“Move back and re-shit!”

A nameless Centurion grabbed at the neck armor of one of his legionnaires, tossing him to the side just as an ax was swung down upon him. Barely blocking the weapon by the plated shield he’d carried, the centurion looked up to see the figure that’d pushed him alongside the tribesmen that slaughtered his troops. A towering, raven black-furred figure with the work skull of a stag adorning its head.

“Do all the legions of the emperor cower in such fear, Centurion?!”

The voice of a woman, filled with disgust, and well within her years emanated from under the skull. Raising its leg, the figure forced its hoof into the Centurians waist with such force that he was thrown back.

“Guh-”

* cough-cough *

Slamming into the wooden spoke of a wagon, the wood cracked and the suspension creaked from the impact.

Fuck, that hurt! Heal, come on, heal!

The Centurian begged his body to react quickly as he willed his mana forth to heal the cracks he felt within his hip. He was sure the damage would ripple him for life if he continued, but survival and relaying information of the crossfire he found himself and his detachment under. Their current predicament, thanks to his own inaction earlier that day.

“Be kind, and stay your hand while I visit the same fate upon you that was permitted!”

The figure yelled, allowing its ax to fall free from its hand. With a single movement, its arm raised from one side, and the nub of what used to be from the other. Its worn skull fell to its back as it did, revealing the pale face and pitch-black hair.

“The Empire grasps at its throat as it gasps, and so will you as I bathe you in fire!”

Mana gathered at the palm of her hand, culminating in an intense flame that grew rapidly.

Move, I have to move- fuck-

The Centurian struggled to stand, stumbling as he did. Falling to his knees under his own weight, he looked up to the woman that would be his end.

The damage is too great… I’ve failed… please, the heavens above, allow one of my legionaries to escape.

The Centurian closed his eyes as he felt the heat from the approaching fireball engulf him, the feeling almost coming as a surprise, feeling nothing but a burst of intense heat, then nothing at all as he was incinerated.

Sarah stood over the smoldering, ashen remnant of the Centurian as she struggled to force some kind of satisfaction upon herself.

To what end, why were you here?

The high Imp looked upon the results of her continued attack. The battle she’d just struggled through against Orion’s followers having purchased victory at a heavy cost, it was strange to her that an Imperial force would yield so little resistance in comparison.

Is the Empire truly in such decline to the point of only observing?

Warriors continued to gather about, collecting any bodies of their kills as Sarah commanded. With a pile now forming, made of the bodies of Legionnaires, Sarah did her part.

“I may have been rash considering I’d have to handle you myself.”

Sarah spoke to the charred corpse, using her good arm to grab at what was once a bronze chest plate and dragged it along. Throwing to the edge of the pile of corpses, Sarah thought bitterly of her direction.

Of what use am I do Lord Elexis and Lady Danae in this? Poking, and prodding at our borders, searching the edges of Morus along our own border. Should they not send me for my Lady-

Ding

Sarah paused her thoughts, attempting to process what was happening. A system alert. Something she’d not experienced in some years, not since her god-daughter was born.

Matriarch designated: Processing…

Title dispersed: Matriarch’s retainer

Status as retainer updated!

Eldest Retainer of user: Ki- Redacted

Clan designator: Jo- Redacted

“This…”

Sarah whispered to herself, unsure of the news that just befell her.

“This is…”

Sarah stood in shock, a wave of happiness overcoming her.

“Captain?”

One of the warriors from Sarah’s raid approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“This is cause for celebration!”

“Wh-ah-”

Sarah turned to the one nudging her, startling her as a smile was plastered across her face.

“We dine tonight! Boar and drink!”

Sarah turned, further confusing the others around her as she summons a small flame overhead. They were all worn, recuperating from a battle that already followed another of great difficulty.

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“Captain Vakara?”

A warrior called out to her as some of the group backed away slowly, put off by the wild expression she’d been making.

“Lady Kiyomi lives! The clan survives! Ahahah! Yes!”

Sarah laughed, she felt it was the only way she could relieve herself of the feelings taking over.

She was relieved, and happy. Satisfied now that not only did Elexis and Danae have the reassurance of the child's survival, but that she now did as well. Tossing the small flame onto the pill of bodies, Elexis strode forth, collecting her ax.

