Cre' Est

Kyero nodded.

"Very well."

He glanced to Linde.

"I will keep them safe. You have my word."

"Mm. Please do. Because if you don't, I think you know what's waiting for you." She said with a kind smile.

Kyero smirked as he lowered his hood to hide his eyes.

"Of course."

He turned to Lonan.

"Come."

He led Lonan away as Linde remained with Okumi, turning to her with a smile and tilting her head slightly.

"I do hope you'll forgive me for prying, miss Okumi, but... You are afflicted with a grave illness, aren't you?"

Her smile shifted slightly.

"Even if I wasn't a doctor I could have put that together from your mask and your use of hand gestures to communicate. And as a doctor I can't turn away from this. Will you tell me your affliction? Maybe I can find a way to help you, or at least make your condition more tolerable?"

Meanwhile, Kyero and Lonan reached the stables where they met with Aetrius.

"We have decided to survey the caves and discern the true intentions of the bandits. If they intend to disband, we will leave them to their devices. If they intend otherwise we will frighten them out of Cre' Est forever. Will you accompany us? I could use your help."

Kyero nodded.

"We can leave as soon as you're ready."

He glanced around and saw the people of the village wandering around, and looked back to Aetrius.

"For obvious reasons I'd prefer we left sooner than later. I can't hide my eyes forever in crowds like this."

He pulled his hood down slightly further as one man off to the side seemed to be growing a little too curious about him.

They found Aetrius in the stables as Lonán went to say his ‘good morning’ to Hawk. The stallion nudged his owner as it received a pat on the head. He then ensured his horse ate a slice of apple for his breakfast and nodded in satisfaction. Hawk whinnied at him as if asking if they were going to leave or if there was other business.

”I got business to take care of Hawk. Be good.” He said as he pulled out several crossbow bolts and put them in a quiver on his left hip. Checking the rest of his equipment he took a moment whilst Kyero was still talking to Aetrius to utter a prayer to Heresta.

”Heresta, Mother of War, Mistress of Battle. Guide me this day to victory. Guide me to Honor for My Clan. Guide me to attain my hopes and dreams. To this I pray, Amen.”

He then turned to the other two and nodded at Kyero’s statement eyeing his actions and then the curious man. ”I agree. I am ready to go when you two are. Let's go and take care of them once and for all.” he stated, looking at the two with an eager look in his eyes along with a wolf-like grin.

Kyero nodded as they walked back to Linde and Okumi, where Aetrius handed Linde the reins asking her to look after Bree.

"You have my word, Aetrius. We'll keep a close eye on her and keep her company." She said with a cute little giggle as she held her hand out for Bree to sniff and nuzzle before petting her neck and nose.

As Aetrius said she was ready, Kyero nodded.

"Very well. Then let us be off."

He began to lead them towards the edge of the village. From there it would be roughly a twenty minute walk until they reached the caves.

---

Okumi stopped as her sleeve was grabbed, a little startled, but not letting it show on her face as she turned back to face Linde. Watching her speak and apologise, Okumi could only faintly smile in appreciation of her concern. Shaking her head, Okumi gave the ‘Okay’ hand sign once more, indicating that Linde needn’t worry about the maiden’s feelings on the matter. They were mercenaries, warriors and assassins. The way they dealt with a situation would be fundamentally different, but she couldn’t entirely fault them for it. She just… didn’t want to be a part of that. It seemed that Linde was in agreement with Okumi on that point, which wasn’t entirely surprising given that she was a woman of medicine. Nodding at the assertion that there had to be a better way, Okumi turned in full to face back towards the group, particular Kyero as Linde’s pleas were directed his way.

The new plan was a lot more acceptable to Okumi, provided that it panned out. She liked to think they could trust the bandits to reform if they said they would, as surely strong men like that could find honest work and livings. If not, some preventative threats were far better than simply slaughtering them through what Okumi frankly thought of as gruesome means. Hopefully this could all be resolved diplomatically, in a peaceful and fair way. Nodding to herself, Okumi realised that Linde was bowing to her, turning to give her undivided attention as the woman requested her to remain, at least while Kyero and the others did their work. It seemed she wanted some company, or at the very least was curious about Okumi’s heritage. Most guests to her shrine usually had questions, so she wasn’t entirely surprised. Nodding to Linde, Okumi looked about for somewhere nearby to sit, moving over to a conveniently sized boulder to rest. Still, she wasn’t entirely sure how she was going to talk about her shrine to Linde; but at the very least she’d try.

