stood before Captain Astiar Haline, his eyes casted downwards. His office had a single window with small squares of glass between the metal that ran across it. Through it I could see the town in the night. He sat behind his desk and his hands were crossed over his mouth. His eyes were closed as he sat there. Veline floated next to me, a grin on her face, but quiet. She seemed almost fine now, despite all that had happened. My body still had a trace of that odd ache brought on by the energy.

  Azuro sat on a small bench off to the side, silently looking at his superior. The dark skinned man had an impressively calm look on his face. The only sound was that of a fireplace off to the side, on the mantle of which was a portrait of a younger, dignified looking Haline. The floor had a basic carpet, a shelf sat next to the window with various things on it.

  We had been taken to a guard in a robe, who had carefully looked through a book before healing each of our wounds. It had taken the man several hours to finish healing everyone for whatever reason. He saw each of us one by one, leaving me alone on a bench at one point. I had nodded off at one point, waking only when Veline flicked my forehead.

  Then, we were dragged into the office of The Captain rather abruptly after. The older man had sat there like that for a while before waving Martin away. I was tired, but the renewed fear had at least woken me up a fair bit more. The fire cast long shadows as I stood there with Veline leaning against me occasionally.

  Slowly the Captain looked up to me, his eyes an intense stare that seemed to be trying to drill into my very soul. Gone was his previously personable attitude, replaced the look of a steel determination. His hands gripped together hard, and with barely contained anger, he said, "This is a situation we can't ignore. Not with some of their people dead. Do you have any idea how bad a situation we are in right now?"

  Azuro closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I averted my gaze from Haline saying, "I haven't done anything to deserve this."

  Captain Haline slammed his fist into the desk before and then wiped his face with his hand. The man was actually sweating. He took a couple of deep breaths and said, "They think you are champion no doubt. We should just throw you to the wolves. The absolute madness of it. I doubt that'll save us the strife of dealing with them later though. Not after my own men killed some of theirs protecting you."

  Azuro sat, a grim look on his face, and asked, "Any plans for this, sir?"

  The Captain got up out of his chair and walked over to the window, looked out onto the city for a bit. I could barely hear him muttering to himself. Azuro glanced at me, a frown on his face. The Captain said, "The simplest solution would be to throw you to the wolves. Gods damn it. It would be."

  Azuro's twitched and I slowly put my hand on Veline's head, the soft sounds of her animal like growl starting. I felt that weird energy rising up in me, but I wasn't going to just let her do something. I said, "Or they'll just take me and then you. Maybe I'll rise from the dead then, leaving you worse off than me."

  Azuro's eyes shot to me, a look of shock. The Captain stiffened, slowly looking at me, a flash of fear. That struck me somewhat odd that he seemed scared of the idea. I didn't expect him to actually outright show any emotion at that idea. The Captain slowly turned around fully, narrowing his eyes, asked, "Do you really rise from the dead, then?"

  I raised an eyebrow, wondering why that was the important part of that. I said, "I didn't lie when I said I have no idea about most things here. So what if I'm some sort of chosen of this Sorrow Penitent goddess? I want one thing. A decent life."

  Azuro looked to Captain Haline, some look of recognition there to what that meant, but he said nothing. Captain Haline let out a hiss breath and said, "I don't see any reason to believe you in the-"

  Suddenly the door opened. Everyone's eyes shot to see who had intruded. A person in full guard armor stepped in, bowed, and held out a small rolled up paper to the Captain. As soon as it was taken, the guard turned instantly and left. Azuro had a raised eyebrow as Haline unrolled the paper and looked at it. Slowly his eyes widened and he walked over to the fireplace. He tossed it in and turned, a calm and stern look on his face.

  The Captain said, "Consider yourself a lucky man. I just got an order. We are to see to your safety and that you are delivered to someone. I'm going to burn a lot of favors for this."

  I said, with a raised eyebrow, "Better than them burning you all for heresy. Why should I trust this to not be a ploy?"

  Azuro inhaled sharply, but Captain Haline just smiled a devious smile and said, "A special interest has apparently some want for you to not be taken by the shattered one's clergy."

  I vaguely wondered how much I could even trust this man. That wasn't even a guarantee I'd be allowed to even survive. Azuro quickly said, "May I ask, Sir?"

  The Captain frowned, his stare still as ever piercing. He then shrugged and said, "Azuro, you already figured it out then? Take him to a secure room and I want you to personally choose those who will guard it along with you staying in there with him. Get him food and water. Till I get things ready, he's to be guarded by no less than three including yourself at all times. Alexander, you are to not leave the building. Trust me or don't, but I assure you that the church will do worse to you if my suspicions are right. I'll have to make up something for why we are protecting him from the church of all things. We can't have another run in like that you had, either."

  Azuro raised an eyebrow at me. He got up, led me out of the room, down the hall. He said, "Don't hate him. He's not in a good mood."

