The town has been restless since the declaration of war that the bandits have sent, or rather since Carola screamed at his troops to prepare for a battle. He knew it would come to this since long before, and while he’s anxious about the battle he is also relieved that he finally has the chance to rid the village of the bandit scourge that plagued it.
In the barracks Carola stands in the hall, looking at the paintings of past leaders of Coppercamp while stroking his mustache while guards rush in and out all over. He contemplates the meaning of the village itself. It’s not common knowledge anymore but Coppercamp used to be just that, a camp where the settlers of the Aether empire forces would draw copper from the ground to aid their army in the conquest for recovering the Western Rose continent. It was a pivotal spot and had plenty of hard battles against the feral beasts of the western rose, even the river next to it was rerouted to make the camp more prosperous. Carola used to be a history buff back in his youth, and he recalls the name of the original captain in charge of Coppercamp, his painting is lost to time, if there ever was one. But Carola likes to pretend that his depiction is on the wall besides the paintings present.
“What would Godwin Weaver do?” Carola asks himself, he himself did all he could do, the villagers have been warned, what able bodied men and women have been assembled, even the perimeter of the village is ready with sharp barricades and wooden structures to impede the opposing rouge rascals. The two oddities, the adventurer and the priest, both helped too. The adventurer has seemingly undepletable stamina and the priest is not far behind him in contribution, wielding healing magic and helping some injured become battle ready. They actually just arrived to meet him and are standing behind him.
“Carola, we finished what we were doing. I finished giving provisions to the troops all around, and Grey is done healing everyone who can fight.” Fren tells him the good news, they are ahead of schedule… or so they would like to assume, they do not know when the bandits will attack, they don’t even know precisely where.
“It’s Captain Carola! And don’t you dare forget!” He turns to the other two with his usual strong shouting voice. “Anyhow, that's excellent news.” He can see that Gregory, the priest, is looking mighty tired, healing must take a lot out of him. “Priest, you need to eat, the bandits didn’t attack yesterday which means they’ll attack soon. Other than you and a second rate alchemist we don’t have any way to heal people mid-battle. You better be ready when the alarm sounds.”
“I already had a large breakfast, I just need a large break.” He is very tired, you could hear it in his tone, while mostly he’ll deliver puns and jokes with a pep in his talk he sounds like letting out a single word is a bother. It makes sense, he not only healed a few injured, he also healed the troops who were training with Fren in the barracks yard earlier that day. Fren did learn a few concepts in mortal combat with a sword and shield, but his raw power overwhelmed the guards too much to be a worthy challenge.
“What about me?” Fren is ever eager, even after running around the village and all the other help he did, he still has power.
“Fren, remember what Allous said, you don’t want to be mana sick again.” Gregory reminds Fren that he could exert himself without noticing.
“Mana sickness? Is that something you can heal?” Carola doesn’t know much about mana sickness. “Is that something that you can heal?”.
“No, and he got it in the past already, he almost died.”
“Grey, I’m fine, it was just the banshee.”
“We can’t take any chances.”
“The priest is right, you need to be ready for battle. You both need rest.” Carola saw how Fren beat his guards, he can be a valuable soldier. Can’t risk getting Fren out of commission for the battle.
Fren makes a mildly disappointed face, they both go and sit on a bench outside the Barracks.
“Whoa, it’s a lot of work.” Gregory releases a sigh after sitting down.
“Yeah, I wonder if the village is prepared.”
“I don’t know, but the barricades are up I think, and the fort should be nearly done now.”
“They didn’t attack yesterday, or the day before, they must be planning to attack today.” Fren can’t stop talking about the bandits, and sulking while doing it. Gregory would like to talk about fun and adventures but it feels out of place.
“Fren, why are you worried so much? I mean, I get why you are worried. But you were not as worried back with all the undead.”
“Ugh, don’t even remind me. The undead… it’s frightening to think of it again.”
“Really? You looked so relaxed back then, you remember when we climbed the tree?” Gregory remembers how Fren helped him and Lisa and Guy jump over from the tree to the balcony, back then his face was that of determination. It was actually that which gave Gregory strength, and he thinks it’s the same for Guy and even Lisa.
“Yeah, I was… but it’s frightening to think that it could come to that, that this village could look the same. If we lose the village will be a ghost town. People will actually die, and it would really be my fault this time.”
“This time?” Gregory doesn’t actually know all that much about Fren, he met him about a week ago, and even though did find himself in life and death situations, he doesn’t know much about his past, and Fren isn’t the sharing type if you don’t ask. He makes a mental note to ask more about him next time they have a chance. “Look, it won’t come to that. Is that why you’re trying to help so much?”
“I guess so-” Fren starts to say something but stops when he notices a guard carrying a large sack to the barracks and making eye contact with other guards.
“Hey, you, can you take this to the fort? It’s food from the villagers, I need to report to captain Carola.” The sack carrying guard asks from passing guards but no one can comply, their lookout shift will start later so they have tasks and training to do in the barracks.
“I’ll do it!” Fren volunteers and quickly get up and over to the guard.
“Fren, wait.” Gregory tries to stop him, and stands up lethargically.
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“It’s just food for the troops at the fort and around, I can even take some, that’ll make sure I don’t get mana sickness right?” Neither know enough about mana sickness to confirm that.
“I’ll be OK on my own.” Fren takes the bag and assures the guard that it will reach its destination.
“Wait, what does ‘OK’ mean?” Gregory is left behind by the bench to rest alone.