Thinking on this as the others said their parting words and made their way for the cave, Okumi gave a small prayer and bow before waving goodbye. Waiting for Linde to come over, Okumi felt prepared enough, and so she began attempting to communicate. Hooking her hand into a ‘C’ shape, but letting her thumb hook downwards, Okumi placed her fist below it, slightly separated. The result was something akin to a question mark. Pointing then to Linde, then to herself, Okumi traced the house symbol in the air again, trying to determine what exactly Linde would like to know about her shrine. If it was simply about where it was or how she came to work there that would be simple enough, but if Linde wanted to know more about the type of worship that was going to be a little more complicated. Although she could do it, it was difficult to do a sacred dance on uneven soil, not to mention Linde might not even recognise the origin.

After waiting for Linde’s response, it seemed that the woman had something else on her mind, and perhaps tactfully, had waited for the others to leave before asking. She was direct and to the point, striking at the heart of the matter as Okumi flinched slightly at being called out. She’d managed to avoid further discussion of it with Linde at the inn since Aetrius’s wounds were far more pressing, but it seemed that Linde already had her suspicions. Looking away only for a moment, Okumi turned back towards Linde before nodding. Pulling up her bag from where she’d placed it, the shrine maiden retrieved out an old, battered looking journal. Opening it up to one of the pages marked with a tab, she then presented it to Linde to read, looking away once more to give the woman privacy to read.

The handwriting inside was neat, but different to Okumi’s. Much more tight and compact in the ligature. Of course, what Linde didn’t know was that this was her father’s journal, and contained what research he had done into their illness. The page itself covered more of Okumi’s status as a ‘carrier’ of the disease, in that she seemed immune to its negative effects, but was capable of spreading it to others. Coined in the journal as ‘The Wilt’, it seemed to spread through airborne particles from the carrier or the original source, a vibrant purple flower. Assumedly, the disease was also in the bloodstream, so it was likely that Okumi’s fluids were also capable of spreading it if ingested or let into the body through other means. Those that contracted the illness took on a variety of symptoms, including muscle fatigue and weakness, dizziness, difficulty breathing, coughing, chest pains and hallucinations. Bloodshot eyes seemed to be an early indicator that one was about to come down with the more debilitating aspects of the disease. Following these symptoms, the body would then have difficulty regulating temperature, as well as trouble maintaining fluids, leading to both dehydration and the ‘Wilting’ aspect of the illness.

No known cure was found, though as Linde flipped through the pages a little, she saw that there were newer entries added by Okumi, indicating that animals seemed unaffected and didn’t seem to be able to be carriers. Time until death seemed to vary, but the soonest that she’d witnessed someone contract and die from the illness was three days. The airborne nature of the virus seemed to have a limited lifespan, in that it didn’t linger on surfaces or in the air too long if Okumi did choose to speak or breathe in open air, however, she hadn’t done any testing regarding this. Okumi had an assumption that those the disease killed were also capable of spreading the disease in the same fashion as her, but was uncertain if once dead the bodies would present a further health risk. In the earlier pages of the book, there were more traditional, dated entries from Okumi’s father, chronicling his family coming down with the illness, and his slow descent into the symptoms before death, watching his children and his wife pass before he too, succumbed.

Sitting and waiting as Linde read, Okumi felt… Embarrassed. Ashamed. Guilty. Exposed even. All of her history was laid to bare, but what felt worst of all was that chances were, Linde would feel one thing: Pity. Okumi hated being pitied. Not only did it reinforce the helplessness of her situation, but she didn’t deserve it. Everything was her fault. She’d been the one to bring this plague on her family and her home village. While her father had worked hard even through the pain to try and find a cure, she’d just blissfully been ‘taking care of them’, despite being the cause of their ruin. It was a bitter reminder of how cruel the world could be. Still, despair didn’t help anyone. She’d have to learn from those mistakes, carry her burden and find a way to absolve herself of those sins by helping others, and continuing the teachings of her mother. She couldn’t let her family’s legacy die just like that. She’d do what she could until her last breath.

As she sat down with Okumi and asked her questions, Okumi seemed to hesitate before nodding and handing LInde a book.

Linde flipped through the pages gingerly, taking in every word possible. The neat writing made it easy, and as she read from the start to the end, Linde's face fell further and further until, at last, she closed the book and set it on her lap.

She was quiet for a long time. Her eyes were closed. Her hand rested on the book's cover. Her legs were drawn together, heels flat on the ground. Her back straight. And her face calm, despite her saddened expression.

She opened her eyes, and slowly looked at Okumi.

"Miss Okumi..." She said quietly.

She raised the book to her chest and gently hugged it, gazing into the ground with a thousand yard stare.

"Do you mind if I keep this book for a while?" She asked, almost unconsciously.

---

Having been lost in a daydream recalling happier days that she could never return to, it was Linde softly calling her name that brought Okumi back to reality. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been reliving those moments, but it must have been quite a while, and Linde seemed to have finished at least a cursory reading of her father’s journal. Meeting her gaze, Okumi could sense it in her eyes and in her posture; that awkward stiffness and sadness when someone found more than they had bargained for; that they didn’t know how to respond to what they now knew. All Okumi could see was that Linde was saddened by what she had read, and as the shrine maiden had suspected, had little more to offer than pity and sympathies. Not that she expected more than that, there wasn’t much anyone could do for her.

