They sat around the fire that Edgar had made and warmed some of the mutton up. The food was warm, salted and precooked, can't get much better than that in a world like this, especially while on the road.

Edgar looked at the meat on the end of his spit, it seemed done enough so he pulled it away from the fire. He grabbed it with his gauntlet and tore a chunk with his teeth. He forgot to get eating utensils from the manor before they left. "So, Lattena, what's your story?" Edgar asked.

Lattena looked up from where she was laying against Lobo's flank. "Hm? Well, I grew up in the fringes, cast out when our experiment turned out to be subpar, as you know we albinaurics were made not born, we fought a lifetime to get where we are in Ordina, and eventually found our way onto the graces of Miquella, who gave us a home and bade us to guide pilgrims and destroy invaders. But most importantly our sister is there and she can give our people a future, give birth to a new generation."

Edgar took another bite before pointing the stick at Nepheli. "How about you?"

Nepheli looked down, but didn't say anything. "Right, sore subject, Sorry. How about you?" He gestured to Tragoth.

Tragoth took a deep drink from a water skin drinking a gulp, his helmet off revealing a grey stache and chops with his hair back roughly. "I was a knight of the round table, stat with elden lord Godfrey and was part of his council of war, stuck it out in the long march, say what you will about us tarnished but we're stubborn and resilient." He grunted taking another pull from his skin.

Edgar looked at the guy in the iron mask. "You, the hell's your story?"

He laughed. "Why? You got eyes for me?"

Edgar waved his hand at him. "In your dreams. But hell if you're just that boring of a guy I'll just ask Galus when he gets back with firewood."

Blaggard shook his head. "Fine, fucking jackass, I was a prisoner beneath Leyndell, was cell mates near a real nasty wanker known as the dung eater, real scary son of a bitch, anyone who was unlucky enough to be cell mates with him was killed and what he'd do to the bodies, fuckin unspeakable, got to the point that if you pissed off the guards or started trouble, you'd be transfered to his cell. Some of us would take bets on how long they'd last."

Edgar put up a hand. "That's enough." Irina was clutching his arm.

Galus came back carrying a bundle of sticks, he dumped the wood and sat. Blaggard spoke up and pointed at Galus. "Alright, if it's bloody story time let's hear yours."

Galus sat down, and stroked his bluish black beard in thought. "You want to know about me huh? Alright then, but you're gonna have to understand, things can be confusing. the land I came from is much different from yours. Technology is far more advanced, there are ships of steel, carriages that ride without horses, torches that require no fire, it's a place with many laws and it requires you to rely on it, hunting and fishing is illegal without you needing to pay an extortionate amount, making stores and their processed goods the only source of food, you either drink the tap water or you dig a well, the latter being illegal in the cities, but it comes with a good amount of comfort, starvation isn't too much of a problem in third world countries, though in other places it's as common as grass to see starving kids in the streets, it's a world where not the strong rule but the rich and influential. And anyone who doesn't fit in with the status quo or questions the authority of the men in charge is deemed insane and as such are shoved under the rug in a facility. I grew up in the countryside, a place where men who work hard live, but I eventually moved to a suburb, I was always lonely, grew up in a place where people lived far apart so I had no friends to speak of, so when I moved to the suburbs and was surrounded by people my age, I was ecstatic, and I might have let my emotions get carried away because all of the kids were scared of my because I'd play alot rougher than most, and that pattern continued until I was simply out of options, I eventually found myself grown up without friends and eventually... I'm sorry, I think that's enough..."

Irina nodded. "I often felt the same way, castle Morne was far far away from anyone else, and the towering walls, I never saw them, but they were always there. Often Morne felt more like a prison than a home. But ever since I went on the road with you guys on the road I've felt more free than I've ever felt anywhere else."

Edgar looked down. "I... Didn't know..."

Irina hugged him.

Galus guessed he and Irina were more alike than he could have guessed.

Blaggard shook his head. "You're all a bunch of fuckin' pansies."

Galus looked to him, "ain't nobody making you stay here pal, road's there, Leyndell is there you want to go become elden lord then besta luck to ya! Wanna go back to boiling crabs next to an old shack then off you go, but for the love of God if you're planning to stay here with us then stop being such a pedantic ass wipe."

Blaggard laughed. "Been a long time since somebody's talked to me like that, name's Jamie, pleased to meetcha."

Galus looked at him, then shrugged. "Sure you too."

Tragoth took a deep drink from his waterskin, Edgar was beginning to think it wasn't water at all. "It's late, let's all get a good night's sleep together, then we'll set off for Leyndell in the morning."

