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Holy Sage Relias, First of Men, Herald of Euphridia, Guide of Humanity, approached us with a slow, confident stride. His golden sandals stirred up tiny dust clouds as his white robes billowed in a recurring gust of wind.

Volker, noticing his determined advance, scrambled to his feet and dashed off towards a distant tree line, swearing and stumbling incoherently. Letting him escape might not have been wise, but after all that transpired, he seemed less of a threat than a fleeing coward. Relias’s azure gaze followed the man momentarily, but a subtle shrug signaled he wasn’t interested in pursuit either.

As Relias closed the distance between us, a sharp pang of guilt rose in my chest as if I had committed a grave wrong against him. What is he doing here? He’s supposed to be locked up in Chairo, and I should be rescuing him! And I have no idea what Nora or the others told him about me!

“Raelynn…!” He smiled, his face radiating pure joy. “Deep in my heart, I held onto the hope that someday we’d reunite!”

Oh no! They didn’t tell him anything!

I glanced at Nora but quickly realized I wasn’t in a position to ask for her immediate intervention. That glare alone could turn me to stone…

“I’m not… I’m not who you think I am!” I blurted in sudden confession, taking a reasonable three steps back. “There’s been a misunderstanding!” I emphasized my statement by holding my hands out in front of me.

He paused mid-step, slowly lowering his outstretched hands. “Yes... yes, I can see that," he murmured, a crestfallen look settling over his aquiline features.

A lump formed in my throat, threatening to activate that awful cranial nerve responsible for tears of sorrow. “I’m so sorry; I know you were expecting her, but—”

“It’s alright,” he smiled wistfully, folding his hands together in front of him. “We can talk later when it's safe. I’m sure there’s more to the situation than either of us fully realize.”

Glancing between him and Nora, a complete contrast in adoration and irritation, I steadied myself. “Are the others all safe?”

“Yes!” Relias bobbed his head enthusiastically as if recalling his fateful reunion with them.

I missed that, too! Gaaaah!

Nora continued her chilly scowl. “We’re all accounted for, now.”

At least I wasn’t getting reprimanded in front of him…

I let out an ill-timed sigh of relief just as a loud rumble punctuated the air. The Orders of Silver and Blue spilled onto the fields farther in front of us from either side, charging forward with a screeching cacophony of steel and shouts. The first clash was the loudest, locking dozens of men into their final struggles.

“Isn’t there some way we can stop all this?!” I asked them both in desperation. “I’m okay now!”

“They were to be given the option to surrender, but it seems Captain Garvith refused.” Relias shook his head sadly.

“But the others aren’t responsible for all of this…” I frowned as I watched bodies on both sides fall limp to the ground. Some writhed and moaned after their descent, while others remained motionless. The deafening roar of battle increased, though many defiant shouts turned into screams of pain.

“Rae,” Nora replied sternly as she folded her arms, holding back even harsher words. “It’s too late now. Both forces are already fully engaged. You can’t just say, ‘never mind’ at this point!”

I cringed at the realization that this whole conflict was centered around me. This is all my fault…

“The most prudent course of action would be to safeguard ourselves and provide aid when possible,” Relias replied, pointing to a sturdy warehouse off to the east. “I suggest we take refuge there.”

As we made our way towards the sanctuary, I heard, perhaps felt, the twang of a crossbow bolt launching from the nearby bushes. “Get down!” I screamed at Relias even as I left him no choice, tackling him from the side with a strong-armed clothesline maneuver. Thankfully, the crossbow bolt missed, and only then did I realize I had landed next to him, just inches from his striking face. There wasn’t a single flaw to be found…

Almost absently, I noted Nora retaliated on our behalf, unleashing a searing blast of Ignis upon the bushes that had attacked us. The magical fire engulfed the undergrowth and whoever hid in it, sending them off into the distance with a scream and a smoky trail lingering in their wake. Whoever it was, they were no official knight from either side.

“Uh, that was unintentional!” I gasped, realizing I had been gazing at him now for far too long.

“Saving my life… was unintentional?” Relias asked as he sat up, blinking twice before returning the look while rubbing his head.

“N…no, just… never mind…” I stammered, rising quickly. My hand trembled as I reached out to help him off the ground. “Sorry for knocking you down so hard…. I guess I don't know my own strength…”

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He rose to his feet with my help. “Feel free to execute a suplex maneuver on me whenever fate demands it,” he quipped with a tiny grin, his cheeks taking on a rosy hue. He then released my grip to conjure a golden barrier, shielding us. “I should have established this protection sooner; I believe I was somewhat... preoccupied…” he trailed off with a sidelong glance. “My apologies…”

Waving off his unnecessary remorse, I shut my eyes again and surveyed the warehouse and its immediate vicinity using my amity. “No blues here,” I confirmed before we advanced together, eventually reaching the warehouse door. Nora, wielding a set of lockpicks that likely once belonged to Vernie, swiftly disabled the lock. After taking a deep breath, I cautiously advanced.

“Hold it,” Nora snapped, pushing me away before I could cross the threshold. “There could be others around like that archer, and you're not wearing any protection!” Her concern for my safety remained despite her evident frustration with me.

