Thank you ScatterSunshine50 and miraculousshadow1997 for leaving comments! As might be obvious, I completely forgot about updating once a week until I saw the comments come in. They are definitely helping me remember. Hope this part is enjoyable. :)


"Anazel!"

Alternis turned at the sound of his name, just in time to see Eyvel make her way over to him through the crowd. Smiling, he met her halfway. She was late.

"I was wondering if you were going to show," he said, catching her by the elbow as she caught her breath. He'd been worried. Now that Agnès had openly discussed pairing with Eternia, she and her guards would be under more scrutiny, which meant that Eyvel might be as well.

"I'm sorry," she said, wrapping her hands around his arm. "We had a meeting this afternoon that ran over, and then… well, we'll talk about it later." She guided him away from the restaurant he'd been standing in front of.

"You're not in the mood for spicy food today?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow. They'd visited this place once before, and she'd liked it.

"Not today."

As she led him toward another restaurant, he felt unease trickle up his spine. Had she been compromised? Did she suspect him now as a traitor to the Crystal Orthodoxy? What was going to happen in this new location?

"Wait," he said, stopping before the new shopfront. His eyes skimmed their menu. "I, ah… I have an intolerance to shellfish. Can we dine elsewhere?"

Eyvel blinked up at him, her eyes glancing to the side before she nodded. He fought not to follow her gaze. "Of course, Anazel. What would you like?"

Would it be too risky to go to any of the shops on this street? He wasn't sure. Instead, he guided her to a tea shop that he knew also sold sandwiches, and one that would likely be crowded. They'd blend into all the people better.

Once they ordered their meals, they found a cozy table in the corner, and he watched her as she added sugar and milk to her tea. He'd ordered black coffee, of course, something that he could be sure wouldn't have anything added to it.

"How have you been?" he asked her.

"I'm good," she replied, giving him a wide smile. It seemed sincere enough, but he still felt unsure. "Things are… busy, after that announcement yesterday. We're still filtering complaints from the citizens. They just keep coming in!"

"I imagine," he murmured. "Many of them must not be very happy."

"No. They're not. Of course, rumors have spread about what exactly was said. Were you there?"

"I had food poisoning," he replied, because that was their story. Likely, she already knew if he'd been there as Anazel. "I told you, an intolerance to shellfish. Somehow, I avoided it up until now in Caldisla. My brother had to fill me in on the story."

"I see." What did she see, he wondered, as she looked off into the distance, wetting her lips with her tongue. "Well, I'm sure you can imagine what happened after people gossiped and talked and the story spread. At least one group of people is convinced that the Vestal had said the country was going to be assimilated into Eternia. It's a nightmare."

He grimaced. "Of course she would never say such a thing. They're just frightened."

Eyvel swirled her spoon in her cup. "The Matriarch was so upset, and then the complaints started coming in… we only left last night because extra guards came on duty, and I only got out today when I did because I begged for it."

"Are they… angry at us?" he decided to ask. Had she told them that she was leaving to go on a date with one of the guards of the Vestal who had seemingly betrayed them?

Eyvel said nothing for a long moment, during which his eyes darted around the room for a potential exit.

"I think I'm being followed," she finally told him, bringing her cup up to her lips to mask them. He had to strain to hear her words. "I know they're certainly suspicious as to why I'm meeting with you so frequently now. I told them the restaurant I was due at, and only then did they let me leave today."

So that was why she'd wanted to go elsewhere. Just in case they'd had spies waiting for them, or worse. Not for the first time, his heart swelled at how smart she was, and how much she was risking to meet with him.

Or was she in on it too? No, he had to remind himself that a spy wouldn't out themselves so openly. Probably.

"I'll keep an eye out," he assured her. But if she was being followed, perhaps by one of the couples that were just seated beside them, then they wouldn't be able to talk openly about why they'd met. Dammit, and he needed that information! The villages that Agnès had supplied were useful, but three of them had already been struck, and one he knew had been long abandoned. "If I hear anyone besmirching the name of the Matriarch, I'll do what I can to correct them. The Wind Vestal still wishes to work with her. It's just that she's fearful for the Water Vestal's life. Eternia has offered their assistance, and she sees no reason not to accept. They seem sincere."

