Fea stared into the eyes of the dying Number and saw nothing but malice and bloodlust.

The Number’s body eventually became limp and after letting out a pained sigh, Fea stood up.

He then stumbled towards the gate and slid open its locking mechanism, allowing him to peek out into the outskirts of Dachaigh Gual where he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

He promptly closed the gate and made his way home where he grabbed some medical supplies from a box behind the stairs on the first floor.

He then made his way to the main bedroom which he snuck into before standing next to the side of the bed where Àlainn slept.

He gently shook her awake but before she could gasp with dread upon seeing Fea’s state, he pressed his index finger above his bruised lips.

Àlainn glanced at a sleeping Dahlia before facing Fea once more.

Using a nod, he gestured that she follow him outside and she did.

He then led her to the bathhouse and it is here that all of her concerns were voiced.

“What happened? Why are you hurt? Who did this? Was it beasts?” She asked hurriedly while Fea plopped down onto a chair in front of a bucket.

“It… was the Numbers.” He wheezed while taking off what was left of his shirt.

This allowed Àlainn to see the extent of the damage he had taken.

Her gaze was glued to the torn remnants of his wings.

She reached out to touch them but stopped her hands, fearing that she would hurt him.

“Wrap them tightly, please.” Fea said.

Àlainn nodded before getting some water into a bucket and washing off all dirt that covered Fea’s body.

She then gently washed his wings before asking that he fold him.

Unfortunately, moving them was far too painful for Fea and so Àlainn manually folded them before wrapping them in cloth.

What was even more unfortunate was that neither she nor Fea knew how any of the ointments in the box of supplies worked.

Àlainn asked Yar’ Ley for help and he instructed that she douse the bandages with alcohol from one of the many bottles on the box.

Fea let out a suppressed cry as his bandages were doused.

Àlainn then rushed back home to get him a change of clothes.

She returned to Fea’s side and helped him get dressed but her heart ached as his face twisted.

“I tried to forget.” He said with a hoarse voice. His words echoed loudly in the silence of the bathhouse.

“I tried to forget about the pain I felt when the night robbed us.” He said as tears fell from his eyes.

“But, even now, we are still haunted, still hunted.” Fea cried.

Àlainn buttoned up his new vest and spread her arms prompting Fea to lower his head onto her chest.

“Shh.” She sounded as the air was filled with Fea’s cries.

Àlainn gently ran her hands through Fea’s long black hair as he wept.

She held him tightly and dearly all while glancing at the daggers that sat next to the stool atop which he once sat.

The spots of blood that covered them only added to the pain that gnawed at her chest.

.

..

Fea eventually stopped crying.

He and raised his head allowing Àlainn to see his reddened eyes.

“Go to Dahlia. Keep him company while I clean everything up.”

Fea nodded before leaving the bathhouse.

Àlainn bit her teeth as her gaze fell on the bloody daggers again.

She got some fresh water into a bucket thoroughly washed them before wrapping Fea’s belt around her waist and sheathing them.

She then left the bathhouse and promptly made her way to Dachaigh Gual’s gate where she found five corpses only something bothered her.

The corpses before her were all covered thinly in what looked like grey fur.

Àlainn crouched to inspect the corpses further and with this, her suspicions were confirmed.

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She shook her head and carrying the corpses out of Dachaigh Gual one by one as gentle drops of rain began to fall.

She then spent the following hours digging a fairly deep hole wherein she threw the corpses.

Another thing she noticed was that it wasn’t raining beyond Dachaigh Gual’s perimeter but she decided not to pay the rain too much attention as she worked.

She covered up the hole but not only had the sun come up by this time, she was also wet and exhausted.

Her small arms trembled and her every breath was a sniffle or a wheeze.

She entered Dachaigh Gual, closed the gate and grabbed a bucket of water which she used to wash away the blood which the rain failed to clean.

She then went home in search of a change of clothes but she stood frozen by the door upon seeing Fea standing in the kitchen.

“I… I would have prepared breakfast.” Àlainn muttered.

“Mmm?” Fea sounded rather energetically while turning to face her.

“Bah! My wounds have already begun closing so worry not. Also, you look positively exhausted so this is the least I could do, no?”

“Oh- alright.” Àlainn said even though she would have preferred if he spent the whole day resting.

She grabbed a change of clothes, made her way back to the bathhouse where she bathed and got changed.

She then returned home to find a yawning Dahlia seated by the kitchen table.

She sat next to him and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

“Good morning.” She greeted.

“Morning.” Dahlia yawned again.

Àlainn sat next to him before deeply sighing.

Fea served up three bowls of oatmeal before keenly glancing outside.

“Winter rain. A troublesome combination.” He said as Dahlia and Àlainn Ate.

It’s here that Dahlia noticed the abrasions all over Fea’s face but before the boy could voice his concerns, Fea raised his right hand.

“Eat up first.” He said and the boy reluctantly agreed although this only made him eat faster.

“What happened?” Dahlia asked after dropping his spoon into an empty bowl.

