Underground town - Banquet hall - evening

Surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, allies with weapons, and the girls of this town. Marie and I stand before Walter, who's tied up with a thick rope tight enough to restrain even the slightest of movements. A man, who was carrying him and Proxy, gave him to me, telling me to secure his whole body. Of course, I tried to retrieve Proxy, but he took to the rooftops before I was able to touch him. Before he did, he asked where he can find a bed, so I pointed him to the guest rooms.

He was quite brief but I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about from him. As for Proxy, I am sure he is fine. That man does not seem to be the type to attack a defenses person. However, his succinct way of speaking has me… somewhat apprehensive, to say the least.

Groaning, Walter begins to open his eyes. Marie and I stand ready, arming ourselves if the need for action occurs. He blinks twice, getting used to being awake before his gaze comes up to us.

“Hm, it seems I am in quite the predicament. Care to release me?” he asks, casual in tone.

Marie readies her spear. “Make even one move, and you’re head rolls.”

“Such a nasty woman.”

“Please refrain from insulting my sister.”

“Sister? You have…a sister?” His mouth curves upward, he lets out a boisterous laugh. A maniacal laugh that runs counter to his polite mannerisms from before. “Sister, brother. You’re siblings. Oh my, such a twist. Then that would make you the siblings of Sigurd: the knight who lead the soldiers who ended the war.”

What!? How does he…how can he… How does he know?

“How do you know about us!?

“From your father, where else? Though, he never mentioned a daughter. Why is that?”

“Shut up. Like it should matter you, scum.”

“Scum? Incorrect, incorrect, incorrect. I am a hero! Can’t you tell?”

Marie hits Walter with the heel of her boot. Blood leaks from his nostrils.

“Sister!?”

“Sorry, I was feeling sick looking at this bastard.”

“So much spirit, but you lack the essence of your father. He was not the one to hurt a defenseless man.”

“I don’t care about fair play, and I certainly don’t mind hitting assholes like you.”

“That much is clear, but what of you, Alexander? Do you carry your father’s spirit?”

“Of course.”

“Then release me.”

A frigid sensation tickles my spine. “Excuse me?”

“You must release me, if you have your father’s spirit, of course.”

“I don’t follow?”

“Oh, it’s quite simple. You see, your father would agree with me, with our justice.”

“What?”

“Your father would never oppose me, he would’ve aided me in this endeavor. I know it for a fact.”

My fists ball up of their own volition, holding back all my anger. “What is this nonsense!? My father would never agree with such horrific actions!”

“Horrific? No, this is justice. We of the Kingdom must impose it.”

Kingdom!? He belongs to the Kingdom? Then, could he be a…

“Tell me, were you a knight?”

“Yes, I was.” Marie steps back, horrified by the revelation. To think this man was a knight… “I served with your father and the other Elite soldiers during our march for Borghulda. Truth be told, I used to be quite pathetic, I was a foot soldier who would quiver at the mere sight of bloodshed, and I would spill my sick at the thought of battle… However, your father saved me from myself, he showed me the way, gave me courage, and guided my way to find my worth. But that all pales compared to what he showed me at Borghulda. When we attacked, he was ruthless, his strategies flawless, leadership on point, and his swordsmanship excellent. But that’s not what truly captured me. It was his commitment to his justice.”

My fingernails dig into the palm of my hands, my teeth pinch my bottom lip.

“Get to the damn point,” Marie barks.

“...In the end, his justice captivated me. It told me one thing: our justice is right since we are stronger, and our natural right dictates we enforce our justice onto the outside. He proved this by burning Borghulda to the ground, even when the enemy forces gave up their weapons, even when they groveled to the ground like the scum they were.”

He…did that?

“You are one sick son of a bitch.”

“You…” I force him up by the collar, crumpling the piece of clothing under my hands. “...Do not dishonor my father!”

“Dishonor?”

“My father was a kind, fair, and just man! The person you describe is not him! How dare you act as if you know him?”

“But I do. After all, those who fight together are surely close, so–”

“Enough! I heard enough of your lies! Not another word!”

“These are not lies I speak, they are truth, and you would deny them? Such audacity, and you call yourself his son.”

“Cease this!” I take ahold of my sword, inching the steel out of its scabbard. “If you continue this, I’ll…I’ll.”

I will not allow this man to insult my father, not for what he really stood, not the man he was, not the knight I knew him as! I’d rather see this man dead than any more of this slander!

“Stop, brother.”

Marie’s fist whizzes past my head, crushing the bones in his head. She succeeded in knocking him out of my grasp.