"Oh, I understand," Eyvel said to him, smiling. Her eyes met his, her gaze holding steady. "Thank you for everything. I do hope that the Water Vestal is found soon, though I admit that I'll be sad to see you go."

The heat on his cheeks was real. "I… could always visit," he croaked out. "Once she's found and we leave. Edea will have the baby soon, and she can take her place at Agnès's side once more, which would leave me free to travel, if I desire." He still had to play at being a native Caldislan, and a temporary addition to the party.

"Oh, you should! If you do, make sure you visit in the autumn. I'd love for you to see the Harvest Festival."

He had seen it. Multiple times, starving in the shadows as great meals were cooked and shared amongst the townspeople. Truthfully, it had been some of his favorite times, because the women would usually pretend not to notice if some of the food went missing, and the tables were spread out even to the edges of the roads. Once or twice he'd even gone to sleep with a rare full belly.

"Perhaps," he said slowly, forcing himself to move away from those thoughts. The couple next to them still had not ordered even drinks. They were examining their menus. "When is it? I'll have to ask my brother what he thinks."

Their conversation from there drifted in a more casual direction. Though she did mention a village called Summer Stream to the east, he knew that today's meeting would be fruitless. Neither of them knew if they were being spied upon, and who might overhear. Doubtlessly, she would be watched now, as would he. It was a good thing he had thought to have Nebren take over as the Dark Knight.

"It's getting late," he finally said, glancing out the window. "I should return you to the dorms before the sun sets. I'm sure you'll need to wake early tomorrow."

The couple beside them had ordered drinks and nothing else. They were poor spies.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. They'd both eaten sandwiches, and he'd also bought her some cake. "I'm so happy I was able to see you today! When can we go on another date?"

He forced what he hoped was a casual laugh, anxiety churning in his stomach. This was taking so long. "When are you next available? I imagine that we'll be busy for a while."

"Has she heard anything yet?" Evyel asked, then added. "Oh! Is it alright for me to ask that?"

He shrugged. It might be good for the spies to think Eyvel was getting information out of him, perhaps. He just needed them to watch her less closely, though he doubted that would happen anytime soon. A close confident and guard of the Matriarch, dating someone who was in the same part as the Vestal who had just declared an alliance with Eternia? If they were lucky, she wouldn't be interrogated.

"Not that I am aware of," he replied, standing and pushing in his chair. "I will be honest… my brother and Tiz talk with with her more about the plans. They're more seasoned adventurers than I."

Eyvel was quiet for a long moment as she stood as well, brushing off her skirts. "That's too bad," she finally said. "Hopefully though, the Water Vestal will hear the pleas of the Wind Vestal and reply. Wouldn't that be good?"

Those words sounded familiar.

"It would be."

He offered her his arm and led her out of the establishment. By now, the crowds had died down, and there were very people on the streets. Frustration boiled at him. Yes, drawing out the Water Vestal was one reason that Agnès had made her public plea, but if she didn't respond, then they needed intel! He needed to get her alone, and in a place where they couldn't be spied upon.

He gnawed at his lip as they moved, Eyvel chattering mindlessly at him about the weather, all while he escorted her back to the upper reaches of the city where her dorm was. As one of the Matriarch's personal guards, she and the other women lived in a large home near the Matriarch's dwelling. She would have no privacy there, and he doubted she'd be able to send him another message without it being intercepted and read.

Her hands suddenly squeezed his arm. When he glanced down at her, her eyes were watery. "It's been nice being with you," she told him. "Even it has been largely for show."

What?

"What?"

"I recognize the two women coming toward us. They're from the Black Blossoms."

The Black Blossoms. Florem's elite team of spies. If they were openly approaching the two of them, then…

He had to think fast. Worst case, he was about to be taken into custody, and while he knew Ringabel and the others would find out eventually, it would hamper the party. The other worst case scenario was that Eyvel was about to be taken into custody, and he would lose a valuable resource. More than just a valuable resource, he would lose a friend. His mind blanked, and a peculiar feeling bubbled up in his chest, feeling hot and uncomfortable.

