Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s almost sunrise, the wind blowing stray leaves around as a small town nestled by the sea and woods begins to stir. A knight clad in steel armor wearing a helmet that hides his entire face is doing his rounds when he feels something is off about the woods. It was like something had arrived that wasn't supposed to be there. The knight stares off into the trees, deep in thought, debating if he should follow his instincts and go investigate.

"Garroth? What are you looking at?" A sudden snarky voice rings out, sounding slightly concerned.

The knight, Garroth, turns to look at another guard also wearing a helmet. However, unlike Garroth's helmet, this guard's eyes could be seen through the visor.

"Ah, Zenix, you're up. I just felt like something was amiss in the woods. I was debating if I should go and check it out," Garroth replies before looking back at the trees.

Zenix steps up beside Garroth, their height difference obvious, Zenix being considerably shorter than Garroth.

"Usually your feelings about strange things are correct. I'll cover for you, go check it out," Zenix responds with a shrug, to which Garroth just nods and heads off into the woods.

~A little bit earlier~

A man clad in green that has his mouth and head wrapped in a scarf is moving silently but quickly through the overgrowth, holding a lilac staff. “ Take this, and place it somewhere that needs the help of Irene, ” rang in his head over and over. That old woman he met had just given him this staff the moment he mentioned the dying town he had been keeping an eye on.

I guess she meant the blessing of Irene, but how is this staff supposed to help? The man thinks to himself as he comes to a stop in a small clearing outside the village.

The man looks around, making sure no one is watching or nearby in general, before raising the staff into the air and stabbing the end into the ground. At first, he thinks nothing will happen, but he is quickly knocked off his feet to the ground by a powerful blast of magic. He stares up in amazement as the glowing form of a human female appears, floating just above the staff. The man quickly scrambles to his feet and runs behind a thick tree, peeking out in time to see the staff disappear, leaving behind a woman on the ground.

She is barely wearing anything, just enough to cover the important parts of her body. Her skin is a sun-kissed tan, free of blemishes or scars, or at least free of them from what the man can see without being a complete pervert. Her hair is raven-colored, fluffy, and curly, spreading out onto the ground around her.

"The staff created a human. What did that witch do to it?" The man whispers to himself as he debates going over to the girl to make sure she is okay and just unconscious, not dead. (By the six, she better not be dead.)

Before he can make that decision, however, he hears something. It isn’t an animal—the noises are far too clean and even. A person is coming this way, and if he was around when they arrived, who knows what would happen then? The man clad in green takes one last concerned look at the maiden before he disappears into thin air, and not a moment too soon as a guard enters the clearing.

Garroth, the guard in question, looks over the area slowly before his eyes fall upon the woman. His helmet itself almost bursts into a bright red blush to match his now tomato-red skin under the helm at the sight of the woman. He very quickly slaps away any unsavory thoughts that pop into his head and quickly makes his way over to the woman, who is now sitting up slowly. He bends down to her level slowly, not wanting to startle her, but she’s not looking at him, or anything in general. Just the grass under her. Her eyes are the color of amber and seem so full of life, even for a human.

"Ma'am, are you alright? Are you hurt at all?" Garroth asks as he places a concerned hand on her shoulder.

The woman slowly looks over at him, heavy-eyed and exhausted-looking. She opens her mouth as if to respond before her eyes roll up slightly, her eyelids falling, and she passes out. Garroth catches her before she hits the ground, looking her over for any injuries while trying to not be disrespectful at the same time. It’s then that he notices something strange—a giant tattoo on her back in what appears to be white ink. He almost didn't see it as her hair pretty much covered the whole thing. The tattoo is that of angel wings and just looking at them gives Garroth the sensation that they would pop open and flutter about.

He gently lays her down on the grass before taking off his royal blue cape. He carefully wraps it around her body to cover her up better before scooping her up bridal style. He makes sure to not jostle her too much as she needs the rest (considering she just fainted from exhaustion)l, before making his way back through the forest to Phoenix Drop, the village he calls home.

When he arrives back in town, Zenix is standing watch right where Garroth last saw him. The moment Zenix looks at Garroth and sees the woman, he rushes over, looking surprised and intrigued.

"Whoa! You found a hot woman in the woods!" Zenix says enthusiastically before being very quickly whacked over the head by Garroth.

"Shut it, you idiot! She's exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated. I found her barely conscious in the woods," Garroth says sternly before heading farther into town, Zenix trailing behind.

"Wait, you're taking her into the village? You don't even know her, let alone her intentions! What if she attacks everyone?" Zenix gawks at him but Garroth keeps walking.

"Even if she wanted to harm any of us, she is in no state to do so. She could barely keep herself upright while she was awake," the taller male retaliates.

They arrive in front of a vacant home that is often used for anyone traveling or injured to stay.

"Zenix, open the doors. I've got my arms full right now," Garroth says to which Zenix grumbles and huffs.

He does do what he is asked but makes it obvious he’s not happy about it. Garroth heads in, walks upstairs carefully, and gently sets the woman down on a bed. He then sighs heavily before turning to face Zenix, who has just come up the stairs.

"She needs time to recover. We'll need to get food and water prepared for her," Garroth says but before he can even think of heading off, Zenix stops him.

"Sir Garroth, with all due respect, this woman was found in the forest ! How do we know she's not some crazy… forest… woman?!" Zenix asks, being very animated in his movements as he speaks, pausing between the last three words as if it took all his brainpower to put that together. "No one in the village is going to be happy about this. We barely have enough food for the people already here as it is and with Lord Malik dead, none of the villagers are going to accept a stranger suddenly popping up and taking refuge here!" Zenix then states, beginning to pace a little but never removing his gaze from Garroth. "They already blame  us  for the death of our lord. This isn't going to look good for-" but then Zenix cuts himself off and stops abruptly. He begins bouncing in place as he gets, what is to him, an amazing idea.

Garroth’s helmet practically narrows around the visor, nearly mimicking his narrowed eyes hidden in the darkness. "I don't like that look in your eye, Zenix. What hair-brain scheme have you come up with this time?" Garroth questions warily, folding his arms across his chest.

"Hear me out, what if we pin the death of our Lord and his family on her ?" Zenix asks.

Garroth stands still for a moment, in stunned silence before uncrossing his arms. "Are you insane ?! Place the blame on an innocent and frail woman?!" Garroth inquires, wanting to make sure he isn't going crazy by hearing what Zenix just suggested.

"Hey, we don't know she's innocent! For all we know, she was the one who killed him and his family. We could say that all the leads pointed to her and when we caught her, she tried to attack us," Zenix says, heading to the bed where the sleeping woman lays as still as a rock. He pokes her cheek, sneering to himself under his helmet. "Look, she's not even waking up," Zenix says confidently.

That confidence, however, lasts about three seconds before the woman suddenly opens her eyes, grabs Zenix's sheathed sword, and pins him to the ground faster than you could say 'Lord'.

Zenix is stunned for a moment before freaking out. "Oh my Irene, she's actually attacking us!" He yells, panic-stricken before immediately calming down. "Wait, this means my plan will go even better!" Zenix adds.

"We are not doing your idiotic plan, Zenix!" Garroth yells at the person he thought was a well-trained guard being pinned to the ground by a woman even smaller than him who was starving and dehydrated. Garroth then turns his attention to the woman who he is surprised to find is staring at him. "Miss, I'm sorry if we scared you. Please, let my friend go. We don't want to hurt you," Garroth says and slowly places his weapon on the ground to prove his point.

The woman watches intently the entire time with narrowed eyes before slowly getting off Zenix. She keeps a firm grip on the sword, however, making it clear she doesn’t trust them. She then backs up a little, not taking her eyes off Garroth. Zenix scrambles to his feet and, like a coward, hides behind Garroth.

"Thank you. I'm Garroth, the head guard here in Phoenix Drop. That's the name of the town we are in currently. This is Zenix, my apprentice," Garroth states, introducing himself and the other male to her.

"Don't tell her our names!" Zenix hisses and backs up a little from Garroth to not seem like too big of a wuss.

"Zenix, calm down-" Garroth starts but is cut off by Zenix.

"You just said my name again!" Zenix half-shouts.

The woman, triggered by the sudden yelling, pounces like a wild animal at Zenix. She attacks him and when Garroth tries to grab her to calm her down, she attacks him as well. He’s able to block her attack with his sword but she quickly kicks him in the stomach, knocking him back. As he doubles over in pain, winded and unsteady, she darts toward the stairs.

"S-She can fight," Garroth mutters to himself, trying to regain the air that was kicked out of him.

"Does that matter right now?! After her!" Zenix yells and quickly heads to the stairs with Garroth to find the woman holding the sword to a new person's neck.

The new person in question is Emmalyn, the town librarian, and resident Irene follower. The blonde is holding a book and her glasses are slipping off her face from sweat while she quietly begs for her life between small prayers.

"Let her go!" Zenix yells at the forest woman but is only met with the sword inching closer to Emmalyn's neck.

"I don't wanna die!" Emmalyn cries loudly in a panic.

" EVERYONE SHUT UP! " Garroth suddenly yells so loud it feels like the air itself rumbles. Silence meets his ears. He turns his attention to the woman, opening his palms and trying to appear as small and harmless as he can while in armor. "Please, leave her alone. She's done nothing wrong. I know you're scared, I would be too, but you're going to hurt an innocent person if you don't calm down," Garroth pleads with her.

The woman stares at him before opening her mouth. "You seem… familiar to me," she speaks in a hushed voice.

Garroth pauses, surprised by her words but before he can question her, he watches as the woman lowers the sword and then drops it, unblinking as it clatters to the ground. Emmalyn, still with her hands up in defense, mutters a quiet 'thank the matron'. The peace doesn’t last long though as a very drunken guard named Dale busts in, wobbling and holding a sloshing cup of booze.

"Garroth! G-Guess where I found some ale~," Dale slurs, hiccuping a little.

The woman, not having expected someone to appear so suddenly, panics and grabs the first thing she sees—the book Emmalyn is holding. She chucks it at Garroth who dodges it, resulting in the book hitting a torch and catching on fire. The woman then runs out of the home. Garroth rushes to the door and looks in the direction she’s going, spotting a man in the barren wheat fields working in the direction the woman is running.

"Brendan! Stop her!" Garroth yells at the man, who looks up to see the barely-clothed woman rushing away from everyone.

In a state of panic, he raises the shovel he’s holding just in time for the woman to run headfirst into it, knocking her unconscious, her body collapsing to the ground like a ragdoll.

"Hey, I did it!" Brendan cheers before looking to the side and seeing two women looking at him, horrified. The women are Molly, Dale's wife, and Donna, the resident man watcher.

"How could you, Brendan!" Molly gasps, gobsmacked that he would do that to a woman.

"We'll teach you to hit ladies!" Donna growls, cracking her knuckles.

In moments, Brendan is on the ground getting pulverized by two very angry women while Garroth rushes over to pick up the unconscious woman, ignoring Brendan’s plight as he has no intention of getting mauled alongside the poor man.

~A while later~

Garroth had managed to calm down Donna and Molly after getting the mystery woman situated, freeing Brendan from their wrath. The woman is sleeping still, somehow unharmed despite getting hit with a shovel, and Garroth and Donna are staring at her sleeping figure. Donna, the vixen herself, was pissed high to hell at him and had been scolding him for some time, though quietly so as to not risk waking the sleeping woman nearby.

"How could you let Brendan do that to her? What if she's been abused or something?" Donna asks after she finally calms down from her ranting spree.

"I'm sorry Donna, but she panicked. It didn't help to have people so scared or nervous around her, let alone drunk," Garroth apologizes, remorse showing in his very slightly slumped posture.

"That's no excuse! Letting her get hit like that…" Donna trails off, looking at the sleeping girl.

"I'm really am sorry. I'll never let it happen again. For now, however, do you think you could look after her?" Garroth questions, standing quite a bit away from both Donna and the woman, mostly from fear of Donna's wrath.

Donna just sighs and then smiles. "Of course, leave the darling girl to me," she chirps, looking at Garroth. He just nods before heading off to do damage control.

Donna turns her attention to the woman, noticing she’s waking up. "Hey, good to see you up. You alright?" Donna asks in a soft voice as she watches the woman sit up. She looks at Donna with a soft expression but doesn’t answer her. "Where're you from? What's your name?" Donna then inquires after a moment of silence. She’s met with more silence as the woman just stares at her some more. Donna falls silent for a little longer, waiting, but eventually, the silence gets far too awkward for her tastes. "What? Cat got your tongue?" She jokes, smirking a little.

The woman could speak, Garroth said so himself, so was she just shy?

"Aph… mau..." the woman suddenly speaks, snapping Donna out of her trance.

"Aphmau? Is that you're name?" Donna questions.

The woman just nods a little. "I...can't remember anything else, except that name. Aphmau," the woman, now named Aphmau, states, voice soft and uncertain.

Donna nods a little. "Well, if you ask me, it doesn't really matter if you can't remember anything. It's the name you make for yourself that matters now," Donna grins before walking off. She returns shortly with some soup for Aphmau. "Here, eat it," Donna says simply before handing the bowl and a spoon to Aphmau.

Aphmau stares at the food before she begins eating slowly, seeming to be thinking too much to focus purely on eating. Once she finishes, she stares into the empty bowl. Donna is quiet during this time, just watching Aphmau's mannerisms, but speaks up once she’s finished.

"Hey, a friend of mine is in town right now. How about we go see if he has something nice for you to wear?" Donna suggests. Aphmau looks up at Donna, places the bowl down, and nods softly.

Donna gets some simple clothes for Aphmau to wear for the time being out of storage before they head out of the house. Donna is about to head for the town plaza but she notices Aphmau rush off to the wheat fields nearby. Donna follows her curiously, noticing Aphmau looking at the barren fields with a solemn look on her face.

"The fields, they're empty. Why is that?" Aphmau suddenly questions, looking at Donna.

The other female sighs. "Well, this town is dying. After the Lord died, people began leaving and the soil started decreasing in nutrients," Donna explains, just to be met with a confused look from Aphmau.

"What are lords?" She inquires.

Donna’s a little surprised she doesn’t know but quickly shakes it off, considering she couldn't remember anything other than her name. "Lords are the glue to villages alongside their guards. They're the people who keep things in check and help out the people who live in their village," Donna explains, mostly just giving her a brief overview to save time.

Aphmau turns to look at the crops again, saying nothing in return. She nods though, showing she understands the concept. With one last glance at the fields, Aphmau and Donna head off to the plaza where a guard and man are staring at an old and rotting stand.

"Visher!" Donna hollers, a giant smile on her face, waving at the taller man of the two.

He turns around and a big smile breaks across his face. He’s very tall, well built, well dressed, and has the friendliest air about him. His skin is tan like Aphmau's but far more scarred from what she can tell. His ginger hair has been combed to make it look more presentable but it was obvious it was looking for a reason to spring up and out of control. His mustache hides most of his upper lip and isn’t as neat as his hair.

"Donna!" He exclaims and brings Donna into a bear hug. "It's been far too long! How are you doing?" Visher asks, placing her down. He has a very strong accent that makes his f's sound like v's and he seems to pronounce certain words differently, like leaving out letters in a sense.

Donna just chuckles. "I've been good. Listen though, this is Aphmau," Donna introduces and pulls Aphmau closer by her shoulders. Aphmau, being nervous around new people, just waves a little bit. "She was found in the woods by Garroth. Poor thing doesn't remember anything at all except her name. She was barely wearing anything either. I've lent her some boring clothes for now, but I was hoping you had something nicer in stock for her to wear. I'll even pay full price," Donna explains.

"Oh, you poor girl!" Visher gasps and brings Aphmau into an even tighter hug than Donna's, lifting her off the ground. He swings her around a little before placing her down, though slightly more shaken than before. "Don't worry about payment, Uncle Visher will bring you the finest garb I have!" He says happily before going over to one of the broken stands where a bag is placed nearby.

He rustles around a little before pulling out some clothes. He walks over to Donna and Aphmau, hands her the clothing, and beams. "Here you go dear, my finest garb! I hope you like it," Visher chirps.

Aphmau stares at the clothes before smiling a little. She leaves for a moment and when she returns, she’s wearing the clothes Visher had brought her. It consists of a lilac top that doesn’t have sleeves and exposes her stomach, a dark grey top to go over that which does include sleeves and even covers up a bit of her neck, though it was a little too small so it left an opening between it and the purple top on her chest. Her pants are the same dark grey as the second top she’s wearing, but because they are too long, she had to shove the ends in her boots which causes them to puff out around the shoes. Speaking of shoes, hers are a lilac purple and fit well despite some of the other items not fitting properly. To finish off her outfit are light grey gloves that let the fingers be exposed somewhat.

"You look great, Aphmau!" Donna cheers and pats the smaller woman on the shoulder.

Visher, however, is thinking. "I thought I gave you a dark purple cloth to wrap around your waist," He murmurs but then smiles. "Bah! Doesn't matter. You look wonderful!" He proclaims.

Aphmau looks at him and gives a smile back in response. "Thank you for the clothes. I'll wear the cloth sash later," Aphmau says, slightly louder as she gains a bit more confidence with speaking.

Visher then turns to Donna. "Donna, I need to talk to you about something." He says, suddenly getting serious.

"Can it wait? I need to show Aphmau around," Donna questions.

"It's about the merchants guild," is all Visher replies.

Donna's breath catches in her throat and she looks worried before Aphmau places a hand on Donna's shoulder. "It's okay. This means a lot to you, right? You should go," she says with a happy look.

Donna looks at her before sighing. "Brian!" Donna calls to the guard who is nearby.

The male quickly comes over. "Yes, Lady Donna?" He asks, glancing between her and Aphmau.

"Take Aphmau here with you. I got some business I have to take care of. I'll come to get her when I'm done," Donna instructs before heading off with Visher to somewhere more private.

Brian and Aphmau stare at each other awkwardly for a bit before Brian finally decides to speak. "M'lady, would you be so kind as to follow me? I have some guard work to do," Brian asks to which Aphmau just nods and follows after Brian. "I'm sorry about my father, Dale. I believe he scared you when he came into the house while drunk when you were already quite frightened," Brian suddenly says as he makes sure Aphmau doesn’t trip over any holes in the uneven pavement.

"It's okay. It's mostly my fault. I immediately decided I was in danger even after that guard tried to reassure me I was safe," Aphmau responds, too busy looking around to pay much attention to her footing.

"Garroth? Yeah, he is normally like that. He was very worried about you, you know," Brian states as he turns to head into the forest. The path there is mostly just dirt and gravel.

Aphmau follows after, keeping a bit of a distance. "I should apologize for worrying him then," Aphmau replies softly, unsure of what else she should say.

They arrive at a burned-down building, which Brendan is helping finish off with a hammer and other tools he’s… seemingly forgotten about. Garroth and Zenix are standing by, observing while talking amongst themselves.

"Sir Garroth!" Brian calls out to Garroth to gain his attention.

Garroth and Zenix looked over at him. "Ah, Brian. Good, you're here," Garroth begins before noticing Aphmau next to him. He seems a bit surprised she’s walking around but happy all the same. "Oh, you're awake!" He adds.

"And clothed this time," Zenix says, sounding slightly disappointed. Garroth doesn’t even look at Zenix, just whacking him over the head.

"Forgive his mouth, it is often foul," Garroth addresses Aphmau, sighing heavily. How did this disrespectful man become a guard in the first place?

"I thought you were going to say that about his face," Aphmau suddenly pipes up, smiling a little. Brian snorts loudly while Garroth straight up starts laughing.

"Hey! You can't even see my face! Just my eyes!" Zenix bites back. "Besides, I probably look better than helmet head over here!" He then adds, pointing to Garroth angrily.

