User blog:Kaerdron/Fan fiction : Mercenaries

''First major try at fanfic. Constructive criticism welcome. ''

''This story is about a small group of friends who work as mercenaries, (caravan guards, messengers and the like) and their adventure through the MGQ world. It begins a few weeks before Luka starts his journey to defeat the Monster Lord. ''

==Prologue : The Steel Walkers == 

The long convoy was progressing at walking pace on the road, as the trolleys could not go faster without letting the persons on foot behind. It was particularly important in this forest, since it marked the beginning of monster's territory. The last man following just didn't care, as he was too focused on his own thoughts.

The responsible who hired them was insistent on it : they were going in a region where monsters where roaming freely, and San Ilia refused to send guards to accompany them in, he quoted "A region were human males volontarily gave themselves to copulate with those abomination of monsters". For most residents of San Ilia, it was basically going as close to hell as they could without having to fear the loss of their goddess's blessings.

For him and his friends, however, it was just another job escorting a group of bigots while reassuring them that they had nothing to fear. Neither monster nor bandits would dare to attack such a large group in the first place, and even then, they would have to face the Steel Walkers.

<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, Seres got sick of the silence and started to trot to catch back the middle wagon to at least be able to talk with one of his friend.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">A man in his early fifties who grew up in Remina, he always was familiar was monsters, as the first thing he saw with his human parents was the Kitsune who acted as a midwife to deliver him. He spent his youth surrounded by monsters who often tried (and sometime managed) to have their way with him. While his parents were not happy with the situation, they did not put the blame on the monsters, but rather decided that the best way for him to live without the fear of being assaulted was to train him as early as they could. After a few years of training, he decided to leave Remina and Hellgondo to explore the world.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He remembered his last conversation between him and his father, the day he left.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Dad, if monsters are that dangerous, why did we keep living with them ?'

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">His father sighed with a smile, before starting to explain.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-Well, you see, monsters are powerful, but they need us to survive. Some of them like it, some of them don't. Those ones, they want to cohabit, to coexist with us. This land is inhospitable for humans, and they welcome us, they help us here." He came closer to his soon "Also, I never told you, but when she delivered you, your mother would have died if this kitsune did not use some of her magic to help her".

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">An heavy silence fell.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-It's a shame that we never got to know her name, but while she looked scary, she was kind hearted, and we live with their mischief to thank her for that night. They're not all like that of course, they're like humans. And here, they are good humans.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-I see, thanks dad, I'll come back when I will have the time.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Don't bother son, be happy, we trained you so that you could chose the way you live, we will not impede you now, don't bother with us".

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Serus then proceeded to climb on top on one of the Garuda where several people and monsters were discussing and reassuring each other about the flight.

<p style="margin:0cm0cm0.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;border:1ptnonewindowtext;padding:0cm;">This day, his father also gave him the family heirloom : a gigantic, dark war hammer. <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:0cm0cm0.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He'll come back. He promised. Even now as his short hair started to whiten, he would come back to Remina. At least to pay respect to his parents.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Hey, big guy, you're alright ?"

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Serus suddenly realized he was more than halfway through the convoy when a voice called him. He spent several seconds looking around before spotting the giggling expression of a short tanned long haired woman who was wallowed on the seat.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-I'm alright, Kaela, I was starting to get bored, and I decided I could as well come see someone and have a little chat with someone.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-And leave the rearguard of the caravan unwatched ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Kaerdron will know if someone come near the caravan. Anyway, nothing new on your side ?"

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kaela sighed before repositionning herself.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-Still boring as ever, and on your side ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Well, I have to listen to those unending debates about the benevolence of their goddess, and if I start listening to them, I may end up hitting one or two with their congener.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Stay positive. We get farther from their biggest town, and we get paid."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kaela softly laughed. She knew enough to know about Serus to know that anything which came out of his mouth when he talked about Ilias's follower was not to be said near childrens.

