banish your fears and doubts.”
She smiled as a quiet chuckle escaped her lips.
“You can say the cheesiest things with a straight face sometimes. But I think...I love that about you. Your words never have hesitation in them and that confidence is reassuring. Thanks.”
He raised his brows momentarily but let them come to a rest as he closed his eyes.
“I'll take that as a compliment, then.”
At this, she grinned.
“You're such a sweety.”
He opened an eye and grinned at her in turn.
“You flatter me, Reina.”
“I wouldn't lie to you, Salem.”
She licked her lips as she turned her head back to the meat on the fire.
“Think the turkey is ready?”
“Some are, yes.”
He reached out and took one of the skewers before handing it over to her.
“Be careful, there's a very good chance that you could burn yourself if you bite into it now.”
“My mind says no but my body is telling me yes.”
He blinked slowly at this.
“I don’t recommend listening to your stomach in this case. It’s wont to mislead you.”
In spite of his warnings, she bit into it and immediately reeled away with a quiet whimper.
“H-hot!”
She let her tongue loll as she fanned it with her hand. Salem took the skewer from the other hand so she could use both and gently blew on the part she had bitten into.
“Perhaps next time you’ll consider taking my advice?”
She put her tongue away and grimaced.
“You win this time, mother nature.”
“That makes two victories, Reina.”
Before long the two were enjoying their meal and water from a canteen they shared.
For the first few days, Reina had protested against it—that and the idea of the two sleeping in the same tent. The former she had resigned herself to by the third day and the latter the first. Salem had remarked that though unwilling, they had shared a room during their first mission and given the circumstances, carrying a second tent would be too much for the two amidst everything else. She seemed to have a hard time getting to sleep that night.
“Salem, you need to try Skuld’s snow bunny cookies! Not only are they super cute, they’re super tasty to boot!” Reina remarked as she shook her fists excitedly. “She shapes them into little bunnies and bakes them with a bit of powdered ginger and cinnamon and once they’re done baking she spreads frosting to give them colour and sweetness. For the eye she adds a drop of strawberry jelly! I could eat them all day.”
This made him smile.
“I’m sure they’re delicious but you know my disposition towards sweets.”
She pursed her lips.
“You need to develop a sweet tooth. You dunno what you’re missing out on.”
He closed his eyes as a light chuckle escaped his lips.
“Oh no, I’m well aware. You always seem ecstatic when you’re the first to taste Skuld’s new creations.”
He rested his chin on his hand as his elbow rested on his raised knee.
“Just that much is all the pleasure I need.”
She looked startled at this revelation.
“How many times have you seen things like that?”
He mulled it over for a moment as he reminisced on the occasions he glimpsed his companion eating with delight.
“Well…there were the cookies, the red velvet Christmas cake, double mint tea, egg nog blend…”
She covered her face in shame as she groaned.
“T-that’s like everything over the past few months! Oh no…it…it’s not like that, okay?!”
“You need not worry,” Salem laughed, “Skuld’s creations could make Vanir docile on his most rampant days.”
“That’s a terrible analogy! Were you the only one? You were, right?”
“Perhaps?”
She let out a frustrated groan and he smiled.
He was not the only one, but the occasional customer that was present loved her responses as much as he did. So much so, part of what made Skuld’s recipes sell so well were Reina’s delight in eating them. However, he would not tell her that.

The following morning Salem heard the sound of footsteps in the sand. They were a fair distance away, however, they were rapidly approaching. As they came nearer, their frequency slowed to a crawl as the sound they made diminished. Judging by the number of steps he had heard, he reasoned that there was at least two, likely three pairs. That they would not try to warn the residents of the tent ahead of their arrival, it likely meant that their intentions were ill. Tomb raiders, most likely, if not bandits.
Prior to their coming closer, the slight rustle of Reina’s sleeping bag meant that she was likely aware of the sound and would be ready to act should they engage.
Salem had previously warned her that such an occurrence was possible. Likely, even. In most cases, bandits and highwaymen would strike at caravans. However, to do this successfully they would often need an organized group or even a posse to strike down any opposition while others loot. In the case of Reina and Salem, however, they were lone travellers with no guard to speak of, let alone other people to aid them in their cause. A prime target for a duo or trio of bandits.
In case anyone attempted such a thing, Salem warned his companion and taught her how they could turn the tables of the engagement in their favour while seemingly giving their target the initiative. He had picked up a certain tactic from Hotaka and would utilize it here.
The sound of the tent’s zipper being pulled down slowly brought Salem’s attention to the fore. With every part of it that it passed over he counted the seconds, listening for any further movement, for the breaths they took and ascertained the disposition of each member of the gang. Moments later he could hear the zipper reach its bottom and the sounds of footsteps entering the tent. It was only one pair; another person held the cloth open while the first made his way towards the bags and weapons resting between the two.
As the sound of rustling clothes gave away the fact the first bandit was reaching down for their items, Salem’s eyes flickered open and he kicked off the ground, hitting the bandit in the chin with his feet before flipping over and preparing to get out of his sleeping bag.
While Salem made the first strike, Reina leapt to her feet and unzipped her own bag while she picked up her katana. As the bandit staggered backwards from Salem’s kick, she lunged forward with one hand to her weapon’s hilt and the other to the scabbard. With one leg between both of her assailant’s and her face moments away from colliding with his, she drew her weapon and thrust the hilt into his stomach all in one swift motion.
“They’re adventurers,” The bandit in the far back of three snarled.
As the trespassing bandit doubled over gripping his stomach, Reina raised a leg and kicked his chest, flinging both him and his companion directly behind him backwards. The third bandit was fortunate enough to notice Reina’s approach and step out of the way of her second attack but his fortune was short-lived.
Immediately after kicking the bandit, Reina crouched down in a swordsman’s stance while Salem bolted towards and over her. His feet hit the sand and he skidded towards the final bandit before leaping through the air to perform a 540 kick. His body twisted through the air before collapsing into the sand. The moment his arm hit the ground and he lost the grip of his dagger, Reina bolted forward and cut his weapon hand’s wrist. He screamed in agony as he gripped the bloody wound.
“Snap out of it and get off of me you bloody clown!” One of the three bandits roared, pushing his unconscious companion aside.
Immediately after doing so, Reina’s shoe fell on his chest, delivering a cruel axe kick that winded him. Salem leapt from their previous location and plunged a kunai into the bandit’s hand, piercing the flesh and cracking the bone. While the two screamed in agony, Salem grabbed the first one wounded and dragged him over to his compatriots. Meanwhile, Reina entered the tent and returned with rope. Without a moment’s hesitation the two tied the three together and confiscated their weapons.
Upon completing their tasks, the two stood above their assailants, looking more menacing than those who chose to attack in the first place.
Salem’s steely gaze was much more intense than it typically would be. He grit his teeth, clicked his tongue and furrowed his brows.
It was unlike him to make such expressions. In truth, the whole thing was just a façade to make him look and seem much more menacing than he actually was. Interrogation never was his strong suit—Owl Castle had a team that specialized in such things. This, in case of enemy shinobi, general spies or confidants for enemies of the Dark Moon who had been taken specifically because of what they knew. However, Salem had very rarely, if ever met the interrogators. Rather, the persona he had chosen to utilize here was based on Vanir’s. Despite the barista’s inclination to be cordial, he was more often than not, fierce. This did not deter Salem because he knew him too well, but under the right circumstances, it could prove intimidating. A show of strength combined with such a disposition could potentially make people talk.
“You’ve got guts, thinking you could rob us blind like that,” Salem snarled.
He crouched down so the two conscious bandits could look him square in the eyes.
“Yeah? What’s it to you?” Reina’s target asked.
He was not the leader of the trio. That person would not give themselves away so easily, let alone be taken to speaking out first. Nor would they be careless enough to lead a raid, sending themselves in first. In most cases, their members were expendable additions that would split the loot. If they did not walk away, there would be more for the survivors.
Salem spat in his face and took a couple steps over towards the final bandit who wore a stern but annoyed expression.
“Who sent you?” He asked.
For the first few moments, he did not receive a response. In turn, Salem waited silently, his gaze more pressing than any words could be.
“Sent us? Nobody sent us. We’re bandits, you dimwit! You think some rich politician’s gonna send us out to rob some poor sucker like you blind?” He asked in turn.
“You’ve got gall, calling us suckers,” Reina snorted. “The only sucker here is the loser and his gang who thought they could rob us. You should consider yourself fortunate your heads aren’t adorning the dunes of the desert.”
She doubled over, her hands to her waist and an impish grin on her face.
It seemed she too had taken a page from Vanir’s book. Or perhaps those violent mystery novels she had taken a liking to. Either way, Salem found it a refreshing and a rather attractive change of pace.
“So? You got us. We ain’t gonna be robbing anyone with bloody wounds like these and ropes tyin’ us together. Out with it, then. You gonna make mince meat out of us or you just wanna bask in your glory?”
There was no point in interrogating them. They were not hired swords by Kazuo, so the possibility they may be coming for him seemed to be uncompromised still. Nonetheless, it would be prudent to keep their guard up in case there were others hidden in the shadows or the cities that had caught word and would strike them down. Having an informant returning to Elfa increased the possibility of this substantially, but Lucia and her sisters were professionals. The chances that they would be so careless as to be tailed was slim at best, if not outright unlikely.
“There’s no worth in killing you. We won’t however, let you go free so easily. I would recommend reconsidering your life of thievery. There are more like us in this world. Living your life honestly would do you more good than harm. Do not let the easy path seem like the only path you can walk,” Salem explained.
Moments afterwards he turned away clapped Reina on the shoulder.
“We’re going.”
Without wasting another moment, the two took their things, packed their tent and left the bandits in the desert.
Ideally, the two would turn the group in to Elfa’s authorities, however they did not have the means to bring the group along in a timely manner. Reina did not wish to kill anyone either and Salem had promised to respect that wish. One would think that to leave them tied together in a desert would be doing just that, however, the looks were as deceiving as the action. Though they were tied, it was not done with the intent that they could not escape. If the three worked in conjunction they could wriggle free given time. With one of them knocked unconscious by Reina’s blade, however, they would be stuck underneath the sun until he comes to. Also, since the duo had claimed their weapons, the bandits would have no choice but to return to Elfa if they wished to buy new weapons. Even with them they would be unable to utilize them until their wounds recover.

On the seventh day, the two continued onward and Reina seemed to be feeling rather worn down from all the travelling. She was sweating profusely and breathing heavily as she staggered forward. She held on to Salem’s arm and he made sure that she did not lose her way or fall over as they pressed on.
“Hey, Salem…” She uttered.
“Yes?” He asked.
“How do you deal with this heat? I think I’m gonna pass out…”
“I suppose the easiest answer would be that due to having grown up in Aoich, I’ve adapted to the weather there and to some extent that of the Desert’s. I’m sure you’re well aware but Aoich’s seasons are much warmer than that of Elias and its respective surrounding area.” He explained before smiling slightly. “It was not until I had come to the Snowfields that I had seen snow for the first time.”
She chuckled dryly at his reminiscing.
“I’m still in your debt for having rescued me there…but what were you doing—huh? Think I’m starting to hallucinate…I’m not seeing an oasis but I’m seeing a city and a lot of water.”
“You’re not hallucinating. That is indeed, the city of Elfa.”
Over the horizon the two glimpsed upon the location that was known as the jewel of the Desert, the city of Elfa. Though a fair distance away, the towering buildings and the domes shining beneath the sun were unmistakable. The wafting scent of the ocean tickled their noses and invited them to take refuge at the first major destination in their long journey.
“Thank the gods we made it.” Reina uttered, weakly leaning into her companion.
He smiled at her as he helped her carry on.
“Yes, we did. You’ve done well holding on, Reina. Let’s have a nice celebratory drink once we arrive.”

Before long the duo had arrived in the city of Elfa. The sprawling buildings and the colours that adorned them really gave credit to the city’s nickname. From the shimmering domes of the buildings above to the adorned buildings and stalls below, the world around truly was vibrant. Though the outfits of the citizens were rather subdued, many of them wore a variety of bright colours on their tunics, shemaghs and often times a variety of jewellery. These ranged from bangles, anklets, earrings and rings, even to sesheds. Elfa was, after all, known for its jewellers and their crafts, many bringing or searching for crude minerals to have them appraised and crafted. The sound of music in the bustling streets accompanied by the chatter of people, both adventurer, trader and citizen alike made the place feel as lively as it was.
“Wow! Elfa’s really lively, huh? I could hear some of the sounds from before we got here but when you’re actually there, it’s a real party, isn’t it?” Reina asked, smiling from ear-to-ear.
She seemed to really come to enjoy exciting places over the years. She had once described it as being able to take in the world around her wholly. Perhaps he did not understand the depth of the statement but he had a good idea of it. Seeing her so happy was what truly mattered to him, though.
“Yes. Both the daytime and nightlife of Elfa are second to none. There’s plenty to see and do in the city during these periods.” Salem explained, smiling back at his companion.
There was no shortage of truth to that statement. He was well aware of the city, as information brokers could be found through the day and much easier located at night. For this occasion, however, he had looked through a magazine. He learned about some popular places for food, for entertainment, lodging and unwinding. Considering the places they could visit was thrilling to him.
Reina seemed to swallow the statement with some trepidation.
“I…I know we shouldn’t goof off but…do you think there’s time? To…you know, hang out a bit?”
Salem grinned slightly at her rather tepid questions.
“I would think so, yes. Lucia did say that Maya would be in Ramalda for a time on business, so I’m sure we could take our time and enjoy the city.”
She clenched a fist as her entire demeanour seemed to brighten at his words.
“Yay! Let’s paint the town red!”
Though that was what she had said, their first stop was indeed to get the celebratory drink that Salem had promised. Given that, he could not help but feel that she was both an upholder of promises to her and those she had promised to others. His respect for her had increased that day.
The two had stopped in a popular restaurant in the city. Luckily for them, it was a two-story building with both an inside, patio and lower section. The latter being directly beneath the building and between the pillars of it but allowing for customers to enjoy the city from the shade of the building. The two were fortunate enough to get a seat on the patio.
A short walk away from where they were, a trio of women captivated an audience with their song and dance. The leader among them, standing front-and-center had most eyes focused on her as her enchanting voice rang out amidst the din of the city. The dancers who accompanied her stepped and swayed in tandem. The sound of their bangles rattling as they did so chimed in tune with the sound of a quintet of musicians who played for them.
Reina’s head bobbed in turn with the music as she listened intently. Salem looked through the menu at both meals and drinks available to them.
“We’ve been walking for some time, Reina. Would you like to eat a meal before we move on?” He asked, looking up from the menu.
“I will if you do,” she answered.
“I could get by with what we have on us currently. If you wish to take the time to eat, you needn’t concern yourself over me.” He smiled placidly. “I’m sure you’d love to try some of Elfa’s delicacies.”
“Delicacies…hearing that from you makes it sound both fancy and delicious. But more than eating, I want to see the city with you. I can’t say how much time we have until Maya arrives, so if there’s time to do some snooping and play, I think we could have the best of both worlds.”
It seemed that she was thinking of him too. She knew that he liked to be prepared before setting out on tasks. Be it hunting Agasura or collecting flora, he was always keen on the details.
“I’m glad we can see eye to eye on these matters,” he chuckled.
“But!” She added as she raised a finger in a theatrical way. “I’ll still take you up on that drink.”
“As you wish.”
Salem explained the list of drinks available to them and on more than one occasion, Reina smiled wryly in a vain attempt to hide her curiosity at that which was offered.
“We might need to visit here again. For…research purposes, of course.”
“I’m sure we’ll have many opportunities in the future, Reina.”
When one of the servers returned to take their order, the swordswoman ordered the banana-pineapple blend while the shinobi ordered a plum breeze. It did not take long before they returned with their orders. The shape of the glasses were surprisingly gorgeous and the drinks came with straws and slices of fruit on the rims.
Reina gently felt the base of the glass before sliding her finger to the rim and around it solemnly. She smiled as she took the straw between her fingers and sipped on the beverage within. Salem watched solemnly as she swallowed and broke away from the straw, smiling with delight.
Seeing her joyful expression in that time and place made him see once more how beautiful she truly was.
“Haa! I’m revived,” she chimed.
“You over-exaggerate.” Salem chuckled as he too, took a drink.
“That’s what you think. Drinking water only for a week is all fine and dandy but getting a taste of fresh juice from Elfa is like rain after a drought.”
“I suppose due to all the choices we have at Madelaine’s, not having that variety really is quite the change, no?”
His companion crossed her arms, furrowed her brows and nodded.
“That’s right! I think all of Skuld and Vanir’s cooking turned me into a gastronome.”
Her expression let up somewhat revealing a defeated look.
“I’m really gonna have to cut back on this adventure. Between all those tasty things being made in the kitchen and being Skuld’s guinea pig, I think I’ve gained a bit of weight.”
“Do you think so?” Salem asked as he tilted his head. “I think you’re perfect just the way you are, Reina. You need not rush to change.”
She lowered her head and began to blow bubbles into her drink.
“D-don’t say things like that! You’ll enable me. I don’t have a magical metabolism like you do!”
“No magic is necessary. I simply follow a very strict regimen.”
She pursed her lips.
“Are you sure you don’t sneak in a few extra reps after I’ve gone to bed or when you’re on break? We follow the same regimen.”
He found her baseless but harmless accusations humorous.
“Who could say…?”
She let out a low grumble.
“Well you’re not gonna be escaping me anytime in the near future, so I’m gonna be watching you like a hawk!”
His slight smile extended into a grin.
“You need not worry, Reina. I’ll always be close enough for you to hear my voice.”
Her frown let up somewhat as her cheeks flushed a shade of pink.
“I’ll…I’ll hold you to that, okay?”

After the two had finished their drinks they set out once more. Salem suggested that they drop by the inn to reserve a room and then explore the city. The likelihood that it would be much more difficult to find a place to stay once night fell was high. This would also determine where they would stay and the quality of it.
“It’s best that we strike while the iron’s hot, huh?” Reina asked.
“That’s right. There are many and more inns but we mustn’t underestimate the importance of resting well.” Salem answered with a sagely nod.
“You can say that again. Sleeping in caravans and on the sands has left me feeling stiff all over. Every night we’re away from home, I realize how much I appreciate my bed.”
He laughed gently at this.
“I understand that all too well. Nonetheless, though it may not be your bed, we’ll find you a comfortable bed to sleep on tonight.”
She grinned at this suggestion.
“I couldn’t ask for more.”
The two continued walking down the street, soon entering the heart of Elfa’s bazaar. It was a dynamic place filled to bursting with stalls selling everything one could imagine, people both hawking and haggling and adventurers passing through. A myriad of voices rang out around them, some inviting people to see their wares and others hoping to get more people to visit their shops. In some places adventurers were huddled together, discussing the plans for their adventures and others who sought to recruit new members to their guild.
Reina held tightly to Salem’s arm as he attempted to navigate the crowd. Her head often moved in the direction of voices that caught her interest. Some offered all sorts of necessities for an adventure and others for surviving in Elfa and its surrounding area.
“Hey you, nomads! The fellow from Aoich and his cute girlfriend! Aren’t you interested in this fantastic jewellery?! This necklace would look amazing on your girlfriend!”
“Ah…no I…I have all the jewellery I need and…”
Before Reina could finish another salesman vied for their attention.
“You, nomads! Have you tried Elfa’s freshest bananas?! You won’t find a better banana in the whole of the desert, I promise you that! Buy one, buy a bunch! Buy them all, you won’t regret it!”
“No thank you,” Salem replied.
The two continued on, the young swordswoman bumping into more passerby than she would have liked.
“Mnngh…this crowd is out of control. I know I shouldn’t be surprised but…colour me surprised.” She remarked as she furrowed her brows.
“Why don’t you come a little closer? If you’re by my side, just slightly behind me you should be able to avoid most collisions.”
She exhaled with a serious expression.
“Are you sure? Are you absolutely positive? I’ll take you up on that, you know.”
He smiled.
“Feel free.”
She hesitated for a moment, bumped into another person and seemingly steeled her resolve. Without another moment to waste, she muttered, ‘excuse me’ as she nestled against him and continued on.
“Y-you know, having things like this happen so often reminds me of this book I used to read.” She began with a nervous laugh. “It was about a street rat who, after a successful heist would bump into thugs. You know, the type that would say things like, ‘Watch where you’re goin’ kid!’ and other things like that.”
She did her best impression of a common thug at that statement. It was not quite convincing but it was certainly an improvement from her Vanir impressions. She also sounded a lot less shaken when she started talking.
“What do you think the odds are we’d run into guys like that?!”
Salem blinked at this.
She seemed positively ecstatic at the possibility.
“Rather slim, I should hope,” he chuckled.
She seemed to be mulling the statement over.
“Yeah…that’d probably be bad, huh? I mean, in the books if you beat up a thug you could probably get away with it. I think they might throw us out of the city if we got caught. Or worse.”
She had quite the vivid imagination. Nonetheless, he was glad to hear her acting like herself again.

Y'know, I've been thinking a lot about the last event in GBF, Falsetto in the Autumn Gray. They really put the 'kuzu' into Kuzure, didn't they? I have particularly strong, mixed feelings about him and a very certain set of lines. Who wrote that event? I'd like to have a nice, friendly chat with them.
So? Let's get down to it!

Wow, an update? From me? Incredible! God it feels like it's been so long since I wrote anything I can't spell for the life of me. Anyway, yes! I've returned! Wow! Alright that's enough sarcasm lol. I have some down time, so here I am. But more later, it's story time.
As the capsule suggested, we get the two in Aoich again after quite some time. Temporarily, of course! Still, the way they talk here, you'd think the two are already dating. Holiday getaways with your not-quite-significant-other. Surreal. I'm glad that Reina getting homesick is consistent throughout the story, though. She's always been a bit of a homebody, so suddenly travelling for long expanses of time would be rather new to her, and quite different from her previous lifestyle. It makes an interesting contrast when we hear Salem's thoughts in the following paragraphs, doesn't it? But that contrast is something rather consistent throughout the first few acts, from what we've seen thus far. I think a gradual shift as they become closer is good for the story, because it becomes less, "this is how I am"(as in the characters) and "this is how we are". They're a duo, but the time for readers to understand their individual traits would have passed and it'll be for them to see how they grow together, both in combat and out of it. It's a little like USSR, without the...ending.
Moving on! There's quite a bit to unpack in this update, hoo boy...so Salem's feelings about the Dark Moon. I wonder if it should be a point of pride for him. When I hear that I can't help but think about the 'for king and country' notion, which to some degree would be fitting. But for them, it'd be more king than country...? Maybe? Unless there was a propaganda push in Owl Castle, but I can't really imagine it. Then again, considering the Asgardians are called Winged devils, maybe it's more fitting than I realize. It's just...I feel like it should be something he does out of...a sense of duty, perhaps? Or rather more like a lifestyle. Almost like how we do our regular duties and rituals, just something you do, y'know?
Moving on! To some degree, though I feel it's a plot point I didn't explore enough, I wanted Reina to have good senses for unusual things. Or at the very least, be more sensitive when it comes to mana. I mentioned in the Sanc threads, but Dancers and by extension the Godwins have magical capability. It's just Reina sucked at dancing and didn't study to be a Wizard, so she never honed her skills. In this case though, it's more innate talent. You'll see this concept again in another form, but she has a good nose for this stuff. If you've read Sanc or played the game, you kknow exactly what's up there lol.
I do confess, I really like their talk about Hayato. By no stretch of the imagination is he anything more than human. He's just really strong lol. I feel like having that moment puts their adventure into perspective and let's us get a better look at the characters. Reina hasn't completely overcome her trauma, but you can see the vestiges of growing courage. A part of it she finds in her purpose, in ensuring that others don't need to die at his hands. Speaking of, that reminds me! I wrote a side-story! The one about her and Alessa after TJ's lessons are done! I said I would and I did. It's kinda bad, but not the worst thing I'd written lol. In all fairness, it was for practice but at the same time...what irks me about it still does. The reason for that segway is 'cause she mentioned a similar notion in it lol. Consistency in characterization is good and important! I'm mainly saying that for future me lol.

It's onwards to the Desert! I think about this part a lot, really. This whole thing I do. As far as the two go, for the first time in a long time it felt like there was some strain in their relationship. I think back to the stuff early on and I realize it was rough, but if looked at with the wisdom I'd gained along the way I can definitely improve it. This part, I'm a little less sure about...a part of it, I think, were my own feelings. I talked about how I didn't want it to bleed into my work, but...then...? I know when I wrote it I was still a college student so...given all that happened then, it wouldn't surprise me if I found myself hard-pressed to recall the events that led to this discussion. I don't mean to make this about me, really. It's just that unlike the earlier stuff, I feel hard-pressed to see where and how I could improve the scene. I feel like anything I come up with now wouldn't hit the same emotional notes that what I have currently does. That might change in the future, but despite the years something about this feels like...it's hard to add to.
Still, let me at least talk about it in terms of the story itself. If nothing else, I could add a little bit more to their travel to establish Salem noticing she was acting different prior to night falling. That aside, I think this scene is important because it's Reina looking at the other side of the coin. Really breaking down what it is she's doing and what the ramifications of their actions could be. For all intents and purposes, she's not wrong, don't you think? The Cerebians aren't human, and though they might look the part they have things that make them inhuman. Those differences, albeit slight ones, are enough to cause friction and prejudice. We as humans struggle to live with our own species because of the differences between us. Be they physical, mental or ideological. Even if we were to encounter intelligent life out there, even if it mirrored us in multiple ways, our first instinct would likely be to wage war, as we always have.
Continuing on with my original thought, in this case we see their roles somewhat reversed. Reina sees the anomalous nature of the Cerebians while Salem sees the humanity in them. Earlier on, their insight on this was somewhat reversed, but their feelings were based in their experiences, and in this case they are also. Reina got a taste of war and Salem had a taste of peace. When the scales fall from their eyes, it asks the question what do they see? What should they? In a game with no one truth, who could say whether they're right or wrong to follow either path?
One of the fascinating things about this scene is that there's a substantial amount of foreshadowing. Reina's talks about those who fight, the fear of those who bear witness to anomalies and that of the nature of the Cerebians. The last one is something hinted at in the main story, but it's very much something that will happen. She's well aware of it. The interesting thing about it is that those circumstances will only come to fruition when the Cerebians wage war. In this case, it'd be as a collective rather than separately. The implication is there that it's something they exist to do, that it's for that sole purpose. The idea of being a tool of war is a concept oft explored when it comes to those who served the Dark Moon/Owl Castle, so having these two looking at it through this lens brings the symbolism around and shines a light on the other side. Now, it raises the question: who wished for them to be? The forerunners? Amae? God Ah?
To be honest, I don't have much to say about Salem's monologue. That, I feel certain was well done. For now(TM). Much of it speaks for itself, if not all of it. I know I mentioned it before, but that gap he mentions, you can find it in real people too! I'm sure any rational person would say, "Why're you conflating character traits with real personality traits?" but they're one and the saaaaaaaaaame! It sounds and feels surreal but it's very much real and at times rather...jarring? In all fairness, character traits have their origins in that very thing. Many of the things we think of are based on our experiences with people. I feel like I'm trying to justify this to no one in particular. Is it me? Am I the one that doesn't believe it? ...You know, I don't think I do. It's kinda ridiculous, isn't it?
To close out that scene, we get a nice moment between this couple pair of friends. Need Vanir here to say something like, "just kiss already!" or something like that. It does put a smile on my face that she's worried about him teasing her about it. They have this heated debate about the human nature and that of war and this is how it wraps up lol. What a contrast.

Next scene! Still traversing the desert. We get a little bit more about the daily life at Madelaine's. In truth, I'd need a second opinion on this lol. Vanir being a dick is kinda his whole thing. Part of it. I describe him as an asshole with a heart of gold, for lack of a better...phrase. I feel like a part of what I originally was going for were some of the traits of the magnificent bastard, things he'd have learned from Bruce way back when. Somewhere along the way he took a wrong turn and gained more bastard traits than magnificent ones, hence, we got the Vanir we have today lol. Lost my train of thought for a sec. What I was getting at is, when you read something like this, what do you think of him? The whole thing seems petty in terms of the story, but if he was real he'd be rightfully hated. I think Reina's dialogue with Salem kinda lightens the whole thing, which is good, but I might be looking at it from the perspective of a writer.
We do get a little inner monologue from Salem, and after that the usual banter between these dorks.

Day 4! Let's hear it for day 4! As I read the opening paragraphs the gears in my head started turning as I tried to remember whether LT even has vultures. I think they might exist...in my work. So! I didn't mess it up! Hell yeah! Technically I did but apples and oranges. Remember how I talked about misc items? I sure do. Since I did, I'm gonna skip the explanation on those. So! Shotaro, yeah? They had waterskins as a misc item. Given that's the case! They didn't need to drink shotaro water to hydrate themselves lol. But the implication is there and I have no intent to change it. The axe beaks though, were not so fortunate. They became a meal, which I didn't exactly specify.
Moving on to Reina's question, I confess it's probably a given, huh? That she'd ask something like that. It does feel somewhat standard, but I don't think it's a bad thing. Better to do what people would expect than not to out of fear of it, methinks. It fits her character, and to skip over that would be a detriment to her growth. I suppose you could fit in an event that might give her reason to have doubts, but it'd have to be something pretty substantial and the ramifications of it would be also. However, one must also ask should something of the sort happen, would it interrupt the flow of the act? It'd be like hitting the climax before the rising action. Since we're nearing only the halfway point of the story, for that to happen before the end of the act, or at least, the act's climax would be bad form!
In this case? It just results in banter. But! There's a hard confirmation of Reina's feelings on the matter which is good and important! 'Cause a lot of the time, nothing is clear!
For the record, axe beaks are not turkey. As for that line, it reminds me of that song with the line, "my body, my body is telling me yessssss" or something like that. Might've been a cheeky reference to that, knowing past me. I can't remember past me well, but that stuck out lol. Anyway, chalk another one up for mother nature.
...I'm gonna be honest, I don't even know what to say lol. At this point, it just sounds like these two are flirting. Most of what they're doing can probably be considered flirting. Why are my characters like this? It's a rhetorical question but I still feel the need to ask it lol. There are some interesting tidbits in the discussion, though! Salem's analogy holds more water than Reina knows. That, and despite Vanir being against it, Reina got caught snacking on the job lol. Also quick FYI, those cookies are not real and for all intents and purposes I can't recommend trying to replicate them. You've heard about my cooking endeavours! I made this up! If you wanna poison yourself and your family, that's a you problem, dear reader.

Next, something actually happens! Bandit attack. To some degree, I think I could do a scene of him teaching her about such an event, but in this case I think it might actually be a bad idea. I say it often, that you should have a scene only with a purpose. Having such a scene could easily imply something of the sort will happen, or there'd be no reason for the scene. One could say it'd further Reina's growth as a fighter somewhat, but that time could easily be spent on something else. In this case, the element of surprise is good.
It's a short battle, but it was somewhat tough to write. The existence of the 540 kick means I did some research lol. As for Reina, you can tell Salem taught her because she doesn't use a lot of unarmed combat in her style. Since Salem taught her though...maybe she should? I could imagine Vanir being the type to use anything he could to his advantage, despite being taught by a Paladin. Salem's just incorporates acrobatics into his fighting, so kicks are part and parcel to the rest.
Salem brutalizing that one guy isn't exactly necessary, tbh, but he's a little more merciless than Reina. I think they mention it later, but yeah the reason they cut them was to disable them.
A scene like this is good because it establishes something of a threat outside of what you'd expect. It isn't Agasura again, but Humans! Salem suspects they might be sent by Kazuo, but gets hard confirmation they weren't. Having things follow his perspective allows me to elaborate on that while keeping Reina in the dark about what he's thinking.
With their arrival in Elfa, we almost, almost get a moment where Salem would have to choose to spill the beans. Saved by the bell, I suppose lol.

I put a lot of effort into the description of Elfa here. There's more as the story continues, but unlike when TJ and co. visited in Frequency and Sanctuary, I wanted to really portray the city and what it could be like. I really enjoy that Salem often finds himself reading magazines and studying up on venues and attractions for the sake of Reina. Even without trying to, he's steadily becoming the person he wants to be and for him, I think that's good character growth.
That building they went to is the same restaurant TJ and co. went in during the Avaritia arc. It's Elfa's Traveller's Bar, and the character in it...Rashid I think? He was in the game and maybe in the main story too. He's not here though.
Those drinks? I made them up. I'd like to say I picked the fruits for symbolic reasons but...past me is missing in action so I don't have hard confirmation for you. Considering the amount of effort I put into the rest of the scene though, I think I did! Considering the symbolism of them, I probably did..
Still, I enjoy this scene. It feels a little bit like they're already on vacation. Hanging out and having a nice chat over drinks. Reina's worries feel really small in comparison to those she had during their journey, and that contrast I feel really helps paint their relationship. Those brief moments in between the dark times really help lighten the mood of the story. It makes the important moments that much more impactful. It's old and obvious things you've likely heard, but a refresher never hurts. Maybe not me, but if it does you, c'est la vie!

...I put too much effort into this Vanessa. I designed an outfit and everything! And she never appears again! I mean, neither does Sakura but...actually I think I skimped on her design, but still! What the hell was I doing when I wrote this entire set of scenes? It's...it's almost kinda impressive! Past me was on something.
I confess, I do like the bed joke. It was a cheeky little nod to the events of Frequency, but the real kicker here is that she's not entirely averse to sharing one...and the implications that it presents. I did mention this before, but...yeah, that's part of her character lol. Salem won't always be...like that lol. His scenario is different from TJ's, but he's much more forward. If the Christmas thing was any indication, yeah you know what I mean.
Considering it was like 36k ely for a capsule, I'm wondering if staying at the Oasis is too affordable...

With that said, end of the update!
Do I have anything to report?! Not...really. It's been a lot of nothing, recently. I go to work, I earn my keep, I come home to die a horrible death and resurrect the following morning to do it all again. Life! In a nutshell! I've done a little bit of writing in that time, though. Did the side story, a few more scenes for PT and a bit in Sanc and Inno. Not much of any, though. It never feels like much though. Such is life. Also I need to make more time for FF14...I've been deprived for so, so long.
That said, more soon? Maybe! Except the holidays are coming so I expect nothing, promise nothing...uhh...yeah, that's it. Goodbye!

The two made their way up two flights of stairs and a short distance down the hallway.
“This should be the one.” Salem said, arriving at a door with their key’s number.
“I can’t say why but I’m both nervous and excited.” Reina said with a hand to her mouth.
As he unlocked the door, her companion offered her a puzzled glance.
“Why is that? You’re not unfamiliar to an inn.”
“That’s true but…last time we stayed in Aoich. This is a whole new experience, isn’t it?”
This question made him smile.
“I suppose so. Your optimism makes it all the more so.”
“I can be this optimistic because you’re with me, you know.”
She lowered her head as her cheeks flushed slightly.
“That and I can find my way around.”
He chuckled as he opened the door and allowed her to enter first. She took a deep breath, exhaled happily and stepped out of her shoes. With one hand to the wall she made her way into the hotel room.
“Warn me if I’m gonna bump into something, okay? Especially a tea table!”
She held a grudge against that particular table. He had mentioned once that there was a running joke about angry fathers ‘flipping the tea table’. She had joked that if they stayed in Aoich again, she would like to try it at least once. If not that, then they should buy one for Madelaine’s for her to slake her thirst for vengeance.
After warning her that she was going to bump into a vanity table, she wandered away from it to the other wall and continued her mission.
“Incoming bed, Reina,” Salem said.
“Bed, you say?”
She stopped in her tracks and leaped from the spot, landing on the bed with a soft sound.
“Wow! These are as soft as Vanir said they were!”
As she rolled around happily on one of the two, Salem picked up their bags and brought them inside. He could not help but smile at seeing her enjoy herself so much.
“So, what should our first stop be, Salem? I guess you’ll have to be my tour guide around here!”
She laid on her stomach, placing her elbows to the bed and her hands to her chin.
“There’s a nice restaurant nearby that will be offering dinner and a lovely vocal performance. I was thinking we could attend and have our meal there.” He suggested, opening a brochure of Elfa’s sights and events.
“That sounds nice! Do you have any plans for afterwards? Or would you rather come back to the hotel and relax?”
“Of the choices available to us, I would highly recommend the ocean ferry cruise. It is fairly short, only about an hour and a half. By then the sun will have long set and we could return here to discuss our plans for tomorrow.”
There were a variety of experiences that Elfa offered but there were very few that Reina could truly experience with her disability. These two could be enjoyed without sight, offering a banquet for the ears and an experience for the body.
“You’ve got it all planned out, huh?” She laughed as she smiled. “I should ask you to take me touring again.”
He smiled back at her as he folded the brochure.
“If you wish it, I will oblige.”
She arose from her bed and outstretched a hand for Salem to take.
“Shall we then?”
He took her hand in his own and nodded calmly.
“With pleasure.”

After exiting their hotel room, the two made their way down a series of streets and side streets through the city. Unlike the market, it was not as bustling or anywhere near as crowded. They did pass a citizen or two frequently and infrequently glimpsed an adventurer and their parties. Perhaps due to the market’s offerings, everyone wanted to be there. The stalls and the wares they hawked atop the noise of the crowd and the ability to haggle with the shopkeepers made it a tantalizing location both for merchant and adventurer alike. Those adventurers and nomads just passing through would need to pass through if they wanted to get from Elfa’s entrance to Orca Beach as quickly as possible.
Where the duo arrived now was a much more settled area. There were still shops and plenty of homes but it was a place that you would more likely go to with a specific destination in mind. Popular sit-down restaurants, specialty stores, jewellers and appraisers and the like could be found on this side of the city. Traveller’s bars, potion shops and armour or weapon shops would be in the more common areas.
It truly was fascinating to Salem, the differences between each city. Aoich had more or less been split into two districts, the housing and market districts. Elias was bigger than both cities, boasting a larger residential area, the market, the Old District and even the Free Market. It was the ideal place for adventurers to hawk their wares, if not the only place. Perhaps it was because it was much easier to get a temporary permit there that they had such a fondness for it?
“Salem, do you think this place will have Elfa-style specialties? I’d love to give one or two of them a try,” Reina suggested.
The two walked arm-in-arm through the streets towards their next destination.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind on the matter. I have thoroughly read through on some of the most recommended restaurants in Elfa and am positive that this one is the ideal place to visit. Even the reviews of it praised the quality and taste of the food.”
She raised a brow at his statement.
“You were really prepared for this trip, huh? Leaving aside the requirements and planning for our mission, you even looked into the food and entertainment. But you’ve never been picky about what we ate at home.”
She smiled slightly at the thought.
“The only time that you showed any particular signs of being choosy was when I suggested something from your hometown. You were insistent on finding the perfect ingredients to make the meal.”
This made his cheeks flush ever so slightly. He cleared his throat quietly to hide his embarrassment.
“T-that is…as you know, first impressions are rather important, no? The flavours of my home at times can be very subtle. The time that some ingredients spend fermenting, the amount of salt, the location and time of year they are gathered…all of these small details change so much about the flavour. To have the opportunity to give you your first taste of my home was one that I would dare not waste. Should you become familiar with it and perhaps come to enjoy it, I would gladly show you all that I know how to prepare.”
Cooking never was never his specialty, however, at times one needed to know how to prepare a meal. Not all missions would be quickly completed. That matter aside, no matter the age or build of a shinobi or kunoichi, they all had to mind what they ate so as to maintain their strength. Finger foods would be ideal for missions that could be resolved quickly but some could take days, weeks even, all building up to a single moment. That single moment could determine the success of the mission. A slip of the hand, a missed attack or even an untimely movement could put the target and their potential guard on high alert. Such a thing was never worth the risk.
In this case though…that blissful smile his companion wore when she tasted his cooking for the first time was that moment. The painstaking hours he spent searching for ingredients, preparing them and adjusting the flavour to appeal to his family at Madelaine’s was his mission. In place of returning to Owl Castle to hear his superiors say, ‘the mission was a success. You may return,’ he heard the gratitude of everyone in their own words. Among them, Reina’s ‘this is delicious Salem!’
Those words had engraved themselves upon his conscious memory. He would never forget them.
Reina’s agape mouth and raised brow only conveyed some of her surprise.
“I didn’t know you took your cooking so seriously Salem! Well I mean…I guess I kinda did but…your devotion to it is the real deal! You must really love your home.”
“My home…?”
The words gave him pause for but a moment. When it passed, he closed his eyes and smiled.
“Yes. I really and truly do.”

Before long, the two had arrived at their destination. It was a fancy-looking restaurant on the corner of an intersection. It had a crimson striped canopy above the front window offering shade to passerby and visitors who would likely wait in line. Above it in large text was a sign that read ‘Jewel of the Desert’. The same text could be found on the window in italics and cursive. Within onlookers could catch a glimpse of some of the people dining and the stage where the musicians would perform.
“We’ve arrived, Reina.” Salem told her as he approached the double doors.
He took the handle and opened it before offering that she enter first.
“Don’t mind if I do,” she chimed.
Following after her, the two came across a young man wearing a waiter’s outfit.
He had bronzed skin, shoulder-length black hair slicked back and placid, brown eyes. He wore a white dress shirt, grey waist apron, black dress pants and matching shoes.
“Table for two?” He asked as he gazed at the two.
“Please,” Salem answered.
He nodded once, glanced into the floor of the restaurant and gestured for them to follow him.
“Right this way, please.”
The two followed him to a booth near the middle of the restaurant just a short distance away form the stage. Once the two had taken a seat he returned to his post. As for Salem, he could not help but look around.
The restaurant was somewhat dimly lit, the light of the evening sun illuminating much of the building. The floors were made of wood and a variety of candelabra-style chandeliers hung from above. There were a series of booths along the walls with comfortable black cushion seats. In the inner sections of the floor, wooden tables accompanied by chairs and decorated with flannel table cloths.
A waitress had appeared shortly after and placed two menus on the table in front of the two.
“I’ll come back to check on you guys in a bit.” She said as she turned on the ball of her heel.
Salem did not get a good look at her but he did glimpse a similar outfit as her co-workers and the brown ponytail. He turned his eyes to his menu and cracked it open to skim over the options and convey them to his companion.
There were a variety of dishes that Salem may have seen or heard of before. It was hard to choose between them—very rarely did he seek out any dishes save for those that were quick to prepare and eat should the need have arisen, such as ta’meya, aish baladi or hawashy if he needed something a little on the heavier side.
After looking over things for a time, he decided to make some suggestions to Reina, options such as: mesakaa, colocasia soup, baba ghanoush, shakshouka, Fattah, torly, mahshi, besarah and sayadeya.
At the description of the final meal, Reina perked up.
“That’s it, that’s the one!” She said with a confident exhale.
Salem blinked and smiled.
“There’s not a hint of hesitation in you, is there? What made this option peak your interest?” He asked.
If he was to hazard a guess, she always seemed to have a distinct love for seafood or even simply fish-based dishes.
“I umm…” She pressed her fingers together as her cheeks flushed. “I’ve just got a soft spot for fish, I guess.”
She placed her hands in her lap as she smiled wryly.
“I…I can’t help it! I mean, for some people if they ate enough of one thing they’d sooner get sick of it than grow fond of it but…for me it’s the opposite! Most of our meals in Xenym consisted of fish since…you know, there’s not a whole lot of game in the tundra. But out here? There’s so many fish I haven’t tried yet! Even if the fish is the same the way they prepare it and the spices they use always bring something new to the table every time! Ahh…the deep calls…”
She happily placed her hands to her cheeks and Salem could not help but chuckle.
“I take it you’re in for the sayadeya then? You’re real passionate about your taste buds, huh?” The waitress asked as she picked up the menus.
She was an average sized girl, around the same height as Reina. She had long brown hair, a light skin tone and soft amber eyes.
“Eh? Oh…well…n-no…I mean…maybe…”
She flushed red right up to her ears and seemed to want to bury her face in her hands. It was at times like these Salem would need to lend her his aid.
“I would like to order the mahshi.” He said calmly as he returned the menu to the waitress.
“One order of sayadeya and one mahshi…got it. Any drinks for you two?”
Salem looked to Reina who still seemed to be recovering. He turned back to the waitress and smiled placidly.
“Just water is fine, thank you.”
“Sure thing.”
Without further ado, she vanished from their vision and the two were alone once more.
As a pair of musicians with their instruments came along and took the stage, Reina finally sighed and knit her brows.
“H-how embarrassing…Salem, if I ever go on a tangent like that, I want you to stop me, okay? Doesn’t matter how you do it. Just be like, ‘Reina, shut up!’ or something like that, okay? Don’t hold back.”
He tilted his head quizzically at her suggestion.
“I don’t particularly see a need for it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I rather enjoy it. You always seem so happy when you talk about such recollections. You seem to have a very distinct fondness for your memories of home and I find your reminiscing charming.”
At this, she actually buried her face in her arms as she let out a long, muffled groan.
“But it’s embarrassing.”
Before long, their meals arrived and the two enjoyed them in comfortable silence. The look of delight on Reina’s face as she tried sayadeya for the first time was all that Salem needed. Her smile, flushed cheeks and delighted sighs were a panacea for the heart after a long journey.
Shortly after the two started their meal the musicians began to play. One of the two played a zither and the other a mandolin. A man and woman accompanied each other both in presence and song, performing a magnificent harmony. The male zither player had a rich timbre that often began verses, inviting his companion to provide backup vocals with her delicate tones. However, this was not always the case. In some songs, the two would swap positions, one leading the other and the two entering a duet at certain intervals.
Between songs, on occasion the two might strike up a brief conversation with the crowd or talk amongst themselves but loud enough for everyone to enjoy the banter.
“You know,” the zither player began, “we made this song when we visited our hometown.”
“We both grew up and met in Belos. We go way back!” The mandolin player added.
“There wasn’t much then and that hasn’t changed but…I think that’s just what we love about it, you know. The little that might’ve been there was special. It holds a lot of great memories.”
“If you’ve never been to Belos, I highly recommend it. It’s a lovely little town with plenty of greenery, wide valleys and meadows as far as the eye can see. Some call it the town of beginnings.”
“It’s where we began too.”
“Oh, get out!”
The two laughed before they put on their usual thoughtful, almost melancholic expressions. Looks they wore when they sang and played, an image conveyed through the music also.
“This song is called Old Haunts,” the zither player said.
As the two began their next song, Salem looked to his companion who had her chin resting in both hands, a serene expression on her face.
Seeing her so composed brought him peace of mind also. Though she may not have shown it, she often did spend a lot of time thinking about their upcoming mission. Some nights she hardly slept, tossing and turning or waking with a fright, only to reassure him that it was nothing more than a bad dream. He hoped that after the day’s events that she might find some tranquility to face what was to come with her mind unclouded.