Garroth shakes off the blatant insult as he doesn’t care much about his appearance. Well, he does, but not in the way most thought he would. "Zenix, fill Brian in on the situation here," Garroth instructs before heading over to Aphmau while Brian walks past to get to Zenix. "It's good to see you are doing better. Would you mind telling me what you were doing in the woods?" Garroth questions.

Aphmau is silent as she thinks hard, trying to remember anything of use but comes up blank. "I don't remember. I just was," she finally answers.

Garroth nods. "Do you remember where you're from? You're name, perhaps?" He suggests, trying to see how bad her memory was.

"I remember my name!” She says excitedly, happy she was able to recall something of use. “Aphmau, I think. Other than that, I don't recall anything. I'm sorry I cannot be of more use," she then adds, becoming downcast.

Garroth quickly starts panicking. He made her upset. What was he supposed to do? How do you comfort a woman who appeared in the woods out of nowhere with amnesia? Thankfully, he doesn’t need to worry much longer, as Donna appears and pats Aphmau's back.

"It's okay Aphmau. You don't have to apologize for a single thing. It isn't your fault you can't remember anything right now," Donna reassures and gives her a bright smile.

Aphmau just nods slightly, looking unsure, before looking to Garroth. "I do have to apologize for making you worry about me though and for what it's worth, I think you look handsome under that helmet. I bet Zenix is just envious," she comments, smiling at him.

No one can tell, but Garroth has burst into a violent red blush. "Oh, well, thank you, and don't worry about… well… worrying me. I'm just glad you are alright now. I hope you recover your memories soon," he dismisses and waves goodbye to Donna and Aphmau as they walk away.

Soon enough, they arrived at a two-story home and waltz right in. "Emmalyn!" Donna calls out, sounding slightly annoyed.

The blonde woman Aphmau attacked earlier and threatened appears out of an archway. "Ugh, great. What does Donna the concubine want now?" Emmalyn questions in a snarky and annoyed tone.

"I don't know what that word means but it's probably an insult so screw you!" Donna hisses before calming herself. "Whatever, meet my new friend, Aphmau," she adds and steps aside to reveal Aphmau, who is looking at paintings on the wall before looking at Emmalyn and waving.

"Heathen!" Emmalyn shrieks and backs up.

Donna tilts her head, confused, but Aphmau just looks away, a little scared of the yelling.

"What? Why are you calling her a heathen?" Donna asks, placing a hand on her hip in a sassy fashion.

"That monster tried to kill me then she burned a book I just got!" Emmalyn hisses.

Donna snorts, amused by Emmalyn’s sudden shift from snarky to terrified. "Be glad she didn't actually kill you. Anyway, Aphmau needs a place to stay and I don't have the space, so you have a new roommate for now," Donna says with a shit-eating grin. Aphmau blinks, slightly surprised, but Emmalyn’s mouth is open in shock.

"What?!” Emmalyn screeches. “I am not taking her! Why can't she stay somewhere else?!" She questions and crosses her arms.

"Because neither I nor Garroth wants her on her own. She's lost her memory and seems confused by some things still. She could hurt herself if left alone for too long," Donna snaps, glaring at Emmalyn before turning to Aphmau. "I'm sorry you gotta stay with her, but I really don't have the space," she mumbles, placing a hand on Aphmau’s shoulder. Donna then turns back to Emmalyn. "It won't be forever, just until she gets the hang of things better and gets a home of her own," Donna states before heading to the door. "Play nice you two and for the love of Irene, don't kill each other," are Donna's parting words before Aphmau and Emmalyn are left alone.

Both of them are silent before Emmalyn leaves the hallway with her hands in the air, looking pissed. Aphmau, not wanting to be alone and too curious to stay still, follows her.

They enter a room with a fireplace, a large square table with four chairs around it, boxes, and a flight of stairs leading upstairs. Emmalyn is rummaging in the boxes looking for something but that isn’t what Aphmau is paying attention to, it’s something on the table nearby that caught her interest—the book that Aphmau had thrown and promptly lit ablaze thanks to a torch on the wall it got wedged between. It’s burned pretty badly and the words on the cover can hardly be read.

Emmalyn suddenly shoves a large red blanket and a pillow into Aphmau’s hands. "Here, lay them out wherever and just go to bed. My blood is far past boiling and I need to sleep," Emmalyn huffs before heading upstairs without another word.

Not wanting to make her any more upset, Aphmau just nods and stays silent. Instead of going to bed, however, Aphmau begins looking through some of the boxes for something. She eventually finds what she is looking for—a blank book, a quill, and a bottle of ink.

Aphmau sits at the table and opens the blank book along with the bottle of ink. She then opens the burnt book to find that most of the pages are badly burned, some entirely illegible, but Aphmau can make out most of the words that remain and using context clues, can guess what would come next. She begins writing down every word from the burnt book into the new one and every time a word is missing because that part had burned away, she just writes down what she thinks would come next in the sentence. Whenever that happens, she underlines it and makes a little note that she isn’t sure this is accurate, just a guess.

Eventually, she gets about 2/6 through the book before marking where she left off and grabs the blanket and pillow. She fixes the blanket to make it more of a sleeping bag, places down the pillow, and snuggles inside her makeshift cocoon.

~The next morning~

Aphmau wakes up early so she can tidy up her sleeping area, putting her blanket and pillow away so they aren’t in the way. The book, ink, and quill she used are put away, along with the burnt book. She stretches and heads outside, closing the front doors behind her. Aphmau makes her way to the fields where she looks solemnly at the dying plants that managed to sprout, wilting and drooping pitifully.

She walks into the field through an opening in the fencing (which is decaying and broken in many places) and crouches down. She places her hand on the soil staring for a moment before her eyes open wider. Voices are whispering in her head, cacophonies of pain and suffering, cries for help and pleas for mercy. They weren’t words, per se, but Aphmau understood regardless. The plants were asking for help. The earth itself was asking for help.

It pains Aphmau to hear the cries unheard by anyone but her. She wants to help, she wants to make the pain go away, and something inside her answers that desire.

She doesn’t notice at first what’s beginning to happen, her eyes shut as she tries to focus on the cries for help from the poor plants, but she opens them in time to witness something extraordinary. A ball of white light has appeared around her chest, right over her heart, and tendrils of that light are spreading down her arm in weaving, intricate patterns, not unlike vines. The light hits the ground and begins to spread rapidly across the barren field. It stops right at the rotten fencing, not passing the area of that particular field, and the glow sinks into the ground.

Before Aphmau’s eyes, the grass begins to grow, turning a vibrant, healthy green and flowers pop up around the fencing, an array of colors so beautiful it momentarily stuns her. The few wheat crops that had been attempting to grow suddenly perk up, turning golden and ready for harvest, as if they hadn’t been nearly touching the ground moments before, a disgusting, ugly brown of rot.

Aphmau’s eyes are wide with shock and she stands up quickly. The world begins to spin as everything turns fuzzy and Aphmau has to pause, holding her head in her hands, pain beginning to cascade across her skull, pounding inside her brain. How had she done that? She can’t remember having powers or healing anything, yet here she stands in a revitalized field that had moments ago been as dead as dead can get.

A gasp echoes behind her and she turns slowly as her vision becomes clear again. Garroth is standing near the fencing, his body showing his shock where his face can’t, rigid and at attention. His hands are open, his sword only not dropped because it’s in its sheath on his hip.

"What- how- did-" Garroth stutters over himself, unsure what to say. "What did you do?! How did you do it?!" He finally manages to say as he makes his way over to her.

"I-I don't know. I just wanted to help the Earth heal," Aphmau responds, worry creeping up inside her as her head continues to pound. Was Garrot angry at her? Was he going to toss her out of town because of this?

To both her surprise and joy, Garroth pulls her into a hug instead, his arms trapping hers against her sides. His grasp is tight but not painful, showing he’s aware of his strength even in shock.

"Thank you! You have no idea how much of a blessing this is for us!" He sobs. Aphmau notices a bit of water trickling out from under his helmet.

Is he crying tears of joy? Aphmau thinks as she hugs him back, patting his back. "You're welcome, I suppose. I… I don’t know how I did that, though," Aphmau mumbles, her head buried in the crook of his neck considering their height difference (Garroth has a good foot and a half over her).

Garroth pulls away from the hug and grips her by the shoulders. "You don't recall how you can do magic?" He questions to which Aphmau just shakes her head in response. He he falls silent, pondering her words, before opening his mouth to speak, but gets cut off by Brian running up, winded and stressed. "Brian? What's wrong?" Garroth asks, letting go of Aphmau and walking to Brian.

"W-Werewolf—by the gates," Brian rasps, still trying to regain his lost air.

"What? A werewolf?" Garroth’s helmet almost narrows to match his eyes.

Brian takes in a long breath before letting out a sigh and standing upright. "My scouts just reported they spotted a werewolf out by the gates—well, more like the outskirts of the village. Nevertheless, they saw one," the male states, panic-stricken.

It’s then that a rustling is heard nearby. Aphmau is the first to hear it and when she turns, she spots a man clad in green watching her from the bushes. When he sees she has noticed him, he slinks farther into the overgrowth. Garroth and Brian, however, don’t see this as they look over moments after the man hides. Garroth and Brian draw their swords, looking on edge.

"Brian, this is a good time to test your resolve. Go investigate the noise," Garroth instructs.

Brian gawks at him and is about to object when a branch snaps. The noises are too clean to be an animal so they know it’s something else.

"Brian!" Garroth shouts at the guard to snap him out of his trance.

Brian gulps hard before making his way to the bushes with Garroth trailing a little bit behind him. Aphmau, not wanting to be in the way in case a fight breaks out, heads off to go find something to do. She has a feeling that man means no harm so she decides then and there to stay silent about seeing him.

Shortly after getting farther into town, she hears someone calling for help. After following the cries for a while, she comes to a stop at the only well in town. Peering down the well, she sees the problem—Dale, Brendan, Molly, and Donna are stuck in the well, wading knee-deep in the water. Aphmau thinks for a moment before concluding that Dale must have been drunk, pulled Brendan in with him by force, and when Donna and Molly tried to help, they also fell in.

Aphmau looks around before finding a rope and begins tying it to the wooden boughs above the well that would usually hold a bucket and rope. While she does this, she listens to them argue, though most of the information goes in one ear and right out the other. Once the rope is secure, she lowers the other end down, listening to it splash in the water.

"Grab on! I'll pull you up," Aphmau calls, her voice bouncing off the well’s walls.

"Aphmau! That's my girl!" Donna cheers before she and Molly grab on first.

Aphmau manages to heave them out and with their extra help, are able to get Dale and Brendan out safely as well.

Brendan hugs Aphmau tight the second he’s free, crying hysterically. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm sorry I hit you with a shovel!" He sobs, tears and snot running down his face.

Aphmau pats his back in a comforting manner, smiling at him warmly. "It's okay. I'm just glad you and everyone else are okay," she chirps as Brendan lets go of her, sniffling a little.

Molly sighs heavily and walks over to Aphmau. "Thank you, dear. I don't know how long we would've been down there if it weren't for you coming along. Not many are that kind in this world," Molly smiles softly.

"Why not?" Aphmau questions, her brows furrowing in confusion. Why wouldn’t people be kind?

"Well, many people don't help unless there is something in it for them or they know that person well," Donna explains. "It's human nature, is all," she finishes.

Aphmau nods a little, confused as to why others wouldn't help those who needed it but what does she know? Nothing at all, given her memory loss.

"Come on Dale, let's get you some bread and back to normal," Molly says, grabbing her husband by the back of his shirt and dragging him toward their home.

"I need to get my clothes dried off, so I'll see you around, okay Aphmau?" Donna grins before waving goodbye and heading off.

Brendan suddenly gasps loudly, which makes Aphmau turn to face him. He looks… very panicked.

"Is everything alright, Brendan?" Aphmau asks, concerned something is wrong. Was he injured? Maybe he got sick from being in the water too long, perhaps?

"I was supposed to have the old lord's home taken down by noon! Now I won't be able to make the deadline and Garroth will get upset!" Brendan sobs, falling to his knees dramatically.

"I can help!" Aphmau chirps, smiling at him.

Brendan blinks at her, his eyes wide, before he scoots over on his knees and grabs her pant legs. "R-Really? You'd do that? Even though I hit you with a shovel?" He questions, nearly disbelieving.

Aphmau nods. "Yes, I want to help you. I don't know how useful I'll be, but some help is better than none, right?" She declares with a determined look on her face.

Brendan sniffles, standing up and wiping away his snot and tears. "You are a saint, Aphmau. Let's get going then!" Brendan says happily and heads off towards the old lord's home, Aphmau following closely behind with a slight bounce in her step.

Upon the rocky overpass that leads to the dock, the man in green from earlier watches Aphmau walk away with Brendan. "That woman… is not a normal person. What exactly is she?” He whispers to himself before disappearing into the overgrowth.

Chapter Text

 Aphmau and Brendan were standing on what remained of the second floor of the old lord's home, destroying the upper walls with hammers. Brendan, who had practice at this sort of thing, was making quick work of his half of the work. Aphmau, on the other hand, was struggling. She wasn't applying enough force to her blows against the wall with her hammer so barely anything had been done to the wall.

 Brendan glanced at her to see how she was doing and when he saw how little had been done, he stopped his work and walked over to her, being careful to not step on badly damaged parts of the floor as it would give way under him if he did. "You aren't applying enough force," he stated when he saw how frustrated she was becoming at the little amount of damage done to the wall. Aphmau looked at him with a confused look. Brendan just chuckled a little, gently took her hand in his, and guided her in how to add enough force. Part of the wall was immediately demolished with his help and Aphmau's eyes seemed to shine at that fact.

 "I see! Thank you for showing me how to do it properly," she says happily, beaming at him before going back to work, now using enough force to knock down parts of the wall. After a couple of hours, the walls of the second floor were finally gone which left only the flooring to be dealt with. "Let's stop here for now. I'll handle the floor later," Brendan states with a smile as he packed up the tools they used. "I have to go fix some fences that were supposedly destroyed by a werewolf Brian saw so I'll see you around Aphmau!" Brendan then said, turning to look at her.
 Aphmau, however, stared at him. She seemed to be thinking hard about something before she finally spoke up. "Can I help with that too?" She asked softly, tilting her head to one side. Brendan was a little surprised at how much she wanted to help but who was he to turn down free assistance on his chores? "Sure, if you want to," he responded before they headed off back towards town. Soon, they were repairing some fences that had been smashed by the 'werewolf' Brian saw.

 Aphmau's fence wasn't very pretty, but when Brendan did a test on it to see how well it held up, he found it was surprisingly sturdy so he deemed it a good job, which made Aphmau positively glow with happiness. "Oh, there's a nail sticking out still," Brendan suddenly stated as he did another look-over on her half of the fence. When he went to hit it with his hammer, however, he instead managed to wack his thumb with it and immediately let out a cry of pain as he held it in his other hand.

 "Oh mother of Irene! Ow ow ow, that's what I get for not looking!" He cried. Aphmau's eyes went wide and she began to internally panic. 'What do I do? How should I help? I have to do something! I'm supposed to do something!' she thought to herself. Suddenly, she got an idea and in her panic, didn't even second guess it. Aphmau hit her thumb with the hammer as well, and hard. However, she didn't recoil in pain or anything, instead entirely focusing on Brendan who had stopped his complaints to stare bug-eyed at Aphmau.

 "Please, stop crying! See? I'm hurt too, so we're even!" Aphmau stated, sounding slightly panicked. Brendan couldn't help but laugh a little though it was one of those awkward laughs people do when they aren't sure how to respond to someone. "Why did you hurt yourself?" He asked, a little worried about her. How does someone damage themself like that and not express the feeling of pain that they had to have gotten from such an act? "I wanted to help you and I didn't know how to so I did what came to mind. It worked though! You stopped crying!" She says happily, now seeming to be feeling the pain from the injury she caused herself.

 Brendan began laughing a little more but Aphmau didn't seem to care. On the contrary, she seemed quite elated that he was laughing. "Thanks, I guess? But next time, don't hurt yourself, okay? You can make people feel better by just telling a funny joke or something. You shouldn't put yourself through pain just for someone else," Brendan explains, smiling at her. Aphmau stared blankly at him before returning the smile and nodding. Brendan then stretched, some of his joints audibly popping. "Well, I have to go help Zenix with his rat problem," he mutters softly.

 "Oh! I can help with that!" Aphmau suddenly jumps in, smiling wide. Brendan stared at her, questioning how someone could be this eager to help with such boring tasks. "Are you positive? You've been helping me all day. Don't you have something you want to do for yourself?" He asks, tilting his head at her. Aphmau just shook her head in response. "No, I want to help. I have nothing to do," she replied before heading off in the direction of the guard quarters, Brendan having to jog slightly to catch up with her.

 When they arrived at the guard quarters, which was just a normal house being used as a place for the guards to gather, they found Zenix staring down a hole in the wall with his sword at the ready to strike anything that came out of it. "Hey, Zenix. Garroth asked me to come help with the rat problem," Brendan stated and just as Zenix turned to answer him, a small fuzzy creature came jetting out from the hole and running around the house. "Catch it!" Zenix states, trying to do just that as he ran around after it.

 As it ran near Brendan, he tried to hit it with the pitchfork he was carrying but missed, resulting in the small animal getting out through open front doors. Zenix and Brendan rushed after it but Aphmau just calmly walked after them, not in too much of a hurry. As Zenix was running, he was tripped suddenly and fell to the ground with a loud thud. "Ow! Hey, what's the big deal?!" Zenix stated as he stood up, dusting himself off. The person who tripped him was a young lady with bright red hair the color of an apple, dressed in a cute apron and a big bow in her hair.

 "Don't you dare hurt my friend!" She said angrily, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance as the little critter from before stood nearby on the fence behind her. Brendan and Aphmau soon caught up, Brendan wheezing as he hunched over to catch his breath. "Wow, you are really fast for someone wearing steel on every inch of their body," he huffed before standing upright. Brendan took one look at the woman and his eyes widened in terror. "Oh no," he muttered under his breath. "Heyyyy sis! I didn't know you were in town," he states nervously.

 "Brendan! Were you really going to let Zenix hurt my little darling? Even after I went through the trouble to send him and some of his little friends ahead to bring smiles to everyone after the Lord died?!" The woman sobbed, horror-struck her brother would do such a thing. Neither of them realized Zenix was chasing the rodent down the road and by the time they turned to look at him, he was already turning a corner and out of sight. "No! He's going to hurt him!" The woman cried.

 "Don't worry sis! I've got it!" Brendan says heroically, but the moment he took a step he tripped over his own two feet and collapsed to the ground. Aphmau stared for a moment before seeming to get determined and running off after Zenix. The new person watched Aphmau go, confused. "Who's that?" She asked no one in particular as Aphmau rounded the same corner as Zenix.
 When Aphmau finally caught up with Zenix, he had trapped the rodent by some tree roots that were sticking up out of the ground, his sword raised. "No more eating our food for you, you little pest," He said coldly. Aphmau grabbed a thick, fallen branch nearby as fast as she could and as Zenix's sword came down, she parried it with the branch. She stood between him and the rodent, which stared up at her with its beady eyes. "Don't! If you hurt it, it'll endanger us all!" She said quickly, trying to think of anything to get him to stop.

