Chapter 8: Chapter 8: A Past Resolve

Maybe it wasn't drumming after all? The sound was too strange for that, now that Kiara thought about it, and it didn't make sense for drums to suddenly play. She supposed it didn't make sense for it to be an unseen spell either, but sure enough, reality raised an objection. Red quivering balls of energy came flying down the road, crashing into the imp's small body. They bounced it around, one after the other, exploding each time they hit the mark. The sword flew from its hand as it bounced across the dirt. Small wings grew and carried it back, its skin aglow with marks. Another not-drum beat and another red ball pushed in the imp’s nose. Its body jerked back with hands flying up, exploding as the ball did the same. A cloud of dust swept across the road. Through the silent terror that followed, came the sound of clacking bottles and wheels on soft dirt. As the sound drew closer, it came to a stop and a whistle filled the air. The cloud around Rien was beginning to clear, he was all right.

"You guys are something else." A woman's voice came through the remains, and when it cleared Kiara could see a figure in a green hooded shirt, holding the reigns of a reptilian-drawn cottage. “Diana, I swear to you, after we check out the skirmish, we’ll be at the inn in Copperstone.” The woman said mockingly, and Kiara look to Danson and Keigo to see how she should react.

They both smiled brightly as if this woman was proof of paradise herself, and Keigo crossed his arms rebellious as she dismounted from her perch.

“What can I say?” He smirked. “When you’re as eye catching as me, sometimes you have to run away.”

"You can say that I'll be the official leader of our little party. I mean frankly, you and Danson aren't fit for it." The woman crossed her arms in response and found her attention drawn to Kiara as she let out a laugh of relief.

The woman pulled back her hood and red wavy hair came rolling down to her shoulders. Kiara’s heart skipped a beat at the woman’s rosy light skin and deep-set green eyes, and when she smiled Kiara found words hard to grasp. The woman was tall too, taller than Danson by an inch or so, making Kiara look like a child as she walked over. Though she wore clothes that didn’t reveal much, Kiara could see the performance in her as well. This woman—more of an older teen—had the same kind of toned body as the boys, and that was more apparent as she shook Kiara’s hand.

“Hi there. I’m Diana the Bolt.” She shook excitedly. Kiara noted the title and found it easier to find words.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Kiara Million.” She said and wondered about those titles and what their significance was.

“Did you just introduce yourself as ‘the Bolt’?” Keigo asked and Diana flipped her hair.

“I have a suspicion that you and Danson introduced yourselves by your bounty titles as well.” It wasn’t quite a question, but as Diana looked from Keigo to Kiara she nodded.

“They did.”

“I knew it.” Diana grinned victoriously, and Keigo flushed.

“Bounty hunters came after us. We didn’t really get a chance to use our normal names.” He objected, and as Danson walked over to Rien, he shook his head.

“Frankly, we weren’t going to either.” He admitted. Keigo gasped at the betrayal. The sudden mood shift left Kiara with a bit of whiplash, that didn't quite resolve itself when Diana addressed her again.

“I have to be honest, Kiara. I don’t think I’ve heard of you before, and only dangerous people hang around these two.” She gestured vaguely at the boys. Keigo smirked in anticipation.

“I’m not surprised… Maybe I am dangerous, but I haven’t been here long enough for anyone to really know my name.” Kiara said.

“Here as in Mainland territory?”

"Here as in Magdalea." Kiara sheepishly corrected, and Diana's smile faded.

Something didn’t quite make sense. That was what the young woman’s face was saying, and as Kiara’s words played back to her, Kiara could see Diana’s mind working. She could see her running through the halls of her memory, looking for the key that would make it all make sense. She found it, her eyes widened, and she brought her hands together.

“You don’t mean to tell me that you’re from Nandaxia?” She exclaimed and Keigo snickered. Kiara nodded, and Diana squealed. “Kiara honestly, we have to be friends. How long do you plan to travel with these two?” She said and then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, they’re traveling with me now and that means I’ll get to find out more about your world!” She was hardly looking at Kiara now, clearly involved in whatever her imagination was conjuring. “I can’t believe Nandaxia exists.”

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“Don’t you think you believed that too easily?” Keigo raised a hand and Diana made a shooing motion.

“Don’t ruin this for me, Keigo.” She said it like a warning, but Kiara could still hear the jest in her voice. The scarlet-eyed girl decided she liked this woman.

The mirth was interrupted when they heard a pained groan. Their attention turned to Danson, pressing an ice wrap against Rien’s head. The swordsman groaned again as he came to. Danson eased him up slowly, handing over the ice. He didn’t quite seem like he had his sense back, right until the moment he noticed his arm guard was missing and found it in the grass beside him.

"What happened to it?" He stared sorrowfully, and Danson smirked.

“I believe it tried to kill you. Seems that it was holding an imp that popped out the moment you lost. I can’t imagine this hasn’t happened before though. There’s no way this is the first time you’ve failed.”