“It will be fine, Reina. I can assure you of that,” Salem said.
“A-are you sure? Completely? I mean, what if the boat capsizes? We’re going down with it! I…I can’t swim!” Reina uttered as she was guided along by Salem.
With one hand in his and the other to her lips, she followed closely behind him as they made their way across the docks.
At the far end of them there was a boat with a banner upon it that invited people to take a ride on the premier ferry. There were a whole host of people that crossed the gangway and entered the ship’s superstructure or opted out for a spot somewhere on the deck. On the docks, one of the ferry’s crew members collected tickets while another assisted the elderly or disabled on board.
Salem looked to the trembling Reina who clung to his arm as if her life were in danger. He brushed a few strands of hair aside from his eyes as a gentle salty wind blew in from the ocean.
“You don’t seem too fond of the idea of getting on a boat,” he remarked. “If you don’t mind me asking, is there a reason? If you have a trauma regarding it, we can return the tickets. There’s no need to force yourself.”
She knit her brows at his suggestion.
“It’s nothing like that. I’m just a scaredy-cat is all…”
She pursed her lips as she muttered those words and Salem stifled a chuckle.
“So, I take it you’ve never ridden a boat before?”
“Not a one.”
He gave her hand a gentle, thoughtful squeeze.
“Trust me, Reina, there’s nothing to fear. The seas are calm and this ferry has seen many passengers to safety. In the nigh impossible chance that something should happen, know that I will see to it that you are safe. You have my word.”
Her expression seemed to let up, giving way to her resignation.
“There’s nothing that scares you, is there? Have you been on a boat before, Salem?”
“There have been a few occasions where I have. I confess, it was nothing like the vessel before us—small fishing boats and such. Cherry Lake is, after all, within Aoich’s territory. Merchants and civilians alike often take a ferry across the lake so as to avoid the kobolds and cherry ghosts that roam the fortress.”
“G-g-ghosts?!”
She nearly leapt on the spot at the mention of them.
It was careless of him to forget that she had a distinct fear of all things occult. She loved fairy tales and the like but ghost stories, let alone mention of them were enough to give her an out-of-body experience. That, or to faint. Vanir took advantage of this weakness, especially during Halloween. He called the time of year his ‘license to scare’.
It was for this very reason that Salem chose the Ocean Ferry Cruise over the Haunted Ship Ride. How haunted the latter was, he could not say for certain but he had little if any doubts that there would be Agasura, if the stories were any indication.
“T-they’re not actually real, right? The cherry ghosts?”
They were very much real. So much so that on multiple occasions, adventurers were asked to hunt them down and bring back the kimono fabric they left behind as proof. However, he would not tell her that.
“Of course not,” he said confidently.
“Yeah…Agasura are one thing but ghosts aren’t real.
“After that scare, getting on a boat doesn’t seem as scary.”
He smiled.
“You can do it if you try.
“Though I cannot help but wonder: you often mentioned that there was no shortage of fishermen in your village. Were you not ever curious about what it would be like to ride on a boat?”
For the first time in what felt like a long time, she laughed.
“Of course not! I was a book girl, silly. All the excitement and adventure I could ever want was within two covers. Amazing battles at sea with sharks and other dangerous underwater creatures, battles in the sky and wars fought on land…every journey I could possibly have wished for I could find in Xenym’s library. It was like having hundreds of worlds at your fingertips.
“But even so…I guess there are some things that you can’t find in books.”
“What could that be?”
She lowered her head slightly as her cheeks flushed a gentle pink.
“Well y’know…getting out and experiencing things is great and all too but…because I’m here now, in this moment I…I can make this journey with you. I wouldn’t trade all the books in the world for this.”
He did not expect nor prepare himself for that declaration and it left him flustered.
“Um…tickets?” The ticket inspector asked.
The expression on his face said that he was just as embarrassed as the two in front of him and it made things several times stranger for them.

It was not long before all the passengers were boarded and the ship set off. There were many and more voices chattering away happily among others as the crew let people know what to do in case of emergency and shared other various details.
Though Reina had seemed to gain some sense of clarity prior, the act of being out at sea had made her jittery once again.
“There’s nothing to fear, Reina.” Salem said. “Come, you can enjoy the breeze much better by the railings.”
“W-what if I fall off?” She asked, her brows knit.
“You won’t. You’d need to grow at least another foot or two to even have a chance at such an impossibility,” he chuckled.
“You won’t let me go, right?”
He blinked slowly, taking in the words and the meaning separately.
To think that it had a double-meaning was likely overstepping a boundary but something about those words spoke to him. Perhaps her fear was not only founded in a new experience but in that fact that he was her eyes to the world around her. In a myriad of voices shrouded in darkness, he served as the one that she could entrust herself to. Out here on the ocean off the coast of Elfa…far away from home and on a mission that could take away what little she had left, it was just her and him.
“Salem?”
“I…am here.”
He gently placed a hand to her head and she instinctively frowned.
“Of course you are…I’ve still got my arm wrapped around yours!”
She grinned sheepishly and he smiled slightly back.
He had to do all that he could to quell those fears within her. He had to be the one to give her reason to believe that she would return home. After all, he was the only one that could.
The two walked to one of the railings of the ship and Reina slowly reached out with her free hand to take it. Upon touching it, she gently wrapped her fingers around it before removing her arm from around Salem’s and brushing her bangs aside. He stepped behind her and gently draped his arms around her neck.
“It’s so windy and a little chilly but…it feels great!” She said, smiling and laughing.
“Yes it is, isn’t it? The salty scent of the ocean tickles my nose.”
She removed her hand from her hairline and reached out to the sky as if trying to take hold of the moon and cradle it in her arms.
“Do you think someday we’ll be able to reach the moon too, Salem?”
He closed his eyes as he smiled.
“If you reach out as far as you can, perhaps you could pluck it from amidst the stars.”
“H-hey! I was being serious!”
She huffed indignantly and he chuckled.
“What does it look like out here? Is it different from back home?”
“Hmm…” he began. “I suppose one could say that it is much clearer. The stars are much more visible and plentiful. There is not a cloud in the sky and the crescent moon is shining down upon us. Nevertheless, we stand under the same sky though we are far away from home.
“I cannot help but think, however, that there is a beauty to the cities also. The many lights that signal that there are people like fireflies, burning their brightest almost as if to say…‘I am alive. I am here’.”
“You might not admit it but you’re a romantic, aren’t you?” Reina asked as she tilted her head up to grin at him.
“Me? Oh no…not at all.”
She placed a hand to his as her head returned to its usual position, almost as if she was looking out at the waves themselves.
“I kinda understand that feeling. All the things we’ve been through makes me realize how precious life is and how it could vanish all but in the blink of an eye. I realize how lucky I am to be out here and to have these opportunities. Things could have been way different for me if you’d never come into my life.”
She gripped his hand firmly but with a sense of delicacy almost unique to her. The action alone conveyed all the words she could not say.
“That chance encounter gave me a second chance…another lease on my life. As if destiny called to me, I’ve walked this path and you’ve walked it with me. I’ll never know the things you faced but…you face all of my fears with me, even now. You risk your life for me and always stay by me. You’re always cool as a cucumber too…even when I’m a nervous wreck.”
She smiled awkwardly. He could only see the corner of her lips but he could tell.
“I know I don’t say it enough…or maybe I say it too much but I’m just really and truly thankful for everything you’ve done. If it weren’t for you, even if I had escaped the fall of Xenym, I may have just resigned myself to my fate and abandoned all hope. But just as you’ve ignited a spark of hope in me, I want to do that for others. There are so many of us fighting out there to save and to survive and I don’t want to stand by and do nothing! Our next mission is my chance to make a difference. Even if I don’t come back from this mission, so long as others do, that hope lives on, I won’t have any regrets.”
Her hand was trembling. He placed a hand atop hers and she chuckled mirthlessly.
“Reina…” he whispered.
“Saw right through me, huh? I guess I would have some regret. I did promise Naomi I’d come home. Back then I also came to understand how important it is to live…and to come back to those who are waiting for you. With all that I am, if I can, I want to do that. I want to believe that I really and truly can do it all.”
“You need not do any of it alone, Reina. We’ll go together, fight together and return together. Put your faith in me and I will see to it that it is not misplaced.”
Her lips curled into a wide grin as she leaned into him.
“I wouldn’t be on this boat if I couldn’t put my faith in you! I want you to do the same for me, okay? I won’t let anybody kill you either, so let’s promise to both come home safely.
He smiled back at her as he closed his eyes.
“My life is yours.”
“And mine, yours.”

The duo had returned to their inn room and Reina immediately threw herself on to her bed with a satisfied sigh. Salem made his way past her bed and took a seat on the other adjacent to it. He looked over to his companion who stretched like a cat under the sun and let out a pleased groan.
“Reina, may I ask you a question?” He asked.
She placed her hands to her chin and her elbows to the bed as she knit her brows.
“I’d tell you there’s no need to be so formal but if I did, it’d be weird that way, huh?” She chuckled. “That’s just you 24/7. Ask away!”
He nodded firmly.
“It has been some time since we last discussed it but…you had once told me that the Cerebians duty was to protect Humanity…that it was a duty placed upon you with the power your god had bestowed. Is it that god’s will that you were to take up this duty?”
She listened intently and solemnly for a few moments after he finished before letting out a quiet ‘hmm’. At this, she sat up and placed her hands in her lap.
“That’s a good question. To be completely honest, not even I know for sure. The most logical and obvious answer would be that it was something our ancestors likely decided upon. I mean, with the power we had we could easily take over Jienda, let alone all of Midgard. Especially those that are masters of the arts. It’s scary to think about sometimes but…even just two or three masters could turn over a kingdom if they really wanted to. I don’t think anyone would have wanted that, though. To kill and be killed is a terrifying thing, isn’t it? Humanity has waged war against the Agasura and itself since time immemorial. What happened with the Dark Moon recently is proof of that fact, though I can’t say that’s their fault—the Agasura have a hand in that and the people of Aoich have suffered for it.
“Still, in spite of all that, it isn’t what I truly believe. I’ve always felt that much of our cultures, regardless of where we hail from have their basis in stories, be they written or oral. Like parables, those stories and the fairy tales I so dearly love likely originate from events that happened in the past. As they were passed down from one generation to the next, they may have diminished, been embellished or delegated to nothing but rumour and hearsay. Somewhere along the way, they may have even become fantasy and parables that parents would tell their children.”
He clenched the bed sheets, enraptured by the story she shared with him.
Such a thing was hard to imagine for him, considering the world he had come from. It was so substantially different—mystical, even. However, given the truth that was imparted upon them by Hotaka and what he had witnessed during the fall of Xenym, his suspension of disbelief had already been pushed beyond its limits. What he did not know, he could likely glean from what Reina did.
The world was much vaster than he could ever imagine. From the simplest pleasures in life to the valuable truths the Cerebians kept to themselves so as to protect Humanity from itself.
“…And you think that the Cerebians beliefs on the act of taking lives may be steeped in events from eons past?”
“Exactly.”
There was a burning conviction expressed both through her face and tone.
“When I was younger, I was taught in school that it was what God Ah had wished for us. My mom and dad held the same beliefs and they always expressed how important it is to talk things out, make up and be kind to others. Given that, it does sound like that’s all it is, doesn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
“I think much of the complication is that we don’t really have…written laws, I suppose. We had laws that we followed on Asgard but many of them didn’t carry over here because we had taken to a foreign land. As such, we abide by the rules of the lands in which we took up residence. I’m sure that trying to understand those differences took a lot of adjusting for those who came before us…there are a lot of people who would expressly aim to break them.”
She shook her head.
“Sorry, I kinda went on a tangent there. Let me get back to the main point.
“When I was in my teens, I had found an old story within the Xenym libraries. It told of an Asgardian who fell in love with a Human. When she suddenly passed away, her husband had flown into a fury. He lashed out, he hurt people and swore that he would not forgive anyone for what had happened. The gods had descended and subdued him, before freezing him for four millenia. His body was cast into the ocean only to be found many a millenia from then. When he had come out from his slumber, he met his wife and child’s reincarnations and started over again with them.
“It’s a little abstract, isn’t it?” She chuckled gently. “I think what most people took from it is that to kill indiscriminately or perhaps at all would lead to punishment from the gods. On the other hand, Cerebians hold to the belief that noble warriors that fall in battle are whisked away by spirits called Valkyries that would take them to a great hall to feast before Ragnarök begins.”
“What are the Valkyries and Ragnarök?”
This made Reina smile.
“There are a lot of terms and places you’d be asking about if I mentioned them, so I’ll try to save them for another time. To answer those questions though, the Valkyries are known as the ‘chooser of the slain’. Claiming the souls of the warriors for Ragnarök isn’t all that they do—they’re said to be those who choose who lives and who dies.”
Her cheeks flushed as her smile widened into an excited grin. At the same time, she sat up and clenched both her fists.
“It’s not just that, though! They also appear in a whole host of stories! Especially the suuuuuper mushy ones with great heroes that fall in love, live and at times die for the people that they love. Sometimes they fall in love with mortal men and they struggle with continuing the path dictated by their duty often entailing embracing their divinity or pursuing their love, casting all else aside to be with their mortal partner…”
At this point she had her hands to her cheeks as she talked animatedly, suddenly freezing.
“Oh gosh…not again…Salem, you really should stop me!”
He was smiling from ear to ear.
“My reason stands. You may find it embarrassing but I find it charming.”
Her flush extended to her ears this time around.
“G-girls don’t need c-charm!” She slammed her hands down on the bed to drive her point home.
“A-anyway…before I move on to the next topic, there are many and more stories that one of the first Valkyries hailed from our queen’s bloodline. Many believe that there were others among them. Given that we have one, I’ve little doubt that there’s a lack of truth to that belief.
“So, about Ragnarök…that is…in essence, the end of all things. I’m almost certain it and the event Hotaka warned us about are one and the same. The legends say that the gods themselves and the warriors chosen by the Valkyries will wage a war that will sunder the very foundations of our world. In it, many will fall. As you can imagine, none of us will likely survive such an event, should it come to pass. The Dark Moon King had been enamoured with the possibility of being the ruler of the new world but…whether what he was promised is even true, I can’t say for certain. What concerns me regarding that, is their diviner, Choen Palm. To have such an ability…let alone to have known and located our Haven is something that’s never happened before.”
“Ragnarök is a future event though, is it not? Does that mean, the Asgardians expect it to happen?”
Reina nodded grimly.
“It’s a legend but one that we all staunchly believe. If they have someone that believes in it too, the chance of it coming to be a real event is increased substantially.
“But even so…even so! It can be stopped! Even if we fail to be the ones to do it, I know someone can! Hotaka said it himself—the only way Agasura King Asmodeus can manifest in this world is if he has a vessel. If we prevent the sacrifice of the Dark Moon Princess on the Moon of the Sixteenth Day, their plans will never come to pass. I know how lofty a goal that is…I know it’s beyond what we can do now but…if we work with the other Cerebians across Jienda, I know we can do it! If we get a chance to meet some of the other groups of adventurers, I want to spread this information. Everyone needs to know.”
Salem nodded thoughtfully.
Saving the Cerebians taken captive by the Dark Moon would be the first step in a long line of adventures for the two. It seemed that the issues were far greater than the two could imagine, let alone challenge. However, Salem lived to fight. If fighting was all that it took to protect Reina, to protect his home and the people he loved, he would. If blood had to be shed so that she could live on, he would be the one to do it. Her beliefs, her knowledge, her very existence were all precious things. No longer a man who lived for the king, he was now one that lived for himself and those he held dear. To save the world was beyond him, however, it did not seem so impossible for her.
“Come whatever may tomorrow, let us do all that we can to make sure we may return.”
Reina nodded confidently.
“We’ll need all the help we can get. Little by little, we’ll hinder the Dark Moon and make them know that we’re not gonna let these things come to pass.”

The following day, the two had at a bench by a small stand selling freshly squeezed juice.
Reina held the straw as she took a sip and let out a pleased sigh.
“This is the place Maya mentioned, right? She certainly picked somewhere really out of the way, didn’t she?” She asked.
As Reina had said, the shop certainly was off the beaten path. Where they were seemed to be a something of a residential area. A few people had come and gone but for the most part, it was the duo, the shop and its keeper.
“Given the subject matter we are to discuss with her, perhaps it is for the best?” Salem asked in turn.
“I suppose.”
“Hey! You two!” A familiar voice from nearby called out to them.
Around the corner they glimpsed a familiar face in desert garb approaching. Without a doubt, it was Maya in a cloak, her features mostly covered by her hood. Upon her appearance, Reina seemed to freeze up and Salem tilted his head quizzically.
“Is something the matter, Reina?” He asked.
“Y-you don’t feel that?! That massive pressure?! S-something’s coming! Something strong! T-there’s two of them!” Reina complained as her teeth began to chatter and her body jittered.
Salem closed his eyes. As Reina had said, he felt something. It was akin to the presence of nearby Cerebians and a Confidant. Reina aside, there were definitely others approaching and they were close. He could not tell them apart, however.
Right on cue, a series of cloaked and armoured figures turned the corner in the wake of Maya and followed after her.
Whether the two were in any danger or not, he could not say but Salem decided to keep his guard up just in case.
Before long, the group had arrived, led by Maya. Those who wore cloaks removed their hoods, many of them seeming to hail from the Desert region.
“I’ve brought you guys some help from Ramalda. It’d be pretty careless to take on the DM without backup, don’t you think?” Maya laughed. “Everyone, this is Reina and Salem. Let’s get you all introduced, shall we?”
The first to approach was a girl with dark skin, long, carnation pink hair braided and tied into a ponytail and deep green eyes. She wore a simple tan cloak as many of the others did but beneath it, crimson greaves peeked out. On her back was a silver spear with a spiked halo surrounding the tip.
“You must be the kid I’ve heard so much about and the boyfriend. You two can call me Roxanne. One of Revolution’s two Keruz.” She held out a hand and smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Salem took the offered hand and gently shook it. Her hands were soft but her grip was firm. While this took place, Reina pouted at being referred to as ‘the kid’ again, her annoyance taking the place of reverence.
Another young woman approached and waved with her fingers. She had bronzed skin, frizzy, shoulder-length forest green hair and charming golden eyes. She wore the same tan cloak, a silver circlet beneath her hood and thigh-high brown leather boots. The hem of a pleated skirt was barely visible within the opening of her cloak. In her ears were two small golden rings and on her fingers a set of two gold rings and a silver ring.
“I’m Kenia, Revolution’s only other Keruz currently. Everyone’s been talking about you two since they heard that you defeated Hotaka.”
“W-word spreads fast, doesn’t it? But who told you guys?” Reina asked with a start.
“Alden did. Do you remember him? He’s one of our drivers.” Roxanne added with a laugh.
“Ah! I do! He was a little weird but he was also really nice.
“Your guild master though…Emil, right? Is it really okay for him to send his only Keruz? I-I mean I’m thankful for the help! Truly!”
Kenia blinked in surprise.
“Is it okay? He’s well aware how dangerous the mission is, which is exactly why he sent us. He wanted to go himself but Roxy wouldn’t let him.”
The girl placed a hand to her mouth as she let out a light chuckle.
“H-hold on, don’t put it like that! You’re gonna make them think I’m scary or bossy or something,” Roxanne complained. “It’s just…Emil tends to get very emotional about certain things. In this case I wouldn’t blame him but he’s too strong for his own good! There’s a better chance he’d accidentally wind up killing their whole force before he realizes it.”
“That’s horrifying,” Reina said as she placed her hands to her cheeks.
Salem crossed his arms as he knit his brows.
“You will have to explain this Keruz business to me,” he remarked.
“I think there’s more misunderstandings cropping up than we can resolve,” Kenia laughed dryly, scratching her cheek.
“Before that, though, can we get introduced too? I don’t wanna be looked at like I’m just some nameless soldier,” one of the soldiers muttered.
“Right, right I’ll start with the Bashutz,” Roxanne added with a giggle. “The nameless soldier over here-”
“Oi.”
“-is Dante, our team’s Temple Knight.”
Dante sighed and shrugged before he raised his visor.
He was a tall, burly man with dark skin and sharp brown eyes, clad in crimson armor with gold accents. The picture of a Temple Knight, Dante wore plate mail with matching gauntlets, pauldrons, boots and leggings. Upon his helmet was a crimson plume and around his waist was a white cloth kilt with red trimming on the hems. Upon his back was a kite shield in his armour’s colours and at his waist a one-handed mallet.
“Don’t let Rox’ terrible introduction fool you. I’m a professional. She just doesn’t realize you shouldn’t tease the guy who’s gonna be your front line.”
“There’s no need to be so rough around the edges! You need to let loose and live a little.” Roxanne said as she leaned over and lowered the Temple Knight’s visor.
“Guess I’ll go next? I’m Efrain, another Bashutz and the team Guardian but you can just call me Ef. You can leave the front line to Dan and I. Nobody’s gonna get past us without a few bruises.” Efrain said as he patted his chest.
Efrain was an average sized young man with messy texture chestnut hair and kind green eyes. He wore a leather cuirass with fur around the neckline, matching wristlets, leather trousers and brown sandals. His left ear was pierced with a small blue jewel and on his waist were a pair of jamdhars with a thorn design upon the blade.
“It’s nice to meet you two, my name is Samera! Handling a few mercs will be a cakewalk for us!” Samera said as she offered them a victory sign.
Samera was most likely a young adult with dark skin, short, curly black hair in a pixie cut and golden eyes. She wore a chainmail vest with silver bracelets and steel leggings that doubled as boots. Upon both her hips were a pair of matching swords—a silver blade with a golden guard with a rose pattern and a matching hilt with a ruby embedded in each.
Roxanne clapped her hands as she looked to the other two.
“Alright, Tabitha, Otto, introduce yourselves.” She said as the two stepped forth.
Tabitha was the first to speak. She was a young woman with silver hair and blue eyes. She wore a black leather jacket with a single pauldron resting on her left shoulder, matching shorts and thigh-high brown boots. On both hands she wore grey finger-less gloves and her head a black cowl. On her back was a quiver filled to the brim with arrows and a simple wooden bow.
“Samera might’ve over-exaggerated a bit but we’re not new to dealing with mercenaries and the like. It really is just another Tuesday for us,” Tabitha chuckled.
Otto was the next to step up and he bowed.
He was also a young adult with bronzed skin, black hair in a buzz cut style and sharp brown eyes. Beneath the hems of his closed cloak, a multi-coloured kilt and gladiator sandals were visible. Around his neck was a sand-coloured shemagh and on his back a strunal mandolin.
“I’m Otto, this team’s second Tronz and a Bard. I’ll provide you support and healing spells as necessary, so if you’re wounded, come to me and I’ll patch you up. I do know some Ice-based spells also, so I can fend for myself,” Otto said.
The last person to approach was a determined looking young man with crimson eyes and his red hair in a quiff. He wore a tan overcoat beneath his cloak and brown leather pants with matching boots. On his wrists were a pair of wrist guards and his back a quiver filled with crossbow bolts. In his hand, a crimson crossbow with a flower design carved into the sides of it. What stood out most to Salem, was the flag protruding from his armour—it a bright scarlet with a hand in black wielding a yellow bolt of lightning.
“My name is Theodore, a Treasure Hunter. I might be the only Power in our party but I won’t be a burden!” Theodore declared with a trained confidence.
“And that’s our whole gang. We do have some other higher-ranking members but some were dispatched on missions and others stayed behind to hold down the fort. Even so, you two can count on us. We’ve lost family and friends and believe they might be among the hostages, so let’s bring them home!” Roxanne said to both the duo and her party.
With a rallying cry, the party answered in turn.
“If I may,” Salem began, “about that flag…?”
“Oh this?”
Roxanne looked to the flag Theodore carried and back to Salem.
“That’s our guild’s. When we set out on expeditions, we usually carry one. It’s become somewhat iconic around here, to be honest!”
She laughed and Kenia nodded knowingly.
“When people see that, they know they can come to us for help. Not everyone around Elfa knows our faces but this symbol is something they recognize and can rally to. This symbol invites those in need and wards off the enemies of the region. It’ll also be the symbol our allies look to once we claim that fort.”
“You’re expecting more allies?”
“K-kind of. They’re drivers. They didn’t set out with us because they have a lot to carry but there’ll be more. They do have a guard but by the time they catch up with us chances are we’ll have already rounded up our enemies.
“So, now that we have the introductions out of the way, we’ll leave the briefing to you, Field General Falk.”
Reina was smiling and nodding intently as she listened up to this point. Instead, she froze completely. After a couple of moments, she opened her mouth.
“Hm?”
Even Salem found himself shocked at the revelation imparted on them.
“Y-you're just kidding, right?”
“I'm completely serious.”
There was a long pause between the two, the swordswoman likely waiting for the Keruz to either laugh it off or reveal that it was in fact, a joke. No such thing occurred, though and the tension made her sweat.
“I can't lead a mission! I can't even act the part of a field general!” Reina cried as she placed both hands to her head.
“Have a little faith in yourself,” Roxanne chuckled.
“You don't understand! These are the lives of your friends you're putting in my hands! I could never forgive myself if they were killed under my leadership! Aren't you or Kenia much more suited to lead this expedition?!”
“It's not that we can't or don't want to but...” Kenia began.
Roxanne clapped both hands over Reina's shoulders.
“You risked your life and Salem's in the battle against Hotaka, didn't you?” She asked.
“Well yes but that's my own and Salem he...he's always gone and above and beyond to help me. I couldn't do it without him.”
“So I take it you understand the gravitas of the situation? That both your lives are at risk on every mission you go on?”
“I do understand that.”
Roxanne's gaze sharpened as she rose to her full height.
“Then here's something I want you to understand. Your success on that mission was a big deal, for all of us. People are talking about you two and what you accomplished. The world is watching you, Reina, to see what you do next. Your journey inspires hope both in newcomer adventurers and the veterans alike.”
Kenia placed her hands atop one another over her waist.
“Some people say that our words and actions echo throughout history. Your successes and failures will be remembered, as each will change the course of the Cerebians' future. You and Salem are the eye of the storm. A heroine rises from the ashes of Xenym and rather than risk the Dark moon quelling your tempest, there are people out there who want to see it grow. In time, you may be what sweeps away the darkness that looms over all of us, both Humanity and Cerebian alike.”
Reina knit her brows as her lips curled into a sorrowful grimace.
“But I haven't prepared myself for a position of leadership. I haven't the skills to lead an entire battle party, nor do I have the confidence to promise them their lives.”
Roxanne did not seem deterred by the young woman's doubts.
“You were a librarian, right?”
“Y-yeah...”
“So I imagine you've read plenty of books?”
Reina tilted her head quizzically.
“Of course. I love books.”
“Read anything about tactics? War-time strategies? Biographies of leaders? Chronicles of past battles?”
“Well yes...to all of those.”
“Have you ever discussed strategy with somebody?”
“J-just a bit...with Warlord Carmen. I-I mean it was just theoretical warfare! Nothing like the real thing!”
Warlord Esther Carmen, the leader and teachers of Xenym's Warriors. Virgil's teacher and also a friend of her mother's.
The Warlord crossed her arms and nodded.
“You were the right choice.”
“Who made this choice?!”
Roxanne grinned slyly.
“Believe it or not, it was a request from your barista.”
Reina stepped back with a surprised gasp, both hands to her mouth.
“V-Vanir did?!”
“He sent a letter a little while ago asking us to accompany you on this mission. Handling Hotaka alone wouldn't be too much for just you two but to storm a stronghold with two people would be throwing your lives away.”
“I...can't deny that but...why would he ask for you to follow my lead? Why would you guys agree to it?”
Roxanne blinked slowly, perhaps not to assess the situation but to best choose her words.
It was clear Reina had her doubts but it was evident in her tone her resistance to taking up the mantle was waning.
The Warlord scanned the area before closing her eyes.
“This is a bad place to continue the conversation. People are starting to gather and we can't risk our enemies knowing our plans or movements. We've got a long journey ahead of us, so why don't we discuss this more on the way?”
“I too, believe that would be for the best.” Salem added with a nod.
“Alright kiddies, follow me! I'll make sure to get you to where you wanna go.” Maya said, gesturing for them to follow her.
“Kiddies? Most of us are adults, Maya...but it does make me curious, how old are you?” Efrain asked as he sped up to match her stride.
Maya placed a finger to her lips as her eyes shuttered and her grin widened.
“If you do me some...favours, I might be inclined to share that information with you.”
“A few favours won't kill me! Tell me mo-”
“Ahh! Hold on there, Ef! You're just throwing yourself head-first into a deal?! Don't you know what kind of play Maya is into?!” Tabitha shrieked.
“Play?”
He looked to Maya who looked away, placed her hands to the back of her head and whistled innocuously. His gaze returned to Tabitha but this time there was a glint in his eye.
“Tell me more,” he said in a silky tone.
“Efrain you idiot! Sicko!”
She pummelled him with her fists but being a Guardian, it was nothing new to him. He took all of it in stride as he gestured for her to calm down, suggesting he was only kidding.
“Sorry you have to see us like this, you two. Our guild has some...characters in it.” Otto said as he sighed and shrugged.
“I can't quite put my finger on it but there is something oddly...comforting about it all.” Salem said as he closed his eyes and smiled serenely.
“It's just like back home,” Reina added with a chuckle.

Irys 2.0 is really cute, isn't it? It's got aspects of the 1.0 mixed into it, but still many and more things that make it feel wholly unique. It definitely meets that expectation, doesn't it? However! Howeverrrr...it's just not the same without the 1.0...'s glitterbutt.
So? Let's get down to it!

I promise, I didn't skip a page. The last update just ended on the last line of the page. Continuing from last time, it's the duo's stay in the Oasis! Right outta the gate, these two are flirting. Expect a lot of that from here onwards lol. That's...most of this story in a nutshell, I guess! They're one of the few characters who are...paired? Actually paired. I must admit, I figured it'd be nigh impossible at first, but in retrospect I guess I did manage it somewhat, huh? Not bad, past me! My reluctance to do it didn't stop me I guess lol.
So, tea table flipping! I swear, there's an arcade game where you can do just that lol. Dreams of high scores and ruined family dinners shall come to you if you retweet "Thank you, mad father". Madelaine's needs a table for the resident barista to flip. I could totally see him doing it, too! Unless his porcelain was on it, then he'd just give the big waitress the stink eye.
Usually Reina familiarizing herself with the room layout would be treated more seriously, but this time around I decided to make the scenario a bit more playful. It was partially in line with the lighthearted nature of the prior and following scenes, but also in tune with her character. She expressed an interest in helping Salem come out of his shell...maybe in the previous act, but I think it was just earlier in act 2. Nonetheless, to some degree her being a bit more carefree and playful was in line with that. As Salem suggested, on the battlefield she shows her courage, but outside of that she's a total goofball. Her throwing herself onto the bed is just one more sign of that.
Her rolling around on the bed reminds me of that one minigame from Rhythm Heaven. Have you seen it? The one with the seals? I didn't play fever myself, but I did play a lot of the...DS...version. That came out in 2009? I can feel my bones turning to dust as I write this. My elder bro and I both played a lot of it. I love rhythm games, but I'm dogshit at them. Though there was a point where I had big DDR dreams lol. I didn't get trounced at the movie theatre, but I saw what some guys can do at a con and...hoo boy, I think my body would unironically powderize if I tried to match their rhythm. Too much happening for my brain at once. But back to the topic at hand, that song from the idol minigame, I heard it this year during a concert and I was like, "Wait, that's a real thing? Damn." I confess, I enjoyed it both then, and now. I guess it was fate at work, perhaps.
Back to the story! There's a lot of Reina being cute, I guess! It feels weird coming from me. I suppose it helps viewing things from Salem's perspective. Bit of that, bit of seeing how her character developed methinks. A little bit, I wanted to capture the same spirit she showed during their stay in Aoich. A lot of the time throughout the story, there's a lingering tension or the things between them feel a little stiff as they came into their own and better understood each other. Now that their walls are breaking down, there's a sense of warmth between them that allows me to show a different side to each. Throughout the story they banter a bit as they become closer, but as it progresses they're just generally sweeter to each other. It's a bit of a mix of both, but their banter gradually becomes playful flirting. All else aside, Salem is a lot more expressive, which is a big change! Switching perspectives like this is nice also, because we can see through his eyes how he feels about her and how her action affect him. When reversed, we get some of that, but also a lot of her worries lol.

Next! We're diving into the heart of Elfa! I didn't explore it much in the main story, but early on I didn't do much of that anyway lol. Later on, you could see how that changed and I may have talked about it more then. I suppose a part of that is due to how LT was. It was a side-scroller of course, so you could fit all of the locations a player would need on one street. There were a few instances where there were other nearby locations like Elias Palace and Airport, Sunset Street in Aoich and...I think that's it? Most of the other places were typically whole new locations. If there was a loading screen between areas, it'd generate a new map for the area, but Elias' sections were all within one. Nonetheless, given that was the case, most of the time the story didn't go past those main streets. As I attempted to expand my writing repetoire, I tried to expand the cities a little bit with places like the Old Town District, Peorth's apartment complex, the GMA Headquarters, the homes in the valley in Belos, and the rest of Ves, including Devotion HQ. In this case, I didn't go too into detail on the surrounding locations, since they'd be a one-off as far as I knew. Same as before, if I did put in the time to make them distinct, it'd be ideal to give it a reason for it to stand out for the reader. If they returned to it or something happened at that location, it would not only have more impact, but stand out amidst the backdrop of Elfa. Rashid's bar and Tetty and Imhotep's shop, those are distinct locations because of the events that took place in them. It's the same notion I mentioned for the 4th TAD.
About their discussion following that, Salem planning out things is a nice touch but not something I need to touch up on, since we've already been there. His thoughts on the food however, there's something there! When I read it, I feel like I could envision the scene. Heck, it could be a whole scenario of shopping and preparing the meal, along with enjoying that with the Madelaine's crew. Here, it's a bit of a footnote in their journey, but I feel like there's a lot of potential there and it's definitely something I want to return to. I mentioned the idea of doing a series of vignettes of their daily lives, and I strongly feel this would be a good one. Celebrating birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and first times together as the weeks become months and years and their journey continues. The bond between the two isn't just important, but that of all of the members of Madelaine's. They all play a part in each other's stories, big and small. Salem and Reina might be the hero/heroine of the story, but just as they leave their mark on their community, that community will do the same for others. Vanir affected her, but he has a part to play in the main story and that of it's characters. It's an ongoing chain reaction of character development/relationships! Doing it with different characters over different novels was something I yearned to do in the early years of starting this, so I'm enjoying it quite a bit, and seeing the result in retrospect.
Ah crap...I got a little...lost in my thoughts. It's a familiar thing for Salem's growth, but I do enjoy the little moments where he compares his previous life to that which he lives now. The difficulties he faced and what he used his knowledge for prior serves a much more...I almost wanna say menial pursuit, but to him, it's super important. He found something he treasured, not just felt he had a duty to. In love, in family, and having a place to call home. A familiar sentiment, but it's such a basic and yet important thing we often don't think much of. I really want to capture the feeling of someone who lived without those things finally obtaining and coming to understand them. TJ's journey has similar sentiments, but I imagine it's harder to connect with him because he was essentially a blank slate in the earlier years. The members of Madelaine's became his family, and Reina something even more than that. In that moment, you can tell too, can't you? It reaffirms his resolve, it gives him agency and a cause worth fighting for. Given what he has to do and plans to, assuring himself of what he's gained and what can be lost prior to that would bring closure to any lingering doubts he might have. Something, he likely lacked prior to the invasion.

Next! The jewel of the desert...restaurant! It's kinda fancy. If you had any doubts this was a date, you can hang them up at the door, it totally is. Reina did suggest they went on a few dates lol. I put a surprising amount of effort into the design of this place! I was really on the ball through all of this, for some reason or another! I strongly recall having to look up the foods, though. I can hardly recall what any of them are, but they're all very much real! I tried to get something that would seem local to that part of the world and hopefully, I nailed it. I'd thought about describing them to be honest, but I imagine there are readers who would know, and if not, you could likely find an answer with google. Describing that list might just be...well, too much information that's not quite important enough. Like this blog! Ha! I mean, if you came here to read me ranting about nonsense you know exactly what you're here for and exactly what to expect. Thus! You'll get no sympathy from me!
Reina's rant about fish is extremely relatable. I'm like that too, with food, with games, with a lot of things. Rather than getting sick of things, I tend to enjoy them more as I get exposed to them. But I mean, as long as it's not...you know, the exact same. If you think I'd enjoy Endless Eight, you're wrong! I watched it way, way back when and I thought I was hallucinating! Halfway through I forgot which episode I was on because of all the similarities! I...I dunno if I ever finished it. I'm not strong enough to sit through all of it, though. Not now, not anymore.
Don't ask me why, but sometimes when I see Reina's suggestions to Salem I can't help but think she'd be an M. Just a smidge. I mean, after the remark about DV during the christmas stuff I can't help but worry. I mean, I write her! But at the same time it just kinda...I mean, she pretty much writes herself, most of the time! Given the history of the character though, thinking like that is bad! Defnitely! Probably. Most likely. Nevertheless, it kinda feels like that, huh?
He does refer to her home as in Xenym rather than Madelaine's, but you'll understand that it's oft interchangeable. Also I love her reaction to him enjoying her embarrassment lol. But yes, the two enjoying the little things!
So the musicians...to be honest, I'm not sure where I got the idea for this, let alone their conversation. I didn't attend a lot of concerts, let alone...well, shows like this. Or any, of the latter for that matter. As far as concerts went, I attended one in a small cd store with some friends once and the rest, I watched through a small TV at work. Though in all fairness, I worked at the venue, so I could hear the whole thing from where I was. Surprisingly I don't think this was based on a familiar experience but rather just something I kinda...imagined. When I think of it now, I kinda...a little bit, I guess I wanted it to mirror the characters. A pair of travellers who may or may not be romantically inclined. Old friends, maybe lovers, but with an unusual tight bond. The idea of them being musicians with a sense of wanderlust, perhaps, I'm just enamored with the idea. It's hard to say. There's something about those two, though, that speaks to me. They don't appear again, as far as I have planned, but they're a pair of characters I really like.
As for Salem's thoughts at the end, that's something I can both expand on, and have done. We saw Reina's past in the form of a nightmare, and perhaps we could explore visions of her trauma through them too. Given that they'd be nightmares they wouldn't play out exactly as it happened, but...I'm a little conflicted on that, really. In truth though, it could be a mix of future and past events. After all, if the brain is attempting to parse through conscious and sub-conscious memories, those she remembers and those that she thinks about frequently will all come into play, all at once. Illustrating future and past fears could make for an interesting scene, and help the characters to grow together as they talk about and work through those fears.

Ocean Ferry Cruise time! Unrelated, but it makes me think of ocean fishing. You know, prior to that I struggled as a fisher. I tried to catch everything I could, do quests, leves, the whole shebang. I might not have had to, 'cause I think ocean fishing was a thing at that point. Mr. A did it and he was like, "I levelled up my fisher a bunch by doing this one simple trick" and I was like, "Huh? It was that easy?" I think I might be a glutton for punishment. Or a boomer. Maybe both.
Anyway, ocean ferry cruise! Reina is terrible with boths and can't swim, remember that! I mean, there's probably some psychos the world over who would learn to swim in like Antarctica or something but she's not one of those. Salem however, has done both! He can swim like a fish and row a boat like a boss. When I think about how he has all these incredible life skills, I just can't help but think of him saying something like, "swimming? It helps me kill people. Eating? Need the stamina to kill people," or something like that. Argh! Thinking about it is so frustrating! He talks at length about his life at Owl Castle but I've never explored it and it isn't like I haven't thought about it! I mean, if I really wanted to, I could take some time to do Su's side-story, but at the same time it feels like a giant waste 'cause she's the last of the Warriors of the New Moon. On top of that, being God's Governor she doesn't have all the same struggles others would. It'd do her story a world of good, but Salem's experiences I feel would have so much more weight behind them if I actually took the chance to expand on that. At the same time, it's extremely difficult to do. Should I try to fit it into Innocent, it'll feel like a grand detour from the main story unless it happened in the present. If I make it too short, it'll cheapen the experience and perhaps the struggle of what he had to do. I mean, I technically do that with my awful jokes but if you came here expecting good ones, you made a terrible mistake lol. Still, I wish I could evoke the feelings I aim to through his tales without the need for a lengthy side story. To some degree, I hope I do, but I do realize the goal is to focus on the present and the future. Reina is very much the same case, save for the prologue, but even then it was just a small snippet of her life prior to all of this happening. More of a means to an end(story-wise) than an exploration of her story.
I've gotten so off track I've only covered like 4 pages of 11 lol. Let's keep this train rolling!
So, I think I mentioned it during USSR, but the Haunted Ship Ride is very much real. I think the first time I did it in LT, went on it with a friend and we spent like 30 mins to an hour on the ship waiting for something to happen. Turns out you only had to stand at the prow for like 30 seconds or so lol. But yeah, that's where the zombie pirates came from, and also where you'd fight the kraken. There was some kinda boss...like Captain Johnny I think it was? You fought him there too. As for the cherry ghosts, there were two varieties. The one with the white hair was a giant pain in the butt to kill. Him assuring her they aren't real is hilarious and terrible 'cause someday she'll find out the truth. Until then, ignorance really is bliss!
Last statement before the cruise? Reina says, "Go out and touch grass. Get your very own bookgirl". ...Yeah right lol. All the book girls are holed up in their home! Why would they be touching grass, anyway?!

This part...is a bit of a doozy. Whole lot's goin' on, I think. I suppose you could say they're kinda...growing closer. Substantially so. Reina speaking of her fears to Salem, but these unlike the others aren't rooted in her traumas or anything of the sort, just regular fears. Salem thinking about who he is to her and what he can do for her, on top of putting their entire mission into perspective. Their words and actions do feel a little different from the usual, but the time and place feels right for it. At the same time, it's a temporary thing and the return to form feels very much like them, doesn't it?
But you know what reeeeeeeeeeeally gets at me? Reina's question almost seems like it's implying something. As if I was hinting at the story going to the moon. Like there's a world ending threat that loomed over the horizon and would require the heroes to come together to find a way to go there and quell it. Imagine! But no! It was a throwaway line! Stupid! What a waste! Past me is a fool! Present me, also a fool! Future me, a fool!
Alright, my episode's over. So? I do confess, I really like this scene. It felt like one of the moments where the two opened their hearts to each other. Salem's monologue and the understanding that he came to reminds me a lot of some of my own experiences. In finding valuable things in life. Not things as in objects, but...perhaps the people that bring those about, and what they create and how. Given his experiences, when you hear those words from him can you imagine what he sees? Given that he too, spoke those words, what do you think he meant by them? Sheesh...it sounds like a teacher asking you to write a report about a story you just read lol. But asking questions is good! Questions are the heart and soul of philosophy! Through philosophy, we get science, and from science, answers!
You've read USSR by now, right? You can smell the death flags on this girl, can't you? Ah...I actually really like her monologue there. The whole thing is foreshadowing, but at the same time it's a retrospective on her experiences both with and without Salem. Possibility and reality alike, and a sign that she'd likely thought about it on multiple occasions. For her this time around, it's an affirmation of what she wants to do, wishes for and the how of it. She looks to the present, and the future. At the same time, the sign that it really is just bravado is shown and in that same vein, Salem as always, keeps his cool. The two balance each other out and here too, it shows as one of their strengths as a pair. Knowing how the story ends though...oof, some of these lines hurt something fierce.
The strange thing about all of this, though, is it sounds like a goddamn confession. Hell, the end of it sounds like a marriage proposal, doesn't it?! I remember reading over this way back when and thinking, "with this scene, will it lessen the impact of the actual confession? I think I messed up..." I talked about this last week! I totally did it! ...Maybe. I suppose that's subjective, depending on how you feel when you see the actual confession. I feel like it still has a good impact, so it's hard to say. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, yeah?

Next! Back at the inn, baby! Salem speaking formally is...kinda normal, isn't it? Gradually he's lessening the formal speech, but I feel like it's a lot harder to do with English, tbh. I mean, most of the time being casual and bantering and stuff is the way of it, no? Unless you're in the army or something. That stuff is super formal, but in a very different way. I still wonder how I fare in portraying that difference, but hopefully well enough. Through tone and language choice, it might be passable. I think the contrast with Reina and Vanir definitely helps illustrate that.
Putting that aside, now we're getting into...actual discussion! Lore, I'd say info dumps but it's more theory crafting from Reina. I think that's nice once in a while. There's a lot she knows, but that she doesn't, she could likely make educated guesses on and it leads to discussion!
Now, one of the reasons for this was because I wanted to explore the understanding of the Cerebian's worldview from someone who grew up with it. We saw a bit of that through Amata but she was a candidate for God's Governor, so her knowledge was a bit more expansive. The main story follows TJ, who sees what God Ah's family knew and did, so that will dispel most of the questions readers would or could have about them. Even should that be the case, seeing the other side of the coin paints a picture of the story, of the wider world, and that was one of the goals of this novel.
Reina's explanation of the possibility that their stories have basis in the experiences of those of the past lends credence to other events throughout the story. In the main story, I talked about how she could know of Titania and Oberon from the tales, but in their world, the duo are very much real. We know of them from the play, but of course they're not real, right? When you hear Reina talking about the love story between the Asgardian and the Human, what do you think of? Does it just sound like a parable? Or does it sound like something that may have happened? The same could be asked of their belief in Ragnarok, but to us, that has its basis in mythology, our mythology. I say our, but I mean Humans in general.
In truth, her mentioning of that worried me a bit but I'm glad she added that she'd hold off on the other places and terms. I realize if I left them in, it really would turn into an infodump, but I feel it might be nice. On one hand, I'd really need to do my research on Norse mythology, but on the other hand, I scratched the tip of the iceberg with this novel, if even that. It's much, much more complex than I could ever explain, and its got its got its own share of fact and fiction being called into question. But! It's in understanding that, that it lends credence to the discussion in the novel, no? Reality and fiction at times aren't too different, when you boil them down to brass tacks.
Now, this wouldn't be my novel unless the important conversation got derailed for some in-character...conversation derailing! The opportunities for Reina to gush about her favourite type of books are far and few between, but this opportunity was too good to pass up lol. Her talking about...what was it called again? Iron Blood, Mythril Hearts? Was a callback to this scene, but also a sign that her tastes hadn't changed much over the years lol.
Now if I'm recalling correctly, Choen Palm was DMP's bodyguard. In the game, she wasn't a diviner, but also originally there was no DMK. I think in Season 2 he existed, though. Except ala the nature of the game, he was kinda goofy. Most of the time, the game wasn't too serious, but there were some parts that were. Nonetheless, I think her being a bodyguard is mentioned in USSR, so if so, good! She's definitely a lot more evil in this novel, though...
I do confess, I'm glad that though small, the two have a part to play in the overarching story. A few months back when I was finishing my storyboarding, I got to thinking," Wow, all of the members of Bastion could die and the main story could still progress unhindered". It's a dark thought, but most of the "I can't kill these characters or everything goes up in flames" characters are in other guilds. The God's Governors, the queen, the Abellan, all elsewhere.
My musings aside, I want you to take their words with a grain of salt. Reina, Hotaka, Salem, all of them. I've said it before, but the characters often don't have the full story, so they're going on what they know and learned. I do realize that at times, this can lead to misinformation from the characters, but that needn't be a bad thing! They have things that they'll be wrong about, so you need to take what you know, what information they impart and compare and contrast as you work towards the truth of the matters. Of course, I have a part to play in all of this by being the one to tell the story. Somewhere in there, I'll have to ensure that I include it so that you'll have that information at your disposal to work out the truth. However, up until that point and even after it, an educated guess or a shot in the dark might lead you to truths you'd never expect! Or tears and disaster. It's a 50/50.