  Veline giggled a bit and said, "Moods. Like weather."

  I said, ignoring Veline, "No one is. Who do you suspect in my friend, exactly?"

  Azuro let out a sigh and looked about. He said nothing till we were in a more empty area and whispered quickly, "I suspect two people. One I'd see why but not how'd they know. The other I'd see why they know but not why they'd care. Let's just say that both are far better an option for you than the church."

  I wondered vaguely if I should trust Azuro on this. He seemed far more honest and had killed to protect me at this point. Still, there was a thought in the back of my mind that suggested he'd protect himself and his people over me if it came down to it. He didn't know me in the slightest. Veline propped herself on my shoulder with her arm and whispered, "I don't sleep. Not real sleep. Something that isn't sleep."

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  Azuro's eyes turned to her for a moment before he rolled them. We reached a room at the end of the hall. On one side was a door next to a desk with a man eyeing us. Across from that was the stairs that led up. Azuro looked to the man and said, "Get Farshield, Flamehammer, and Su'Galo. Tell them to meet me at protection room 3. This is to be held otherwise quiet till the Captain gives orders."

  The man's eyes widened, he saluted, jumped up, kneed the desk with a grunt, and went limping the door. Azuro said, as we went up the stairs, "Guard quarters that way. Ground for mostly the offices and interrogation rooms, with the basic guard barracks. Down is the jail. Floor two is for officers and special rooms, along with the storage. The armory and training is third. Not expecting you to need to know, but I figured you might be curious."

  We eventually got a room with a couple of decent looking beds, with a carpet and a few chairs by a table. There was a painting directly on the wall of a stylistic city instead of a window. Azuro had stepped in first and then motioned me in. He tapped a little circle on the wall causing a crystal embedded in the ceiling to start glowing. He took a seat and went to put his hand on the place his sword was. He let out a small curse before crossing his arms. As I sat down on the bed, Veline flopped onto the bed harshly, and grinned at me. I said to her, "No."

  She said, sticking her tongue out and showing her teeth, "I keep you safer next to you. I don't care either. You can't move me. Sorry."

  Azuro didn't move but I heard him click his tongue in an annoyed way. I sighed, too tired to fight with Veline and asked, "Who were the people you called for?"

  Azuro said, the tiredness clear in his voice, "Martin you know. I hate to ask for him after all this. He’s still green, but I trust him more than most here on this. Flamehammer is an Orc. The one who was with me when we found you. Rare sort here actually. Most Orcs are far off, but he was apparently raised by dwarves of all things. He's a bit dull, but somehow has a talent for magic. I'd trust him with my life, personally.

  Su'Galo is an elf. Don't know her that well, but she was a clear choice. Of all the guards, She doesn't like the church. In fact, I'd call it a deep hatred. Can't say why, but rumors say her brother wasn't allowed to answer the call of the forest because of them."

  I asked, "Call of the forest?"

  Azuro shrugged and said, "Elf thing. No idea what it actually is, but apparently the guy was being held by them for something. Caused him to go rabid on them or something. At least that's what I've heard. She has been clear that she hates the lot."

  I was about to ask about the champions thing more, but I saw Veline's tail move one of her chains past me. She dropped them on the ground with a loud clang, which startled Azuro. He turned to see what it was. I turned in time to watch her removing her dressed and Azuro quickly turned away. Veline's eyes were locked onto mine as she did so, a horrid smile on her face. I stared until I realized that her upper body was without features. Her lower body was covered by a set of linen stripe, similar to bandages, almost as white as her skin. She got far too close to my face again and asked, mocking tone thickly applied to her words, "Disappointed? Poor master. Sad. Your heart beats so fast at the thought?"

  I felt my face burn as she giggled hysterically and then slipped herself under the cover. Azuro let out a heavy sigh and muttered, "Damn creatures."

  I shook my head, getting the thought of what she said off my mind. I asked Azuro, "So, about champions. Why does the church kill them? Wouldn't a God's Champion be a good thing? Why kill them outright?"

  Azuro was quiet for a moment, only glancing at me once with a raised eyebrow. He then said, "If they are of one of the safe gods, then they take a wait and see approach. The problem is, many gods are deemed unsafe. They are all born of fragments of the shattered one, so they are weird half-beings. Often single minded and not understanding of concepts. Especially those that are the opposite of them. As was mentioned, many go mad."

  He paused for a moment, having a sudden silence fall upon him. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued, "And kill people. The shattered one's church tends to deal with champions because of that in some way or another. You may have noticed often gods are refered to by title."

  "It's because if you say a god's actual name, it draws their attention. The different clergies train to deal with their gods. The safe ones, as their overall council deemed them some many years ago. They train priests to talk to them. The unsafe gods? Their names are kept secrets or forgotten. They are unpredictable and dangerous. Some would kill you on the spot and possibly anyone around you for saying their name alone." He shook his head. "I know I have no place, but try to not hate them for doing what they do. In a way, they are just trying to keep people safe, too. Wouldn't you not want your family and friends to be safe?"

