It had been a couple of days after the vision, after we were told that we're basically all screwed. After a lot of planning and discussing it with the rest of the group, the best idea that we came up with was thanatos-tipped ballistas, all it would take is one shot and the dragon would die in agony, problem is we wouldn't have much time before the dragons promptly take the towers down. For now though, as Pebble and Palm iron out the details, Scorpion had the bright idea of joining me and Ant for our first actual mission from the guild, escorting an incoming merchant wagon back to Sunset.

"Any sign of the damn scorpions?" I asked as I loaded my crossbow arm while riding one of the camels dragging the wagon.

"Got one right ere!" Ant laughed gruffly from his camel as he then pointed to Scorpion.

It was the first time I had seen her with her own armor. The size of her halberd was massive, and the shield on her back looked thicker than a kentri's carapace, like her armor, since her armor actually was made from a kentri's carapace, however as well as it may be useful against other threats, it made it awful dealing with the snakes since they constantly believed that she was another kentri.

"Very funny, Ant." She said, the only one who was walking instead of riding a camel due to her armor.

"Um, how much longer till we get there?" The merchant asked, sweating immensely in his green leafy shirt, his fur coat in the back with the rest of his goods.

"You have a few hours, but you've done most of the journey already." I reply to get his hopes up. But the back of my mind is screaming for me to tell him to run away and go as far as he can, but there's no way he could outrun them if he's already just a few hours away from Sunset's Watch.

"So, what brings you here from Hollow?" I asked the man, he was paler than us and although he looked physically strong with defined muscles and a toned body underneath his shirt, he wasn't that tall, a few inches smaller than Scorpion and only a couple more than me, probably since he had to climb trees in the forest.

"I-"

"Psst! Guys, look!" Scorpion shushed us before pointing ahead where the sun was blazing down on us and the landscape started to dance in heat waves. But sure enough, there was a small triangular speck seeming to get closer and closer, quite fast I might add.

"What... is that?" I asked.

Scorpion and Ant soon drew their weapons, I soon followed and loaded my crossbow-arm with a bolt. "Cove Raiders..." Scorpion sneered as she turned to Ant. "Aim for the legs, stop it in its tracks." She ordered Ant.

"Understood. Watch and learn boyo." He said to me in a cold tone as he raised his heavy crossbow to eye level, and looked out in the distance as the silhouette got closer. I could barely make it out now, some type of wooden platform with many wooden legs and a sail on the back, using the wind to move I guessed, it seemed as fast as the serpents, probably even faster. But not fast enough to get away from Ant. Ant loosened the shot and let it fly and disappear into the distance.

There was a faint yell as half of the machine suddenly launched into the air and it toppled to the ground, rolling over and tumbling across the sand, throwing the three raiders off.

"Nice shot." I say to Ant, he just replies with a huff while Scorpion continues to stare at the three people in the distance.

"They don't usually travel this far, they mainly prefer to hide in their pathetic hideout."

She growled as the three got closer to the dune, but as soon as they noticed us, they put up their hands and shouted, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

Ant grumbled and lowered his crossbow and motioned for me to do the same, Scorpion seemed almost feral as she growled at the raiders below. "You think we don't know you want to take this wagon? Drop your weapons and scram!" Scorpion yelled down at them.

"Please! We're unarmed!" The first guy shouts up while getting on his knees.

Scorpion let out a scoff before the second guy spoke up, he was currently holding the third upright, as his leg seemed to be in bad shape, but at a distance, I could barely make out anything.

Then my gaze was mainly focused on what was left of the machine, the sheer speed it moved, the many small wooden legs, the sail, all of it attracted my gaze to the now scraps of wood and the main wooden platform.

"Like we'll ever-" Scorpion started but I quickly cut her off.

"I'm a healer." I say with my hand up as I get in front of Scorpion and Ant.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"The fuck ya doing boyo?" Ant snarled.

"I got an idea." I say quietly to them as I exchange a look with Scorpion, allowing her to read me as my mind focuses on that machine.

She huffs. "Very well, if it's worth it." She rolls her eyes and crosses her arm, but she seems a lot less hostile.

"What's boyo on about-" Ant starts, but is cut off with a stern glare from Scorpion.

I quickly slide down to where the others are and get my pouch ready. "Show me the wound." I ordered as I crouched down to the man's leg, the cloth around it was completely soaked in blood so I gently lifted it up, revealing multiple large puncture wounds and a large bruise from some type of bludgeoning attack. "Morningstar?" I asked.

He nods. "We weren't as lucky as the rest in the chaos."

"The chaos... Can you tell me about it? This part may hurt a bit so it'll be good to get your mind off it." I say as I soak a small piece of cloth I have then with some vinegar in a small vial, before putting it against the puncture wounds. "This should clean the wound, and now, back to the chaos?"