He panicked.

With a low noise, he pulled her into the shadowy alcove of a building, not looking at anyone but her.

"Ah? Anaz-" Whatever she'd been about to say was muffled by his lips pressing to hers, eager and more than a little desperate in his anxiousness. Her hands clutched his arms. Her lips were warm and very soft. He could taste the tea she'd been consuming, and the remains of her dessert. People, especially Florians, hated public displays of affection, didn't they? It would hopefully be enough to deter the two women from confronting them publicly. For better or worse, people would be disgusted by the sight and avoid them.

"You'll… come stay the night with me, won't you?" he asked her as he pulled away. His breath was shaky, as was hers. "We're going into the forest tomorrow, and… I would like to spend the night with you. Please."

With his hair as short as it was, he couldn't glance through it to check on the Black Blossoms. Eyvel looked dazzled. "Ah… are you sure?" she asked him, her cheeks warm. She glanced toward the street, and he took the opportunity to do so as well, taking care to look ashamed. Yes, they were just a couple that was making a display, that was all,.

The women that had been approaching them had stopped, and looked highly uncomfortable as they looked the couple over, now unsure in their actions. They deserved it.

However, he also glimpsed a familiar head full of platinum blond hair making its way to them. Damn him! And yet…

"I am very sure," he told her. "I'll ask my brother." There was now safety in numbers.

"Your…"

"What are you doing here?" Alternis asked Ringabel crossly as soon as he was close. Eyvel ducked her face down, sweeping her hair across her features, even as Alternis held her by the hand. The more obnoxiously they displayed affection, the more they might be able to keep the authorities at bay, who might not want to interrupt an innocent-seeming couple. "I told you that I did not need a chaperone."

"Ah, but perhaps you do," Ringabel replied, smiling. His eyes betrayed his feelings. "Hello, Eyvel. It's been some time."

"Yes, it has."

"Agnès was worried that you had missed dinner, and though I tried to assure her that you were surely eating on your date, she wanted me to try and check up on you regardless."

Alternis sighed. He wasn't sure he believed that, but as long as any of the women listening in on them did. Doubtless, the Vestal had been concerned about him going into the city by himself after what had happened yesterday.

"Well, we were just heading back, weren't we?"

"We?" Ringabel asked, then glanced the two of them over. A grin crept across his features. "Ah, I see!"

"Will that be a problem?" Alternis asked Eyvel. The two people who had been approaching them had stepped back for now. It seemed they were unwilling to apprehend people in public when there were witnesses, not to mention his brother. They couldn't antagonize the Vestal openly, and to that end, Alternis had already realized he would have to take Eyvel back to the Grandship. There was no telling what they would do to her once she was in her dorm, by herself.

"I shouldn't think so," she replied slowly. "I.. wouldn't mind, I don't… think." She ducked her head down again.

To an onlooker, she was a bashful girl, embarrassed at being confronted by her boyfriend's brother. But Alternis could feel her shaking in real fright. She too, knew what could happen if she was to return to the dorms.

"Then, let's be off," he offered.

"Oh!" she said. "May we stop by to see my sister first? I… I need to ask her something."

"Girl talk, is it?" Ringabel mused out loud. "I don't see why you can't! I would like to talk to my brother as well."

Alternis groaned. "Must we? I'm too old for this."

Despite his protest, Ringabel slung an arm around his shoulder and began to steer the two of them away from the awkward spies. "We must," he said with such finality that Alternis knew they wouldn't be interrupted. Watched from afar, perhaps, but not interrupted. They could likely safely escort Eyvel out to the Grandship and keep her from their grasp, keep her from being interrogated about whatever information she had either received or been given.

"Lead the way, Evyel."

As they walked toward her sister's home, Alternis's stomach twisted with anxiety. He had meant to get information from her, just enough to help them find the Water Vestal, but now he had placed her in very real danger. And the kiss! It had thrown off their pursuers, but it had also thrown off her. She was very quiet at his side, offering little more than cursory replies to Ringabel's questions. The other man was pointedly not asking anything related to her job, nor the Matriarch, instead asking her about her background. Where she was from. What school she had gone to. Where she had purchased that cute blouse. And was her sister single?