So when Linde asked to keep hold of the book for a time, Okumi wasn’t sure how to react. Immediately she felt defensive. After all, it was her father’s book. One of the last remnants she had to remember him by, so she was highly protective of it. Not only that, but it had a record of all the important information she had transcribed about her disease, which was crucial for both her, and anyone she felt the need to share that with.To her, it was one of the most valuable things both personally and for sentimental reasons, only equaled by that of her mother’s naginata. But… She wanted to trust Linde and others. Perhaps she just wanted to read it in more detail, or truly did think she might be able to research some sort of cure or suppressing medicine. So long as it returned to Okumi before they parted ways… That would be alright.

Nodding cautiously, the reluctance of Okumi to let Linde hold onto it was clearly visible in her hesitation as well as her eyes, but it seemed that for now, Okumi was content to share it with Linde. Pointing to the book, Okumi then held a hand over her heart, before clasping her hands together in a pleading motion. Finally, she made a cradle out of her arms, as if holding a baby and rocking it. She really wanted Linde to know how important that journal was to her, and to take care of it. She didn’t want to lose one of the last pieces of her family.

As Okumi nodded and mimed the importance of the book, Linde smiled. She stood up and walked over to Okumi, taking her left hand and putting it on Okumi's shoulder very, very gently.

"I give you my word I will take good care of this book. What I want to do is study the records your father kept in more detail, as I believe there is a way to either contain or cure this disease. Everything has a weakness, after all. And I will either find this disease's weakness or at least find a way to help you contain it so that your being a carrier no longer endangers anyone else."

She let go of Okumi's shoulder and tucked the book into her pouch at her hip.

"Would you like some tea? And perhaps to go shopping for a new outfit? We can't have you wearing a bloodied and battle-worn shrine outfit like that, now can we?" She said with a giggle.

Back with Aetrius and Lonan, Kyero remained in a half-crouch as they moved closer and closer to their destination.

"If things go south, I have one smoke bomb left to cover our escape. It will last for approximately two minutes before dissipating. That should be enough time to cover ground enough to stay ahead of them."

Their goal came within view as they crossed the treeline. Kyero ducked down low behind the bushes, urging the others to do the same.

"There's the entrance... One guard, just like last night. He should be easy enough to get past. Once we're in, the cave system has support beams on the sides connected to rafters at the top. We stick to the rafters and work our way into the caves until we find either someone we can interrogate for information, or until we overhear something about what they intend to do next."

Kyero made a small bird call which got the guard's attention. As the guard stood up, he glanced to Lonan.

"Be ready to take him down once he's close enough, and don't let him sound an alarm." He whispered as the guard began approaching their location out of curiosity.

Lonán remained silent as Aetrius spoke to Kyero. He didn’t want to weigh in what would happen if things went south. Sure, he’d be ready for if it did, however he did not want to pursue that until it did. They neared the bandits’ hideaway he did as he was told and got down. Then Kyero got the guard’s attention and got the Okay to take him out as he got closer.

”One guard he says. That means I must act fast, and effectively.” He watched as the guard drew closer. 30 feet, 20 feet, 6 feet. Lonán took a breath and struck out.

Lonán’s left hand shot out from the bush grabbing the guard by the collar of his tunic and pulled him in. He punched the man in the stomach to knock the wind out of him and stop him from talking. Then The red haired Saharan punched him square in the chin. The guard’s eyes rolled into his head as they closed. Lonán lowered him to the ground and put his hand under the guard’s nostrils. Still breathing, but unconscious. He nodded his head to Kyero.

”Right everyone. Lets get going.” He whispered out as he shook his hand. He had a feeling the guard would have a very bad toothache for when he woke up. Right now, he had to follow Kyero’s lead.

Kyero smiled slightly as Lonan made quick work of the guard and set him on the ground. Kyero picked the guard up, hoisting him over his shoulder, and walked him over to a bunch of bushes about fifty feet away just to give him that much more of a task if in the event he woke up anytime soon and tried to shout a message.

Afterwards, he led Aetrius and Lonan to the entry point and peeked inside. The downward angle of the path was approximately fifteen degrees. Easy enough for them even in their conditions. Up above, the rafters were about twelve feet above the cave floor. Plenty of room to hide.

He looked to Aetrius.

"Wait here."

Kyero entered the cave and spied a crate to his right. Running to it and leaping off of it with all the grace and athleticism one would expect of the world's most deadly assassin, he caught the rafter beam and hoisted himself up with one arm perching on the balls of his feet on the sturdy wooden beam. He looked down to Aetrius and Lonan.