Bit closer to the end, we're moving on to the introduction of the strike team, ft. Maya!
Now, do you remember how I mentioned Reina has a good sense for energy? What she's sensing is indeed the guild's Keruz. Those Keruz, being a familiar pair of faces from Sanctuary's own chapter 9! Kenia and Roxanne technically make their debut here! They were there and I gave them designs but I didn't...have them say anything. We got a lot of Emil instead lol. I...did I mention this before? Originally the members were supposed to be from Uprising, but I forgot. By the time I checked my storyboards and noticed the mistake, I'd already made my plans with this group so I decided to roll with it anyway.
Now, for the most part, it's just introductions. All of the characters, save for the initial trio are new, but some of them you'll definitely be seeing again, so it wouldn't hurt to get familiar with them here. It took me a long ass time to do all the designs for these guys lol. But, I made an effort to introduce a variety of classes, of weapons and of course, personality traits and appearances. Heck, I even did a variety of ranks to kinda show who was a veteran and who was new among their ranks, while also giving you an idea of how things work in Revolution. When forming the party, I did think a bit about party balance, but also what it might be like for an LT-style raid. One of these days, I should tell you about things back then lol. Though this was closer to 2014-2015 I think. Some of this stuff was nuts lol.
Just in case, the Revolution flag isn't based on anything, and if it does look like something, it's purely coincidence! God knows what hells will be unleashed if it is. Flags are cursed, as are symbols, especially when they're on flags. One wrong thing will look like something else and you'll be gutted like a fish for it. I don't want it, those troubles. The reason for the flag is good and important, so do keep it in mind, yeah?

I confess, I love the moment where Reina gets her (temp.) title. I think this is important because...well, it puts her in the shoes of a leader. Her accepting that position does call into question her later doubts, though, and I realize that. To the day, I still think about USSR's epilogue and what she asked of Samson in it, and I still can't say for sure I want to keep the scene, given everything that happens in Innocent. That's definitely one of the things I feel didn't withstand the test of time well because her character develops substantially throughout her novel and to some degree, that would feel like taking several steps back. Even after this scene alone, it might feel a little silly in retrospect. Given that, I may not keep it in Innocent, but we'll see. I wanna mull it over some more as the story draws closer to that scene, along with other ones where the stories overlap.
Now, back to the matter at hand, from Kenia and Roxanne we kinda get an idea of what people might feel from seeing the duo's journey. These two are veterans of their craft and also a guild master's right hand girls. If nobody else, you can trust their words. Roxanne's shows that they too, might feel the same while Kenia's both hints at Su's story while speaking of Reina's. I'm glad that Reina has doubts on doing it because it's both true to her character and a huge request of her. If she could agree to it easily and do it perfectly, it'd probably just be bad writing, wouldn't it? I confess, it might feel like she lacks agency 'cause she tends to get roped into things, but at the(it's a little bit ahead, but) mention of Vanir being the one to make the request, I feel it all falls into place. A lot of the time, throughout this story and even up to this point, he does a lot of pushing. He's a pushy guy, but in this case he convinces her to take action. If you've read any of the Another stories, you'll get a better idea of why and how he does what he does, but if not, just think of him as a very...Machiavellian character.
Now then, Reina's book girl tendencies come into play! It isn't often mentioned, but she reads quite a variety of things. What she mostly talks about is fairy tales, what she likes is romance novels, but what she reads is a multitude of things and here, we get a better idea of that. She'll talk about other stuff over the course of the novel, but let this be the marker for such knowledge, at the very least. The little blurb about Warlord Carmen was of course Salem's thoughts, just him reaffirming what he knows from her stories. Reina's waning defenses really sells the whole scenario, doesn't it? I'm glad that she didn't readily agree to it, but that she wasn't entirely averse to it after all. There's potential for growth in that, no?
Following that, the scene wraps up with the party setting out and of course, a lot of playful chatting between them. A goal of mine for this was to establish the group's dynamic and expand upon it a bit by adding Reina, Salem and Maya into the mix. Maya...you could say is technically part of it already, but it's a bit more clear that Revolution's members already have their own team dynamic. There are some really good scenes following this, so look forward to it, yeah? If the duo's words are any indication, if you like the Madelaine's banter you'll enjoy this.

With that said, that's the end of the update! It's been a turbulent week, and given that's the case, a lot of things didn't go according to plan. This week will be too! The pain never ends! But I still came to do this! It took me the better half of the day to complete it, but 'tis done. In truth, to the day it still feels like a bit of a waste not to use the time to continue one story or another but...there's merit where we can't see at times. This likely remains the case for me and will for some time, I imagine. But maybe that needn't be a bad thing, either. I can't really understand it, but...well, y'know how it is. So long as there's a reason, I'll always at least consider it, and if I'll consider it, I might just do it! Given that, there's a chance I'll return! Wouldn't that be something? See ya!

Before long the group had made their way through the streets of Elfa and found an exit. It did not take long before the familiar cobblestone paths of Elfa deteriorated into the sands of the endless expanse.
“I'm gonna miss that city,” Reina said as she awkwardly waddled through the sand.
“Did you guys stay a while?” Samera asked, looking over her shoulder.
“Not long enough, in my opinion. There's still so much Elfa to experience!”
The swordswoman clenched her fists with a burning passion.
“You'll get another chance to experience Elfa, Reina, don't you worry about it. Now, if this mission goes well you can get a full tour of Ramalda on us, so let's make sure we give this our best, okay?” Roxanne added.
“That sounds nice.”
“It's a place you've gotta experience at least once in your life.
“But that's something we can discuss over a campfire. Let's get back to the topic at hand.”
“Right...the last thing we discussed was how Vanir asked you guys to let me lead the mission.”
Roxanne nodded and immediately furrowed her brows.
“Both Emil and I read the letter but he's really...I'm not sure what the word I'm looking for is but...vague? Roundabout? That barista of yours really gave us the runaround with his point.”
Reina could not help but smile wryly at the Keruz' words.
“That's...that's just how he is. I can't believe he did that to your guild master, though.”
“Vanir's always been a bit of an oddball. Although he's difficult to understand, I do respect the fact that he treats everyone equally, even if that means he's...well, you know.”
“Vanir?” Salem suggested.
“Exactly.”
“What I was getting at is, is that we're not exactly sure why he wanted you to lead the mission, just that he felt certain you could. As for Emil, he really likes confident people. The braver they are, the more interest he takes in them, that idiot.”
“Oh you.”
Roxanne sniffed at Kenia's remark.
“Though in truth, I think the feeling is unanimous. We all want to see what it is that you can do. There are a lot of kids back home that look up to you, Reina. Imagine that! Some village girl picks up a sword and decides to take down the Dark Moon, one general at a time. It's hard not to feel a little inspired when you think about how far you've come.”
The dreams of children, built around the concept that is not entirely different from their own origins. If Reina could accomplish great things from such humble beginnings, it was not entirely unlikely that the various children who dream of being adventurers could accomplish just as much. As Kenia had said, a heroine rises from the ashes of a fallen village. She would overcome challenges greater than herself, save the innocent and bring peace to the people. It was not dissimilar to the fairy tales Reina herself so dearly loved.
The reality is that the road is fraught with peril and on multiple occasions, the hero or heroine would likely lose their way, have doubts and make mistakes. However, those moments would likely serve to strengthen their resolve and remind them what it is that they risk everything for. For Reina, her cause was one that many would rally to. It seems that the first visible vestiges had manifested in the Haven Ramalda.
Salem closed his eyes as he smiled.
He really and truly felt proud to be a part of her quest. She inspired hope with her success and would continue to do so going forward.
“But I can't just take all the credit. It's because of Salem and Skuld and Vanir that I've gotten to where I am today. They've backed me and taken care of me and due to that, I've become...well, the me you see now.”
“I wouldn't say that people don't recognize the efforts of your supporters. The same could be said for our guilds. Emil is the face of Revolution and Eli is the face of Uprising, both massive guilds in the Elfa region but everyone knows that its the people that make it what it is.
“On that note, you're the face of your campaign. I don't think most people would associate your journey with Madelaine's but there's no shortage of people who know about Salem. The fact that nobody knows what he looks like has become a point of contention among everyone, actually.”
“The only thing most people care about is whether he's hot or not,” Dante interjected. “Most of those idiots consider that raising the hurdle.”
At this Reina nearly leaped on the spot. Roxanne snickered quietly at the sight.
“I-it's not like that,” she complained defensively.
“Sure, sure, I believe you.”
Reina pursed her lips while Roxanne winked.
“Still, that matter aside...I'm still not feeling so sure about this. I mean, I'm glad that there are people that believe in me but I'm being put on a pedestal here. I don't think I can live up to their expectations.”
She sighed and her shoulders slumped.
“We might have defeated Hotaka but it doesn't change the fact that I'm still just a village girl. Nobody ever said I could be the hero people make me out to be. There are other people much more fitting for that role, like you or Kenia or the other incredible members of your guild.”
“Strength comes in so many forms, Reina,” Kenia began. “We might have achieved our strength through hard work and undergone a transformation of sorts but...despite all the years we had spent adventuring, none of us thought to do what you did. Even Vanir confessed to being somewhat taken aback, if not impressed by your conviction.”
“He just told me I was brash,” Rena muttered through pursed lips.
“That...sounds about right for him, yeah.” She laughed dryly as she scratched her cheek. “But his words never deterred you, did they? You really did follow through to the end. Nevertheless, I...we would like to hear it from you, Reina. What do you picture the final steps of your journey looking like?”
The question gave her pause. Her mouth was agape for a couple moments at the sudden question but she soon shut it tight as she gave it some serious thought.
“I-in truth I planned to take on all three generals, trading them for those taken captive. If my plan was to work, unless I could summon Hayato alone, I would have to invade the Dark Moon Castle.”
She furrowed her brows, perhaps annoyed at herself or thinking too hard about the situation at hand.
“I...realistically speaking, couldn't do that alone. The soldiers would come in droves to stop our advance. It really would be, for all intents and purposes, a suicide mission. But even then...to give up after I'd come so far...!”
Kenia laughed gently.
“That's just the reality of the matter, isn't it? If you were to throw a few Keruz at an army, they could potentially come out victorious. However, there is no shortage of lives that would be lost, be it on purpose or by accident. If you yourself had become one, I've little doubt that you could hold your own once you've achieved a certain level of mastery but you've diverted from the path of bloodshed, haven't you?”
“That's right. Violence only begets violence. I would never run the risk of retaliation against the Cerebians because of my actions or everything would be in vain. Still, my lack of strength is the reason you all needed to get involved. You have to make up for my weakness.”
Kenia shook her head gently as she smiled.
“I think you're not giving yourself enough credit, Reina. I'm sure that Emil is being pragmatic. On one hand, nobody would want to see you die in the middle of your quest. Your life and actions inspire hope and will continue to so long as you live on. Even if all you did was survive the encounters, that's more than enough. On the other, there's much and more we can learn and gain by joining in this battle.
“The Dark Moon struck Xenym and that was a loss to all of us. It's up to us to protect Ramalda and Elfa. If the Dark Moon makes another move, we need to be ready to mobilize against them at any time. Our guilds are the force that will protect these cities. Yong Gyoung and Lemanin have a set of five guilds that are sworn to protect the region from any and all its attackers, both within the region's borders and without. I believe the Dark Moon is aware of that, hence why they chose to go to Xenym. Though the tundra is within the Elias Kingdom's borders, they did not attack the city nor the surrounding areas. Due to that, King Hejong had no reason to mobilize his army to stop them.
“Still, I've kinda...gone on a bit, huh? You plan on seeing this through to the end, don't you, Reina?”
“Without a doubt. For my family and friends, I can't afford to turn back.”
The conviction in her voice matched that of the expression she wore as she spoke those words.
“It's just as Emil expected, then. I think what he truly wants to see is you rise to the role of a leader. Your conviction is the real deal, you just lack confidence in your abilities. It's true that we could likely lead the mission but it isn't only a matter of physical or magical ability but also governance. Who will people rally to? What are they like? Your words and actions would raise the morale of those who follow you. Many are as of yet to meet you but are already taken by your spirit. There are people that want to champion your cause. Rally under your banner. If you want to take on the Dark Moon, they will follow, you know.”
Reina clenched her fists at her side as she took the words in. She inhaled slowly, exhaled quickly and put on a sheepish grin.
“Honestly, hearing it from a Keruz is...surreal. Heck, this whole thing is surreal. Even now I'm not entirely sure if I'm up to the task but...knowing that my chances of success...that there's hope, in this bleak scenario makes me want to try.
“Even so...the thoughts of fighting on a battlefield like that terrifies me. The thought of the people I would come to care for as my brothers and sisters in arms, if not friends dying before me could rend my heart in two. I...I don't know if I could handle that immense responsibility.”
“Such is the nature of war. There never truly is a winner but we do what we must. To that end, above all else we may focus on minimizing the casualties. The greater your force, the less likely you are to lose members in the process.
“Still, you needn't dive headfirst into a large-scale battle. It's why we're here today. There's no denying that the field is no place for a practice skirmish but you need not think of it that way. Both Roxy and I have plenty of combat and leadership experience and our members have gone on expeditions before. We're well versed in each others' specialties and abilities and how to work in conjunction.”
“On top of that, if things go awry you can count on 'Nia or I to take charge and give the others orders. So long as everyone has their guild badges, we can keep in contact regardless of distance. Just one of the perks of being in a guild.”
“Mm...” Reina groaned as she placed her fingers to her temples. “It's really hard to turn you down when you've all gone through so much trouble. I still have some doubts about my ability but...for the sake of Mom and Virgil and Alessa...and everyone...I want to take a chance. If this is the next step I need to take to rescue them, than I want to do it. Kenia, Roxanne, everyone, please lend me your aid.”
Roxanne beamed from ear-to-ear.
“You sure kept us waiting, you know!” She said with bright laughter.
“We'll be in your care, Reina. Our strength is yours to command.” Kenia said as she clapped her hands together.
“Did you two finally get her to come around? Nice, nice!” Efrain said with an approving nod.
“Knew you would, Reina!” Samera said as she offered her a thumbs-up.
“Try to relax and keep a clear mind in the heat of battle, Reina. So long as you don't panic, you'll do fine,” Dante added.
Salem watched joyfully as his companion was soon surrounded by the members of Revolution, offering their advice and interest in her.
How far she had come and how much she had grown in a short time...it truly was incredible. He hoped to continue to see her grow and change, perhaps becoming the sort of character she yearned for to someone else. In his mind, however, she had already become magnificent.

Later that night, the entire battle party had gathered around a pair of campfires they had set up themselves. A majority of the younger members of Revolution had taken to sitting with Reina, asking questions while cooking or eating.
“Not a bad haul eh? And everyone said my hobby was worthless!” Efrain said as he raised his head haughtily.
“Your hobby is good but you're kinda worthless,” Roxanne snickered as she planted a skewered fish over the fire.
“Where are your fish?! I don't see any!”
“Send me on a life-or-death mission, sure. Ask me to put a worm on a hook? Can't pay me enough to do it.”
“Oh Roxy...it's not that bad after the first few times. It just takes a little getting used to is all,” Kenia said as she smiled gently.
The Keruz pouted at her words.
“Do you like bugs?”
Her companion tilted her head quizzically at the sudden question.
“Not particularly, no.”
“Then we agree on something.”
Kenia could not help but smile wryly when she heard the statement.
Judging by Roxanne's tone, that was the end of the conversation.
“Salem,” Dante said.
“Yes?” He asked in turn, turning to face him.
At this juncture, most of his armour was off. His torso and above was missing the armour he wore, now covered solely by the nomad's cloak that all eight members of the guild wore.
“You were asking about the ranking system, right? You're still not familiar with it?”
“Yes, that is the case. Since Reina and I are currently unaffiliated with any guilds, very rarely has it been a point of interest or contention to either of us.”
Dante nodded before turning to the two Keruz.
“Kenia, give him a rundown of the guild system, would you? Better you than Rox, since she can't seem to take anything seriously.”
Roxanne seemed to take offense to that statement, scowling at the Temple Knight.
“You've got a real bad attitude, you know that? They don't call me Warlord for show. You don't want this war at your doorstep.”
“Come now, you two. Let's make an effort to get along today. We've got guests among us, you know.” Kenia said in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
“Oh, don't mind me! I love some good gossip. Also Salem has no presence,” Maya said.
It was a honed skill.
“Roxy's the only one brave enough to get handsy with a Guardian. Let alone one the size of Emil.” Efrain remarked with a snicker.
“The guild master?” Salem asked with a surprised look.
Maya looked positively ecstatic at those words.
“And?” She asked, positively on the edge of her seat.
“Think long and hard about your next words, Ef, 'cause they might be what's written on your tombstone.” Roxanne said, giving Efrain a yard-long stare.
“This is escalating quite rapidly,” Salem said.
“It can be difficult managing over one-hundred fifty members and so we have occasions where someone is bound to be provoked. It'll pass...eventually?” Kenia muttered as she pressed her fingers together.
“Honestly, I think she and Emil have way too much energy and sexual tension to see eye-to-eye.” Efrain continued with a haughty shrug.
Wordlessly, Roxanne shot to her feet and in response, Efrain did also. Without any words traded between the two, she bolted towards him and he shot off in the same direction, the two soon vanishing over a sand dune.
“There they go.”
“It's better that way. Now we can have a proper discussion.” Dante said as he brushed his hair over his shoulders.
“I suppose. I'm sure there would be a better way to go about it, though.”
The Temple Knight placed an elbow to his knee and propped his head up in his open palm.
“Efrain volunteered himself, didn't he?”
“I don't think we needed a sacrificial lamb, per se,” Kenia sighed. “I wish those two would find a better way to get along...honestly.”
She took a deep breath and smiled placidly.
“Oh well, nothing for it then. Where do you suggest we start? From the beginning?”
“Don't inundate him with information. He has his whole lifetime to learn about our origins. That aside, he and Reina are often together, no? If what he wanted was simply information or the semantics of what we discuss, she'd have all that and more to share. Let's focus on the matter at hand.”
“Right then, Salem? What do you know about the guild system?”
“Nothing,” he said with a curious glint in his eye.
“You're such an honest boy,” Maya chuckled. “It makes me wonder if your body is equally as honest.”
Dante's mouth curled into a disgusted sneer.
“If you thought Roxanne's temper was legendary, you haven't seen anything yet, Maya.” Dante warned her, glowering.
“Wow! Looks like Reina's having a fun conversation over at that campfire! Maybe I'll join in and bother that cute Theo kid! Bye bye!”
She waved as she walked off, allowing for Dante's face to return to its usual scowl.
It seemed that it need not be the highest ranking members of a guild to strike fear into the hearts of even the most renown Confidants.
“Go ahead, Kenia.”
She was smiling but Salem could not help but sense a certain level of concern coming from her. It seemed they had their own difficulties to work through.
“Right then. The guild system is separated into three paths, essentially. Neutrality, Chaos and Order. To found a guild, a guild master requires a crystal that belongs to that specific path. Cerebian guilds typically are Order guilds but that's because they're inherently tied to our very existence.”
Salem did not break eye contact with Kenia for a moment.
It seemed as if she knew the truth that Reina only mentioned briefly, that there was something inhuman about the Cerebians. What he had witnessed and what they knew were likely part and parcel.
She crouched down in the sand and drew a set of symbols. The first was a cross, the following a set of wings gong from one, to two, to four and finally, what seemed to be a tome.
“There are five ranks that make up a guild. Six, if you include the guild master.”
At those words she drew another symbol, a rhombus or a prism of sorts with a sphere within.
“Angels, Powers, Tronz, Bashutz and Keruz. Our actions in the field are what determine what rank we can ascend to. Defeating Agasura, completing quests and guild activities are the most prominent ways to gain a...how should I describe it? A point value of sorts, called contribution.
“This, however, is where things diverge from the average use of the guild system. To us, to acquire contribution and rise in the ranks is to allow for us to grow and change our physical shapes. The symbols I've outlined before you here, are what we acquire at each respective rank.”
The cross and tome he was unfamiliar with but the wings were unmistakable. The sight of the appendages on the back of Julius during the battle at Xenym was all the proof he needed to know that there was truth in her words.
“The cross is a symbol we all have within us and can summon at will upon joining an Order-based guild. Upon earning enough contribution, we can raise our rank via the guild master and obtain our wings. At becoming Powers, Cerebians obtain the ability to perform a second jump of sorts and gliding.”
Salem was listening but the look on his face was one of awe.
Was it possible that the guild system had its origins due to the actions of the Cerebians? There was no denying that it was unusual that their physical growth was tied to their participation in guild matters but...as is the case with many other things, there had to be a reason.
Those matters aside, was Reina not denying herself her true nature by not becoming a part of a guild? There was little doubt that she did not know about this. Given that knowledge along with the fact that she had a distinct fear of becoming her kind's true form, perhaps it was a conscious decision.
It seemed that to gain the first two ranks would be enough to begin this process. For the Cerebians to obtain wings would in fact, separate them from their Human counterpart. However, all save for those appendages would still offer them some semblance of their initial Humanity. This raised the question, to what extent would their outer appearance change? Julius had, for the most part, becoming something else entirely. Though his shape still retained a humanoid form, the glowing runic markings on his body, the blinding sclera and even the branches and leaves growing on him...could Reina potentially become something of the sort? Would he instinctively fear her if so?
“The next rank are the Tronz. When we become Tronz, the shape and design of our wings changes drastically. At this stage, Cerebians typically obtain some of the unique features to each. The length, width and overall shape differs from person-to-person. It's hard to say for certain but it may be related to our body types. Since each has different needs, these differences allow us differing specialties.”
“These specialties might be greater flight speed, acceleration, ascending or descending speed and of course, sheer strength,” Dante added.
“So I take it at this stage Cerebians gain the ability of flight?” Salem asked.
“Exactly,” Kenia answered. “The ability is available but it takes a substantial amount of practice to master it.”
The ability to fly would add a whole new dimension to a Cerebian's tactics in battle. However, despite his years at Owl Castle and undertaking missions for Dark Moon, he had not seen any use this until Xenym. It seemed to be a well-kept secret, as was their entire existence. Perhaps even on this mission they would not rely on their ability. Under what circumstances would they, then?
“The next stage, Bashutz is less a growth and more a greater mastery to the aforementioned ability. In most cases, we might obtain another pair of wings to accompany the first or a change to those we had obtained prior. In so doing, the strength we have would be substantially enhanced to accompany the growth, offering greater mastery to those skilled enough to hone their abilities.
“Now the final rank for us, guild master aside is where things change substantially.”
“Even further?” Salem asked as he blinked in surprise.
Could this be it? No, it could not be...Reina had said when the Cerebians go to war she would change. That war...Ragnarök, was it? Was it possible that she would become her true form if she was slain in battle and chosen to take part in that war? Perhaps even she did not know for certain but...if that was what was needed, then if she had to retain a Human form in place of it, he would settle on that decision also. He could not bear the thought of her dying, let alone her spirit going somewhere that he could not follow.
“Have you ever heard of mana Salem?”
At the term, he knit his brows.
“I...no, this is a first. Please, tell me about it.”
Kenia and Dante nodded to each other before looking back at him.
“Mana is, in essence, a type of energy source that we Cerebians use. Not energy in the sense of steam or electricity but in the sense of...magic. Just as all adventurers use Special Power to give form to their spells and stances, we use Mana in order to give form to ours. Of course, all Keruz know how to utilize Special Power due to our origins as adventurers. However, there is a fine line between the two that sets them apart.”
“That is, how destructive that power can be,” Dante added.
Salem swallowed the statement hard. He was no stranger to the true power of the Cerebians but it may have been because Julius was a special case. If any Keruz could wield a power that may be lesser but still greater than that which the best of adventurers wielded, just how powerful could they be?
At that moment, he recalled what Reina had told him just the other day:
It’s scary to think about sometimes but…even just two or three masters could turn over a kingdom if they really wanted to.
“Your face says you're pretty familiar with it.”
Salem nodded grimly.
“Y-yes...I am aware of the stories told of Xenym.”
“God's Governor Julius, one of the greatest Mages of the last generation. Losing him was a massive detriment to our cause but we have to keep fighting. If the leaders have doubts, the other members will lose morale.” Kenia added as she looked down to her shoes sadly.
“If Keruz are the masters of using Mana, the five God's Governors are legends in the flesh. Their ability to give form to their magic goes above and beyond what others can,” Dante said.
The two Keruz with them today had gained that power through hard work. It seemed that they had been on myriad adventures in order to garner enough contribution to become Keruz. As such, powers like theirs would be prominent in a mission such as Reina's. Though their numbers may be few, their powers exceed that of what most men could achieve in the same amount of time or even greater numbers.
“So I take it that any Cerebian could become a Keruz if their contribution quota is met?” Salem asked.
“That's right. It's a long road but available to all of us.” Kenia answered as she smiled.
Such a power...to think that something like it existed was hard to imagine but not unbelievable. He may have witnessed something of the sort in the past. But once, he had seen the Diviner Choen Palm in passing. There was something about her...her very aura felt different from all others present and those he had met. Something ethereal, powerful yet sinister. He thought it his imagination at the time but her power was what guided the Dark Moon to Xenym. As Chaos was the antithesis to Order, the Agasura were as such to the Cerebians. Was it possible that she was the equivalent of the Keruz? Was there one?
Those two aside, what stood in the centre of it all was likely Humans. Adventurers. Those who used a renewable resource called Special Power. Something that can be generated through eating or drinking or even resting. A power that allowed them to bend the laws of the world to give form to their magic and attacks called stances. However, this was based in a set of 'classes' available to them. If any attempted to stray from this established order as Reina had, they would not be able to perform such abilities, no matter how much Special Power their bodies could contain.
In Salem's case, he had walked a different path as did all shinobi of Owl Castle. From an early age, they were taught to use and master their chakras in order to give shape and form to Ninjutsu, their abilities. Very rarely could one master more than one of the arts, most of them based in a wheel of elements. As such, the groups were often split between what they could use and were assigned missions based on their skill and ability. The only person he knew that could use any and all of them currently was Master Kazuo. Though this was the case, like adventurers, they did not acquire their abilities through contribution. It was all practice, experience and eventually, mastery.
Putting his reverie aside, Salem looked to Kenia with a keen curiosity.
There was more to learn. If he could understand this knowledge, perhaps he could be of some use to Reina and her cause.
“If I may, about the symbol of the Keruz...?”
“Right, we didn't go into the details of it, did we?” Kenia asked as she glanced at Dante, who nodded in turn. “You know how adventurers have a certain set of skills they can learn?”
He nodded.
“Upon becoming a Keruz, we obtain a tome. Those tomes contain the knowledge of our ancestors passed down from one generation to the next. That knowledge, is in essence, their spells and stances, all chronicled so their descendants can take up the mantles they left behind. They all have their basis in the class system we currently use.
“As a Sorceror though, I can only use Fire-based spells. There's so many that I've never even tried available to me. Of course, the difficulty often determines how powerful they can be. Having options is great and all but the toughest decision is deciding what I can use with my allies around me.
In the nature of our work, knowledge is power, equally as important as teamwork. If I were to ask Dante how each of a Fire Sorceror's spells work, he could give me a detailed answer to each. It's common knowledge and something he's seen and read about enough times to know the inner workings of it. Mana-based spells however, neither he nor most of the other members would know a thing about. The tricky thing about our tomes is that unless the reader is a Keruz, the writing is completely illegible.”
“So, what the reader sees varies from person-to-person also? Is the tome itself magical in nature?”
Dante crossed his arms as he nodded.
“I'm willing to bet that's the case. Just like an Angel's cross, it can be summoned at will by a Keruz but can't be taken too far from them or it dissipates. I've given Kenia's tome a once-over but every single page was completely illegible to me. Not just the writing, mind you but the very characters themselves. It's nothing like I've ever seen before.”
Kenia placed her hands in her lap.
“Supposedly, they're written in the language of our ancestors. Among the current generations, we do have a few people who can decipher it but all those who have looked through the tomes couldn't tell what the text said like we could. Trying to make sense of it is even more difficult than trying to decipher a code.”
Salem placed a finger over his mouth as he mulled over the knowledge imparted upon him.
It seemed that for some reason, the authors of the tome had encoded it in such a way that only someone who had worked towards that goal could utilize such power. It was not an illogical action—power of such a degree should be entrusted to those with the skill and authority to wield it. Perhaps there was a method for the other shinobi to master the other Ninjutsu, however it was only he who had succeeded the previous Master that could. For the Cerebians it was not narrowed down to one but there would likely be very few Cerebians who would live to become Keruz. If the fastest way to such a rank was battle, they would face increasingly difficult enemies in order to meet the required quota and in the same vein, raise the risk that their lives would be lost in the process.
“Is there something else you'd like to ask, Salem? I imagine we've given you a lot to think about, given that pensive expression you're wearing,” Kenia chuckled.
He had many questions but what concerned him most was what would happen to Reina should she become a Keruz.
“Why is it that all Cerebians rarely, if ever, reveal their wings? Let alone their true power?”
The two offered him a surprised look.
“That's an interesting one,” Dante remarked.
“W-well...” Kenia began nervously. “It's because...”
He closed his eyes for a couple of moments, scanned the general area and looked to her with a steely gaze.
“I don't sense anyone in the near vicinity. Better to show him than try to explain it. There are just some things that have to be experienced.
“I'm not against it but...are you sure? You know how it can be.”
“He can handle it. Trust me.”
The Sorceror looked to her companion solemnly before she let out a gentle sigh, as if a release to her tension.
“You should brace yourself, Salem.”
Kenia rose to her feet and took a deep breath as she closed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes, four beautiful feathered appendages emerged from her back as a tome took form before her in a sphere of light. All the while, an incredible outward wind threatened to throw Salem backwards and away from the duo.
“Such pressure,” he uttered.
“W-what is that?!” Reina cried out as she arose from her sitting position.
It took all that he had to stay upright, let alone to keep his eyes open as he fought against the wind currents. All the while, he felt something unusual. Something he had not experienced since he had witnessed Julius in all his glory in that battle. It was as if witnessing something divine—something beyond his comprehension and it instilled within him a sense of awe and terror.
“That's enough. I think he gets it,” Dante said.
Kenia dissipated the book and the wings shrunk and faded away.
“I-it's alright now, Reina. There's no threat,” Salem told his companion.
“Y-you sure? You're not hurt or anything, are you?” She asked, the worry in her voice dying down.
“Yes, I'm fine. I'll explain everything later.”
“Okay. Don't keep me waiting too long.”
Salem looked back to the two to find Dante grinning impishly and Kenia smiling.
“You two are pretty close, huh?” He asked.
“Your relationship is so refreshing. I wish our guild mates would take a page from your book.” She added with a somewhat defeated sigh.
“One could say our relationship is rather amicable, yes. But let us get back to the matter at hand.” He said, adjusting his sitting position back to its prior form.
Dante's grin returned to a neutral, straight line.
“Right. You felt that, right? It's not always the case but using our powers, or even calling upon them can easily draw attention to us. To Humans, they'll become aware of what we are...to a degree. Cerebians can find us, yeah, but Agasuras will gather like moths to a flame. That aside, we don't want Humanity to be aware of what we are. It's easy to disguise ourselves because we look and act like any Human. All it takes is one look at our wings and all hell breaks loose, regardless of if we were on their side or not. It's why people like you, Salem, are crucial to our cause. We alone can't convince Humanity that the cause we share is one and the same.”
Salem blinked slowly as he took in those words.
To think that he felt fear at the sight of Kenia made him curse his weakness. Though it was such an uncommon occurrence, though he had spent years honing his mind to a fine edge, in those few moments there was an unspeakable shock at the core of his being. If he was to face Reina and say that he really and truly did not fear her, he would have to overcome that hurdle.
“It's a long and difficult road we all have to walk but I'm thankful, as is the rest of Revolution that you're a part of our cause, Salem. Thank you for walking this path with us.” Kenia said beaming.
“I still have much growing to do but I must offer you my thanks also. Both for your time and for what you're doing for my kind also. I pray that together, we can both change our respective fates.”
“We will,” Dante declared, “no matter what it takes.”
Roxanne returned with Efrain being dragged along by the hem of his jacket.
“You okay, 'Nia? I felt your power. Nothing happened here, right? Sure doesn't look like it.” She said as she dropped her incapacitated comrade.
“No, nothing happened Roxy. We were just helping Salem to understand the guild system. Welcome back, by the way! Both you and Efrain.” Kenia said as she smiled for the two.
“If you've got any more questions, feel free to ask us, Salem. Although, you should go check in with Reina. No need to make her worry needlessly.” Dante told him before gesturing to the other group. “While you're there, would you tell Otto to come over here? Rox roughed up our idiot pretty badly.”
“As you wish,” Salem added as he smiled wryly.

Salem made his way over to the other group and heard bits of a conversation in progress.
“...surprised you've never seen the posters or even a paper, Reina,” Tabitha said with a laugh.
“I-it couldn't be helped...” Reina muttered as she pressed her index fingers together. “Halcyon was a small village. We were always kinda out of the loop.”
“Though in truth, I don't think that kid made enough of a stink for the capital to spread the word. Either that or the kingdom wanted to keep that fact within the halidom's borders.” Samera added with a shrug.
Reina lifted her head in Salem's directions and raised a brow.
“Is that you, Salem?” She asked.
He was genuinely surprised that she did not recognize him. By their gait alone, she could recognize anyone from Madelaine's and most of the regulars. It was possible that due to all the sand and all the new faces, she was having a hard time with his but it was not a problem. It was nice to hear that she expected him in and of itself.
“Yes,” he answered.
She smiled.
“Good to have you here.”
She patted the spot next to her by the fire.
“Come over and sit down! No need to stand there!”
He smiled at her enthusiasm and agreed to take her up on her offer.
“Right...Otto, Dante asked me to send for you.”
Otto knit his brows.
“Again? Don't tell me Efrain started shit with Roxanne.”
“Off you go, Otto! Your services are required!” Samera said as she waved him off.
The Bard sighed as he rose to his feet and dusted himself off.
“Honestly, why am I wasting my SP on these idiots? I should tell him to heal the regular way for his stupidity. If he got punched out by someone outside of the guild I'd feel better about this whole thing.”
With those parting words, he went to meet with his other guild mates.
“Forgive me the interruption,” Salem began. “May I ask what you all were discussing?”
“I'll fill you in, Salem but before that, what happened before? I felt this...strange...sensation. It was familiar but at the same time...it overloaded my senses. All of them!”
The whole group looked surprised at this knowledge.
“Seriously?” Samera asked.
“Are you okay, Reina?” Tabitha asked.
“I've never heard of that happening. Are you not good with mana or something?” Theodore suggested.
“Mana...?” The swordswoman asked with a baffled look.
“The truth of the matter is that Kenia was giving me an example of what it means to be a Keruz. I have a fair understanding of using one's sixth sense but there's no denying that power like that has a very different feel to it.”
Reina crossed her arms as she tilted her head in thought.
“Hmm...well that explains the familiarity. Julius passively gave off that feeling but it was always so...subdued? The only time I really felt its effects was when Xenym was attacked.”
She paused as she pursed her lips.
“Speaking of...have you ever felt something like that from Vanir? I vaguely remember a similar feeling during our team sparring matches.”
Vanir? Did he have any magical aptitude? A question worth pondering but one that likely had no resolution, as the barista would not confess to such a belief.
However, it was clear as day what Salem and Reina had felt was vastly different. It made him curious whether that was the difference between Humans and Cerebians. It further raised the question, what made her experience with it so vastly different from that of the others? Familiarity? Or something more?
“Never mind that,” she said. “Trying to get the truth out of Vanir is like trying to teach a squirrelope to dance.”
“A...squirrelope?”
“I...I just mean it's impossible!”
Samera and Tabitha found their banter rather funny.
“So? Fill him in, Rei!” Samera said as she clapped her hands.
“R-right! So we were talking about...well...to put it logically, a legend of ours.”
“A legend, you say?” Salem asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Is it really a legend though? I mean, he's real, isn't he?” Samera asked with a questioning gaze.
“He who?”
“He...is a being we call the Abellan. Or at least in the common language, the Absolute,” Tabitha said.
“We have a lot of old stories and legends of heroes of ages past. Unlike fairy tales though, the things regarding the gods and that being, the Absolute are actual beliefs. Humans have their own gods too, don't they? We do too—gods that ruled over people and places and sometimes even the elements. This one, however, was an oddity among them,” Reina explained.
“You're the historian, preach it!” Samera chimed with a grin.
“Oh, come on now!”
Reina's cheeks flushed.
“I'd like to hear your take too, Reina. In my hometown he was more of an old wives' tale than anything else.” Tabitha said as she scratched her cheek.
The swordswoman pursed her lips.
“In truth, that gives me mixed feelings. I don't blame them for having doubts but...a small part of me still believes. If people lost faith in him entirely, it'd be kinda sad, don't you think?”
“Hey, whoa, one thing at a time. Don't leave Salem out of the loop,” Samera remarked.
“You're right...sorry Salem.”
“No need for an apology. Please, go on.”
“To make a long story short, there were three major gods the Cerebians believed in. The ruler of all, God Ah, the creator and our patron goddess Lady Amae and the Harbinger of the End Times, Lord Asmodeus. Those three make up what we call God Ah's Family.
“There's said to be a fourth being, though, the one we call the Abellan. It was said that when calamity struck, they would come down and lead the Cerebians towards salvation.
“But it was also said that he...or it, was a being that existed before our time. During the time of the gods and goddesses, when Humanity still held ties with the Cerebians.
“Where they went, that's always been a bit of a mystery. All we knew was that they were slated to return and when they did, they would be what rivals Agasura King Asmodeus himself.”
“I must ask, though, why is it that you feel so certain he's real, Samera?” Salem asked.
“Hm? Oh! I came from the capital city of Asgard. There was this whole thing going around that the queen-to-be found him and he was making trouble in the city.” Samera said with a laugh.
Salem's mouth hung agape as he watched the Blader casually sitting in the sand, her legs outstretched and her feet waving to-and-fro.
“Sam!” Tabitha cried with a look of disbelief. “Explain it better than that! You're doing Reina a disservice with that explanation!”
The swordswoman looked as if her soul had left her body. He had never seen her look so defeated in all their years together.
“Fine, fine. I can't really say why but for some reason, the castle guard really didn't like him. He'd sneak into the castle and he constantly had everyone in a tizzy as they tried to catch him. Nobody really knows why, though. Maybe he'd taken a liking to the princess or something.”
“Tell me, what makes you think that this was the Absolute?”
“There were some rumours floating around that the princess believed he was. That and some of the guards said he used magic in ways they'd never seen before to get away from them. Heck, he and his friends even escaped Warlord Turk. Nobody messed with Warlord Turk and lived to tell!”
“A formidable opponent...” Salem muttered thoughtfully.
“She's just over-exaggerating, Salem! I don't think he actually killed people. Especially not kids. I had heard he was a strict leader, though,” Reina added hurriedly.
“You'd heard stories of Turk but not the kid?” The Blader asked with a look of disbelief.
“B-because people actually talked about him!”
A kid? Was it possible that the being they spoke of took the form of a child? There was no denying that people would sooner speak of men that had accomplished great feats than they would of a child borne of legends.
Nonetheless, in spite of Reina's love of fairy tales and the like, she seemed rather timid about this particular matter.
“What are your thoughts on it, Reina?” He asked.
She seemed pensive. Her mouth was curled into a thoughtful grimace.
“To be completely honest with you, I'm scared. I mean, fairy tales are one thing...those and parables, you know, mostly exist as an escape from reality or to teach a lesson. This, though, is more religion than fantasy. For me...I feel like it's something I would have held fast to before all of this happened.”
She lowered her head as her whole demeanour seemed to dampen.
“Maybe I shouldn't have doubts but it's hard not to. When the people you love and grew up with are murdered in cold blood right before your eyes, it feels like faith isn't going to help you. That believing just isn't enough.”
She tightly clenched the hilt of the weapon at her hip.
“I can't deny it outright...I mean, our very existence could be seen in the same way to you and the rest of Humanity. It's surreal and it doesn't make any sense. Life seems to say on every occasion that if you want to make a change, you have to do it with your own hands...on your own feet...with your own strength. Alessa and Virgil knew that all too well. I was the only one who hadn't come to understand that. I just waited and hoped for change to come rather than acting.
“In truth, I'm scared to accept that vague possibility that the child the princess found is him. On one hand, it would be a blessing for all of us because...you know, the legend was true. At the same time, it means that calamity will strike...if it hasn't already.”
“Which one are we talking about?” Samera asked as she grinned mirthlessly.
“Asgard was attacked twice, every member of the Derr Clan vanished when they went to prevent the arrival of the Malign Shroud...the attack on Xenym too. There really has been a lot of disasters, haven't there?” Tabitha added as she counted them with her fingers.
“...Did they kill it? The Shroud? I mean, if they all went and nobody lived to tell, it'll still show up, won't it?”
The Treasure Hunter shrugged in response.
The conversation that began to run parallel to the previous seemed to be on important matters but did not hold weight to Salem. What concerned him was Reina's current state of mind. He did not understand nor quite see the need for faith but to her, it was something she took refuge in. To feel that one's strength is her single saving grace would lead her down the wrong path. He needed to work through her doubts with her before they became solidified beliefs.
“Reina, are you alright?” He asked.
She knit her brows and sighed.
“I wish I could say I was. It hasn't even been five minutes and I'm already contradicting myself. How could I expect anyone else to have faith if I myself harbour doubts?”
Salem blinked slowly.
It seemed that she was trying to reason it out. In the face of the oppressive reality, what was she to believe? There was truth in the fact that if everyone could fend for themselves, things may have been different...or so one on the other side of the spectrum could believe. The reality was much harsher: the people of Xenym were outnumbered by a massive margin. If they could not stand against the Dark Moon's vanguard, they would certainly fall to the rear-guard when it arrived.
As for Reina, her crisis was one that was difficult to comprehend in logical ways. The tales of gods and goddesses, kings and queens, people and monsters...and finally, salvation and annihilation. When put on a much grander scale, it was hard to imagine what one pair of adventurers could accomplish. If Julius had a fraction of the strength that those of God Ah's family possessed, what was Agasura King Asmodeus capable of? If the Absolute was not real but Asmodeus was, how would the Cerebians rival him?
“You are free to believe if you so desire, Reina. There's no harm in doing so, is there?” Salem asked. “As you had said, it would be rather sad if no one believed in them, wouldn't it? Just as people believe in you, you can do the same. I'm sure if you ever met them, they would appreciate it.”
At his words, she offered a solemn pause in turn for a time. Finally, she smiled slightly.
“Maybe you're right, Salem. I'd be kinda disappointed if everyone had doubts about what I could do. I mean...I have doubts about what I can do but knowing that people believe in me makes me want to try harder. It's also because of that belief that we can be here now. Perhaps...just a little faith won't hurt anybody.”
“Hey, Samera,” Maya said.
“Yeah? What's up?” Samera asked looking to the Vampanelar.
“Do you remember how they described that kid?”
The Blader crossed her arms and closed her eyes.
“Let's see...something like...spiky black hair, brown eyes...wears a white dress and carries a mandolin...about ye high?”
She got to her feet to address his height with a single hand by her flank.
“Hm...that sounds about right.”
“Do you know something about him, Maya?” Reina asked.
She grinned as she looked at her nails.
“Maybe! Naomi said some blue-haired girl nicknamed the Little Princess and her merry band of friends was looking for somebody with that description.”
Reina looked startled and Salem blinked slowly.
“D-do you think that's the same one?” She whispered to her companion.
“It is rather befitting of them. For all of them to be one in the same is not beyond the realm of reason,” he whispered back.
Reina nodded once as her smile widened and her cheeks flushed.
“It's probably a coincidence. But...just in case, I'll be sure to ask around too.”

NGL, I was thinking I wouldn't update the blog. Something in my mind was like new year, new me. Not that...this would be a substantial change, really. Or maybe it would? I mean I've been complaining about doing this for years. It's not helping my case at all, really lol. Like that saying, y'know? Can't wait for the world to change, you gotta make change. This story follows that philosophy, somewhat. Long and short of it is its 2023 and I'm still here for some reason or another. For now! Don't expect that to remain the case, just in case!
So? Let's get down to it!

It's outta Elfa and into the Desert proper today. Honestly, what Roxanne says is really grim, but she puts it pretty lightly, doesn't she? So, Vanir. He's the kinda guy who'd say, "I hate everyone equally," so guild master or not, you get the same treatment from him. Royalty included, if you've read either story lol. He and Peorth have a very troubled past, to say the least lol.
You could probably tell, but Roxanne and Emil are pretty close. It's not unusual for the Keruz to be with the Tiratez as you'll hear in this story too, but yeah she's fond of him. Kenia is keenly aware, so if I did it well, you've likely already took notice of that. We haven't seen much of her yet, but you'll get that vibe from her as time goes on.
Salem's inner monologue following Kenia's explanation was something that I really feel stands out. It helps that we're seeing this from the perspective of someone who isn't an 'adventurer' per se. But I imagine the notion isn't entirely different for those who might find inspiration in others, especially at a young age. A while ago I talked about how when we're young we might say we want to be this or that, and if you had plans to be an adventurer, in a sense you'd have a heroic figure you look up to. I was very much the same way. I can't say growing up I had a lot of authors I respected, 'cause I didn't know much about them. When I did get to use the internet, the last thing on my mind was doing research on my heroes lol.
The second paragraph stands out to me, though. I wonder if it can be like that. We're all bound to stray from the right path every now and again as we grow older. We have to in order to keep learning, both from the right choices and the mistakes we make. In the case of a character like Reina, she has a set goal with...well, I suppose that'd be it. There are myriad paths to accomplish that goal, but it's well-defined and in understanding that, should she have doubts, remembering what it is that's at stake can quell them. But what about cases where the answers aren't so clear? When one must decide for themselves if the path they pursue is one that can logically be achieved. Or, if even, the path they pursue has a set goal. Like a mental fog that obscures the future, the past and clouds one's vision of the present. Where nothing is clear, but nobody else is nearby to serve as a beacon. ...Forgive the tangent. It's something I've been thinking about a lot. Seeing a similar notion from years ago is strange, though, because it feels like a memory that slipped away from me, but I still do remember parts of those days. A different time, a different me, I suppose. Still, the notion that follows...finding inspiration in the successes of those you watch over, I understand that. Now, more than ever. It reminds me why I did my best up to this point. Why I still continue, to. I should've saved all this for the end but I didn't intend to get all sentimental lol. Let's set that aside and get back to the real meat of the matter, yeah?