<p style="margin:0cm0cm0.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;border:1ptnonewindowtext;padding:0cm;">She proceeded to unsheath her two short curved sabers and make a few juggles with them before putting them back. <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keala sighed again as she wallowed again on the cart's seat looking for the sky. and started to let her mind wander off. Anything was more interesting than listening to those boring discussions.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She never understood how people could devote their live to something so boring and so useless as debating during hours what an always away being would or would not approve. During her youth in a small town south of Sabasa, there always was something to do : Help her father working in his garden, playing a prank on her brother, learn the family's work in alchemy, use random potions on guards which ended in them acting in a funny way and her parents being called by the mayor to punish her...

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She still found this life boring however, and wanted to have more fun. Even if her parents and the town accepted the prankster, she wanted more adrenaline than the sloppy chase the guards gave when they tried to catch her. It came to her in the form of a very big, very annoyed sandworm girl who decided to attack the town nearly 5 years ago, the day she reached her 17th birthday.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">After having seen the guards barely able to stand against her, Kaela decided to give it a try. She understood that since the guards could only attack the sandworm girl's lower, tougher body, she had to attack her upper part. To do so Kaela lured her near a building, and jumped on her with a sword she "borrowed" from a guard". After attacking the monster for a a few minutes, the latter decided to retreat, not before making Kaela fall from her. Luckily, her fall was cushionned by some mud. her parents and a healer rushed to her, and were shocked to find her smiling, repeating the same three words.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"That. Was. AWESOOOOOOOME !"

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few days later, she had a conversation with her parents and the mayor. They agreed to give her a map, some food and some money to travel and "annoy other people". The world was big, she was sure she could find more fun people elsewhere.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once out of her reverie, Kaela repositionned herself again. She swore under her breath, and got off the cart, and strode forward while looking at the convoy. After a few wagons, she found what she was looking for.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She looked at a small, slender man, whose head was hanging low. It almost looked like he was sleeping, if it was not for the black headband covered with runes covering his eyes. Before she could ask any question, he started to talk.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-No Kaela, we're not about to be attacked.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-We're in the middle of a heavily monster populated forest, and you are telling me there is no one ?"

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kaerdron sighed and stretched before removing the headband from his eyes, revealing perfectly banal brown eyes. After massaging his eyes for a few seconds, he resumed.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-I didn't say that, there are a lot of monsters around, mostly alraunes and centaurs, but they're curious at most. It doesn't look like any of them is going to come out of the forest to attack.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Do you think if I tell a few of those blind idiot that I saw a divine beam of light in the forest, someone will go check it out and get attacked ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Well, A, I think they're not that idiot, and B, we'll only get half paid if one person is missing or complain about getting raped. You could still ask Ellyi if you want, but I'm pretty sure her answer will remain.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Nah, I won't bother.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-In that case, take back your position and ask Serus to do the same. It's useless, but we have to reassure people.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Going !"