"One at a time. Stand on the box and I'll hoist you up." He whispered.

He held his hand down for them.

"Quickly."

Hoisting them up one after the other, taking care not to aggravate their injuries, Kyero led them along the rafters through the first several paths and turns which he remembered from the night before. Slowly they progressed beyond where he'd stopped previously, until at last the path opened to a much larger area where almost two dozen of the bandits had gathered and were talking all at once.

Kyero led them higher into the rafters of the more open cavernous space, now some twenty feet in the air. He crouched at the edge of the rafter and held onto a vertical support as he leaned over the edge to close his eyes and listen to the chatter below.

Kyero's ears and brain filtered what he was hearing below into relevant and irrelevant. Talk of anything other than attacking Atlum was marked as irrelevant, as it was non-threatening. But everything about attacking Atlum again, and everything he was hearing about using Linde as bait drew his attention.

"I say we roast that little village and take whatever survives as our pay in lieu of the boss getting sliced."

"Are you insane? He gave our word, and he always led us right. If we break his word now then we-"

"Who gives a fuck about that? He's dead! We follow our own rules now!""

If you want to violate the boss's word, you need to go through me." Said a rather burly one who swung a double-bladed axe while taking a stance.

"You wanna fight me? Fine! Let's go ya big brute!"

The one talking of burning the village swung a sword and prepared to do battle with the much larger one. They squared off and charged one another with the others around making a circle and keeping the blocked in to fight. The charge turned into a clash of blades as the weapons struck one another, and an ugly brawl broke out between them ending with the axe wielder disemboweling the sword wielder. As his insides spilled to the floor he coughed up blood and fell to the ground a minute later.

Anyone else wanna go against the boss's word?! The brute shouted.

There was a lot of murmuring, but nobody spoke up or stepped forward.

The boss gave his word that our days of raiding were over. We all knew this life wouldn't last. We stole more than enough money to all live like kings! Enough is enough! Now let's-"

A dagger was thrown through the crowd landing squarely in his jugular on the right side. He coughed and gagged and choked on his own blood before falling to the ground and going still about twenty seconds later. The one who threw it appeared from the back. A lanky fellow with a lean build and a sinister look on his face.

"All this talk of staying true to the word of a dead man grows tiresome. We didn't get into this life to be nice or stop when we thought we had "enough." We are bandits. Brigands. Thugs. Degenerates. We don't do "nice." We take what we want when we want it. And one little man with red eyes and a fancy blade isn't going to change that. Nor will his other little friends. We are still seventy strong at least. They are four or five people at most. The odds are so in our favor it may as well be a guarantee. So..." He brought out another dagger.

"Anyone else feel like being "nice" to these village idiots?"

Silence...

"I didn't think so. Get some rest and prepare "

Kyero had heard enough. He turned to Aetrius and Lonan.

"Here is what we need to do. Since that one clearly isn't afraid of me... Yet... We need to scare him to scare the rest."

Kyero looked back, and saw him sitting in what had to be the boss's chair with two large goons beside him. Obviously he had now assumed command. Kyero looked to Aetrius and Lonan.

"Aetrius. I need you to make your way to that corner," he said, pointing to the northwest corner of the room, "and be ready on my mark to destroy the chandelier hanging there over that tunnel entryway without being seen."

He looked to Lonan.

"Lonan. I need you to climb up and be ready to close the shutters of that skylight as well." He said, pointing to an open skylight at the center of the room with two hinged wooden doors.

"I need you both to be on point to my signals. It is vital that your timing is perfect and that there is as little light as possible in this room when I make my move. If he can see me, this will all be for nothing. And we will be vulnerable to a massive counter-offensive which my lone smoke bomb isn't going to save us from. Once you are in position, give me a wave. When you're both in place, I will wait for the right moment to signal you both to begin. Are you ready?"

---

Touched by Linde’s care for her, Okumi could only smile behind her mask and nod. She didn’t want to impose on this woman any more than she already had, but she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she wished with every fibre of her being that there was some other solution. She’d long ago resigned herself to the idea that she’d never be rid of this disease – at least, not until she was dead – But... If Linde truly felt she could help, Okumi wouldn’t stop her from trying. No doubt if she ran into the same dead ends that her father had, she’d give up and apologise to Okumi. Still, the shrine maiden was optimistic. There was always a chance that things could change…

At the offer of tea, Okumi nodded again, though she was hesitant at the idea of drinking it in front of Linde. She knew that if she held her breath and only uncovered her mouth she could probably do so safely, but her paranoia and duty to those around her meant that she would often prefer to isolate herself rather than risk accidentally exposing someone to the illness. She did love tea though… Perhaps she could make her way to somewhere private to drink like she had at the inn?