Gotta admit, wasn't entirely sure myself if the speaker was Roxanne or Kenia following Reina's reply, but it was definitely the latter. I feel like I should put it was her somewhere, but prior to Reina saying something, she was the last speaker and her character voice and mannerisms are different from Roxanne. It's just once she gets into it, that's when Roxanne starts to really sound distinct from her. Still, I'm glad they had the discussion about the reps of the guild. It's a pretty universal thing, isn't it? You'll always have someone be the face of your group. There could be multiple someones and when you see that person or character, you immediately realize what the group is. Like Pikachu or Kirby, in those cases its brand recognition. In all fairness though, you could say the same for actors or musicians. But we shouldn't forget those who support them. As you can imagine, this story is very much the same, as is Sanctuary. Though TJ sees his missions as something performed in the shadows, the members of Yggdrasil are pretty much heading the campaign. In all fairness, what all of the Asgardians are doing can be seen that way. It's a bit strange, that case. Reina's case helps to illustrate that, though. What people will be aware of are the duo, but the members of Madelaine's have been supporting them since they began. It isn't inherently a bad thing though, to see things that way! If you boil it down to brass tacks, it's just a lot less information dense. Trying to put names to faces of several people is hard. Keep it simple, it has sticking power, I suppose! Don't listen to me, Idk jack shit about brand recognition or advertising and god knows, if I did it'd only drive me insane. Though Dante's remark feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Knowing what that's like now annoys me endlessly.
All the joking aside, I'm glad Reina acknowledges her situation. It's not very heroic, but that's the good thing about it. She isn't...I want to say made for that role, but it isn't quite the right word. However! Due to the nature of the novel and the existence of the Abellan, it really can apply. That and some other things you're aware of if you read GAL 4 but...I won't mention that here. Of course, TJ is the oddity, but she doesn't have anything that makes her special like some of the others, save for being Hazel's daughter. However, in this case you need the lineage+hard work! Or natural talent but this girl has none of that for dancing.
I've been reading over much of this, though I do read all of it and it's hard to comment on some parts of the story. It's a discussion, which does make things easier, but a lot of it is self-explanatory, isn't it? It fits my intentions. A little bit, Kenia and Roxanne serve as...mentors, of sorts? Rather, they serve as someone that Reina can bounce ideas and concepts on. Given that they have experience and can serve as a link to Emil and perhaps the notions of other guilds, it gives a better idea of what others are thinking. A little bit, they serve as the voice of Ramalda/Elfa. We do get discussions with Salem, but he's more a partner in the scenario than a potential ally. From them, we get a variety of new insights. What Kenia says about Emil being pragmatic is a good point also. They've something to gain in participating in the scenario, but they also have a lot to gain in ensuring that Reina and Salem don't die on a suicide mission.
Just wanted to say, I like the moment where Reina's reminded of what she fights for. It lends credence to Salem's earlier inner monologue and from an author's standpoint, helps foster her growth. She lacks courage most of the time, and you can see that here too, of course, but there are times where it's the opposite. Having both is good, when and why those emotions manifest is something very important to consider both as a writer and reader.
That aside, throughout this...well, act, I wanted to take the chance to show readers what...well, making a guild could be like. Yggdrasil is a bit of an oddity in that respect, but it follows much of the same conventions. In that case though, Peorth already had a mission and making a guild and selecting members to be her Keruz was part and parcel to that. Due to the fact, she could skip some steps. However, selecting those members comes with a great responsibility. In USSR, we hear a little bit about Reina forming a guild, but it likely doesn't carry the weight of the responsibility. Maybe the epilogue helped portray that somewhat as she expressed her concerns to Samson, but I wanted to show her learning about it from the ground up. All the things she would need to consider, the origins of it, why she should consider it and what it means to be a leader or a follower. It's very in the nature for Innocent, exploring all of the various aspects of the world Sanctuary doesn't and in this, it goes very into detail.
I do confess, their first skirmish being at an enemy stronghold is a bit...much. It's not as large scale as taking on the Dark Moon, but it's nothing to scoff at either. However, it's also why I introduced the idea that a good amount of Keruz can be a destructive force alone. We've seen what they're capable of and you'll see it again here. Even if the enemy had larger numbers, the sheer strength one of them would carry can rival that easily. Given that adventurers wield powers that give them the advantage over non-adventurers, this is very much the same. Raw power aside, the girls are no strangers to missions, so you can expect that as far as tactics and combat go, they've got a very good idea of how to comport themselves. Given that, Reina likely picked up a few tactics from these girls she could put to use during the events later on, right?
That discussion does lead to her coming around, so we get the first step! Leading a battle party! Or one could say alliance, since they've got like...8 members in Rev alone. They grow up so fast.

Now, there was mentions of campfires and they're here! There's a bit of banter between the gang. I wanted to take a chance to give you a feel for them when they weren't so serious, but Dante always is, so don't mind him too much. Roxanne is really strong and a great leader, but as you can imagine she doesn't like bugs. It's part of what makes her such a good contrast with Kenia. They're both really good friends so hopefully that comes clear through their dialogues both before and going forward. That, and they're always together!
As you can see, there was a set-up for actually important info but it gets derailed temporarily. "What Dante said was in bad taste, but no less true! You see a bit more of Kenia filling the role of team mom, though it's more like she's the mediator for the group 'cause they all wind up fighting over nothing. Then there's the king of instigating, Efrain lol. A little unrelated, but Salem's inner reply to Maya's statement it mwah! Just as good as I remember it. It's such a good quip lol.
Now, if it wasn't obvious already, Roxanne has a thing for Emil. So much so it's obvious to everybody around them. Only Efrain would take the piss to get on her nerves, though. A part of why I had their little back-and-forth end like that was so I could focus on the information to be parted lol. The remarks from the two are a bit of a nod to that lol. Speaking of taking the piss, Maya's doing it too, but she doesn't have a thing for Salem. Her tastes are very particular, she was just being playful.
So then! You're likely familiar with the guild system already, assuming you've read the other novels. There is a bit more detail on certain aspects here, though, that I'll go into. Before that though, the reason for it is because like USSR, the novel is meant to stand alone. USSR serves better as a supplement to the main story, but this does have a wide cast of characters and familiar scenery. However, it does take place before the main story, so all of those major events in it haven't happened yet, so the events here don't feel so...well, minimal in comparison.
About the ranks, as Kenia explained, those that become Angels can't fly yet. They can 'jump' again and can glide, but flight isn't possible. It's upon becoming Tronz that they gain that ability and the distinct characteristics. For example, Reina's allows her to fly long distances, but she's a slow starter, while Alessa's eat up stamina but allows her to move and maneuver with incredible speed. Dante mentions some of those specialties too. In TJ's case though, it did change the appearance but the characteristics remain the same.
In Salem's case, it kinda follows the abilities of the ninjas from Owl Castle. In the game, there were a few varieties of them, each dressed in different colours. Red, purple, black, etc. Each of them had different abilities depending on which you encountered. The one wearing white could essentially use several in succession with one of his attacks. That's generally the notion that lead to them having such a limited set of abilities. However, like later classes and subclasses, they use a resource different from SP. Some use it also, but they often have distinct resources. The knowledge Salem mulls over about his master isn't just for the sake of knowing, though. It also foreshadows the possibility of him defeating Kazuo and learning new techniques. He hasn't really used any yet because he's trying to hide his identity, but he can do it.
One important thing I want you to note is that being a Keruz isn't a be-all-end-all solution. It's a great power, great responsibility situation. They have incredible power, but to use their abilities carelessly endangers both their friends and their enemies. I'm sure it's obvious by now, but in this case, you might pick off your juniors before they even reach their 2nd rank. It's a bad time waiting to happen.
Kenia showing off her abilities is kinda to give you an idea of what others would experience at the sight of it, or even to be in the vicinity. We saw such a thing when TJ witnessed God Ah for the first time, and it's very much the same. The Asgardians, when the limiters are released have a very awe-inspiring aura. For most Asgardians, it wouldn't have that effect, but due to Reina's nature she panics a bit. Both her talent and personality, I mean lol. With that, we also see the inner turmoil Salem goes through at the realization of such a fear! That could serve as a point of contention or angst between them, should he let it slip.

Next? We get to see a bit of the other side, Reina talking with the juniors. Since this does take place before the main story, TJ getting up to his shenanigans in the capital is still relatively fresh. It's weird to think about, but a lot of those guys will be adults in the current time period.
Reina taught TJ about people passively emitting mana, and you can see a similar notion here. Julius did too, but he kept his under control, only really letting it show when Xenym was assaulted. Having an understanding of that is paramount. Speaking of him, she hasn't met him, but knows of him. Being one of the few...openly religious(?) characters in the story, she's the go-to-girl to ask about such things. Though I confess, knowing the story and how TJ is, it doesn't really carry the awe it should. That, and Samera's quip about him lol. But that's the kinda thing I was going for with this! It's good! I like it!
Speaking of faith, Reina has doubts. I think that's a good moment for her, because we know how much she valued it before all of that happens. Having lost all that she did, faith wasn't going to change that. Still can't, even now. Or maybe it could, but they wouldn't like the end result lol. Nonetheless, Reina learning to rely on her own strength is an important facet of her character. Finding and understanding her own, but also what she can offer to others, and they can accomplish for her in turn.
Anyway, that little bit between Samera and Tabitha? Super important. Not important enough to warrant Salem's focus, but super important. Trust me bro.
So, on the nature of faith. It's something I think about occasionally. Not just the religious kind, but having faith in people. In some cases, it can be what spurs us onward. This is one such case, Reina doubting her abilities but taking solace in knowing that others don't. It gives her the courage to overturn her fate, to do what she thought couldn't be done. I can't say it'll always work out, but for those who need it, we have little to lose in offering it. That aside, that description sound familiar? Be it of the Abellan or those looking for him. That merry band of friends is out there somewhere as is the boy.

That said, end of the update! Might've been too tired to make bad jokes. I dunno, my brain feels like mush and not in the good way. Not that the other way is particularly good, but it definitely is better than this. Could be worse, I guess! I haven't done anything this week 'cause nothing goes according to plan and I might not, outside of this. I need to take out my craptastic old hard drive and clean up. And potentially give myself salmonella, we'll see. As always, if I don't die of it, more soon, probably! I'd say if I can be bothered, but I can't be and yet I'm still here. I should just, not, y'know? Imagine! Imagine if I just said, "no". The possibilities are endless!
Nonetheless, goodbye! Before I forget, since I won't get anything done, more Innocent here soon, most likely! Goodbye!

The following day the group continued through the desert, travelling closely together.
“To be completely honest, those condors are making me kinda nervous,” Samera said as she looked skyward.
As she had pointed out, there were several massive birds circling around them as they continued their journey.
“You've never come across these guys before? Boy, you're in for a real treat.” Efrain said with a laugh.
“Don't get careless.” Dante added as he eyed their surroundings.
“Salem, Reina, you should probably know but they're man-eaters.” Roxanne told them as she looked over her shoulder.
Salem was aware of them. Very rarely did he come across them, as most of his targets would see little reason to go into the outskirts of the Desert but he was well aware that they would eat anything and everything that could be considered prey.
“They're not the only ones, eh, Dante?” Efrain asked in a joking tone, nudging Dante with his elbow.
In turn, he only received the sound of bone clashing against metal.
“Do you like getting your ass kicked? I could make a skewer out of you and those sky rats if you wanna make another joke like that,” Roxanne huffed.
“You don't think they'll attack, do you?” Reina asked, trepidation edging her voice.
“They definitely will,” Otto began, “they're just waiting for the right opportunity. They typically attack when their prey is weak but they're known to attack when they're preoccupied also.”
“We'll be counting on you to lead us, Reina. You remember our classes and what we specialize in, right?” Tabitha asked.
“That won't be a problem! The remembering part, at least. The leading part, I'm already a nervous wreck just thinking about it...” Reina muttered as she pressed her fingers together.
“Have faith in yourself, Reina. We know you can do it.” Kenia added as she smiled.
“Everyone, cut the chit-chat! We've got sand worms incoming from all directions!” Dante roared as he turned to the group following Maya.
It seemed the time to fight had come much sooner than any of them would have expected. Salem would have to do everything in his power to support Reina as she both led their expedition party and fought alongside them.
As the Temple Knight had warned them, though hardly visible beneath the sands, there were mounds that were rapidly approaching, leaving growing clouds of dust as they gained momentum. Above them, the condors began to cry as if warning each other not to miss an opportunity for a takedown.
“It's time! You're up to bat, Reina! Give us our orders!” Roxanne shouted as she drew her spear.
The swordswoman looked visibly shaken at the Warlord's words. The look on her face was all the proof Salem needed to know that she was not shaken per se but likely running through the myriad possibilities of what could and should occur.
“One thing at a time, Reina. Let's focus on how we can counteract their offensive.” He told her as he placed a hand to her shoulder. “Believe in yourself, as I do you.”
Her head was turned to him as he spoke and but moments afterwards, she turned to their approaching enemies. Mouth straightened, brows furrowed and fists clenched, she began issuing orders.
“Efrain, Dante, Roxanne, I want you to be the front line! Hold back the enemies and create an opening for our other melee fighters!
“Samera, Salem and I will act as floaters. If anything gets past you two, we'll take them down or hold them off until one of our ranged fighters can pick them off.
“Kenia, Tabitha and Theodore, I want you three to focus on taking down the condors as quickly as possible. If you can't land a killing blow, grounding them will suffice!
“Otto, I'll need you to provide enhancements to the party. Stay behind the others for now until you're done and when your songs are complete, stay amid the ranged fighters. We'll need you to monitor the well being of the party and provide recovery magic when necessary!
“Now! Everyone, to arms!”
Weapons drawn, arrows and bolts nocked and feet shuffling about as the party got into formation, the group let out a wordless battle cry both to rally themselves and to acknowledge the swordswoman's command.
“Efrain!” Dante snarled as he held his sword behind him.
“Don't mind if I do!” Efrain laughed as he crossed his arms.
He raised one foot and as he brought it down, lowered his arms to his side. The ferocity at which he stomped the ground caused the very earth beneath them to tremble and stop the sand worms in their tracks.
Meanwhile, Dante's weapon gained a powerful glow. With a swing of the weapon, a bluish-white shockwave was unleashed and tore through the sand, colliding with one of the worms, causing it to emerge from the sand.
“I've got it!” Roxanne said as she rushed past the other two and stabbed it with her spear.
Upon slaying the creature, a bright crimson flame crackled to life around her weapon as she twirled it around. With a single swing, the sand was caught in a powerful gust that dragged two of the creatures from beneath the ground out from hiding. The Warlord rushed both in succession, hitting them towards her comrades before regrouping with the front line.
“You're up, Samera, Reina and Salem!”
Samera took up her stance before she swung her blades twice and cut the creature to pieces. Salem broke away from Reina and unsheathed his blade to cut the creature down before sheathing it again.
“Nice reflexes,” Reina said with a chuckle.
“You flatter me.” Salem answered with a slight smile.
Kenia held a hand skyward and her tome in the other. In her free hand, a growing fireball took form before she launched it into the center or the circling condors. The sphere came to a halt and fire swirled around it before it finally burst, affecting all the condors within range.
“Theo, now's our chance!” Tabitha said as she nocked two more arrows.
The condors that had been hit fell away from the others somewhat and needed to regain their composure. The Treasure Hunters used the opportunity to strike their foes down.
Tabitha let her arrows loose and hit one of the bird's wings, causing it to begin a sudden descent. Theodore fired a torrent of three bolts in succession, hitting one of the others.
“Efrain, Roxanne, incoming,” Theodore called to the two.
The warlord turned on the balls of her heels and twirled her spear as she got into position. The moment it came within range of her weapon, she thrust it skyward and impaled the creature before dragging it to the ground to deal a finishing blow.
Efrain jumped to perform a full spin and take a crouching stance. As the bird descended, he transitioned into a flash kick and flung the bird away from his comrades. The moment he touched down he somersaulted backwards twice before jumping through the air and falling upon the creature with a dive kick.
Reina lifted her head to listen closely. Amidst the sound of Otto's songs, worms tearing through the ground and condors diving upon the group.
“Salem, Samera, be on your guard! Kenia, Otto, brace yourselves!” She said as she tightened the hold on her katana.
“Are you ready, Reina?” Salem asked as he took to her blind side.
She nodded solemnly once before she charged forward, Salem following closely behind. As the worm neared Reina skidded to a halt to perform a low sweep. The worm was caught in the attack and dragged out from beneath the sands. In those moments, Salem climbed over his companion and brought his blade down upon it.
“There's another-”
Before Reina could finish her sentence, it burst forth from the ground as she turned to meet it. She awkwardly attempted to cut it down but reacted too slowly. As it ascended over her weapon, she raised her off-hand to block her face and it dug its fangs into her arm.
“Urgh!”
As she reeled back Salem split it in two and steadied her before she fell back.
“Hold still. It might hurt somewhat but if you attempt to pull it out as is, it will only tear the flesh from your arm.” Salem warned her as he took hold of it.
He squeezed the remains of the body and the fangs dug deeper briefly before they relaxed and it came loose. As he pulled it away droplets of blood followed suit left from the wounds it inflicted but the marks were all that it caused. He tossed it aside and she smiled somewhat.
“Thanks for that.”
Samera readied herself as the worm approached and before it could strike, she slammed both blades into the sand. As it attempted to avoid the strike. She followed after it, lunging with both swords over her shoulder. Without missing a beat, she caught it during its escape and cut it down successfully.
“Theo, Tabi, stick to me!” Kenia shouted as she gestured for the two to surround her.
As requested by their superior, the two surrounded her and she outstretched a hand. At first, a transparent sphere with a grid pattern surrounded them before the entire sphere burst into flames. The condors that attempted to strike them reduced their flight speed before coming to a halt just outside the fire's range. They crowed menacingly but dared go no further.
“Salem, get that condor at their back. Samera, take the front! Tabitha, do you think you can land a hit on one to buy them some time?”
“Leave it to me!” Tabitha said as she drew an arrow and held it to the fire.
Once the tip ignited, she nocked it in her bow and let it loose on the condor harassing them. The arrow lodged itself within the bird's breast and set the feathers alight, causing it to cry even louder as it flitted about in a panic.
Wile this took place, both Samera and Salem rushed forward to lend their aid to their companions. The Blader dove mid-sprint, her blades outstretched to cut a swath through the creature and fell it. As Salem emerged from the other side of the barrier the condor glimpsed him but far too late. He hurled a kunai at it and struck its wing causing it to fall from the sky and land roughly before he beheaded it.
When the final sand worm had been crushed under the weight of Dante's mallet, the final condors that circled above decided to give up their pursuit. They circled the group a couple more times before crying out and flying away.
“I think we're in the clear,” Reina said with a relieved sigh.
She still heard the sound of Otto playing and much to her pleasure, the wound on her arm began to close over the span of it.
Before she knew it, however, she was surrounded by the members of Revolution. Roxanne slipped between her legs and placed her on her shoulders as she laughed heartily. Efrain and Samera joined in the merrymaking with laughter and clapping while Reina protested.
“R-Roxanne! P-p-put me down! I'm terrible with heights,” she complained.
“Come on now, enjoy it! You've earned it, little miss field general!” She laughed as Reina desperately grabbed here and there in order to hold on.
“I'm b-bad with heights!”
Kenia took a few steps to stand next to Salem as she placed a hand to her cheek.
“I'm sure you've been well aware of it, Salem. She has a lot of potential, she just needs to be polished to bring out her abilities.” She said as she placed a hand to her smiling face.
“Yes, I've seen myself as she's grown into a splendid swordswoman. I'm sure she is aware of it too, but there is still room for growth. I believe that in meeting more people and growing alongside them, she will learn much and more, both about combat and leadership. I cannot thank you and yours enough for this opportunity.”
She shook her head.
“I don't think you need to thank us for what we're doing, Salem. As I told Reina earlier, our reasons might be somewhat selfish in nature. However, there's no denying that we'd all like to see the captives reunited with their loved ones. Even among our own members, there are some that have lost family to the Dark Moon. For everyone's sake, this mission was something we couldn't pass up the opportunity to take part in. For the future of those who will choose to join in the fight, Reina will serve as a paragon for them to aspire to.
“I...personally, just can't bear to see her die, after getting to know her.”
Salem let those final words wash over him solemnly as he watched Roxanne bouncing his companion on her shoulders playfully.
How strong she had become in the years they had spent together...he could not say for certain whether the capabilities of the Cerebians outstripped that of Humans, their wings and unique powers aside. Should that not be the case, it had simply meant that Reina was not only a fast learner, but adept enough to put what she experienced into practice.
“S-Salem! Save me! I'm being b-b-bullied!”
At this juncture, the junior members, Roxanne aside, were hoisting her entire body and throwing her into the air with cheers to accompany it.
At the sight, he could not help but stifle a chuckle.
She may have had two left feet as a dancer but she would someday make a great leader. She would just need to reconsider her concept of bullying somewhat.
“There's no malice here, Reina. Rather, I think you're quite loved.” He said as he casually approached.

The group had gathered around one large campfire for a meal. Tabitha was on duty, dishing out stew to the members of Revolution and their guests. The members were scattered about, talking animatedly among themselves. A diagram of Master Kazuo's stronghold had been drawn in the sand courtesy of Maya and the group had been discussing how they would approach.
“So, those two buildings right? The largest among them. If my suspicions are right, the one on the north side of the stronghold likely has Kazuo himself inside of it. The one in the south is most likely where the captive Cerebians are being kept,” Maya explained. “Both of them were heavily guarded. They had regular patrols both day and night. Only other place with any guards was the storehouse.”
“We can't engage in those places, then,” Reina said. “If we were to try and break directly into Kazuo's headquarters we'd not only be boxing ourselves in but we might come face to face with him. Better to whittle down his forces and take the fight to him than risk him coming to us with all his men backing him.”
“That matter aside, to aim for the hostages first is risky. Not only would breaking into their location put them at danger, we would be fighting among them.” Kenia added as she knit her brows.
“In that case, it'd be better to fight in the courtyard. Salem and Samera would have an advantage in an enclosed space due to their mobility, but you, Theo and Tabitha would be at a substantial disadvantage. At worst, you wouldn't be able to cast at all without risking friendly fire.”
“I won't disparage your plans, Reina, but you're gonna have to tell us: what do you plan to do about the archers on the ramparts?” Roxanne asked, her gaze deadly serious. “If we're just jump right into the heart of the stronghold, one way or another we'll have to fend them off.”
Maya had mentioned that while scouting out the stronghold she had glimpsed a series of archers stationed upon the walls. Both during the day and night, they had a watch ready. Their numbers were few but it would not do for the group to underestimate their skill.
“This does raise the question of how we will get past them initially. I imagine, to some degree that we would be able to proceed under the cover of night but the illusion of the shifting sands will only hold out for a brief period.” Salem said as he crossed his arms.
“You're both right. There's a simple solution, though. Well...in truth its simplicity depends on your capabilities as Keruz. An Explorer or Treasure Hunter's strength lies in their ability to see and hit far-away enemies. Their advantage is lost when the former is unavailable. Considering that we're surrounded by sand on all sides, all we need to do is find a way to create a veil and begin our assault under the cover of it. I'm willing to bet that the archers wouldn't fire off their arrows carelessly.
“Now then, as much as I hate to confess to this, i don't have any abilities that could do this for us. Kenia, Roxanne, do you have anything that could?”
This brought a smile to the Warlord's face.
“Not bad, Reina. I do, in fact. Kicking up a storm with our weapon alone is a Warlord's specialty. Heavenly Ascent and Steel Tempest are perfect contenders for that. Creating cover for us will be easy.”
“Great! I'll be counting on you when that time comes. As for getting into the stronghold, I imagine that they would have something we could break down...though going through the front doors wouldn't be ideal.”
“If you'd like to avoid having scalding oil dumped over your head.” Maya remarked as she shrugged.
Reina looked rather put-out by the statement.
“We don't have any siege tools, though. I'm not sure if we can just punch through a stronghold's defenses with what we have currently.”
“Sure we can,” Kenia added. “Who needs explosives when you have magic?”
The swordswoman raised a brow at the statement.
“You think so?”
The Sorceror smiled from ear-to-ear.
“I know so. It's because Emil has faith in my magic that he sent me here. I don't blame you for having doubts, though.” She laughed at Reina's somewhat apologetic expression. “Wizards and Sorcerors don't use too much explosive magic but we have a few more options available to us through mana. The only problem is, the strongest of spells have long cast times and more often than not, leave us wide open.”
“Right. So let's say theoretically Kenia could break down the wall. How thick a wall do you think you could get through?”
“If you don't mind me throwing in my two Ely, that castle was probably somewhere between 8 and 15 feet thick. It pales in comparison to Dark Moon and Owl Castle but it's still pretty strong,” Maya told them.
“That should be fine. I can get through it if you give me enough time to cast. All things considered, using an explosive spell might be a tad too dangerous...but I do have some other options in mind we could use.”
Their goal was neither to kill their enemies nor the hostages. To blow up the wall would risk this substantially. What she kept in mind was questionable but Salem would treat it as a learning experience.
“Right, I'll leave that in your care. So if Kenia's unguarded, then it falls to us to defend her. Assuming that they would allocate forces to fire on our position, how could we block the arrows?”
“My Will o' Wisp spell can be used in that regard. If used defensively, they can be detonated on approaching enemies and objects. I can only summon a certain amount though, and once I start casting I won't be able to do it again until I'm finished.”
“Like we talked about before, Warlords can create wind currents with some of their stances. I'd have to pick wisely, though, 'cause they use up a lot of mana.” Roxanne added as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
“You could deflect them with stances like Instinct of the Warlord and Sagacity, right?” Kenia asked.
“Mm...suppose so. Sagacity is better used on single attacks, though. I might have to do some studying on my repertoire to see what I can use in this scenario. Worst case scenario, maybe we can just have Dante use Perfect Shield and hoist him over 'Nia.”
“Try again, Rox.” Dante hissed from nearby.
His hearing was quite incredible, in Salem's opinion.
“Though Dante might be good for that,” Reina added. “If we've got a good distance, all we need to do is judge the trajectory and he can block them. I imagine the rest of us should be able to fend for ourselves, considering they only have a small set of archers. Since we have a party of ten and enough space to move freely, avoiding their assault should be relatively easy.”
“So you've got a way in. What do you plan to do after that?” Maya asked.
“The way I see it, there are two ways we can do this. The first would be to use Roxanne's diversion to break up their formation and perform as many takedowns as possible. The problem in that lays in that both enemy and ally alike will lack vision, so we would run the risk of allowing ourselves to be flanked. Another issue there is that our formation could easily be broken if anyone is separated from the group.
The other option is to create a bottleneck using the entrance. They do have the advantage in numbers, but from what Maya said, as far as tactics go, its nothing we can't predict. There are no Wizards among them, so they can't hit us without a line of sight. Of course, we can't reason out the possibility that they would have tools at their disposal like bombs, slings and other thrown objects. If something like that appears, we have to be ready to retaliate.”
“So long as you don't get your limbs blown off, I think you'll be alright. Otto can provide us some protection from both weapons and explosives with his magic and you're well aware how his healing works. If it's a battle of attrition they want, they'll lose that, so long as we can keep Otto's SP topped up.” Roxanne added with a grin.
“Having a healing based ally really is a godsend.
“Back to the matter at hand, though, the weakness in that plan lays in the positions of the archers. The dilapidated remnants of the wall might be able to serve as cover from the sides, but we need to take into account the rest of the fortress. I can't say for certain if this is right, but...they'd be able to shoot in from the other three ramparts at about 180° angle or so. Given that, that is, assuming they allocated their forces to stop our advance, we might have three or four minutes before they circle around and start firing on us again. If we're to prevent this, we'll need to break through their front line and either use the broken stronghold walls for cover or make our own with objects and walls scattered around the base. Once we've found a place for our lightly armoured allies to protect themselves, we can start the counterattack on the archers. On the other hand, the possibility for a preemptive strike still stands. If our ranged allies can catch their archers as they're relocating, they can take them down before they can start firing on us.
“As for the rest of us, it'll be our job to make sure that none of their ground forces get past us. Up until the archers are relocated, we can likely get backup from Otto, Kenia, Tabitha and Theodore. In those few minutes, we should, ideally, ground ourselves within the structure and be able to make a stand there.”
Reina let out a sigh to refocus herself and nodded once.
“Next, our formation. I was thinking of keeping one somewhat similar to earlier. I suggest we use the spearhead formation. If Roxanne, Dante, Efrain and I create a wall, we should ideally be able to block incoming projectiles and of course, melee attackers.”
“What do you suggest the others do in the case of ranged attackers that strike from a vantage point?” Salem asked, focusing intently on his companion.
“Truthfully, we might not be able to help much there. If possible, do you think you could intercept incoming arrows with your knives? It won't be easy, but if you could it would lessen the burden on the others.”
A portion of the logs burned away into ash and the rest tumbled atop each other, sending a torrent of cinders upwards to the sky. On the other side of the flames, he glimpsed Efrain doing what seemed to be a ritual of sorts before some of the others.
“What on Midgard are you doing?” Dante asked in disbelief.
“Let me show you the dance of my people.” He said as he posed magnificently.
“Your people?! We're from the same town, Ef! I don't even think we have dances,” Tabitha cried out.
“You might have forgotten but I'm sure your body knows all the steps, Tabi.”
Without further ado he brought her to her feet by taking a hand and dragged her into his momentum. It was haphazard and potentially somewhat dangerous, however, some of the others seemed to enjoy the performance.
Salem closed his eyes as a gentle chuckle escaped his lips.
Much of, if not all of his thoughts were consumed by how he could better protect Reina. For the briefest of moments he was concerned that to use his tools in the courtyard would leave him little time to recollect them if she needed his protection later. However, after seeing how the members of Revolution interacted and worked together, he began to see a lot of his own relationships in them. Just as Madelaine's and the people of it had become precious to him, the many members of Revolution, their fates intertwined and relationships varying in degree were hardly different. Those precious bonds, Kenia was able to see them through Reina and himself and now he too, was seeing them in her comrades.
“You may put their care in my hands, Reina. Fear not, I will protect them as I would you.”
“Hmmm?” Roxanne hummed with a growing smile.
“My!” Kenia said as she placed a hand to her cheek.
At his words, she seemed somewhat flustered, her fingers pressed together and her gaze averted.
“R-right! Umm...next...of course...umm...hold on.”
She placed a hand to her chest, let out a sigh and clenched her fists before her.
“S-so! That's just...just in case, of course! I imagine Kenia can use her wisps if given enough time to prep and Tabitha should be able to strike down a few with Godbird Hunting and Arrow Rain. If it's just one or two, they can get into cover to avoid them.”
Reina paused for a moment as she steeled her resolve.
“With that out of the way, we should move to the main crux of the operation. I assume I don't need to elaborate on the rest. You guys have done this sort of thing before, so keeping in formation and dealing with certain enemies likely comes naturally at this juncture.”
“You've got the right of it, yep.” Roxanne added with a confident nod.
“We'll be okay, Reina. The others too. There are some harsh drill instructors in Ramalda but they're all veterans and great people too. Theo is still a little new, but I'll keep him safe, so you be sure to protect yourself out there.” Kenia added with a smile.
“Great. So, moving on. There are two major objectives we need to see through. The first is ensuring that all of the hostages get out safely. Above all else, that's a must. Second is to see to the capture of Owl Castle's Kazuo. I can't shake the fear that if we were to try to evacuate the hostages without stalling Kazuo, he or his men might kill them outright, if not escape before we get to him. In that regard, I think that Salem and I should go to take him on.”
Roxanne looked startled at this suggestion.
“Now hold on, I know you're reluctant to put us in danger and whatnot but you don't need to throw yourself to the wolves for the sake of it. Let us go with you.” She said, gesturing for Reina to slow down.
“It isn't that. Rather...that's part of it but not the whole truth. Both Salem and I are well aware of the danger. It's something we've spent years preparing for. I don't know what Kazuo is capable of but even then, I can't afford to hesitate. More importantly, the others will need all the hands they can get and moreso, the leadership of you and Kenia. In the off chance you're separated, one of you can take charge of the remaining members. As for the hostages, all of them are unarmed. One stray arrow could take someone's life. The heartbreak someone would feel knowing that they lost a family member, a mom, a brother, a sister, a father, is not something anyone should have to go through.
“I won't die in there. I have promises to keep and my words aren't just bluster or bravado. There are people waiting for me back in Elias and perhaps even in the Dark Moon too. Until I'm reunited with them, I'll do everything I can to live. To live with passion, with determination and with courage. I want to be the shining beacon of hope people look up to, so they know that they can be strong too, even when things get hard. More than anything though, I want everyone to be able to feel the warmth of their families and friends. Nobody deserves this fate, so I'm gonna do everything I can to overturn it.”
Roxanne closed her eyes as she grinned.
“That's...some dedication. You don't even know what you're up against and you're not even fazed. You're really full of surprises, Reina. I can get behind that, though. You're the leader, after all, so I'll be expecting you to regroup with us once we get everyone out safely.” She said as she crossed her arms.
“It'll be dangerous, but I'm willing to put my faith in you and Salem right 'till the very end, Reina. Just know that there's no shame in having to run away. True, our objective is to get Kazuo also but even if he escapes us this time, we'll find him again. Your safety is much, much more important to all of us.”
“It'll be okay, you two. I'm not alone in this. So long as I have Salem by my side, I feel like I can do anything.” Reina said, beaming through flushed cheeks.
“Mm...that so? Given what you've told us, I take it the briefing is over? You can leave it to 'Nia and I to inform the rest of the gang. More importantly though, you and I and Nia are gonna have to have a private chat about this and that.”
“This and that?” The swordswoman asked, brows raised.
“This and that indeed!” Kenia added with a delighted chuckle.
The girls placed their hands to her shoulders and she began to look nervous.
“We'll catch up with you later, Salem. Get some rest when you can, okay?” Roxanne said as she saluted him.
“We'll be conducting our operation under the cover of night, so it would be ideal to prepare yourself for that,” Kenia added.
The two began to walk Reina off and she protested.
“W-wait! What's this interrogation?! I w-w-won't spill the beans that easily, you know!”
Salem chuckled quietly as he watched his companion go off.
There were few things that made him happier than seeing Reina making new friends. At times she had lamented how her awkward nature made it difficult for her to in the past but she was more beloved than she knew and would become more so in future. He would solemnly watch over her as these events took place.

While Reina was being 'interrogated' by the girls, Salem joined the boys at their respective tents.
“What do you think the odds are Rox is gonna make a pass at Emil if this goes over well?” Otto posed the question to the group.
“I'd say it's a 50/50,” Efrain remarked.
“What...makes you say that?” Theodore asked, looking somewhat curious.
Efrain grinned as he raised his index finger haughtily.
“Roxanne might act tough, but she's a total softy on the inside. Whenever she and Emil are together she's a stammering mess. It's freakin' hilarious.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you're a piece of shit, Ef? 'Cause you are,” Dante interjected.
“Hey come on, it's all in good fun. You know I'm rooting for her.”
“Does he know, though? I mean she's only like that with him, right?” Otto asked, his purlicue to his chin.
“I doubt it.” Dante said as he shrugged. “Emil's a great guy but he's got his head in the papers. All he does is focus on guild business, more or less. If there are people in trouble, he'd go himself if Roxanne and Kenia didn't restrain him.”
“Emil...he sounds like a good man,” Salem said with a nod.
“He's got a heart of gold but he's looking out for all of Elfa and everything in her borders. Sometimes loses sight of what's around him, you know?” Otto explained.
“Now if only a certain Guardian would learn that lesson.” Dante said, eyeing Efrain wearily.
“Emil's a Guardian.” Efrain said with a grin.”
“Don't get smart with me, you cheeky bastard.”
“Is Efrain the same way or something?” Theodore asked with a puzzled glance.
“Guess you haven't been around long enough to see it,” Otto chuckled. “Tabitha's practically laid claim to this idiot but he's in denial about it.”
“S-seriously?!”
“Ahh shut it! Me and Tabi aren't like that and you know it! We're just old friends! It's been that way for ages. She's like, my sister, man.” Efrain answered, waving off their sentiments.
“That's classic, coming from the king of clever one-liners. Why don't you just do like what you said Emil should? Make those ass cheeks clap like thunder.”
There was silence following the statement.
Theodore looked in disbelief. Otto covered his mouth, looking as if he was going to burst out into laughter. Salem blinked solemnly.
“The silence from you guys makes it a hundred times worse.” Efrain said with a withering gaze. “Okay so fine, I did say that and I can't say this is entirely undeserved but it's Roxanne's fault.
“More importantly, we've got a guest among us this time, so let's hear about him! Enough about me!”
“You scared?” Otto asked mockingly.
“Don't run away, Efrain.” Dante said, grinning devilishly.
“Both of you can kiss the cheeks. This is important. So! Salem! What's the story, huh? What's good between you and Reina?”
“Wussy!” Otto whispered loudly.
At this, Efrain placed a hand to a curled arm.
“How do you mean?” Salem asked with his head tilted slightly.
“You two live together, don't you?”
“That's right.”
“You've been together for years?”
“We have, yes.” He nodded.
“They're definitely boinking.” The Guardian crossed his arms and nodded confidently.
Dante sent him a withering gaze and Otto shrugged his shoulders.
“I mean, it's possible?” The Bard suggested.
The men from revolution used a lot of unfamiliar terms to him. It would certainly do him well to study more and learn what they could potentially mean.
“So...you two are going out, then?” Theodore asked.
Salem blinked at the statement before he mulled it over.
“In that sense of the word, no, we're not. I do respect her, though,” Salem answered.
“Feeling dumb yet, Ef?”
“Man's just being coy.” Efrain said grinning.
In spite of the confidence he said it with, it was clear to Salem he was faltering. On what aspect, he could not say, but there was little doubt.
“They could just do it casually, you know. No need to be tied down. Salem's pretty popular from what I hear.” Otto said as he leaned back.
“You don't actually believe that, do you, Otto?” Dante asked, his eyes watching the Bard.
His gaze was sharp but it did not have the same intensity that it focused on Efrain with. It seemed that was just his normal expression.
“Me? Nah. I mean, I wouldn't rule it out entirely but if you told me these two were just friends I'd believe it. Like...85%.” He turned his hand over a couple times as he made his point. “The popular part is true, though. Especially after the thing with that one Dark Moon leader.”
“Why did I bother asking...?” Dante looked away as he sighed.
In spite of hearing the whole conversation, Salem found himself hard-pressed to say that he understood exactly what they were talking about. The relationship among the four of them was no less fascinating, however. Like Vanir, Dante seemed to carry a dry wit that kept the group in check, most of the time.
“What about you, Theo? What are your thoughts on those two?” Efrain asked, nudging the Explorer.
“H-huh? Me?! I...I dunno...I mean, they seem close but not that close. Reina does seem a little aware of him, though.” Theodore answered as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“You're pretty observant, aren't you Theo?” Otto asked with a look of surprise.
“She's like that with everybody though, I think!” Efrain said as he sighed and shrugged. “But I gotta admit, that's one of her good points, yeah? She's got that book girl feeling going for her. Makes you wanna get a rise out of her.”
There was a devilish twinkle in his eye and Dante placed a hand over his face at the sight.
“Are you an idiot? You wanna get a rise out of every girl. That's just your M.O,” the Temple Knight muttered.
“Name two other girls.”
“Tabitha and Sarah.”
“Tabi doesn't count.”
“Selma.”
“Selma doesn't count either.”
Dante's expression darkened and Efrain grinned.
“Hey, Salem, you good?” Otto asked, looking rather concerned.
He turned to him and blinked.
“Yes, why?”
“Maybe it was just my imagination but you had a more grim expression than Dante typically would.”
“Don't think I didn't hear what you said, Otto.” Dante interjected, gazing yard long at the Bard.
“Ha...ha...if looks could kill...” Theodore muttered, looking at the ground.
They seemed to have seen something that completely caught him unawares. What kind of expression had he made subconsciously and why?
While Dante and Efrain continued their argument, Otto grinned at him.
“You don't need to say it for me to get it. It's complicated, yeah? You and Reina are probably still figuring it out. Don't stress it too much, man. So long as you're not fooling yourself like our idiot over here, it'll be fine.”
“There are a lot of things I am, but an idiot, I'm not!” Efrain shouted as he patted his chest.
“Don't kid yourself,” Dante remarked.
“Reina and I...?”
He closed his eyes and thought of her.
Within his mind's eye, it was easy to picture her smiling face. How animated she was when she ate something she liked or completed a challenging training maneuver. Her determined expression when she spoke of her dreams, her trembling body in moments of weakness.
He would give everything to protect her. He would see to it that any who threaten her would have to get past him first. However...there was no ill intent in Efrain's words. There was no threat, no danger she needed to be protected from. What then, was it that he felt? What was it that they saw? How could he put words to his current inner turmoil? So familiar and yet, still unresolved.
“You're really thinking hard about it, huh? Guess you're not just hot air. I'm glad,” Otto said.
Salem looked at him, the confusion evident on his face.
“I don't think there's anyone that knows Reina like you do, but even from the short time we've been together it's clear her defense is pretty low.”
Her defense? It seemed fine to him.
“Seems like you actually care about her, though. With how much renown she's gained so far and what she's gonna gain after this mission, there are gonna be annoying people buzzing around her like flies.
“You two aren't affiliated with any guilds, right? It's just you and your barista.”
“That's right. However, Vanir does have a brownie named Skuld, his waitress.”
“Ahh right right. Heard about her every now and again. Seems like a good kid. But they're beside the point. You two are gonna become pretty important players if all goes well. Not that I don't think it will.
“Anyway what I'm trying to say is...look after her, y'know? You seem to be pretty well put together. From what I hear and saw, she seems to be pretty impressive under the right circumstances. If what the girls think is true, she can shape up to be a good leader if she's got some good people backing her.”
“I cannot deny it. Rather, I agree.”
“I'd have to agree too. I didn't see Emil when he was starting out but I'd bet he probably needed a good right hand man too,” Theo added.
“You could say that,” Dante interjected. “Emil was always a helpful guy but he was terrible at managing people. You could even say that it was something he had to be taught to do in spite of being the leader.”
The Temple Knight cracked a grin in spite of his words.
“Still, it was that unwavering dedication to the greater good that made people wanna support him. Reina's no different.”
His expression turned pensive, serious.
“It's that very thing that also attracts real pieces of shit. Don't let your guard down, Salem. That care she has will do her a world of good, but to be too kind or too forgiving can be a leader's death knell. Be open, but always be wary.”
It was something Salem was no stranger to. Wariness in a shinobi came as second nature. If Reina had been half as suspicious as he was, she may have never come to trust him in the first place. That kindness was his saving grace and he would not take it for granted.
“That...yes...of course.”
“Being both her right hand and also her boyfriend sounds like it'd spell trouble, though. If you two fight it out over guild stuff it'll sour your relationship, I'd bet,” Efrain suggested.
“Can't say I entirely disagree but one way or another, they're gonna have to face each other properly. It's not something you should just ignore.” Otto told him as he shook his head.
“Advice you should live by, Ef.” Dante said gazing sternly.
“Look man, if I was in their shoes the last person I'd want to be my right hand is Tabi. Hell, I don't think she should even be an adventurer.” The Guardian sighed as he shrugged.
“Who's fault do you think it is she became one?”
“When you phrase it like that, it almost sounds like I told her to become one,” he muttered in turn. “When she heard I was gonna become one, she went and decided to do it all on her own. I can't let something happen to her now. Her dad'll strangle me if he finds out she got hurt on the battlefield.”
Salem could not hide his chuckle.
Though Efrain did not say it exactly, his fate was intertwined with Tabitha's as Salem's was to Reina's. He would likely be her shield whether he said he wished to be or not. In spite of Efrain's protests however, there was a certain sense of satisfaction in being able to protect your charge. He likely was aware of it too.
“Got something you wanna say?” Efrain asked, gazing at him sternly.
“Not at all.” Salem answered, closing his eyes and smiling.
“You're more transparent than a glass pane, Ef,” Otto told him with a grin.
“I honestly can't see why you have to make things so difficult for Tabitha. You're so roundabout with all of this.”
Efrain raised his head skyward and let out a long groan, like that of an animal in its death throes.
“What're you guys so concerned about my love life for? I'm a free man. Who said I didn't like it this way?”
“You didn't, but you told us plenty through your actions. It's not hard to follow where your gazes are on the battlefield, Ef. I'd tell you to keep your eyes on the prize but you're already pretty good at that.”
“Got a problem?”
Dante grinned.
“Nope. It was in our drills, after all. It's our job to get anything that breaks through the front line. You keep doing what you do.”
Efrain seemed even more annoyed by Dante's reasoning.
“I need to get Emil to assign me to a new squadron.”
“Unlikely. You're one of the few Bashutz our guild has in it. You and I are gonna be together on a lot more missions, partner.”
“Given that knowledge, it makes me realize I'm an underappreciated commodity in this guild.”
“Mm...I dunno about that,” Otto said.
The four boys would bicker like this for some time afterwards but in spite of it, Salem could see how tightly woven their bonds were.