 "What?" Zenix asked, surprised by her sudden outburst. "Yes, that's right. If you hurt it, it'll call its friends and, um, take over the village!" Aphmau stated, glancing over Zenix's shoulder to see the girl and Brendan rushing over. Zenix stared at her for a moment before starting to laugh. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" He howled with laughter, almost doubling over due to laughing so much.
 Brendan and the girl arrived soon after Zenix began calming down, Brendan being way more exhausted than his sister. "Don't you dare hurt my hamster!" The woman says angrily at Zenix, who put his sword away. "Don't worry, this woman caught me- wait, hamster?" Zenix stopped himself mid-sentence, confused. "Yes, hamster! That's Mr. Sean Connery, my prized hamster pal of my new business," the woman begins, posing cutely, "Kiki's Happy Hamster Party!" She finished happily.

 "When I heard about what happened to the lord here, I sent some of my hamsters ahead to bring smiles to everyone while I made the trip myself!" Kiki then added, still smiling. Zenix immediately seemed to get angry. "So it has been your hamsters eating our crops?!" He stated angrily, to which Kiki just nodded, the smile never fading from her face. "Are you insane?! Those stupid rodents have-" Zenix cut himself off and took a deep breath. "You know what? I'm done for today. I'm going back to the guard quarters," he says before turning on his heel and walking away.

 After Zenix was out of sight, Brendan turned to his sister. "Sis, do you remember what happened last time you started a business by giving away animals?" Brendan asked, flashing back to a village on fire and people screaming in fear. "Well, yes, but this isn't like the time with the squirrels! These are hamsters!" Kiki stated as Sean Connery waddled up to her on his short legs while Aphmau stared at the two siblings with curiosity.

 "Squirrels, hamsters, same thing!" Brendan states, a little exasperated. "Wow. That's rude, comparing them like that just because their rodents," Kiki mumbles, puffing her cheeks out slightly in annoyance. Suddenly, Sean Connery began squeaking, which immediately grabbed Kiki's attention. She bent down to his level, making 'mhm' and 'uh-huh' sounds as he squeaked at her. "Oh, I see!" She finally said, sounding very happy.

 Kiki turned to Aphmau, a bright smile on her face. "Sean Connery tells me you saved him by making Zenix laugh! That was very brave and very kind of you," Kiki says happily, clasping her hands together gleefully. "O-Oh! Thank you. I'm glad I was able to help," Aphmau responds, a little surprised at being complimented so suddenly just by doing something she felt like was common courtesy. "He also told me you helped people out of the well and even helped Brendan with his chores all day! I've never met someone so kind to others before!" Kiki then added, practically glowing with happiness.
 "Your hamster was watching me?" Aphmau asked, tilting her head slightly. She wasn't mad by any means, she was more curious about why the hamster was watching her of all people. "Hm? Oh, no, nothing like that! He just happened to see you do all these nice things," Kiki responded, her smile still ever-present on her face. Aphmau hummed softly, thinking carefully, before speaking once again. "You can talk with animals?" Aphmau asked. It was a curious ability and she wanted to know more about it.

 Kiki nodded happily. "I can talk with some animals. Not all of them, though," she replies calmly. "She can only talk to hamsters," Brendan suddenly cut in, not seeming nearly as excited as his sister. "Let me have my moment Brendan!" Kiki whispered to him, sounding a little upset, before turning back to Aphmau. "Though, I don't want you thinking I use my ability to spy on people or anything! I don't want to become corrupt or something," Kiki quickly adds.

 Sean Connery began squeaking again, causing Kiki to look back down at him. "Kekeke! Sean here really seems to like you! Hey, ever though about getting a ham-" Kiki was suddenly cut off by Brendan, who covered her mouth with his hand. "Oh no! I am not letting another village burn because of a squirrel party!" He said angrily. Aphmau slowly put up her pointer finger before saying, "I believe they're hamsters," to Brendan.

 "Same thing!" Brendan simply replied in a very matter-of-fact tone. Kiki was finally able to pull herself away from him and an argument ensued between the siblings over hamsters and squirrels. Even though they were fighting, however, Aphmau seemed quite happy and figured she should leave them be to their little squabble. She wandered off back towards town to try and find someone else she could help out before it got dark out.

 Garroth and Brian were in one of the fields, the very one Aphmau had healed earlier. Garroth was crouched down, feeling the grass while Brian watched curiously from above. He shifted his stare from Garroth, however, when he heard someone heading towards them. Brian turned to see Zenix entering the field, looking at them. "Any sign of the werewolf?" Zenix inquired, not paying any mind to the fact Garroth was kneeling on the ground feeling grass, of all things.

 "Not yet. It's like it just vanished," Brian states, sounding slightly afraid of that fact. Seems he was afraid it would pop out any second and attack them. Zenix hummed, thinking quietly to himself, for once. "You know, some werewolves can take human form. I bet it's that girl," Zenix states, which immediately earned a heavy sigh from Garroth, who had stood up. "It's not her. She was with me when Brian saw the werewolf," he states, already exhausted from Zenix trying to find reasons why Aphmau was a danger to have around.

 "With you? Doing what?" Zenix asked, raising an eyebrow. "Zenix!" Brian said to him in a surprised tone. He was shocked he would be questioning Garroth about this. "Sir Garroth was probably giving her orders to help Brendan with his chores," he then states, sounding proud of his conclusion. "Help Brendan?" Garroth asked, incredibly confused. Brian just nodded softly to him. "Yeah, my mom mentioned it in passing that Aphmau has been incredibly helpful around the village today," Brian states.

 Garroth hummed, not having expected to hear that. "I see. That's interesting," he mutters before looking back up at the two other guards. "No, I didn't. I stumbled upon her healing the crops this morning with her magic and was speaking to her about it," he finished. "Magic?" Both Brian and Zenix stated, incredibly shocked at that news. "Pardon me, sir Garroth, but there haven't been any magic users in these parts for a while. At least, none that we know of," Brian states, though it wasn't completely out of the question.

 "Maybe you're just seeing things. You've been overworked recently. The soil is just Brendan's hard work finally paying off," Zenix states, definitely not buying the whole 'new girl has magic' thing. "I know what I saw was real, Zenix!" Garroth states irritated that his apprentice always had a comeback for something and couldn't even trust his word. Garroth then sighed heavily, too tired to continue arguing about something like this. "It's been a long day. Let's go get some rest for now," he states before beginning to walk off.

 "Give him a break Zenix, no one trusts him right now!" Brian whisper-yelled at Zenix. "Yeah, I guess. Maybe they'd trust him more if he took off the helm," Zenix replies, not even bothering to be quiet about it. "Maybe he's just shy?" Was Brian's only response, not sure what else could be the reason behind Garroth refusing to show his face. "Yeah, or ugly," Zenix stated, a little louder just so Garroth would hear him. "I can hear you!" Garroth called, sounding irritated as Brian and Zenix started laughing, following after him.

 Aphmau was still up even though it was already very dark, the only light illuminating her as she worked at the wooden table being a candle. She was writing some more stuff from the burnt book into the blank one, her quill scratching at the parchment. "Will you quit doing whatever it is you're doing?!" Emmalyn suddenly called from upstairs, sounding annoyed, "you're making too much noise and it's keeping me awake!" She continued. "Sorry!" Aphmau called back before writing slower so the quill wouldn't make so much noise.

 A man cloaked in green was standing high up on a cliff very early in the morning, watching Aphmau work on some fencing around one of the fields. He had taken to watching her almost all day since her arrival, just to see what she was like. So far, he had quickly learned she was incredibly selfless and very kind, almost always choosing to help others over herself. Once he had even taken a peek into the house she was staying in and found she slept so soundly and so still, that she almost appeared to be dead.

 He hadn't watched her sleep since then since it creeped him out far too much. Suddenly, he was alert and turned to face the bushes behind him. As he moved closer to the foliage, he was suddenly pinned to the ground by another man dressed quite plainly. "Gene?!" The man said, surprised as Gene got off him, pulling his sword out of the ground. Gene was tall and fit, with dark blue hair that appeared black and deep turquoise eyes that had blood-red pupils. His skin was tan and scarred, with beautiful gold jewelry hanging from his ears and his nose.

 "You've taken an unusual interest in this village during these past few days. I wonder what makes you so interested you have to watch it so intently," Gene states cooly, walking over to the edge of the cliff and peering down into the village. Almost immediately he caught sight of the only thing even remotely worth watching; Aphmau. He huffed softly, glancing at the man on the ground. "What you do with your spare time is none of my business, Vylad, but don't forget we have a greater purpose. It's bigger than any emotions you think you are feeling."

 He fully turned around to face Vylad again, sneering slightly at him. "This village is worthless. You are free to stay and observe its downfall if that's what you want, but if you allow this to distract you," Gene pulled out his sword and glared Vylad down, "then what happened to the Lord here will happen to everyone," he finished, laughing a little as he watched Vylad start glaring at him. "Oh, don't make that face," he muttered and walked past him. "Remember what you are and who you truly serve," and with that last warning, Gene disappeared back into the overgrowth. Vylad sighed heavily as he disappeared, glancing back towards the town.

 "What do you think?" Gene's voice called as he walked into a small clearing not far from where he and Vylad spoke earlier. "About Vylad?" A woman's voice answered him, though it sounded more mocking than questioning. "Who else?" Was Gene's only answer, a low growl in his voice as he spoke. A girl with white hair and fair skin appeared from the bushes, many scars visible on her arms and legs. She hummed softly in thought before giving her answer. "Well, he isn't the only one observing the village, you know," she spoke calmly as if nothing in the world could bother her. Her deep purple eyes stared him down. Like Gene, her pupils were also blood red.

 Gene sighed, tired of her little taunts and smart mouth. "Our job here is done. There is no reason for us to be here any longer," Gene states, glancing toward the woman. "I beg to differ," she suddenly stated, making Gene raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Something is changing in the village and it's suspicious that it's happening right as we're about to leave. That hopeless feeling I once got here is slowly edging away. Everything is changing and quickly at that," the white-haired woman stated softly, placing a hand on her chin in thought. "Are you sure?" "Yes, but it all depends on you, Gene. Do you want to risk leaving this place and the Jury of Nine finding out you left something behind?" Gene's only answer was a huff as he glanced away. "We shouldn't have gotten involved with the High Priest of-" she went to continue but was cut off by Gene yelling 'quiet' at her.

 "I'll make sure we draw out anyone of power hiding here," Gene states angrily before storming off past the woman. "Of course," she sighed before following after him.

 "I did it!" Aphmau stated happily from her place among the barren fields, staring at a fence. She had been working hard all morning to make her ugly fence less, well, ugly. As she went to touch it, however, the fence immediately collapsed in the area she touched, prompting her to sigh heavily. She glanced to the bit of her old fence she hadn't touched, just in case the pretty version didn't hold up properly. "At least part of my ugly fence still lives," she says, smiling a little bit, but as she touched that too, it also collapsed. She groaned heavily in defeat, throwing her head back dramatically. She glanced towards a hill in the distance, past the very broken down stalls of the market where the only three guards in town had gone for target practice.

 Garroth was standing off to the side, not even paying attention to Zenix or Brian. He had been watching Aphmau work, curious about why she was doing so much for a town she barely knew. Zenix on the other hand was having Brian help him with target practice. Zenix was holding a bow while Brian stood in front of a tree with an apple on his head, incredibly nervous. "Zenix, how safe is this?" Brian asked, nervousness evident in his voice. "Don't worry. I'm highly experienced in archery," Zenix said cooly, pulling back the string of the bow.

 "He failed archery during his guard training," Garroth called from the sidelines, sounding almost as nervous as Brian. "He what- gah!" Brian had gone to speak but the arrow Zenix fired hit the tree he was standing in front of, almost hitting his arm, causing him to scream in panic. "We don't talk about that. Now stand still!" Zenix stated, pulling back the bowstring again. "I need more practice," he said simply. "You're crazy!" "Courage, Brian." "ARE YOU EVEN PAYING ATTENTION?!" Another arrow went flying past Brian, this time barely missing his head. "Hold still!" Zenix stated, sounding a little angrier. "I have a better idea," Brian stated.

 A couple of minutes later, the apple was now standing atop some boxes that had been stacked to get to Brian's height. "What? This isn't nearly as exciting!" Zenix said, not very happy with the change. "Yeah, but I won't be dead!" Brian stated, sounding exasperated with Zenix's antics. Zenix just huffed in response as Brian walked over to Garroth. "I didn't know Zenix went to guard academy," he stated, sounding surprised. "I assume he did," was Garroth's only answer. "Wait, you mean you don't know?!" Brian stated, surprised he wouldn't know something that important.

 "I've known Zenix for a few years now. When I found him, he was in really bad shape. He was horribly wounded and barely remembered anything," Garroth stated. "But he seems so-" "Put together?" Garroth finished Brian's sentence. "I mean, that's hardly the way I'd describe him," Brian responded, placing a hand on his hip as he glanced at Zenix who had turned a nearby bush into a pin cushion with his awful aim. "If you'd seen him, you'd think differently. This is why I think some part of him resents her," Garroth stated as Brian turned to look at Aphmau who was now working alongside Brendan again.

 "I think he sees something in her that reminds him of that time. Ah, but then again, I could be wrong. Zenix is a complicated man, despite how he may seem," Garroth explained, glancing through his helm towards Zenix who was now staring down an arrowhead, muttering about how it was stupid and that perhaps the point was dull. Brian just awkwardly smiled before turning his attention back to Garroth. "Sir Garroth!" Zenix suddenly called, sounding annoyed at the man. "Are you just gonna stare at that woman all day?" Zenix added, causing Garroth to flinch in surprise. He hadn't realized he'd been staring at her so much.

 "Uh, actually, I was gonna ask the same thing. You've been rather interested in her since she arrived a couple days ago," Brian stated. "Why is that, Sir Garroth? Is it because of this magic you saw her do that no one else has seen since?" Zenix asked in a mocking tone. You could almost see him smirking under his helmet. "I know what I saw! But that's not why I've been watching her. She's being oddly helpful for someone who just came here," Garroth explained, sounding worn out by Zenix's accusations that he didn't see her actually perform magic. "Helpful?" "Yeah, haven't you seen her helping out Brendan around town these past few days?" Brian responded to the very confused Zenix.

 "It's not just Brendan she helps either. She helps Donna out a lot too. She follows them around like a faithful puppy trying to help in any way she can," Brian added. "She sounds desperate for attention," Zenix huffs, rolling his eyes in an annoyed fashion. "Really? I think she's rather nice. Have you even seen the village recently? It's been looking slightly nicer ever since she showed up and began helping out around town," Brian stated, surprised Zenix hadn't noticed any of this. "She sounds suspicious." "Why can't you accept someone doing nice things-" "He's right," Garroth suddenly cut in between the two boys. "Her behavior isn't common in this world," he finished, glancing at Zenix.

 "Then why don't you go talk to her? Instead of just watching her do work." Zenix said sounding exasperated. "What?" Garroth asked, stuttering over his words for a moment. "Oh, right. Yes, that would probably be a good idea," he states, embarrassed he hadn't thought to do that earlier. "Jeez, give Garroth a break, Zenix! We've been on patrol ever since that werewolf was spotted. None of us have had a break to talk to anyone," Brian said, getting slightly annoyed with Zenix now. "Until now! We haven't seen that werewolf for a whole day. Just go talk to her- you know what? I'll do it myself," and without another word, Zenix was off, his bow discarded to the side.

 "Zenix, wait!" "Courage, Garroth." "Silence!" Garroth responded before running off after Zenix before he said anything to offend Aphmau while Brian laughed behind him.

 It didn't take long at all for Zenix to finally reach Brendan and Aphmau, who was still working on the fence. Brendan turned when he heard someone approaching and was met with Zenix, standing directly behind him. "Oh, hey Zenix!" Brendan greeted, a little confused as to why he was here. Zenix glanced at him and scowled. "Shut it," he stated harshly, causing Brendan to gasp in an offended way. "What did I do?" He asked but Zenix wasn't paying any attention to him. "You!" He pointed at Aphmau, who paused her work and looked at him. She tilted her head at him, confused, and waited for him to explain what he needed. "Why are you so... helpful?" Zenix asked but before Aphmau could answer, Garroth finally showed up.

 "Zenix! Manners!" Garroth stated, annoyed. The last thing he needed was for Zenix to offend Aphmau, though he wondered if that was even possible as she seemed to not care about what others thought of her. "I don't really care about manners. I want answers and- rat!" Zenix said, pointing to a small rodent by Aphmau's feet. "it's not a rat, it's a squirrel!" Brendan responded angrily. Aphmau bent down, holding out a slice of bread to Sir Sean Connery. "Actually, it's a hamster," she giggled a little as she watched the hamster munch down on the bread she offered.

 Garroth seemed surprised, even if you couldn't see his expressions. "Wait, have you been feeding it?" He asked incredulously. "Him, and yes. It's been keeping them away from your guard quarters and from most of the food supply," Aphmau responded simply, smiling. "Of course, Miss Kiki feeds them more than I do," she added as Sean Connery finished his little meal and scurried off happily. "No wonder. I thought Zenix actually did his job," Garroth stated. Even though he sounded annoyed that Zenix wasn't able to actually do the thing he asked of him, he also sounded thankful Aphmau was able to help. "H-hey!" Zenix replied, upset it was found out he didn't actually do the work given to him.

 "Zenix does more than I ever could," Aphmau said suddenly, causing everyone to look at her in surprise. "He protects the village and its people," she added. "I-I do?" Zenix asked, touched by her words before clearing his throat. "Uh, yeah, of course I do!" He then added, trying to seem like that was obvious and her compliment didn't mean much. "I wish I could do that; protect the village, I mean. Theoritcally, I could, but I don't have a weapon nor the actual training to do the work properly," Aphmau adds, a slight dreamy expression on her face as she thought about being able to help the people like the guards do.

 "I think you-" Garroth started but was cut off by Zenix. "I could train you! As long as you can keep up, that is!" He said, a determined look in his eyes. Aphmau seemed slightly taken aback but before she could answer, Zenix just kept talking. "See, Garroth? She isn't so bad after all!" Zenix said, now looking to Garroth. "Wait what? I never said-" Garroth started, surprised as he looked to Aphmau to see her staring at him. "Bad?" She asked, sounding a little hurt by those words. "M-my lady! A moment, please!" Garroth asked, panicking a little as he quickly walked away so they wouldn't be too close to the others. Aphmau followed after him, still staring at him curiously.

 Soon, they came to a stop in the middle of the plaza. Garroth turned to face her, just to find she hadn't taken her eyes off him. "How have you been?" She suddenly asked. It seems she had brushed off what was said earlier. "I've... been fine," Garroth responded, surprised she wanted to know. "How have you been? I've noticed you've been busy. What have you been doing?" Garroth asked, examining her as she closed her eyes in thought. "Well, I helped Brendan use hay to try and give the soil in one of the fields more nutrients, then we cleaned out the stalls here in the plaza to prepare for repairs (though Brendan doesn't know when he'll actually have time for that), followed by taking down the rest of the second floor of the old Lord's home, and we helped Dale out of the well. Twice. He jumped back in after the first rescue. Donna also taught me some recipes for cooking! She said I'd need them if I decided I no longer wanted to stay in Phoenix Drop or if I did stay, I'd need to learn how to cook so I could feed myself," she stated, thinking a little harder.

 Aphmau had found it difficult to even remember things she knew she had done, so it took her some time. "Oh! And we also repaired some of the roofs of the houses here in town. Brendan almost fell off a couple times but I was able to catch him before he did. He said I had fast reflexes," she finished, smiling brightly. "Really? It sounds like a lot," Garroth asked, surprised she had gotten so much work done. "It is, but I've found that I rather enjoy making others smile," Aphmau responds simply, giving him a little smile of her own. Garroth stared at her in silence for a moment, and she stared right back, not bothered by it in the slightest. "My lady, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Well, two things, really," He finally said after a couple more moments of silence. Aphmau remained quiet, waiting to hear what he wanted to know.