“Why would you…?”

“...Don’t go there… Don’t follow me down that path. You know better, brother.”

She knew my intent… I’m acting foolish. I almost gave into such awful feelings. If it weren’t for Marie, I would’ve killed him. I'm a disgrace of a son and as a brother.

“Thank you, and sorry, Marie.”

“It’s okay, brother. I won't let you bear that burden.”

I can't lose my temper in front of everyone, they would begin to question their trust in me, and I do not wish for Marie to bear any burdens for me. That is a future that cannot come to pass.

"How impertinent, the taste of blood lies on my tongue. But that matters little. Alexander, I beg you to release me. After all, the world your father wanted is still far off, so we must work hard."

"You are right, but the world you want and what my father wanted are night and day. I am well aware of the duties he had to perform as a knight, which includes spilling blood. However, that is not my aim. So far, we managed to fight off the bandits without any bloodshed. As long as this continues, I shall achieve the world my father sought. One without any needless death, one that isn't ravaged by murder, one that will allow those on the outside of the Kingdom to live in peace!"

“Peace for the outsiders? How could you say something so ridiculous?”

“That there is why I shall never release you. You bring nothing but death.”

"So, you're saying you don't believe in our justice?"

"The thought is nauseating."

Walter bends his back, facing the ceiling, his face vacant of life, and his eyes are as hollow as a night sky without stars.

"...I see, then you and I cannot be allies."

"That is correct."

"I see. Of all the people, I thought you would have seen the greatness in your father's ideals. Turns out I have been proven incorrect… Shame."

He bends up to face me, his eyes burrow deep into my soul. "If this is how it must be, then I shall not accept this result. My defeat means a defeat for our justice. If one such as myself is defeated, then that means our justice is defeated, and I shall no one the satisfaction of that defeat, especially that villain…! Now, there is only but a single course of action I can take now…"

Following up on that, he sticks out his tongue, his teeth placed above and below it… Don't tell me!

"He's gonna bite his tongue," Richard screams.

Marie reacts, closing what little distance there is, but no matter how fast, she will not make it. His teeth cleave through his tongue. It falls to the ground, a wet thud is made the moment it graced the ground. Blood follows behind it like a stream of water flowing down a mountaintop. Walter collapses to the cold floor, a hard thud echoing in the banquet hall. That's it, laying there, motionless, he's dead.

"Someone get me a cloth! We need to cover the body!"

Marie issuing her order snaps me out of my stupor. Terror and confusion take over the minds of everyone here. Marie and Vezra run into the closet where all the tables are placed. Nunnalé is obscuring Richard's eyes. The girls come from the closet with a long white cloth. They throw it over Walter's body, veiling it from the eyes of others.

"Everyone! Let's remain calm,” Vezra, desperate to pacify the situation, says.

"Someone, help me move the body," Marie, caring less about calming everyone down, enlists someone to help her.

"...our justice is right since we are stronger, and our natural right dictates we enforce our justice onto the outside.”

Was father really in support of such a cruel idea of justice…? Of course not, he was never that type of man. He was the ideal when it came to being a knight, a father, and a man. The man I knew would never enforce such a nasty ideal… Of course not.

"Brother, we're gonna need to get rid of the body. What should we do?"

"Bury him…"

"You sure?"

"Yes, no matter the person, they at least deserve to be entombed in the ground."

"Thought so. Fine, we'll be back. In the meantime, try to help everyone calm down."

"O-of course."

Marie squints her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am."

A pause pursues, keeping the topic from going any further.

"Fine, then I'll be going. Hold down the fort."

"Understood."

She picks up the body, putting it on her shoulder to walk off with it…

I should've been the one to carry off the body, but here I am, standing idle. This is unacceptable. Remaining this way is unacceptable! I smack my cheeks, shattering my disturbed state. Now is not the time to act hapless, I must gain a reign of the situation.

"Everyone, let us gather together! Men, we must get ready to leave! Elizabeth, can you drive?"

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Yep, ya girl is ready to go!"

"Then, everyone, do a body check, tell me if anyone is missing! We'll leave in an hour or two!"

Lingering here any longer would be uncourteous for the people of this town if we were to remain.

"Wise choice, it's best if we leave now." Making his way inside, Zell is the one who agreed with me. Zeal and his escort accompany him. It seems as if Zeal's clothes are more ripped than they usually are. Did he get into a fight? "...If we linger here, Fire Wraiths will surely be arriving," Zell continues.

"Why would they be!?