After they crawled into their tents at the insistence of Dante, Salem took a short walk away, suggesting that he wanted some time to think before going to sleep. In spite of his concern, Dante did not pester him about it.
Though there was truth to the statement, Salem could not help but sense the presence of someone nearby. His sixth sense from becoming a Confidant made him aware of the presence of Cerebians and other Confidants and over time, he began to be able to discern who they belonged to. Reina's was easy to discern among others and it helped him to find her.
After walking a short distance, he saw her sitting in the fettle position on a small dune. Grains of sand rolled away from underneath her before where she sat gave way and she slid down the hill with a quiet yelp.
“Reina,” he said.
“Eek! S-Salem! H-h-hey! What're you doing up so late?” She asked, dusting herself off and smiling nervously.
It was not uncommon for him. He had trained to function on as little sleep as he possibly could. He would get into bed a little earlier, however, so as not to give his companion reason to worry.
“I suppose you could say I was just musing to myself. Is something bothering you?”
Vanir had always described her as the 'early to bed, late to rise' type. To that end, rather than use an alarm clock Skuld would personally go and assist her in getting out of bed and preparing for the day. In other words, it was unusual for her to stay up late, save for when she was worrying endlessly.
“N-not...really? I think. Have you ever had one of those nights where you stay up so late you get this second wind? I think that's all it is.”
“I have heard of something of the sort, yes,” he chuckled.
She pressed her fingers together nervously, her head lowered.
This was a sure sign that she was listening for something, or someone. She had concerns but was very likely unsure whether she should voice them.
“There's no one around, Reina. You can speak your mind freely.”
At his words, she seemed to brighten somewhat and he smiled.
“R-really? Oh that's a relief. If the others heard my doubts it might lower the team's morale. Warlord Carmen warned me about that.”
He nodded sagely, inviting her to continue. When she had nothing to add, he decided to speak up.
“So, tell me, Reina, what is it that concerns you?”
She nodded once and pursed her lips, looking for the right words.
“It's...hard to describe. I don't feel particularly afraid but...I have this odd sense of...dread? It might just be because we're going against an unfamiliar enemy. A part of me wants to be afraid but...at the same time I feel like I can't be. It feels as if my mind is so certain of what I need to do that there's no room for it. But at the same time, I can't help but think that having that fear is healthy, perhaps even necessary.”
“What a curious dilemma,” Salem said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I believe there is truth to that statement. Experiencing fear is what gives way to caution. Any warrior would know that one must not engage in battle carelessly or too confidently, as he only would raise the flag leading to his own defeat. It need not be fear, mind you. Perhaps that dread has taken the place of it. However, do not let it stir your heart, lest it serve as a festering nest of doubt. Attune yourself to it, recognize what it is and what purpose it serves and shape it from a bane into a boon.”
“In short...what I need to do is turn my doubts into strengths.”
Salem grinned at her realization.
“That's right.”
She smiled at hearing his confirmation.
“You know, Alessa used to be really good at that. She'd always miss her shots at the archery range but no matter how badly she did, she'd always say, “it's fine, I'll get the next one, Rei!” but she'd wind up missing anyway.” Reina laughed at the memory. “No matter the situation, she'd always be smiling. When we had tests coming up she'd always run to me and beg me to help her study. She'd say if we studied together, she'd definitely pass even if she crammed. Both she and Virgil were always cramming but they were always firm in that. I think they had more faith in me than I did about grades.”
“They came to you because they knew they could rely on you. In that regard and I'm certain in many others, you were a dependable ally and a stalwart friend to them.”
She knit her brows as her cheeks flushed.
“I-it sounds ten times more embarrassing when you're the one saying those things.”
“Does it now?” He laughed at the prospect and she pouted.
“Still...I guess it was kinda nice in its own way. There wasn't much I could do for them, outside of that. I couldn't be Virgil's sparring partner and I couldn't tell Alessa a better means to land her shots. Thinking about it now, there's always room for method when it comes to those things but...experience is crucial too.
“I can't help but think the same thing could be said here. Warlord Carmen and I had studied and hypothesized but the battlefield is much more unpredictable. I'll have to be able to adjust my plans on the fly to account for any contingencies. The hardest part is...that with every decision, with every action...and with every mistake, the lives of our comrades are put at risk, as well as our own. I can't afford to fail.”
Her brow was furrowed, she deep in thought. It was an expression he had seen many a times and with each time he had seen it, he felt he learned something new about her. He could see as she changed and grew before his very eyes.
“'Tis true that a leader carries the most responsibility on any mission and at any given time. However, be he general, captain or king, one thing always remains fact. No one person can do everything alone. You may carry the most responsibility but you need not bear it all. To that end, responsibilities are shared among his forces. The leader sees the talent within his units and issues responsibilities that suit these talents. It is because of your inherent talent that you were chosen to lead. It is because of my honed skills that I believe I can be of assistance to you on this mission. If you have doubts, you may confide in me. If you fear there is an enemy you cannot strike down, you may entrust that to me. If there is an ally you would need me to defend, you may rest assured I will see to their safety.”
Her eyebrows were raised as she faced him, a sense of wonderment evident in her expression.
“A-are you sure, Salem? I mean, I already rely on you for so much. In a sense, I suppose that kinda is how we are but...that's a lot of responsibility. I don't want you to have to bear all of those burdens.”
He stared solemnly for a few moments, his gaze becoming more gentle by the moment.
It was almost endearing how aware of him she was. Bearing responsibilities on missions such as that came as second nature to him. It was never something he needed to be asked to do, nor was it something he expected anyone to fuss over. For her to do so over this and all the many other little things...gave him indescribable feelings and yet...he knew with certainty that she was someone he would not think twice about serving under. Having cut his ties with Owl Castle, he felt certain about the path he would take. He would see it through to its end.
“It would be my honour.”
At his words, her curious gaze softened into one of joy as she let out a sheepish chuckle.
“Oh jeez, Salem. You're really one of a kind, you know? You spoil me too much.”
She pressed her fingers together as her smile shifted into an awkward grin.
“But it's that dependable side of you...that I lo-look up to! W-where would I be without you? Ha...ha.”
She seemed to be sweating an awful lot.
“A-anyway! Now's as good as any time to get into bed, huh? Let's do that!”
He closed his eyes and nodded.
“Yes, the mission begins in earnest tomorrow, so resting wold be ideal. Sleep well, Reina.”
As she got to her feet, she placed her hands behind her back to bend over slightly and grin.
“Tomorrow too...I'm gonna give it everything I've got.”
At this, she offered him a salute.
“Night, Salem!”
With no further words, she hurried off to the girls' tents and vanished into one of them.
As he watched her go, he felt his fervour renew. He looked to the tent where the girls were located, the flames of a small fire put out and only the ashes and burnt logs remaining in their wake. He turned his gaze to the boys' tents where a similar sight was and nodded solemnly.
Perhaps he would stay up a little longer, just to stand guard.

A lot of these complicated relationships could be resolved if everyone would just talk their problems out. But that's never gonna happen! The gods demand conflict, and conflict they shall have! Eat your hearts out ye who dwell aloft!
Until a mythical figure descends from the heavens and says, "Just F*** already!" The hero we deserve...So? Let's get down to it.

We're back again to the adventure continuing. Not much of an adventure, though! Nonetheless, it's the journey through the Desert, this time with a gaggle of condors looking for a meal. The condors weren't originally in LT, and in all fairness, they're rather reminiscent of vultures, aren't they? The axe beaks are also so you might feel some overlap in concept, but in action they differ from the in-game birds, thankfully! I wanted to keep them off the beaten path somewhat, so they're the type of creature characters will see further out into the Desert. Bit of a domain difference between them and the Agasura most would encounter when traversing the locale.
Efrain's tasteless joke aside, we're getting Reina stepping back into the limelight! Or...doing it for the first time, really. When I initially drafted it I didn't have the condors, but the battle was planned. Figured it'd be a good opportunity for Reina to get something of a feel for commanding a party, and it'd serve as a good warm-up for what was to come. Both for readers and I, really. I confess, it was pretty difficult. I hadn't really done 8-man parties in my writing before, and these guys make a total of 10 so it was definitely outta my wheelhouse. But I knew the day would come where I'd need that skill, and so it was a first attempt! Not bad, could be better, methinks.
My musings on that aside, I'm glad that Salem both had an inner monologue and response when the battle started. One of my concerns about this act serving as an introduction to Reina becoming a leader was that it would kinda take away from his own character growth. At times, it does make him feel somewhat sidelined. But a part of the goal was establishing that no leader is an island. She might be the one to take up the mantle, but she needs him even so. He serves a crucial role and he isn't the only one. In truth, the story establishes that well, but it doesn't do so immediately. I confess, it'd be poorly written if it did, but not all would have the patience to see the rest unfold before writing it off. As ever, it's a difficult balancing act.
Now then, sand worms! Yes, a returning enemy that was made by yours truly! I even made a note of it in my storyboards! At least, that was the concept I based them on, the worm from Frequency. Why was that one so giant? I'll tell you someday. But hey, every giant worm has to start as a pupa right? Maybe everything save the Behemoth. Idk what that thing's major malfunction is.
Tbh, though Reina's commands are pretty straight-forward, I do feel a little bit of pride in seeing it now. In form it seems pretty basic but in action I feel like it works well. Being in such a situation, it gives you a better feel for what it might be like and in that, you begin to see how all the pieces fit together and how that cooperative efforts comes together. In other words, teamwork makes the dream work! Also it reminds me that the lack of teamwork in the main cast is why things are always so messy! One would think they'd be the competent ones lol.
Now for a quick run-through of techniques! You ready?
First, Dante's stance...doesn't exist! He's not a Keruz so unique abilities are impossible, and secondly that ability isn't in LT. It's a cool idea, sure, but it's suspiciously similar to Arm of the Destr*yer. Different enough to keep me out of trouble, but just! Just barely safe! Don't tell Yoshi P or the squeenix suits are gonna get me. That might need to be changed at some undetermined point in time.
Dante's stance...does...exist? In LT, that is. The design is reminiscent of Knight's Sonic Blade, but the action he does is more reminiscent of Templar's Rising Crash. I think one, or both got nixed in S2 so you might not see those in the Papaya Play version of LT(though that's on S3 or something now. Honestly, colour me impressed) but it's hard to say which it is. I should pick one, add thee stance callout and adjust it to make it evident which he used.
What Roxanne did wasn't any kind of stance or anything. She gains a stacking attack buff for killing enemies, but what she did after was just a regular attack. If she does use a stance, she might not have the callout but she's a Keruz so it might happen from time to time. It's an easy fix, really, and might do me some good as I can make use of any potential new stances in the main story. Kenia's isn't either, but same idea. That one's pretty simple, but it could be given a name and see some use.
Tabitha did a normal shot, but Theo's could be considered a stance. It's similar in application to Wide Shot, so I could change it to that. In his case though, I think I just forgot. Though in all fairness, some of the crossbow skills really make use of hammer space, so...they're a bit difficult to apply to the story. Need a workaround like the gatling gun or Chana's Phantom Dagger.
I think Efrain used Crescent Kick there. The thing about Knights is they had three trees for the knuckles users. I mean, every starter class could use knuckles, but only Guardians could master them. One was punches, one was energy attacks and the other kicks. In truth, Efrain uses all three lol. I think I occasionally bend the rules on that but...in all fairness, S2 kinda amalgamated some of each into a single unified tree. It was probably for the best.
Before moving on to the next part of the fight, reading this got me thinking: I'm wondering if at the time I was excluding the stance callouts purposely? A lot of characters don't do them here and going forward so...it's possible I was trying that out. In all honesty, there are a lot of characters who don't use stances at all, so if I was testing it out, there might be some method to the madness. The story itself is a little different from the main series, so having such a change might make it more palatable to some. It isn't finished yet, so perhaps I should keep going with that thought process? Something to chew on, I suppose.
Now, stronger she might be, she's still no first-class fighter. Reina actually pales in comparison to most of the members of Revolution. They're a well-trained lot, and though she has a good teacher(s) she still wants for practice and live combat experience. There's room for growth in that also, and you can see how it comes along as the story progresses. Obvious, but important.
As for the worm bite, the method of release was inspired by a finger trap lol. The worms aren't poisonous or anything, but they'll rip the flesh off of you if you try and pull them off carelessly.
The commands issued after Kenia's statement are indeed Reina. It's just not listed since the last statement prior to Kenia's was hers. There are a few errors though. Tabitha...probably couldn't actually ignite the tip of her arrow with fire, unless it was wood. That, and it said Dante crushed a condor with his mallet. The former I can chalk up to rule of cool. The latter I already corrected on the doc lol.
And the fight ends! I thought it was cute, Roxanne and the others celebrating their victory. Reine's lines were a little redundant so I changed the second one a bit. Bit of a short dialogue with Kenia too, giving readers more of a feel for what she's like. The thing about it is, that typically it'd feel more like a contrast to the character's usual vibes. However, in her case it feels more part and parcel to her character, doesn't it? Usually the characters are wildly different in actuality but she shows a bit of that side throughout all of her interactions. Little different from the usual, but not a bad difference! You also see a bit of her motivations too. Something both characters can see eye to eye on.
Those two aside, Reina's reactions are spot-on lol. I feel like those moments are where she's the most her. A stark contrast to the rest of the cast, isn't it?

With the battle's end, we move on to night and the alliance camping out. This time around, we're getting a strategy meeting with the girls and Salem. It's partially that, but you can see Roxanne testing her a bit. If she was to go along with the plan carelessly, it could backfire magnificently. But it does take having some faith in your leader in order to see the mission to success. Hearing what she would do and adding their own suggestions helps Reina to formulate a thorough plan and put her skills to the test.
Now, Reina expressing her concerns about the lack of siege tools was one of the things I considered when initially writing it. For a time, I thought it was careless of me not to include it. As Kenia suggested, though, they really don't need it lol. When you have a Keruz specializing in fire magic among your ranks, relying on siege tools would just be if you couldn't risk the destructive nature of magic. In all fairness, they do want to approach the stronghold with some semblance of care, so as not to harm the hostages. However! One's understanding of their spells and the limitations, be it minimum or maximum, is crucial to being a master of the arts. They know the dangers of the spells and she knows how to utilize them, thus! There's no need to fear! In a sense, her confidence in being able to meet those expectations is the proof of concept, and of Emil's trust in her.
Following that, there's a bit of a back and forth between Revolution's girls to establish some methods to meet the team's needs. There are new and familiar stances mentioned here, so some things you might see eventually. Of course, there are a few jokes intersped here and there lol.
I tried to go through the steps of the plan gradually to give readers an easy way to follow along with what's happening. That, and taking the time to show Reina reasoning out some of the possible scenarios and how they could overcome it, both for readers and characters' sakes. Given Maya's information, you get a feel for what enemies to expect and how they can be overcome via Reina's plan. This part took some time to do, but I wanted to be elaborate in all of the aspects of it so readers could understand what might occur and how issues could be resolved. Ranging from the positions of the members to what each might be doing, should the story not focus on them. In that, it also gave me a clear idea of how I can approach the battle, and thinking it through before getting to it. Making sure the plan makes sense most of all was the most critical thing about it. It could sound good on paper but if the plan falls through when put into practice, it'd be a disaster if I hand-waved it. It's Reina's first mission, after all, and it kinda sets the stage for her being a guild master going forward. If readers' expectations are met here, any doubts of her competency should be quelled, and I won't need to spend as much time establishing those facets later.
One of the methods to doing this was having Reina herself put her plan through its paces. She points out the faults, sees what works and what doesn't and reasons it out. The plan isn't flawless, so there's room for error, but also experimentation. Given that she can only speculate on the potential circumstances of the battle, leaving some room for improvisation will increase their odds of survival. Situations change on the fly, so you've gotta be ready for anything, right?
Putting aside the malleable aspects, there are some that remain unchanged. The party, their respective classes and capabilities are definite. Given that, working around what they have available to them can give the plan a solid foundation. As ever, a formation and situational awareness of the party's strengths and weaknesses can help them overcome the situations they can't account for.
I wanted to do a little bit with symbolism when you see Salem looking past the flames. Or rather, the part prior to it, 'cause after that you just see Efrain screwing around lol. Now, what that prior section was referring to was two things! The...I suppose you'd say it was an excerpt, "Yet man was born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward". A lot of it holds truth throughout this novel, and its in understanding that you can kinda see how things fall into place and become the way they do. The second part of it is based in a song where the phrase is just a little different and it goes, "Yet man was born to trouble like sparks fly upwards innocent". It's where the story got its namesake and aspects of that also, play a part in the entirety of it. I think I did mention earlier there was a name drop but this is...well, the actual origin of it lol. Trivia! Is this not what you came for?! Are you not entertained?!
My weirdness aside, seeing that helps Salem to better understand the feelings of the members of Revolution and connect with them on a deeper level. Especially Kenia, who's shown a keen interest in the two, and likely came to the same realization but much sooner.
I confess, Reina deciding to go it alone with only Salem is probably the most questionable part of her plan, but perhaps it isn't entirely baseless. I've thought it through, and perhaps one could see the logic in it, but...in truth, I can't say it's entirely logical. Perhaps that's for the best. There is some there, but why she decided to do it might not be evident at a glance. Still, the risks presented for others may outweigh that substantially. If one was to assume that the two were capable on their own, by sheer virtue of numbers they should have the advantage. Given that there's more hostages than there are adventurers and all of them are unarmed, having more at the ready to defend them and escort them to safety should take priority. That is, in essence, the crux of their mission. Getting Kazuo is a secondary objective, but one that is relatively important.
I have to admit, though, reading her monologue following that part was...well, something. I'd forgotten they were my own words, but one of the things I decided to do for this year was to live with passion. I'll tell you more about it later, but...it feels strange reading those words over now. Sometimes I forget how much I can relate to Reina. Or at the very least, how much a small part of me wants to understand and embody the courage and lust for life she has. I suppose it's times like these that remind me of the way she truly is. All the goofy antics and the silly arguments occasionally make me forget just who she is deep down and these moments blindside me, even if I write her. It's oddly refreshing. And kinda embarrassing that I wrote this a good few years ago lol.
As you expect though, those serious moments are short-lived! The Kid is gonna get interrogated by the girls, so as they say, loose lips sink ships!

Now for the B side of this event, and by B side I mean Boys! Otto's bet isn't a bet, it's a prophecy. Roxanne is gonna get her man one way or another. They're a lot more brutal with their banter, but I didn't want to hold back out of fear of them coming off as too harsh. Dante of course is the harshest, but it's in his personality to be. I mean, in all fairness I do it all the time with Su lol. She doesn't hold back on anybody, but for these guys it's standard fare across the board.
Anyway, from them we get a bit more detail on Emil. He does appear every now and again but having them explain it while he's present can be iffy, depending on how its handled. In that case, you can do both! More on that later? Speaking of, it kinda happens with Efrain, doesn't it? In this case though, Theodore isn't in the know and Otto's suggestion tells us that a little bit. Or at least, gives us some more details in a way. It tells us a few things, really! Theo is of course, the newest to the group, so he isn't as aware of their relationship dynamics. Also that the others have been together for quite a while, so they're familiar with each other both in and out of battle. So much so secrets are far and few between.
Given that Salem's a guest among them, he gets to be the designated target for interrogation lol. Depending on how you look at it, it could just be them ribbing each other and him for the sake of it. I used it a bit to kinda...integrate him into the group. But also to show him learning to understand their lingo, way of life, that sort of thing. It's him becoming less Owl Castle Shinobi and more Adventurer. You can still get a feel for his observant nature by the way he reacts to the ongoing occurrences, though! One of the interesting things about the whole thing is the part about Efrain and getting a rise out of the differing girls. It's one of the few times Salem shows more...well, that he's not so blase about the whole scenario. He's instinctively become protective of Reina out of combat which is a big thing! For once, another man makes him cautious! The only other potential competition is Vanir, but he doesn't really see him as a rival. An a potential enemy however...well, if they haven't killed each other in the main story, perhaps they'd come to an understanding? Nonetheless, that turmoil gives him reason to really think about how he feels about her. It's something he's considered before, but never truly resolved and is still figuring out. Having the other characters talk about their relationships helps him to better understand his own through the parallels, while also establishing their characters and conflicts.
Reading further, I really enjoy this scene. Despite all the bickering and banter, some of the guys have some great advice for him. They look at it from the perspective of friends, of partners and that of guild master and subordinate. We learn a bit about how far back Dante's experiences go and what he bases his knowledge on. Through that he teaches Salem important matters and we see Salem's take on some of those very things, but also the other side of the coin. A contrast is drawn, and through that we further see how the two MCs balance each other out. It's the familiar notions of pragmatism vs. optimism, but the merits and demerits of them. How it affects their relationships and shapes them. It's explored in deeper depth, and establishes notions for the future! There's so, so much to unpack in this discussion! You just have to sift through all the bickering to see it! It's also hidden within the bickering! It's pretty good!

Last for this update! A short chat with our resident heroine! Naturally, the first thing Salem sees is her being a dork. It's terminal, that dorkiness. I enjoy his inner monologues especially at times like these. I feel like I say that a lot, but some of them are so good! If it was somebody else, like, say Vanir, it'd be a cheeky one-liner. In this case though he's got the same demeanour as Peorth. There's so much going on, but none of it's actually said! He's super familiar with her tendencies but he's always so...you know? Him. Speaking of, he does show a bit of a softer side with her, doesn't he? He teases her every now and again and he smiles and laughs a lot more.
Their flirting aside, we do get some hard confirmation on the points I touched on before. Understanding the role of a leader, delegating tasks, understanding where a unit's strengths lay and what they can do for their leader. But not just that, the nature of the battlefield and the responsibilities of the leader who stands upon it! Little by little, Reina's learning about all of the aspects of being a guild master and through these little discussions and moments, I want to show you that. There'll be more, but as these events take place and their relationship develops, I hope you get a good feeling of what it means to be a guild master. It's a major focus of the story, but I want to weave it with the stories of the characters and their ever shifting relationships. If I do it well, I feel like I'll be a little closer to my goal. In truth, I think some of this might be the best character writing I've done in my career.
Also there was almost, almost a confession! A small one, but a close one nonetheless lol.

With that, it's the end of the update!
I was gonna do this last week but it was GW time. Also big FF14 update I can't talk about yet, so I'm gonna talk shit about the Gw and my team. So fire, right? My grid is still mostly Ancient Eckse Dees, I have like 5 of them. I think it's still viable but uggghh...I don'ty think I got my first Ixaba until 2022 and by then they were outdated lol. I have an Agni and nothing to do with it, but I'd give a lot to escape the enmity hell I'm in. I had to gimmick that GW boss. I was running a Primal Pals party praying that I didn't get decimated. While Satyr and Medusa were dodging everything, Michael, Gran, Shiva and Athena would eat shit and die several times per fight. I was trying to heal through it too, in a battle where speed is key! But if you go too fast, you self-destruct 'cause the boss gets more jacked every turn. It was madness. I'd have been better off if I had a stamina team 'cause those two hardly took any damage, between them dodging and Satyr's Innocent Heart they were full more often than not. But seriously, enmity is what my nightmares are made of.

My complaints aside, I did some thinking. That thing I was talking about a couple of weeks ago, it did sound rather...well, pessimistic? But it wasn't entirely the truth. For me, at least. Currently! But let me preface this a bit.
My avatar, I've been using it for quite a few years now. It's a pretty solid depiction of me, really! I essentially look the same. My face might be a little rounder and a bit hairier but the other aspects are essentially the same. But that's neither here nor there lol. That piece was something I commissioned from someone I admired quite a few years ago. When I was young, like 12 or 13, I often read her webcomic. There was a lot I read, but hers stood out to me because of...well, the nature of it, and her. The artist, Jam,(you can see her signature on the image) wrote and drew the comic Wasted Talent, aptly named because she was an artist who was also an engineer. She did both and was good at both which is what makes the name so fitting! I'm paraphrasing here so I'm doing it poorly, forgive me! Now before you accuse me of shilling which I'm liable to do, there's a point to all of this. But you can consider it that too if you really want to, doesn't make a difference lol.
Now, I've loved writing for a long, long time. My parents being the realists that they are, laid the cold hard truth out that I'd wind up broke if I pursued it. Angsty teen me didn't like hearing that from them, but as an adult I appreciate how realistic, and right they were. I couldn't hack it after all lol. (Loathe am I to use past tense, but it's my tendency so bear with me here!) I admired Jam because she did both anyway. She held a steady job and still did art. The two were part and parcel to each other and though it was self-deprecating in name it was...well, inspiring to me. I did once say we had moments growing up where we'd say, "I wanna be like that" and as a teenager, I still had that moment. I knew it'd be a tough road to walk, but even if my path did diverge from doing what I loved, I wanted to keep doing it. If I hadn't seen merit in it where I least expected it, I imagine somewhere along the way the flame of my passion would be extinguished and I'd have given it up entirely. I can't deny there are moments of doubts too, but I still find joy in it, and I still find inspiration in seeing her doing what she does too, even though I'm an adult now.
Now this is a little less important, but it is a little snippet of my life lol. I won't tell you when 'cause I'd be dating myself, but I did meet her once. People often say you should never meet your heroes and to that I agree! Not for the reason you'd think, though. It's because stupid high schooler me was too awkward to go over and talk to her so I spent god knows how long wandering around a con aimlessly and stealing glances like a schoolgirl in love. That scene in Verun's restaurant with the two girls? You ever wonder how that came about? Now you know. Except it was just me, trying to convince myself to say hi to the artist I'd admired for so long lol. It did happen eventually, though! She was super sweet! She signed my book and did a cute doodle and everything. I still have it, too. God I'm dying of cringe just thinking about it lol. But it does remind me of what I value and still do. There's a few more stories regarding all of that, but I'll save them for another time.
The reason I wanted to tell you this, was in remembrance of last year. You heard my grumblings a few weeks ago and it's pretty standard fare for me. A lot of the time, there's some truth to them. Around this time last year though, I mentioned Log Horizon and a small bit about it. This year, I'm following up on that. These memories I'm sharing with you now are my promise, my wish made manifest. Even if I think it's stupid or cringe, I'll tell you about it. I'll offer up these memories and rise again to the occasion. To take up the pen and continue telling this story. I'll offer these memories to you, to 2023 to say that this isn't the end of our journey, yet. I flipped the coin and when it touched down I found my answer.
Though it's been quite a few years since those days, I found someone who inspires me in very much the same way that Jam did...and then some. They're a strange sort, but that's something I've come to love more and more. It's a lot more than I could describe in words but...hopefully, I'll do my best to let my actions here speak where my words can't. I'd mentioned it earlier, but it was their words that made me think, "I wanna live through 2023 with more passion."

Given that, I'll do what I can. With that said, one more time with feeling, yeah? It's 2023 and I'm still here. Here's to one more year, to them, and to you, whoever you might be.

The following morning, the expedition party packed up their things and set out on the final leg of their journey. The location of Kazuo's fortress was a few hours' walk away from their campsite but even after nearing it, they kept a safe distance so as to avoid drawing attention to themselves. By this juncture it was only mid-day and they had planned to wait until nightfall to enact their operation.
Given that they had so much time to prepare, the members of Revolution had begun a final check of everything they had and needed to do to ensure there were no holes in their plan. Roxanne had briefed all the members and fielded questions, talking strategy with the higher ranking members. The lower ranking members took stock of consumable items, arrows, crossbow bolts and inventory for any other useful items.
Meanwhile, Reina seemed to be deep in thought, running through a variety of mental simulations of the battle to predict outcomes and form plans to counteract them. It was something she often did during downtime and including when she was incapacitated. Sometimes she did it following a defeat by one of the other members of Madelaine's.
Salem on the other hand was taking inventory of his own arsenal. He had very few tools left over from his days as a shinobi, however, there were some that could still be useful in a variety of scenarios. If he could even save one more person with them, it would be worth the risk. He would run the risk of giving himself away but after today...
He finished sharpening his kunai and put them away.
The time would come...and when it would, his bond with Reina would be put to the test.

The group waited in bated breath as the sun set over the horizon. The clear crimson sky shifted to shades of dark blue and violet. With every passing moment the tension surrounding the group increased. However, in spite of it, it felt as if it was building them up, binding them together. An intense desire to survive, to succeed and to see their mission through to the end, together. This feeling was at its most potent when one looked at either Reina or Roxanne. Such a thing was something Salem had observed in the past. A quality all leaders seemed to share, an aura of sorts that men would rally to or fear. Be it General Hayato, Master Kazuo, or Captain Hotaka. The aura of the leader and the feelings it instilled in the men would often determine how they fight. Not only this, however; it would determine how willing the men would be to die for their cause.
“It's time.” Roxanne said, her eyes rising to the sky.
“Everyone's clear on the objectives, formations and battle strategies right? It's your last chance to get the girls to field your questions.” Efrain told them, looking over the group.
In this circumstance, even he set aside his antics to face it with all due seriousness.
To his question, as one would expect, he received shaking heads and mutters of approval.
“Reina, are there any modifications you'd like to make to the plan? If you've a mind to change it later on, know that you can. Just let Roxanne or I know and we'll make sure the rest of the party gets informed.”
Reina's taut lips, her slightly furrowed brow and her silence spoke volumes about her feelings.
“No...we'll stick to the plan as is currently. I'm almost certain it should work. If things don't pan out, I've got a whole host of other ways we can challenge this.
“Still, I want to hold to this feeling. I'm almost certain we should be able to break through. Do you guys need time to make final preparations?”
“Not at all. We've finished all that needs to be done, so just give us the signal and we'll set out.”
Reina nodded solemnly as she turned her head skyward and took a deep breath.
“Then...everyone, let's move out!”
Though they spoke in hushed whispers her words were like a commander roaring on a battlefield. At her words, the battle party arose from their prone positions and dashed over the dune they hid behind. As they began their pursuit, little by little the keepers of the fortress came into their view, as did the fortress itself. Upon the ramparts there were a set of archers patrolling. From their location, only two could be seen but the moment they noticed something unusual, they began to discuss it. One of them took out a telescope and upon determining that it was a threat that approached the stronghold, they began to prepare their defenses.
He shouted a warning and his companion ran across the ramparts to grab a horn and blow into it. The instrument let out a powerful bellow that sent all members of the stronghold into a frenzy in preparation for battle. As Roxanne had predicted, the archers would be the first to take to the defense of the stronghold. As Reina had suspected, however, the others would likely expect them to either make a beeline for the entrance or attempt to climb the ramparts.
“Roxanne!” Reina shouted as the vanguard continued their charge.
Roxanne drew her weapon as they came to a halt and she took her stance. With her feet grounded and her spear out before her she prepared her first stance.
“Here it comes!”
She swung her spear with incredible ferocity before holding it over her head, spinning it with enough intensity to create a wind current that surrounded the battle party. As if they were within the eye of a storm, the wind current that surrounded them created a cloud that none could see in, nor out. As Roxanne gained momentum, the radius of the field grew and offered the party the defense they needed.
“Everyone, shell formation!” Reina commanded them with a wave of her hand.
The vanguard retreated to meet with the rearguard, the group tightly packed together.
“Dante, you know what to do. Kenia, now's your best chance! Everyone, don't let your guard down for even a moment!”
Given a couple of moments, Kenia had prepared her Will o' Wisp spell and surrounded the party with several ethereal balls of flame.
“Will o' Wisp is ready, Reina. I'm gonna start the incantation now, so watch out for me, okay?” Kenia told her, smiling.
Dante tightened his grip on his shield as he looked to his Keruz over his shoulder.
“If there's any arrows that'll get to you, it'll have to be over my dead body.” He told her, the look in his eyes as serious as ever, but with a Temple Knight's tenderness.
Amidst the party's banter and the final moments of Roxanne's stance, Salem could hear the sound of arrows being let loose.
A part of him could not help but think it would be careless to fire the arrows off into the unknown, but their timing was nonetheless, impeccable.
“Brace yourselves! A volley is incoming!” He shouted to the party, his ninjatō at the ready.
“The accuracy should be low. Dante, Roxanne, can you guys take care of it?” The swordswoman asked.
“Ready anytime!” Dante said back, his shield raised high.
“Yeah, if anything comes I'll get it.” Roxanne said with a grin.
Roxanne changed her stance, one hand out and her spear low to her side, a twinkle in her eye.
One of the arrows broke through the cloud of sand and headed right before the party. Before it could catch anyone off guard Roxanne moved to intercept it, leaping into the air and swatting it into the sand while the party's eyes just followed its arrival.
“I-incredible! How did you do that?” Reina asked in disbelief.
“That's Sagacity. Pretty handy skill. If you ever learn to use mana, I can give you a crash course.”
Salem listened intently for a second volley but his ears could not pick up any such sounds.
It seemed as if the party was safe for now. Given the circumstances, it was possible that the archers fired off the initial set as a warning of sorts, most likely to scare off potential bandits and other ruffians. However, whether they suspected they would encounter the insurgents was another matter in and of itself. If they did not suspect this, the element of surprise would be on their side, courtesy of Kenia. Having seen what Julius could do and experiencing a Keruz' power first-hand, he looked forward to seeing her powers up close and what their 'magic' would look like.
He stole a glance at her as she performed the incantation and found himself somewhat awed by the sight. Both of her arms were outstretched and the tome levitated before her, while what seemed to be a crimson magic circle levitated over the open weapon.
“...endless torrent falling from the sky to decimate my opponents. Scouring life from the land as the arbiter passes judgment, only the worthy shall emerge from the hellfire...”
It seemed that was an incantation. Or part and parcel to one. In truth, it sounded rather morbid for something cast by the Cerebians, but intent and action could potentially be mutually exclusive when it came to their magic. There was too many unknown factors for him to say with certainty.
“Time's almost up on the first diversion, 'Nia. How's that spell coming along?” Roxanne asked as she prepared her spear to create the next diversion.
“Just a little bit longer!” Kenia answered, her brows furrowed in concentration.
The sand began to give way and the sight of six archers on the ramparts drew their attention to the fore once more. One of them signalled to the others to line their shots before they let loose. Their vision unclouded, it would be a simple feat for them to aim at their desired targets.
“Should I?” Tabitha asked, her left hand to a group of arrows in her quiver.
“I've got it, don't worry.”
As Roxanne told her this she spun her spear around before bringing it down to the ground in a low sweep. Bringing it fully around her body she pointed it skyward, creating a veil of sand and a powerful wind current to cast the grains skyward, throwing the arrows off of their trajectory.
“Don't push yourself, Rox.” Dante told her, watching her carefully.
“I've still got a ton of fight left in me. No need to worry, Dan.”
The group stood ready, expecting another volley but none came. They all waited and listened in bated breath for something but it seemed that the archers would not fire off again carelessly.
“Everyone, it's time!” Kenia told them, taking her tome in one hand.
“Right! Vanguard, remember what to do! We're gonna establish a foothold in the stronghold once Kenia breaks through it! Rearguard, your goal is to establish somewhere to take cover! If Kenia needs time to catch up provide covering fire!” Reina shouted to them as she turned away to face forward. “Alright, you're up, Kenia!”
“Leave it to me! Meteor!”
At her words, the magic circle that once levitated above her tome reformed in the sky above them, this time ten times the size of the original. From within it, several slabs of blazing debris emerged and rent the air before falling upon the stronghold. Some of them landed quite a few meters short of it, but those that did hit tore down the walls and broke through the ramparts, others landing in the heart of the courtyard. At the sight of it, there was panic among the members of Kazuo's militia. Screams of terror could be heard as the soldiers and mercenaries flitted about in a desperate bid to avoid the incoming spell. Fortunately for them, the meteors travelled rather slowly, both upon their appearance and with their descent, giving them ample time to flee.
“The walls have been breached! All units, charge!” With a courageous shout and a wave of her hand, the formation shifted into a spear and the battle party began the next phase of their plan.
“Enemies approaching through the northern wall! All units, battle stations!” A voice roared from within the stronghold.
Salem could tell at a glance that in spite of the group having what seemed to be a commander, there was a lack of a proper chain of command. Some were soldiers of the Dark Moon, though not flying its colours, they wore pieces of armour that were without a doubt, associated with it or made in Aoich. The others, however, wore leather and cloth garb, likely nothing more than sellswords.
“They're forming a defensive wall at the breach!” Dante told the group, he the head of the charge.
“Kenia, can you disperse them? Theodore, if you can line up a shot, see if you can disable or immobilize one of them!” Reina said as she placed her blade in an aggressive stance.
“On the case,” Kenia answered.
“Affirmative!” Theo added, slowing down to aim his crossbow.
With a wave of her hand the will o' wisps under her command surged forth, overtaking the team's charge and approaching the defenders. Those that stood their ground were burned for their tenacity and those that retreated had the ground they once stood occupied.
Theo let his shot loose and pierced the leg of a spear-wielding mercenary.
“An opening!” Efrain said.
“Clear a path, Ef. I'll back you up with Battle Cry.” Roxanne told him as she looked to her side.
“Gonna Chulsango in!”
Efrain broke away from the formation and took on a sprinter's stance.
“Break their lines!”
With her spear raised high, the Warlord let out a rallying cry. Crimson jets of light arose all around the group and ascended skyward before fading away. However, in spite of this a sense of burgeoning strength filled all those under the Warlord's command.
It seems to be one of many of the abilities of an adventurer. Salem noted. With power like this, I feel the ability to overcome greater enemies may be within my grasp.
At that moment Efrain bolted past the group with incredible speed to the immobilized mercenary and shoulder tackled him. The mercenary next to him had little time to react as Efrain turned to face him.
“Tsk!” The mercenary clicked his tongue and brought his sword up in a rising arc.
Efrain placed one foot behind him and raised his left arm to block the blade with his jamdhar. As the weapons clashed and sparks flew, he pushed back against the blade and threw his opponent off balance. He brought his right foot up in a half-moon and followed through to the end, transitioning into a flash kick. The strike collided with his opponent's chin and dragged him into the air as the Guardian's body flipped and touched down. As his adversary descended, Efrain held both palms out and a ball of energy formed, inflicting his target with burns and holding him in place before launching him away.
“Ef, your right flank,” Dante shouted.
While Efrain found himself in a deadlock with another sword-wielding ruffian, the rest of the party advanced and took their positions within the stronghold.
“Vanguard, we make our stand here! Give no ground!” Reina commanded them.
At her words, Salem, Dante, Samera and Roxanne fanned out around her, preventing any of their enemies from reaching the breach. Upon doing so, Tabitha, Kenia, Theodore and Otto all began flitting about, taking cover where they could.
Salem's ear picked up the sound of an arrow being nocked and his eyes darted to the location of one of the archers. Hardly halfway across the nearest rampart, he was attempting to line a shot from the dilapidated wall. Almost instinctively, as his body turned he reached for a kunai from his belt and hurled it in one fluid motion. The knife pierced the chest of his adversary and he fell from the rampart.
“Five archers left,” he told the party.
One of the soldiers wielding a sword approached with a burning ferocity.
“Die, winged devils!” He hissed as he brought his blade down, only for it to meet Dante's shield.
“How clever,” Dante remarked.
Efrain performed a short hop to close the distance after breaking out into a sprint and plunged his jamdhar through his adversary's armour. When his defense was weakened Dante shield bashed him and slammed his mallet into the target's left leg, crushing the armour.
Nearby, Tabitha who had hidden behind one of the meteors removed an arrow from her quiver.
“If I just...” The Treasure Hunter muttered under her breath.
She raised her bow skyward and in a flash of light the shape of it transformed, albeit temporarily. As if taking on the shape of a bolt of lightning, the bow's new form empowered her next shot. Once she nocked the arrow and let it fly, it zipped across the sky like an ascending bolt and pierced one of the archers on the ramparts.
“Target down!”
“Nice shot, Tabi!” Samera said with a clenched fist.
“Four enemies approaching. Look alive boys and girls.” Roxanne told them as she readied her spear.
As she had warned them, three mercenaries, one wielding a spear, another knuckles and the last a broadsword approached. The last of them was a knight wielding a sword and shield with another wielding a broadsword following up with reinforcements.
Salem held his blade at the ready and eyed his surroundings.
“Incoming!” Dante roared as he charged towards the two.
He held his shield aloft and the sound of metal against metal signalled a blocked arrow. The projectile fell limply to the ground and Dante spun on the balls of his heels amidst the sound of a man's cries.
“T-tango down!” Theodore's voice sounded out afterwards.
“T-” Before Reina could offer her thanks, Dante raised a hand.
“Thank me later. Don't break focus.”
Reina's mouth closed into a stern, fierce line as she nodded and faced their approaching opponents.
“Can you break their lines, Dante?”
“Yeah. Watch my back.”
Dante squared his shoulders, held his shield in front of him and charged forward.
“Roxanne, Efrain, take Dante's left flank! Salem, you and I will take the right! Samera, keep your eyes peeled to pick off any open targets! Let none of them enter Dante's blind spot!”
Without a doubt, Dante would be able to hold off the approaching enemies and their reinforcements. If their formation fell apart, picking off their targets and whittling their forces down would be a simple task.
According to her plan, Dante broke their formation apart. The broadsword-carrying mercenary met his rush and Dante used the momentum of his charge to push his target back, away from the others. Before they could regroup, the rest of their party engaged them.
Reina charged the sword and shield knight and he blocked her katana. She held the deadlock for a couple of moments to buy Salem time. Listening for the movement of his armour, she was able to discern when he would retaliate. The moment he brought his blade around in a horizontal swipe, she dropped into a crouching position and Salem slipped into the knight's vision. With his weapon held at stomach height, he lunged forward from the knight's flank and pierced the armour. In spite of it, the man still stood.
“I'll back you up!” Samera said as she fell from the air and brought both her blades around in a whirling slash.
“Gh!” The knight groaned as he was felled.
Roxanne bashed the spear mercenary with the blunt side of her spear into Efrain who roundhouse kicked him into the stone below. She spun on the balls of her heels as she spun her spear around in a circle, deflecting an arrow that approached.
“Rox! Watch your back!” Samera shouted as she pursued the broadsword mercenary.
“I'll cut you down!” He snarled as he spun with his blade, cleaving the very air itself.
Samera skidded to a halt and attempted to raise her blades in a final desperate bid, only to find herself untouched. Efrain stood in front of her, both jamdhars raised defensively in a cross.
“Can't let you do that!” He said through grit teeth, a pained grin on his face.
Roxanne followed his guard up with a three-pronged strike. A swipe across the legs, a stab in the torso and one in the arm. The attacker's body trembled before he crumpled to the ground.
“We've no time to waste. Back up Dante and the others.”
Meanwhile, Salem and Reina were engaged with another of the knights.
He brought his blade down in a vertical arc and crushed the stone ground while the swordswoman narrowly managed to roll out of its reach. She scrambled to her feet and brought her katana upon him in a rising arc, landing a direct hit but only staggering him briefly. Salem managed to get two strikes in before somersaulting backwards to avoid a wide, horizontal cleave.
“Salem, Reina, regroup with the others!” Kenia called out to them.
With a wordless nod to each other, the two fell back as their assailant and his incoming comrades began their approach anew. However, as they did so, a ball of fire was launched into the sky and split apart like a mortar, setting all beneath it ablaze.
The duo regrouped with the members of Revolution who formed a new vanguard before them.
“Their numbers are dwindling and they've lost all of their ranged support. If you're going to make your move, you should do it now, Reina, Salem. We'll handle the rest here. You get Kazuo.” Roxanne told them, looking at the two over her shoulder.
“Right. Roxanne, everyone, thank you.” Reina said.
“Thank us when we're leaving victorious. Now get outta here. Kenia held back so these guys are gonna shake it off soon.” Efrain told them, waving his hand dismissively.
“We'll depart immediately.” Salem told them as he took Reina's hand.
With no words left to trade, the duo set out to find and defeat the shinobi's nemesis.

They entered what seemed to be the building of the commander and found themselves surprised at how unguarded it was.
“Do you see anyone, Salem?” Reina asked.
“No. I don't sense the presence of anyone either. I cannot shake the suspicion that there's something off here.” He answered as he slowed down, searching their surroundings carefully.
“Is it possible that they allocated the forces guarding Kazuo to the battlefield? It doesn't make much sense to leave the commander unguarded but...given the state of their forces, I imagine things are rather disorganized.”
“I don't think that to be the case, Reina. Even a sellsword would prioritize the defense of his charge above all else. ...Kazuo is well aware of his own abilities. I've no doubt that he will prove quite a difficult opponent to overcome even with both of us. However, even given that knowledge, I doubt that he would leave himself unguarded.”
The two ascended a flight of stairs in silence so they could concentrate on ascertaining if there were any other mercenaries or knights who sought to hinder them, but as they drew closer to Kazuo no such figure appeared before them.
“Those doors...he must be inside there.”
The two arrived at a long corridor where a pair of brown double doors awaited them. Within, Kazuo likely awaited, as did their destiny.
As they took their first steps into the hallway, Salem felt a growing unease. He scanned all around him but could not ascertain the reason for the feeling that plagued him.
Suddenly, the unease washed over him like a tidal wave and he drew his weapon, his eyes darting to catch a glimpse of someone descending from above. He guarded against them and the sounds of metal clashing rang out through the hallway as they touched down, somersaulted backwards and took their stance.
“None shall step foot into Master Kazuo's chamber!” The voice of a young woman brought both of their attentions to the fore.
In the darkness, though the silhouette was hard to see for a time, when she came to a halt in the moonlight he could see them clearly. Black garb from head-to-toe, a pair of tabi, a mask and a dark blue scarf...and in their hand, a kunai. Her stance was somewhat crouched low, her weapon out before her and one hand free, allowing her to quickly and easily access the tools from her belt.
“That stance...that weapon...it cannot be...a Warrior of the New Moon...?” He asked in disbelief.
Her eyes sharpened as she gazed back at him, a look of disgust in both.
“Your stance mirrors my own. To think that you would side with those winged devils! I shall personally see to it that the secrets of Master Kazuo and those of Owl Castle never leave those forsaken lips! You and all the other rebels shall die this day!”
“Salem...” Reina said as she gripped his hand a little tighter.
“Reina...I know there is much and more I have to tell you, but the time for that will come. For now, we must fight without mercy and even more so, hesitation. Both of our lives depend on this.”
“Yeah...of course.”
Though her voice was quiet, it was clear to him her resolve was steeled. If it could be avoided, she would not take the life of the kunoichi before them. However, he knew all too well that the members of Owl Castle would not back down even if their opponent was to show them mercy. They would live and die for their lord. She would. Once upon a time, he would also.
To protect Reina however, he would strike her down, even if she was an old comrade.
“Agatha...forgive me...” Salem whispered under his breath.
Salem readied his weapon as Reina did hers, her brows knit and her lips pursed tightly.