“Sasha gave it to me.” He said. “She gave it to me when I first became an Enforcer.”

“I’m sure she did. I guess she didn’t trust you all that much.” Keigo said sternly and Rien shook his head.

“No, it definitely wasn’t her.” Memories were flowing across his face. he winced. “It was probably Xerva. It would have to be. If I failed against Danson and he didn’t kill me then the imp would do the job itself.”

“You’re a popular one, I take it.” Diana said. “What does that mean for us exactly. If that imp failed, and Rien is sticking with us, won’t that mean that Xerva will come after us herself?”

“I’m sorry,” Kiara raised a hand. “What happened to that imp, exactly? And who is Xerva?”

“I happened to that imp.” Diana replied. “I hit it from a distance. It never stood a chance.” The boys nodded; Kiara guessed that was true. "As for who Xerva is…" Diana looked between the boys, neither seemed to have a clear answer.

“She’s a Major General of the Mainland army and the one in charge of defense here in Rial.” Rien spoke.

“Ultimately someone we don’t want to cross paths with.” Danson mulled.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll draw their attention away from you. However, her platoon isn’t the only ones you have to avoid.”

“It’s as good a time as any to ask what you’re doing in the Calm lands, I doubt the brigade lost track of me.”

“You three must have just gotten in.” Rien searched the bounty heads’ eyes. He smiled, shaking his head. “I don’t know why my mind went to withholding information. I crossed paths with Danson, I’m on the other side of my promise now.”

Danson laughed. “All this time being the Hero didn’t change your mind?”

“You ask as if it ever could.”

Diana smirked. “This is about to be a big shake-up, isn’t it?”

“It’s likely. And with the way the Calm lands are right now? The Council isn’t going to like this.”

“Which brings us to the question,” Keigo reeled him back. “Why are you in Rial?”

“There have been a lot of reports coming in lately. Much is afoot in this nation. To start, the notorious Smuggler and Pirate, the Sea Father has been spotted up and down the coast. The higher ups are worried that something big is about to happen. You all mentioned the Skirmish. That started with the rebellion claiming they’d take one of the cities in the south. There have been unverified reports of an unknown group making their way from the western coast. There have also been reports of Ritual Magic, drawing the eye of another person you should avoid—Thomas Wilder."

“Sounds like we chose a poor vacation spot.” Danson stroked his chin.

“Frankly, you all did. If anyone made a mistake, it was probably that they thought you’d avoid this area.”

•“The real mistake is that they thought we weren’t trouble makers.” Diana shrugged.

“I suggest avoiding making troubles you can’t confront.” Rien smiled as he looked over them. He turned to Kiara. “I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about you, and I can’t guess what your goals are, but can I make a suggestion?” She nodded, and he went on. “I think this group is a good one to stick with. I’ve read some of the reports on their actions, they don’t act maliciously.” The look in his eyes served to prove this more than his words. Blue, they could only speak the truth, swearing to it on the very thing that made them shine. Could she say she was on the fence anymore? Probably, but she was slanted more to the other side. Diana added a piece to this group; Kiara wasn't in the company of villains.

“And what will you be doing?” Keigo cocked an eyebrow and Rien picked up the arm guard.

“My best to lead them away from you all.” He smiled, and Keigo averted his eyes. Diana thought about this and tossed a crystal to Rien.

“It’s filled with Stitching Tonics. I hope that helps.” She said, and Rien smiled.

“I’m sure it will.”

“Rien, I’ll be very upset if this is the last time we meet.” Danson said. The swordsman laughed.

“It’d be a terrible way to end our story, right?” He found and sheathed his sword. Turning to them one last time, he spoke. “By the way, I think you were right. I’m not an Enforcer anymore, so call me, Aloryn.”

He left his departure at that, entering the brush to disappear entirely. Kiara imagined him scaling a tree when he got out of sight, and running between the branches. She heard nothing to tell her this was the right way to think, but she didn’t hear him hunting them either. It seemed right for Magdalea too. Even in this clear countryside, it didn't seem inclined to behave. She thought over Rien's words and took in the trio. The black-clad Assassin, Keigo. The Elven ice mage, Danson. And now the tall redhead, still a mystery but already on good standing. A big part of Kiara wanted to go home, but a small part wanted to see where traveling with them would take her.

Danson went up to the cottage on wheels. “We still have a bit of time left before we can go to our destination. How about we camp out tonight?” He offered. Diana scoffed.

“I can already see I won’t like traveling with you two again. You got to sleep in spacious rooms, but I have to sleep in the house for the third day in a row.” She sighed. Keigo joined Danson and she sighed again. “I hope you’re prepared, Kiara. There’s going to be a lot of roughing it when you’re with us three.” She turned a smile to her.

That sounded about right, and Kiara didn't have an objection. She breathed away some of the worries from her world. Despite Diana's disappointment, she thought she'd love the experience...