 "Have you... recovered any of your memory? It's been a few days, so I wanted to know," Garroth asked a little hesitantly. He didn't know if it was still a sore subject for her or not. Aphmau thought, but after a while, she shook her head no. "I'm sorry, but I still don't recall anything. It's odd, really. It feels like, instead of the memories being out of reach, they just aren't there. It's like there isn't anything for me to remember," Aphmau explains. Garroth hummed. He knew that people with amnesia usually just struggled to recall memories. They were there but it was like they were locked away, in a sense. But Aphmau was talking about her memories just not being there in the first place like they were completely removed from her mind so she'd have no chance of recalling them.

 "It's alright. Maybe there is something we could do to help you remember once we are better suited to actually find the help we need," Garroth stated and patted her head a little. He hadn't really meant to go through with the action but Aphmau seemed pretty happy with the affection. "The other thing I wanted to ask you about was the magic you performed the other day. I know you said you didn't know how you did it nor that you recalled ever doing magic before, but could you possibly do it again?" Garroth asked, sounding hopeful. Aphmau's eyes widened a little at his request. Of course, she expected him to ask and if she actually knew how to do it again, she'd agree to help in a heartbeat. The problem with that was that she didn't actually know how to do it again. Could she even recreate what happened in the first place?

 Before she could actually give a reply, however, a man walked into the plaza. He wasn't very tall and incredibly skinny, almost like a skeleton. He seemed healthy, however, as he had a lot of energy. He had deep brown hair and a beard, his eyes a chocolate hue. He was also quite pale and dressed in orange colors. "Wow, this village went through hell and back and now it looks better every day!" He said, sounding amazed. His voice was smooth and relaxed, and he greeted Garroth with a small smirk. "Long time no see, Garroth," he said calmly before glancing at Aphmau. "And who is this seductress here?" He asked, only getting a confused head tilt from Aphmau in return. "Paul!" Garroth said, upset the man before them would be so blunt and crude towards someone he just met. "I know, I know. Manners, manners. You know, Garroth, sometimes you don't act like a guard. More like one of those self-proclaimed 'royals'," Paul retaliated, laughing heartily.

 Garroth stammered over his words, trying to find something to say in response but just kept coming up blank. "Oh, lighten up. I was just messing with ya," Paul stated, slapping Garroth on the back before turning to Aphmau, "and it's nice to meet ya, miss. Name's Paul and I'm a traveling merchant. If there is anything I appreciate more, it's getting right to business," he explains. Aphmau nodded and smiled at him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Aphmau. Garroth here found me in the woods and has been trying to help me recover my memories," she introduced herself. Paul's eyebrows went up a little in surprise. "Amnesia, huh? Well, I hope you remember something soon," Paul says and gave her a heavy pat on the back like Garroth, though it sent her stumbling a little, unlike the guard. "Wait, you're here early," Garroth suddenly stated.

 "Early?" Aphmau asked, tilting her head a little. Garroth looked at her, remembering now that she didn't have any clue as to what was going on. He got so used to her being around, it was like she had lived there a long time. "Paul here trades food with us so we don't go hungry here in Phoenix Drop. At least, since the crops died out," Garroth explained, turning to Paul. "Long story short, I'm the food bringer here in town. Which reminds me, I don't have anything to give you this month Garroth. The head guard of Meteli bought a lot due to a feud going on over there that is disrupting their way of life," Paul states. Garroth stood there in shock for a moment and Aphmau could tell he was slowly getting upset as the words sunk in. "What about our way of life?!" Garroth finally said after the words sunk in. He sounded upset and slightly panicked, at least that's how it seemed to Aphmau who had become quiet and was listening intently.

 Paul sighed and motioned for Garroth to follow as he walked a little ways away from where Aphmau wouldn't be able to hear them unless she actively tried. Most people didn't dare to listen in on a conversation between a guard and a merchant but Aphmau was not like most people. Her curiosity often got the best of her so as Garroth joined Paul, she listened closely without making it obvious. "You don't have a Lord anymore. How much longer are you going to feign ignorance? Stop being selfish by giving these people false hope. A lordless village is fair game for bandits and thieves and given how there isn't going to be a new lord any time soon, this village is doomed at this rate," Paul said harshly in a low voice. "It's only a matter of time before they realize what happened here and raids begin," he finished, sighing heavily.

 Both Paul and Garroth were suddenly caught off guard, however, when Aphmau stormed up and grabbed Paul by his shirt, dragging him down to her level. She had a look of pure rage on her face and you could almost see the fire burning in her eyes. "Don't you dare say this village is a lost cause! Don't you dare say that these people have been given false hope! Everyone here tries so hard to keep this village afloat because they love it here! They want this place to live and thrive, they want this village to prosper because it is their home! Don't you dare think for even a moment all of their hard work is going to waste just because this village no longer has a lord! If it's so important, then hell, I'll become lord if that's what it takes!" She whisper-yelled.
 Garroth had never seen Aphmau so angry. Even when she first arrived and attacked people, she hadn't been this pissed. Scared? For sure. Angry? Definitely not. He was also surprised she knew to keep it down so no one else overheard their conversation though Garroth could see behind them that Brendan and Zenix were watching, surprised. Garroth gave a quick shake of the head to let Zenix know he could handle this and he didn't need to let Brendan know not to come over. He looked too scared to move, anyway. "I will fight bandits and thieves if it means that none of the work put into this place goes to waste! So you better shut your trap about what is going to happen to this village because you sure as hell can't tell the damn future!" Aphmau finished. She glared daggers at Paul for a moment longer before releasing him and walking off to the stands to cool off.

 Paul was awestruck and Garroth was slightly impressed. Aphmau always seemed like an aloof person with no extreme feelings. She always took things easily and even waved off insults after a couple minutes. "She's never gotten that angry before," Garroth slowly muttered. "Garroth, how long has Aphmau been here?" Paul suddenly asked as he watched her storm around and kick pebbles out of her way, seeming to be angrily muttering under her breath. "Around a week now. Why?" Garroth replied, also staring at Aphmau. Their entire previous conversation had been forgotten, at least for the time being. "It's just... strange. She's barely been in town yet she seems to love this place dearly. I've never seen someone get that upset over a town they barely knew," Paul responded. Now that the initial shock had worn off what appeared to be a sweet and aloof girl turned into a furious woman, Paul was actually impressed. He had never actually seen it as everyone chipping in to try and keep the village afloat as a means of protecting what they loved.

 Paul smiled a little at the fact a complete stranger made him see things from a different perspective and it was a newcomer to the village at that. "If you really want to try and keep this going, I do have other news for you. A merchant named Logan is on his way here and is looking for a town to settle in. Apparently, he doesn't care too much if there is a lord or not either. If you can get him to want to stay, you can get food and other materials far easier than before," Paul stated and Garroth physically seemed to light up. Aphmau, who had still been listening in, also seemed to perk up and turned in their direction. She speed-walked over and grabbed Paul by his shoulders. "When," was the only thing she said, beating even Garroth to the punch. "He's around an hour out," Paul said, smiling at her suddenly getting happy out of nowhere. Aphmau looked to Garroth, a bright smile on her face. "We need to fix up the stalls here in the plaza!" She said happily before waving Brendan and Zenix over.

 As Aphmau told them what was going on (completely ignoring how angry she got earlier), Paul and Garroth watched as she began telling them what they should focus on to get the stalls fixed faster. "You know, if she was serious about becoming Lord, I think she'd make a fine one. She hasn't got the proper training nor qualities most lords would have, but she's good at getting things done and communicating. Even if that communication is yelling, she made good points during it," Paul suddenly said, surprising Garroth. "I couldn't let a woman with amnesia become lord! She's already having a hard enough time as it is trying to regain her lost memories. She doesn't need to worry about a bunch of villagers and their lives while she's trying to heal," Garroth quickly responded. Paul just hummed in response. "I think that's more up to her. Besides, it seems she doesn't care too much about her memories. She looks like she's doing just fine without them," Paul added. "Now, if ya don't mind, I'm gonna go see Donna. You should help them with fixing the stalls in the meantime," he finished before walking off while Garroth went to help the others with repairs.

 It had been about an hour and the stalls were finally repaired. It looked wonderful and with the added touches of color from paint Aphmau found, it didn't look as dull as before. Zenix and Brian (who had joined up with them shortly after they began to work) were all exhausted and their muscles ached. Aphmau and Brendan, however, seemed just fine. They were more used to the manual labor than the guards were and even Aphmau hadn't broken a sweat as Brendan had. "It looks so good! You guys have no idea how long I've been wanting to fix this place up but just haven't had the time!" Brendan said happily, his voice cracking a little as he teared up. Aphmau just smiled happily at him and pat his back gently. Garroth had left shortly before they finished to go check on Dale, who had been given orders to look out for Logan's arrival.

 They all turned when they heard Garroth approach and he seemed ecstatic. "Dale spotted the merchant heading for town! Zenix, you need to start patrolling around. The merchant needs to feel safe while he's here," Zenix gave a salute before heading off, "Brian, go keep your father in check. We don't need him making our guest uncomfortable with his... drinking habits," Garroth finished, Brian nodding and also headed off in the same direction as Zenix. "What about me and Aphmau?" Brendan asked hopefully as he and Aphmau stood side-by-side, staring at Garroth. "You two just need to look like you live here," Garroth said and gave them each a quick pat on the head before heading off to go meet the merchant. "How do we look like we live here?" Aphmau asked Brendan curiously.

 Garroth was almost bouncing in place as he stood at what would be considered the 'gates' of the village (even though there weren't even fences there). He stopped looking as excited when he saw Logan approaching on horseback so he wouldn't look childish but he still had an air of excitement about him. "Welcome to Phoenix Drop. You must be Logan, correct?" Garroth said after Logan came to a halt in front of him. Logan dismounted his horse and tied a rope around its reigns so he could guide it through town without having to ride it. Logan was tall, tan, and arrogant looking. His hair was a dirty blonde and his skin (while mostly tan) had paler splotches all over it. Garroth recognized it as a skin condition where the body didn't make enough pigment for the skin so there were paler splotches on the body where there hadn't been enough pigment. Logan dressed mostly in a deep crimson color, which was a very expensive color of dye so it was obvious he was wealthy, at least to some degree.

 His eyes, which were a deep blue color, scanned the area around him before looking back at Garroth. "Your village looks like a donkey's ass. No walls or fortifications at all," He said simply. Garroth almost flinched at the harsh words and did his best to keep his cool after his home was just blatantly insulted. "We are actually working on that," Garroth said, sounding slightly annoyed. "Are ya now? Well, show me what your hell hole has to offer," Logan said and Garroth motioned for Logan to head into the village with his horse. After Logan was out of earshot, Garroth grumbled a little. "For the people," he muttered before following after Logan quickly.

 Paul was sitting at a table in Donna's house, which she shared with a bunch of other women. Donna had just entered with a bowl of soup which she handed off to Paul with a smile on her face. Paul, however, noted she looked worried about something. "So, tell me what's on your mind," Paul suddenly said as he sipped the soup, smiling a little at how good it tasted. Donna looked confused and surprised. "Huh?" "The Donna I know is spunky and doesn't take anyone's lip without giving some in return. So far all you've said to me is 'Paul' and 'come in'. What's wrong?" Paul asked, staring at her with a worried expression.

 Donna just sighed and shook her head with a small smile. "You read me just about as well as Aphmau does," she stated before sitting down across from him. "It's Visher. I haven't seen him in days and all his supplies are still here. I moved it all to my room so it wouldn't get stolen, but I'm mighty worried about him," Donna explained, resting her head in her hand. "Then something happened. No merchant leaves his wares unattended unless they want them to get stolen," Paul said, sounding just as worried now. "But the only thing that coulda happened to him is-" Donna started but Paul raised his hand to cut her off. "Try not to think about it," He says simply, "come, let's eat for now," Paul finished but Donna just got back up. "I'm... gonna go look for him one more time," she mutters before leaving, Paul watching as she left with a worried expression.

 Garroth and Logan had finally come to a stop in the plaza where Logan had tied up his horse. "A rather nice village considering my first impression of it. Repairs look rather new though," Logan states, looking around at the newly built plaza. Garroth was silently thanking Aphmau and Brendan in his head for their hard work on repairing the village thanks to that comment from Logan. "That's because we try to keep on top of repairs around here. Make sure everything is in perfect shape," Garroth says nervously. Logan raised an eyebrow at him. "Awful lot of work for a village with barely any people in it to appreciate it," Logan says before glancing over to one of the stalls. He was looking at Brendan, who was on the floor pretending to be dead, and Aphmau who had somehow found a teacup and was sipping from it while sitting on a barrel. "And what about those awkward folk?" Logan asked curiously. Garroth looked over and mentally face-palmed. He couldn't really blame Aphmau as she wasn't knowledgeable about how to act like a normal villager considering her whole memory situation but Brendan was just being an idiot.

 "Aphmau, where'd you get the teacup?" Brendan asked softly. "Emmalyn's place. I took one from her storage. I could have taken the one she was using, but I thought that might be rude," she muttered back, trying to keep tabs on Garroth and Logan without being obvious. "Why are you playing dead?" She asked in return. "Makes this place have more depth to it. Like we're a village with real problems like... plague," Brendan replies. "Isn't plague bad? Why would a merchant want to stay in a village with a plague?" Aphmau asked and Brendan went silent for a moment. "That's a good question, actually," he muttered.

 "What are they doin?" Logan asked. "Uh, Aphmau, Brendan! Come here please!" Garroth called to them, trying to avoid answering the question. Aphmau was the first to arrive, followed quickly by Brendan who had to get off the floor before he could join her. "Yes?" Aphmau asked as she helped Brendan dust himself off. She wasn't looking at Garroth, however, and instead was staring intently at Logan. "Meet Logan! He's a merchant he might want to live here," Garroth introduces. "Really? Well, pleasure to meet ya!" Brendan says happily, holding out his hand so Logan could shake it. Logan instead just stared at him with narrowed eyes for a while before looking to Garroth. "You know, I like it here. There isn't any competition so I could really get my trade off the ground again," Logan says. "Really?!" Garroth replied, ecstatic. "Before I make my decision, however, I need to be sure of two things. First, how well is the soil? I'll need to grow good crops if I'm gonna sell anything," Logan asked. "We have one crop field that grows wonderfully and the others are sure to be fine as well," Garroth stated, though Aphmau could tell he was only telling a half-truth.

 "Hm. Alright then. Second, where's your Lord? I won't settle for a hell hole without someone to blame if things go wrong," Logan states, and both Garroth and Brendan froze up. Garroth was stuttering over his words, trying to find a way to explain, but Aphmau walked up before he could think up something to say. "I'm the Lord. I sent Garroth here to greet you instead of myself so I could help set up one of the stalls with things you'll need. If you decided to stay, that is," Aphmau spoke. She sounded so different now, far more imposing and blunt. She definitely was giving the feeling of a Lord who knew what they were doing with her voice and tone alone. Aphmau could almost see Garroth widen his eyes and even Brendan looked shocked, but she didn't care. This meant so much to everyone here and she wasn't going to let this chance go to waste. "Really now? I've never heard of a Lord helping villagers with such... basic tasks," Logan says, surprised. "I like to help out. Lord or not, I'm not above anyone else here. If help is needed, even with menial tasks, I'll be there to assist," she responds plainly.

 "Well, let me just say, this village is a piece of crap," Logan says. He was testing her resolve. He expected her to be offended but not say anything, like almost every other Lord he has ever met. "That's your opinion then, isn't it?" Aphmau suddenly replied, returning his harsh look. His face didn't falter but he was surprised she talked back. "This place may not be as fancy as you are used to, but it is home. The people here have worked hard on this village and I won't let their blood, sweat, and tears used to make this place the way it is get undermined by you," she then stated. It was silent for a moment, with Logan not saying a thing before Aphmau started again. "Would you like a tour of our finest crop field?" She asked, tilting her head. Garroth and Brendan expected him to say no and leave immediately, but he just smirked a little and nodded. "Zenix!" Aphmau called and Zenix came running up, confused. "Show Logan here our best crop field, please," She said with a happy smile. Garroth gave a nod to Zenix to do as Aphmau instructed, which the male thankfully understood and accepted. "Of course. Right this way, sir," Zenix said and led Logan off to the fields.

 The moment they were gone Aphmau looked to Garroth and put a finger up to his helm to sort of silence him. "Yes, I know, it's a big lie!" She said, sounding slightly worried. "Then why did you say it?!" Garroth asked, panic-stricken. There was no way she could keep up this lie. It would all fall apart eventually and when it did, they'd lose the only merchant they have had in years. "Because this village means so much to everyone!" Aphmau replied and paced back and forth. Garroth stopped, confused. "You lied because you knew how much this meant to us?" He asked slowly and softly which made Aphmau stop her quick pacing. "Of course I did! This place is important to everyone here and a chance like this might never come again. I couldn't let all of your guys' hard work go to waste simply because you didn't have a proper Lord," Aphmau stated and smiled softly. "I already told you, anyway. If me becoming Lord is what it takes to ensure this place doesn't die, I'll do it. I don't care how difficult it may be. You've already tried so hard, why can't I do the same?" She finished.

 Garroth was going to argue again when Donna showed up. "What's so wrong with her being our fake Lord? We don't have much of a choice anyway, Garroth," Donna said, sounding serious. "Paul filled me in. Her being Lord is better than dead bodies in the ground," she stated, sassily placing a hand on her hip. "Yeah, and besides, Aphmau could make a wonderful Lord! She's already helped so much around town and really cares for everyone here. In comparison, Lord Malik was a terrible Lord," Brendan piped up, smiling happily. Garroth looked down for a moment before looking to Aphmau. "Are you positive you're okay with this?" He asks softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. Aphmau brought up her hand and placed it on his, smiling. "If I wasn't, do you think I woulda said anything?" She asked, patting his hand gently in a calming manner, trying to let him know without words that everything would be okay. Garroth sighed heavily before taking his hand away. "Then until we can get a new Lord-" "New Lord of what?" Logan suddenly said, looking completely unimpressed. Garroth jumped slightly and they all turned to look at him. "Your guard Zenix ran after a rat in a sorry excuse to impress me. I must say, this village is really-" but he cut himself off when his eyes landed on Donna. His eyes widened a little and deep blush covered his face. "Who...?" He muttered before shaking his head.

 "I must be hallucinating. Fine, I'll stay here, but only to see how things will go. The moment I hate it, (again), I'm out of here," Logan stated before taking his horse and walking off. "What was that about?" Donna asked, incredibly confused. Donna then turned to Aphmau and smiled. "You just helped us more than you know, sweetheart," she said happily. Garroth hesitated for a moment before walking up to Aphmau. "Come with me. There is another favor I must ask of you," He says before quickly walking off, Aphmau having to jog to keep up. They soon came to a stop in one of the smaller crop fields, one that was still doing very poorly. Garroth turned to Aphmau, who refused to look him in the eye as she knew what he was about to ask. "Please, I need you to perform your miracle again," he begged, not daring to move closer to her as she already seemed uncomfortable. Aphmau was silent for a while and he was scared she was going to refuse, but then she finally met his gaze. "I can't promise I'll be able to do it again, but I can at least try," she states and gave him a weak smile before getting on her knees and touching the ground with one hand.

 Gene was crouched down on one knee before a tall chair that belonged to someone of high importance given the intricate wooden carvings and plush, velvet cushions built into the piece of furniture. The room he was in was spacious, with many quartz columns placed beautifully in every corner, a gorgeous red carpet leading from the stairs that lead upwards to this room to the wall on the other side where the chair sat. He kept looking around, somewhat nervous-looking.