Wordlessly, the enemy kunoichi put her kunai back into her belt and drew two shuriken before hurling them at the two. Salem brought his weapon up and deflected both projectiles, the blade beautifully glimmering in the moonlight.
“Let us press the offense, Reina!” He told her, his eyes not letting his target out of his sight.
“I'll follow your lead!”
Without wasting another moment the two sprinted forward while Agatha drew a ninjato of her own.
The advantage belonged to the duo. Since she had failed to kill them when she had the element of surprise on her side, she had no choice but to fight them in the open. Any potential tricks she could utilize, Salem could counteract. To lose to a mere pupil would mean that he would be no match for Kazuo. He would defeat her and excel at it to banish any and all doubts.
The moment he got within range of her, he swung his blade in a rising arc. She bounded backwards, using the window to spring herself at Reina. Her body twisted through the air and in a single swift movement she brought her own weapon down. In spite of her speed, Reina who had her blade at her side brought the full weight of her weapon to bear and the momentum of her dash upon Agatha, forcing her back and locking her down.
For a moment, Salem was taken aback at the strength of his companion. Most of the people she fought were men so it was rare for her to overpower them, but she seemed to show even greater strength here. Perhaps it was the effect Roxanne gave at work?
While Reina kept the pressure on Salem took the opportunity to aim for a felling strike. Noticing the oncoming danger, Agatha opted out for giving up her deadlock with Reina. She attempted a hasty retreat and managed to avoid Salem's slash but in turn had her left arm cut by Reina.
“Tch!” She clicked her tongue as she somersaulted past Reina and took a knee to hurl one of the kunai she held at her back.
While Reina was crouched low, recovering from the force she had put into the deadlock Salem took to her flank and deflected the weapon.
Though quiet, Salem could hear her breaths. It was still early, but they were much more noticeable than when they had first began their skirmish. Though the cut Reina landed was not deep, she would only have so much time before she collapsed. It would be Reina's ideal. They just needed to press their offensive.
He crouched low and grabbed two of the kunai that she had initially thrown. As he rose to his feet he threw the first and tapped Reina on the shoulder, signalling for her to follow his lead. While Agatha deflected the first, the two rushed her and he threw the second. She leapt out of the way of it, touching down against the wall this time in preparation for another jump.
“Follow through, Reina!” Salem said as he jumped to meet their adversary.
As he did so, Reina somersaulted beneath him. Agatha pushed herself from the wall to meet Salem's advance and the two clashed. In spite of gravity being on her side, Salem overpowered her and forced her back to the ground. As her feet touched down Reina's blade cleaved the air and cut a swath across her stomach, leaving a bloody gash.
“Urk!” She let out a pained groaned as she stumbled a few steps back.
Salem threw one of his own kunai and she managed to deflect it, albeit barely. Before he could continue his pursuit and Reina could recover from her last attack, Agatha drew a smoke bomb from her belt and threw it to the ground, enveloping the three of them in a cloud of white.
Salem covered his mouth and Reina violently coughed as she attempted to wave it off.
“Smoke...?! Where did it...?” Between her sentences she violently coughed to no avail.
Salem scanned the surrounding area but could hardly make out anything save for his companion. The sound of smoke escaping the bomb drowned out the sound of Agatha's movements and he could not predict where she was. He could however, hear her footsteps only ever so slightly. When the steps passed him and seemed to bound off the walls, he sensed danger and opted out for protecting Reina. He stepped towards her and pushed her body down to cover it with his own.
“S-Salem?” She asked, trepidation edging her tone.
Barely moments after he had, a shower of kunai rained down upon the two. He was pierced by some of them but many of the strikes were glancing at best. The cuts were not deep either, as they lacked the force of one perfectly aimed projectile.
Due to the strikes, however, he let out a single, pained exhale through grit teeth.
“Are you okay?” Reina asked.
“You needn't worry. This is nothing I cannot withstand.” He answered, smiling gently.
He hoped the expression would help him convey his feelings.
Putting aside his concern for Reina's feelings, the fact stood that Agatha had disappeared from their sight once more. In a couple of seconds the smoke would clear enough for him to get the slightest glimpse of her, but what would she do with that time?
“Keep your head low. She may have something else up her sleeve.”
When those few seconds had passed, at the far end of the corridor, Salem glimpsed her hunched over, her hands together, coming apart and together once more. He instinctively gasped as his mind raced in an attempt to recall exactly what the combination of mudra she performed would lead to. The moment she completed them, energy swelled around her as she placed a hand to the ground.
“Reina! Take a deep breath and hold it!”
She did what was asked of her and Salem wrapped his free hand around her. He plunged his ninjato into the ground and crouched low with his companion in a final bid to stand his ground.
“Perish, Traitor!” Agatha snarled as she glared at them.
Before her hand, a whirlpool formed, rapidly growing in size before water surged out from it like a rising wave. The surging tides swamped the corridor and washed over both Reina and Salem, pulling all of Agatha's tools back with it. The bladed objects cut the two, creating fresh wounds that the crashing waves exacerbated but the two still held on. Due to the constant onslaught, Salem felt as if his feet would leave the ground, but he held on to his weapon and held on even tighter to Reina, swearing that he would not let the waves take her.
Eyes open, he stared forward, his gaze steely and unflinching.
To have maintained the ninjutsu for an extended period would consume her chakra and some of her stamina. Given the situation she was in, it was an all-or-nothing tactic. If the two could withstand her onslaught, victory would all but be assured.
The water's intensity weakened and the levels began to rapidly decrease until there was nothing but a weak stream. When that moment had come, Reina exhaled and held her chest as she began to breathe again.
Salem felt thankful that his training had prepared him for missions that would require him to be submerged underwater.
“Reina, I'm going to settle this!” He said as he rose to his feet.
With one of the final kunai in his possession he hurled it and managed to pierce Agatha's weapon hand. He bolted forward and as she fumbled to draw one more kunai with her off-hand, he disarmed her, gripped her by the throat and slammed her into the wall.
She struggled in vain for a couple of moments before she glared at him.
“What are you waiting for, Traitor? You and the rebel have bested me. Kill me,” Agatha told him.
Her words said that she had resigned herself to her fate but the penetrating gaze she held was a sure sign that she would fight to her last breath.
“Salem! Don't do it!” Reina cried out as she staggered to her feet.
“Do you rebels intend to interrogate me? I will tell you nothing of the Dark Moon. I would sooner die!”
Salem closed his eyes.
He hated to admit it, but Agatha was telling the truth. Even if they took her captive, they would not be able to get her to talk. If anything, she would bite her own tongue.
In spite of this, however, he wanted to give Reina some peace of mind. To kill Agatha here and now, in cold blood would horrify her. Though the result would be the same, if he was to do it, the sin would be on their hands. He could not let her bloody them. For the sake of her ideals, for her future, for her dreams.
“You can still change your fate. The Dark Moon....Owl Castle...they are...” He solemnly shook his head.
He spun his ninjato around and slammed the hilt of the weapon into her stomach before letting her go. Her body slumped to the ground quietly and Reina let out a sigh of relief.
“Thanks for sparing her, Salem. Though I say that, I didn't really think you were going to kill her.” She said as she grinned awkwardly.
“You...needn't thank me.”
It was terrible, but for the first time he was glad she could not see.
The pained expression he wore as he looked at that smiling face was shameful.
He could not bear the idea of her seeing him look so pathetic. After all was said and done, he could not bring himself to tell her the truth.
“She must've been a disciple to Kazuo, huh? In truth, I'm surprised. It seems she was the only...well, ninja to follow him. There were a few knights that must've been from the Dark Moon, but outside of those guys and the mercs, it was just her. Do you think the others didn't follow him out of loyalty to the Dark Moon?” Reina asked.
She took off her cloak and attempted to wring it dry but could not manage to get all of the water out in one attempt.
“I believe something like that to be the case, yes.”
“It...feels kinda cruel...what we're doing. Whoever she was, she was more a victim in all of this than a perpetrator. You mentioned that she was one of the Warriors of the New Moon, right?” Reina's brows were furrowed and her lips curled into a frown. “Even if he was wrong, even if he would have slain hundreds and taken others captive to be sold...she would follow him. It's probably all she knew. He was probably the closest thing to family she would've had.”
The young Cerebian held herself and shook her head.
“It isn't fair, Salem. How many of them are there? Is there nothing that we can do for them? Will we have to fight the others too, someday?”
Salem closed his eyes before he looked out the window to the crescent moon hanging in the sky.
“I wish I could tell you, Reina. If what she told us was any indication, the Warriors of the New Moon would live and die for their liege's cause. As you would risk yours to protect those you love, they would do the same out of loyalty.”
“I almost want to say our causes aren't so different but...the leaders of the Dark Moon, I can't forgive them. They and I will never see eye-to-eye! All this bloodshed, all these lives lost for a war that never needed to be waged...it's too much to bear. We have to defeat Kazuo and Hayato. We have to defeat them so nothing like this comes to pass!”
Her burgeoning resolve was developing and in it, new goals formed little by little. Someday, she would do great things. What they would be, he did not know, but knowing that she fought both for the Cerebians and the people of Aoich struck a chord within him.
Vanir...did you see this in her, also? He thought.
“I agree. With what little power we have, let us press onward, toward a brighter future.”

The two had taken off most of the gear they had donned to overcome the Desert's harsh weather conditions and narrowed down their clothes to as little as possible without sacrificing their modesty. Reina wore a tank top and her pants, though they were still soaked even after being wrung dry. Salem went topless but still wore his pants and sandals.
Salem put the finishing touches on the makeshift bandages for Agatha and rose to his feet.
“This will have to suffice for the time being.”He said as he eyed her wound warily.
“You don't think...she'll bleed out, do you?” Reina asked nervously.
“No, I don't. The wounds she received were all shallow. Even if she was to regain consciousness, she will not get far. There's a high chance she'll be anemic due to blood loss and will need much more time to recover than what a few hours could offer her.” Salem explained, looking to his companion.
“Good. That should give us enough time to get in touch with the Revolution members and get these two outta here. I can't help but worry that we really got sidetracked. Would Kazuo really still be in there?”
“The places he could escape to are limited. If he was to attempt to escape, Revolution's members would be able to intercept him.”
Salem had no doubt that Kazuo would stay. If he was able to slay the rebel that defeated Hotaka and the rest of her party, he would gain renown untold. That would mean more men to his cause, a greater defense and with that, the potential for greater objectives. Sooner rather than later, he would likely be able to start his own splinter faction. With that, he could easily act as a proxy to the Dark Moon, waging wars in their name on the other city states and embroiling Jienda in another age of bloodshed.
Aoich was enough. The greatest threat still remained, also. The Dark Moon itself and the Moon of the Sixteenth Day.
“We...we should go, huh? Nothing for it but to face off with Kazuo and settle this, once and for all.” Reina said, the determination in her voice evident.
“You're right. Now is not the time to be taken by insecurity.”
Salem stole one last glance at Agatha and sighed quietly.
Who she was before she came to the Dark Moon, he would never know. To the day, he still did not know her real name, let alone those of any other Warriors of the New Moon.
Without any further words, the two approached the doors to Kazuo's chambers and pushed them open, together.

From both the hallway and a couple of thin windows lined with bars, moonlight trickled into Kazuo's quarters. In the darkness, Salem could just barely make out the few decorations that adorned the room along with Kazuo himself in the heart of them all.
What tools does he have at his disposal? Salem asked as his eyes darted about the room.
A training dummy. A couple of hanya masks. Kazuo's personal blade. A couple of wall scrolls, adorned with caligraphy. A wall scroll depicting a man battling a mythological demon.
It appeared that all that Kazuo needed, he hid on his person. As a master of their arts, second only to the leader of Owl Castle, he would likely have little need to have his weapons on display or around him for use later. What meagre tricks the shinobi of Owl Castle knew would pale in comparison to the Masters'.
Kazuo himself sat with his knees neatly tucked beneath him, facing away from the duo. Without a moment's hesitation and with practiced hands, he removed his weapon from the grounded wooden holster and rose to his feet.
“To think that the rebels who had defeated Hotaka would dare to step foot into my stronghold. How bold...how foolhardy.” Kazuo said.
At the sound of his voice, Reina froze.
“That voice...it couldn't be...” She uttered, fear stricken.
“Hmm? Well...what do we have here?”
Kazuo turned around to face them and lowered his blade to his side.
His garb was exactly as Salem remembered—he wore the colours of the shinobi's master, an all-white outfit with accents of gold, a silver head-plate and thong sandals to match the rest of the outfit. Even in the dark, Salem could see the dark brown eyes beneath the plate.
“It seems a twist of fate has reunited us once more, girl. To think, that you of all of your kind had escaped death and lived to tell. In that state! Death would've been a mercy for what you had received in turn for your mother's insolent demeanour.”
“D-don't you dare t-talk badly about m-my mother!”
The ex-shinobi had never heard her speak with so much hatred before. Though she was petrified to her core, she spat those words with enough ferocity to carry the weight of all the years she spent suffering for the survivors and fallen of Xenym.
“Both of you could've been taken had you chosen not to try to evade the inevitable. Of course, had you Winged Devils chosen not to endanger the lives of Humanity, none of this would have had to come to pass.”
“Liar! The Dark Moon only seeks to...to destroy Humanity! All of it! The people...this world...it will not stand!”
“Do you lot still believe that tripe? How ridiculous. And to think, one of ours had bought into that foolishness.”
Reina's inner fire seemed to be put out as her furrowed brows eased.
“Salem...” She muttered under her breath.
“The Cerebians have been protecting these lands since time immemorial. From them, I found out the truth. The truth that you, the Dark Moon King and all others have veiled! On this day, I stake my life on this battle and in so doing, I will become the sword that cuts you down, Kazuo!” Salem snarled as he stood before Reina.
“Ahh Salem...what a shame that you had strayed to such a dark path. You were both an excellent student and shinobi. To turn your blade on your own Master, have I taught you so poorly?” Kazuo asked.
“What you taught me means naught before the crimes you and the other leaders have committed!”
“Crimes? What you call crimes are a necessary justice.”
“The suffering you inflicted upon Reina, I saw it with my very own eyes. Do not think you'll be forgiven through that web of rhetoric and lies! What purpose did your presence serve on the battlefield, Kazuo? What warranted such heinous acts?!”
He blinked slowly.
“Were you not informed, Salem? Our intel suggested that the possibility that the Governor of Earth's wife was with child was a high possibility. Many men are too spineless to do away with a threat before it truly becomes dangerous, mind you. Some were far too cowardly to even take up arms against the civilians and look how that ended for them. To be felled by farmers and civilians...with pitchforks and rakes. A sorry sight. I took it upon myself to see to it that should the Winged One's Governor be hiding a little secret from us that it be taken care of swiftly.”
Reina's mouth hung agape in disbelief.
“You were going to murder Kasumi?!”
“For lack of better words, yes! One cannot be too careful with creatures from beyond the sky, mind you. It truly was a shame, however, that rather than finding that child, we found...you. It seems I was careless to not have had you killed then and there. Like the ever-persistent cockroach, you Winged Ones refuse to wither away and die quietly.”
Salem clenched his fists so tightly all of the blood from his hands quickly escaped.
Never had he felt so infuriated with someone before. He held such unspeakable contempt for the man before him he could barely see straight. To think that he had come face-to-face with Reina's assailant and the very same man held nothing but contempt for her, even after all that he had put her through. He was truly irredeemable.
Salem let go of his clenched fists and exhaled.
His time at Owl Castle had taught him that a shinobi needs no emotions. In so doing, he learned to collect himself, cast away such frivolities and in time, to minimize his presence.
Kazuo seemed to find some humor in the sight.
“Being among those creatures has made you weak, Salem. You are naught but a pale imitation of the shinobi you once were. Do you truly think your lacklustre skills will allow you to best me in combat?”
“No longer do I live a meaningless life under your leadership, Kazuo. No longer will I be a tool, to be used at the whims of the Dark Moon or Owl Castle. Upon your defeat, I will sever all ties with Owl Castle. I will renounce myself as one of your disciples, once and for all.”
Kazuo's shoulders slumped and it almost seemed as if he wanted to shrug, but only opted out for closing his eyes.
“I applaud your spirit, Salem, but I feel it only fair that I dash your hopes now. True, I had not killed your...ally, prior. I had left it to those incompetent soldiers of the Dark Moon and they had left her, only for her to survive. However, I do not intend to make the same mistake twice. You will not survive this encounter. A blind girl and a student of mine stand very little chance of survival. Alas, I shall entertain your hopes for a time before I take her head as the proof that the bestial rebellion had ended before it ever began.”
To think he saw her as a beast. That girl who laughed, cried, fought and lived more like a human than he would ever know and ever could.
Salem drew his blade and held it out before him, in preparation for battle.
His fury had become calm and even, like the ocean's waves. He would not let it conquer him, but he would utilize it to temper his blade.
“Reina, this will be our final battle on this expedition. I know you have heard me say this many a times before, but I promise, I will tell you all there is to know once this is over. Thus...now but once more, put your trust in me. So long as I stand I will ensure that he cannot take the life from you.”
Her body trembled but even so, she held tightly to her katana, her mouth in a straight line. She seemed so fragile that a single strike could break both her body and spirit.
In that moment, Salem saw not the general that stood on the vanguard alongside Cerebian revolutionists but instead the terrified young librarian's assistant from Xenym.
Until she found her courage again, he would have to be both her sword and shield and also, the brave shoulder she could lean on in her time of need. For both of their sakes and the future of the Cerebians, he would become all that and more than he ever was.

Run CapturedEnemy.exe.
So? Let's get down to it!

I'm still undecided whether I wanna upload all of Another to the forum, so until then, you're getting more Innocent! Speaking of, let's talk about the novel that is the thread's namesake, shall we?
This is a big shift from last time. With all of the messing around outta the way(mostly) we're moving on to the meat of the expedition. I'd spent a lot of time mulling it over, so hopefully I managed to nail the feeling. I suppose it was something I touched upon prior, huh? When I spoke about my time in theatre classes and the feeling of going from practice, to dress rehearsal to the show itself. I think Reina's dialogues up to this point and now at it may express the feelings best. She shows the most variety in regards to it, but she's also the newcomer in this situation. In this case, I think it's one of the things that make her the idea character for a novel like this. You get the whole hero's journey with her, huh? At this point, we should be nearing the abyss, or rather, we're in the midst of it.
One of the things I like about this part is that we see what she can be. As I said in the Sanc threads, a lot of her personality still remains. She never does a full shift into the role of commander because in doing so, she'd lose a lot of what makes her character, her. Though under different circumstances, it very well could happen! The people she meets and loses along the way could shape how she'd be in the 10 or so years between the current period and the start of Frequency. Actually by this point it's probably not ten years but...still, the idea applies. The spirit of a commander became a facet of her personality, rather than her personality in its entirety. You could see similar notions in Victoria, but that was more her than how she'd be outside of battle.

In truth, this is probably the first time I've had to write a large-scale battle like this. The Longest Tree event...well...actually probably the fall of Xenym. But I kinda...hyper-focused on that one. Most of the battle was set aside for whatever shenanigans TJ and Choen Palm were getting up to. TLT is a closer second, having parties of 8 or so adventurers and a series of bees alongside them. This, I did quite some time ago, but I feel it still holds up well in spite of the passing of time. As you can see, I tried doing a bit more with formations here. In the case of Sanctuary, often times the dungeon parties will have a formation. In that case, however, it would more be the party's order, something to determine who would be the vanguard and the rearguard respectively. In this case, there's that, but also how the party moves and engages their enemy. It can be difficult to describe, but having names for them gives you an idea of what it might be like. Since the positions were already decided, you'd know who's where by their class and prior position.
One of the things I addressed was using one's environment to their advantage, and this is one of the moments I applied that thinking! Them fighting in a desert means plenty of sand, and who needs a smokescreen when you've got plenty of sand to do it for you? Utilizing my weird habit with Warlords and wind, Roxanne gave them something of a defense while Kenia casts. On that note, it's been a while but we do get to hear a bit of an incantation from her. I don't do them often, really, but they're long casts so...yeah. Not a whole lotta good opportunities for that lol. But also it requires me to get really creative with what they do! It'd be lame if they were underwhelming, but if they were too destructive, it'd probably change the outcome of a battle, not to mention the landscape...but anyway, just in case I was thinking that a spell's incantation needn't be...y'know, said fully, or without interruption. In that I mean, the caster can still say other things in between if need be.. The important thing would be that they complete the incantation, and that they don't break their concentration. Let's leave it at that, yeah? I feel like if I keep talking about this, I'm gonna need to do a master class on how one casts magic in the first place. That's not for here! Probably not there either!
Nonetheless, we get two stances from Roxanne, they're familiar ones. Sagacity, of course, and Heavenly Ascent, assuming I'm remembering the name correctly. The second she uses just to create a diversion, really. Following that, Kenia drops the meteors on the stronghold and from there, the party makes their entrance!

So technically, their commander would be Kazuo, who clearly isn't present on the battlefield. I'd considered them having a field general of sorts, but among those who follow him, I couldn't see any of them taking up the mantle. Those who fight under him are soldiers from the Dark moon, not from Owl Castle. If they had shinobi among their ranks, the fight would have gone very differently. In truth, they might even have the element of surprise on their side. The reason I didn't do so, however, is that though Kazuo is a sort of...I suppose instructor to most of the members of Owl Castle, he isn't its leader. That of course, would be Sun of Moon, and he reports to DMK.
Anyway, with the walls down the party takes the fight to them. I imagine getting a crossbow in the leg might put you out of commission. Probably worse than a you-know-what in the knee. Still hip, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
So, two things! Battle Cry is a Warlord skill, one that I feel I haven't used in the main story. As the novel suggests, it increases attack. One could say it emboldens those under the Warlord also, but that's because stat increases technically don't exist lol. Rather, how am I supposed to explain that?! Maybe it's both? Take it as you will, dear reader. Now, I can't remember if Efrain used Chulsango but it is in essence, a shoulder check. He's not a Keruz, so yes it's very much real! He uses two more stances after that, the first being Crescent Kick and the second I forgot.
Don't ask me why, but I love the part where the vanguard storms the stronghold and just takes their positions. I feel like I can see it vividly, and how they make an opening for the party I feel is one of the best moments in this engagement. It's pretty hype, isn't it?
Now, about that guy on the rampart...I won't say he's dead but if you fall from one, there's a chance. For the sake of...well, morality, let's say he's just badly injured.  Tabitha used Godbird Hunting, which does have those effects, yeah. Whether they could actually kill someone with that, I dunno. LT was PG13! Or E, idk, who cares about game ratings these days anyway?
The part about Reina thanking him was...something I feel I thought about too much lol. I rather enjoy it, hearing it in games and stuff. It's a small thing, really. Happened a lot in L4D and boy did I play too much of that. But nobody plays anymore! Imagine having friends! Apex too, but that one was optional huh? Weird thing to fixate on. People play that, but it brings out my inner toxic gamer so I avoid it like the plague.
I do confess, the parts that follow can be a bit tough to follow. Doesn't surprise me too much, the story kinda follows the frantic energy of the battle. Perhaps if I did things from Salem's perspective, based on what he witnessed it'd be easier to keep track. At the same time, battles happening in his peripherals would likely go unmentioned, as he'd be in the heat of combat too. All in all, I'm still glad I did things this way 'cause you get a bit of everything, and you see what everybody can do.
I did consider the nature of the novel heavily, so despite the characters with skills at the disposal, how much they use them and when, varies. I confess, it was tough stepping out of my comfort zone, even with those there. But it's bretty good, if I do say so myself! What was learned there, I carried into the future and it's helped improve Sanc by leaps and bounds.
As for Kenia's mortar spell, I don't have a name for it currently, but if there comes a time where I could use such a thing, I'll try and have something then. I probably don't need to overthink it too much. But yes! With that, they clear a path to Kazuo!

...Is what I'd say if he didn't have someone standing guard. If I was to go with the game's style, she should've been wearing blue, rather than just having a scarf in that colour. But yes, it is mandatory! I think a little bit, I wanted to do something like Moon of the Sixteenth Day. I won't go into detail on that, though. But still, having a bodyguard is practically a freebie at a time like this! That, and...there's something both conflicting and cathartic about such a moment, isn't there? That moment when you find yourself fighting against someone you know, or someone who might share ideals with you, but you know that you can't come to an understanding, try as you might. Thus, violence is the only option! It needn't be just similarity in ideals in this case, though. Their fighting style, their shared master and them once being comrades, now rivals, that's the delicious kind of conflict that makes this scene powerful. It's like the Ryu vs. Akuma scenario, isn't it? I mean, a similar sort of thing. Except Salem is the one who strayed from the teachings lol. Was he right to do so? Or wrong? The Cerebians have their cause, but loyalty isn't something to be taken lightly either. People will live and die for it; they still do.
So with this battle, you could probably tell but the tactics are very different. Given that it takes place in a corridor and there's only three of them, it sounds like a given. However, the style and energy of the fight changes substantially. Agatha is a very mobile fighter and she uses that to her advantage, as Salem does. He could likely do a lot of what she does, but he keeps in close quarters of Reina, acting both as an attacker and defender when it's required. Agatha doesn't have that limitation, so she's bouncing off walls like a squirrel lol. I did often take stature into consideration for these scenes, as Salem points out, and you can see the difference it makes based on who's fighting whom. It isn't explicitly said, but you could likely guess that Agatha is a small girl. It's part of the reason she's so agile, but in turn, she loses in direct combat! That one's a freebie, though. I often make that comparison with Peorth and Kooh. Reina too, is more strength focused than agility, so she's got the advantage there.
Given that they are fighting a member of Owl Castle, however, Agatha has all the tools a kunoichi of it would, and she uses them well. Of course, the danger of using those against someone from Owl Castle is that they could use them against you! Now, anyone can throw a knife, but not everyone can throw it well. It's possible Reina could've done it too, but for one thing she uses a...technically two-handed weapon, and the other is, she doesn't know how to throw them! A little bit, I confess it does feel like she got the short end of the stick in this fight, but it's probably better that way. With the course of events, she's at a disadvantage. Against an extremely mobile enemy who knows how to limit the noise she makes, but can also distract with tools. In short, the members of owl Castle are her bane! Get hard-countered, scrub swordswoman.
Moving on, yes, the members of Owl Castle can use ninjutsu. In this story? It's more likely than you think! Why hasn't Salem done it? It'd be a bad time. Have you read USSR yet? You can find out the answer to all your questions there! Wow! You can read the whole 176 page or whatever length it is novel, right now! What're you still doing here? Go do that. Back on topic, I don't think there was a blue ninja in Owl Castle. Maybe in DMC. Their attacks weren't like this, either lol. Still, I like the idea of Salem planting his sword in the ground and using it to ground them. I still think it's a very cool moment.
I realize it's a pretty short fight, but I also realize most of them should be. Agatha and the other members of the militia are humans. They don't have the ridiculously robust bodies the Agasura would and do. I do feel for the sake of interest, it could go on longer but if it did, she'd definitely pass out. In spite of that, she still got knocked out by Salem. Under other circumstances? Her life would be forfeit lol.
The Warriors of the New Moon are something I think about often. I'd considered bringing others to this scene, but I decided to nix the idea. That there even is one, is unusual in and of itself. But it means the rest retained their loyalty to their liege, while she felt strongly about Kazuo. ...Which technically makes her a traitor, also. Semantics!
I really like Salem's inner thoughts on Reina's monologue. That, and his reply. More and more, he finds purpose in her quest, developing his own wishes for the future. Though he sees her strength, he still acknowledges that alone they can only do so much, but even so they keep on going. It's reminiscent of the heroic ideals of the characters and how it can affect their world. In this case, they're well aware and do what they can in spite of that.
Also, yes, her real name isn't Agatha. You'll see a bit of a pattern there lol. Will there be others that Salem knows? Maybe! I mean, if I ever did write Unbreakable for some god forsaken reason, you'd meet them. Those that aren't dead, that is. Since this takes place before that though...you wouldn't see Agatha in it.

On to Kazuo's chambers! I wanted to do one of thoe sword stand things but I've not the foggiest as to what they were named, so it is not present! C'est la vie! Anyway, he's kinda an asshole, isn't he? I mean, that was established in the prologue but yeah, he really turns up the dickishness to 11 here. That aside, it's a very emotionally-charged scene. I knew someday those two would have to come face-to-face again, and finding out the truth that Salem veiled kinda puts a damper on the whole thing, doesn't it? Even so, there's a lot of great things about it. We saw Rqeina's courage in the previous scenes, but here it's nothing more than bravado and that comes clearly through her dialogue. This is one of the moments where she has to face her trauma, and the person who inflicted it upon her. It still is Salem's arc, but she'll see a lot of growth through it, as we've seen thus far and will going forward.
Now, Salem's dialogue tells us quite a bit, doesn't it? He does touch upon the name of the act, and also the nature of his being. It's a multi-faceted series of statements! But those aren't the only truths illuminated, of course. Who Salem is, was to them and what he accomplished. That he was a force to be reckoned with and how, and where he had gone wrong. I can't say what statement it was yet, but it'll put one of Salem's statements into context when we get to it.
So, putting that aside, their target was Su! If your enemy is preparing a weapon, either you take it for yourself first, or you destroy it. Too bad they screwed it up and that very weapon got away. They wound up getting her, eventually though lol. If I really wanted to make this situation more messed up, I could say they got their information from an inside source. Man, that would really sour things, wouldn't it? Heh! But no, I'll leave it to your imagination.
For once, Salem shows...well, substantial emotions! Briefly. A little bit, him calming himself was a reference to what Su said in her battle against TJ way back when. It was probably good like 11 or so years ago, but if I read it now I'll cringe outta my skin. I still like this moment, though. Kazuo notices it, makes a snide remark about it and Salem refutes it, recalling his experiences and how his time at Madelaine's changed him. Character growth, in a nutshell! Simple, but in its simplicity, brilliance! The following moments too, mwah! Delicious! Kazuo comes off as an irredeemable piece of shit(which he kinda is) and Salem sees more in Reina due to it. What I love about it is, that she worries about those aspects of herself, the things that make her inhuman. He would compound those fears with his beliefs, but at the same time, he encourages the shinobi and kunoichi to be less human by shutting out many of the aspects that make them just that. He's even doing it right now! Salem acknowledges that Owl Castle saw them as tools and he refuses that life, both going back to it, and the past that he knew.
All else aside, I love the final line in his inner monologue. It's a promise for the future, not just to come out victorious, but to be so much more. It really does feel like the tension is rising, doesn't it? It's a great lead-up to the fight, which is next! But!

That's all for this update!
Do I have anything to report? Noooooooooooot really! I slacked on Replicard, so I can't, uncap MTMT. Profound sadness. Given that's the case, it's Replicard time.

Until next time!

“Shall we begin, Salem? Show me the fruits of your labours and your ability to protect your charge, lest she fall by my blade.” Kazuo said as he took his stance.
Unlike the Warriors of the New Moon, Kazuo did not crouch as low as they did, nor did he have his hand at his tool belt. In place of it, he had one hand forming a mudra, ready to use it at a moment's notice. His stance alone was all the proof Salem needed to know that he was not an enemy to be underestimated.
The ex-shinobi stole a glance at his companion who looked as if she was holding her ground but trembled violently.
In her current state, she would not be able to fight even close to on Kazuo's level. Given that knowledge, how would he proceed? A frontal attack to keep Kazuo busy and away from Reina? A ranged attack so he could buy time and stay by her side?
“Cautious as ever. A wise decision, but the element of surprise is not on your side.”
Without a moment's hesitation, Kazuo began a sprint towards the two, moving in an unpredictable fashion. Salem's eyes traced his movements for a couple of moments before he broke out into a dash and thrusted his blade at his adversary. The weapon narrowly missed as Kazuo leaped backwards and lunged at him with a wide swing. Salem had to lean backwards, using his hands to keep his body upright and narrowly avoid the blow. His master stepped forward and brought the blade down in a diagonal arc. In response, Salem performed a scissor-kick to somersault backwards out of reach. When he was on his feet again he back-flipped once through the air to reset the scenario the two found themselves in and put Kazuo on neutral ground.
In that moment Salem was stricken with disbelief and reached for his tool belt. As Kazuo made a dash for Reina, Salem hurled two kunai at him and immediately began a pursuit of his target. With trained precision and unmatched speed, the shinobi master deflected both projectiles and skidded to a halt to meet Salem's onslaught. Salem brought his blade down diagonally and it was met with a diagonal block. He brought it across in a wide horizontal arc and it was blocked vertically. He performed this a second time and met the same defense but reached for his tool belt and drew another kunai he thrusted at Kazuo's chest. The shinobi side-stepped the strike and went on the offensive, taking a stab at his protege. Salem narrowly deflected the blow by raising his blade and found himself being pushed back as Kazuo pressed the attack.
“S-Salem...I...” Reina muttered, her hands clenched tight around her weapon.
To hear his name spoken by her, fearful of what would happen to him, what she could not do and so much more reminded him of what he fought for. He could not, would not lose.
Salem parried an incoming diagonal strike from Kazuo and broke through the offense to take a swing at him. He could feel the blade meeting the resistance of material but just as he felt certain he cut Kazuo, the man's body erupted in a cloud of smoke that obscured him.
“Tsk!”
A straw doll fell to the floor where Kazuo once stood and Salem's eyes searched the room for Kazuo.
The sound of the wind surrounding his blade made Salem turn on the balls of his heels and block a downward swing. With one hand to the hilt and the other to the blade, he found himself desperately holding back a deadly blow. After a time he managed to break away and assume his stance before he glimpsed a basketball sized sack drifting over his head. A kunai soared through the air and tore the sack open, raining more of them down upon the ex-shinobi. He attempted a hasty retreat and managed to avoid the onslaught of weapons but found Kazuo descending upon him. Their blades clashed and Salem found himself being pushed back as the weapon edged closer to his flesh. He began to shift his weight slowly beneath the blade before performing a back-step with his right foot all at once. He narrowly avoided a deadly blow from Kazuo but had his left forearm cut.
He grit his teeth as he wiped the blood away and met the master's next attack with his own. Sparks flew when the metal clashed and the two continued to meet each other, blow for blow. Salem broke up their continued clashing with a reverse roundhouse kick dodged by Kazuo. The shinobi drew a kunai and hurled it at him only to have it deflected by Salem's ninjatō. But moments after he avoided the initial attack he found Kazuo upon him again. Just as Salem had blocked the vertical slash, Kazuo raised a foot and threw him off balance with a push kick. Salem stumbled a couple of steps but back flipped away twice to get his bearings and prepared to draw a couple of shuriken from his belt, only to freeze in dismay.
In that short amount of time Kazuo had already begun forming mudras. Salem glimpsed the first as it happened as he flipped through the air but only saw it and the final one. It seemed that he performed the mudras Zen, one unknown and To. Without knowing the second, he could not ascertain what ninjutsu his former master would utilize.
Kazuo took a deep breath and when he blew the air out, a violet cloud of smoke surged toward his disciple.
“Poison mist?!”
Salem fell away from it as he covered his mouth and nose with the back of his off-hand.
The Warriors of the New Moon knew a very limited amount of ninjutsu, those under their teachings typically bound to a specific element. There were secret teachings only Kazuo and Sun of Moon knew, among very few others. To have known more than one, however, took years of training and incredible mental fortitude.
Having managed to escape the cloud, Salem scanned the area for Kazuo but could not see him. It did not take long for him to note that he had gone too far away from Reina and that she would likely be targeted in his absence.
“No...Reina!” He uttered as he broke out into a sprint to get back to her side.
He glimpsed a figure emerging from the cloud of gas and immediately put all of his strength into his legs. On the verge of diving just so he could get there even a moment sooner, Salem broke out into a final desperate sprint to get to her side. The way he moved, however, left him very little options to defend himself. He was to become nothing more than a body between Kazuo and Reina.
With only a matter of moments before Salem found himself cut down, his body collided with Reina's shoulder and was immediately followed by the clashing of swords.

“Oh? It would seem the newborn fawn has found its footing,” Kazuo said.
Reina struggled to hold her ground but still fought fiercely.
“I might be scared but...I promised myself and you...that I wouldn't lose to my fears! Dying is scary...but losing you is...a hundred...no a thousand times worse than that!”
Salem had fell backwards following his collision with her, but he remained there in disbelief.
How did she know that he was in danger?
Though it was but one of many questions, he could not help but be taken aback by her newfound courage. Here too, she shone brilliantly as she fought for what she believed in. That reverence she held for her comrades of the past, perhaps she really and truly did hold similar feelings toward him, but now she did so with blade in hand. It may have been that very reverence that allowed her to overcome her fears and to take up arms once more.
However, this was no time to be awestruck. Danger was afoot and she could use his aid.
Salem scrambled to his feet and rushed at Kazuo, breaking the deadlock and forcing him to retreat. The master vanished into the cloud of mist leaving the two to question where his next location would be. The ex-shinobi's eyes scanned the room while Reina remained perfectly still, listening intently.
“Are you alright?” Salem asked.
“I'm okay, thanks to you,” she said. “I should've clued it in sooner but...what I have and can lose in the present is much more terrifying than the horrors of the past. I have to keep fighting.”
She had become stronger.
He exhaled proudly.
Two shuriken cut through the mist and Salem deflected both.
Now that Kazuo was outnumbered, he would not likely take a direct approach. As were his teachings, one must use the tools at their disposal to break up any formations and assassinate any lone targets. In this battle, Reina would be at a massive disadvantage.
A small spherical object rolled over towards their feet and Salem immediately reacted by pushing Reina away from it.
“Get back, Reina!” He cried as he retreated, following her.
Smoke billowed out from the object, blinding him and covering the room in a viscous cloud.
It was a smart tactic, he would give Kazuo that, but his status as a Confidant allowed him to sense Reina's presence, even in low visibility conditions.
In spite of this advantage, Kazuo did not let his guard down. Two more bombs, similar in appearance to the first rolled toward his feet between he and Reina.
“Again!”
However, this time they both exploded. The impact of the blow forced him back and away from his companion in a guarded stance.
I need to return to her side! He thought as he prepared to sprint back to her.
Immediately after he began, he heard footsteps that seemed to be moving alongside his own.
Had Kazuo decided to target him instead of her in the confusion? If he was to strike Salem down first then...
The ex-shinobi drew two kunai from his belt and hurled them into the smoke but to no avail. The footsteps did not cease, nor did they even seem deterred by his attack. They did however, speed up briefly afterwards. The sound of movement both in the upper and lower body followed suit. Either Kazuo was preparing more mudras or more tools to hinder Salem. He could not say for certain until for the briefest of moments he came face-to-face with his master.
Without a moment's hesitation he crouched low, and prepared to cut down his assailant. Just as he broke out into a dash, Kazuo crouched low, one hand placed to the ground. For the briefest of moments, Salem saw his master's shadow extend into his own, the two connecting and forcing him to freeze in place.
“I will deal with you, in time. You were keen in your youth. However, I cannot allow you to roam free.” Kazuo said as he rose to his feet.
As Salem drew another kunai he vanished into the smoke.
Salem grit his teeth as he struggled to break free. The Shadowbind technique was one he knew of, but not one that he had learned. As far as he knew, there was no secret to breaking the hold. His only choice was to wait until it wore off and yet, he could not allow himself that much time.
Before long, he could hear the sound of Reina's feet touching down against the stone and the clash of blades once more. Going by the noise and the frequency of it, Kazuo unleashed a merciless onslaught on her. As parts of the smoke gave way, he could see sparks flying from where the two clashed and he held tightly to his kunai, attempting to predict where the master would be but to no avail.
Going by the locations of their clashes, it was clear that Kazuo frequently moved, attacking from all angles. This, thankfully, was a tactic Salem himself used and he helped train her against. However, Reina's strength lay in predicting where her enemies would strike from by the way they moved, how quickly and how close they were to her.
This was something that Kazuo seemed to realize also.
The clashes came to a halt as Kazuo broke away from her and following this, an onslaught of ranged weapons began to take flight.
“Gh! Ungh....” Reina's groans followed suit along with the tearing of clothes.
Liquids falling to the ground. Metal against stone. The pained grunts of his comrade in danger. The agony of being powerless to prevent it was enough to shake Salem to his core.
“It's okay, Salem! I'm alright!”
Reina began to slowly approach, seemingly keeping her wits about her as she turned hither and thither to protect herself from any more unexpected attacks. As she had suspected, there were more, a couple successfully deflected.
As she came out of the smoke and into his vision, however, it was clearly many and more had gotten through. There were cuts all over her arms, legs and stomach. In some places she still had shuriken lodged in her flesh. It was a gruesome sight, but in spite of it she still managed to stand.
There had to be more that he could do for her. If he could just pinpoint Kazuo's location...
He glimpsed as another shuriken flew towards her, traced back the trajectory, glimpsed another and predicted how far Kazuo could move, in what direction and how long it would take.
He threw the kunai in his hand and noted that the sound of it hitting the floor did not follow. He, without a doubt, hit the master.
When the shadow bind wore off, he immediately ran to Reina's side and helped her stand with his free arm.
“You don't know how reassuring it is to have your arm around me.” She said with a sheepish smile.
“You've done well, Reina. Keep holding on, I promise you, I will finish this,” he assured her.
The sound of a chain rattling brought Salem's attention to the fore and he stepped in front of her to guard her.
Had Kazuo given up on the element of a surprise? He had all but given away his position with that sound.
From within the waning smoke two shuriken soared towards the duo and Salem immediately prepared to deflect them. Following the first, he noted that there was something else coming. The violent rattling of the chain came to a sudden halt following the shuriken and the weighted end of a kusarigama cleaved the smoke.
Deflecting it was impossible. The weight would not allow for it. Avoiding it was an option, but to do so would mean Reina would be struck down by it.
With little options available to him, Salem decided he would just have to find a way out of Kazuo's trapping. If he attempted to follow up, Reina could strike back.
The ex-shinobi stepped back and brought his down in a diagonal cut, stopping the approach of the weapon's chain but wrapping it around his weapon. He held tightly to it to prevent himself from being disarmed.
“A chain? I'll take point, Salem!” Reina said as she took to the vanguard.
“Wait, Reina, we don't know what his next tactic will be!”
In her current state, she would not succeed in any further clashes with Kazuo. Though most of his strikes were glancing, she was losing blood and stamina as they spoke.
Though she tried to mask it, her breathing was steadily becoming more laboured. At the rate they were going, she would likely pass out if she continued to push her body by fighting.
Again, Salem heard the sound of movement. It was definitely the usage of mudras and when Kazuo was finished, he felt a yank on the chain. Salem stumbled forward, collided with Reina and in the fading smoke he saw Kazuo with one hand to the ground once more.
As the two regained their footing, a summoning circle unique to ninjutsu appeared beneath them and from it, a multitude of kusarigama emerged from below. All of them, the sickle ends facing upright shot outwards before being retracted, lodging themselves within the duo.
“Gah!”
“Ngh!”
Salem's arms and legs were impaled, while one of them cleaved into his back. Reina had received wounds in similar places, avoiding any to her back thanks to Salem's presence, however the two found themselves completely chained down.
The swordswoman's body trembled as she struggled to hold her ground, fresh blood dripping from the sickles engraved in her skin.
“You...will not...break me!” She snarled as one by one, she grabbed the sickles and tore them from her flesh.
Her will to fight was strong, but against him it would only be oil to a fire.
The hold on the kusarigama weakened as Reina broke free of her bindings.
“I won't let you hurt him, Kazuo!”
Salem had to do something, and fast. Desperately, he began to rip out the sickles within him. Doing so with reckless abandon, the blades of the weapons cut into his fingers and his own blood made them slippery and hard to grasp but he continued to do so. The pain was excruciating, enough so to make him want to double over and cry out in anguish, but he persisted until the very last one.
“It would have been wiser to surrender while you still had the opportunity, Winged Devil,” Kazuo said.
“To surrender to you would be a death sentence for Salem! Someone as corrupt as you deserves no forgiveness!”
Kazuo rushed toward her and just as he knew she would, she met his charge with her own. In that moment, he saw as it all played out. The kunai lodged in Kazuo's stomach. The various wounds on Reina's body. The losing clash she desperately fought. Finally...the weapon she wielded flying from her hands. With one hand he sheathed his ninjato and the other, drew a kunai.
Removing the last of the sickles, Salem broke out into a sprint towards the duo, dragging the entirety of the first kusarigama along with him.
“Kazuo...!” He roared, rage etched into his every feature.
The man rushed toward Reina but he did not cut her down. Instead, he spun her around and held his kunai to her neck. At the sight of this, Salem froze in place and pointed the blade at him, waiting for him to make a movement.
“Come no closer, lest your little rebel meet a gruesome end,” Kazuo told him.
“Kazuo you coward!”
“I had told you, did I not, Salem? They have made you weak. Your brothers and sisters of Owl Castle would not have hesitated to cut you down if you stood between them and their target.”
“You made them that way! You made us all that way!”
“Your openness to our teachings was what made you such a good student, Salem. Your ruthlessness and even furthermore, effectiveness and efficiency at doing away with targets was unrivalled. Your will was honed to a knife's edge and is wasted on the foolish errands this girl has you doing. Return to Owl Castle, Salem. A better life awaits you there. Your potential is squandered on these creatures. Do so and I will spare this girl's life. Her little uprising will mean nothing in the grand scheme of it all.”
“Salem...don't listen to him! I know you'll do the right thing so...whatever it takes...whatever it costs...do what you must! There are so...so many lives you can save!”
His steely gaze focused on her. Her mouth taut, her fists clenched, she shed no tears.
“Lay down your arms, Salem. Swear fealty to the Dark Moon and we shall look past your transgressions. I shall see to it that you become my right hand.
“Be brave, Reina,” he said.
He looked to his ninjato and tossed it aside. He removed his belt and threw it aside also. One of his pouches spilled open and the caltrops within spilled forth.
“Now, let me hear it from your own mouth, Salem,” Kazuo said.
As he opened his mouth to speak, Reina grit her teeth and firmly planted her feet before she jumped, slamming the top of her head into Kazuo's jaw. At that moment, Salem dashed from his crouching position to the duo and grabbed the master's arm. He twisted it, wrenched the kunai from it and hurled him over his shoulder to the ground. Just as he crashed against the stone, Salem crouched down and plunged the knife into his neck. Kazuo's eyes opened in shock before the life faded from them and the sound of air escaping his body followed.
Salem withdrew the bloody weapon and looked down at his previous master, now dead by his own hand. His fist was clenched against the weapon with incredible ferocity though the battle had already come to a close.
Suddenly, Reina crashed into him, nearly throwing him off balance. Her hands rested against his back and her face was pressed against the space right next to one of his open wounds...and she sobbed. Wordlessly, he turned around and held her in his arms.
The two remained like that until she had no tears left to shed.