Galus raised a hand. "I'll take first watch, Lattena, you and Lobo care to join me?"

She looked at Lobo who chuffed before standing up with a stretch.

Galus looked up toward the mountains, it was so damn close, sanctuary, all he had to do to get there was storm the single most impenetrable city in the world, fight a demigod, cross a mountain range, storm a castle, cross a snow field, and that'd probably be only half the journey, then he has to kill Mohg, bright side Malenia would probably help with that, but he sure as hell wasn't going to fight him alone.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Lattena looked where Galus was staring. "It will be a long journey, there's an alternative route from the elevator in Leyndell, there's a path through the mountains that leads directly into the snowfields, Loretta lead us through there, Though the path was demolished after we used the it, so that might not be an option..."

Galus frowned. "Then how did you get down here?"

She shook her head. "How do you think, I rode up, got into the elevator and beat feet and got the hell out of there."

Galus smiled. "I am not surprised by that, I can see it now, you and Lobo tearing up the streets and shooting three kinds of hell onto your pursuers."

She laughed. "Oh you have no idea, me and my... Friend..."

Galus hesitantly raised a hand onto her shoulder. She tensed but relaxed. "I rode with a friend from Ordina, but she got shot off her wolf, I left her behind..." She gave a shuddering sob.

He patted her on the back. "You can't fight an army on your own, Leyndell is a fortress with legions of bigoted maniacs that call themselves soldiers, you can't fight everyone, but I'll tell you what, tomorrow, we'll give Leyndell a rocking that it won't forget, the dragon invasion will look like a rat infestation compared to the havoc we'll wreak on the capital, alright?"

Lattena sobbed and snorted at the same time, a small smile playing in her face. "Alright, that better be a promise you keep..."

Galus patted her on the back. "Who knows, maybe your friend is still alive, if she is we'll rescue her, if she isn't we'll give her one hell of a send off." He patted her again. "Go get some sleep, I'll have Edgar take next watch, besides I've got Lobo here to keep me company." Lobo gave a huff as he laid down next to him.

Galus dug into his bag and brought out the pendant with the red jewel inside the middle. He looked at it, not quite sure what he'd do with it, so he broke the rather large gem off of the golden oval it was attached to. He walked over to his horse and grabbed his wondrous physic bottle, and dropped it inside just to see what it would do, to his express relief the gemstone started to sweat beads of a glowing gold liquid and it kept generating until it the bottle was full, and Galus readded the cork, where he then rejoined Lobo on their watch.

--------------

Next morning the crew woke up and broke camp. Blaggard was gone, suspiciously coinciding with the disappearance of all Edgar's runes. And Edgar didn't look too upset, infact he looked rather pleased. When Galus asked privately what happened Edgar admitted he offered his runes for the braggart to fuck off, or stay and get their head chopped off by Edgar's axe, when Galus asked why he said he didn't want him around Irina, which, fair enough, he's called a blaggard for a reason.

Galus returned and collected his tent, and folded it up, putting it on tempests saddle, he hooked his sword onto their saddle.

Galus heard something in the distance, hood beats, he turned and saw a mule tearing toward them. He turned to Lattena. "Think you draw a bead on him? It's trouble trust me."

She nodded pulling back her bowstring and aiming at the merchant in tan clothing.

Galus walked forward. "Korne, how you doing? Listen I'd love to have you aboard but we have a little rule about trying to turn our teammates into puppets for chaos."

Korne got down from his mule, and looked at him. "Galus? That you under that bucket?"

Galus raised his visor and looked him in the eyes. "Yeah, care to explain why you're here? Gonna... Try and kill Irina again? Or maybe you want to got for Edgar this time."

Edgar stepped in front of Irina who flipped the latch on her cane. Given the fear on her quivering mouth she recognized Korne's voice.

Korne looked Galus up and down. "Hell, look at you, no longer the shivering naked mess who found his way back to my fire, got your fancy armor and your fancy horse, I clothed you, fed you, gave you medical treatment when you needed it."

Galus interrupted him. "Then why did you do it?! Why did you attack her?!" He grabbed Korne by his collar.

Korne looked down and drug his bandana down from his face, revealing hideous burn scars oddly reminiscent of a fingerprint. "Because I'm tired of this fucking flame in my head! Do you know what it's like to have madness constantly burning and wriggling inside your head!? So when the voice offered me a way out I took it!"

Galus shook his head in a mix of sympathy and disgust. "You could have asked for my help! Instead you tried to do it on your own and now look at you, you're a fucking mess!"

They yelled and grabbed at Galus' head, a yellow fire in their eyes.

