I nearly choked on my glass of water. “Excuse me?”

Bella didn’t raise her head from the lowered position she had it in. “I said I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

Bella had led Liora and I to the command room of the Thorny Reef, completely unsurprised to see the two of us following her. There she had offered the two of us drinks. I had declined, since I’d already had enough booze for the day, but Liora had accepted. After that, Bella had transitioned into doing…this.

I…had never seen Bella like this. I didn’t know how to respond.

Luckily, and somewhat surprisingly, Liora did.

She sighed almost tiredly and set her drink down on the small table we were gathered around. “It’s not your fault, Captain Isabella,” Liora said quietly. “If anything, it’s mine. I was the one to advise your trips to and from the Bluebacks to Commander Hook. At the time, I thought the additional intelligence would prove useful to our efforts in our campaign. I believed…that an outside agency would have insights into the situation we would not,” She sighed bitterly and then drained her drink in one motion. When she was done, she stared down at her empty glass somberly. “Clearly, I was incorrect. None could predict the rise of Vampyr and an Ancient Calamity.”

Bella raised her head to stare at Liora for a moment. To my surprise, she reached across the table to grasp one of Liora’s hands and cradled it. I was just as surprised as Liora was at the gesture. I…didn’t know Bella was capable of such tenderness. “Ain’t none of this was your fault, girl,” She said in a low tone, her eyes briefly flickering my way before settling back on the Gnoll. “That…that’s somethin’ I’ve learned in this life. Ye can’t go around cursin’ the gods when the black-hearted do what comes natural to ‘em. Ye’ll just go round and round in circles spewin’ bile and curses over yer fate. It ain’t good fer ye. It ain’t good fer yer soul. Ye gotta take it in…” Bella took a deep breath then, and both Liora and I almost unconsciously mirrored her. She then let out a long, slow, heavy breath. “And let it out. Let the bad flow over ye like a wave. This hurt…it’ll pass. In time.”

Liora slowly raised her other hand not in Bella’s grip and lay it over the pirate’s hand. She closed her eyes for a moment before speaking. “Thank you, Captain,” She said quietly.

The room itself descended into silence for a moment, in the wake of Bella’s surprisingly comforting speech. I know it was intended for Liora, but I’d caught the glance Bella had shot me midway through.

Part of that had been intended for me.

I let out a slow breath.

I hoped it would pass, Bella. I truly did.

Bella eventually broke the comforting quiet by releasing Liora’s hands and sat back in her chair. The dark-haired woman looked a bit embarrassed. “Anyways, I just wanted ta apologize fer not being here, that’s all,” She said, clearing her throat almost uncomfortably. “It ain’t right that I wasn’t able ta fight at yer side, when I promised ta help ye here in the bay. If…there’s anythin’ I can do ta make it up to ye, I’ll do it. I swear.”

Liora frowned then, almost looking ready to protest, but I spoke up first.

I didn’t want to take advantage of her generosity, but I’d been waiting for an opportunity like this. I cleared my throat, drawing both women’s attention. “There…actually is something you can do, Bella,” I said, before meeting Liora’s slightly confused gaze. “For the both of us. I actually wanted to talk to both of you. You see…Azarus and I are bowing out of the war. We’re…done.”

Bella blinked rapidly, while Liora’s yellow eyes inspected me for a moment. “I was…surprised to hear that you were retiring as well,” She said slowly. “I did not think that the Grand Marshall would allow his apprentice to sit out the war, if only for the…optics. But in retrospect, he was surprisingly willing to accept my own retirement.”

I smiled at her. “Grey is more reasonable than people think he is. Like I said, I’m not stopping my apprenticeship with him. Just…pausing it. To that effect…” I turned back to meet the interested, and almost eager gaze of my pirate friend. “Bella, do you mind taking on a couple of passengers? Azarus and I are looking to get out of here, and I’d appreciate the ride.”

Bella smiled widely then and slapped her knee. “Hell, I don’t mind at all! It’ll be like old times, Hart. Don’t think ye’ll get out of ship duties, though,” She said, wagging a finger at me almost playfully. “I don’t put up with slackers on me old girl. Hope ye haven’t forgotten how ta swab a deck.”