“It's over, Reina. The battle is ours.” Salem said in a calm, soothing voice.
“...Yeah, it is. So...I want you to tell me. Tell me everything. All the little things about you that you never wanted to say.” She said, her face still buried in his chest.
He looked down to the crown of her auburn hair wordlessly before raising his gaze to look at the moon outside the window.
He chuckled mirthlessly under his breath as he thought of where to begin.
“As you now know, I am an ex-shinobi of Owl Castle. One who turned coat, turned on and slain his previous master. To the Dark Moon, I am a wanted criminal. My presence is a danger to you and yet...I...”
“I won't let you leave like this, even if you're a criminal. You're gonna take responsibility for these feelings.” She said as she shook her head.
This made him smile.
“If it pleases you.”
He gently stroked her hair. It was soft to the touch, as ever, a little frizzy from the desert heat.
How many times had she frantically brushed it, saying that she would give anything for straight hair?
“My name...my family...I never knew them. As far back as I can remember, I was a part of Owl Castle. Perhaps at one point I had seen the face of my parents, but was too young to remember.
“I found solace...in the fact that I was not alone. There were other children like me who trained relentlessly. We were known as the Warriors of the New Moon. We were trained to be elite shinobi and kunoichi as soon as we could hold a weapon. We were groomed to be shinobi that could surpass even the masters, in time.
“My name...no, all of ours...they were our identity and the proof of our lack of one. We were to be the faceless weapons in the darkness. The shadows that would descend upon and snuff the life from our enemies. The most difficult targets were ours for the taking. Their lives, the lives of their loved ones and those that protected them...they were naught but hurdles before our goal. We were the swords of the Dark Moon's ambitions. We silenced all naysayers.”
He paused for a time, his eyes shuttered.
“Something you said...made me realize that I had not understood what I had to lose before. The lives that I could save...my comrades-in-arms, the other Warriors of the New Moon, many and more had fallen. When we had begun, there was over seventy-five of us. Some did not survive the training. Many did not return from missions. I felt nothing for them. I was taught that those who are inadequate will not survive and that I should not look back. That I must be better...the best. By the time we marched on Xenym, there was perhaps thirty Warriors of the New Moon left. Given that Agatha sided with Kazuo, her life is all but forfeit should the Dark Moon find her.”
He closed his eyes, wrapped one hand around the back of her head and one around her shoulders.
“And so my story ends where yours began. The truth at the heart of it all was that I too, was present when the Dark Moon marched on your home. To see God's Governor Julius in that moment and hear his words...it became clear to me that what we engaged in was far different from what we had up to this point.”
He let go of her and looked to his hands.
“These hands stained in blood. These unflinching eyes that did not bat at the sight of the actions performed by me. These ears that grew attuned to the silenced screams of my enemies. These emotions, unchanging no matter when and where. All of them, were shaken. It was by chance, I found you. It was at the mercy of a young girl with healing magic that saved you. It was by a whim I decided to take you and flee from the scene.
“These moments, all of them, amalgamated into this journey. In adventuring, fighting alongside, living and celebrating with you, I feel that I have discovered something that I have long yearned for, yet never realized I desired. I feel like all of this, allows me to be myself.”
He took a step back and looked down upon her.
“I...must apologize. Though it was not my intention, I have taken the life of my former master, Kazuo. It...may have been unnecessary, towards my goal, that is. To renounce myself as his disciple and defeat him would suffice. Yet...the possibility that he could harm you further, let alone take your life...my heart was gripped with fear. My first instinct was to strike him down first and alas, I did. Even so...I cannot promise that your original goal will succeed unhindered due to my mistake. However, come whatever may, know that I will stand by you until the very end.”
He crouched down to the floor, one hand to the ground and his head lowered.
“With my ties severed to Owl Castle, I can finally renounce this name and become who you need me to be. Though I am still inexperienced, I hope you will allow me to serve under you as your shinobi, Lady Reina.”
“Salem, stand up.” She said as she gestured for him to rise.
He did as was asked of him and she clapped both of his cheeks with her hands. His eyes opened wide at the sudden action.
“Now you listen here, mister! Just 'cause you're free from being under the thumb of one person it doesn't mean you need to jump right into another! You're free now. You don't need to serve anyone, especially not me. You don't need to give up your name, either. Maybe Salem isn't who you are...maybe to your family, you were someone completely different. I can't...give you that back. But to me, you are Salem. You've always been and I wouldn't have it any other way because...you...I...”
Her cheeks flushed as she began to stammer. Her lips became taut, she lowered the angle of his head slightly and stood on her toes to kiss him. However, her approach caused their noses to collide and both reeled back in shock.
“Ohhh now I've gone and done it! Moment of truth and I-”
Having recovered from her accidental attack, Salem approached and placed a hand to her chin before kissing her in turn.
“You had more to say, no? You need not rush. Tell me everything. All the little things your heart had wished to say.”
She was red right up to her ears and seemed to be in a daze for a couple of moments before she began to pout.
“You're reaching critical levels of cheek, mister!”
At this he smiled and laughed and she let out a huff.
“What I wanna say is...I don't want to have a master-servant relationship with you, Salem. I want us to be equals. The same as we always have but...you know, more! We should be partners! Not like...partners-in-crime but partners as in...lovers! B-because...I l-l-love you...and I wanna do lover things with you. Like holding hands and going on dates and stuff.
“But most importantly! I want us to be completely honest with each other! My heart ached every time you would do that voice where you sounded so unsure of yourself or like there was something missing. Now I know, that the reason you did was because you never had those memories. You never got to experience all those things. It just means that there's a whole world of things for you to discover.
“That's only something that can happen because you saved me. Even when I resigned myself to death, you gave me courage. Thank you, Salem. I love you.”
Cheeks flushed, she grinned from ear-to-ear.
“I love you also, Reina.”
A slight blush in his own cheeks, he said what once upon a time, he could not find the words for.
With no further need for words, Reina latched onto his chest as she giggled happily.

“We should return to the others, Reina. I imagine they are awaiting a report from us. Are you alright?” Salem asked looking down to the crown of her hair.
“Me? Oh God Ah, no! I'm in incredible amounts of pain! But if I missed my chance to confess to complain, I'd never live it down.” Reina said as she raised her head to meet his gaze, her brows knit.
Salem knit his in turn as he stifled a snicker.
“W-was that a laugh I just heard?! So mean!”
“Y-you'll have to forgive me. I can't say that I expected such a statement following your initial concern.
“Nevertheless, I should have some potions in my tool belt. You're free to use as many as you need if it helps you get back to Otto. He could provide succor where they cannot.”
She grimaced at the prospect.
“Ridiculous as it sounds, I think I'd rather endure. B-besides! Better to have them than need them later, right?”
He smiled.
“I suppose so.”
His eyes turned to Kazuo for a moment before they returned to his Cerebian companion.
Despite her words, there was still something that concerned him.
“Reina...is all of this truly alright with you? Even now, knowing my past, could you still accept me?”
She furrowed her brows.
“You know,” she began, “it took all of my courage to say how I felt. Twice that to go in for the kill.
“If I had reservations about who you were and what you did, I wouldn't. What you've done...rather, what you had to do...maybe it was bad. But what could you do? Our positions could be reversed and I would've done the same thing you had. Your upbringing is what shaped you. It gave you your view of the world and to have lived that way is to live the way you were taught. If no one was there to tell you that what you did was wrong, it's only natural you would see it as normal.”
She exhaled.
“In spite of all that, you took this journey with me. Something in you convinced you to help me. I don't think you're inherently bad, Salem. I think you're a complete sweetheart underneath that aloof exterior of yours. You might not agree, but I believe you're pretty heroic. Most people wouldn't jump at the prospect of going on a rescue mission! Still, it's because of you that we've come this far. I can't thank you enough.
She stepped back and pointed at him.
“A-anyway! We can talk about our worries later! There's a time and place for that and this is neither. We're both pretty hurt and all this talking is making me kinda woozy. Let's get going, shall we?”
Salem nodded.
“You're right...and, thank you...for your kind words.”
He smiled.
“There's just one more thing that I need to do.”
He walked over to Kazuo and scanned his body before reaching down and rummaging through his jacket. As he did so, Reina tilted her head in confusion.
“As you're now aware of,” Salem began, “we of Owl Castle are not reliant solely on tools or physical attacks. We utilize a series of hand seals called the kuji-kiri to give form to various elemental and physical attacks. Agatha's use of it to create the torrent of water, Kazuo's to send out the various kusarigama, these are just some examples of it.
“To put it in much simpler terms, just as adventurers use Special Power and Cerebians use Mana, we give form to our creations through Chakra. However, there are limitations to this also. That knowledge of how to perform others, is limited to only the leaders of Owl Castle.”
He drew a tied scroll from the body and unfurled it before nodding and closing it.
“Kazuo held on to some of this. The rest are kept safe by the leader of Owl Castle, Sun of Moon.”
It was only natural Kazuo would take the scroll with him. Whether he held onto it when he remained there, none could say for certain. None would be foolish enough to try and steal it from him. If there was anyone who had, they had likely vanished without a trace, lest others attempt what they had. With the knowledge contained within and the appropriate amount of practice, Salem could likely master some of Kazuo's techniques. All of them would allow him to better protect Reina.
“So, that's something you can do too, then?” She asked, her brows raised.
“I do know an art, yes.” He said as he knit his brows and grinned.
He walked over to her and took one arm over his shoulder, supporting her waist with the other. Face lowered and cheeks flushed, she smiled from ear-to-ear.
“Cool. Tell me more about that sometime, okay?”
“I'd be glad to.”

The two made their way back down the way they came, carefully stepping over the things left behind.
“We'll have to come back for Agatha and Kazuo,” Reina said.
“It would be ideal if you left that to everyone else. Your body still needs time to recuperate.” Salem said, his brows knit but a smile still playing across his lips.
“Ah ha! But this time we don't just have potions, but magic! That's a big change!”
She haughtily waved a finger as she nodded.
“I suppose I can't deny that. I look forward to seeing its effectiveness first-hand, once again.”
The two made their way down the stairs and towards the exit, stepping out into the night. Reina nearly jumped at the sound of a bowstring being pulled back.
“R-Reina! Salem! Oh thank goodness!” Tabitha's voice chimed as she lowered her bow and arrow.
“You two look like you went through hell though...you okay?” Theodore asked as he too, lowered his crossbow and knit his brows.
“We're hurt, but nothing too fatal. Is Otto around?” Salem asked as he searched the area for the Bard.
“Should be back soon. Lemme get a hold of the others.”
Theo tapped his badge and began speaking.
Before long, Efrain, Dante and Roxanne emerged from one of the buildings. The former stood back to guard the entrance with Samera while the other two emerged. Otto followed suit shortly afterwards.
“Is that...? Reina, Salem!” He immediately hurried over and lent Salem a hand.
After helping the two over to a piece of rubble where they could sit out of the open, he began to pluck the strings of his guitar. Roxanne approached and glanced around the area before crouching down to meet the ex-shinobi's gaze.
“Going by the fact that you two are here, bloody as you are, I assume it's safe to say that you defeated Kazuo?”
“Well...we did defeat him but we also kinda...killed him.” Reina said, her head lowered.
“The fault lays with me,” Salem told her.
Roxanne crossed her arms and furrowed her brows, eyes closed.
“Hmm...well I suppose that was always a possibility. Can't take someone alive who's gonna fight you to the death at the thought. It's unfortunate, but what's done is done. I won't say it's the ideal outcome, but there haven't been any other casualties, so I'll count my blessings.”
“The mission's on the verge of completion, then,” Dante began. “To give you a quick debrief, we've defeated and rounded up the forces under Kazuo and we've confirmed the location and state of the hostages. A few sick and elderly that might need some assistance but that shouldn't be a problem. We have the inside of the fortress locked down and we've already thoroughly searched any other rooms for opposition. Seems we've got all of them. Given that, what are your orders, General?”
Reina pursed her lips at the address.
“Let's see...enemies routed, threat diffused, hostages confirmed....reinforcements inbound?”
“They're coming. Should be here within a few hours, I imagine.”
“Right...that'll do fine. So...if I recall correctly, Warlord Carmen suggested that the following course of action would be to search the perimeter in case of a retaliation, and take up battle stations. The chance of another threat...at least, a humanoid one appearing this far out in the desert is pretty slim. There's a chance that animals might appear though, so best to be thorough in case of that.
“Other than that, there are a couple things you guys could do. The first would be to reclaim the two we defeated, those being Agatha and Kazuo. Agatha is still alive, she's just knocked out. I don't think she'll have the strength to fight you if she does come to, but be careful when retrieving her.
“The other is Kazuo himself. He did terrible things but...even so, we always should respect the dead.”
“Truth of the matter. Last thing we need is for him to become an Agasura.” Roxanne suggested as she sighed.
“Is that...a common occurrence?” Salem asked, somewhat bewildered.
“Common might be an overstatement. It can happen, though. Sometimes people become Agasura, willingly or unwillingly. Respecting the dead is a pretty standard fare, but be it our friends, our enemies and everything in between, we'll still offer our prayers. It's important that the soul doesn't stray from the path of reincarnation.”
“Hmm...? Didn't think you the pious type, Dan.” Roxanne said with an impish smile.
“I'm a Temple Knight, Rox.”
“You are, aren't you?”
As his typical stoic expression began to shift to annoyance, she rose to her full height and put on a serious expression.
“Alright, fun's over. Time to get back to work, boys and girls. Sam, Dan, Theo, Otto, you're with me. Keni, Tabi, you two scan the perimeter. Ef, you stay there and make sure nothing happens to the hostages.”
Otto finished his songs and placed his guitar to his back.
“Give it a few minutes and you two should feel a lot better. I wouldn't recommend running around just yet because you'll re-open your wounds and make the healing less effective, so hold still for now.”
“That, I can do,” Salem said.
Reina seemed to like it, as her lips curled into a grin.
At Roxanne's request, the members filed into the location in an orderly fashion, led by Dante. Meanwhile, Tabitha and Kenia met each other at the breach and set out to search the surrounding perimeter.
When it was just the two, Reina leaned back and let out a long sigh.
“It really is over, huh? What a wild ride.” She said, her back against the stone and her head tilted skyward.
“It is indeed,” Salem began. “As Roxanne had said, perhaps the outcome of the mission was not ideal but...I can't help but feel somewhat relieved. There are people we saved this day. Years of training and preparation have borne fruit.”
This statement had his companion smiling from ear-to-ear.
“You're right! Just thinking about it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling! It was difficult and at times absolutely terrifying, but we did it! Now we can get all the people here back to their families.”
“You've done well, Reina.”
She nodded, smiled and laughed.
“Thanks! Couldn't have done it without ya'!”

Before long, the two glimpsed as Theo took to the rooftops and planted Revolution's flag above Kazuo's quarters. It waved proudly in the night, signalling to their arriving companions that the battle was won and that they could begin the evacuation phase of the operation. Roxanne came out with Agatha and tied her up with some of the others while Samera and Dante brought out Kazuo's body.
Taking a shovel from a storage shed, Dante made a makeshift grave just outside of the fortress and they laid his body within.
“It's not the most glamorous funeral but...” Roxanne muttered.
“We make do with what we have,” Dante said.
The Keruz had no further statements following his declaration.
All of the combatants who were not patrolling or standing guard stood around the location and offered their prayers. When Dante and Efrain swapped places, Efrain said he'd found some wood they could use as a grave marker.
Eventually it was only Reina and Salem that remained.
“A small part of me wonders if this would be enough. On one hand, I don't want to cast doubts over everything I've known. On the other, in the off-chance a threat did arrive, I want to be able to face it head-on. Strength and knowledge are tangible things that I can do just that with. I want to be strong enough to face forward. Strong enough to fight.” Reina said, clenching a fist.
“You already are,” Salem said as he closed his eyes.
“Come on now.”
In spite of her words, she sounded playful.
“I've come a long way, but I've still got a long way to go. I don't think I'll have another freak out like I did back there but...I don't want to be a coward for the rest of my life. I wanna be cool and collected like you are.”
He opened his eyes and looked to her, who seemed to face him with such aspiration.
“You needn't be like I am to be adept in battle, Reina. Though you aspire to be like me, I aspire to be more like you.”
“Huh?! W-why would you do that?! I tremble like like a leaf at bad times!”
He laughed.
“There are grains of truth to that statement. However, there are things that you understand only because you have that fear. It is a crucial thing, moreso than one might think. It is a facet, part and parcel to all else that makes you who you are. Kazuo did not understand that. Perhaps he never would.”
Reina turned back to the grave and frowned.
“I doubt he'd have told us but...there were so many things about him and what he said that bugged me. The contrast between him and Hotaka was so stark I almost found myself taken aback by it. I suppose it makes me wonder...was that conviction of his only swagger? Like how I was told that a leader can't have doubts or those under them falter, what if he was the same way?
“The reason Hayato is so successful is because he leads by example. Just thinking about him gives me the chills...but that's just the kind of reverence his style demands, isn't it? Kazuo's hatred of our kind and Agatha's loyalty to him might be the two sides of the same coin. But if he just wanted the Cerebians to be eradicated, he would have better success if he was still aligned with the Dark Moon. Did he leave to protect himself? Or to gain something else? Money? He already had power...”
“You need not think so hard about it, Reina. Mankind is wont to do things for inexplicable reasons. Of course, money, power or fame are the most common reasons for one to find himself at a tragic end, but it need not be the only reason he does. In the end, his carelessness came at a cost.
“But we are both men who broke our code. To some degree, I understand him and yet, I cannot. The legacy he left behind still remains, however. I have no such claim to fame.”
Reina took his hand in hers as she lowered her head.
“We'll start our own, then. We've come a long way, but there's so much more to see and do.”
Her hand was warm. He smiled too.
“I look forward to what comes next.”

“The others are almost here!” Tabitha shouted from the ramparts, waving to her comrades down below.
“They made it in good time. Let's open the gates and get everyone on board to go home,” Roxanne said.
At her request, Dante and Otto took to the ramparts and opened the gates at the forefront of the fortress. A powerful gust of wind blew into the now captured courtyard as if welcoming the reinforcements. Once the gates had been open, Dante took to one of the caravans tucked away in the corner of the courtyard and Otto went down to where the hostages were located.
While Roxanne casually strolled over to the same location, Dante turned to her and glared.
“Hey, Rox! Where do you think you're going?” He asked.
She looked to him and tilted her head in confusion.
“Going to help evacuate everybody, why?” She asked in turn.
“Don't play dumb with me. You have a driver's license too. Get over here and take this thing.”
Dante pointed to a second cart with his thumb. It seemed to be more suited for carrying materials rather than people, in Salem's opini0n, but it would likely serve their cause nonetheless.
Roxanne's expression seemed to deflate at his suggestion.
“How did he even...?”
Kenia, who walked with one hand in an elderly woman's and with another to her back smiled as she passed by.
“The reason Emil feels so sure about Dan being a Keruz is because of how thorough he is in everything. I'm sure he knows your strengths and qualifications too, Roxy,” she explained.
Roxanne frowned at the passing Keruz.
“Oh fine.”
Salem had gone down into the holding cells and caught a glimpse of what it was like inside. As one would expect, they were by no means meant to be lived in. Water dripped from the ceiling, everything was stone. There were no beds or even things like planks of wood to use as makeshift beds. Many of those who remained were seated or sprawled against the cold stone. All of them were behind black steel bars, too close together for even a child to slip through and closed off by a single gate. All of them were now unlocked and members of Revolution came and went, assisting the sick and elderly. Reina was down there also, ushering the able out in an orderly fashion and assuring them that they would be seen to their families or a place to stay in Ramalda.
Salem stepped into one of the holding cells and approached the nearest person, a sickly and frail looking young woman.
“Allow me to lend you a hand. As suggested, we'll see you and the others here to safety.” He said as he crouched down.
Placing one arm over his shoulder and supporting her with the other, he helped her to her feet and the two steadily made their way out of the holding cells.
“T-thank...you...” She uttered.
It was such a small thing, those words, and yet...
He smiled at hearing them.
“You need not thank me. Save what little energy you have.”
It did not take long for the members of Revolution to have all of the hostages on board, split between three caravans brought by them, one provided by Kazuo's men and their assailants in another. Kenia was claiming the flag, Tabitha and Theodore were collecting their arrows and bolts and Otto and Efrain were gathering the dropped weapons.
Roxanne had told Salem and Reina that they would handle cleanup so the two could rest for a spell.
As Salem watched the members of Revolution flitting about, taking what they could, supplies and such for the journey home, someone approached from the front of the caravans.
“We meet again, Kid and Other Kid.” Alden said as he approached and waved.
Without even turning to meet his gaze, the swordswoman’s cheeks immediately inflated into a pout. At the sight, Salem stifled a laugh.
“You seem to be doing well, Alden.” Salem said as he greeted him with a wave.
“Hmmmph!” Reina said as she crossed her arms.
Alden snickered at her response.
“Come on now, don't sulk; it's all in good fun. Gotta enjoy it while it lasts, ya know? I can't be calling you that when you become a bigwig like the others. I wanna be able to say 'I knew her when she was just 'the Kid'', you get me?”
She knit her brows as she properly faced him.
“I don't think that'll happen. I just led a mission, but I'm still not anybody, really. Both Salem and I are in that boat.”
He agreed and disagreed with that statement. Although, he would rather be thought of as no one in particular rather than part of the elite unit of the Dark Moon.
“You got Emil to lend you some of his best members, didn't you? That's definitely something. You've got everybody in Revolution HQ talking too. You're both a pretty big deal.”
He grinned.
“That's a lot to live up to.” She sighed as her shoulders slumped. “Those guys are gonna be pretty disappointed when they find out the girl they look up to is just some country bumpkin.”
“You'll be fine, Reina. Of that, I'm sure.” Salem added as he smiled.
“I agree. Give any old country bumpkin a sword and they're not gonna go on suicide missions like you two have. Twice now, I'm seeing the results of what you two've accomplished. You're not just anybody anymore, bumpkin or not.”
He smiled somewhat sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“But ya’ know...I owe you my thanks, too. Not just for saving everybody here, but for saving some people close to me. My uncle Auron and his family were caught up in that whole mess. My family's been hurting over the fact for years but...he's here. He, his wife and his little tyke too.”
Alden scratched his cheek gently as Reina raised her brows in disbelief.
“...Auron was?!”
“I guess you knew him, huh? He and them went down to Xenym with the rest back in the day.”
“I did...yeah. He used to come to the library every now and again. He and Brenda both did.”
Alden smiled slightly.
“They did, yup. It's thanks to you two that they're still alive.”
Alden leaned against his caravan as he looked away, to the sun peering over the horizon, painting the darkened skies in the tones of crimson and hues of blue.
“You two, you're pretty strong. To put your lives at risk, to train everyday 'til your hands are blistered and bleeding...I respect that, 'cause I can't do that. It's thanks to crazy guys and gals like you that we can live our regular lives. I can drive a caravan, I can't save my family. But you can...and you did. I can't really put it into words but, that means the world to me.”
Salem blinked at this. He closed his eyes as he was swept away by those words.
For a time, he loathed the strength he acquired, thinking it could only take lives. But as was the case with Reina on more than one occasion, he could protect them. Not just hers, but that of many, many others also. He felt sure of his cause and that he had reason to be proud of it.
She smiled from ear-to-ear.
“Reuniting everyone with their families was one of our top goals so, good on you, Alden!”
“That all? I could get behind that.” He said as he grinned slightly. “Well you've done your part, so take a load off and leave the rest to Revolution's drivers. We'll take everybody home. So then, hop in you two. We're gonna be shoving off once those guys are finished doing whatever they're up to.”
“It'd be nice to take a load off, finally. I'm still feeling tense from the lead-up to this mission.” Reina said as she rolled her shoulder.
“Let's enjoy the down-time.” Salem said with a nod.

Nothing says "I love you" like slamming your face into your SO's. If you get first blood, double the points! Try it at your own discretion!
So? Let's get down to it!

You know, the other day I popped into the forum and I was like, "It's been a month since I last updated this?!" Time flies. I don't keep good track of it, really. Still, despite my absence here, I haven't been entirely unproductive! Work's happening behind the scenes, per usual. I got started on Sanc's next chapter, but forgot which chapter it is. 14, IIRC. Anyway, it's coming along. Did a little bit of Inno too and remembered it's in the final act. Gradually getting there, but that's beside the point. Since we're almost at the end of act 2 here, I'm gonna finish posting it, talk about it, and then put a pin in it to give you some updates on the other side! So, without further ado!

First things first, Kazuo's stance and those of the others is something of my own make. I won't say that all students use that stance, but it's the most typical opne. Having Salem gradually change his would be a nice touch, and something I'd like to do.
The start of the fight has a lot of focus on close-quarters combat. I'm glad that I did it in such a way that it was clear Kazuo had the advantage and pressed it. Though that is the case, we do get to see how Salem functions alone and somewhat what he's capable of. Odd as it might sound, I feel like a part of my understanding for this fight and the flow of it came from fighting games. Combat is...tricky, to write at times. Sanctuary tends to have a lot more that can alter the flow of it, diverting advantages and disadvantages accordingly. In Innocent's case, it boils down to simpler things, something I mentioned often. Who's where, when, and what they do on a moment-to-moment basis. Some of the same applies there, but much of what happens there might not be here. I suppose what I mean is I lean more heavily into the more core concepts of it in this novel and this fight displays that a little more, though it does get a little wacky lol.
Just in case, Salem does and always has wielded a one-handed weapon. Here, he uses a kunai while fighting against Kazuo, so he can dual-wield. I think it's something they talked about earlier, IIRC. He himself doesn't but he can. Given what we see from Kazuo in this update, it's possibly he'd keep that hand free for performing mudras, if he has any ninjutsu that would require only one. Maybe he'll take up something akin to that stance later on?
Moving on! I confess, having Reina scared stiff there feels bad. I do want her to be a capable character, but I realize this is the one time she shouldn't be, and has little reason to be. The chance of something like it happening again are...I wouldn't say nil, but unlikely. She has fears, but fewer traumas. Just as she helped TJ in the main story, having her work through her own here will be prominent to her growth and the realization of what she wants to be, both as a person and as a founder of a class. As we see here, it also further reinforces Salem's role as a protector, a difference from who he was, and who Kazuo wants him to be.
Now, we get the first of the tricks of the trade! Substitution! I know SU can, but man, I haven't used it in a minute. I haven't had Salem do it, but I feel like if I do it might require me to explain it and as it stands, I can't say I know how lol. I might, sometime, but part of me feels like if he uses it while fighting alongside Reina it'd kinda defeat the purpose of their style lol. But! Perhaps acting as a diversion could work?
I'm glad that Kazuo uses more of the tools also. Thankfully, I did cover the reason Salem doesn't. Half of it being that he can't get his hands on them, since the place where he would was an underground store run by an acquaintance of Owl Castle. That is, that being outside of Owl Castle itself. I do debate whether he should've been noted as a deserter, but I'll consider that more with the good copy. I'm hard pressed to change it, since it would alter the course of the Hotaka battle dramatically, but it could be addressed without major changes.
So, the first of the ninjutsus! It...doesn't have a name. I can't say any of them do, really. But to be honest, I have thought about it. Originally they were just supposed to be simple applications, kinda matching what some of the guys in game did. This was one of them, IIRC. However, I'd considered expanding past that, since...well, the rest of the story does just that. Staying true to that, and also allowing Salem and others from Owl Castle to use a variety of techniques would allow me to expand his repertoire in battle and further his character growth in a way. If you know how USSR ends, you know what he's capable of...somewhat. But I want to expand the applications of that ability to let him stand on more equal ground with the rest of the cast. In a sense, it's not meant to be that way because Humans are technically limited, but it'd be in the same vein as Naomi. Her skills are limited, but how she uses them can turn the tides of a battle.
On that topic still, good job, past me! The notion and possibility for new techniques, but also what the students are capable of is there! I did err in saying it was the WotNM rather than just the shinobi in general, so I corrected it. It's a bit of an odd spot to put it, but acknowledging the fact before we see more of Kazuo's techniques is a good idea. It's a short fight, but better for readers to know that Salem expects it so that they can be ready for it too. Bit of the usual, foreshadowing with a Chekov's Gun. Nothing you're not familiar with!
Now, let me talk a bit about the mudras. I did a fair bit of research on it, back in the day. I read about them, the kuji-kiri, the kuji-in, all of it. In truth, I'm hard-pressed to say I understood all of it. The origins are complex and the meanings of each vary. Their associations with ninjutsu and other such things could have a variety of origins also. As one might expect, all of it can be debated, and many and more would have their own understanding of that. I can't promise I'll do a detailed explanation of it in Innocent, because I'm far from being an expert. Just like what I said regarding history in the novel, that also applies here, too. Whatever the origins might be, the people, the places and the events, at times, most of it can't apply because those are a part of our world. There could probably be some overlap, but much of it would need to be altered to apply here, so historical accuracy goes right out the window. However! If possible, it'd be nice to have some kind of explanation to ensure that Humanity, and by extension those who use those techniques also have more of a history to them. They're a part of this world, and elaborating on how they've influenced it is important to worldbuilding. As a deuteragonist of this novel, doubly so!
History and stuff aside, I'm hard-pressed to say which mudras would be used, let alone if I could do it correctly, or how. I'd considered narrowing it down to three, the same way FF14 uses them, but I can't say I've made my mind on that one. Even with just three, however, there are complexities in the combinations that can result in a variety of things. I think what I need to determine is, 'what kind of effects should each combination have? What's the trick, or the secret to utilizing these?' It's hard to describe, but what I mean is...well, for example, maybe starting with a 'To' would allow one to use ninjutsu that lack an element. I want there to be internal consistency with that system of fighting, as is the case with the Divine, Contemptuous and Arcane. In that sense, it'd be like the Contemptuous Arts, wouldn't it? For those users, the first Sin is the foundation for the spell/stance, and what follows after alters it. This one would lead to a variety of ninjutsu instead, but there's a foundation for an idea there, don't you think?

But anyway, I digress! Reina joins the fight proper, after getting targeted by Kazuo, finally! I know Salem crashing into her is kinda a bad idea and I feel like it should budge her, but there were two reasons for this! The first, he couldn't stop after sprinting at full speed! The second, it was meant to symbolize her standing her ground, and that she wouldn't falter so easily. If she did budge, one of them was gonna die. In other words, rule of cool applies here so don't think too much about it!
She has some really good moments here, and what she says on 204 is something I still feel hits close to home and is really important. The scars of the past will always linger, but at times you'll find precious things in the present. We need to hold on to them, and treasure them, lest we lose them due to carelessness. In finding those things, you'll find the will to, and something worth fighting for.
My musings aside, new tools! Smoke bombs and bomb bombs. As I was reading it, I forgot why he pushed her back but it clicked the second time lol.
Truthfully forgot all the smoke shenanigans in this fight. I should use environmental hazards more often in the novel. Or I suppose one could say field effects. A lot of the time, it's just characters beating the shit outta each other lol. But anyway, new ninjutsu! This one was actually in game! However! It didn't do what it does here, I think it just did damage. If those bastards could pin you it'd be hell trying to corral them and farm. But yes! A shadowbind!
I have to admit, I really love this part of the fight. Though Salem's stuck in place, it still follows his perspective so we get an idea of what's happening in the fight, but not the core of it. On one hand, readers would be missing out on the situation, but on the other, it's exactly that, that makes it even better. Salem's unease at the situation playing out and being unaware of how, and unable to do anything about it creates a new kind of tension. At the same time, he makes note of Reina's strengths and how and why she can hold her own briefly. Brevity is good at times like these! Trust me, I've heard it enough times to know. Still, it shows how Reina fares on her own and gives us a bit of an idea of how her growth in combat would be. It's not directly said, but it's there.
Do you remember that point about a single well-aimed projectile? I sure do! Salem put it to the proof here, and I'm glad that he did.
That moment between the two where they have a back-and-forth I really like. Reina's line has a bit of a double meaning to it, too. What she says implies the current scenario, that his arm being around her is reassuring. Could mean that she feels safer given the current circumstances or that she was struggling to stand. What she was actually implying was that she likes being held by him. There's gonna be a lot of moments like that over the course of the novel lol. There was one earlier too, about the butt-touching! She's just like that sometimes, don't mind it too much lol. Before it gets written off as a joke, it's just her way of bringing some levity to a bad situation. There are a few characters that crack jokes at bad times, and in this case, the first person who comes to mind is Kana. She's the worst offender. In Reina's case...I feel like she's the type to panic internally, but externally play it off. She knows there's a good chance she's gonna die on this mission, and if her prior fear was any indication, it nearly got the better of her.

So! Last of the ninjutsu as we enter the final stage of the fight! This one was something the Owl Castle Red Ninjas could do. Dunno why, but they could and did. I do worry a bit that Reina pretty much became a pin cushion in this fight, but her being somewhat tough at this juncture wouldn't likely be surprising. After getting chucked by a minotauros, this probably pales in comparison lol. In all fairness, this is her reaching the end of her rope. If pushed a bit more, she'd probably die, but she's getting that adrenaline rush lol. Even so, it did allow her to keep fighting, but it wouldn't give her a leg up over Kazuo. Salem noted it earlier, but all the wounds she received would making holding her own against him impossible, and here we see just that happen.
I confess, I'm glad that we finally see the mask break and he loses it. Up to this point, nothing of the sort has happened. Given how he was prior to all of the events taking place, one could assume it never likely did. It paints a stark contrast to who he was as Kazuo describes him afterwards. He found something valuable and feared losing it. Precious things he would live and die for. Precious things he would kill for.
One of the things I love about this scene is the contrasting notions the two present following that. Reina tells him to follow through, and defeat Kazuo even if it means she'll be killed in the process. Kazuo tells him to surrender to save Reina, in turn for him joining them as a member of Owl Castle again. Though Kazuo wants to hear him say it, to relinquish his fighting spirt and rejoin them, he already gave his answer in telling Reina to be brave. He waited for her to give him an in, and in that moment he struck down his master with his own weapon.
I do like this part, I think it has many and more powerful and poignant moments. To be honest, part of me thinks it could be better. Part of me wonders whether such a maneuver from Reina would be possible. Perhaps I could add a bit on how her crashing into him, and what follows after relieves the tension he feels after the fight ends. Kazuo's death could also be a little bit longer, I think. I don't think one would die that quickly but...that needs further research. Nonetheless, that's the end of the fight! It's rather short, but I hope it was a satisfying conclusion to Salem's arc! I say conclusion, but there's still a bit more before this act closes out completely.

With the fight over, we finally get the facts, straight from the shinobi's mouth! Hence, the name of the act! Which...I can't remember if I mentioned it but it's not over yet so I won't just yet. Anyway, Reina finally hears who he is! And what, for that matter. Unrelated, but I want to do a scene of her frantically brushing her hair. It's one of those SoL moments that would really capture that lame part of her personality. I love it, that part.
I'm hard pressed to say anything worthwhile on this part because it mostly supplements what we know, or discovered from Kazuo's words. Salem was a ruthless killing machine and as he was taught, the other Warriors hardly meant shit to him. Save for when he was starting out. I do like the part where he says his story ended where hers began. It echoes the notion I mentioned before, of some characters having gone on their journey and those who are beginning, like Samson and Su. However, in this case, though he doesn't realize her story became his, and theirs is ongoing.
One of the things I love about his monologue is that we kinda learn that he was going through the motions. He never thought much of any of it, of the people, the events, nothing. It kinda sounds like a waking dream, doesn't it? Have you ever felt that way? Like you were just going through the motions for weeks, or even months at a time? Sadly, what snapped him out of that reverie was encountering Julius during the march on Xenym, but perhaps it was needed. Being a top assassin and encountering someone who could snuff the life out of men in droves would probably shake anyone to their core.
But what he gained after, that, I understand on a much deeper level now. Strangely enough, I hadn't realized it at the time. I know I too often say that one should write from their experiences, but in this case I wrote from the character's voice rather than from my own memories. This was quite a few years ago, really, but looking back on it now I understand the sentiment and his feelings on it. Once in a blue moon, we'll come to know the warmth of people. It's such a rare thing but when you've found it, it's hard to forget. I wish I could describe it to you, but if my overview of Chariot of Darkness was any indication, you'll see why I hold it so near and dear to me. Even now, those memories still linger in the back of my mind and remind me that one can't afford to be naïve. And yet...those conflicting feelings, perhaps, are the same struggles Salem may feel or experience at some point. If pain awaits ahead, then I want to turn it into something more, regardless of how it might end. There's merit in that, and I don't want to ever forget it.

Now, this part! This part...gives me a lot of conflicting feelings. Maybe because over the years, the whole kneeling thing became quite a joke. But also...well, it's not how you'd expect their relationship to wind up, huh? Then again, he never did come to a definite conclusion about his feeling so this is probably as close as it'll get to him sorting em out lol.
I'll be honest, I thought a lot about his name. I'd considered having him change it, or perhaps something about finding out his real name. The latter might still be a plot point later, however...I settled on this. I feel like it was the best way forward because as Reina says, even though it's not who he is, in a sense it became who he is. The man she knows is Salem, and all the aspects that come with it are what make him, him. She'll go into more detail on that so I don't wanna say too much, but I hope you can see where she's coming from even without that. Giving him a new name would alter that identity a bit, and neither knows who he was before he was given that.
Anyway, the confession! The actual confession! It happens! It's here! And as she implied in Sanc, she goofed it at the critical moment! It didn't bother him any. At this juncture, he probably expected it lol.
But man...that second confession...oof. Courage, huh? I mentioned sometime that such a thing was a major part of Reina's character but...I feel like I relate to it more than ever before. Some of these things, take on a whole new life with the passage of time. It takes courage to face the future. Learned that the hard way. But I don't wanna get too sentimental, so I'll save all that drivel for another time.
Moving on! Prep for the next steps, or rather, finalizing the mission. Logically, Reina should use the potions but she's like me: save 'em just in case you need them later. Then you beat the final boss and realize you have a bunch of unused items.
Next? Salem gets a scrolllllllllll. I should've made it multiple scrolls but eh...I feel like if he was carrying several of them, it'd be a bad idea. That, or kinda ruin the moment, on top of breaking the immersion of the story. Imagine if Kazuo was fighting with all of those on his body! They'd be completely in the way! I suppose it could be hidden somewhere but I feel like him having to rummage around for it, or worse yet, they being out in the open would be bad writing. It's turtles all the way down. But the reason this is important! Is because! Salem can learn new abilities! We don't know his current abilities, but this options up a whole new host of options! When will he use them? Dunno, but it's gonna happen eventually. We also get confirmation of him knowing something.

With that out of the way, it's regrouping with the party and assessing the situation. It's strange to think about all the going-ons outside of the duels with the Owl Castle members, but such is the nature of the novel. It would definitely add to the scene, but it'd just be context and not much else. In that case it might actually subtract from it...an interesting dilemma.
I think the bit about Agasuras was some good foreshadowing. It's not often mentioned in Sanctuary, but such a thing is hinted at, and we know the gate exists for a reason. Whether it'll be mentioned in Sanc is up for debate, but I'm sure someone knowledgeable will mention it at some point. Now, whether what they do can actually prevent such occurrences, I won't say. Maybe it's simply just piety, or maybe there's method to the action. Maybe Kazuo will return, in some other form. Who could say?
A little bit, the talk the two had was kinda...well, a touch upon Chariot of Darkness long before I wrote it. Around this juncture in time I think I was still a student. Things hadn't gotten as bad as they did at that point, but I didn't realize how much worse it could get. But my case aside, the notions they mention kinda share the same philosophy. Salem hated what he became when he saw how things could be. Reina hated what she was because she felt like she couldn't do anything. The two see good in each other's strengths, but feel strongly about their own flaws. Salem's offers him the conviction to do what most others can't with ease. Reina's makes her hesitate to do what most others likely wouldn't, but may under the right circumstances. Reina's case is likely more relatable to most. To give it a simple example, if you had to take someone's life, would you? Could you? Answering yes would be easy, but the action isn't. One could compare it to the trolley problem, but in this case, there are no other people in danger. Just you and your adversary. The will to see the darkness in men's hearts is...something difficult to come to terms with. That mistrust festers and grows, doubly so if it's distrust. But it's a notion I touched upon, no? You needn't read it here. As the two suggest following that, and as the story explores, they have to come to terms with that and face people with that very darkness in them. How it changes them, well, keep reading to find out, yeah? Or skip it all and read Sanc, heh!

All that miserable talk aside, we're back to...well, the rest of Revolution! Bit more detail about what some are capable of, and getting everyone out safe and sound. Bit of a release from the tension of the fight and everything else prior to it. I'm glad that Reina's just kinda there, taking part in it. It's a bit of a footnote in Salem's inspection.
Speaking of footnotes, being thanked! He's probably a bit more used to it now, but in this case it's something a little different. Your enemies aren't gonna be thanking you when you snuff them out, so hearing it from someone you saved is gonna hit different.
Moving on, the return of Alden! Yes, the man, the myth, the legend, he's back! He's back to tease the two of 'em, really. Now, you remember how I said there was someone named Brenda? I think it was Brenda...anyway, now you know! She's...well, Alden's aunt. Something like this is good, Reina knowing about them. I wanted to remedy the problems Xenym had, that Hanamah used to. A lack of people! Or rather, an identity through said people! There's a list of people I can think of from Hanamah now, but Xenym is mostly made up of major characters! That's NG!
My gripes aside, he touches upon a familiar notion, that being, the capabilities of others. It's a simple thing, but something I think should be said. It makes you realize how valuable the skills you attained are. Those two might not think themselves much, but for others, it could mean night and day. For Alden, it really was. Driving might not seem like shit either, but getting everybody home is equally as important. It's little bits and pieces that make a whole. It's understanding that and the many other experiences that Salem came to realize his own potential.

That said, that's it for this update!
Has a lot happened recently? Eh...maybe? I started watching that new Pokemon series. I'll be honest, I don't think I have since the days where I'd watch TV. I think the last one I saw was Johto. Someone made a joke that Ash is 10 years old with 20 years of experience and I could feel my body turning to dust at the thought. But anyway, since it's...non-dub, it's definitely a little jarring at times. Regional differences, you know what it is. That, and JP Scythers sound crazy manly, it's super weird. Nonetheless, I'm enjoying it.

I feel like there's more I wanna say but this update turned my brain to mush. I talked a bit about the story stuff...so Chapter 14, yeah? I'm a little concerned 'cause there's a whole lotta nothing in the tundra. I'll try to make it interesting, at least. Though there won't be any ice climbing this time, since Peorth and co. went and did what they did for this specific reason. Kinda. They walked so TJ and co could run. Proper planning is key! But it also makes things way less interesting! Not that TJ and co. know the first goddamn thing about simul-climbing or whatever it was called! Instead, they're gonna have to deal with Asmodeus' Shenanigans, because characters in that novel exist to suffer. Suffering is inevitable.
Anyway, more soon, probably. It's either this or that, doesn't matter to me, because either way I'm getting something done! Though I prefer that, because it doesn't require me to explain things! Somewhat! That said, goodbye!

Before long the final remaining members of Revolution had boarded the caravans and were preparing to set out.
“Come on Rox, everyone wants to go home.” Dante said as he ushered her over to her cart.
She let out a low groan as she glared at the cart.
“But I don't want to...can't you drive both?”
She would be in charge of the cart carrying the mercenaries and Agatha. Supposedly, if they tried anything she would not likely be one to be caught off guard, let alone defeated. However, all of them were disarmed, so their chances of success were low.
“It's physically impossible, so no.”
After managing to get Roxanne into the driver's seat, Dante signalled to the other drivers.
“Alright everyone, we'll keep a steady pace until sunset and set up camp before nightfall. If danger comes, just follow the typical protocol.”
With the agreement of the other drivers, Dante set out first and the others soon followed suit.
Reina and Salem were located in one of the four caravans brought by Revolution, driven by a girl named Niesha. Split among two benches, there were ten people in total, three of them being the duo and Kenia. According to the Keruz, one to two members of Revolution were located among each of the caravans to stay in contact with the others should they get separated or if trouble arises.
Water canteens were passed around and rations were provided to the captives and some were shared among the combatants also.
“To think that the day would come where we would be able to see our families again...I can finally die in peace,” Emett, an elderly man said.
“Don't be like that, Gramps. These kids went through all the trouble of rescuing us so check that off your bucket-list after you see them, would you?” Cole, a young man retorted.
“I still can't believe that's you, Reina! You've changed so much since I last saw you! I remember when you were just the littlest thing, hiding behind Hazel's leg.” Barb, a middle-aged woman told her as she laughed.
“B-Barb! D-don't say that in front of everyone! They're gonna laugh at me...” Reina complained as she knit her brows.
“How'd you guys even know we were all the way out here?” Vina asked, a young girl in her teenage years.
“We had a little help from Maya and the other girls at Club Abio,” Kenia answered.
There was a young girl named Sheri who seemed to eye Salem with interest every now and again and a boy named Axle who seemed to gaze at Reina with a keen curiosity.
Throughout the day, the group talked amongst themselves. Many of those that had found themselves there had been caught during their journey and some even from as far back as when they first descended from Asgard. The younger men and women had been from Xenym.
When the sun began to set, the caravans formed a circle and the group sat in the centre of them around a campfire.
While Reina and Salem sat and chatted, Axle approached with a determined look in his eye. At the sound of his approach, she looked curiously at him.
“Reina...um...I have a question!” He said, seemingly mustering his courage.
“Oh? Sure thing. What do you wanna ask?” She asked in turn, smiling amicably.
“How did you...how did you get so strong?”
This gave her pause.
“That's...that's a good question. I don't really consider myself strong but...a part of my strength comes from hard work. The rest? Well it comes from knowing I have people that I can depend on.” She blushed as she scratched her cheek. “Salem's been with me through everything. His voice and his encouragement give me the strength of will to face all the hardships life seems to throw at me.
“But also...there are people waiting for me. In Elias, in Hanamah, in Dark Moon Castle...those who want me to live on, those I can still save. Thinking of them is what helps me to have the courage to face forward. I might not be the only one who can do it, but if it takes one person to start things off, then I'm willing to be it. Salem and Vanir taught me that I can be strong too. I picked up their styles and this weapon, so I'll continue to fight this battle.”
Axle clenched his fist to the ragged clothes he wore.
“I...I wanna be strong, like you are. I wanna be an adventurer too!”
She seemed surprised at first but she smiled somewhat, seeming to understand his determination.
“I heard from that Samera girl that you were leading everyone on this mission and...it was cool! Super cool!”
“Mmm....Samera...” Reina groaned, her brows knit and her cheeks flushed.
“My mom and my sister were taken, probably by these Dark Moon guys. I've done everything I can to find them but...I've got no clues. Lost my weapon, too. I don't have any formal training, but I am a Warrior and I know how to use a sword. I've got some experience as a merc too! If you'll lead me, I'd be willing to follow you anywhere!”
“H-huh?! I know I led this mission but I'm not a leader! What you want is to be part of a guild like Revolution! Salem and I aren't affiliated with any currently!” Reina said as she nervously waved her hands. “But more importantly, how did you wind up a captive, Axle?”
“The leader of our group took up a mission from some anonymous source. He said the pay was really high, we just had to find some guys carting off people and material. We found them, but they beat us up and the next thing I knew, I was in those cells with all of the others.”
Reina looked confused by the statement.
“Was it...just you they took?”
“Yeah. I dunno where the other guys are. I hope they're okay...”
He furrowed his brows as he looked off into the distance.
“How did they know...?” She furrowed hers also, her purlicue to her chin.
“But I've gotta find my sister and my mom! They could be in trouble!”
“We're in a similar situation, huh?” She asked as she smiled somewhat. “The two might be among the captives. How about you describe them to us and we can look into finding them?”
“Reina, before we do that, I suggest we get a visual representation of her. In the off chance that she isn't among the captives, having an image of her will allow us to ask around cities and towns for the two.”
She nodded at the suggestion.
“Good idea. I'll ask around and see if there's anyone who knows of her. Salem, can you find materials for doing that?”
He nodded in turn.
“Leave it to me.”
Reina and Axle went around the camp asking the various groups of people in search of those familiar with Axle's family while Salem checked the storage for materials. After acquiring a quill, ink and paper he scanned the camp for her and saw her waving him over.
“Salem, over here,” she shouted.
As he approached, a man sitting with them offered a salute.
“This is...?”
“Name's Nigel. Used to do a bit of art before all this happened. It was more hobby than career, mind you, but I should be able to draw a half-decent portrait. Also I'm no stranger to Axle, nor the rest of his family. With Axle's help I should be able to get the finer details of his mother and sister.” Nigel explained as he received the items.
With their objectives complete, the two began their work. According to Axle, both his mother Gale, and his sister Roll, had the same bronzed skin and black hair that he did. His sister had her hair in ringlet curls and her mother's eyes and his mother had a much more slender face and typically tied her hair back.
“Here, this should do it.” Nigel said as he handed off the portrait to Salem. “You kids are doing some great work. You've probably heard it a bunch of times today, but thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I can finally see my wife and kids again.”
Salem nodded solemnly.
“To know that such will be the case is reward in and of itself,” he replied.
At that, Nigel smiled. The man looked tired beyond his years but such an expression almost seemed to deny that fact.
“This world needs more men like you, Salem.”
He would remember those words.
Salem looked beside where Nigel once sat and found Axle's head bobbing as he tried to stay awake.
Barb came over and gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder.
“Alright Axle, time for bed. You're not gonna be doing much adventuring if you're dozing off while we travel.” She told him as she ushered him to stand.
“Uh? Huh...y-yeah...I'm goin'...” He rubbed his eyes sleepily as he rose to his feet.
He looked back to Salem with a twinkle of hope in his eyes.
“You'll find them...won't you?”
Salem nodded.
“We'll do everything in our power. That, I promise you,” he answered.
The boy's gaze eased somewhat as he smiled.
“Thanks.”
Without any other words traded between the two, he went off with Barb.
Salem looked up to the moon hidden behind the clouds and let out a gentle sigh.
A new mission was assigned to them, but one in line with his new focus.
He shook his head gently as he chuckled under his breath.
No...not a mission. He thought. A heartfelt request. Something that I and Reina could do.
He looked to his left and there, he saw the crown of Reina's head. Fast asleep, she leaned against him, breathing quietly.
At the sight, he felt a mixture of happiness and satisfaction. Despite the danger, somehow she pulled through. After all that she had been through, she could finally take a breather again. She was reunited with old faces, would soon be among friends and would be safe once again. He could not ask for more.
“Mm...as I thought, a smile really does suit you.”
Kenia's voice snapped him from his reverie and he looked at her, bewildered. She smiled in response, her eyes crinkled.
“K-Kenia...!” He uttered.
“Even you can get flustered sometimes, hmm? You must really love Reina if she can make you lower your guard like that.”
At her expression, he glanced away, grit his teeth and let out a defeated sigh as he grinned, his brows knit.
“I suppose...I really, really do.”

