“We’ll rest here for the day until it gets dark again. Can’t afford to be seen in broad daylight.” Said Azura as the group disembarked the sky sailor.

They found refuge on a mountain overlooking the countryside, which was dotted by farms and villages. They stretched their legs, and walked around as they secured the perimeter. Onyx walked to the edge to get a view of the scenery.

Embry watched him go thinking of what to say.

“So that’s your squad leader?” Grunted Irene.

Tigris looked at Embry then to Irene. “Lyo, Red let’s go watch the perimeter, and make sure there are no beasts or people making their way up here. Hey Tykal are you coming?”

Tykal calibrated her automatic crossbow before loading a magazine. “Yeah I’m going.”

Tykal crossed paths with Embry. “It’d be a mercy to let him eat a bullet, and be done with it.”

Embry was taken aback by Tykal’s comment. “What the…”

“Take it from me… Surviving can be its own prison. Besides…” She looked at Onyx whom had already sat down near the edge. “Can you really ask him to live on knowing that he’ll always remember? It’s not always about what you want.” Tykal then left Embry alone with her thoughts.

Embry looked at Onyx. It would be easier, but… She felt her chest tightened. “Damn it!”

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“Okay then Red and I will go down the mountain. Maybe we’ll get lucky and bring back something to eat. The two of you take that path upwards. Make sure there aren’t any zabraks like last time.” Ordered Tigris.

“There aren’t any zabraks around here. Worst you’ll do is cliff jumpers.” Said Irene.

“Cliff jumpers?” Asked Lyo.

“Yeah… Imagine a flying squirrel only it’s three feet tall, has leathery skin, and likes to perch itself on tall places to catch its prey off guard.”

“Delicious?” Asked Tykal.

“If you have some potatoes then yes.”

“Shit! We don’t have those.”

“Okay that’s enough! Let’s go.” Ordered Tykal as she glanced back at Embry. “Shit!” She whispered to herself.

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Embry slowly approached Onyx. She was only a few steps behind him when he finally talked. “It’s funny I never thought that I’d see the day that Tigris would look the part of a squad leader.”

“Onyx I…”

“Neither you… Nor Azura can save me now.” Onyx turned around to meet her gaze. “I’am long since past that point.”

“That doesn’t mean…”

“What!? That I shouldn’t kill myself!?” Onyx scoffed. “Why the fuck not!?”

“Because we can help you. Azura, me, even the others we can…”

Onyx immediately stood up, and tore off the bandages on his arm revealing the black scales underneath his skin. “LOOK AT THIS! LOOK AT IT!”

Embry took a step back as she saw his arm no longer appeared human. “What is…”

“None of you can help me. It’d be easier if I just jumped off now, or maybe I should just slit my wrists, maybe my throat.”

“Then what? What about Azura? How do you think she would feel? What about us? What about me?”

“Do you even know what you’re asking? You want me live… To carry on the memory of what happened for what? For you? What about me? Why should you get the final say on my life?”

“Because even if you died we wouldn’t… It wouldn’t be fair. You think Azura doesn’t feel guilty? That she doesn’t wish she could’ve made it in time?”

“But she didn’t did she?”

“She saved your life. She could’ve killed you… She should’ve killed you because you were captured. You’re her son.”

“And yet… I live on knowing that I will never be able to forget.”

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Tykal and Lyo made their way down the mountain looking for any signs of danger. Tykal stared at the ground looking for any signs of tracks.

“See anything?” Asked Lyo.

“Hmm… Just animal tracks. Was hoping to bag some game before we returned. I’m starving.”

“Say Tykal about Onyx…”

“If you ask me Azura should’ve killed him when she had the chance.”

“Yeah I know. With him like this… At least he didn’t say anything. Right?”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“According to Azura they were dead when she got there. He used his Dragon Eyes.”

“I see it’s a shame Embry doesn’t see it the same way.”

“Well she became a legionnaire on the spot, and she didn’t even take the graduation test like us. However, she is perhaps the most dangerous out of all of us.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Lyo.

“I can’t quite wrap my head around it, but when I’m with her I have to always be on my guard. I can’t afford to drop it for a second. I know you, Onyx, Tigris, and even Azura will kill me one day if it comes to it. With her though… Agh I can’t quite put it into words. All I know is that if she ever does kill me… It won’t be the same as if any of you did it.”

“Maybe it’s love.”

Tykal snickered. “If it was for love… She would have put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.”

Both girls walked a ways down the mountain following the animal tracks until they came across a wild ram. Both of them took cover behind some bushes. Tykal signaled Lyo to stop whilst she took aim with her crossbow. Just as she was about to take the shot a man appeared pulling on the ram by the horn.

“What do we do?” Whispered Lyo.

“Nothing. If we kill him they’re bound to look for him. We wait here until he leaves then go back, and tell the others we’re near a herding trail.”

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Tigris and Irene scaled the mountain upwards hoping to get a better vantage point of their surroundings.

“You know for someone who led the so called ‘Heroes of Tofar’ your squad leader ain’t hot shit. Don’t know what I was expecting.”

Tigris grunted.

“I thought for sure he’d be bigger than you, but he’s a scrawny one.”

Tigris grunted again.

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Well I don’t know what the fuck you’re looking for Red!”

“So what’s crawled up your ass? Usually it’s you asking me that.”