"Vetra, here, revealed the elder's name. Lexia, she is the 7th Flame Wraith captain, and if she's here, I doubt she didn't bring Rickter, the 6th Flame Wraith. The both of them are known to be working closely together, with Rickter being a sort of whipping boy, if you will."

"Then…!"

Why would a knight work with the Fire Wraiths!? Wouldn't they have caught his ire as well? Sense is lost in this situation.

"That bitch was always a nasty piece of work. One minute, she acts like a lady, delicate as a flower, the next, she's a crazy-ass bitch!"

"Zeal."

"Sorry, but it's true."

"You only need to say bitch once. Other than that, you are right."

"O-oh, right."

"How do you know the elder is gone?" I ask Zell.

"We met Marie outside the banquet hall. She told me what was going on. But enough about that, we should get ready to leave!"

"A sound idea. Everyone, hurry. We must get ready to leave…”

Looking at everyone, they seem tired from today’s excitement. I cannot blame them, this was quite the day. If were we to move now, we’d be no good if a fight were to occur.

“...However, upon further thought, I think it best to replenish our strength with rest. Even if she does have a mode of transportation, it'll take time to make it to the Fire Wraith main base."

"Hmm, you’re correct. It'll take a few days at the very least. And even then, there's a checkpoint that's two days away from here."

“Then it’s decided. Everyone, belay the previous order, get rest. Tomorrow morning, we will be leaving! Dismissed!"

Dismissing them, they leave the banquet hall one by one, clumped together as they exit.

“Alexander, don’t feel too bad for what happened to that man. His mind was beyond repair, death might’ve been the best for him.”

“I simply cannot agree with that.”

“Figured as much. Still, don’t feel at fault, that’s all.”

Zell and his brother, along with Vetra, leave the hall. The only ones left in here are Richard and Nunnalé I should check up on them, who knows how that affected them?

Clasping Nunnalé’s hand, I stare at her dark, purple eyes, reflecting nothing close to life. "Thank you, for covering his eyes, Nunnalé, but you shouldn't have seen that either."

"It is of no concern to me."

"A young girl shouldn't see something as horrific."

"But I am… Forget it."

"Sorry, Nunnalé, and you as well, Alexander. I read his emotions, they overpowered me and by the time I was able to comprehend them, he was already about to kill himself. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful."

"It is alright. No one could've predicted that, so do not feel bad."

"If you say so. But this was… Why did he do that?"

"He was a disturbed man, no need to think on actions. He was clearly psychopathic, so there is no point?" Nunnalé, cold, yet logical, states.

"You're right, there's no point."

I hate for him to ponder on something like this, so perhaps he should not go any deeper in this subject.

"Anyway, you kids should get some rest. Oh, and by the by, a man was carrying Proxy earlier. He asked me where he can heal him, so I pointed him to the guest rooms."

"Heal him? Who was it?"

"No clue, but he seemed relatively nice, he even handed Walter over to me."

"Did he defeat him?"

"Perhaps, but I have a feeling it was Proxy."

"On what basis do you speculate this on?"

"A gut feeling."

"Gut?"

"It’s not tangible, but I have that feeling too," Richard says.

"Then it must be true!"

"I still fail to see the basis of this claim, however, if my master is of the same notion, then I shall not question it any further."

Nunnalé is quite the skeptic, however, I don't believe that is a bad thing. In fact, her sense of logic balances out well with Richard and Proxy, who are prone to act on emotion. Same with me and Marie.

I clap my hands. "Right, shall we rest up? Tomorrow morning shall be a busy morning."

"You're right, we should turn in for the day. Come, Nunnalé."

"Lead the way, master Richard."

They head for the exit, leaving me to myself… That man, did my father work with such a man? If he went on the March to Borghulda, then there is no use denying it, however, I refuse to accept his views of my father. Even if they fought in a war, I cannot accept that he would abide by such cruel justice. Yet, his words plague me. I wish they did not, but they do nonetheless…

“Father, you wouldn’t, I know you wouldn’t…”

9/ 22 - Above ground - morning

Taking a headcount, Alex is getting everyone ready to leave while Vezra speaks with Marie. I can hear the two of them speaking.

"Thank you, for everything you've all done for us,” Vezra says, clasping Marie’s hand.

"It's nothing. We couldn't standby and let them do whatever they wanted. But what are you guys going to do now?"

"Well, we don't know yet, but for the time being, we're going to stay here. Our homes are gone, so we have nowhere to return to. So, we'll try to rebuild here, and if we can, we'll help those who need it. That way, we can atone for what we've done."