Should've just finished it last time, but! I did not! I know I've said it before, but past me was a fool! I can say that because I am in fact, not him. I'm present me, with the wisdom of time to make such controversial yet brave statements. Or something.
So? Let's get down to it!

Jokes aside, I really should've  just wrapped it up, but I felt like there was a lot more. On the other hand, the forum might be like NO. I'd need two(2) posts to fit the whole thing! On the other hand, since my brain turned to must it'd probably be bad anyway. But anyway! Since this'll be short, it'll be a double whammy today. Ideally. Now then...

I can't help but wonder if having a license to drive in whatever day and age this is makes sense. I mean, LT's timeline is kinda wacky so driving a cart and driving a bus or a plane...well, you get the idea. Requiring a license seems a lot less unusual when you take those into account. I do like how Dante kinda takes charge when it comes to driving. You can see he has a good head on his shoulders throughout these scenes.
I kinda took the idea I used for the raid at the end of USSR here, for doling out members. Having members of the guild present allows them to communicate effectively with the rest of their team, so in case of trouble, they're prepared! That aside, we get to see and hear from some of the people who were recently rescued. I'll be honest, most of 'em are one-off characters. There's always a chance you'll see them again, but if I was to do it, I'd want there to be a good reason for it. Chances are most of them will remain in one haven or another, so their appearances will likely be far and few between. If you're gonna do it, you have to have a reason for it! I haven't forgotten! I say it so much that I can't forget it! 'Cause if I had readers, they'd be booing me! I don't want it!
My complaints aside, we do get someone that knew Reina. Honestly, it was a good opportunity for it. Probably one of the best, really. It's a little harder to have moments and characters like that in Sanctuary because of the nature of the main cast. Unlike them, though, Reina had a normal life! A normal upbringing! Until the Moonies attacked, that is. Having those characters that'd be like, "ah I remember when you were a wee lad" kinda...grounds her, doesn't it? Salem's upbringing had all the spectacular stuff in it, if you consider the hardcore training and potential avenues of dying a horrible death spectacular, but Reina's was the opposite! It's a rather important plot point, really.
Before I go off on a tangent, let's talk a bit more about this, since I have thoughts about it. In this case, we're introduced to Barb, someone who knew Reina then. I didn't do a design for her because again, she's not a character likely to appear again. However! ...Eh, I suppose you can say I have a gripe with this scene. That being, it's too short! I'll be honest, nothing happens, and even if I was to add to it now, nothing would happen. It's the end of the act and all the action is over already. However, this scene could definitely be expanded on. Even if Barb is a one-time character, through her I could explore Reina's past. One could say it'd be easy to do, by having Reina talk about it with Salem. Even so, I feel like there are things that can be gleaned and perspectives gained from another party. Naturally, how one perceives the events would also differ from person-to-person. For example, Reina could talk about some events of the past, but there might be pieces she'd leave out because she finds them embarrassing. However, if Barb is the one recounting the events, like she does here, she wouldn't be averse to sharing those things. You'd get a more varied reaction from Reina, and should the story be following Salem's perspective, you can see how he'd feel getting to know new things about her.
I think to do it in that way would help it to feel a bit more natural, also. How a conversation between the main duo segues into events of the past is something that could be varied and thus, not feel particularly shoehorned in. However if it's just between the two, readers might feel there's a lack of variety. Of course, once in a blue moon there are flashbacks, but those are something I try not to use too frequently. At times, I think it's needed, but I can't deny I do feel somewhat reluctant to do it anyway. It's difficult to give readers a more clear view of Salem's past without showing it, since it's unusual. Reina's is a bit easier to do because of its normalcy and in that, how relatable it is.
Allow me to play devil's advocate for a moment. I can see what past me was going for with this scene. Rather than having one long conversation, it's more a series of vignettes. By that I mean we get multiple conversations over a short period, without particularly focusing on any one conversation. True, I could expand on Reina's backstory by extending the conversation with Barb. But it does raise the question, what of the other conversations? I suppose in that case, its a matter of import. Doing it for the sake of it is no good, but what I think I need to ask myself is, "How does it change Salem and Reina?" Since Reina is more a part of this scene while Salem plays the part of observer, it'd more change him than her. However, what we'd hear from her conversation with Barb will teach the readers new things about her alongside Salem gaining new information. If I can determine how it'd help his character develop further, I'd have more reason to extend the scene and perhaps flesh out those characters more. On the flip side, having them serve a purpose later is the simple solution!

All of that stuff aside, young Axle! It's Axle(10 years earlier ver.)! Saying that now makes me realize Reina's got quite a few years on him...he's got good taste. Joking aside, I think it'd be a good idea to establish the scene further rather than just skipping to night time. It's just a little thing, but I feel like it'd help with the flow of time in the novel. This time it's not a big jump, but it'd be nice to spend some more time with the characters in this winding-down phase. I do like that Axle doesn't say much until later, so even if the scene is extended I wanna keep that facet. Maybe he would, but not likely to either of the two, since he'd be closer with those he was confined with. That, and as the scene suggests, he musters his courage to talk to her.
I do like her little monologue about what being strong means to her. I say it often, but man I understand that well now. My characters underwent their character development before I did lol. Unrelated, but gotta love Samera. She has a lot of good moments, though her appearances are brief.
Still, it's a little strange to see it now. For a good long while, Axle's story was mostly...well, concept. I think I wrote Water Lily before USSR...no wait, I think it was after. But even so, in this case we're actually seeing how he found himself as a member of Bastion sure is interesting. He gives an abridged explanation of what happened here, but he gets the idea across! One of the things I like about it is that he doesn't know what happened to his comrades, but Reina suspects it.
Some notes for later, I suppose. I think more inner monologues from Salem for this whole scene would be good. He doesn't have to say much since he's observing, but his presence feels next to non-existent throughout because he's not doing too much, per se. I'd like to remedy that when I go over it. Closer to the end of the scene he does say and do a bit more, but it could be better. The scene after he has the short dialogue with Axle I feel really brings the act home. It gives you a good idea of how his mindset changed and how he changed and grew as a character. But it also reflects the notions Reina touched upon earlier, which is teased by the way he gazers at her. She's a kid too, dozing off like that!
Salem being guarded is something you'll see a lot throughout the novel, but his entire personality gives off that vibe, huh?
If you ever need to tease him, that's how.

That's the end of the act. I'd say and do more but life happens, so...that's not happening today. That said, goodbye!

Kept you waiting, but this time for real.

About Act 2:

Character Growth (Act 2):

Developing the Style of the Duo:

Odds & Ends:

Innocent Going Forward:

Reina and Salem sat on a balcony looking out at the expanse of desert before them. Stars dotted the blackened eternity of sky and the crescent moon cast its light upon the world below.
“Reina...there's something I've been meaning to tell you,” Salem began.
He was a pretty aloof guy so for him to sound so serious meant that it must've been a big deal. The prospect was making her anxious.
“Is...something the matter, Salem? It's...it's not bad, is it?”
“That depends on your definition of bad.”
She could feel her hairs stand on end.
“T-there's a lot of bads! Like...you reek of sweat, bad...or you snore while you sleep bad...or let's break up bad! Or worse!”
“Hmm...”
Normally he'd laugh. She got nothing of the sort out of him and she began to sweat.
“Is...is this a good news, bad news scenario? There's good news, right?”
“He was silent.
“Sadly, no.”
She furrowed her brows and grimaced.
“Oh boy...alright! Give it to me straight! I can take it!”
“I...”
“Y-yeah?”
“I don't like fish.”

Reina woke up in a cold sweat and gasping for air. She leaned back in her seat and sighed as she wiped her brow. The occasional bounce from the caravan driving over a bump and the sound of the wheels turning reminded her of where she was.
The caravan had already cleared the lion's share of distance in regards to the return to Ramalda. They had made a stop in Elfa to buy supplies, turn in the criminals they had defeated and let everyone stretch their legs. Some took the opportunity to stay at the inn so as to finally have a chance to sleep in a bed. Reina, Salem and the Revolution members gave up a majority of the bounty they received to allow for those who were taken captive to stay at some of the inns scattered across Elfa. With money pooled from family, friends and donators in the Haven, they purchased new clothes for them to wear on the return trip.
It had been a couple of days since they left the desert city and were predicted to arrive in Ramalda within the next few hours.
“Did you have a nightmare, Reina?” Kenia asked.
She chuckled mirthlessly.
“It was...well to be honest, no. It was really, really dumb and I'm kinda ashamed it left me so shaken.” She answered as she scratched her cheek with her finger.
She hadn't realized it at the time, but having a place to return to, in some cases a city, is ideal. There's nowhere to shower in the middle of nowhere and when you're glued to your companion, you become acutely aware of your own scent. That fear had made its way into her dreams.
Kenia let out a huff that almost sounded like a laugh and Reina blushed.
“It happens to the best of us.”
“You seem like you'd be fine.”
This time, she actually laughed.
“You'd be surprised!”
She seemed to shift slightly. It sounded as if she was placing her hands to her face.
“Let's put that aside for now. I have a much, much more important question.”
The swordswoman raised her brows.
“Oh? Sure thing.”
“How long have you and Salem been close enough to share a scarf, hmm?”
Her neck was awfully warm.
She reached up to it and felt the material of the scarf around her neck, but also it extending to the person next to her. Almost instantly, she felt her face burning and she couldn't hide her nervous smile.
“A-about that...” She squeaked.
“I had half a mind to ask Salem about it, but since he's sleeping I figured it best to wait.”
Salem? Sleeping? Vanir always hassled him because he never did. He gave him silly nicknames like '360 degrees Salem', 'burning-the-midnight-oil Salem' and her personal favourite, 'what-is-caffeine(?) Salem'. He was just pretending. Probably.
“T-traitor!” She whispered in a small voice.
The possibility that he was embarrassed about it and didn't want to explain popped into her head. At the thought of it, she thought he had a cute side to him too.
Putting it aside, however, she didn't want to have to explain herself just yet. Looking back, she probably picked the worst time to try to make her feelings clear to him! It was super embarrassing! She couldn't tell Kenia that.
“W-well...”
Kenia laughed heartily and Reina looked surprised.
“You don't have to tell, Reina. Every girl has her secrets, right?” She seemed to be smiling.
“Right...”
“Sorry about that. Seeing you on the battlefield and off of it, you reminded me a little of Roxy. It gave me the urge to tease you a bit.”
“Really? I didn't think you two got along like that, to be honest.”
“We do have our moments! Now that everyone's gotten a little closer, she tends to get teased by the boys a lot so she needs an ally more often than not. In most cases though, I tend to mediate for our parties.”
Reina crossed her arms thoughtfully.
“I think our group could use a girl like you, Kenia. Between Vanir, Salem and I, the one who does all the mediating is Skuld.”
“...The brownie?” She sounded surprised.
“She's the only one Vanir will listen to!”
“My!”
The two traded stories for a while, Kenia telling her about her days with Revolution and Reina sharing stories about her daily life at Madelaine's.
“I can see the Haven, everyone. We'll be there in just a bit!” Niesha told them.
“Home sweet home,” Kenia said.
“We're almost there, huh? It's so strange...it feels like waking up from a long dream,” Reina said, dreamily.
“It's as real as can be! Your journey, your accomplishments, and this precious moment with a certain someone.”
“Jeez! Kenia!”
Reina shook her fists in frustration at the chuckling Keruz.
She had half a mind to take off the scarf, but for them to share it was rare. And it was warm. She would probably take it off before any of the other members of Revolution saw, though. Or Barb.
As the caravans pulled toward the Haven, Reina could hear the voices of men at work calling to each other.
“Open the gates!” One of them shouted.
“Keep your distance! Gates are opening!” Another called in turn.
The swordswoman almost found herself startled by the sudden sound of the gears turning and wood creaking. A powerful gust of wind blew past as wood brushing against sand tickled her ears among the other noises that signalled their arrival. Following it, she could hear the leading caravans accelerating and entering the gates. After a couple of them made some distance, their own vehicle rocked as it set off into the Haven.
For a time, Reina could hear the voices of people. Some slight whispers, some excited shouts and cheers. As the other caravans came into the Haven, the voices grew raucous and cheerful. Many and more voices welcomed their heroes back and some chanted out 'Revolution' in unison.
As she had suspected, Revolution was truly beloved in Ramalda and after the past few days, she could see why. They put their hearts and souls into every mission, all while putting their lives on the line. Even though it was not a mission assigned to them, but a request, they still sent some of their best to see it through. That courage and care, she admired it somewhat.
Niesha parked the caravan and let out a sigh of relief and what seemed to be a satisfied resignation.
“With all these people gathering around I guess getting to the stable won't be happening right away. I'll park here for now so go and see your adoring fans and families, everyone.” She told them as she too, disembarked.
“Thanks again, Niesha.” Kenia said as she rose to her feet.
“Thank you!” Reina quickly added as she followed suit.
Some of the other members were still waking but those who were offered her their gratitude too.
Reina unwrapped the scarf and began to wrap it around the top of Salem's head.
“Salem, it's time to get up. We've already arrived!” She said as she laughed heartily.
“I'm already awake,” he remarked. “But you seemed to be enjoying yourself, so I was reluctant to put a damper on your fun.”
She gasped.
“I-if you're awake you should say something!”
He chuckled at her reaction.
“That would be the ideal course of action, yes. But I much prefer this one. I rather enjoy your various expressions, Reina.”
The flustered Cerebian knit her brows and pouted.
“Next time you won't get a wake-up call from me!”
He laughed quietly as he offered her his arm once more.
“Nothing in life comes free, no?”
“Especially not my good graces.”
They were dating now, but he was still the same old Salem. She couldn't ask for more.

As the two stepped into the night, they soon found themselves surrounded by people, along with the other members of the caravan.
“Are you 'the kid' we've heard so much about?!” A young boy eagerly asked.
Reina raised her brows in disbelief.
“W-where'd you hear that?! Was it Alden?! It must've been!”
“My my...you two are but children...how did you find yourselves on such a dangerous mission?” An elderly woman asked.
“In truth I can't quite say that we're children but...we're no strangers to danger. I'm glad that we had some incredible support from Revolution, though,” Salem replied.
“Hey hey Missy! Mind if I see that sword of yours?” A young man asked.
“If I pulled it out in the Haven it'd be bad! Especially in a crowd of people!”
While all this happened there were a series of others conversations that ran parallel to their own. The overjoyed voices of mothers and fathers, husbands and wives who were reunited with their missing significant other, children, parents and friends.
“You're Reina, right? I can't thank you enough for bringing Dad home. We thought we'd never see him again,” A middle-aged woman said.
“We've been worried sick about him for longer than I can describe. Words can't express our gratitude,” A man of similar age said.
“Reina, Salem, thank you for allowing me to see my daughter and son-in-law. You're a good pair of kids.” The elderly man told them.
She couldn't help but smile.
“I've received a lifetime worth of thanks. I'm just glad to see everyone happy and reunited,” she replied.
“How is it said? It's all water under the bridge?” Salem asked, looking to her.
She grinned and gave him a gentle nudge.
He was a total dork, and she loved that dork.
“Okay Dad, let's go home. You've probably been through a lot.” The daughter said as she turned away with him.
The two waved off their new acquaintances.
“Reina? Is that really you?” A familiar voice called out to her.
She turned to meet it and smiled.
“Auron! It's been years since I heard your voice!” She said with a grin.
“Look at you, Reina! You've grown so much. Is this handsome fellow your boyfriend?” A woman asked.
“B-Brenda! T-this is...Salem...and...he is, yeah.”
While she buried her face in her wolf fur coat, Salem took up the mantle and took a bow.
“I'm Salem. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Auron, Brenda.”
“Likewise, Salem! The three of us go way back. Used to see Reina around the library all the time. Far back as I can remember, until she was in her teens it was the only time she'd leave Hazel's side.” Auron said with a hearty laugh.
“Auron! Shh! Shh!” The swordswoman cried raising a finger to clenched teeth.
“I'm gonna have to get you to tell me some of those stories sometime, Uncle.” Alden said as he approached.
“Oh there's plenty. Wasn't a whole lot happening in Xenym but it had its quirks.”
“Mmm...” She let out a concerned groan.
“Don't mind them. You know how they are, no matter the age, boys will be boys.” Brenda said. “But look at you! You've grown to be so beautiful.”
She knew Brenda was just being polite but it made her happy nonetheless. Both to see her and hear those words.
“You're too kind! I still think I'm the same Reina both inside and out.”
“That so? The Reina I knew wouldn't pick up a sword and start adventuring. Hazel had a hard enough time peeling you away from a book to get you in the studio.”
Her mouth opened in surprise before she scratched a cheek gently.
“G-guilty as charged.”
“Still, it's so reassuring to know that you're here, alive and well. In that time you'd become so strong. Strong enough to fight...and strong enough to have the will to do it. I suspect that Salem here had something to do with it, hm?”
Brenda could see right through her.
Reina gave his arm a gentle squeeze as she nodded.
“More than I could express.”
“Take good care of her, would you Salem? She's the gem of our little village. Both of them.” Auron said in a stern and caring tone.
He was over-exaggerating. She was plain. She was always plain and would continue to be. Both in her hometown Halcyon and Xenym, there were much prettier girls, like Alessa. Although...being attractive to the world was the least of her concerns now.
“Sheesh, Uncle. You sound like you're her Dad. Come on, let's get out of here. Can't have you two monopolizing all her time when there are other people who want a turn,” Alden said.
It was hard to say for certain, but by the sound that followed, it seemed as if Alden was pushing Auron away.
“Hopefully we'll see you again, Reina!” Brenda said as she too, followed after them.
“You're quite the beloved figure, no?” Salem sung happily.
“It's a misunderstanding! I just...tended to make people worry about me, that's all.” She replied, knitting her brows.
After a few more greetings and brief conversations, the crowd seemed to part as someone made their way through.
“Alright everyone there'll be a time and place for all of this, and by time and place I mean Revolution's Guild Hall. Everyone's welcome to come. There'll be food and music and chances to hear first-hand accounts from my members.” A man with quite the voice said.
Before she knew it, he approached the duo.
“Reina and Salem, right? Kenia and Roxanne have told me plenty about you,” he said affably.
She raised her head to meet his gaze and raised both her brows.
“Y-you're a big guy, aren't you?” She asked.
It took a moment, but when she realized what she said she immediately flushed.
What kind of greeting was that, me?! She thought.
There was silence and then laughter. It was a hearty, genial laugh.
“You're a pretty forward girl, aren't you? You and I are gonna get along great!”
“S-sorry! I meant to say hello properly!”
The sound of Roxanne sighing followed.
“Emil, you can't go around just...being you! You know that already! Poor girl looks like a priring before a caravan.” She said, placing her hands to her hips.
Was it that bad? Was she that obvious?
“You're right, Roxanne. Just can't help myself, ya know? Been on pins and needles with you girls and the others out there on that mission.”
“I’ve told you a million times you don't need to worry about us. Keni and I can handle ourselves just fine. Our ranks are the proof that we've been through plenty.”
Roxanne sounded surprisingly happy. The two must've had quite the good rapport for her to speak to her guild master in such casual manner. Their relationship was somewhat reminiscent of her own mother's with Vicky.
“So? We're here for a reason, right? Try not to get bogged down in the details. If you really wanna do that stuff, save it for later, okay?”
Emil chuckled lightly.
“The formal aspects of being guild master always trip me up. Thanks for this.”
She hit him gently a couple times.
“Thank me later! They're waiting to hear what it is you have to say, Emil!”
“Right, right. So then, Reina, Salem, you probably heard me say it before but we're hosting a banquet in our Guild Hall. I'd like to have you two there as the guests of honour. You risked your lives out there for our family and friends so it's the least we can do to offer you our thanks. Of course, it's a place where some of Ramalda's best will be gathered, so I'm sure the others would wanna take a crack at scouting you two. In truth, I'd be glad to have you among our numbers but we'll properly talk it over later. That is, if you're interested in this whole thing,” the guild master explained.
Reina herself wasn't so sure about joining a guild, especially one so far from home. That aside, she'd never been the guest of honour for anything in particular except for those few times she was allowed into Verun's staff room for a meal made by a certain ex-shinobi. She had to admit, his co-workers taught him well and they knew some good recipes.
Putting that aside, she had no reason to turn them down. At the very least, she would be glad to give anyone else a chance that wanted to give their thanks to do so. After being reunited with those they loved, it would probably be the last bit of closure they would need to the whole scenario before returning to their daily lives.
With her decision made, Reina tilted her head in Salem's direction and he seemed to take notice of this.
“We'd love to,” Salem said.

Guided by Emil and Roxanne, the duo among many others made their way towards Revolution's guild hall. As they walked, the guild master received an earful from his subordinate for seemingly shirking his duties.
“What were you even doing out here, Emil? You're the one who's supposed to oversee the entire banquet!” Roxanne scolded him as she walked.
“In my defense, everything was already prepared...” Emil muttered. “Besides, I wanted to come and invite the guests of honour myself. It's common courtesy, you know?”
“Under normal circumstances, sure? But you're forgetting you're our guild master. You can't just be running about like that. What if something happened to you? The guild would be in disarray! If you need to send out a message or get something done, you have us to do that.”
“I do think you're right but...all of you guys are my precious guild mates. Rank won't mean a thing to me if something was to happen to any of you. Angel or Keruz, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I exposed you to unnecessary danger.”
“W-we can look after ourselves and the others! B-besides...if you're always out and about, who's gonna do all the paperwork? There's no shortage of things that only the guild master himself can sign for and approve.”
“If I was to assign you with permission to act in my stead, I've no doubt you could do a better job than I could!” He laughed heartily at the prospect. “There's no one who can manage the guild like you, Roxanne.”
The Keruz was silent for a couple of moments.
“I'm only good at managing you, Emil. I'm afraid if I take my eyes off of you you'll get into some kind of trouble. You take the term D.I.Y to the next level. But instead of telling other people to do it, you wind up doing everything yourself.”
“Allocating work was never my strong suit.”
“It's because of that mindset you picked up all those useless skills. Carpentry? Emergency roofing? Horticulture? Honestly...”
Salem chuckled gently under his breath and Reina offered him a curious head tilt.
“Those two are quite close, aren't they?” He asked.
“To say the least!” Reina replied with a laugh.
Before long the group arrived at Revolution's Guild Hall. Reina found herself almost pulling on Salem's arm as she walked and stopped to check in with him.
“What's wrong Salem?” She asked.
“No...it's nothing. I just find myself surprised at the sheer size of our destination.” He answered as he proceeded with her. “There are many and more buildings scattered throughout this Haven, however, this one among them quite stands out. I could see it at a distance and yet...there are many and more wings that are part and parcel to it, it seems. I can't help but be curious at what might be stored within, but I imagine one cannot thoroughly examine a location without the proper permissions and potentially, an escort.”
It was a long-winded way of saying he wanted to explore. Hearing that made her want to tease him.
She laughed quietly and he seemed to take notice of it.
“Is there something funny about that?”
He sounded genuinely curious but she didn't want to give it away.
“Oh no, it's nothing~” She sang, trying to stifle her laughter.
He let out a quiet dismayed groan and she laughed some more.

The two soon arrived in, according to Salem, a large room with a stage of sorts. There was multiples tables placed together packed to the brim with food, chairs and a myriad of people milling about and talking among themselves. The duo had already went to the gathered tables to grab a couple plates of food. There were some people going around offering drinks to the attendants. Salem accepted a couple glasses for he and her and after sniffing it, he assured her that he did not smell any poison.
Amid the din of people talking, Reina felt certain that she heard someone ascending the stairs to the stage. The unmistakable sound of shoes against wood drew her attention to it and allowed her to focus in on it. That aside, they were not the steps of just any person.
The sound of a mic turning on and being gently tapped against drew the attention of the rest of the crowd before they were caught off guard by the feedback. She had to plug her ears at the sound but she chuckled lightly nonetheless.
How long had it been since she had heard of one of those items? Scarce as they were, supposedly they could be won through the Abio company's LaDeck competition, among other very rare and highly sought-out items. A mic, a warp crystal, various eggs of exotic pets, more Abio Coke than the average person could drink...it was quite the list. Perhaps someone in Revolution played enough LaDeck to win that?
Judging by the voice as they cleared their throat, it was Emil again.
“I'd like to take a moment of everyone's time, if you'd be so kind. As many of you know, we had recently sent out some of our members on an expedition into the Desert to recover captive members of our community and the surrounding Havens that have been missing for years, Thanks to the girls at Club Abio, we were able to track down their location. A particular Club Abio dancer, Maya, is the one we owe our thanks to. Take a bow, Maya.”
Emil clapped for her and many others followed suit. Salem let Reina know that near one of the walls their informant raised a hand in response to Emil's introduction.
“In truth, originally I didn't know this expedition was happening until I received a letter from a Confidant in Elias by the name of Vanir. The two of us are pretty familiar with each other, you could say. He's been plenty help to me and my guild and I always told him I'd return the favour. To my surprise, he called in that favour and asked me to lend some of my members to his apprentice and her companion. When I heard the details of the mission, I knew I had to send my best. These eight are the chosen members who undertook this request and risked their lives to bring home our loved ones: Theodore, Samera, Tabitha, Otto, Efrain, Dante, Kenia, Roxanne. Please give them a round of applause for all that they've done.”
As was the case with Maya, the entire hall erupted in applause as Emil's subordinates waved and bowed in response to the cheers and shouts of gratitude they received.
“I had first heard of these two following their successful subjugation of the Dark Moon's general Hotaka. To go to Aoich and take one of the Dark Moon's commanding officers was as brazen as sending a calling card to the kingdom itself as a warning sign that they would come for them eventually. With just two people, they captured him and took him in. It was those very two people that talked Club Abio's very own Lucia into a deal for finding our captives. Lastly, the two went into the heart of Kazuo's stronghold and struck him down, dealing one more decisive blow to the Dark Moon's forces. It's thanks to them our loved ones are here now with us and that we're one step closer to turning this age-old war in our favour. Please give a rousing round of applause for our guests of honour, Reina and Salem!”
Once again the crowd came together in applause, whoops and cheers. Reina gave a gentle wave as she smiled with flushed cheeks.
It was a little embarrassing to be the centre of attention like that. Among Revolution's expedition party was one thing, but this number was more than she could have prepared herself for.
She held on to Salem's arm a little tighter but he didn't seem to mind any. Knowing he was there with her reassured her and remedied some of her anxiety.
“All in all, I imagine its safe to say that all of these events were the perfect storm. It all came together in this combined effort and I couldn't have asked for a better result. So...let's raise a glass to all those brave souls who fought, who tracked and who survived the throes of hell. Thank you, and welcome back, friends.”
“Here here!” The crowd shouted in response.
The hall was filled by clinking glasses immediately afterwards and not wanting to break up the cordial spirit permeating the area, Reina and her companion tapped their glasses before taking a drink.
The swordswoman smiled at the familiar taste of champagne. Vanir always brought some out around Christmas time and New Year's. Sometimes they would ring in the New Year with it. Though the taste was somewhat different, it still was familiar enough to give her a nostalgic reminder of the eventful days at Madelaine's.

“...should bring some back to Madelaine's. He only mentions it on occasion, but Vanir is quite the collector of alcohol,” Salem suggested.
“Where do you think he keeps it all? I've explored the shop pretty thoroughly! I know where all the dishes are, the coffee beans and even some of Vanir's secret stash!” Reina replied, raising her index finger.
“His secret stash? Now you have my interest. As for the alcohol, I imagine he would store it in the basement. However, if that's all that he kept down there, it needn't be kept secret, no?”
“I bet he's keeping something amazing down there! Like...like a brownie nest! I can't really imagine Vanir having another brownie but it's gotta be something incredible and rare if he's hiding it, right?”
Footsteps approaching drew Reina's attention somewhat, but she chose not to pay any particular mind, in case they were just walking by.
“Sorry to interrupt your fascinating discussion but...you wouldn't mind if I took a moment of your time, would you?” An unfamiliar voice asked them.
While Reina found herself somewhat taken aback to actually be addressed this time around, Salem seemed to take note of this and responded in her stead.
“Not at all. How might we be of service?” He asked.
Both his response and response time were as ever, smooth.
“Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eli Kraus, Guild Master to Ramalda's second-strongest guild, Uprising. I'd heard plenty about your endeavours in our region from Revolution's Kenia and Roxanne and wanted to take the opportunity to speak with you myself.”
The rustling of clothes that ended and began again in short order gave her the suspicion that he was bowing. When Salem seemed to follow suit, she curtsied.
If one were to add an 'm' to his name and rearrange some letters, they would mix him up with the top guild's leader. It was a simple mistake that Reina didn't want to make. However, the way the two spoke and carried themselves made it easy to not mistake them.
“It's nice to meet you, Eli. I suppose introducing ourselves would be kinda redundant, huh? You've probably heard more about us than you'd need to.”
He laughed.
“I wouldn't say that's particularly the case. In truth, I'd like to know more. Your motivations, your strengths and weaknesses and what measures you took so you could see this mission through...among other things. But! As much as I'd like to get a full account of everything up to now, I've no doubts the others around wouldn't want to be kept waiting.
“So then, let me cut to the chase. I'd like to recruit you both, Salem, Reina.”
She raised her brows and Salem crossed his arms. There was a brief silence between them.
Her companion could've easily responded in her stead, but he chose not to. It was clear to him what situation the two found themselves in.
“To be honest...I'm not against joining a guild. Rather, I welcome the idea. However...our home is in Elias.” She paused, looking for the right words. “I suppose working from a distance wouldn't be impossible but...it would be ideal to be within the same region to be part of guild operations, wouldn't it?”
“Can't deny that,” Eli answered.
The resignation in his voice was evident.
“To...well to be honest with you, even though it's only been a few weeks I'm already feeling homesick.”
She smiled guiltily as she knit her brows.
“I miss Skuld's baking and her infectious cheer. I miss the Madelaine's regulars and the sounds of the city. I even miss Vanir's rude remarks. Just a teensy bit!”
“I also have a job that I need return to,” Salem added.
Reina did a double-take at the statement.
“I completely forgot! You took a couple weeks off but we've been gone longer than intended! W-will Verun be mad?”
He chuckled gently as he placed a hand to her head.
“It'll be fine, of that I'm sure. Though 'tis true I've been away quite some time, Verun seemed to understand that there was something that we needed to accomplish. He is a Confidant also, after all.”
Both his words and touch were reassuring.
Trying to put her secret feelings aside, lest they become problematic, she mulled over the possibilities about Verun knowing what they were going to do. She could not help but feel that the best answer would be that he stayed in touch with the girls at Club Abio. He didn't often mention them, but they shared the same building so it was certainly a possibility.
Eli seemed to shuffle somewhat, his clothes brushing against each other ever so slightly. A shrug, perhaps?
“That...is something I understand pretty clearly. Ramalda might be home, but it's not home. Many of the people that live here still dream of a triumphant return. It's not easy to ask someone to leave their life behind. But hey, if you have a change of heart, you can still take us up on that.”
“Thank you.” Reina said, smiling.
“If I may, Eli?” Salem asked.
“What's on your mind?” He replied.
“What is home to you?”
That's a pretty bold question, Salem! Reina thought.
Not that she was one to talk about being bold.
“Me? Home, huh...home is where my comrades are, I guess!” He laughed. “I'd say guild mates or friends but...even those I'm not acquainted with are what make this place home. The people, the sights, the sounds...they're all a part of it. They built this place together, they maintain it, they live in it. Wouldn't be the same without them.”
“I see.”
Salem seemed rather satisfied by that answer. It made her curious what his thoughts about home were.
Before she could ask, someone approaching and calling out to her drew her attention.
“Hey, Reina! You know, I've been thinking but you must be pretty strong, right?” Emil asked.
Somewhat bewildered by his sudden approach she stammered out an answer.
“Y-yes?!”
“Ha! Thought so! Given that you and Salem beat that guy and all, I figured I'd like to see your strength first-hand. Not right now of course, 'cause I'm in a suit and I don't have my knuckles but...you'll be around a while, won't you? How about it?”
“Emil.” Dante's voice cut through the din of the crowd like a knife.
The tapping of his greaves as he approached made Reina's hair stand on end, and he wasn't even coming after her.
“We just came back from an expedition and you're thinking of fighting the guest of honour? What's even going through that head of yours? If you were looking to recruit her, you'd all but blown your chances.”
“Won't say I didn't want to recruit her but...I gotta see first-hand, you know? If even Roxanne thought highly of her, I wouldn't mind a chance to face her.”
“Sparring among members is great and all but you've clearly got the wrong of it. We're gonna have to get you out on more expeditions,” Dante sighed.
Hearing Emil getting berated by his subordinates again really lifted the tension of their previous conversation. He seemed to have his heart in the right place, though.
“Being a guild master certainly is tough, huh, Salem?” Reina asked.
“All are respected in myriad ways in the eyes of their subordinates. Finding a path that fits the guild master best is perhaps the toughest endeavour in regards to that.” He answered, the smile evident in his tone.
“Oii! Reina!” Samera shouted as she came running over.
“You're gonna trip if you run around carelessly like that, Sam,” Dante warned her.
She laughed confidently as she crossed her arms.
“Going fast is a Blader's specialty!”
Dante didn't respond, but there was a certain tension in the air that Reina wasn't entirely unfamiliar with. This tension didn't faze Samera at all, however.
“I dunno what these guys are on about, but you should consider being a leader, Reina! While I was stuffing my face over by the punch bowl, some kids who heard some stories about you were talking about you leading a guild. They thought you'd probably be pretty cool and I agree! After seeing you take charge first-hand in that expedition I'd bet 10k ely you'd make a hell of a leader like Jienda's never seen.”
“H-hold on Samera! I mean, I know a bit and I suppose I did lead that expedition but that was just...y'know, our group of eleven people! Leading an actual guild is definitely, definitely beyond my skill level!”
“Didn't you say the same thing about leading our battle party?” She asked.
She was right, but they were still different.
“Well yeah but...”
“Isn't it fine? No one said you had to be a master at it right from the get-go. Emil's been doing it for years and he's still the same goofy guild master he was back then.”
“...Goofy?” Emil sounded forlorn for the first time.
“Hang in there, big guy,” Eli said, patting his arm.
Reina couldn't help but smile wryly at the thought of a man being casually verbally destroyed without a moment's hesitation. She would keep him in her prayers that night.
“We've all gotta grow into our roles! If you're having trouble, you've always got friends who've got your back, right, Salem?”
“Ever and always,” Salem answered.
“Exactly! Just gotta have more confidence in yourself! You'll be great!”
The swordswoman could not help but smile.
Though she still held her own doubts on the matter, Samera did raise some good points. Reina couldn't continue to doubt herself and her abilities if she wanted people to aid her in her cause. Even more so if she wanted to succeed in her mission because she needed the courage to overcome both her weaknesses and her adversaries.
“It'd be a shame not to have these two with us...but I'm not against the idea of having another ally in the fight. In the end, our causes will reach the same point,” Eli said.
“I hear you,” Emil added. “I think you'd make a great field commander for Revolution, Reina. But, if what the girls told me was how things played out, better to have you as a leader instead. The flag you bear is something people will rally to. Your first mission won their curiosity. Your last mission won their hearts.
“But I won't say no if you still wanna join Revolution. The girls have really taken a shine to you. Even Dante had some praise for you and he's even tougher to convince than Rox. That's saying something.”
“Praise from me isn't the gold standard Emil makes it out to be, Reina. But your skill really is undeniable. I wouldn't say Samera nailed the truth of the matter but I'm sure you understand what she was getting at.”
Reina knit her brows.
“I...well I won't say it's a bad idea. Maybe it could work but...I just wanna be sure, you know? I don't want to go into this half-heartedly. Unlike the last mission, they might not be an elite force just working under me.”
She lowered her head to think a moment.
“I do realize that with or without me, the mission would've likely succeeded. Both Roxanne and Kenia are masters of their craft and could lead their battle party if the need had arisen. They'd given me the opportunity to take charge and to face off with the target of our mission.
“To lead, however...some of the people I would take under my wing might be new to adventuring. Like it was with me, I would need to teach them everything they would need to know not only to survive, but to be strong enough to ensure that they do. I...want to make sure that I can be that person. If I can't, perhaps I'll return to one of you guys or another guild and take up a smaller position to build myself up. For now, I'd just like to think it over.”
“Got it. We'll stay in touch, Reina. Sam, Dan, let's go.” Emil told them before setting off.
“Fight on, Reina,” Samera said.
“Believe in yourself and your comrades. You don't have to do it all alone,” Dante told her.
“There's a process to all of it, after all. You might not decide today or tomorrow, but even if you haven't, you can work towards those steps while you mull it over further. You’ll figure it out, I'm sure. Let's meet again soon.” Eli said before waving and walking off.
“Why don't we get a drink and discuss it further, Reina?” Salem asked, offering her his arm.
“That...sounds nice.” She replied, accepting it.

Guided by Salem over to the punch bowl, he scooped out a couple of cups and hand her one. Feeling the cool sensation of the cup on her skin, she accepted it with a word of thanks.
As she took a sip from it, Salem made the first move.
“Any fears or concerns you might have, you're welcome to confide them in me,” he said.
He went all-in right from the get-go. How could she hide her concerns?
“Well...I have a lot of them. To go through all of them would probably take all night.” She answered with a wry smile and knit brows.
“Be it today, tomorrow, or next week, I'll lend you an ear for as long as you need it.”
“That's too long! And too generous!”
He laughed quietly at her retort and she felt rather silly for getting so worked up over it.
“It's just...you know, it's a lot of responsibility. A lot of adventurers start out as impressionable kids. I've no doubt for most of them, their hearts are in the right place. They likely want to slay Agasura and help people, as adventurers are wont to do. The responsibility of their well-being falls to any adults that watch over them.
“I do realize that not all of them will be children. Sometimes they'll be adults counting on the leadership of their guild master. Even if you were to consider our last mission, I've no doubt Emil knew the level of strength that we would require to come out on top in that mission and he picked his members accordingly. Those that were dispatched were of varying ranks, sure, but Roxanne and Kenia's ability to lead when away from me is what allowed the mission to proceed as smoothly as it did. Emil knew they could handle the mission, that all of the members he sent out could too. I don't think I have sound judgment like he does.”
For a moment, Salem didn't respond. She could hear the sound of his cup bending slightly beneath the pressure of his fingers. The sound of him swallowing and a quiet exhale. A gentle 'hm' escaped his lips.
“Reina, can you deny that as you are, you are uninformed?” He asked.
She raised a brow at the question.
“Uninformed? About what?”
Salem didn't say anything and Reina's ears picked up the footsteps of someone seemingly approaching them.
The two were a little further away from where they had begun so the likelihood said person was heading for the punch bowl was low.
“Hey, you two are the kids right? Just wanted to say I think you're pretty cool,” a young man said.
“Thanks!” Reina said, smiling amicably.
He offered them a 'see ya later' as he turned away.
“Back to our discussion, I mean by what is to come. It's clear to me you took my words to heart, those that preceded the final day of the mission. Grasping concepts and forming plans is something you're clearly capable of. The issue that plagues you currently, is your ignorance. In short, you know not what to expect and so you can't draw towards solid conclusions.”
She knit her brows as she mulled his statements over.
“I suppose you're right. But this isn't something I can decide to do just to find out how well I'll do. Unlike taking a test, the most I could do to prepare is to run a variety of simulations, The real thing will always be substantially different.”
“You're right, and that is the most important detail. Just as you are to command a variety of combatants, who those combatants are and what they're capable of will determine the details of your plans. Even if you were given a scenario, a detailed team with a list of their skills and temperaments, there are still a multitude of variables that couldn't be accounted for. You yourself, are one of them.”
Reina's head was raised to meet Salem's. Solemnly, she listened intently.
She understood his point of view. She understood his thought process. Most of all, she understood his kindness. It was true his words were comforting, but even more than that, they were fascinating. It was very rarely that she saw the side of him that was the proof he was no ordinary adventurer. A guild master was a font of knowledge, but their subordinates were also. What Salem saw, learned, thought, she wanted to know all of it. She knew well the young man who worked as a waiter and lent her his arm and his ear. She wanted to know the shinobi of Owl Castle. In so doing, she could understand him...and truly say that she loved him. All of him.
“Would you tell me what you think some of those variables could be?”
As if he expected that question, he chuckled gently.
“It would be my pleasure. As mentioned earlier, the leader could determine how his or her subordinates will respond. Would they rise to the challenge? Will they risk it all in an all-out assault or cautiously proceed? Of course, this also depends on their orders, to some degree. The relationship between leader and followers is a very capricious one in the early stages. As time passes, the response received will gradually change. Trust, mind you, is a very critical part of that relationship.
“In some situations, the leader will not be present. I'm certain that there will be many and more moments where you would need to dispatch your members out on missions. Such is the case for adventurers too, no?”
“Yeah it does seem to be the case. Most quests have a limit to how many participants there can be. It's also what allows guilds to dispatch their members on multiple missions.”
“A logical decision. In that case, I'm certain a leader's influence will play a part. However, what may determine the mission's success is the skill of each respective member of the party alongside the composition. That isn't all, however. The relationship between all present can both positively and negatively affect the end result of the mission. The relationships, the temperaments, the hierarchy, all of those details could be applied.”
“I've got a clearer idea of what you mean, now.” She said, smiling.
He was a fascinating case on that front. He always seemed somewhat soft-spoken but his skills spoke for themselves. If she was to organize a party, it wouldn't likely be difficult slotting him into a variety of compositions. However, due to his quiet, appraising nature, some might find themselves unnerved by his presence. Reina had a much clearer idea of how he was and why he was that way. She came to enjoy it and preferred to be around him, but that might not be the case for others.
The sound of slow footsteps and a cane had the two hold their tongues once more.
“I hope I'm not interrupting you, dearies,” an elderly woman said.
“Not at all!” The swordswoman answered, offering her a reassuring grin.
“My grandson and his friends seem to have really taken a shine to you. Also, after hearing that rousing speech from Emil I felt I had to take a moment to show you my gratitude. Thank you two, for your services...and do be careful out there.”
“You needn't fear, we won't do anything that will give you cause to worry,” Salem told her.
“It does this old woman good to hear those words. You two have a good night.”
“Likewise!” Reina replied, waving.
“Be well,” he added.
The whole guild business almost made Reina forget where she was and why. She could not help but find the whole thing a little ridiculous and a little humorous.
“I do have some thoughts about your potential also, Reina.”
She nearly jumped at the sudden statement.
“M-me? Oh...alright, give it to me straight!”
He seemingly exhaled but she had heard it enough times to know it was a laugh.
“As you wish. To...as you say, 'give it to you straight', I believe that your personality is one that brings people together.”
“Impossible!”
Her retort was instant and almost instinctual, the swordswoman waving her hand before her to drive it home.
“Now now, no need to rush to deny the statement,” he chuckled. “During this mission, at Madelaine's, even at Verun's...many and more people have come to know your name. You may not believe it, but there are some regulars at Madelaine's that come to see you specifically.”
“T-that's so embarrassing! Are they the ones that call me a klutz?! It's them, isn't it?!”
Salem stifled a laugh at her expression and her cheeks flushed.
Some time ago, he would fall silent when she answered his statements in that manner but after some time, he eventually began to take it in stride, even going so far as to laugh sometimes. She hadn't a clue what his actual feelings were, but she hoped he was actually okay with it.
“Perhaps. Would that I could tell you, but I'm sure even if it was them, that they use the term affectionately. You are well loved, Reina, more than you know.”
“I think you're just an optimist, to be honest.” She remarked, knitting her brows.
“That may be true too. But I can assure you without a shred of doubt that my assessment of your nature is not unfounded. I have watched you grow and change over the years we have been together. When we first were introduced, you were much more soft-spoken...almost fearful of others. You've matured spectacularly and in so doing, what once was a weakness has become a strength of yours. As Emil had said, you've won the hearts of many and I believe you will continue to do so. In my eyes, for you to take up the mantle of leader is the next logical step in your growth. Your cause acknowledged, your strength of body and spirit unmistakable, all that is left to do is to find people who will fly the banner you represent.”
Taken aback somewhat by what he told her, she found herself speechless and rather embarrassed at that.
“Y-you're too attentive of me! N-not that I hate it...but it's embarrassing when you praise me so brazenly like that! How am I supposed to tell you you're wrong when you have that much faith in me?!”
“In a case like this, surrender is a viable option.” Salem told her with a laugh.
“Absolutely not! Especially because you're a cheeky boy!”
She razzed him defiantly.
In spite of it all, she was thankful and glad. In many and more aspects, he knew her better than she knew herself. His sound judgment would help her find a worthwhile path to pursue.