Fren walks alone to the Fort, the fastest way is a bit off road but it’s still walkable. The grass is a bit tall and yellow, hard and stingy, but if you maintain your steps and keep on the walked dirt it won’t bother you much. You can see a grove of pines and even pick some raspberries on the way if you don’t mind your pace, it’s a beautiful place with some hills and rock foliage. There are some cony and rabbits and along the way is a little wooden shack with a girl standing next to it wielding a bow and an eye patch over her left eye. It’s the red eyed archer, she’s been waiting for Fren. He gives a curious look until he finds his way to her.
“There you’ve been, I need to talk to you.” It’s definitely not what Fren thought he would hear first exit her mouth, he has the most confused face, and you could understand why. She told him to stay away from her, on two separate occasions. “Why are you still here?”
“Why? Umm… I’m bringing rations for the troops.” He lifts the big sack forward to show her.
“That’s not what I meant. Why are you trying to help everyone here?”
“I… I want to.” Does he not have a better way of putting it? “I want to help you too.”
“Help me? What do you even know about me?”
“I can start by learning your name.” He doesn't even think twice before answering like that.
“My name? Do you- ugh, it’s Ruby.” She remembers something about Demons having their name as a weakness. Maybe he thinks of attacking her like that? Would only prove him to be an enemy.
“Nice to meet you, Ruby. I’m Fren.” He switches hands for the sack and sends his right hand forward for a handshake. The red eyed arched does not comply.
“I gave you my name, what are you going to do now?”
“Umm…”
“You idiot! Do you know what this means?” she points at her right eye, the strong crimson red.
“It's a beautiful eye.” Fren answers confused.
“A beau- You idiot, it’s a red eye, red! And that’s only something nobles and demons have!” She shouts. She did not expect a complement. It somehow made her reaction angrier, but she kind of liked it, and kind of not.
“But you said you are not a demon… are you a noble?”
“I was born in this village, moron, how can I be a noble?”
“Well, you don’t sound like a demon to me. And you even helped me, so I trust you.”
“Trust me? You can’t trust me! You don’t even know me.”
“You’re right, I don’t really know you, but you helped me and my friend, do you remember?”
“Still… you can’t trust me. And I can’t trust you either.”
“But you also helped the village, right? You said something about protecting the village. I’m also trying to help it.”
“You have? Then why don’t you…” go away. She tried to say it but couldn’t say it again, something is different.
“You’re right, I can’t truly trust you, and you can’t absolutely trust me. But I am only trying my best to help Coppercamp, and so are you.” Fren thinks, you can tell because his eyes are running around as if he’s searching for something. His gaze turns to the left and then returns to face the red eyed archer. “What if we shared a secret? Will you trust me then?”
Share a secret? She couldn’t, if she does… he’ll definitely think she’s a demon. It’s been so long since she found someone who wasn’t afraid of her, someone she could talk to.
“Do you know what a ‘video game’ is?” Fren asks her. She never heard about it in her life. She also never heard the word ‘absolutely’ before but she could make sense of it in the sentence.
“No, what is it?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s important.”
“How do you know it’s important if you don’t know what it is?”
“It’s… complicated… I guess. I just remember these words from my dream.”
“That’s your secret?” She doesn’t give it much thought, this isn’t such a trust building knowledge exchange.
“I think it has to do with my past… I’m not from here.” Wait, is her really going to say it?
“You’re not from the village? Or…”
“I’m not from this world.” He actually said it, he did! To her?! She looks at him in shock, is he actually a demon? Is that why he isn’t afraid of her? But his eyes are normal. “I was summoned here, I don’t know who-or what I was beforehand.”
She takes a step back. Terrified, her face is frozen with wide eyes and her hands slowly reach for her bow. But then she stops… instead she sheds a tear. Her entire life she was the one who was scary, she was the monster. But Fren standing before her, he is just asking to be accepted. His face of fear reminds Ruby of a small puppy, asking for a treat from a stranger, afraid of the possibility that this is just bait to be caught and taken. She can’t hurt him… but can she trust him? Of course, what he admits to her is probably worse… an actual outsider? A servant of the adversary?
“Hmm… alright.” She takes a deep breath. She decided to trust him. Ruby reaches her hand to her eyepatch. “Watch closely, and don’t attack.” She slowly lifts her eye patch, revealing another eye, this one a strong deep purple color, like violet petals. This is her most shameful secret. Even red eyes are considered normal next to violet eyes, myrmidons of malicious gods are the only ones known to have them. She was born not with one abnormal eye, but two. She always wondered why her parents didn’t kill her, why her grandparents took her in, whether she was truly evil or not, simply for being different.
“I’m guessing it’s another one of those eye color things… What's worse than a demon?” Fren has no clue as to what it means. It’s underwhelming so much that Ruby wants to tell him he’s an idiot but instead she bursts into laughter.
“You-you-haha! You idiot! Purple eyes are the most dangerous. You don’t even-ha!” She hasn’t laughed like this in years, she kept her eye patch on, for years she didn’t let a single soul see her violet color and when she does it meets such an anticlimactic response.
“I think the red one is prettier.” Is Fren trying to make her laugh harder? Or is he trying to be smooth? Does he see her as-
Tooooooooooooootootootootootoo
A loud horn sound is heard, it’s the alarm. Both Ruby and Fren look towards the fort, beyond the trees and the hills.
“The bandit! That’s impossible, I made sure that-” Ruby is half surprised, running in her head how is it possible that the bandits are attacking now.
“I need to go there, quick, are you coming?”
“Yeah, I’ll meet you there, I’d rather not be seen.” Ruby puts her eye patch in her pocket and turns to take a different way to the fort.
“Don’t you want to put that back on?”
“I need both eyes to shoot arrows, idiot!” She says before swiftly running, Fren doesn’t delay and runs too, the sack of food on the doorway of the little shack. Someone will pick it up on the way from the barracks, Fren must hurry without it now to be early reinforcements.