At her sister's home, they all entered, but Alternis and Ringabel hung near the door as Eyvel swept into the bedroom with her sister, begging her for a talk.

"Saying goodbye, I imagine," Ringabel said, leaning against the wall. "We'll want to keep her on Grandship until this whole thing has blown over."

"How long were you tailing me?" Alternis asked, suspiciously. It had been very good timing for Ringabel to show up like that, and he wondered why he hadn't seen him before.

"Not long," Ringabel admitted sheepishly. "You were late coming back, and we were getting worried. I only just spotted the two of you leaving the restaurant and followed you then. I was too far back for you to see me, I imagine. Thankfully your hair stands out in a crowd."

Alternis ran his fingers through his short locks self-consciously. So that meant that Ringabel had seen … everything.

"It was smart," Ringabel admitted. "People are uncomfortable when they see a couple kissing in public, especially in Florem. They had no idea how to handle it!"

"They would have apprehended her had I not." Now that he was no longer in the moment, heart pounding in panic, he knew that had been their objective. They wouldn't have been able to take a guard of the Wind Vestal into custody without reason, a good reason. The same could be said if they suspected his true identity. So long as he had not committed any crimes, he was the same as any visitor, free to go as he pleased. Eyvel, on the other hand… they surely wanted to question her about her relationship. Hopefully, the kiss and the invitation would help show that it was purely a romantic one.

On the outside, at least. His cheeks flushed.

"I am proud you thought so quickly," Ringabel said, his grin infuriatingly smug. "Even if that is a move I might do myself - in the past, of course, before I married."

"Ugh," Alternis replied, elbowing Ringabel in the side. "Don't compare me to you."

Still, Eyvel's earlier words bothered him. He thought back to them, ignoring Ringabel as the other man prattled on about inner thoughts and feelings, and within a few short moments, Eyvel and her sister came back into the hallway. She had a small bag over one shoulder.

"I'd normally go to the dorm to get my clothes, but…" she shook her head. "I kept some items with my sister. Some things have always been more secure here, though it pains me to admit it."

Alternis nodded. So she'd wanted to say goodbye as well as take some of her most important belongings.

"Don't worry about clothing," Ringabel assured her. "Edea left most of her wardrobe on the Grandship, and I'm sure you can fit into her blouses, as well as some of her skirts."

"If you've forgotten anything, I can go to the dorm for you," her sister offered. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that. Alternis didn't want to involve any other civilians.

"I'll let you know!" Eyvel replied, then kissed her sister on the cheek. "Thank you."

"Let's be off," Ringabel said. "The sun will be setting soon, and I hate to traverse the gardens in the dark."

In the dark, the Florem spies were even more effective. Alternis could feel their eyes on them from the shadows, ever watchful, as they made their way out of the housing district and to the entry gates. Eyvel clutched her bag carefully, her arm threaded through his.

"What time must you be at work tomorrow?" he asked her, voice loud enough to be heard by the people walking past them. They would hear that she was planning on returning tomorrow, that she was planning to spend just one night with him..

"Mmm, I usually report in at dawn. Though with today… I could be some hours late." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'd like to sleep in for once."

His cheeks were hot, even with the cool air of the gardens that drifted through the gate. They were very nearly there. "I… I would like that as well," he said, voice cracking.

Yes, just a normal couple…

Once they were safely on Grandship, the walls crumbled, and the five of them gathered in the room that he would be staying in. Eyvel wept on the bed in relief as he and Agnès flanked her.

"They were likely going to arrest me," she said, rubbing at her cheek. "Those ropes they held in their hands? Enchanted to prevent the usage of magical incantations." She'd told Alternis previously that she knew some magic, as was required of those who protected the Matriarch. Without it, and with her hands bound, she would have been defenseless.

"For them to try and arrest an innocent girl!" Agnès fumed. "That's simply unacceptable!"

"I have been giving information to the enemy," Eyvel pointed out. "They have surely noticed my odd behavior, and made the connection that I'm providing it to my boyfriend, who is one of the bodyguards of the Wind Vestal that is working against them."

"Agnès is not the enemy. You've only been providing us with useful information so that we might work together."