I laughed slightly, before nodding. “That won’t be a problem,” I said before turning my head to look at Liora. The Gnoll woman had a slight smile on her lips, but I noticed it had a lonely tinge to it. I think she was feeling a bit left out.

Well, time to put a stop to that.

I reached over next to me and took her furry hand in mine, meeting her eyes as I did so. “Liora, come with us,” I said, trying to project my earnestness to the Gnoll woman. She blinked at me, while at the same time her ears flicked in surprise. “I don’t know if you had any plans after retiring…”

Judging by her momentary shifty look, I’m guessing she might not have.

Good. I was fine with helping her with that.

“We’ll sit out the war, doing our own thing,” I said, trying to smile through my own melancholy. “Maybe we’ll train, or try and learn some Magic on our own. Maybe kill a few hundred monsters. Maybe we’ll do a bit of exploring. Just…old-fashioned adventurer work. No moral ambiguity. No blades in the dark. No fucking Loyalists. Let the big-wigs handle Alaric and his corrupt nobles. It’s not our job anymore. We’ve done our part.”

The cabin descended into silence, as Liora studied me for a moment. For once, I don’t think someone was staring at my newly altered features. Instead, it felt like she was judging my sincerity. After a long moment, the Gnoll nodded slowly. “Yes…” She said quietly. “I think…I would like that. I will accompany you, H…Nathan. As long as Sir Azarus is fine with it.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Yeah, I am,” A deep, relaxed voice said from behind me. Neither Liora or I jumped at the sound of it, but I heard Bella curse and drop her glass. Letting go of Liora’s hand, I twisted in my chair to look behind me. I found the person I had felt through my blood sense enter the room a few minutes ago standing in the doorway.

Azarus, looking cleaned up from the last time I had seen him. He had changed out of his armor and into fairly standard-looking work clothes, and had his arms crossed comfortably over his broad chest. He nodded at me but was directly his amused gaze at the irritated captain standing from her seat to glower at him.

“Say somethin’ when you come inta a room, stuntie,” She growled at him, wiping down her booze-soaked clothes with a rag.

“Why don’t ya pay more attention, bilge-rat,” Azarus shot back at her, smirking.

I snorted and stood up from my own chair to greet my friend. “Now now, children,” I said, semi-mockingly. “Play nice. Bella’s agreed to take us on as passengers after all, out of the goodness of her own heart.”

Azarus nodded. “Yeah, I figured,” He shrugged. “Fine by me. It’s what I thought ya were doin’, when I found out ya were somewhere down at the docks. Ol’ Larry didn’t blink his eye when I asked around fer ya. Just told me ya were in here with the Captain.”

Liora spoke up then, with a surprising note of timidity in her voice. “Then…you are fine with my accompanying you and Nathan on your journey, Sir Azarus?”

‘Sir’ Azarus winced at her words. “Just…Azarus, please fer the love of the gods,” He said, pained. “I ain’t a noble anymore. But yeah, I’m okay with it. I don’t know ya, miss, but I trust Nate. If he trusts ya, then so do I.”

“Alright then,” Bella said with a grin, seeming to immediately forget her antipathy towards the dwarf. “If that’s settled, what are we waitin’ on? I can get us out o’ here tomorrow if I hafta.”

I winced then, my grin replaced by a sheepish look. “Ah…about that. It’s probably going to be about a week before we can get going. I have stuff to do here in town that kinda cropped up at the last minute.”

Azarus turned to me then with one raised, bushy red eyebrow. “First I’m hearin’ about this. I already talked ta Grey and explained me own reasonin’ fer leavin’. What’s keepin’ us in this shitehole?”

“Well, the fact that I need to undergo my Ascension Ritual, for one,” I said, causing a broad smile to break out on Azarus’s face. I grinned back at him. “Yeah, I reached one hundred. Grey offered to help me with it, and we’re going to put it together over the next few days and then go forward. Once we’re done, we can go. But…that’s not all. I still have someone else I want to talk to.” I walked over to the corner of the room where I had hung up my cloak, shrugging it on and picking up my staff as I did so. “In fact, since you’re caught up, I think I’ll go find him right now. He’s the last person I want to kind of recruit, and then we can talk about where we’re going.”

Bella cupped her chin then. “Yeah, that’s right,” She mused. “Ye haven’t even told me where ya want ta go in the first place.”