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Right after his partner left, Kaerdron put back the runic headband on his eyes and focused on scanning the convoy. He could feel and see Kaela going back to Serus, and then Serus going back to his place. His focus of thoughts soon found himself on his most important souvenir.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">His training at Grangold.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kaerdron could not remember the first 10 years of his life, and no longer saw any point in trying. What use it had to him, after all ? He remembered his parents were killed by monsters, his father sucked dry and his mother killed on the spot. He remembered everything he was taught during his training at Grangold's magical academy, and most important, the words uttered by the mage who led him in the building.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"You have a lot of magic potential for the gift of double sight. Here we will teach you how to master it, how to use it against those monsters which destroyed you family."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He spent the 10 next years of his life learning, studying and analyzing the possible use of magic and how to use what they called the double sight. After years of intense training under harsh instructors, he finally mastered this gift : When focused, he could easily and fastly assess the power level, the abilities, and the mood of beings in the vincinity. He could also use it to (hardly) scan a far away area to spot any particular threat. His teachers told him he could use this to search for monsters, but at this point, he became more sensitive about magic flows, and he felt something was... wrong.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">One evening, as he was working in the library, he heard another explosion from the laboratory working on sealing magic. Noticing that no one came out like usual, he decided to carefully check what was happening. He saw the responsible mage discussing with a strange woman. When he focused his sight on her, he noticed she was nothing like monsters or humans, the pure light could be called divine, angelic. He also noticed that woman was also carrying with her the aura of several, weird monsters, some of them reminding him of that one night. His next night was sleepless, and after a long time analyzing the pros and the cons, he decided to flee, stealing on his way out a prototype of magic sword he worked on with several other magis.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">This curious sword's blade was hollow, and you could pass your hand through. However, it never broke once, even when they hit rock with it. While Kaerdron felt slightly guilty about leaving with it like a thief, he kept thinking that telling the archmage what he saw would only create more questions. Since then, he kept travelling, hoping one day to truly find out what happened those two nights.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">In his focused state, Kaerdron suddenly saw a strange signal a few hundred meters away. The moment he focused on it however, there was only a trail. A mix of darkness, wind and seduction magic that could only come from the passage of a succubus, and a poweful one. Pushing his analysis further, he saw she was coming from the south, and going in the direction of Grand Noah. The aura she left informed him she probably did not care about the convoy, and was therefore not a problem.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-Problem ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-No, just a powerful succubus on the periphery going in the direction of Grand Noah.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-And you say this is not a problem ?"

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">His headband still placed over his eyes, Kaerdron turned into his interlocutor's direction and answered, smiling :

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Set, if you want me to try to magically tug her and tell her that you are looking for a little love, I'm pretty sure I could get something."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The man called Set turned and leaved sighing, his long, brown ponytail nearly endind in front of his face. They would never stop teasing him for his life, wouldn't they ? Still, he sould warn his chief about this.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">As far as he remembered, he always heard about the benevolence of Ilias during his growth into the religious town of San Ilia. His parents were humble, pious believers, who always lived following the teachings of the goddess. His mother was helping to maintain the castle's great library, and his father was a merchant's handyman. They were not rich, but they always were happy.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the day of his 8th birthday, his father's employer invited them both for a travel to Ilias's village to see the temple. On their way, they reached port Natalia, where Set had his first surprise.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He did not know any human town accepted monsters. He was shocked to see mermaids going around, talking with humans, and both parties living with each other as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As he was about to cry in panic, a mermaid approached him, smiled gently, and before she could ask what was wrong, he ran away.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">One night, during the crossing of the sea,when his father was asleep, the merchant explained him

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-You see, boy, not every monster will attack, rape and kill a man on sight like you hear those priests saying. Some of them just want to live with humans, like humans. And like humans, they have needs, and may want to honestly trade something with you.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-But Ilias say we must not live with them !

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Well, Ill-ass can say what she want, but I definitely prefer to do trade with some good monsters than with some bad humans."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Seeing the boy looking even more confused, the merchant continued.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"You know, sometime even what you consider to be the truth during most of your life can turn out to be wrong".

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Set did not know what to think, until he reached Ilias's temple. There, he saw a nun who was also travelling who created even more doubts about it.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-Ah, but Ilias doesn't hate monster you see, while her commands forbid humans to give what they want to monsters, it's not because she want monsters to die. It's because she consider them both her childrens, and fear that mixing them would create troubles.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-But monsters hate Ilias !