"It is still confidential state secrets. Regardless of intent, my actions are still there, and they are hardly innocent."

Alternis let out a sigh. "You can stay on Grandship until we've located the Water Vestal. Do you suppose they'll let you back into the fold once we're gone?"

"Perhaps," Eyvel said slowly. "Though I think their suspicions will grow even stronger if I don't return tomorrow. … But then, If I do return…"

"That's easy," Ringabel reassured her. "We'll just tell everyone that you decided to elope with - with Anazel and are staying on the Grandship to enjoy your time with him."

Alternis swatted him with a hand.

"He is right," Agnès said, swatting Alternis in return. "Women often leave Florem for love. Eyvel will be just one of many. Or, er… that is how the story will go at least," Agnès clarified, her cheeks dusting pink.

Eyvel looked down at her hands in her lap. For a long moment, they were all silent until she spoke, her voice quiet. "Can we say that the Vestal officiated the elopement?"

Ringabel smiled. "Is that one of your duties, Agnès?"

"For the faithful, yes."

Alternis groaned. First a girlfriend, now a wife! So long as Agnès didn't have it in her mind to actually officiate a wedding, and Ringabel didn't push her into it, then… fine. He would accept this. It was just a part of his undercover identity.

"I'm sorry," Eyvel told him, her cheeks flushing even deeper. "I - "

"No, it's quite alright," he said to her. "I understand the need for the secrecy and stories. It's simply that I hadn't planned on being wed so soon, facade or not. Unlike my fool of a brother here, I'm not so old to settle for marriage."

"I beg your pardon?"

She looked thoughtful. "Oh, I see."

"In any case, now that you are here… let's talk about the information you wanted to give me." Alternis pressed on, eager to move away from talk of elopements and cover stories. They were going to have to keep using his fake name for now, and be more careful about it. The others on the ship would need to be told. He would have to hide his journal, lest she wonder about the "D" on it. What else could it stand for aside from Dim?

"Right." She wiped away the last of the tears on her face and stood to go to the table where the maps were laid out. For now, it was decided that she would be staying in Alternis's room with him. It had two beds, after all, though one had been buried for the past few months under clothing and other clutter since Edea and Ringabel shared their one. .Ringabel had already started on clearing off the bed and would change the sheets as well. She would be comfortable.

"Did you find anything?" Alternis asked her.

"I did. I looked into the letters we've gotten in the past, and I pulled up some of our maps of the Florem forest. So much is actually unmapped, undocumented, but there are bits and pieces here. The city really doesn't interfere much with the outlying villages, so we have limited information."

She was still shaking, somewhat quiet as she took the pencil from him and marked on the map where she remembered the villages being. It seemed as though she'd been unable to take anything with her, had been fearful about documenting anything on paper, and so had had to rely only on her memory.

"It's good enough," Alternis told her, looking over her notes. There were several villages he didn't recognize, some he did. They could go out scouting tomorrow at the locations she'd pointed out, bringing the Wind Vestal with them to help flush out the faithful. Some of the villages were far away from the current rampage. They needed to start there, where it still might be safe. With any luck, the Water Vestal had been drifting further and further deep in the woods. "Thank you, Eyvel."


The next day, the party set out into the Florem woods.

In order to make travel both faster and safer, the Dark Knight flew them deep into the Florem woods, almost to the edge of the mountains. They would be dropped off there, and Alternis took a flare so that they could signal for either help or to be picked up, whichever came first.

Anazel would be fighting during this trip, at the Wind Vestal's side where anyone could see. 'Alternis' would remain on the Dark Knight. He was their ally, but was supposed to be handling intel, or so they had to make it seem.

"Doesn't it get exhausting?" Ringabel asked as they started to set off into the woods. The Dark Knight would be moored nearby, where any flares would be visible and was flying so low that the trees rustled violently with her movements. "Pretending to be two different people?"

"Not any more than you," Alternis replied, shrugging. "Or do you think it's hard?"

Ringabel stuck his tongue out and turned to the map in his hands. They crowded around him.

"We've got two villages to the west, and another just to the east. The one east of here is closer than either of the western ones, and I think we can go there and be back before midday, which would mean we can make it to the first of the other villages by nightfall.."