“Fetch me the wine!”

__________________

"Graf! She left the party!"

Alick yelled after rolling away from the Wolverines slash of its claws.

"I can see that, damnit!"

Graf responded as he jumped from Alick’s back.

"Think you can handle this you two?"

Graf yelled as he began backpedaling away from the fight.

"Just don't get snatched by some bird!"

With Alick's confirmation, Graf turned and began running.

"We'll meet at the pass!"

Graf yelled back as his partners occupied the monster.

Make sure not to injure yourselves so we can return those healing potions!

That was what he told them, though had they proffered speed over efficiency, they wouldn't be forced to split up as he ran to ensure Kiyomi's safety.

That God's damned kid- if she wasn't paying us a hauls load of gold, I wouldn't have to be doing this!

Windstep

With a thought of his skill, Graf dashed with every other pace and shot forward at twice his regular running speed. A muffled boom could be heard in the distance just above the rush of wind past his ears.

Come on kid, be alright!

Graf ran, taking roughly ten minutes to catch up with the progress of half an hour's normal run. As he continued, the signs of a struggle could be seen along the ground. Cuts in the ground, upturned soil and grass, and massive gashes presumably left over by Kiyomi’s sword.

Oh fuck me, don't tell me the kid was snatched!

Graf surveyed the ground, realizing that two other sets of tracks were also present.

A biped, and some kind of snake?

In that moment, thunder rumbled in the background.

What the-

Looking up, there was not a trace of a cloud in the sky. Realizing what it could have meant, he doubled his pace.

It came from the pass, did the kid know magic?! But- no, she had a sword of that size, no way it was her.

Graf continued owing. Surveying the damage to the ground as he went, careful for any further signs of monsters. It wasn't but a half hour longer until he finally crested the hillside that led down to the cabin. Stepping over the top and looking down to the cabin, Graf was greeted by a sight he could barely comprehend.

What the fuck came to pass here?

Looking down to the pass, there were three figures alongside the cabin. One was a boy that was pacing back and forth, the next was a serpentine figure, and the last was the small girl laying along the coils of the serpent. Aside the cabin lay an entire pack of the same monster that assailed Graf's group. There was four present. Two intact bodies, obviously more wolverines, one currently smoking with a chunk missing from its side, and a rather gnarly pile of gore closest to the walls of the pass with blood splattered all around it.

What the hell did they manage to do?!

Graf recalled what he could of the most mangled remains he'd ever seen any legionnaire or adventurer produce from a monster, and he couldn't seem to think of a competitor.

"What the fuck."

Graf whispered under his breath as he began strolling downhill.

How even- wha- who did we ever take a job with exactly? Kiyomi, that kid…

Moving closer, the sight of the trio was much clearer. The boy began walking towards Graf, whilst the other figure, a Lamia, looked at the Goblin with concern as she began cradling Kiyomi.

"Howdy sir, would'ya happen to be one of the adventurers Kiyomi was with?"

"So let me get this straight, the whole reason we came here for these-"

Graf gestured to a small burlap sack, with the stems and flower of three azure lace sticking out of the top. The only examples left that were salvageable thanks to the Wolverines making the flower bed barren. Beryl carefully held onto the example Kiyomi had managed to give to her still.

"- for you."

Graf looked to Beryl, taking a sip from a small copper cup as he did.

"I think so, I'm the only person that showed her azure lace as far as I know. That and, before she passed out she gave me this one."

Beryl looked down at her own flower.

"Either way, you're all lucky to have been able to pull off the win you did. All of you took a licking in some form or another right?"

Alick spoke next as he questioned Beryl and Vaughn.

"Yes sir."

Vaughn looked at the pile of wolverine corpses lined up next to the small fire they'd set to have dinner. The sun still looked as if it were barely five, but everyone agreed the energy used today needed to be gathered before walking back.

"An Alpha, along with five others. Two females, and four males, we'd managed to come across a hornet's nest. Thankfully- erm. Well, at least you had the firepower to take them down. We wouldn't have… how exactly did that one end up the way it did?"

Graf pointed back to the loose pile of hide they'd settled for as 'proof' of the sixth Wolverine.