“Just… Ugh… Just forget about it.”

“This isn’t about him is it? No… The girl. Embry right? You’re jealous aren’t you?”

Tigris turned around and closed the distance between them. “Fine you wanna go there then let’s fucking go there. Yeah I’m jealous. Yeah I do wish that they’d kill him so that I could be with her, but it doesn’t matter. She chose him a long time ago. But that’s not what has me worried.”

“Then what?”

“It’s that he’d actually go through with it, and hurt her. That’s what worries me more.”

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As the sun began it’s slow crawl into the horizon Azura looked at her pocket watch. It was 12:38 p.m. which meant that they still had a few more hours of daylight still left. Hours where they would be in a vulnerable spot. There was a blessing to having days that were thirty two hours long, but it had its drawbacks as well. Azura poked her head out of the sky sailor, to see Onyx still looking at the distance. At least he hadn’t walked over the edge. Thanks to Embry being nearby. She had thought about what to say to him, but nothing came to mind. Azura rested her head against the hull, and looked up at the clouds.

“Is this how hard it was for you Captain Os? When you had us as your first command?”

Azura scratched the back of her head.

“Fuck! I just don’t know what to fucking do!” She slammed her fist against the wood.

“All that fucking talk about ‘mother and son’ and I’m this fucking useless!”

Azura peeked out again, and saw Embry leaving Onyx alone. She pinched her nose. “Shit!” She exclaimed as she went to meet Embry.

“How’s he holding up?” Azura asked.

Embry didn’t answer at first. “He’s… Angry, but afraid. I just… I feel so useless right now.”

Azura put her hand on Embry’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not the only one to feel like shit right now.”

“Are you gonna talk to him?”

Azura wasn’t sure about what she could say. Would it really even help? Even then it wasn’t just the fact that he was raped, but the arm as well. “No matter… No matter how useless it all seems right now. Know that right now he’s the one that feels the most helpless right now.”

“Yeah…” Muttered Embry as she walked past Azura. “Say Azura…”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think… If you were to do it all over again would you have killed him?”

At first Azura avoided meeting Embry’s gaze. Every fiber of her that was a legionnaire through and through knew that killing him was the right decision. Whether or not he had given up any intelligence was irrelevant. This was not the first time though as there was the time he was captured by the Dolsurians outside of Karana, but even then Azura did not raise her sword on him.

“If I were to do it all over again…” Azura began with hesitation as to what to say next. “If I were to do it all over again I would go back and save him.” She said as she locked her eyes on Embry.

“Then for all of our sakes it’s all up to you now.”

“Yeah.”

Azura marched to where Onyx was sitting until he finally stood up, and proceeded to walk towards the edge.

“Onyx!” She called out to him.

Onyx then proceeded to run as fast as he could. Azura followed suit with her arms reaching out hoping to catch him. She managed to grab hold of his shoulder and spin him around, but Onyx fell backwards as his feet slipped on the edge. Azura grabbed hold of him as he dangled over the edge.

“Shit! I’m not letting you go!” Screamed Azura as she grabbed on to him.

“Just let me go. It’s okay.” Said Onyx with a smile.

“No! I know… Shit! I know that I can’t help you. But that doesn’t mean that I’ll just give up on you.”

Just as Azura finished her phrase Embry rushed down to meet them to help her pull Onyx up.

“What the fuck are you two doing?” Asked Embry.

“Just help me pull him up.”

“Then what?” Asked Onyx. “You pull me up then what happens? What do you think Karash will do to me when they see me like this? Do you think they’ll let us stay together!? This is the only way! Just let me go.”

“Fuck that! We’ll find a way. Just like Tofar. We’ll find a way, but for now you have to trust us.” Said Embry.

For a moment Onyx looked down until he raised his other arm so that they could pull him up. After they pulled him up both of them embraced him.

“Listen… I know that I fucked up, but I know that if you at least give me the chance I’ll make this right.”

“Mom I’m scared.” Said Onyx as tears welled up and he choked up.

“I know… Me too.”

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They all gathered around around as dusk was fast approaching. They pulled out their rations, and began to eat as they planned on what to do next.

“So that’s what’s been eating at you?” Asked Tigris as she pulled out some hardtack, and looked at Onyx’s arm.

“Yeah…” Onyx replied weakly, and almost silently.

“I know a guy… Sort of. He knows a lot about weird stuff. He might know something about that.”

“Baphomet you mean?” Asked Irene.

“Yeah. If he’s still alive when we get there sure.”

“Old goat’s already pushing one hundred.” Replied Irene.

“One hundred?” Asked Lyo.

“Yeah. Bastard never shuts up about it. Everyone’s pretty convinced he’s gonna outlive us all.” Answered Irene.

“Then in that case…” Azura began, but was suddenly interrupted.

“No! I wanna know. Just what can you offer us in exchange. Because I’m not helping him for free. So I need to know how the Empire of Karash can help us. Besides if you want to get to Berwick you need me, because she sure as shit ain’t gonna cut it.”

Azura growled. “What do you need?”

“Weapons, food, medicine… Soldiers.”

“I can get you the first three… Maybe, but…”

“Then give us Amani, and we’ll call it even.”

“We’ll talk to your boss, and negotiate with him. Then we’ll see.”

“Okay then.”

“Well, shit!” Exclaimed Tigris.