--------------

Korne walked through Galus' mind looking for the right thing to destroy, Shabriri had said it was a core of somekind in the center of his mind, only, when he found the core, it seemed to be walled off with somekind of... Gold the purest he'd ever seen, no matter what he did it wouldn't budge an inch.

A kid with blonde hair skipped up to him. "Whatcha doin'?"

Korne looked at him confused, there shouldn't be anyone else in here. "Get out of here kid, I ain't got any patience right now."

The boy laughed innocently and the scenery changed to a flower field of silvers and golds. The boy looked at him smiling brightly. "Let's put a pin in the whole you trying to kill my servant thing real quick."

As if summoned from his words a massive golden needle the size of a damn claymore drove through his chest. The boy laughed and sat on a golden throne. "Nothing to say? Good then you can shut up and listen. Tell your boss, my servant, is off limits, his companions are off limits, hell, by the time I'm done this whole world will be off limits. Now, what should I do next to hammer it home."

A golden Warhammer appeared and punched the needle deeper into his chest causing him to wheeze, he couldn't scream because his lung was punctured, instead of blood only air came out of his wound, still painful... But he noticed something when it was in him, the flames, the whispers, the damn burning in his head, it was gone.

The boy grinned and a small girl with silver hair peaked shyly from behind the silver throne. He looked at her and she yelped and a blast of purple flames whirled around him.

------------

Korne started shaking a couple seconds after he had grabbed Galus' head and started screaming his head off, and a few seconds after that he just fell to the ground and started seizing up fine coming out of his mouth, Galus was very confused.

Galus knelt down next to him, inspecting him, he'd let him seize it out but he sure as hell wasn't going to help him, if his neck snapped that was his problem, he had no pity for traitors, but he was a fair man, if he didn't die from this he'd let him live, as long as it was as far away from him as he could get.

Edgar walked over next to him, then cut his had off. Galus was shocked as a bit of blood spattering his face.

Galus looked up at the usually calm and stoic Edgar and saw he was livid. He kicked the body all the while cursing at him with spittle coming out of his mouth. "Mother fucking son of a piece of shit! You think you can come after my daughter like that I'll bring you back and kill you again you addlepated ass wipe!"

Galus had never seen him act like this, but he supposed it was understandable. Eventually the merchant was a mess on the ground, just a puddle of meat and guts and bones.

After he calmed down Galus cautiously removed the red halberd from his hand and he patted him on the back. "Come on, we have to get to Leyndell, it'll be a quick ride if we hurry."

Galus was right, it was a quick ride, atleast until a damn light pole of an arrow sailed over Galus' head, giving him flashbacks to when he was running away from castle Morne and when he'd fought the first golem archer. He saw there were two of them this time.

Galus shook his head, he could have flashbacks of Vietnam later, right now he had to fight. Galus summoned a crossbow and shot it at the golem, which of course did fuck all as if bounced off it's stone body, Lattena's shots though somehow managed to get into the holes in it's chest, which started to spew small jets of flame like a fuel canister that was just shot in a video game, he guessed that those holes were vents for heat.

Galus clung to his horse and ducked as another arrow nearly hit them though Galus realized seeing the trail they were being controlled with storm wind to increase the speed, no way a massive stone arrow could just be shot on its own and not fall down after a few feet, it'd need something to propel it like a missile. And luckily for him he had the damn storm queen riding on his horse who controlled the wind to veer it off course and crash far far off it's mark.

Galus summoned a disc as large as he could and flung it aiming for it's bow arm, it actually worked, sheering it off with a jet of flame spewing forth he controlled it to come back and it cut through its legs, causing the great stone giant to topple down. caught it and sent it veering toward the next one, it's arm was also destroyed and subsequently toppled out from under it's feet as well.

Galus heard a distant rumbling and turned to see a golem swipe it's massive stone halberd through some trees and start running toward them. Galus was about to sling his disc toward them but a massive crackling came from behind him with a dull golden glow, he turned and saw Nepheli, holding a lightning bolt the size of one of their massive arrows and she slung it at the golem which caused a small explosion and a huge gap to open on it's stone chest revealing some steampunk esk machinery with pipes and valves and a massive glowing hot fuel canister. Lattena took the opportunity to shoot the fuel canister full of holes and it exploded debre and fire tore through the ground and any nearby rocks and trees that were left, all of which were torn apart, Galus felt his eyepatch which he'd stitched back together, he was fucking lucky that little pebble hadn't torn through his head. hell, Blaidd was lucky he was wearing such heavy armor.

Galus shook his head, they were coming up on a hill, and the sight that met them made Galus' blood run cold.