Liora studied me for a moment, before sitting back down in her own chair. There was a slight amused tint to her features as she picked up the bottle of liquor on the table and poured herself another glass. She spoke around the rim of said glass as she raised it to her vulpine lips. “I believe that’s because they don’t know where they want to go.”

I exchanged a glance with Azarus as I flipped my hood up over my head. Nearly simultaneously, we shrugged at each other.

Bella just laughed at us, as she joined Liora at the table.

Honestly, to me it didn’t matter where we went.

The freedom meant more.

…………………………………………

“I’m in,” Renauld said immediately, only moments after I had started speaking. I paused for a moment to blink at the Gnoll in surprise.

“I…didn’t even offer anything yet,” I said, deadpan.

It hadn’t taken me long to find the other Gnoll, after I had departed the Thorny Reef. All I’d had to do was retrace my steps to the makeshift clinic that I had woken up in a few days ago.

God, had it really only been a couple of days since I’d woken up from my battle with Rhazal? So much had happened just today, and it was well past sunset by now. Even with the ravaged streets of Elderwyck being shrouded in darkness, they were still busy. Rescue and relief efforts couldn’t stop yet, even though it had been nearly a week since the Calamity had been slain. I sadly didn’t have much hope for the people who were still trapped beneath the rubble of that chaos, considering the length of time, but that didn’t matter.

They still deserved the dignity of a proper burial, freed from their stony tomb.

Renauld just grinned at me, unaware of the unexpectedly dark turn that my thoughts had drifted into. “You didn’t have to. I already heard through the ‘grapevine’,” He coughed into his fist, saying the name ‘Honoka’ under his breath before continuing smugly. “That you were getting out of here. I want in.”

I laughed softly at the other man, shaking my head softly. The two of us had retreated to the backroom of the clinic in order to not disturb the patients in the other room. Not many other Healers were still here in this small space, and those who were, were dead to the world, snoring away their exhaustion. Renauld and I were huddled closely together near a small flickering candle in a corner, whispering in order to not disturb them. I glanced around before jerking my head towards a door that led outside.

These people deserved their rest.

Once outside, I breathed in the crisp winter air that still carried a tinge of the storm that was now passing. Honestly, I was surprised that the rains over the last few days hadn’t turned to snow, or slush, or even frozen over considering the winter weather from the last few weeks. I think we had hit an unexpected warm snap.

I shook thoughts of the weather off and turned to the Gnoll who had followed me outside. “Well, you’re right,” I nodded at him with a small smile. “I wanted to ask if you were interested in coming with the group I was putting together. A…number of us are done with the war, and just want to escape it. But as you said, you’re ‘in’.”

Renauld sighed in relief. “I sure am,” He said tiredly, running a hand through the shaggy fur on his head. “Don’t get me wrong, I like helping people. It's why I became a Healer. But it’s just…too much, man,” He said, giving me an almost pleading look, all but begging me to understand. “Too much has happened this year. I need a break, Nate. Between my time in the clink and my work with the Band. Then having to deal with all of this.” He shook his head. “Let’s get the hells out of here, man.”

I lay my hand on Renauld’s shoulder and met his eyes. “I understand. It’ll be about a week, but then we’re leaving. You have a spot on the Reef with us when we leave.”

Renauld pulled a face then. “Ugh, we’re leaving by sea? I thought I told you that the sea air doesn’t agree with fur.”

I laughed at his playfully downcast expression, and not surprisingly, Renauld followed after a moment.

Our brief moment of levity was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps from down the alley we were talking in. I stopped laughing with a frown and turned to face the source, only to stop in surprise.

Slowly walking through the darkened mist was an absolutely massive form. Whoever they were, they had to be over seven feet tall. I furrowed my brow in confusion and hesitation, tightening my grip on my staff.

Who was this?

I soon got my answer, as a voice I hadn’t heard in months echoed out of the darkness of the alley.

“The dead watch us still,

Rain cannot wash them away-

I feel their weight too.”

I gaped as a massive, insectoid form walked out of the mists, dressed in a familiar white robe emblazoned with pink cranes in flight. A large conical hat shrouded their face, but I recognized this person, if only because of the four curved blades that rested on either side of their hips. The Antium man used one of his four arms to raise the brim of his hat, exposing his compound eyes to the world.

Venix.