Then there was the matter of her outfit. As Linde drew attention to how dishevelled Okumi looked, the shrine maiden did feel a tinge of embarrassment cross her cheeks, but thankfully her mask tended to hide such things. At the same time, her eyes sparkled and her mood lightened substantially at the prospect of shopping. Her parents had always scolded her a little for being so material, but Okumi did have a fascination when she was younger of going to town and browsing the shop windows. She rarely if ever got to buy anything, considering they were just a self-sufficient shrine that only got the odd donation. Since her self-imposed exile, she hadn’t risked trying to go shopping, both due to her lack of wealth, as well as inability to communicate well in a sale. The very idea that she got to buy something for herself was very exciting, but again… She certainly didn’t want to impose on Linde any more than she already had.

Her expression faltering a little, Okumi shook her head, and then, in the best gesture she could think of, pretended to pull out her pockets. She was trying to indicate that she didn’t have the funds to go on an extravagant trip to have tea and go shopping in a nearby village, but she wasn’t sure that would get across to Linde. She then gestured back to the mountains, forming the house box once more and pulling on her kimono a little, referring to the fact that she still had some other clothes at her shrine. They were the same old boring clothes she always had, but they were hers that she made, and she couldn’t really get anything better. Trying to change the subject so that Linde wouldn’t insist on further generosity, Okumi formed the question mark again, before moving her hands up to her eyes in fists before opening them, simulating a flash. At the same time, she tried to present herself a bit more cold and distant, sitting up and adopting a stance similar to a certain someone Linde knew. She was of course referring to Kyero, but the question she was asking was perhaps unclear…

Linde smiled when Okumi seemed to brighten at the prospect of tea and shopping for a new outfit. But then her expression faltered slightly, and she started miming again. Linde paid close attention, a calm smile on her face as she nodded with each passing moment. And finally Okumi finished her communication.

Linde chuckled.

"Thank the Gods I'm a doctor and have learned all about silent forms of communication." She laughed.

She gave Okumi a bow.

"You are most kind, miss Okumi. I appreciate the modesty on your part, telling me you have no funds. My guess is that you do not wish to impose, but please consider this tea and shopping for a new outfit as a gift from a new friend." She said with another bow.

"As for Kyero, I'm afraid I didn't quite understand what you were asking about him. But I know he was the subject... Were you asking about his eyes? Or was there something else you wanted to know?"

Lonán witnessed what went on, the battle for leadership in terms of the equivalent of a Saharan Honor Duel, and then the means of assassinating the bigger man by someone with more guile. He gave a small silent prayer to Heresta to receive the two warriors slain. ”Heresta’s Palace of Warriors, open up your doors, receive the men who fought and died. Receive them and judge their life and deeds accordingly.”

But it did become clear, the one who now lead them had no intentions of leaving. He had to be dealt with however the scare tactic Kyero had planned work. He listened to his instructions and gave a nod and began to make his way towards the Skylight, prepared to do his part and ensure it was perfectly timed.

If darkness is what Kyero wanted, he’ll get it. He kept himself hidden and gave a wave towards Kyero indicating he was in position of the Skylight prepared to shut them at his signal. ”Lets do this! The time to put fear into their hearts comes! Heresta guide this battle of intimidation!”

Kyero waited patiently for Aetrius and Lonan to get into position. Both moved with precision, which was excellent. Aetrius might make for a good assassin if she were so inclined someday. But it was time to focus.

Kyero looked down watching what happened below like a hawk, waiting for just the right moment to signal the dousing of lights.

"So what do we do first?" Asked one of the thugs near the new self-appointed leader.

"We rest and prepare our weaponry and armor for a final assault. If those five stand in our way again we will not stop. We will overwhelm them with sheer numbers. That's all wee need."

NOW.

Kyero gave a wave of his hand, signaling the others to do their part. Aetrius expertly used her dagger to slice the rope holding the chandelier, causing it to fall and crash by the lower entrance into the massive cavern, dousing much of the light on that side. Lonan, near simultaneously, slammed the two hinged doors closed and held them in place until he found a latch to lock them that way and move to a better position just in case something went wrong.

Kyero took that as his cue, and disappeared into the darkness.

"What happened?!"

I don't know! I can't see a thing!"

Someone get a lantern or something!"

The confusion was clear, and a moment later the leader was in the middle of the room in the dark. His outline was just barely visible.

"Someone get a fucking light in here!"

At that moment, a red light appeared almost exactly ten feet away from him.

"What the-"

A second light appeared.

"What is this?"

The lights grew brighter and brighter, and before long it was clear what they were and from what, or rather whom, they were being emitted.

"Oh... So it's you. What do you want?"

There was no response, but the eyes grew brighter.

"You want to kill me? Then come at me! So long as I know where your eyes are, I can kill you. So come!"