 A desk placed in front of the chair was covered in books about the matron, Irene, along with scales weighing many golden coins and jewels. Pieces of parchment, quills, and ink littered the table haphazardly, threatening to topple over at any moment due to being stacked upon other things very precariously. Gene didn't stop looking around for even a moment despite the fact the room appeared to be strangely empty. Gene even had a new scar that dripped blood onto the already crimson-colored carpet. It was healing quickly, far quicker than any mortal would.

 It seemed strange for him of all people to be kneeling respectfully in front of an empty chair, in a very empty room, but he kept glancing around like he was expecting someone to appear out of nowhere. "Gene, good to see you are back," a sudden voice echoed across the room, seeming to be coming from everywhere. Gene snapped his eyes forward at the elegant chair that once was empty now held a man. The man was a bit too small for the chair but even then, he let off a terrifying aura. One of his legs was crossed over the other while he rested his head on his hand, which was held up as he rested his arm on the armrest of his chair.

 The man was clad mainly in white. It was a bit hard to tell the difference between his white clothes and his skin because the man in question was extremely pale like he had never gone outside a day in his life. His face from his nose downward was covered by a light gray mask, and his pale blue eyes narrowed forward at Gene. A light gray cloth was draped over the man's front, covering the front half of his body and it was separate from his white clothing underneath.

 An indigo color outlines the gray, making the difference between the clothing underneath and the draping cloth obvious. The cloth bore a giant black cross on it, each corner of it having a triangle of yellow sprouting out from it, giving it the impression of sunrays. The man wore boots that had heels which made him appear taller than he was. Some of his pitch-black hair covered one of the man's eyes entirely and was tied down in a small ponytail in the back. He was thin and seemed to have no muscle at all, giving many that would first meet him the impression he wasn't someone to fear.
 Gene, however, knew better than that. This man was someone everyone in the world should fear. A monster among mortals. "High Priest Zane, you seem to be in good health since we last met," Gene stated in a strained, respectful tone. He was forcing himself to be polite, that much was clear. "Thank you, my health has indeed improved, but let us skip the pleasantries. You know why you are here, yes?" Zane says in a soft, yet cold voice. Listening to him speak was like having cold water rush over you with every word spoken.

 "Yes, High Priest. It regards the mission regarding the Lord of Phoenix Drop," Gene states, getting stiffer. He couldn't possibly know, right? He's just a human and there was no one there during the scene other than him, Sasha, and Vylad. "Quite right. Remind me, if you will, what my orders to you and those other Shadow Knights were?" Zane replied, not averting his gaze even slightly. Gene gulped hard, before speaking. "Your orders were for us to kill the Lord of Phoenix Drop, along with his wife and newborn son," Gene stated.

 "Exactly. I thought my instructions were very clear, but I suppose not as his wife and son got away," Zane states, venom lacing his tone as he spoke. Gene felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He knew that they blundered it. "We tried chasing them down, but it was like they disappeared, sir!" Gene said, suddenly sounding panicked. Gene suddenly yelled in pain and collapsed to the ground, clutching the side of his head. His ear had been lobed off and was laying on the ground, blood splattered around it.

 A woman stood over Gene as he leveled his breathing and tried to quickly stop the bleeding. She had pitch-black hair and her aquamarine eyes glowered down at Gene with disgust. Her armor was intricate, made entirely of steel with indigo accents, a giant indigo gem placed delicately in the middle of her chest plate that was shaped like a diamond. Her rapier was splattered with blood, but she seemed to not care as she sheathed it once more. "Lillian, careful. You almost cut off more than was necessary," Zane stated coolly.

 "Forgive me, High Priest Zane. I could not stand to listen to his incessant whining any longer. Thinking his excuses will save him from his punishment. Men like that disgust me," Lillian stated as she stepped away to stand near a pillar. Zane had flinched when Gene had his ear cut off, but had managed to not make it obvious. Zane glanced to the side of the room opposite Lillian where a new arrival stood. A man this time, clad in the same armor as Lillian, but with white accents instead of indigo.

 The man was well built and had been in more than his fair share of fights given the numerous scars dotted across his tanned skin. One of his eyes was shut tight, a deep scar over it, making it appear that he was either slightly or fully blind in that eye. His hair was the color of freshly fallen snow and his one good eye was a deep sapphire hue, appearing to glow slightly in the darkness of the corner he stood. A broadsword that seemed to radiate coldness was casually draped across his shoulders, only one of his hands holding it steady.

 "Janus, good of you to join us," Zane stated, watching as the man gave a silent nod, before looking back to Gene. "I don't want to see you again unless you have the bodies of the Lord of Phoenix Drop's wife and son with you. Get out of my sight," Zane spat, glaring him down. Gene stood carefully, growled towards Lillian, then turned and left the room through a wooden door near the archway-shaped windows across from Zane. Both Janus and Lillian watched him leave before looking to Zane, who had stood up.

 Zane made his way over to the arched windows and looked out across a giant city. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for something. "We should have killed him. Is it really safe to let him go?" Janus asked once the silence lasted for just a couple of seconds, far too long for him. "Yes, it'll be fine. Besides, they are just Shadow Knights. If they rebel, there won't be much fallout or loss. Nothing we can't snuff out if needed," Zane stated. "I heard Shadow Knights are unstable even within their own ranks. I don't doubt there are those already rebelling against their own system," Lillian says coolly.

 "Aren't Shadow Knights just reanimated c-" Janus was cut off by Zane raising his hand. "Enough, I tire of talking about their filth. Are the others still searching?" Zane asks as he glanced over his shoulder at them. "Yes, Ivan and Katelyn are still searching the south while Ivy and Jeffory are searching the west. The others are on their own solo missions," Lillian states. Zane just nods, thinking for a moment, before looking back out the window.

 "You know, I'm beginning to believe the search for your elder brother is futile. It's been years since he disappeared," Janus pipes up. Lillian looked at the white-haired male with a bit of a scowl. "The search isn't just for him, there is another reason. It is also for a power that currently lies in a deep slumber," Lillian states. Janus raised his eyebrows a little. "You mean-" but Janus was cut off again by Zane. "My brother. It's not about finding him. It's about making sure the future of O'khasis stays in the right hands," Zane says softly, yet sternly, glancing back at the two Jury of Nine members. "Now, I want you both out searching, those are your orders. Don't report back unless you have decent information," the male states, to which Lillian and Janus nodded. "Yes sir," they state at the same time before Lillian disappeared in the blink of an eye. Janus looked around before sighing. "I hate when she does that," he muttered under his breath before leaving through a side door.

 Once they were gone, Zane dropped his guard and sighed heavily. He reached under his shirt and pulled out a locket made of gold and silver, a black cross embedded upon the front. A slit down the center of it insinuated that it opened though how it opened was a different story. "It's almost over. A little bit more and all this can finally end, Vylad," Zane muttered softly as he squeezed the pendant tightly. "Maybe then, I can finally repent for all of this, one way or another, and you can rest easy," he finished before leaving the room.

~Miles away~

 Gene was walking through a forest, anger present on his face. "Gene!" A woman called out, and he looked over. Sasha was standing by a tree, shock on her face. "Your ear!" She stated as she walked up to him. "Sasha. It's nothing, really," Gene states, to which he was met with a harsh glare from Sasha. "It still hurts Gene, no matter what we went through to get here," Sasha says. She then sighed and glanced around. "It seems our trip here was worthless," she mutters, "given we learned nothing," Sasha added. "Not entirely. I learned that if you want something done right, you do it yourself," Gene states, glaring off in a certain direction. "Come Sasha, not only will we make the traitor among us cower at having his precious village destroyed, we'll also find the power Zane seeks," He states, before heading off. Sasha sighed before quickly hurrying after him.

 Aphmau had closed her eyes and been stationary for around five minutes but eventually, she just sighed and looked up at Garroth. "I'm sorry, it isn't working. I'm not hearing the things I did before," she says solemnly. Garroth sighed heavily but patted her hair. "Thank you for trying, Aphmau," he said but she could tell he was disappointed. She stood up and went to place her hand on his shoulder, but halted when she heard Zenix calling for Garroth. He came to a stop by the fencing, panting a little. "Dale's gone rouge again! He's drunk off his ass and-" Zenix paused and looked at Aphmau. "What are you doing here?" "I asked Lady Aphmau here to perform her miracle again," Garroth intervened so Aphmau would have to explain. Zenix snickered. "Oh, now I have to see this!" He said, laughing a little. "You still doubt my word?" "It isn't that I doubt you, it's that you've been so desperate for anything to work lately. Trust me when I say that people see odd things in their time of desperation," Zenix says, shrugging. Garroth looked down and Aphmau felt even worse. Suddenly, she got a determined look in her eyes and bent down again, this time placing both hands on the ground and focusing hard. "Aphmau, what are you doing?" Garroth asked, surprised. She didn't answer him, however, and just kept silent.

 "What's going on here?" Donna asked as she walked up and Zenix turned to her. "Garroth here swears he saw Aphmau do magic to heal the crops and is trying to get her to do it again," Zenix explained, rolling his eyes. Donna just smiled, though it was obvious she had her doubts. "Really now? Can I watch?" She asked and Garroth just sighed and nodded a little. What was the worst that could happen? Everyone watched as Aphmau kept silent still, and refused to move even an inch. Donna looked more worried if anything, though. As they were watching, a hamster came running up and bit Zenix's ankle, causing him to chase after it. The moment he was gone from sight, however, something began happening. A glow manifested around Aphmau's chest and moved down her arms and into her hands before spreading to the field. Everything glowed white for only a second before vanishing entirely, leaving the field healed, though it wasn't as good as before. It seemed she had a limit and when they looked back at Aphmau, she was panting hard and holding her chest tightly in one hand, seeming to be in pain.

 Before any of them could go to her aid, however, someone jumped the fence and covered Aphmau in a big blanket. There stood Visher, his clothes horribly ripped and looking exhausted. "For her own safety, it is best you don't have her use that power any more, at least not out in the open where anyone could see," Visher said simply before being engulfed by Donna in a hug. Garroth didn't dare argue back, especially because it was his fault Aphmau pushed herself and was now hurting. "You're safe! I was so worried!" Donna said, seeming to be nearly in tears. "Your... clothes," Aphmau whispered as she looked up at him. Her vision had gone blurry but she could still see that Visher's clothing was in a horrible state. He bent down to her level and smiled warmly at her. "I am okay darling. Come now, you need to lay down," Visher said softly before picking her up, her laying almost limply in his arms, too tired to try and resist being carried like she needed rescuing. "Donna, is there a place where we could talk privately?" Visher asked quickly, to which Donna nodded and had them all follow her.

 It didn't take long for them to arrive in a small house no one went inside of anymore. They had gone into the old bedroom to speak so Aphmau could be a part of the conversation but also rest somewhere comfortable. Visher layed her down carefully and she rested there, breathing heavily with her eyes half-open. Visher left for a moment before returning, now wearing more basic clothing that Donna had provided. "Lookin' good Visher! I was mighty worried about you though while you were missing," Donna said, frowning at him. Donna was gently caressing Aphmau's hair to try and help her feel better. "I'm fine, Donna. No need to worry. Besides, this isn't about me," Visher glanced to Aphmau and frowned, looking worried. "Let's get down to business," he then stated. "Exactly. Why were your clothes all ripped?" Garroth asked, confused. Visher just shook his head and looked away. "Not important. What is important is what I saw out there in the crop field," Visher states. "Gotta admit I was surprised too. Hard to believe our little Aphmau has the ability to-" Donna started but was cut off by Visher. "She must never show it again." "What?!" Both Donna and Garroth said at the same time.
 Aphmau slowly tried to sit up but found she was too weak and collapsed back onto the bed. "Because of this?" She asked softly, motioning to the state she was in with a shaky hand. Visher breathed deeply, and looked down for a moment, before looking back at everyone. "As a merchant, I hear a lot about what is going on in the world. I'm sure Sir Garroth is aware of the fact what is happening here in Phoenix Drop is happening everywhere," Garroth nodded a little, "and therefore have heard of rumors of people going missing or suddenly dying from unknown causes. One thing I've learned on my travels is that there is one thing they all had in common. They were all people with some sort of power. Whether it be magic, influence, or skill, they were all victims," Visher explained. "Couldn't that just be a coincidence? We already know people don't take kindly to witchcraft or magic," Donna asks hesitantly, glancing at Aphmau whose breathing had regulated finally. "At the rate it's happening, this is no coincidence. The world is changing and quickly at that. Far quicker than nature ever intended," Visher responds.

 "So how does this affect us?" Garroth asks, still not having gotten the point yet. Visher looked at him, amazed he didn't get it yet. "How does this affect us? This isn't about us. It's about how it's going to get Aphmau killed," Visher said and watched as Donna and Garroth's eyes widened. Aphmau had sat up properly but didn't seem surprised. Instead, she looked guilty and wasn't making eye contact with anyone. Visher walked over to her and knelt down on one knee, looking her in the eye. "You know you are special, Aphmau. You know you are different. The power you hold must never be shown to anyone outside of this room unless you have no other choice," Visher says to her sternly, but the worry was evident in his eyes. She stared at him before nodding softly. Visher sighed and stood up. "Visher, with all due respect, could this just be a merchants rumor? I doubt anyone would pay any mind to a remote village such as ours," Garroth asked. He didn't like the thought that Aphmau could be killed just because of some magic she has. It hurt him, knowing she had to live hiding what little part of herself she knew and accepted. "You'd be surprised Garroth. All I know is that it is best for Aphmau if her magic stays secret between us in this room. Not even your most trusted men should know," Visher states but held up his hand as Garroth went to argue. "I know you think it would be better if the guards knew but people do stupid things for power. For Aphmau's safety, don't tell anyone," he finished. Garroth just nodded a little.

 "Do you have any clue who could be doing all of this killing?" Donna asks to which Visher just shook his head no. Garroth looked to Aphmau, and went to speak, but found his voice was caught in his throat. "It's okay," Aphmau suddenly said, surprising everyone. "I know you wanted to help everyone. I do too. We'll find another way, I promise you that," she finished with a smile at Garroth. He nodded a little before heading out. Donna looked to Aphmau and smiled. "You should rest here for now, at least until you feel a bit better. You've already had a hectic day with becoming Lord and all," Donna says with a giggle. "Lord?" Visher asks, his eyes wide in surprise. "Yup! Little Aphmau here is Lord now. At least until we can get a replacement," Donna explains. "Congratulations dear!" Visher says happily and Aphmau smiled at him. She layed back down and was asleep within moments. Donna and Visher left the room so she'd sleep without any disturbances.

 Once out of the room, they looked at each other. "You really scared me Visher. When I heard that Brian spotted a werewolf outside the gates, I knew immediately who it was," Donna said, her voice strained. Visher hummed softly. "Maybe the werewolf wanted to check on his merchandise," He said with a small laugh. Donna, however, just glared at him. "You know you are going to get yourself killed!" Donna whisper-yelled to not accidentally wake up Aphmau. Visher smiled softly at her and shook his head. "Lighten up Donna. But you know, mysterious things are beginning to happen in our world. Stay on your toes, okay? And keep a close eye on Aphmau. Don't need her walking into trouble," Visher says softly. Donna just sighed and smiled back. "Now, give me back my things," Visher suddenly said seriously, causing Donna to laugh a little.

 It was the next morning and Aphmau was out by the fields with Emmalyn, who had just found out Aphmau had become Lord and was throwing a tantrum about it to Garroth (and Zenix but he didn't really care). Garroth and her argued about it, mostly over the fact Emmalyn thought Aphmau couldn't be a Lord because she wasn't useful and lords are supposed to be useful but Garroth was having none of it. Eventually, Emmalyn stormed off, calling them all stupid, and Aphmau just sighed. "Sorry, I didn't realize she would take it that badly. Otherwise I would have let someone else tell her," Aphmau says, sounding a bit deflated but Garroth just shook his head. "She would have taken it badly no matter who told her. Don't worry about it," Garroth said and gave her a soft pat on the shoulder. Aphmau suddenly remembered how the whole conversation of Lord came up between her and Emmalyn in the first place and turned to Garroth. "Garroth, what can you tell me of Irene?" She asked curiously, to which Garroth seemed surprised. "You don't- oh, right, memory loss," he muttered before thinking of the best way to explain it without it taking hours.

 "Lady Irene is our patron deity. She lived thousands of years ago and presumably died due to old age or just disappeared. No one really knows how she left this world. She was a kind and powerful woman who helped create the lordship system we have now. Whenever she fought in wars, whatever side she was on ended up winning due to her pure strength. We worship her because of her accomplishments but we honestly don't know much about her other than those accomplishments. She wasn't one to stay in the public eye, at least from what we know," Garroth finally explained. Aphmau had gone silent, listening closely, and when she noticed Garroth was done speaking she just gave him a quick nod. "Sir Garroth, we have to get to patrol now," Zenix called from inside the fields and Garroth turned to look at him. "Alright, I'm coming. Don't let me forget we have to rightfully christen Aphmau into lordship, either. It may be a lie but we still need to do this properly," he says to Zenix. Garroth turned to face Aphmau, gave her a small bow, and headed off after Zenix who had already made his way to his station.

 As Aphmau watched them leave, she was surprised when someone grabbed her shoulder. She wheeled around to see who it was but relaxed when she saw it was just Visher. "Sorry dear, didn't mean to frighten you. Donna filled me in on this elaborate lie you got yourself into for the sake of the village," Visher explains, letting go of her shoulder. "She did?" Aphmau asked, not really surprised. "Yes, and it's quite noble of you to do something like this for a village you barely even know," he responds with a smile. Aphmau fully turned to look at him but didn't entirely meet his gaze. "I think I'm scared. I don't really understand it, but thinking about being lord fills me with a bad emotion. The most I can really understand of it is that it might be fear," Aphmau states, holding her arms close to herself. "Sounds like fear to me, which is normal for someone in your situation. You've done well to not freak out or back down yet, though. You've got a strong resolve and that's good," Visher states and gave her a reassuring smile, which she returned after a moment. "Now, a lord without her own home doesn't seem too threatening, does it? How about we build you a nice house somewhere you can overlook the village," Visher says and gave Aphmau a rough pat on the back.

 She nodded and her attention was immediately caught by a hill near the ocean. She had always found herself looking at it as it seemed like a nice place to go to relax (though she never actually went up there). "What about that hill?" Aphmau asks hesitantly. Visher looked to where she pointed and he seemed to light up. "A wonderful choice! You'll be able to see the entire village from up there," He says happily and she smiled brightly at the fact her choice was a good one. "I can't build it on my own though. I don't actually know anything about house building," Aphmau suddenly says, seeming to physically droop. "Don't worry, I'll help. It's the least I can do to pay you back for helping the village where my friend Donna stays," Visher responds and gave her a pat on the head to make her feel better. "I'll help too!" Brendan suddenly said, standing behind them with his tools. "Where the hell did you come from?" Visher asked, extremely confused about where Brendan possibly popped out from. "I heard Emmalyn yelling so I figured I should come and see what was going on. I can help with the house too! I owe Aphmau a lot for helping me with my chores these past few days," Brendan says happily to which Visher just chuckled and nodded. "The more the merrier," he stated.

 "Well Aphmau, you have my hand," Visher said. "And my hammer!" Brendan added happily, raising it up for dramatic effect (though he almost dropped his other tools in the process). "And my beer!" Dale suddenly said, appearing from nowhere and collapsing to the ground. "I wanna help too," he slurred from his place on the ground. Aphmau smiled brightly and hugged Brendan and Visher (though she would have also hugged Dale if he was standing, beer smell or not). "Thank you," she muttered before pulling away. "Now then, let's get started on the layout!" Visher says before he and Brendan started walking towards the hill. Aphmau went to follow them but stopped, hoisted Dale up, and partly carried/dragged him with them.

