Author's notes:

Expected chapters.

21: Consequences (Neesha)

22: The Wounds that Don't Heal or Damn Them all to Hell (Neesha)

23: King's Port (Neesha)

24: Moon Eater (Alek)

25: Burning all the Bridges (Alek)

26 / epilogue: Death and Forest Spirits (Tsai Ting)

"Theft huh?" Alek asked. "Maybe I can get the sentence reduced." He looked over at Abernathy. "Can I put him to work? Reduce the sentence by a month?"

The sheriff shrugged. "Fuck if I care."

Alek returned his attention to the man in the cell. "What'd you say? Spend your time with a few Tel’ani in the woods camping. Get a month off your sentence and I get see if humans and Tel'ani can work together."

The guy made a show of thinking about it. It wasn't a hard decision. If he took Alek's offer the guy could just run off.

"I guess I'll try it."

"Any paperwork I need to fill out?" Alek asked the sheriff.

***

When Saito had said he wasn’t sure if he wanted to live in a place that disliked Akumajin, Alek had taken it as a statement of morality. Watching the two Akumanjin children tackle him to the ground proved otherwise. The woman looked bedraggled, but a several month journey with three children would probably do that to anyone. Made worse by the simple fact that they would have to traverse nearly the entire width of Anoria via the Anorian sea, head north into the northern sea, and travel the entire width of Anoria again before the journey out even started. Alek wondered if the small child clinging to their mother had even met their father before. The kid clearly didn’t recognize Saito.

“Hey. Sarah wants to see you.”

"What about?"

Neesha shrugged. "Fuck if I know. Tanalia's not in there if that's what you're afraid of."

Alek grumbled as he got up, but he made his way into the tower and in a rather disappointing turn of his life, found himself sitting on the wrong side of his desk. Raiah snickered at him from her own desk. The bitch.

"We have three days until the wedding." Sarah stated as Alek glared back at the half-demon. "I won't consent to sex. I assume that's what you want to hear. My bodyguard will be here in a few days and I'll get to work on that, 'until pregnant' clause."

"With your bodyguard?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No."

"If you're interested in going to Kyne's Port, I have a package that needs to be delivered."

"Sure."

Alek stared at his desk. Sarah snapped her fingers. "Hey, Lord depresso. I'm trying to throw you a bone here."

"Sorry, kind of just miss my desk."

"You can have it back when I get mine. Do you want it left here, or moved to one of the tenements?"

"I don't know."

"Well, think about it. You can't avoid Tanalia forever."

"Right. How's Raiah working out?"

"Oh she's great, a truly devious mind. Lies about numbers a lot." That last part was said loudly and in Raiah's direction. The half-demon grinned. "And I wish she would stop putting her feet on the desk.

"Yeah. You and me both."

***

Alek had always considered himself to be a loner. Thinking about how he had spent so much time with Lothar, how lonely he felt after the man had died, and how he spent endless amounts of time with Neesha, a girl he initially counted as less than human, and it was clear his loner thoughts were utter bullshit. Neesha was the obvious choice to come with him, she almost always agreed to follow along, but now she wanted to spend time with the fucking Elf. Currently they were on an extended hunting trip together in the Darkmoss. He could have gone to Kyne's Port alone. He could have stayed home and paid a courier to take the package, but Sarah wanted to spend time with her bodyguard lover and Saito had his family back. The man started calling him Omo instead of Amo. Amo was equivalent to boss. Alek didn't know what Omo ment. He could ask Un. There was nothing else to do on the trip to Kyne's Port.

"What does Omo mean?" He asked Un. Because he had invited Un on this trip with the excuse that she could get news from home. Really he just didn't want to be alone. Maybe he should go visit the Tel’ani working the Darkmoss. See how that Tom guy was fairing, or even if he stuck around.

"Omo is, one who owns land and power." Said Un.

"Ah, Lord. Got it."

Hana wanted to talk. She had no idea what to say though. She was craving conversation and Alek seemed to be happy with quiet companionship, but Hana wanted words. She could talk with this man. He spoke Ityean, but what to say? She was saved by his thoughts. Turns out he wanted to talk as well. More like complaining, but Hana wasn't going to tell him to stop his whining. She listened and silently replied, the filter converting her words to grunts and head nods. The things the machine did to let him know she was still listening.

"Sorry. Guess I just needed to get that off my chest."

"It's fine. I have much I'd like off my shoulders."

"Mmhn." Un said.