"That's a noble deed. I wish you guys the best."

"Thank you, and I know my request is a bit selfish, however…"

"Come on, it's not a big deal. I'll make sure she gets her rite."

A tear slips out of Vezra’s eye. "I'm glad to have met you. I wish you all luck in your battle. Kick their asses!"

"Course, that's what we're gonna do!"

They go for a Hi-five that thunders across the run-down village.

"Sounds like those two are hyped, aye, buddy?"

"Sure does… But do…you really need…me…to…carry you!?" Richard asks, panting like a dog while trying to keep me up.

"Come on, my legs are still recovering, and since you don't wanna heal them, I have to give them a break."

"That's because…I don't know what's…exactly wrong with them! Healing takes longer because of…that!"

"Master Richard, I believe he is doing what is called 'guilt-tripping'."

"Me? Why would I do that!? My buddy happens to be very reliable. So reliable, he'll carry his best friend to the ends of the Earth."

"That's because we couldn't find Gilhart!"

"So you wouldn't carry me if I was injured!?"

"I'd…drag you!"

"Uncool! I would carry you, why won’t you do the same for me?"

"Because...you're...heavy!"

"Saying I'm fat?"

"No, you're just...heavy!"

"That's because you're lacking muscle. Let's change that!"

"Proxy! Don't press your weight on me!"

"Come on, buddy, work them legs!"

"Stay strong, master Richard."

Trying to keep us from falling, Richard puts one foot ahead of the other, keeping us still. Richard waddles his way to the bus, Nunnalé sticking close to his side as support.

"Um, excuse me…" Steering around, Vella is behind us. She's wearing a smile, though, I can’t even tell if it’s fake or not anymore. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bother, but may I speak to you for a moment, Proxy?"

"Sure thing."

I say that, but man, this is awkward as all hell.

"Yesterday, I'm sorry for running away. After all that, I just…"

"It's cool. After what happened, I get it."

"But that's not what I wanted to say." She takes in a deep breath, exhaling it to calm herself. A stern expression replaces the smile. "...I want to thank you for what you've done for me. That being said, I still hurt others who came here, so I am not free of sin. However, I want to redeem myself, no matter what."

I can't do anything about the other people she hurt, and even if I could, I'm sure she wouldn't want me to. That’s a matter she’s gonna have to resolve for herself.

"So you're gonna stay here?"

"Yes, I wish to help ms. Vezra rebuild, and help those who need it. I don't know what we can do, however, we'll try to help however we can."

"That's awesome. I'm just glad you're doing better."

She fidgets with her fingers, swinging her shoulders back and forth. "To be honest, I don't know if I am doing okay now, but I'll try my best."

"Well, don't worry. I'll be cheering you on."

"Thank you… I'm glad I have your support."

Her smile, it's like it's been ripped from a painting, one that catches the breath of the viewer. It stalls the heart for a moment, one that lasts forever.

"...Though, I can't say that I won't be sad once you leave. I wished we could've...spent more time together."

"Y-yeah, but hey, don't worry about it. When we're done kicking bandit ass, we'll be back."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh, and when we do come back, can I see you dance?"

Her eyebrows shoot up as she flinches. "You do!?"

"If that's okay?"

"No…! I...I would like to. Okay, when you come back, I'll show you my best dance!"

"Sweet, can't wait. You better practice, cause I wanna be stunned, no, amazed! Screw that, awestruck!"

Her smile becomes much more radiant, beaming like the summer sun. "Alright! Watch out because my dance will make your heart stop!"

Hell yeah! Now I’m all gassed up and ready to burn! Yeah!

"Man, now I can't wait! Come, buddy, we need to go so we can kick some ass, crush the bandits, then see Vella dance!"

"Geez, don't push my head!"

Richard makes his way to the bus, alongside everyone else, who are trying to shuffle inside.

I turn back to Vella, who is seeing us off. "Vella," I yell. "...I'll see you later!"

She waves at me. "I'll see you later, too! Please win!"

"You know it! We'll kick all their asses, I swear it!"

These words feel heavy, heavier than before. I can't tell why, yet, I don't think it's a bad thing.

"Alright! Everyone, on the bus! We're going to be leaving now," Marie orders.

Time to hit the road and kick some ass. From here on out, it's only going to get more intense, so I better pull my A-game, or else we'll be screwed. Plus, I doubt Ocean isn't just gonna leave us be, so I better be ready to fight that guy again. Though, I know I’m screwed if I do it by myself, I’d be killed in seconds if I do. Plus, I don’ want everyone to worry about me like with Willy, and I don’t plan on repeating that.