  I sat there for a moment staring at him. My eyes slowly shifted down as I felt a small ting of guilt pass through me. I couldn't tell him the truth of that. A horrible thought drifted through my mind. *Would I? After my friends had turned their backs on me?*

  After a moment, I pushed the question from my mind. I said, a bit bitterly, "True or not, they didn't seem to care that I'm not going mad and murdering people."

  A knock on the door came and a deep voice said, "Corporal Marn, Flamehammer reporting with Farshield and Su'Galo."

  Azuro said, "Flamehammer and Su'Galo enter. Farshield, keep watch by the door. Sorry you aren't getting much rest. You know the situation enough that I can tell you in a bit."

  In walked a seven foot tall man with a greenish colored skin and a wispy looking girl with pointed ears. Both were not in armor nor were armed. Instead they wore basic tunics and pants with boots. The orc looked like he could rip the door off its hinges without his armor. He looked to me and nodded. The elf's black hair was rather short, with any excess tied back into a small wolf tail style. Her eyes were without pupils and the irises were a pale purple color. Her lips seemed to never unpurse and her stare reminded me of a teacher. She seemed short, but spry like a coiled snake. The sort of person who looked like they could dodge and outrun anyone. She looked past Azuro directly at me and Veline with an unreadable face. Flamehammer asked, "Well, Azuro?"

  Azuro looked to the two and said, "Flamehammer, the two in the bed are a priority protection target. You, Su'Galo, and Farshield will be helping me with that. Keep this somewhat quiet, Captain is working it out. Likely will be escorting them somewhere in the next few days. Understood?"

  Flamehammer looked to me, nodded, and said, "I swear on the honor of the Flamehammer clan, I shall protect you. Good to see you are well after the whole thing in the Alley."

  I looked at him for a moment, noting that he wasn't at all being sarcastic as far as I could see. I said, "Thank you."

  Azuro said, "Good, you can take Farshield's place now and send him in."

  Flamehammer nodded and went out. Shortly after Martin entered. The elf woman said, somewhat coldly, "I guess he won't need more information than that then."

  Azuro shrugged and said, "He really doesn't care either. Martin, you know the situation already. Sorry you still haven't gotten to sleep yet. I'll let you do so soon."

  Su'Galo gave him a look that I could only guess was annoyance. Martin looked at me, clearly barely awake. Azuro stared back at the elf, saying "And you, Su'Galo I decided on because this is right up your alley as I've heard. The church of the shattered one wants him dead."

  With that statement, her face turned from mild annoyance to a more interested stare as she turned on me. Slowly a weird mix of anger and happiness appeared. She said, "Ah. Well, I thank you, Corporal Marn, for considering me worthy of this. I will happily help you, Mr. Moores."

  Something was off about her tone that made the hair on my neck stand up. Azuro nodded again and looked to Martin, saying, "You will join me here in the room. Watches will be me with our protection target as much as possible. The four of you will rotate watching right now outside. All your other work is suspended till this is over. If we go outside anywhere, all three others are to be present and on guard. For the rest of the night? Farshield needs rest. Half till sunrise, Su'Galo, take over for Flamehammer. Sadly, we're stuck in here for now. Only one person may be away at a time and only for basic hygiene reasons. When Mr. Moores is doing such, we check the room first and keep guard while he is inside."

  Su'Galo seemed wide awake and I could just see the barest hint of a smile as she and Martin saluted. After a bit they returned with bags and Martin slumped against the wall and was out in seconds. Su'Galo gave Azuro a sword, shot me a rather scary glance, sat down cross legged, and closed her eyes. Azuro sat at the table, in the chair, eyes to the door. He looked tired, but deep in thought.

  My mind felt like it was twisted up in knots as I wondered about the guards more. Ultimately, this seemed far too much to trick me, but still the worry was there. Eventually I took off my boots and climbed under the covers of my bed. Veline was staring at me with a grin, giving me a jolt. She whispered to me, "Master. So important. Good. Exciting."

  I turned my back to her and closed my eyes. She said nothing else and was quiet. If I hadn't been so tired, I wondered if I could even sleep with her there staring. It felt weird not being alone in a bed, let alone a room. I wish I could say I felt safe there at the time. I had felt safe before and that had been a literally fatal mistake. It was strange to think that it was not so long ago. Yet, I knew one thing for certain.

  Even if every one of the guards was actually my enemy, I did have at least one ally I could trust. She was terrifying in a lot of ways, but the events of the last day had made it clear. Despite how violent and evil she acted, Veline's life was tied directly with mine. Whatever her true motivation was, she would protect me with everything she had. It was ironic that the demonic looking, giggling psychopath was such a comforting presence to me. As I lay there, slowly falling asleep, her promise filtered through my mind. "If you hate the world, I will help kill it. Destroy it all or make it bend."