He fell silent and Hana wailed. It wasn't fair. She wanted to speak. She wanted to let someone know that she was still here. The body was a machine, it wasn't a person. She was the person. She said it. Said the words she wanted out into the world. Forced it through the filter. Forced it through the hate and anger. Through the years and experiences that created the thing called Un. With force of will she made the machine to speak the words that would never aid in her survival and therefore were useless.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"My name… Hana." Said Un.

In the perliferary, Hana watched Alek turn his head to look at her. "Oh, not Un?"

"No. Not Un. Un is a reputation. A moniker. A cruel joke."

"No." Said Un.

It didn't matter. There was now one person in the world who knew that she existed. All the others were dead. How to keep the conversation going? I can ask something about him, but what?

"I get it. I've spent so much time as 'Alek the Harbinger of Wrath' that I sometimes forget 'Alek the orphan'.

He gets it. Not really, but certainly more than anyone else.

"Orphan?" Un asked.

Actually she probably shouldn't have pushed that through. She was so eager to talk that she hadn't thought about it.

"Left me on the streets in King's Port when I was young because I look like this." He pointed at his face and grinned. "What about you? Got family in Anoria? "

"They were all murdered. Along with most of my neighbors."

"Dead." Was the word that made it through the filter.

"Mmm. Sorry. What are you going to do? Now that you're stuck here I mean."

"In spring, I will return home." Said Un.

Hana considered the words. The machine had responded, but they were her thoughts exactly. Why would the machine agree? That was stupid. The machine did not think. The numb fleshy bits merely acted. Her own conviction to return must have been great for the survivor, the machine, to agree.

"Isn't that a death sentence?" Alek asked.

"I will die. Either I will kill Lord Hibana and die, or I will fail and die." Said Un.

"I see. I can offer you one of the tenements for the winter."

"That would be nice."

"No. I will be fine." Said Un.

Alek nodded and that was the end of it. Hana watched the world around her move. She would be dead in six months. At least there would be one person that would remember Hana the person instead of Un the machine.

***

"I've got a meeting in a bit so I'll just wander around with you if that's alright?"

Un nodded as they made their way into the contract sales area.

"Anyone here from Mizuyamachi?" Un called out to the Anorians assembling on the platforms.

"I'm from Mizu." Said an abnormally tall man for an Anorian. "You an exile?"

Un nodded as she approached. The man flopped down onto his bench.

"Looking for news. Anything change in the last four months or so?" Un asked.

"Oh you'll like this. You were part of the revolt right?" He continued at Un's nod. "The empress herself will be seeing to the coronation of Lord Kouta Hibana." He said with a grin.

"Kouta? What happened to Takashi?"

Apparently that was the question the man had been leading her toward as his grin widened. "Basically fucking killed himself." He laughed.

"How?"

"Okay so, someone assassinated his nephew right. He hires a group of Ronin to find and capture the assassin. They succeeded, but when they brought the assassins in, the mad king ordered everyone executed. Obviously the Ronin defended themselves."

Un stared slack jawed. The man grinned at her, but Alek was sure that it wasn't his tale that was leaving her speechless.

"Rumor is Kouta walks in as his father dies, orders a stop, kicks his father's corpse, and gives the ronin and assassins ten minutes to run. That's just rumor, mind you." He watched Un walk away. "I thought she'd be more excited." He looked at Alek.

Alek shrugged. "You did just tell her that someone else completed her life purpose."

"Oh?"

Alek sat down next to Un who was staring blankly out at the auction block. People were staring at them, but Un's mask and armor kind of called attention.

"Hana?"

She didn't move.

"Hana?" Alek said louder.

Un turned her head toward him.

"Are you okay?"

The machine didn't answer. It just stared. "Am I okay? No I'm not okay! I am nothing! There is nothing left. I am a purpose. A purpose that can no longer be fulfilled. I am nothing. I am a collection of pain and anger and hate that has spent my whole life striving to achieve a single goal. I AM NOTHING!"

Hana sobbed. Un stared blankly.

"Okay, well I'm going to deliver this damn box. I'll be back around shortly."

Hana watched him leave. Maybe she could sit here until she died. It would take less than a week to die of dehydration, but no, the machine wouldn't allow it. If she didn't pay attention the survivor would take over. It would take care of the machine's needs and bug her when it inevitably created a situation it couldn't handle without thought. Something struck her. A fleeting question that she banished the moment it crossed her mind. "Can I become a person again?"

***

Alek moved toward the commotion. The brief glimpse of the bone white mask on the stage as he pressed himself through the bodies. "MOVE!" He roared as he pushed. Once up the steps he found Un standing in front of a rather young Oni-Kai girl, her spear leveled at the auctioneer, his face red and angry. "ENOUGH!" Un, the auctioneer, and most of the crowd quieted down. Three of the city guards pushed their way through to the bottom of the stairs.