“Right…” I mumbled as she tossed a ball of light into the darkness. She glanced around furtively for a few moments before waving all clear. Entering carefully, I noted warehouse racks were strikingly bare, though here and there was a large wooden box or a barrel marked as ale. Tossed into one dusty side corner was… “My sword and shield! Oh… and my… bo staff…” It had been broken into several pieces and tossed in a nearby bin with what appeared to be large bits of kindling. That was a precious gift, you bastards! I picked through the pieces, but the blessing was long gone…

Where was my armor? I glanced around a bit before eyeing an extended workbench with several parcels, the last of which was unwrapped, exposing my chest plate. Stuffed inside the box was a lock of my hair and a verbose yet mocking ransom note. I picked it up and read.

> To the Illustrious Councilmen of the Holy Church of Euphridia,

>

> Be advised we have taken into our protective custody an individual of some repute, none other than your proclaimed hero, previously thought missing by those who call themselves the All-knowing Authority of the Church.

>

> This action was not taken lightly but with great deliberation, fueled by the necessity that we, as devoted servants of the Goddess and her followers, remain without resource or reward since the final campaigns waged upon the original Demon King’s forces over seven years ago. We continue without budget, without adequate equipment, and without representation in the Holy City. Yet, we are expected to defend and protect as we have since the formation of our Order over three thousand years ago. To rectify this administrative oversight and make things once again right, we demand no less than the immediate delivery of one hundred gold bars of exceptional purity that meet international trade standards and weights sent forth to Fort Turri, where the bulk of our Order shall receive and authenticate due tribute.

>

> Failure to meet our terms will inevitably harm the hero irrevocably—an outcome we hope to avoid at all costs. To help validate our claims, please find enclosed a piece of the Chosen One’s missing armor and a lock of hair, which I am sure your holy priests can authenticate.

>

> We trust this note has enlightened you with newly found wisdom and understanding of the situation at hand. The path forward lies up to you, and we await your decision. To hold your attention, we will continue to send you pieces of the Chosen One’s ensemble. With all due respect,

>

> Knight Captain Garvith, Holy Order of the Blue

I crushed the ransom note in my left hand even as my right searched my hair in vain for the location where they had snipped the lock. “Money…” I grated my teeth. “They were just selling me!” They weren’t looking to fix anything long-term through negotiations; they just wanted their cut! Even if they did cough up the cash, the Church certainly wasn’t going to take their pleas for resources seriously in the future.

“I had been informed of their exorbitant demands previously…” Relias murmured after gently tugging the note from my hand to scan it. “However, my expectations were such that Councilman Procul would have successfully brokered a swift resolution with the Order by now…” He glanced at me with a rather bashful expression. “A hundred gold bars is not a bad deal, all things considered…”

The remark was probably meant to distract me from my irritation, but I wasn’t in the mood for banter. “So they’ve been raising a stink for a while, I take it?” I snorted.

“Raising… a stink?” Relias looked lost. “Oh yes, the avaricious pursuit of the Malodorous Mustelids…” He scratched his cheek for a moment.

Av…avaricious?

He shook his head, still seemingly confused but unperturbed. “Nora spoke at length regarding that earlier. Worry not. I will issue a writ of condemnation for such acts as soon as possible.”

Oof. Garvith got that one right about him…

“Thank you… but that’s not what I meant,” I sighed. “I mean… they’ve been causing a commotion about funding for quite some time,” I clarified, realizing my own speech fell well short of his high-level vernacular.

See? I was not nearly as classy as Raelynn.

“Oh, then yes. Quite the odorous commotion, to say the least. Though I believe all of their recent alternative funding schemes are nothing but a ruse to garner sympathy,” he replied as I began ripping open the parcels and equipping myself again with their contents. He watched me for a few moments in silence before questioning, “Raelynn?”

“Rachel,” I swiftly corrected, belting my sword and sheath. He’s obviously in denial!

“Rae,” he whispered in concession. “You’re not planning to venture forth, are you?”

I was preparing to defend us should it become necessary. But get in the middle of two armies fighting over budgetary funding and emotional saddle sores? No thanks.

Relias fidgeted with a parcel for a moment. “I believe it best to let Captain Corwin handle this,” he finally advised.

“Corwin?” I asked in momentary confusion. “Who’s he? Captain of the Silver?”

Relias nodded. “I have the utmost confidence in his military prowess and command of his knights. I am sure he will find a way to have the Blue capitulate without unnecessary bloodshed…” He looked at me then, curiosity burning in his eyes. “Perhaps we can distract ourselves with pleasant conversation while waiting for his all-clear?”

We had a lot to talk about. How did he know we were here? What was his relationship with Volker? How did he escape his penitential prison? The temporary peace the warehouse granted was not a long-term guarantee, however, even if he could use his powers to barricade us in safely. “Alright, but I don’t want to be caught off—”

The warehouse door suddenly reverberated with urgent, frantic knocks. It was like karma was waiting for me to say it!

“It’s one of the Blue,” I confirmed with my inner vision as I instinctively reached for my sword.

“Captain Lightbringer! Please!” The panicked, somewhat wheezy voice belonged unmistakably to the older knight who had been assaulted by Volker earlier.

I grimaced with guilt. “Hold on, I know this one… he’s in no condition to fight us.” After double-checking that he was alone with a slow blink of my eyes, I sighed and put my hand on the door. “Don’t try anything funny!” I warned before cautiously pulling it open.

He stumbled in, fighting through his unseen injuries, making it only a few steps before collapsing to the floor. "Captain Lightbringer, I beseech you! You must intervene! The captains are locked in a duel to the death, right in the heart of the battlefield!” His eyes, wide with urgency, sought mine, conveying the gravity of the situation.

I glanced back to my visibly shocked allies, feeling a heavy lump in my throat.

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