"Richard, about that Source-user I told you about."

"I know, you wanna fight him yourself, right?"

"Course I do, but I can't, I know he'll kick my ass. So, can I…will you…is it…okay if I…?"

Come on, man! Why the hell am I hesitating!? Just nut up and say it.

Then, like a sucker punch, Richard starts laughing. Like a top comedian told the best joke in the world, he keeps howling with laughter.

“W-what’s so funny?”

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just… It always seemed like you could never be so shy. It’s so weird, that’s why I laughed.”

“Hey, I’m human, you know!”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. But you were going to ask us to help you, weren’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“Not that hard to read you. After all, we are best friends, right? Don’t worry, we got your back. So if he appears again, we'll face him together."

Amazing. This guy is the same Richard who didn't want anything to do with my fights back in NewPort Island? He was so shy, seemed like he would ball up and cry if he was caught in a bad situation. When did he become so cool? Either way, I’m glad a guy like him has my back.

“Thanks, Richard.”

“No problem, buddy.”

Even though I want to fight my own fights, it’s good to know I can rely on someone like him and Nunnalé

"Wait a sec, where's the big guy?" Chip asks, eating a bag of chips?

Yeah, I don't see Gil anywhere. Is he still undergro– Holy shit… Gil arrived from the main entrance to the underground town, Vran behind him. The two of them were busted up, bloody all over, bruised on every part of their body, barely moving both their legs.

"Hey, everyone,” he greets us, barely getting his voice above a whisper. “...I couldn't find any of you underground, so we came up here…"

Zell rushed to his side, getting ready to heal him.

"Dude, what the hell happened to you two?" I shout.

"We fought till we got tired."

"It was...breathtaking," Vran struggles to say. "...It was...an honor, to fight such a worthy…foe."

"Same here… Are we leaving?"

Dude… How the hell does this dude not have brain damage by now? Then again, I did remember them getting into an intense fight from the jump… Hold the phone, I heard people yelling last night, shouting like they were wild animals going at it… Don't tell me. They were fighting for that whole day!? Honestly, I might like fighting, but this is just beyond insane!

…

It's been a few minutes since they all left in that huge vehicle. Proxy is no longer here, in this rundown village… What am I going to do now? I know I said I would practice my dancing, and I said it would be breathtaking, but I… I don't know if I have what it takes, or even the will to do so. Can I even continue beyond this point?

"You know, waiting here isn't going to get you any better at dancing."

Ms. Vezra walks next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"...You heard me?"

"Yes. Are you just going to stand here all day or are you going to get to work?"

"I don't know if I'm ready."

"Nobody said you have to rush it. Just take it one step at a time."

"Are you sure? What about after that?"

"Don't know, maybe we can find out together."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, we have a bit of time. I don't know what the future holds, but I know we can all figure it out together."

I see, so even ms. Vezra doesn't know what to do beyond this point. However, she doesn't even seem scared, or perhaps she is putting up a brave face? I wish I could have that bravery… But I don't want to wish, I want to be. Just like her, just like Proxy.

"So, Vella, you wanna practice? I don't look it, but I can dance."

I do remember her dancing once or twice, although I'm a bit apprehensive about this. But why am I so apprehensive?

"Alright! Watch out because my dance will make your heart stop!"

I said that, me, no one else. Dancing is my only way of thanking him. Only the best will be acceptable, nothing more, nothing less. So even if I don't know where my life will lead after this, I have to keep going, to make up for what I’ve done and to move forward with myself.

"Okay, ms. Vezra. Let us dance!"

"Excellent! You hear that, girls!?"

Jerking my head around, all the girls from the underground are up here. They cheered as soon as ms. Vezra gave them the okay, dancing in tune with the cheers of others.

Ms. Vezra takes my hand, pulling me toward the crowd. "Come on, let's go."

I despised my dancing, seeing it as an evil thing. Now, I'm not too sure what it is? Is it good, is it evil, or perhaps it's neither? Maybe dancing doesn't need to be anything more than something that touches someone's heart? Either way, I want to find out what it is/ With that in mind, I can’t stand around, I’ll move forward, bearing all my sins!

"Right! Let's dance!"

Mother, even if you didn't love me, even if you saw me as nothing more than an eyesore, I…don't hate you, nor do I love you. All that I can say is this: thank you for showing me how beautiful dancing can be. Maybe someday I can mimic that beauty. Who knows, perhaps I can use it as a way to atone for what I've done? Until that time comes, thank you, and goodbye...