 It had been a few days and work was going... slow on Aphmau's home. The foundation had been finished and construction had begun, but the walls weren't close to finished. It was mostly still a wooden skeleton. Aphmau was hammering away at nails while Visher sat off to the side, watching. Eventually, she stopped and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She was covered in dirt and gravel, small scrapes here and there from her dropping things or running into stuff. "Keep up the good work!" Visher called from the side, smiling. She turned to face him and gave a weak smile but it was obvious she was forcing it. "Something wrong?" Visher asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, um, it's been a few days since we started and... you haven't helped very much," Aphmau said hesitantly. "What? Of course I have!" Visher said, still smiling. Aphmau thought back to the previous work. Brendan had tried to help her chop down the trees in the area but was stopped by Visher who dragged Brendan away, leaving Aphmau to chop the trees by herself; he layed on every piece of flat wood Aphmau dragged around to make it harder for her to carry; he constantly pushed down one part of the house over and over again, forcing her to have to put it up by herself multiple times all over again. "Getting a little feisty I see?" Visher asked after a moment, which surprised Aphmau.

 "W-what? No, I didn't-" but she was cut off by Brendan's arrival. "Okay, I am ready to help!" He says with a determined expression. "No no no, you must not help her," Visher suddenly cut in. "What? But we said we would help her and so far all you've let me do it stare at her!" Brendan stated, sounding a little frustrated. "He's right," Aphmau muttered. She hadn't thought she was loud enough to be heard but Visher looked at her immediately. He hummed at her in a questioning manner. Aphmau hesitated for a moment. "You said you would help and then you just-" but she cut herself off as Visher walked closer. "I what?" He asked with narrowed eyes. The friendliness in his voice was gone and Aphmau wanted to shrink into herself and drop this topic entirely. "N-nevermind," she uttered before turning away and going back to hammering. Visher didn't move, however, and just stared at her. "Tell me. What did I do?" Visher asked, causing Aphmau to immediately stop what she was doing and turn to face him. "You, um." "Yes?" "You haven't helped and-" "How does that make you feel?" Visher suddenly asked, catching Aphmau off guard. "What?" She asked. Visher suddenly shoved her to the ground, causing dirt to rise up in small clouds around her as she stared wide-eyed at him.

 "How. Does. It. Make. You. Feel?" Visher pressed on, sounding slightly angry. Aphmau sat up slowly, keeping her head down. Once she stood up, she punched Visher in the face, knocking him back quite a bit and causing him to fall. He stared up at her with wide eyes and a bloody nose as she glared darkly at him, her fist having been speckled with his blood from the impact. "You could have at least kept your word!" Aphmau yelled. It only took a second for Aphmau to realize what she had done and when it clicked, she immediately recoiled and held her bloody hand close to her, a look of horror on her face. Visher, however, broke out into a huge smile and started laughing. He stood up, dusting himself off and wiping the blood from his nose on his sleeve. "I'm sorry darling, but Uncle Visher doesn't act without purpose," He said with his eyes closed but when he opened them, he saw Aphmau practically cowering away from him. He immediately thought he went too far but Aphmau began apologizing rapidly. "I-I didn't want to hurt you! I just... got so angry! I've already hurt people here and I told myself I wouldn't do it again but I did! Please don't be angry with me... I hate this feeling, this emotion. It hurts when it shows up and I hurt others," she said, her voice cracking though no tears ever fell down her face.

 "Oh, no no no! Don't apologize! I'm not mad at you for punching me. I'm very impressed by it, actually!" Visher said quickly. Every part of his fatherly instincts told him to hug her to try and comfort her like he would have done with his son, but he was worried Aphmau would panic at that. "I wanted to show you that the frustration and anger you felt with me is only a fraction of what you'll feel as a lord. I suppose I went too far, however, so I hope you can forgive me for that," Visher explained and Aphmau seemed to relax more. She wasn't holding her hand in a death grip anymore, at least. "You were... trying to teach me what to expect as a Lord?" Aphmau asked softly, to which Visher just nodded. "Your people will ask many things of you ranging from building a house for them from scratch to playing with your emotions. It will get tougher as you go on so let this house be a symbol of the strength you start out with," Visher said and smiled at her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. Both of them ignored Brendan's sniffling and crying in the background. Eventually, it broke out into Brendan wanting to help again, Visher still telling him no, telling him instead to go get water from the well, and then Dale springing up from his drunken haze from behind some barrels and going to do it himself. Brendan ran after him so Aphmau wouldn't have to worry about it and could focus on her home for the time being. "You know, you are very knowledgable about being a Lord. Where did you learn all this? You hardly seem the type to have been a Lord yourself before," Aphmau asked.

 "I'm a merchant. I have spoken to many lords in my time. You pick things up after a while so I figured it would be good to pass on my knowledge to you before I leave," Visher states. Aphmau didn't seem all too surprised Visher was leaving, but it did seem to sadden her considering she slouched a little. "I leave tonight so I'll help you to make this house a bit sturdier so it doesn't cave in on you, okay?" Visher said softly, to which Aphmau just nodded and they got to work.

 It was sunset and Aphmau, Donna, and Paul were at the docks with Visher who had just finished putting everything into his boat. "Jeez Visher! Think you packed enough for half a day's trip?" Donna asks sarcastically. "You can never be too prepared!" Visher responded with a big smile. "As a fellow merchant, I respect that. You be safe now, ya hear?" Paul states and gave Visher a pat on the back. Aphmau and Donna each took turns giving him a hug goodbye. "Aphmau, you be strong, you hear? You'll do wonderfully as a lord and never doubt that!" Visher says happily, giving her one last squeeze before getting on board his boat and untieing it, setting sail. Donna and Paul began leaving, but Aphmau watched as he began heading off to the open ocean. It was shortly after Donna and Paul got onto the beach that Aphmau finally turned and went to head towards them when a loud boom resounded from where Visher's boat had been, smoke and flames filling the sky. The water shook hard from the explosion and Aphmau felt the vibrations through the dock. She slowly turned around and saw what little remained of Visher's boat ablaze and smoldering, starting to sink along with other items he had just put on it.

 It hadn't clicked for Aphmau on what had just happened yet. She just stood there like a deer about to be shot by a hunter, staring at the scene. It all finally came crashing down when Donna's heartbreaking scream filled the air and her sobs and cries for Visher began. Visher was dead; killed just as he was leaving to head home and see his wife and child again. Aphmau felt a heavy weight in her chest as this realization came to her, listening to Donna's sobs from the shore. Aphmau hadn't even heard Garroth and Zenix arrive, with Garroth heading over to her to pull her off the docks and back into town. She didn't resist his pull. Instead, she was thinking too hard about why she wasn't doing the same thing as Donna; screaming and sobbing and trying to push the guard hauling her away like Donna was to try and get to the wreckage. Aphmau hadn't fully come back to her senses until she was back in town, sitting inside the guard quarters with Garroth trying to snap her back to reality. She never responded to him, though, and just kept staring ahead, trying to wake herself up from this nightmare.

 Gene and Sasha were standing high up on a cliff as they watched what happened at the docks go down. "Don't you think that was a little excessive?" Sasha asks though she didn't sound like it really bothered her. Gene just laughed at the question. "We aren't done yet, Sasha," Gene stated before slowly turning away and walking into the trees, Sasha following after him quickly.

 Four days had passed since Visher's death. Aphmau hadn't cried once in that time as Donna had. Even Brendan, who wasn't very close to Visher, shed tears at hearing what had happened. When Brian asked her about it, she just said she was trying to stay strong because that's what Visher wanted of her. She told him she cried on her own to mourn him, though, but that was a huge lie. Brian didn't question her further, though, which she was thankful for. Aphmau hadn't stopped working on her house in those four days. She hadn't slept and found it hard to work sometimes but pushed herself. She was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted but just kept going. Aphmau was hammering in some nails to hopefully finish the sides of the house (the roof had already been started) when Brendan arrived, looking extremely worried. She could feel his eyes on her, mostly staring at her face and, presumably, her horrible eyebags. "H-hey, uh," Brendan started, trying to think of the best way to say this. Aphmau had stopped for a second when he spoke but kept going after he was silent for a moment longer. "Do you... want some help?" Brendan finally asked.

 Aphmau paused in her hammering. She didn't look at him for even a fraction of a second, just stared at the wall of her home. "No. I want to finish this on my own," she said in a low voice. There was no kindness there but there wasn't a sense of sadness either. It was like she didn't feel anything and her voice was showing that. She went back to hammering but noted that Brendan didn't leave. "It's been four days, Aphmau. I didn't... even know Visher that well. He... he was a good guy," Brendan said softly. He didn't want to upset her but he figured he should at least try and make some sort of conversation. As he spoke, he noticed how filthy Aphmau had gotten. She hadn't bathed the entire time Visher had been dead so she was covered in dirt and her hair was horribly matted and tangled. Her hammering hesitated a little when he spoke about Visher and she eventually came to a stop for a moment, lowering her head slightly. It didn't last long though and she was soon back to hammering again though she wasn't hitting anything in particular anymore. "Um, Garroth is planned on holding a memorial for Visher," Brendan added, trying to sound a little more optimistic, thinking it might rub off on her.

 "You could attend. If you wanted, that is! No one's gonna force you to go," Brendan added, getting a little more desperate for her to show that she was even slightly listening. "Brendan!" Kiki's voice suddenly echoed and he turned to see his sister running up the hill. "My brother didn't say anything to offend you yet, did he, Aphmau?" Kiki asks as she caught her breath. Aphmau slowly turned to look at her, her eyes blank and without shine. She just shook her head a little. "Oh, good! I'm not too late!" "What, you think I'm that much an idiot sis?! I'm not gonna explode a bunch of emotions onto- oh. Oh no, I didn't- I swear I didn't mean to let my words sail away- OH. Oh no wait-" "Brendan, how about you let me talk to her, okay?" "I swear I didn't mean to say that! Why do I feel like I'm under fire right now- DANG IT!" "BRENDAN GO FINISH TAKING DOWN THE LORD'S OLD HOME OR SOMETHING!" Kiki yelled and Brendan ran off sobbing at having said such insensitive things. Kiki huffed and turned back to Aphmau after Brendan was gone. "Hey, how are you?" Kiki asked in a much softer tone with worry present in her expression. "I... I don't feel good," Aphmau muttered. "No one blames you for that. We're all kind of in shock about what happened and-" Kiki started but Aphmau shook her head.

 "Can I tell you something? You can't tell anyone else, though," Aphmau asks softly and Kiki just nodded. If she needed to get something off her chest, then of course Kiki would keep it a secret for her. "I haven't cried over Visher's death. At all," Aphmau said solemnly and Kiki's eyes widened a little. "I want to, don't get me wrong. It hurts inside, knowing he's gone. I wanted to scream and cry like Donna was but... I haven't shed a single tear and I don't know why," Aphmau started and turned away. "I want to mourn him like everyone else, but I find that I can't express my feelings like others. It feels like I'm disrespecting his memory by not weeping and I despise it," she finished, resting her head against the wall. When Aphmau didn't speak for a while, Kiki decided that was the end of the conversation. Kiki was shocked that Aphmau wasn't able to cry for Visher, sure, but she was even more upset on Aphmau's behalf that the poor woman felt she was disrespecting Visher by not being able to weep for him. "Hey, I got a surprise for ya," Kiki soon said, trying to lighten the mood. Aphmau stood up straight again and stared at her. Kiki whistled and a fuzzy white hamster came walking up, squeaking. "This is Cuddlezilla! She's Brendan's hamster from a long time ago. Usually, she just wanders the world instead of traveling with me or staying here with Brendan, but she always comes back at just the right moments!" Kiki said happily and giggled.

 Aphmau slowly bent down and pet the hamster softly, giving a small smile at the fuzzy critter. "Aw, look at that smile! You should do that more often," Kiki says happily as Aphmau stood back up straight again. Her smile was gone again and she just sighed. "It's... hard. To smile, I mean," She mutters. Kiki sighed and gave Aphmau a small smile of her own. "I know. You just take your time and soon it'll get easier again," Kiki says and Aphmau nodded a little at her. Suddenly, they heard Logan yelling in the distance about a thief, and shortly after, Sean Connery appeared with a chunk of cheese, which he dropped in front of Cuddlezilla. "Sean Connery! What did you do?!" Kiki said, horrified. Logan soon arrived, huffing a bit as it was a bit of a hike up the hill. "I knew it! You trained these rodents to steal!" Logan says angrily. "I did not! What Sean Connery did was purely out of love!" Kiki retaliated. Logan scoffed. "Love? That squirrel wouldn't know a thing about love!" Logan replied haughtily. Aphmau wasn't paying attention to their bickering and instead watched as Donna showed up, standing behind Logan. "Yes, they do! Animals have the strongest feelings! Haven't you ever tried to impress someone out of love before?!" Kiki said angrily. "Nope, never" Logan replied simply.

 "Well, look at the turn out we have goin on here," Donna said softly and Logan froze up, blush creeping up on his face. "I'M HELPIN'!" And he rushed off inside the unfinished house. "What was that about?" "Nothing at all," Kiki replied, a smirk on her face. Donna walked up to Aphmau and gave her a small, worried smile. "How are ya?" "Fine." "No, you aren't. You stink," Donna replied with a chuckle. Aphmau seemed confused. "When was the last time you had a bath?" She asked. "Bath...?" Aphmau replied, still confused. Donna's eyes widened a little. "Oh my Irene, you poor thing. C'mon, let's get you into a warm bath. Logan here can help with the work." "But-" "No buts. You need this right now Aphmau. Now c'mon," Donna stated and led Aphmau back to her place.

 Zenix and Garroth were standing up in one of the guard towers, surveying the town. "How could this have happened?" Garroth suddenly asked Zenix, who only glanced at his superior. "Explosives were likely planted on the boat where no one would see and set to go off after he was away from the shore," Zenix responded plainly. Garroth slowly turned to look at Zenix, who raised an eyebrow. "What?" He asked. Garroth just sighed. "I meant; why was Visher targeted in our village," Garroth elaborates. "He's a merchant! There's always someone after their head," Zenix replied, turning to face Garroth. "But somewhere so remote? What's even the point of that? And why use explosives? Any merchant killed by someone with a grudge is usually killed in a way where their items are still intact," Garroth asks, now even more confused. Zenix just shook his head. "Speaking of which; Garroth, do you think that woman had anything to do with this?" Zenix asks. Garroth groaned loudly in response. "Zenix, why do you continue to blame her?" He asks, fed up now. "Hear me out! Ever since her arrival, things have been changing. More people have slowly been moving in and the village has begun experiencing rejuvenation in some ways," Zenix explains but Garroth didn't seem impressed. "That's a good thing, Zenix," Garroth stated. "But what if that's what she wants us to think! We should go investigate!" Zenix added, widening his eyes slightly at this 'realization'. Garroth sighed again and turned away, looking down upon the streets. "Zenix, you really need to stop trying to blame her for stuff and-" but Garroth stopped dead in the middle of his sentence as he watched Zenix run down the road below. "Oh for the love of-" Garroth mumbled angrily before heading off after him as quick as he could.

 Aphmau was at Donna's place, soaking in hot water with bubbles. She hadn't let Donna look at her, not even to help her try and untangle her hair to make it easier to wash. Donna was sitting in a chair, facing away from Aphmau to respect that she didn't want to be looked at right now. Donna had even questioned her if it was a privacy thing but apparently, she just didn't want Donna to have to see her in the state she was in more than necessary. "Feeling any better?" Donna asked after a while. "No," Aphmau replied simply. Donna gave a little sigh. "Upset about Visher?" Donna asked softly. She wanted to at least try and make conversation with the lady. "Yes. I already told Kiki this but... I haven't been able to cry over his death. I want to, but for some reason, the tears never fall, and... it hurts. I want to mourn him as you did but I can't," Aphmau stated softly. "Maybe it's because you haven't been able to fully comprehend what happened. Besides, even if you don't cry, you can still mourn him," Donna stated and turned slightly to peak at Aphmau who had shifted so her back was facing Donna. Donna felt the blood drain from her face as she saw what could only be described as a horror scene on Aphmau's back. Six large, star-shaped scars were on her back, all of them identical to the other and all of them looked horrible. There were three on each side of her spine and they were evenly spaced between one another so they didn't touch. How had she not seen them before? How had Garroth not seen them before? He carried her back to town when she was barely wearing anything! He should have noticed those awful scars!

 They didn't look like anything Donna had ever seen, either. The only thing she could think of them being from was torture and Aphmau had survived something horrific. Maybe that was why her memories were gone? She locked them away on her own so she wouldn't have to relive how she got those scars in the first place? Donna had heard it was possible to make yourself forget a traumatic experience by shutting it away inside your own mind. She decided right then and there to not mention them, in case it brought back memories Aphmau didn't want. Some memories were best left forgotten in these cases. "Um... you know, I've known Visher for a long time," Donna started, trying not to think about the scars, and turned away quickly as Aphmau shifted back to look at her. "It's funny, y'know, cuz I always thought he'd go down in a fist fight or something... tangible. Not just unsuspecting and out of the blue. If you ask me, whoever took out Visher was a coward," Donna stated and scowled a little at the thought of who could have killed Visher.

 "I want whoever did this gone. I want them to pay for what they did," Aphmau said, venom lacing her words. Donna had never heard her speak like that before and it was clear she held immense hatred for whoever killed Visher. "You aren't the only one. Just... be careful who you express that hatred to, okay?" Donna said after a while. "Okay," Aphmau replied. Aphmau then sighed, standing up and letting the water and bubbles run off her skin. "Can I look at ya yet?" Donna asked. "Yes," she replied simply and Donna stood up and turned to look at her. Donna wasn't even embarrassed to see Aphmau naked. If anything, she was jealous of Aphmau's body. "You know, you could be quite the man-killer with that body of yours," Donna said with a laugh. "I don't want to kill anyone!" Aphmau said quickly, sounding worried. "No, darling, I mean you're attractive. Many men and maybe even some women would do anything to be with you romantically," Donna replied, smiling at her as she tried to find where she put those towels she got Aphmau. "I don't want to be wanted only because of my body," Aphmau suddenly said, though even she didn't really understand what she meant. She didn't even understand the word 'romantically'. Donna looked at her surprised. "Well of course you don't! You want someone who loves your personality as much as your body!" Donna stated.

 Aphmau looked down at herself and fully took in how she look. She hadn't paid much mind to her appearance but was now looking more closely. She noticed she had a bit of chub. It wasn't a lot and she was by no means overweight, but she had rolls and she honestly quite liked them. She also was now only noticing how big her rack was compared to the other females in town and she used her hands to push them up a little, finding out that her girls were quite heavy. "Havin' fun over there?" Donna asked, smirking. "I just... never paid much mind to how I looked," Aphmau replies. "At least you're happy with yourself," Donna states with a smile. Suddenly, she heard her front doors being slammed open and the sound of running up her stairs. In no time at all, Zenix was there, slightly out of breath. "You! Who do you work for?!" Zenix states, pointing an accusing finger at Aphmau who just seemed confused. Not even embarrassed, just pure confusion while utterly naked. "Zenix I have had it up to HERE with your-" Garroth had started speaking and was now at Zenix's side but immediately shut up when he saw that Aphmau was naked as all hell and staring at them. He was only staring for a fraction of a second but he declared that far too long and grabbed Zenix roughly by his uniform. "Oh my Irene I am so sorry!" Garroth quickly states before dragging Zenix outside.