"R-right!" He hissed in pain as he bit down hard. "We were minding our business, things had been going well, we just looted a merchant, the poor guy almost shit himself, but after we took what we needed, we let him on his way. But-" He hissed again and gave him my crossbow arm to squeeze. He didn't hesitate and I could hear as the wood creaked as it fought against him. "Anyways, we were just lying back at base, enjoying the spoils, when news got back from one of our bands that the water supply was out."

"Why was it out?" I asked but my heart was thumping harder as it began to fill with dread.

"Aeroporos..."

"... Shit... how long do you think till-"

"You probably have three days at best before your village is burned to the ground, I'm sorry..."

"I... I'm sorry... Mister..."

"Call me Badger, that's Cactus, the other one is Ferret." He said as he pointed to the taller one who was still on his knees, and Ferret was the one currently holding up.

"So the Chaos..."

"When we heard the news, everyone scrambled to get a strider as fast as they could, we managed to grab the last one but some guy got Badger good." Ferret said as he looked back to the damaged strider. "Cactus? Think you can repair her?"

"Yeah, just give me an hour and I can get her mov-"

"Oh you guys aren't going anywhere!" Scorpion declared, before brandishing her large halberd, "Any of you care to disagree?" She asked as she waved the giant weapon around.

"She's scary." I heard Badger mutter.

"Actually, Cactus, would you know how to make a strider from scratch perchance?"

"Sure, why?"

A faint smile managed to creep up on my lips as I started to put some herbs against Badger's wound. "Ow!" He cried out but I made sure to keep it applied with enough force as he jerked his body back.

"Could you make a bigger one?" I asked.

***

I fell asleep rather quickly while I heard Pebble discussing how to create an entirely different type of strider. I let out a long yawn before letting my eyelids drop and finally relax, however, my eyes shot open as I was met with fire again, filling my nostrils. I tensed, expecting to see the village on fire again... but let out a sigh of relief as I saw it was just the stone fireplace in the corner, crackling with dancing flames.

"Another vision?" I hear Scorpion's voice ask in the vision. My vision-self rubs the back of my head and lets out a chuckle.

"Yeah, but nothing important." I reply as I look at her, seeing both of us in a mirror on a desk on the side. Maybe two years have passed, I had a faint bear growing on my face while she had much longer hair. The most prominent thing that had changed about me was that there was now a shiny ring on my index finger, and a matching one on hers.

I sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her as she rested her head against my neck, before giving me a soft peck on my lips, "So, River... tell me... was it all worth it..?"

"Yes..." But her eyes go down. "What's the matter?"

"We aren't doing enough..."

"Excuse me?"

"We can do more, why can't we fight fire with fire?" She asked as she then pulled out a mask in the shape of a small dragon's skull.

Instantly my heart filled with dread. My eyes went wide and my hands started to sweat. "I thought we had them destroyed..." I thought aloud as I felt goosebumps start to creep up from my skin.

"I'm sorry River, but I think this is the only way."

"Because we live in a forest!" I quickly say just before she puts on a mask.

"W-what?" She asked with a perplexed look.

"You asked me, why can't we fight fire with fire, and that's because we live in a forest, we'll burn ourselves to ash in the process."

She paused for a moment before sliding the helmet onto her head, her shoulder down as she slumped herself down. "I'm truly sorry River, but we need to escape the forest." She sighed. "Sorrow." Her body suddenly started to twist and crack and she let out an inhuman scream which turned into a roar.

***

My heart thumped so hard that I swear it was trying to get out of my chest as I pulled myself from bed, thankfully Scorpion was still asleep while Pebble and the raiders were also still asleep at the table, in front of them was a plan for a massive strider simply titled, 'Wind Walker,' which seemed to have the capacity to hold about twenty people each, so around ten would probably have to constructed if we wanted to get everyone out of the city.

"Wrong." I suddenly heard Palm's voice speak up as she laid in the corner.

"Huh?" I asked.

"We don't need ten, each basilisk can hold about ten people... and since we have eight..."

"We just need six, I see now." I nod. "How did you know- right, I forgot, mind reading abilities.''

She nodded before looking back at the 'raiders' with disgust. "Scorpion told me you were very quick to heal them, why is that?"

"Why not?"

"They're raiders!"

"And we needed their strider."

"We could have found out without letting them in our home." She grimaced as she looked at them, now I see why she was awake, to make sure the raiders didn't try anything.

"I'm a healer, I wouldn't stand by and let them die anyways." I said while clenching my fists.

"You and your honor-" she scoffs.

"There's no honor about it, it's just the right thing to do."

She grumbled, "We shall see." before speaking again, "We have a long day tomorrow, but River?"

"Yes, Palm?"

"Have you ever delivered any speeches before?"

I shake my head.

"Get ready then."