"What's going on?" One demanded. Alek could hit the guy.

"Attention!" Alek shouted, mostly addressing the crowd. "I am Lord Alek Harbinger of the Malssenin Barony, some of you might know me better as the Harbinger of Wrath!" That got their attention. "Just give me a freaking minute and we can solve this without bloodshed like the civilized assholes we pretend to be!"

He looked down at the guards to see if they were going to object. Apparently they weren't. He turned to the people on stage, ignoring the comments about Wrath's death. "Okay what happened?" He asked, pointing to the auctioneer.

"He was…"

"Hey!" Alek shouted over his shoulder at Un. "I'm starting with him. You, what happened?"

"This crazy bitch stormed up here and demanded I release the contract or she'd kill me!"

Alek held up a hand to silence the man and turned to Un. "What happened?"

"He was selling her, no restriction."

"Okay. What does that mean?"

"She was kidnapped. No restriction, is illegal."

"And then you threatened to kill him?"

"Yes."

Alek turned to the guard. "Someone should probably get the sheriff."

"I'm right here." Said an older man pushing through the crowd of onlookers. "What the hells is going on?"

"Good timing, get up here. I'm Alek, the Harbinger of Wrath." If the sheriff cared he didn't show it. "This is Un, she's a contract with me. Apparently this man is selling a contract with no restrictions, which is illegal."

"We enforce contracts, not what the Anorians say is illegal."

"Exactly." Said the auctioneer.

Alek glared at the man. "If this turns to bloodshed, I'm obligated to be on his side." Alek said motioning to the sheriff. "That doesn't do you a damn bit of good considering you’ll already be dead." He translated the exact statement for Un so she knew where he had to stand on this.

"What's your profit if you had to sell her with restrictions, say maid or something."

"About negative two gold rounds."

Alek grit his teeth. "So you paid more for the kid knowing she was worth more?"

"Yes."

"Because she has no restrictions on what can be done to her?"

"Right."

Alek looked at the sheriff who shrugged, he didn't care so long as the damn peace was kept. "Which of sick fucks was bidding on her?" He asked the crowd. A whole lot of heads turned to look at eachother, but nobody admitted to being a sick fuck.

Alek swung his gaze across the stage, glaring at the auctioneer, and settled on the girl. "How did you get here?"

She looked a bit confused, annoyed, and nowhere near as scared as he'd expected.

"Unsakan?"

Alek looked at Un. Un shrugged.

"He wants to know how you ended up here?" Un asked the girl.

Said girl actually glared at her. "I nah shintuya your bakan speech."

"Southerner, I think." Un said to Alek.

"So how are we going to solve this?" He asked the auctioneer.

"I suggest you take your friend off my stage and let me do my job."

"Yeah? And who's going to stop my friend from sending you to sweet oblivion?"

"You're the Harbinger of Wrath."

"Yeah, I'm the Harbinger. I'm not Wrath and honestly I don't know who would win between her and Wrath." Wrath would win, but the guy didn't need to know that. He wisely took a step back from Un.

"Can you buy her?"

Alek looked to Un. "Not for what he wants."

"Split the difference? I owe you?"

"We'll give her the same restrictions my friend here has. If nobody pays your break even price, I'll buy her. Fair?"

"No."

Alek shrugged. "Fine then, that's the best I can do." He started for the stairs off the platform.

"Ahh?" Said the sheriff.

"If she goes murderous, I suggest just running." Alek told the man.

"Wait, ok, fine. What's her contract?"

***

"What the hells am I going to do with an expensive kid that can speak a language anyone understands?"

Said girl was in the back of the cart, either sleeping or pretending to be asleep. It didn't matter as his point about not speaking the same language factored in.

"I pay you back." Said Un.

"Why care?"

"Shouldn't I care? I cared when the cavalryman speared that child in the fields. Am I not supposed to care?" Said Hana.

Un shrugged.

"Hana, are you okay?"

Hana tried to reply. Tried to explain how she felt. How she was just purpose made of hate and anger and vengeance, and now her outlet, her purpose was gone. Maybe the girl was a half hearted attempt at finding a new purpose. Maybe she was just lost.

"No." Said Un. Surprising Hana, she didn't know how to push the jumble of emotions through the filter. She supposed the single word answer worked well enough.

"You want to talk about it?"

"I'm trying." Hana said.

Un said nothing, but Alek seemed ever patient with her.