 "What the hell just happened?" Donna asks, angry that they saw Aphmau like that but when she turned to see if she was okay, she found that Aphmau didn't seem bothered at all. "Why did he apologize?" She asked as she stepped out of the bath and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. "Because it's rude and perverted for a guy to see a maiden bathing unless they're together romantically!" Donna stated, flabbergasted that Aphmau didn't know that. "Really? I didn't mind it at all," Aphmau responded and Donna just sighed. "You really have no shame," she muttered softly.

 Garroth had spent five minutes of his life getting upset with Zenix, promptly letting him know that what he did was extremely not okay and he wouldn't be forgiven easily for it like usual. They had arrived at the old lord's nearing sundown and Garroth had instructed Zenix to help Brendan take down the rest of it, not just watch this time. Zenix argued, as usual, but eventually got to work and left to head back into town. He was barely a couple feet away, however, when he heard the sound of a bowstring being released and the sound of an arrow hitting its fleshy target, as well as Brendan crying out in pain. He wheeled around in time to see Brendan looking down at an arrow through his chest before he collapsed. "Brendan!" Garroth yelled and rushed back over as Zenix went after someone in the bushes. It wasn't long before Zenix returned, however, and they both quickly carried Brendan off to town without jostling him too much. Once back in town and having removed the arrow, Garroth sent Brian to get Paul who might be able to tell them how to help Brendan, and Dale to get Aphmau who, as Lord, should immediately know about this. Garroth didn't dare put pressure on the wound as it was far too close to his heart and he didn't want to cause more damage but he didn't know how else to stop the bleeding. He was just thankful Brendan was out cold for it otherwise he'd be in immense amounts of pain.

 Aphmau and Donna had just exited Donna's place, about to say bye to one another. Donna had done Aphmau's hair, which was now kept up in two big buns on the top of her head. She looked very pretty, though Donna noted she'd look even better if she was smiling. "Hey, don't you worry about Visher, okay?" Donna says worriedly. "How can I not?" Aphmau asks, confused about how she could make it sound like it was easy. "Truth be told, if anyone should fret over Visher, it should be me. I've been his friend far too long. But he isn't the only friend I've lost. You'll soon learn this world you've been born into isn't a kind one," Donna responds, giving Aphmau a weak smile. Before Aphmau could respond, however, Dale came running up and was surprisingly sober. He looked panicked and took in deep breaths, coughing a little when some air went down the wrong pipe. Aphmau patted his back to help and soon he was standing upright again. "Garroth sent me to get you, Lord Aphmau! Brendan's been shot! He's- he's dead!" Dale said and Donna's eyes widened in horror, as well as Aphmau's. Aphmau grabbed Dale by his shoulders a little rougher than she meant to but she hadn't really noticed. "Where is he?!" She asked, panic in her voice. 'I can't lose someone else. Not now, not so soon' she thought to herself in a panic. "Garroth has his body in the guard's quarters!" Dale stated, not minding the rough treatment considering Aphmau already lost one person dear to her.

 Aphmau and Donna were off in second, Dale following them after he caught his breath a little more. Once in the guard quarters and having headed upstairs, they found an awful sight. Brendan was lying on the center bed of three, his eyes shut tight. He had a bleeding wound near his heart, though a little farther up. His shirt had been removed as it was stained with blood and causing problems, having been discarded on the ground as Garroth soaked up blood that spilled from the wound with a wet cloth. Aphmau, however, noticed Brendan was actually breathing. She didn't blame Dale for getting his information wrong. After all, it was a stressful thing and he hadn't been sober in a while, but she was still upset she was put into a panic at the thought of another close friend having died. Of course, Brendan was in the process of dying, but he still had time left; a chance to help him before it was too late. Aphmau rushed to his side, accidentally pushing Zenix down as she went to place her hand on him. "Don't touch him! He's already bleeding out as it is!" Garroth said quickly, though he understood Aphmau wanted to make sure he wasn't gone. Aphmau immediately stopped and just stared at Brendan, worry in her eyes. "How do we help him?" Donna asked, sounding almost as panicked as Aphmau did. "Oh! I know! I'll use the fireplace downstairs to heat my sword and we can burn the wound closed! Be right back!" Zenix said quickly before rushing downstairs. Dale had already been chewed out by Donna for saying Brendan was dead and now Garroth was getting a taste of her wrath.

 She was yelling at him about if Kiki knew, how it happened, all of those questions, but Aphmau had blocked them out. 'I know Visher told me not to do it in front of anyone but him, Garroth, and Donna but I have to use my magic. I can help him, even if it's just a bit' Aphmau thought to herself as she hovered her hand closely over Brendan's wound. Only Dale was really paying attention to her but before he could grab Donna and Garroth's attention to what Aphmau was doing, they were all brought to silence as Aphmau's body began glowing. It wasn't the same as when she healed the farmland, where the glow moved solely to whichever hand was touching the ground. Instead, her entire body emitted a soft, pale glow as she focused intently on healing Brendan's wound. She watched as the bleeding began to slow and eventually stop but was suddenly hit with the sensation she was being struck by lightning. Pain shot through her body, overriding her brain and she collapsed, though thankfully not on top of Brendan. Her vision was going dark, only able to make out the blurry figures of Garroth, Dale, and Donna looking over her with panicked expressions before her eyes closed.

 When Aphmau awoke, she was laying in the bed farthest from the stairs. Kiki was being quite loud, begging Garroth to let her see her brother. "Kiki, please, calm down. Trust me when I say he is stable for the time being," Garroth says, worried she might force her way upstairs. "If you go upstairs in a panic, you may wake him and the pain he'll be in while awake will be excruciating," Garroth adds. "You aren't waking him! I've seen things like this. He's blacked out and will be like that for a while. He needs to stay asleep," Donna says quickly before turning to Zenix. "Care to retell what happened?" She asked. "I've already told you! I just started helping Brendan take down the old Lord's home as Garroth was leaving and suddenly heard Brendan cry in pain. While Garroth stayed with Brendan I went to see if I could catch the guy who did it. I only saw a bandit cloaking in green before he disappeared into the bushes. I ran back to Garroth and helped him carry Brendan here," Zenix stated, sounding exhausted at having to retell his story so many times. "Wh-what's going to happen to Brendan?" Kiki asked, sobbing silently to herself. "Whatever magic or witchcraft Lord Aphmau performed has stopped the bleeding for now, but it isn't permanent. He is in critical condition and if he doesn't get medicine soon to treat the wound, I fear it will be fatal," Garroth says sadly. "What does he need?! Tell me and I'll get it!" Kiki asks frantically. She couldn't let her brother die. She wouldn't let him die.

 "Brendan's case is very bad, the worst I've seen in a while. Not only that, the arrow was coated with some sort of poison, and it's eating at his flesh. The only thing that can help him now is a Moon Herb. I don't know what kinda magic your lady upstairs has but as Garroth said, it has only postponed the inevitable," Paul states, sounding serious. Aphmau's eyes widened as she heard that and tried to get up quickly. She ended up having to wait a couple of moments as she almost fainted again but once she was able to see better and could stand without almost giving out under her own weight, she hurried over to Brendan. She placed her hand carefully over his wound and tried to heal him again but found she couldn't, upsetting her greatly. "Well then get him the herb!" Aphmau heard Kiki cry from downstairs, followed by Visher telling her he was out of stock and no one in Phoenix Drop sold them. He had already looked around to find one and had his boat ready to set sail to Brightport in the morning. Aphmau walked over to the window as she heard Kiki beg Paul to leave now but was shot down with the statement he didn't want to be robbed at night nor end up like Visher and he would only go in the morning.

 Aphmau silently opened the window of the second floor, braced herself, and vaulted over the edge of the window. She landed on the ground with a softer thud than she expected. Aphmau glanced back up at the window, gave a mental promise to Brendan that she'd help him, then headed immediately for the docks. After a little more arguing, Donna headed upstairs to check on Aphmau and quickly found she was gone and the window open wide. Donna rushed downstairs quickly in a panic, remembering how bad of a state Aphmau was in the last time she used magic. "Aphmau's gone and the window's open! I think she jumped out the window!" Donna cried, surprising everyone. "Everyone! Head out in search of Lady Aphmau! She's not in a good state to even be sitting up and she could injure herself right now!" Garroth stated and everyone (except Paul who stayed behind to watch Brendan) left to split up and locate Aphmau before something happened to her.

 Aphmau had just finished getting the boat ready for departure and was about to get in when she felt someone behind her and turned around, just to be met with Kiki who was holding a backpack and stuffed rabbit. "I figured you'd come here," Kiki said softly, smiling brightly at Aphmau. "You're going to Brightport, right? I know you wanna help Brendan as much as I do. I can't come with you. It would eat me up inside if I knowingly left and my brother died while I was away," Kiki states before handing Aphmau the bag and bunny. "I packed you some food. It isn't much since I was in a rush, but it should last you around three days if needed. If you're going to Brightport, I figured my stuffed rabbit would help you out," the redhead then finished. Aphmau gently put the rabbit away in the bag, which contained bread, cheese, and some jerky before placing the bag in the boat. Aphmau suddenly hugged Kiki tight. "I swear to you that he'll make it out of this alive, Kiki. I won't let Brendan die," Aphmau whispered to her and felt some tears fall on her shoulder as Kiki hugged her back. After they pulled away, Kiki pointed in a certain direction with one hand as the other wiped away her tears. "Brightport is half a day's sail from here. As long as you keep going in that direction, you'll reach it by sunrise," Kiki explains and Aphmau nodded, determination in her eyes.

 Aphmau boarded the boat, though she almost fell into the water as she did (having never been on a boat in her life and not understanding proper boarding methods). "Oh, by the way, Kiki, tell Paul I'll make sure his ship doesn't get damaged," Aphmau states and points to some items on the beach. "All of that is his merchandise. I left it off the boat so I wouldn't risk it getting stolen. Make sure he gets it, yeah?" Aphmau says and Kiki gave a salute. "Be safe, Lord Aphmau!" Kiki called as Aphmau sailed away towards Brightport. After Aphmau was just a small dot out on the ocean, she sighed. "Please, make it back safely," Kiki muttered before going to grab Paul's things off the beach.

~To be continued~

Chapter Text

Sasha was walking through the forest, having just watched Aphmau sail away with a curious gaze. "Any sign of Vylad?" Gene's voice rang out as he appeared in front of Sasha. "No, nothing. I'm sure he'll be back, however. Something about this village is causing it to change and he knows what's happening," Sasha replies. Gene glared slightly at her. "I grow tired of your suspicions, Sasha. It's begun to make me think you have a weak spot for this village because of how close it is to the village you once called home," Gene says coldly, causing Sasha to narrow her eyes at him. " Remember what they did to you ," Gene added, sounding slightly angry, before walking past her. "Keep an eye out for him. I've got business to attend to somewhere else for now," Gene finished, not waiting to hear from Sasha before disappearing, leaving her sighing heavily and staring at where he once stood.

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Aphmau had been sailing for roughly 12 hours and dawn was beginning to break. She had not stopped to rest or eat (despite her stomach aching and practically screaming at her to ingest something nutritious). She had her eyes set on a goal and she was not going to waste time on anything. As Aphmau neared Bright Port's docks, she managed to slow the boat down and sort of park it at the edge of the docks. Another boat was already there but she wasn't paying much mind to it. Bright Port was big and very clean looking with a sort of old air about it, showing it had been around for a while and grown in that time. As Aphmau made to get out of the boat, it rocked and she would have fallen overboard or tipped the boat if it wasn't for a man clad mostly in white, gold, and pastel green with long, bright orange hair coming over and holding the boat steady by its edge. He tied it up for her so it wouldn't drift away before holding out his hands to her. Aphmau stared for a moment before gently grabbing his hands with her own and being hoisted out of the boat and onto the docks. The male proceeded to grab the bag Kiki had given her out of the boat for her, handing her said bag afterward.

"Are you alright?" He asked, a small smile on his face as he stared down at her (being considerably taller than her). "Yes, thank you! I've never sailed a ship before so I didn't know how to get out. That could have been messy," Aphmau said, smiling radiantly back at him. He stared at her for a moment, taking her in, before bowing slightly to kiss her hand, for which she just stared with a small smile on her face. "I see the heavens have decided to bless me today with your presence," He said after he kissed her hand gently. Aphmau tilted her head a little in confusion as he stood upright. "What was that?" Aphmau asked and he just chuckled. "Sorry, I can't help myself when I see a maiden as beautiful as you and-" but he was cut off when Aphmau laughed a little. "No, no, that's not what I meant. I was asking what it was you were doing with the fancy words and stuff. I don't understand it," Aphmau elaborates and the man's smile left his face to be replaced by a surprised look. "I uh," he started, not sure how to explain it to her. "Were you complimenting me? Some words you said made sense, like beautiful. It makes me think you were complimenting me," Aphmau states.

"Oh, yes, I was. In a way, I guess," the man replied. Aphmau's smile widened a little. "Thank you, then! You're very handsome yourself. I can't compliment you the way you did for me since most of those words I didn't understand nor do I know a lot of fancy words but I hope that simple compliment is enough!" Aphmau says happily, slinging the backpack over her shoulder. Aphmau then noticed the man started getting redder in the face and averted his gaze from her. At first, she was worried she had upset him but was put at ease when he chuckled a little. "I'm Laurence. Sorry, I can't stay longer to chat, I have to be heading back to Meteli. You really are rare though, like a pearl from the lost city of Atlantis," Laurence states, finally looking at her again. Suddenly, a bucket was chucked at his head and he cursed loudly, holding his head in pain. "Yeah, you told us that too you flirt!" A woman called from some stairs that lead up to the main gate of Bright Port, another woman at her side. "Hey!" Aphmau called, angry. "You could have seriously hurt him! That was so mean!" Aphmau yelled, surprising both Laurence and the women, who scurried off. They hadn't expected Aphmau to get so mad.

Aphmau turned to Laurence and before he could react, she patted his head gently where he got hit. "I hope it didn't hurt too much. I gotta be going, a friend of mine is in serious trouble, but I hope you feel better. I'm Aphmau, by the way," Aphmau says, smiling softly, before rushing off to the town, leaving Laurence there a blushing mess and staring after her. "Aphmau... what a beautiful name," he muttered softly before untying his boat and getting in, sailing away to Meteli with a new story to tell his sister. Aphmau, on the other hand, stepped into a very bustling town and it slightly overwhelmed her. She didn't want to be here longer than necessary.

She took out some jerky from her backpack before eating it quickly so her stomach would stop being pissy with her and then headed out in search of a moon herb, asking anyone she saw if they had one or knew of someone who had one, getting more desperate the more people told her they had no such thing to their knowledge anywhere in town. After the 15th time of being told by someone they had no knowledge of a moon herb being in town, she sighed heavily and looked around. She spotted a very distressed little boy with blond hair talking with two guards, each with a pint of ale in their hand. Aphmau couldn't make out what they were talking about but eventually, the guards walked off.

Aphmau slowly walked over as the boy slouched slightly. "Are you okay? Maybe I can help with what's troubling you," Aphmau said softly but she still scared the boy, who wheeled around quickly to look at her. He seemed to relax when he noticed she wasn't very tall nor very strong looking. "Who're you?" He asked hesitantly. "I'm Aphmau. I'm new in town and looking for someone to help me," She explained. "So you need me to help you?" "I would love to ask you for help but, right now, it looks like you could use mine," Aphmau replies, smiling. The little boy looked surprised, and thought for a moment, before motioning for her to follow him. She quickly headed after him and eventually they came to a stop in a side ally beside an open window to the hunter's house. "My friend is inside and his life is in danger. His name is Lowell. I don't know  where  he is, exactly, but I know he's there. If he looks scared, tell him John sent you," the boy stated and Aphmau tilted her head in a confused manner but nodded. "So I go in, get your friend, and I'll have helped you?" She asks. "Very much so. I still don't get why you want to help me, but I'm not going to pass up this opportunity," the boy replied.

Aphmau nodded and walked over to the window, easily hopping over the edge of it and landing quietly in the hunter's home. She looked around before spotting a door and walked over to it. She carefully tried it, being as quiet as possible as the hunter slept on some fur on the ground, snoring quite loudly. Aphmau quickly found the door to be locked and after a bit more looking around, found that the key was on the hunter's chest. Aphmau carefully crept over and reached for it. She managed to grab it but was stopped for a moment when the hunter grabbed her arm. She stayed as still as possible, listening as the hunter mumbled in his sleep about pelts, before letting her go.

Aphmau walked back over to the door, unlocked it, and crept inside. She shut the door behind her carefully before making her way down the stone steps to a room with what appeared to be a jail cell. A small, brown wolf pup was behind the bars, staring at her with its bright blue eyes. "There you are!" Aphmau said happily in a soft voice, causing the pup to back off quickly from the bars in fear. Aphmau made her way over to the steel doors and unlocked them with the key before stepping inside the cell. "You're Lowell, right?" Aphmau asked, to which the wolf continued to stare at her in fear from a corner in the cell. Aphmau was unsure what to do before remembering what John told her. "John told me, to tell you that John sent you!" She states happily, having totally misunderstood what John wanted her to say.

The wolf pup tilted his head in confusion. "Don't you mean John told you that you should tell me 'John sent me'?" The wolf pup suddenly said, surprising Aphmau. She hadn't known he could talk but then again, she didn't even know what a werewolf was. "Is that what he meant? I didn't understand why he wanted me to tell you the other thing. That version makes far more sense," Aphmau replies softly, now understanding what John had meant. "You aren't... scared of me? Or surprised I can talk?" Lowell suddenly asked, to which Aphmau shook her head 'no'. "I have no reason to fear you and honestly, you talking isn't the weirdest thing I could have assumed you'd do," Aphmau replies happily. She bent down to his level. "I'm here to get you out of here and back to John," Aphmau states, to which Lowell seemed quite happy about and walked over to her. Aphmau picked him up with ease and then headed silently upstairs (after having relocked everything and putting things back into place). She easily vaulted back out of the window before placing Lowell down.

"Lowell!" "John!" John hugged Lowell tight, smiling happily. "That woman saved me!" Lowell said happily. "I know! She's a very nice lady," John replies before both of them looked at Aphmau. "We need to get Lowell back to my place. If anyone sees him out during the day, they'll kill him," John states, to which Aphmau nodded and looked around for a way to discreetly transport Lowell. She spotted a box with small holes in the top that sat on the ground and she went over to pick it up. She brought it back over to the boys and layed it down on the ground, opening it up to find it was empty. "Get in Lowell. I'll carry you," Aphmau says, to which Lowell nodded happily and stepped inside, curling up so he'd fit. Aphmau closed the top enough to hide Lowell before she and John headed off to his home.

-------

The sun had begun to set and two guards had just exited a pub, one of them  far  drunker than the other. The drunk one was older and seemed pretty cheery, about to head off somewhere. "Where are you going?" The other guard asked. The drunken guard turned to face his subordinate, hiccuping a little. "To go fight those damn werewolves!" He replied, swaying slightly on his feet. "You're gonna go fight those monsters  by yourself ?!" The sober guard asked, horrified he'd even think of taking on one werewolf by himself, let alone a bunch of them. The werewolves had been showing up more and more as the days passed since they captured the young wolf pup, so a lot of guards had to be dispatched to take care of them, either by scaring them or injuring them (mostly injuring them).

"Of course by myself- are you nuts?! I'm going on patrol you dumbass! Azura's had me on a tight shift ever since the Lord went missing cuz of those damn monsters or something worse than them," the drunken guard replied, glaring at the other guard. "You really think there are monsters worse than werewolves?" The sober guard asked (now to be known as SG). "Oh, I forgot you're new to this whole thing. Let me tell ya, there are monsters out there so horrible, they can kill ya just by lookin' at ya!" DG stated, slurring his words slightly as he continued to totter in place. SG looked horrified, causing DG to laugh loudly. "It's not funny to laugh about stuff like that! You never know if a monster is listening!" SG states, angry.