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Not everyone of them does, some of them love her as much, even more than humans do."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even when he came back to San Ilia, Set was confused. But he knew one thing, he had to keep believing in Ilias's love, he had to share her love. If she loved monsters and even monsters loved her, it was because she was the goddess of creation, after all.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">He finally reached the head cart where his chief was. Upon seeing her, he bowed and started to talk.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Mistress, we have a problem."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She moved a strand of dark hair of her face, and replied.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-What is it ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Kaerdron spotted a powerful succubus going straight for Grand Noah. We should warn them."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ellyi sighed before getting off the cart to get on Set's level. It did not had the desired effect since she was nearly a head taller than him. <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She started talking, with an exhausted voice :

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"First, succubi can fly fast, she probably already reached Grand Noah, and may already be further. Second, they are used to live with monsters, they even fight together in a coliseum, and the champion is a succubus. <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">It could even be her."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She breathed, and placed her hand on Set's shoulder before resuming, smiling softly.

<p style="margin:0cm0cm0.0001pt;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-And third and last, chill up ! I know you're still quite new to the Steel Walkers, you joined us slightly more than a month ago while the others have been working with me for more than 4 years, but you still act like you just arrived. I told you, there's no need to be that formal. I'm not even as much the chief as the speakperson of the group when it comes to finding work and important decisions. In fight, it would more likely be Seres,  he is more used to deal with monsters than any of us." She paused for a moment. "Or Kaerdron. With his analyzes and knowledge of magic, he could come with a way to fight anything."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Set hanged his head low, and scratched his neck awkwardly.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-I see, I'm sorry to have disturbed you.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-No need to be sorry, you mean well. You should get back to your post, people like this feeling of security of having a guard to protect them closely."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ellyi watched Set walk back to Kaerdron. She got back on her seat, and fell asleep.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She grew up into a small village south west of the Noah region, not far from Grangold. She lived with her mother for most of her life, as her father disappeared when she was young. They lived a difficult life, and her mother was always busy to trade to provide the basic necessities for the village's inhabitants. As such, she often felt lonely. Each night, when she went to sleep...

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Darkness. It was all she could see. Even at that time, she felt like this darkness was alive, but that it would not hurt her. It was fortunate, as she did not now how she ended here. She felt an unbearable pain, which was strange, since she did not have a body.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wait, wasn't she supposed to have a body ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before she could answer, she felt something come from the darkness. Loneliness, questionment, curiosity, joy, reflexion, and ultimately, a certain malice.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since she did not have a body, she didn't have to fear the darkness, did she ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">But then,why did she feel pain ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ellyi felt something touching her. A hand. She felt it like it was small and huge at the same time, she felt the pain going away under it. But before she could thank her benefactor, the hand stirred her, and hit her, throwing her away at an incredible speed before...

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She woke up sweating, crying in her bed. Her mother rushed to comfort the young girl.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The next day, her mother talked to her. She would always remember their conversation.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"I'm worried about you, you often wake up in the middle of the night, panicking and shouting like you're falling from a cliff.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-It's just a nightmare...

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-The same nightmare, again ?

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Yeah..."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Her voice was barely an audible whisper. Her mother sighed, and resumed.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"You know it's just a nightmare, it just feels real because you give it too much attention. If something troubles you and you can't do anything about it, just forget about it. Treat it like it doesn't exist. In most cases, it will solve by itself. Do what you can. Train for what you can be able to do, and ignore the rest".

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even then, when she was only 12, she recognized those words as important.

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<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ellyi finally woke up on her cart's seat, and after a few seconds, groaned, massaged her head toroughly during a few minutes, and slowly breathed out. There was nothing worse than waking from a nightmare to find yourself in another nightmare. You then start questionning if you are really awake. Maybe she could go back to Besi, her village if they had time.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The environment had changed during her nap. It was late in the afternoon, the convoy was now crossing a green plain, with only a few hills, trees and rock piles breakin the monotonous sight. There was still no signs of the village the convoy was supposed to reah in a few hours.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">After a few minutes, Ellyi heard several rushed footsteps, and saw the remaining members of the Steel Walkers joining her. Set finally spoke :

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"-We have a real problem this time.

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">-Centaurs. Eight, right after the next hill, and they're probably in the middle of the road."

<p style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:16.5pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ellyi made a gesture to the caravan to keep going. It was useless to wait as long as they did not see the threat directly.