"If there are still inhabitants in the western village, I would like to try and spend the night there," Agnès said. "It would be safest."

"We always struggle with Florem at night, but if there's something rampaging in the woods, I'd hate to have to camp out," Tiz pointed out.

Alternis nodded. "That would be the wisest course of action. The Grand Marshal has heard of tents that are able to repel monsters, though he hasn't been able to secure any for Eternia's usage."

"Does such a thing really exist?" Tiz asked as they began to set off to the east. "It's hard to imagine…"

"Have you never heard of them before?" Alternis asked Agnès, surprised.

Ringabel's head was already beginning to ache as a suppressed memory popped into mind. Yes, that sort of tent sounded awfully familiar, as did…

"No," Agnès said. "Should I?"

"The only ones in existence belong to the Crystal Guard stationed in Gathelatio," Ringabel supplied for Alternis. "I suppose you've never been there, then."

"Once, when I was a girl," Agnès said, sounding surprised at him. "All vestalings and Vestals must make the trip at least once in their lifetime, to document their names in the official records in their own hands. It was just before the Mother Vestal passed away, and I was officially named as her successor."

"Did you meet the leader of the Crystal Guard?" Alternis asked.

"No, I don't believe so… but there were so many people there, I could hardly keep track of them all. Even then, the Mother Vestal handled everything…"

The conversation died there, as a group of monsters attacked them from out of the bush. With their combined abilities, the monsters were quickly …

"Is it me, or are they more aggressive?" Ringabel grunted as one them kicked him in the knee. He stabbed it angrily with his sword, its shrieks of pain piercing his ears as it bounded back to the others.

"Perhaps they are just as scared of the invader to their woods?" Agnès suggested, firing off a Firaga. "I imagine that monsters are not immune to its fury."

Alternis slashed at another monster. He was holding off on using his Asterisk's abilities for now, until necessary. "That could be it. Or perhaps they're working together?"

"Must you be so paranoid?" Ringabel asked him, stabbing once more at the pest that had attacked him. It died with a scream, withering into nothing.

"Whittle away at the strength of travelers, and once the Monster attacks, they'll have less of a chance," Alternis said, ignoring Ringabel as he often did.

"Must you be such a downer?" Ringabel pushed back even more, annoyed at being ignored. He had a valid question here!

The last of the monsters was vanquished with both a fire spell and Tiz throwing a piece of a Bomb on them. Even before the smoke dissipated, Ringabel threw himself down into the grass.

"It's been a long time since I've been in such a serious fight," he admitted. They had only encountered small groups of monsters once or twice beforehand, in their walks back and forth from Florem to the Grandship. The last time he'd been in an actual fight… had been that time against the Eternian traitors, hadn't it?

Alternis loomed overhead, blocking out Ringabel's view of the sky. "You are a disgrace to our name," the Dark Knight complained. "Surely these weak monsters are not enough to bring you down."

Tiz chuckled. "We've just got to stretch our legs a bit, that's all.

"There will plenty of time for that," Alternis said, reaching down to help Ringabel back to his feet. After only a fraction of second of hesitation, Ringabel grasped his hand and let Alternis pull him upwards. It was better than climbing off the ground himself. "We've got a few more hours of walking, according to the map."

As they headed east to the village, the hours were passed with idle conversation, sprinkled in with an overly healthy mix of battle. The monsters were rustling about, anxious about something or another, and Ringabel could feel the same uneasiness in his stomach. Aside from the monsters, the woods were uncomfortably quiet. The normal sounds of birds were muted, far away. The more east they got, the quieter the woods seemed to be.

Tiz and Alternis had noticed as well. Even Agnès, who wasn't as experienced as the others, for all the months that she had spent traveling with them, was looking around warily. The slightest rustle of the foliage, even if just due to the wind, were making them all jump.

"I smell smoke," Alternis finally said.

They hadn't been attacked in half an hour. Ringabel prayed it meant there were wards around the village. Some of the trees they were crossing were bearing fruit; since most Florians were vegetarians, it was likely part of their diet, and they would probably have some way of warding off monsters so they could harvest.

