Haru

I leapt off the carriage with unrestrained strength and the river scent assaulted my nose. I scanned around and instantly found the tall, ghostly bastard reading files with a strict blonde guard. His guard tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at me. A short glance with his familiar red eyes and they went back to his report. I marched over. Pinching his doublet sleeves, I pulled the man with me.

“Dea- Vanessa, I am busy right now!”

“We have something to discuss.”

“A-a-alright then.” Tarion tossed the report to his man. “You can continue for me, going on a break,” he smirked, inviting whistles from the seamen playing games in the corners. I brought my hostage to the carriage.

“Jen, we need time alone.”

"Sure,” a smile sparked from her. “Oh sure! Kurt, show me the ships.”

“I actually have to work.”

I closed the door with a loud bang. “Still not used to your new strength? Come with me in the morning; we can work on it.” Tarion suggested. “Get your control back.”

Tarion knocked on the carriage wall and whispered. The carriage jolted, and we were travelling.

“Speak.”

Something has changed. His low voice was never this stern. His eyes were never this cold.

When other people talk about him. I could never truly believe them. But I understand them now. He is a very frightening man.

“War? With Vioden? Are you out of your damn mind!?”

Woah.

“Mm.”

“You know a disaster is on the horizon and yet you go and spend through our resources and people and crusade for your petty revenge?!”

Legs spread wide on his side of the carriage, Tarion crossed his arms. “Yes.”

“What…”

“But let me correct you on a few things. I wage war for revenge. But it is neither petty nor fruitless. All is for the future.”

“Future!? You squander the future in this wasteful war!!”

“Haru.”

A chill snaked down my spine; fear made my legs tremble at his voice.

“Look outside.” And I did. “In your time, how did Mouve fair? How do you remember it? A putrid place of beggars and whores? Or have you forgotten it afterall?”

“I…” I was unsure of what I was looking at but it sure wasn't Mouve. The streets were too clean. No drunken, unemployed woodcutters lay on the streets. I hear children when they would have been hidden away.

“The place street was destroyed only a few months ago. Thousands died that day by the Cursed.”

“Cursed?! Its too early!”

“A new enemy is joining the fight. It is no longer a battle against the force of nature but malign forces.”

“That shouldnt be possible!”

Tarion sat silently. Waiting.

I sat comfortably. “Go on.”

“They were summoned.”

“Forrest dwellers?”

“And a bandit group. They assaulted the city with bands of warriors and thousands of cursed spiders to attack you.”

Stolen story; please report.

“Oh, gods.”

“Exactly how I felt. Someone knows you are the saint or they know the story like me.”

“Story? Is that how you knew of me on earth?”

Tarion completely ignored me. “We soon found out they were linked to an Eastern Murim faction from their poison. The one that made me bedridden. And from the attack on the Umbra quarters, they have ties with the Wolfburn.

“Quite the web of enemies.”

“Mm. And that is not the end. Using people like Count Trak and the Horn, the cult and the Wolfburns were supplied with enough sacrifices for the monsters and the people. Yes, you heard that right. They learnt to consume a bead on condensed curses and souls to gain power.”

I sat back. “So they have succeeded.”

“They tried in our time?”

“Many times. Vel was very stubborn with his theories; Kyros only exacerbated these tendencies.”

“Fucking hell. Kyros became quite the arsehole, huh?"

I smiled when I shouldn’t. Tarion looked down at my fidgeting fingers with concern. “Tell me when you're ready.”

“Sure. Ahem. Continue. Tell me why this war isn’t a waste of time. You were building up to it.”

“The Wolfburn have started annaliating whole towns, taking the souls for their strength. New reports from my Ravens had come in, saying multiple towns around the Vioden borders of Hamber are completely empty. And they disappear sporadically, with no easy pattern to follow, so our soldiers can’t react in time.”

“Very bad.”

“We are in an absolutely shit situation and I can't afford to pussying about with rules and bullshite codes of honour when they forgot the honour when taking innocent souls!”

Such passion is very believable.

“Sorry. I just want you to understand we had a chance to end this without a war, Kellen. He was to be brought to jail to be convinced to join our side and give us secrets to exploit. But he gave us his answer. And that was attacking my city.

I found his mother. A rough life she led as the concubine of a duke, then thrown out to never be seen again. The Raven network’s reach is far and deep so we found her at a factory in the Capital, begging the desperate to be their bedmate for coin. I thought… I could change his mind. Show how we aren't that different. Tarion trusted me…

“Take me along we you.” I said.

“Fuck no.”

“Did you treat Vanessa like this, like fragile glass?

“You are not Vanessa.”

“I am now. Get used to it.”

“Mm.”

I scowled at him but his blank expression unnerved me

He crossed his arms and looked out of the window with his sharp jawline pointing my way. He may be aggravating, but he seems a very competent man who took charge when no one asked or wanted to. Much better than the other Greystone. It was certain Osberg would have been destroyed if it weren’t for him. I needed to work closely with him if we were to solve a crisis that has grown out of control.

“You can come.” Tarion looked outside, waving to people outside. My eyes glanced up in surprise.

“Are you sure!?”

Tarion nodded nonchalantly. "Only if you train every morning. Vanessa built this body; I am not about to let it crumble.”

“Good. Mornings.”

“Mornings.” Tarion knocked on the carriage and it turned a hard right. “Break’s ended.”

“One more question.”

"Go,” he said dismissively.

“I have met plenty of warriors from Murim. Which sect is the Wolfburns working with? The Tang Sect? Good with poisons but neutral sect.”

“Master Zhi called them the Divine Cult. Others call them the Demonic Cult.”

Blood rushed to my head; I couldn't contain my happiness but confusion soon came to calm to heightened feelings.

“Divine Cult? But why would they? The Heavenly demon wouldn't... Zhi? An old Liuen woman? Pill maker?”

“Sounds like the grouchy lady.”

I curled my body with my hand on my face. She would never leave the Cult behind unless something happened to him…

“Mm.” Horses neighed and we came to a stop. Tarion took a step out the door. “Driver, take my wife to Zhi”.

“Yes, your Grace!”

Before he bent his tall frame through the door, he moved quicker than I could react. His breath was warm on my cheeks. His bangs lay their glossy black strands on my head as he went for a kiss. His rough, callused fingers gently hold my chin.

He paused, lips almost touching. Tarion slowly retracted with a frown. “Sorry. Force of habit. You look so much like her.” The door closed and horses clopped. My cheek felt so hot that even a breath from an open window couldn't cool me down.

Still going ahead with the divorce you told Zeb?

“Of course. Tarion… Life with him is not our path.”

Then who else? Because there is no better man.

It's only because those red eyes remind me of him. That is all.

Divine Cult. How much has changed now that your best people left?

“We are here, Your Grace.”

“Where is this?” I asked the driver, finding a lot more foreigners wandering these streets. Alarian, liuen, Southern lands. A true melting pot of cultures that never existed in the old Osberg city.

“LiuTown. Zhi was last seen around here, Your Grace.”

There is a LiuTown now?