The sound of a dagger being drawn filled the room, followed by the sound of two other daggers being drawn. But before the leader could attempt any attack, another had rushed the red eyes. A slight shift in their position, and a splatter that was only visible because of the light of his eyes. Black liquid flew through the air in a massive stream blocking his eyes from the leader's view for a moment before he was able to see them again. A cry of pain, and then the sound of a body hitting the floor crying out in pain filled the room with an eerie echo because of how empty the chamber was now.

Another tried to rush, and again a shift in the position of the eyes, a splatter of liquid, screams of pain, and echoes of said screams resounding through the chamber and the halls beyond.

But what had the leader sweating now in the dark was the fact that the eyes never blinked or looked away. It was as if they were frozen wide open and staring a hole through his face.

"What do you want?!" He yelled.

The eyes narrowed, and grew even brighter. But despite how bright the eyes grew... There was no face illuminated with it. It was just a pair of eyes floating in the darkness.

"What do you want?!?" He screamed again.

He couldn't take the silence anymore. He rushed forward and attacked, but paused as he seemed to hit a brick wall. There was a sharp pain in his chest, and the eyes slowly disappeared from view as darkness once again took over.

A moment later, someone pulled a few levers which opened the skylight and the new self-appointed leader was dead in the center of the room with a single blade wound to the heart and lying in a pool of his own blood.

The red eyes, and whoever they belonged to, were nowhere to be seen...

"What the fuck?!"

"It was the red-Eyed Demon! He did this! He killed our leader [u]again[u]!"

"Anyone else think it's a good idea to attack Atlum?!"

Bedlum erupted through the caves as others rushed in and out through the various entrances. Kyero was back in the rafters, having pulled on a black face mask so only his eyes were exposed which was how his face was never reflected. He lifted the mask and sighed as he nodded to the others to join him. And together they watched with satisfaction as the bandits all began turning on one another and fought amongst themselves until at last they shouted what the group wanted to hear.

"No more! No fucking more! I'm done!"

"Same! I'm out of here! I'm not dying for a few more gold than I already have!"

And the others were all in agreement. Kyero pointed to the skylight, and they all left through it as the cavern was cleared of bandits. Once above ground again, Kyero smiled as he looked at his companions.

"Well done, both of you. I could not have managed that alone. The village is safe."

---

Okumi sighed to herself as her attempts to dissuade Linde from supporting her financially were a failure, the Shrine Maiden too polite to refuse such a gift a second time. As such, she felt obliged to accompany her wherever it was that she wanted to go, but she did still feel a bit guilty that she forced to rely on her for so much. She’d have to try and make it up to her at some point, especially since Linde considered the two to be friends. Okumi liked the idea of that, but somehow, she felt someone as important and respected as Linde would go on to much greater things then the forgettable shrine maiden that was Okumi. Considering Okumi was settled where she was, and Linde seemed to travel, it was doubtful they’d get too long to get to know each other, but it wouldn’t hurt to make the most of it for now. Perhaps she could make something for Linde back at her shrine before the doctor left?

Pondering this, it then became apparent that although Okumi had managed to get across that she wanted to know more about Kyero, Linde wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to know about him. She’d been hoping to get some general information, as there were many questions Okumi had about him. Surely her curiosity would be sated at some point, but for now, she felt it prudent to talk about Linde as well, given how kind she’d been and the amount of focus she’d put on Okumi. Gesturing with another point to Linde, the shrine maiden then mimed her ‘Kyero’ pose once more, before forming a heart with her hands, and then a question mark. Linde might misinterpret it, but Okumi was asking about Linde’s relationship to Kyero and how she got to know him. They seemed close, which Okumi found curious given their somewhat opposing natures. Of course, if she got the chance, she’d ‘speak’ with Kyero personally and find out more about him, but for now, Okumi was curious about these two and their connection.

Looking out towards the direction Kyero and the others went, she wondered how they were going, and whether they’d wait for them before their shopping trip. After all, she wasn’t sure when and where they’d meet up, or how long this mission of theirs would take. Still… She really did hope it went well, even if it did take longer. She’d seen enough bodies to last a lifetime.

Linde watched Okumi do her miming once again, and this time when she saw the heart she blushed slightly and stuttered over her words.

"I-I-I mean... We uh... We're not in love, if that's what you meant by the heart." She said nervously.

She looked away, trying to get rid of the blush with a brief moment of meditation to calm her mind. But it was no use. Her heart was aflutter and she didn't know how to stop it other than talking about something other than romantic feelings.

"You see, Kyero and I met almost several months ago and he uh... He uuuhhh... He was doing something important. He also knew a childhood friend of mine who was helping him. He and I were not friends at first. I kind of tried to kill him, actually." She laughed nervously.

"And uh... See we... We got to talking after that and sort of became allies first. After that we became friends. And we grew closer because..."

She froze.

She looked away again, looking at the ground with a quiet sadness.