Fea explained everything that happened and he watched as Dahlia’s face twisted with anger.

“W-what should we do?” He asked.

“Àlainn and I will do whatever it takes to protect you while you search for the truth. Although the odds are stacked against me, hehe.” Fea said with a nervous chuckle.

“I could help.” Àlainn said but Fea responded with raised brow.

“Oh? Does this have anything to do with anything we may have spoke about before?”

“No. I could fight alongside you.” Àlainn said.

Fea’s brows furrowed slightly.

Dahlia and Àlainn both silently gasped as his purple eyes burnt brightly.

He opened his mouth to speak but he stopped as Àlainn did the same.

“I know. My small arms and frame may not be of much help but I don’t think I could bare seeing you get hurt again.”

Fea let out a pained groan before turning to Dahlia who’s eyes trembled.

“Fine but only because an added pair of hands could prove useful in protected Dahlia. You will train alongside the boy, although yours will be more intense. Prepare for that.”

Àlainn gave Fea an understanding nod.

He turned to leave the house but Àlainn shook her head, stopping him in his tracks.

“Go to bed. You need rest. Dahlia and I will call for you if we need you.”

Fea nodded before gesturing that Dahlia wash the dishes.

The boy did as instructed while Fea made his way upstairs

“Excuse me.” Àlainn said as she turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” Dahlia asked.

“I will watch over Dachaigh Gual while Fea rests.”

Dahlia nodded allowing Àlainn to finally leave.

Her face was quickly covered on a thin layer of rain as she stepped outside but she ignored it while making her way towards the fountain at Dachaigh Gual’s center.

It was now filled with almost thirty centimeters of water and for some reason, she felt a little dizzy the closer she got to it.

She backed away and turned her attention to what was once Dachaigh Gual’s barracks.

Fea had organized everything in town. Meaning that if there was a place with weapons that Àlainn could potentially use, it was there and so she walked towards the building and opened its heavy wooden door.

She then found herself in what looked like a small dining hall where the guards of Dachaigh Gual once lounged and ate.

It was lined with old shields that either bore the crest of the old king which was a side profile of his head or the three torches that were found behind all coins minted in Cridhe Iarainn.

Àlainn made her way deeper into the building and she eventually entered the armory to find that it was filled with spears, swords, crossbows and the armor of a knight.

She cautiously approached the armor set and she that it held in its hands a long and old iron sword.

In her curiosity, Àlainn gently wrapped her fingers around the sword’s hilt and tried carrying it but the sword proved far too heavy and so, along with the sword, she fell backwards.

She then heard what sounded like a high pitched squeal and so she looked up with angered eyes.

She clicked her tongue before using all the strength her arms could muster to return the sword to its place.

She then dusted herself off and left the barracks with a frown on her face.

She looked at the daggers that sat around her waist before slowly unsheathing them.

They were simple blades made from iron but Àlainn felt a strange comfort in holding their hilts which were far too big for her hands.

She knew that she was not the one who was to wield them and so she sheathed them but just as she did, a bang came from Dachaigh Gual’s gate.

“Help!”

Someone cried and in a frightened panic, Àlainn ran back into the house, sprinted past the kitchen and up into the bedroom where Fea slept.

“Fea! Someone’s at the gate!” She cried prompting Fea to spring onto his feet.

He then extended his hands towards Àlainn prompting her to give him back his daggers.

Fea gave her a quick nod before dashing out of the house and making his way towards the gate where frantic bangs could be heard.

“HELP! ITS GETTING CLOSER!”

Someone, presumably a man, cried.

“Who are you and what is chasing you?” Fea yelled.

“What? Just let me in, I’ll tell you once I’m safe!” The man on the other side cried.

“Answer my questions!” Fea yelled.

“Fine! My name’s Dill Wendell and I’m a business man from Anvil! An evil creature seeks to tear me limb from limb, now please open the gate! It’s getting closer!”

Fea bit his teeth.

He then opened the gate revealing a small man wearing mismatched, silky clothes that were partially covered in mud. He had a head of messy blond hair, bright blue eyes and his frightened expression revealed several missing teeth.

Fea turned his gaze towards the beast the man spoke of and… it was about the size of a chicken.

Yes, it’s head was covered in eyes and it’s mouth was gaping hole, lined with teeth but other than that, it moved quite slowly and it even appeared to be injured. It’s right leg was darker than the rest of its peach colored body. It seemed as though it had come into contact with something that burnt and chewed away at the flesh in its leg.

“Kill it!” Dill cried while hiding behind Fea who walked up to the hissing creature before promptly stabbing it in the head.

“Yeah! Stab it again, just to be sure!” Dill yelled but Fea walked up to him instead and looked him over.

He then locked gazes with the man who called himself Dill before letting out a low drone.

“What color are my eyes?” Fea growled.

“Brown?”

“Where are you coming from?”

“Anvil, although I was born in Tir Obeithion.”

“Why are you here?” Fea asked.

“Ah… I’m actually here to harvest Rot.”