"The thing was a mess just trying to get that pelt, it looked like the thing liquefied- oh gods- urp-"

Adrian attempted to hold down the rations she was eating as she recounted the mess.

"Well- uh- how do I put this-"

Vaughn danced around the question momentarily before Beryl cut him off.

"Kiyomi threw a rock at it."

The trio of adventurers looked at the lamia silently, for almost a minute as she looked on with the most serious face she could hold. Only to break out into laughter as soon as the answer settled.

“You expect us to believe that?!”

Adrian giggled at the mention, being the first of the trio to comment.

“No way kid, seriously, what happened? Did you use the same magic you used on the largest one? How are you still awake right now?”

Alick spoke next, prodding at answers as If it were Believable that at least Beryl could manage the feet.

“Hahah- hah- ha- wai- you…”

Graf paused as his expression of joy lost its vigor, slowly morphing as he furrowed his brows.

“You're serious…”

Beryl nodded quietly, prompting Graf to look for Vaughn. Receiving a silent nod from Vaughn as well, Graf’s expression grew dire.

“Holy shit did we just fuck up, we just got involved with the Guild.”

Adrian and Alick both slowly ceased their chuckling at Graf’s near-mute reply.

“If they're right, we must have just unknowingly committed kidnapping.”

Graf brought his fingers to his temple, now rubbing them slowly, attempting to relieve the stress that was now climbing into his head.

_________

Fuck, make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!

When my eyes closed I couldn't imagine after such a relieving scenario that I'd fall into a nightmare. I was huddled into what was a muddy, blood-filled trench somewhere in Missouri along old route sixty-six. The route running from Springfield Missouri to Dallas Texas was one of the first significant objectives my brigade, along with three others, was charged with securing. Along that route was a major army munitions facility situated in Oklahoma, and having it meant a steady, confirmed supply of small arms munitions. The only problem being, that Springfield, our first objective, was where one of the dimensional tears was opened.

Please just stop screaming! Go away. Please, just go away! Why do I have to see this all again?!

I was clamping my ears as the screams of my fellow enlisted echoed through the air, intermingling with the percussion of tanks, artillery fire, and the deafening noise of the 'Sun grinders' and other monsters that poured into our lines from any place they could.

Wrrreeaaaa- slam

The scream of one of the Sun grinders filled the air as a fiery whip slapped into the ground near my trench, throwing mud and dirt into the air.

Just- stop- please-

Usually, in these nightmares, I'd be forced to relive everything I did in order. A prisoner in my own body, forced to watch my friends, people, and everyone around me either suffer or die whilst the immutable horrors assaulted my mind until I either woke up or the dream ended.

Why am I here?! Why can't I just wake up if I'm in control?!

This nightmare was the first time I had my agency. I could move and speak as I wanted, so instead of naively experiencing the horrors once more, I chose to cower and wait it out.

"Are you okay?"

A foreign voice spoke, young, and childlike. It was muffled, but out of place enough that I looked up to its source, with slight hesitation.

"I said, are you okay Aidan? I mean, no shit you're not okay."

The voice repeated itself, now deafening compared to everything else as the sounds of the fighting around me slowly faded away until it was silent and replaced by the sound of crickets. Looking up, the voice came from a figure I never thought to see.

"I guess that's what nearly a decade's worth of trauma will do to ya. I guess that's why we're here in the first place."

The girl looking down at me was short but seemed a sprout short for her voice. She seemed exhausted as her eyelids rested low and lines developed below her eyes. Reddish-hued hair, amber iris, and a small set of black horns with a reddish sheen adorned her head; all the while, a dark red tail swung back and forth behind her as if she was growing impatient. Leaning forward, she reached out and knocked on my helmet.

"Hello? Is anything going on in there? You were here five minutes ago, is nobody home?"

"Ki-"

"Not who you think I am, but I’m flattered you think I’m the legitimate article.”

The girl kneeled down in front of me, tilting her head as she looked at me intently.

“Think of me as damage control, now sit back and enjoy the crickets until you fall back asleep.”

Reaching a hand out, I felt a familiar pecking feeling to the side of my head as she flicked at me, and everything faded to black.