"We uh... We both lost something not long ago... Someone... And it... It made us both realize how valuable our relationships are even if they're not that strong on the outside."

Linde looked at Okumi, still blushing and sporting a somewhat bashful smile.

"Kyero is a friend. He is the Red-Eyed Demon and an assassin, but he has learned the value of life even if his choices and strategies don't always reflect that. But he's trying. Little by little we've made progress with him, and he wants to turn over a new leaf. But so long as Te'i Sai is out there he can't really rest or be who he wants to be. They're hunting him, you see. And together we're trying to ensure he survives..."

She wanted to say more, but she had to stop herself.

"Forgive me... I have been rambling. Anyway, let's get you that tea! I know a lovely little restaurant in the village the survived the chaos, and it's not far!" She said as enthusiastically as she could manage.

---

Okumi listened intently to Linde’s story, stifling a small giggle at how flustered Linde became at the notion of romantic feelings between Kyero and her. The idea that Linde once tried to kill Kyero was amusing on some level, especially with how well they seemed to get on now. It warmed the heart to know they could overcome their differences. Still, it was clear the conversation steered somewhere Linde hadn’t intended as her face fell, and a sombre silence filled the air. Okumi understood what that sort of loss felt like, and could respect the lessons that it seemed to teach people. At the same time, it was yet another example of how the world could be cruel. Still, there was no sense dwelling on the past, and it seemed Linde felt the same as she brightened once again, speaking of Kyero fondly and how he’d changed. It truly did seem like something admirable, though the idea of Linde and Kyero being hunted was disconcerting…

It had all been quite the interesting tale, Okumi nodding appreciatively as she came to understand the dynamic between Kyero and Linde some more. Honestly, she would have been happen to continue listening to Linde run through her history, but it seemed the doctor had remembered her earlier promise to get some tea and go shopping. As Linde jumped to her feet and declared she knew a lovely place in town, Okumi nodded, smiling as she sat up and made her way to follow Linde’s lead. Briefly, Okumi glanced back towards the direction of the cave, pausing to watch before picking up pace to catch up to Linde. They’d be fine, right?

---

Tea at the restaurant was enjoyable, if a little strange. They sat outside and got to discuss a few more things about each other, Okumi doing her best to accommodate Linde’s probes into her shrine, along with the occasional query regarding her illness. In turn, Linde spoke a bit about herself and her training. It was very impressive the breadth of knowledge Linde had in medicine, made all the more impressive by her fighting skills. She certainly was a multi-talented wonder, and it really was no surprise that she’d earned the nickname of Angelic Knight. Okumi had to wonder if she’d ever be known by a nickname. The Silent Maiden? It certainly sounded cool, but perhaps a little ominous or sad… Certainly not as impressive sounding as an Angelic Knight, but Linde probably was more impressive than Okumi, so it made sense.

When the tea arrived, it took quite a bit of convincing from Linde to have Okumi let her guard down and drink in front of her. Despite her pleas, Linde only managed to convince Okumi to drink by covering her own mouth. Although she was still hesitant, the shrine maiden stuck to her promise, lifting the bottom of her mask briefly in order to sip before immediately pulling it back into place. It looked weird, and she certainly was drawing the odd look from those passing by – though that was probably more to do with her strange tattered and bloody outfit than her odd drinking habits. Regardless, the two got to enjoy their tea in peace, taking it in turns to drink until they were finished. With that finished, it was time to move on to getting Okumi presentable once more.

Dragging Okumi along by her hand, Linde seemed more excited than the shrine maiden, which was a bit of a surprise to Okumi. After all, she was the one getting a new outfit (Which she was pretty excited about herself), but Linde was talking about all sorts of things in terms of design and showing off that it almost seemed like Linde was shopping for herself. Stepping into the store with Linde, Okumi slowly made her way around the racks and shelves of clothing, taking it all in steadily. There were many different kinds of outfits and styles, the whole thing a little bit overwhelming to the uncultured shrine maiden. She didn’t know where to begin, and so ended up standing awkwardly turning around in the middle of the store. After watching this for a few more moments, Linde stepped in to assist, taking Okumi to the changing stall and, after briefly appraising the girl, offered to help by fetching clothes for her to try. Nodding with only a slight blush, Okumi was happy to let Linde make the choice for her, especially since she’d be paying. All she had to do was let Linde know when she found one she liked, and that would be that.

The first outfit was… Interesting to Okumi. The jacket was small, barely reaching to her hips, though it was in a lovely turquoise colour. Underneath, she wore a small, loose black shirt, and to finish it off, she had a small pair of shorts in a creamy white colour. Wiggling her hips as she pulled the outfit snuggly into place, it certainly felt very different to her kimono. Briefly, she posed to look at herself in front of the mirror, bending over slightly. It certainly showed more skin than she was used to… Cautiously stepping out of the changing room, hands behind her back, Okumi blushed as Linde circled around her commenting and gawking at how wonderful it was. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Okumi covered her cheeks, watching Linde give her a thumbs up, but at the same time, holding out another outfit. Wait, she wanted her to try this too..?