"Smoke?" Agnès asked him, alarmed.

"Like something is cooking," he amended, voice reassuring. "Stand still and listen."

They obeyed, and the next breeze brought with them the sounds of idle chatter. No screams, no sounds of fire. Just something that might be normal village life.

Ringabel couldn't remember the last time he'd been around something resembling normal village life.

They emerged into a bright clearing, and the whole town of Violet's Peak was in front of them. As far as towns went, it was fairly small. There were only a few large buildings in the center of town, including one that Ringabel recognized was a Florian shrine to the Water Crystal, which was common in the villages in the outskirts of the Florem region. The rest of the buildings all seemed to be dwellings, the doors wide open so that the residents could walk freely indoors. Most of the people in the town seemed to be working outdoors in a communal area, while a group of children played nearby. On the other side of the buildings, they could just barely make out a field of crops.

"They're alright," Agnès said with relief, clasping her hands together. "They haven't been attacked yet!"

"Thank goodness for that," Tiz said. "Do we just go and introduce ourselves then, or…?"

"Might as well," Ringabel replied, already beginning to head toward the locals. "I would love to get to know the women of this town!" He wanted to try and charm some intel from them… and were those men who were tanning hides? He knew that the outlying villages of Florem had men, as it was only in the city that they were forbidden to live, but this was his first time seeing them.

"You are married," Alternis reminded him, rolling his eyes and following.

They stopped as the sound of a horn blew, low and long and loud. The villagers all stopped what they were doing, their chattering dying down. The children who had been playing in the grass all froze, then ran toward the adults.

"Is it us?" Agnès asked, frowning.

"Or something else," Ringabel muttered. Some people on the other side of the city, in the fields, were heading toward the town as well. Had something been spotted on their side?

They had been spotted, either way. Several people in the crowd brandished weapons and approached them, shouting.

"I'll speak with them," Agnès said, stepping forward. She clutched her wand tightly in her hands. Tiz stopped her with a hand, clutching a shield in the grip of his other hand as he moved in front of her.

"Let's just be careful," he told her. "You can talk to them, but I'll be there beside you."

Ringabel lifted his hand to show the crowd that he was unarmed, his sword tucked away at his side. He didn't need to hold a sword to use Dark Magic, though it wouldn't be near as effective. Alternis was doing the same. They couldn't risk Agnès being attacked, and Ringabel didn't like the look of the archer near the back of the group.

"State your business!" one of the men shouted.

"I am Agnès Oblige, Vestal of Wind. I have come to this village to check on you, as well as to locate Olivia Oblige."

Once more, Ringabel had nothing but admiration for her. She stood with her back straight, her hair blowing in the wind, as though she had no fear in her heart. Since the beginning of their journey, she had come a long way when addressing people. Confidence wrapped around her like a cloak.

Some of them lowered their weapons, relaxing. A few only gripped them tighter.

"Why did you come from the deep parts of the woods?" the same man asked, his eyes squinting in distrust. "How?"

"We were seeking to check on both this village, as well as the neighboring one of Aspen Waters. We truly mean no harm. We walked through the forest after an airship from… Ancheim dropped us into it."

There were glances exchanged between the villagers.

"How do we know you are truly the Vestal? We do not get many visitors." This time the question came from a woman, her hands on her hips. "Prove it."

Agnès sighed. "Of course, I understand you are suspicious. With the reports of the rampage through the forest, anyone would be. I have my Vestal garb, as well as the chain I ripped from the Crystal Beast, Orthos."

She reached into her pack to pull it out, but before she could finish - screams erupted from the other side of the village, from the fields. All of them, both adventurers and villagers alike, turned toward the noise.

"What is it?!"

"We're too late!" Ringabel shouted, already beginning to push through the group in front of him. The villagers, armed as they were, had only the most basic of weapons. Swords that looked dull, even from this distance. A few spears. A couple of bows. Things that might do damage to a human, but to a hideous beast?

More villagers were running from the fields, those who had been straying behind, trying to finish up a bit more work. Now, they had dropped baskets and were running toward the safety of the town, not that it would do much good…

Something was out there.

They were too late.