Moving back into the changing room as Linde pushed her along, Okumi looked back to the mirror again and smiled. Well, it certainly was fun trying things on. A little more experimentation wouldn't hurt. Next came a blue outfit, the navy tank top and sky blue skirt was a complementary mix, rounded off by a white sheer shawl. Taking a few moments to look it over, Okumi realised that there was also a lace choker, which she simply connected around her neck before stepping out to greet Linde. After another period of fawning and receiving positive feedback, Okumi was given a set of different outfits, the shrine maiden suppressing a laugh as she went back to the change room. This truly was fun. She’d always had two brothers, so the only person who’d come close to understanding her interest in things like this was her mother. And even then… Her mother was pretty minimalist. She had no real interest in such things, but did her best to feign interest for Okumi’s benefit. She missed her… But for now, she had a friend. Someone genuinely encouraging her. And for the moment, that made it all okay.

From there, Okumi kept trying on different pieces, surprised by the variety of things they had. One moment she was in a ball gown, the next, something akin to military wear, a yukata, and even a styled knitted blue dress; but finally, she managed to narrow herself down to a couple of different outfits. She wanted a dress. She knew that from the beginning, but she wanted something different to her normal shrine maiden outfits. That said, the first one she thought might be okay was something simple, a plain White Dress, with some thin shoulder straps and only a few frills to make it stand out. The other outfit was a bit more elaborate; a mixture of black and white into a more covering piece. With the long sleeve white turtleneck underneath the black buckled and tied dress, it provided a nice contrast, and even came with some pantyhose and a ribbon. Having tried both, Okumi went to Linde for a final opinion,holding up the two different dresses to try and gauge which her friend liked. After all, she was buying it, and her opinion mattered to her greatly.

Tea time with Okumi had been absolutely lovely. They had managed to connect a little more with Linde sharing about herself and Kyero, and Okumi sharing what she could about her shrine and illness. The tea was heavenly for this time in the early morning, and Linde relished the chance to simply sit and sip tea with another person. She hadn't had the time in some number of weeks, and she had missed it dearly.

She recalled for Okumi how her work as a doctor forced her to travel a lot and leave her own clinic, the Almna Apothecary and Clinic, in the hands of her nurses and a family friend. That time spent away was like spending time away from family. Everyone in the clinic knew each other very well and were as close as blood in many cases. Despite no romantic feelings among them, the friendship and familial bond was very strong. Linde loved her employees and all of her patients as well, even those who gave her a hard time when they came in. A few young men would deliberately injure themselves to spend time with her, as she was in high demand as a bachelorette back in Cre' Est. Everyone knew she was single, and being twenty-one years old she was in the prime time of her life to find a husband.

She was not ready to settle down though. She felt something missing. Like something in her heart hadn't completed itself yet. And that before she could marry, she needed to find the piece that finished the puzzle that was her heart. She apologized to Okumi for rambling on, but Okumi tried to assure her it was no trouble.

When they finished their tea Linde took her shopping for clothes at a local tailor, picking as many varied outfits as she could for the shrine maiden which were just normal, everyday clothes. Despite her work, Okumi seemed to want to just try looking normal, and she tried on each one seemingly having a good time throughout the experience. Finally, she held up a white dress and a black dress with more of a covering to the body checking which Linde thought looked better.

Linde happily pointed to the white dress and took it from her, folding it up and preparing to walk it to the counter to purchase it.

"Perhaps I am biased, but I think this white dress draws out more of your feminine charm." She said with a giggle.

With the dress chosen, she walked to the counter and brought out her coin pouch. She had approximately five silver on her at present. She'd need to get more soon. Perhaps a visit to her clinic would be in order...

After having paid the man behind the counter, she handed the dress to Okumi to wear as they left the tailor. Linde, meanwhile, held onto Okumi's old shrine maiden outfit and folded it up nicely for her to carry as they headed to the edge of town to meet with the others. And thankfully they didn't have to wait very long.

On the horizon came three figures who walked calmly back, seemingly unharmed and in good spirits. As they drew closer they found that it was indeed their new friends. Kyero in the center wearing his cloak with hood drawn followed by Aetrius and Lonan. When they arrived, Kyero relayed the story. Linde was slightly saddened that a small handful were killed, but it was better than a wholesale slaughter. A few lives of those more aggressive and bent on conquering than fleeing were a small price to pay in the end. Still, Linde said a silent prayer for the men who assaulted Kyero and lost their lives while he intimidated and killed the self-appointed leader.

"Aetrius is hungry." Kyero said.