"If a monster was listening, we'd either know or be dead right about now," DG states, rolling his eyes. "I still don't think it's something to joke about," SG says, sighing. "Aw, lighten up! The guard academy is right here in Bright Port. Trust me, we ain't got anything to worry about," DG says, laughing heartily at SG's paranoia. DG then turned on his heel and walked away, SG heading back into the bar once DG had ended the conversation. DG turned a corner and headed down an alley, passing by some stacked boxes as he went. He stopped, however, when he heard some rustling. He turned around, looking to see what was there, but when he saw nothing, he turned back around. Before he could continue on his way, however, he heard a loud crash and wheeled around to find the stacked boxes from earlier were knocked down. "Who's there?" He called, sounding slightly worried. A small black cat walked out from behind the boxes and meowed at him before scampering off. "O-oh, just a cat," DG mutters and turned back around to be met with Gene standing behind him, glaring. DG didn't get a chance to react before Gene pulled out his sword and killed the guard before him, his eyes glowing red as he did so.

-------

John opened the doors to his house before walking inside, Aphmau following behind him with the box Lowell was hiding in. Thankfully no one questioned them on their way back except for a guard. John was able to lie that Aphmau was just helping him carry some stuff his mom had ordered back home as it was too heavy for him and that did the trick. Aphmau set the box down on the ground near the fireplace after John shut the doors, sighing in relief at being safe at last. Lowell was let out of the box as John walked over, Aphmau looking at them with happiness at their reunion. "Lowell, I'm so glad you're safe." "I'm fine, heh heh," Lowell chuckled. "'Heh heh'? This isn't something to laugh about! I told you to stay away from the traps he set out! I showed them to you and everything!" John said angrily. "B- But the meat he put in them smelled sooo good! I couldn't resist it!" Lowell countered though Aphmau could tell he felt bad about getting caught even after John went through the trouble of telling him what the traps looked like. "Excuse me," Aphmau softly intervened, not wanting them to get more upset at one another. Lowell and John looked at her, having almost forgotten she was there in the first place.

"Oh, right! I wanted to thank you for saving me," Lowell says and he seemed to almost smile at her. John sighed. "Yeah, me too. If you hadn't come along when you did, I might have never been able to rescue him," John stated and smiled at Aphmau, who returned it with one of her own. "Now, you said before you needed help with something, right? Can I ask what it is?" John asks, tilting his head slightly. Aphmau had almost forgotten the reason she came here in the first place. "Oh! I almost forgot! A friend of mine has been badly wounded and will die if I don't get him a moon herb. I had come to Bright Port to try and find one but haven't had any luck," Aphmau replies, becoming panicked at the fact Brendan might have already- no, this was no time to think about that.

"A moon herb? Wait, that's-" "Oh, those are those pretty flowers me and the other werewolf pups play in because they remind us of the moon!" Lowell pipes up before John could say anything, sounding happy. "You know where moon herbs are?!" Aphmau asked frantically, to which Lowell nodded. "They're usually very rare but they grow in our village!" Lowell replies happily. "Please, you need to take me there!" Aphmau begged. "I'm afraid that isn't possible for a few reasons," John pipes up and Aphmau looked at him. "Firstly, the werewolves don't like humans. Too many bad experiences with them. Second, we can't take you there ourselves or go to get one for you and bring it back. I can't leave without alerting my mom and she doesn't like me leaving the village at all and Lowell can't go alone because he might get caught again," John explains, to which he saw Aphmau appear to deflate.

"So what am I supposed to do?" She asks, worried. "Well, you could try befriending my parents. They've been coming to the village every day after I was taken. At least from what I could hear from the hunter when he spoke with others upstairs. Maybe if you return me, my parents might let you come back to the werewolf village so you can get a moon herb!" Lowell says though he highly doubted that would work. "I don't know if that'll work but it's worth a shot. You should still have a backup plan though- uh... what was your name again?" John asks, looking to Aphmau. "I'm Aphmau. I live in Phoenix Drop," Aphmau states, giving the smallest of smiles to him despite her distress.

"Whoa, Phoenix Drop? I heard that place was dying!" John says, surprised she lived in a village like that. "No, my friend is the one dying." "I like her!" Lowell pipes up, laughing slightly. "She's not very smart but she's super kind!" He adds. John sighed heavily and then smiled slightly. He liked Aphmau too, considering she went out of her way to help him even though someone she cared about was dying. "All right, so I'll figure out a way for you to meet with Lowell's parents. In the meantime, you should continue looking around town for someone who might have a moon herb because trust me, the werewolves can be scary if they don't like you. We'll meet back up at night behind my house," John explains his plan, to which Aphmau nodded.

"Thank you," Aphmau said, grateful he was helping her. "Now you should hurry and get out of here. My mom could be back any minute and if she sees me talking with a stranger, she'll get mad," John turned to Lowell as Aphmau headed to the front doors, "and you get back in the box!" He finished, Lowell giving a quiet 'aw man' at having to return to such a confined space. Aphmau said her quick goodbyes to the two before exiting the house, sighing heavily after the doors shut behind her. She made her way down the stone street before looking around, trying to find someone she hadn't asked yet about finding a moon herb in town.

-------

Gene had walked out of the alley wearing the guard he killed's armor, looking around to find someone to speak with. He was here for a reason but he had to be careful about who he spoke to. Someone might recognize he isn't actually a guard from town and that could blow his cover. He finally spotted some guards outside the pub and made his way over, being as casual as possible but not too relaxed. "Good evening. May I ask about the werewolf tribe?" Gene asked the two guards outside once he arrived. "Are you new to the guard academy?" One guard asked immediately. Gene chuckled, smiling innocently. "Very. I just got transferred from the one in O'khasis," Gene lied, though it wasn't obvious.

"An O'khasis boy, eh? Is that weird high priest still on his weird mission dealing with Irene?" Another guard asked, smiling. "Why should I care?" Gene asked though it wasn't in a rude way. More of a mocking tone about the priest like they had. Not a lot of people liked Zane. Actually, Gene was almost positive no one liked him at all. "I get he has to preach the word about Irene but that guy seems crazy sometimes," the other guard said, shaking his head slightly. "I'll drink to that!" G2 stated (G1 laughing a little). Suddenly, another guard exited the pub, holding a pint of ale.

"Oi, be careful who you talk about you bloody idiots. If someone heard you talking about the high priest like that, you'll get us all in trouble!" G3 whispered/yelled at the other two. "Garth here was stationed in O'khasis too and he won't even utter the smallest word about the priest!" G2 states, laughing with G1. Garth walked over to Gene and leaned closer so G1 and G2 didn't hear him. "Best not to talk about Zane outside of O'khasis. We both know what he's capable of and what he does to people," Garth mutters before stepping away. G1 and G2 finally calmed down and looked back to Gene. "So, you wanted to know about the werewolves. What fer, might I ask?" G2 asks, confused. "I heard they harbor one of the portals to the," he lowered his voice, "shadow abyss," he finished and watched as G1 and G2's eyes widened and they dropped their half-empty mugs of ale to the ground.

"I also heard it recently  broke ," Gene then added and watched as they looked more horrified. "How'd you find that? That's classified information only certain guards know!" G2 asks, now wondering who the hell Gene was to know something like that. " I'm  one of those guards," Gene states, to which G2 sighed. "Alright, listen up then. I assume you know what Shadow Knights are, ya? Those  things  guards turn into if they kill their lord?" G2 asks, to which Gene got slightly irritated. He, being a shadow knight, knew that it wasn't just killing their lord that turned them into shadow knights. It was far more complicated than these idiots made it out to be.

"I'm sure it's far more complicated than that," Gene says, trying to keep his cool. "Well, whatever the hell they are, they sure aren't human. Some of our guards saw some of them emerge from the portal and attack the wolf tribe. To avoid more of them from coming out, the werewolves had to break the portal," G2 explains more, getting slightly annoyed. "What a shame," Gene mutters. "Any idea what's going on now?" Gene then asked, to which G1 finally spoke up. "They say the werewolves are trying to open the portal again. For what reason, none of us are sure. We don't know their progress on the portal either," G1 says, shivering slightly at the thought of more Shadow Knights emerging from that horrid realm. "Perhaps we should attack them while their guard is down?" Gene suggests, to be met with G2 laughing. "Are you crazy? No! Just leave them be. That's their problem, we have our own to deal with," G2 states, rolling his eyes. "That's all I needed to know," Gene says before turning on his heel and walking off, the three guards watching as he left. "What an odd man. You know him, right?" G2 says, looking at Garth. "I... don't, actually. I don't remember seeing him in O'khasis while I was there," Garth responds.

-------

Aphmau had tried asking six different people so far with still no luck. She was beginning to get disheartened. As she went to continue on, she ran right into the disguised Gene, who quickly held her at arm's length. "Watch it," He snarled, angry she ran right into him like that. He then went to continue on his way but Aphmau had other plans, having gotten an idea when she ran into him. "E- excuse me!" Aphmau called and hurried after him. Gene paused, though every fiber of his being was telling him to ignore her. "What?" He asked, turning to face her. "Do you have any moon herbs?" Aphmau asked quickly before he changed his mind and left. "For what?" "My friend needs one to heal his wound. He's dying," Aphmau answered, staring at Gene.

He stared back for a moment before smirking. "Dying? Then it's better to let him perish," Gene states before turning and trying to head off again. Aphmau ran in front of him, blocking his path. "I will not let my friend die if there is a way to save him! I just want to know if you can help me! I can help you with anything in return! I don't care what it is!" Aphmau says, angry he would tell her to let Brendan die. "I don't need  anything  from you," Gene replies, glaring slightly. She was pushy, that was for sure. "Please! The only place I can find them is the wolf tribe and I can't go there alone and-" "Wait, the wolf tribe?" Gene cut her off, his glare going away as he stared at her.

Aphmau paused. She felt like she shouldn't have told him that but it was too late to take it back. "Y- yes. I was told by a friend that's the only place moon herbs grow around here and I was planning to go there if I had no other options with help from that friend," Aphmau mutters, looking down slightly. Gene thought for a moment as he watched her closely. She didn't seem like a threat and was pretty dumb (in his eyes) to mention the wolf tribe to someone dressed in guard armor around here. "Are you... on good terms with the wolf tribe?" Gene suddenly asked. Aphmau looked up at him, confused. "I- I know someone who  is ," She responds plainly. Gene stared at her for a moment longer before opening one of the pouches attached to his belt and pulling out two thin flowers, each with small white buds blooming around the stem, and showed them to her.

"What's that?" Aphmau asks, very interested in the flowers. "They're moon herbs. They have resounding healing properties, as I'm sure you've heard. A friend of mine used this to heal a recent wound I obtained," Gene explains, watching as Aphmau's eyes widened a little. "Please, can I have it? I'll do anything in return!" Aphmau says, excited she found them but worried she might be too late. "These herbs are extremely rare. If I give this to you, I want you to help me get to the wolf tribe to get another and on top of that, I want to meet this  friend  of yours," Gene replies.

Aphmau thought quickly. If she asked if she could take it to her friend first he might take back the offer. Of course, she'd come back to fulfill her end of the deal but he wouldn't trust it. If she waited to get it to Brendan, though, she might be too late to save him. It was a very bad dilemma. Suddenly, Aphmau heard the laughter of someone she knew before hearing a distant 'there's the thief'. Paul came walking up, smiling a little. "Found you," Paul says, looking at Aphmau. "Paul?" Aphmau asked, surprised. "Well well, didn't think I'd actually catch you after you ran off with my boat and-" but Paul stopped as he spotted the moon herb. "Is that a moon herb?" He asked, serious all of a sudden.

"It is and she's asking for it. She hasn't given me an answer though if she can do what I want in return for it," Gene replies. "You wouldn't give it to me to take to Brendan first but if I stay I might be too late to help him! I've been trying to figure out what to do," Aphmau replies quickly. Paul was a little surprised she had realized no one would let her go with something so precious even under the excuse of her friend dying, no matter how true it was. She was smarter than she appeared, at least. "Give it to me. I'll take it back to Brendan in time and that way you can repay your debt," Paul states, to which Aphmau seemed surprised. "You'd do that?" She asked, thankful he would do something like that after she straight-up stole his boat. Paul just laughed.

"No sweat off my back. And don't worry about the boat thing. I understand why the deed was done and at least you didn't take my wares with you. I ain't happy about it, don't get me wrong, but I understand," Paul says, to which Aphmau glowed with happiness. "So, do we have a deal?" Gene cut in, tired of the conversation. "Yes, we have a deal," Aphmau replies, now filled with determination. Gene handed Paul the herb and then looked back to Aphmau. "Take care of Brendan for me, okay? I'll be back before you know it!" Aphmau says to Paul who nodded and headed off to get back to Phoenix Drop. Aphmau then turned to look back at Gene. "I'm Gene," he introduced himself finally. "And I'm Aphmau!" She replied happily. "Aphmau, huh? Alright then, show me where we're going," Gene stated and smirked as Aphmau turned around and began leading him to where they needed to go.

-------

Zane sat at his desk, staring down at a map he had of the region. He had searched so many places across the world, though he couldn't send everyone at his disposal to missions across the world. It would spread them too thin and his father would never allow that. Suddenly, Zane sighed and glanced to his side where a man clad in the same armor as Janus and Lillian had appeared. The accents and jewel on his armor were blood red, which matched his eyes. His hair was a deep brown color and slightly messy. "It would be wise of you to enter like everyone else. Even Lillian uses doors," Zane said cooly before turning his attention to one of the other members of the Jury of Nine; Ivan. "Sometimes I wonder what you are," Ivan replies simply, staring at Zane. "I am but a simple man," Zane states, slightly annoyed with Ivan.

Ivan just laughed, however. " Simple ? Would a  simple  man have the Jury of Nine at his disposal? Would he be the heir to the throne of O'khasis? You have far more power than you realize," Ivan replies. Zane clenched his jaw when he heard Ivan call him the heir but given the lower half of his face was hidden by a mask, it wasn't noticed. "And yet it's still not enough. You, as a powerful warlock, should know this," Zane states, looking back to the map. "I've heard the rumors. The people of the self-proclaimed kingdom of O'khasis speak in whispers. They fear you! They respect you but feel you are running a fool's errand by looking for the power you seek," Ivan states.

Zane remained quiet for a moment, thinking. "Tell me then, Ivan. Do you feel this errand is a fool's one?" Zane finally asked. "I would be turned into a fool among everyone if I questioned your search for the relic. A  dead  fool, at that. Besides, as a warlock, I've seen the impossible before," Ivan replies, shrugging. Zane went silent again. "Tell me what you've uncovered," Zane finally said after a moment more of thinking. "My search of the south was met with the same result. The people only know of the Irene they praise," Ivan quickly said, not wanting to anger Zane by not telling him immediately. "It must be blissful to live in ignorance," Zane muttered softly. "However," Ivan suddenly said, "the scholars of the southern tower seemed to know more than they let on. I came back because I was met with resistance. Seeing as O'khasis seemed to value their wisdom, I wanted to seek counsel from you," Ivan finished. Zane sat up straighter. "Really now?" He asked before standing up. "Perhaps a visit from the High Priest himself would persuade them to talk," Zane adds before heading off, Ivan watching as he went.

-------

A tower sat secluded in the mountains of the south, a place where scholars stayed and protected their knowledge and books, given so many people liked to burn what they didn't understand or know. All was not peaceful, however. A woman clad in purple scholar clothes was on the ground, staring in fear at Zane and his guards. "Y- you can't do this! You're the High Priest!" She said, fearful of her life. Her fellow scholars lay on the ground, knocked out cold or dead. "Which is exactly  why  I'm doing it. Someone in this world has to," Zane says before walking closer to her and bending down to her level. "Tell me what I want to know," He said, venom lacing his words. The woman steeled herself and glared at Zane. "No," she said simply. Zane sighed and stood back up.

One of his guards, however, decided that she should have one last chance to tell Zane what they wanted to know. The guard in question walked over to the woman and grabbed her by the collar of her clothes before lifting her up and walking towards the balcony. The guard held her over the railing, and she began to panic. "This is your last chance. Tell the High Priest all you know of Irene. You surely wish to live, right?" The guard growled. Zane almost told the Guard to stop and set her down but if he had, he would be questioned. He had to steel himself. "P- please! I only know what everyone else knows!" The scholar begged. "Time's almost up," the guard said, slowly beginning to loosen his grip. "You're insane!" She said, panicking harder now. "Goodbye," and the guard almost let her go before she grabbed hold of his arm.

"Wait! I- I know she had powers! Something like witchcraft or magicks and it had its limits, but that's all I know! We don't even know if she was human!" The scholar said quickly. "Hm," Zane hummed softly, deeming that enough. Of course, Irene had magic but he wasn't actually aware it had limits. He was about to tell the guard that the scholar was free to go but before he could, he watched as the guard let her go. She fell to her death, the sound of her body hitting the hard ground below seeming to echo in his mind. She didn't have to die. Zane didn't tell the guard off, however. He couldn't, otherwise his father might learn he would have let her live despite her not knowing much. Zane walked to the stairs, looking angry, though he wasn't.

"Get Ivan in here to research the books we need and then burn down the rest," Zane says coldly, to which the guards saluted and he headed off. When he arrived outside, he saw the body of the scholar that had been thrown from the balcony. He hesitated for a moment before carefully dragging her body somewhere secluded (grabbing a shovel along the way) and burying her in the woods. Once she was fully buried, he used some stones to create a headstone for her, though he didn't know her name. He then began to pray that she finds peace in the afterlife and that he never wanted her to die, he wanted her to be set free as she at least told him something he hadn't known before. Once his prayer was done, he headed off before anyone found him doing such an act.

-------

It was almost nighttime now, the time John told Aphmau to meet back up with him. She and Gene had arrived at John's house, where Aphmau told Gene to stay behind for a moment while she went to speak with him. However, after she knocked, she was promptly chewed out by John and told to just wait behind the house until nightfall before he slammed the door in her face. Aphmau sighed, having forgotten that he already told her that and that she could have just blown this chance. She walked back over to Gene, who had been watching her. "We need to wait behind my friend's house until nightfall," Aphmau states when she got back to him.

"That's... suspiciously creepy," Gene replied, raising an eyebrow at her. "It's alright! He's a kid." "Oh, then that makes it  perfectly  fine," Gene said sarcastically, beginning to regret his decision. "Oh good! I was worried," Aphmau said, not having gotten the sarcasm, and began heading behind the house. "You... aren't very bright, are you?" "What do you mean?" "Just- just tell me what the plan is," Gene responded, not wanting to deal with this. "It's to wait behind the house until nightfall. I already told you," Aphmau replies, smiling. "Okay so, in short, we're trusting a  child's word  in order to meet the werewolf tribe?" Gene asks, hardly believing this. Aphmau just nodded, still smiling.

Gene sighed heavily. "I... am a fool," he muttered softly. "Just trust me," Aphmau said, moving closer. "Don't make me cut your-" Gene snapped but cut himself off midway, his anger dissolving as Aphmau continued to stare at him. She wasn't scared or anything, just confused, and seemed to be slightly worried. Gene cleared his throat before sighing. "I mean; we shouldn't be trusting the word of a  child  to get us in contact with the werewolf tribe," Gene stated, trying to calm himself down more so he wouldn't snap again. "I'm starting to think my premature trade with you was a  mistake. " "You helped me save my friend. I will repay you, you just have to trust me on this. I don't go back on my word," Aphmau says, narrowing her eyes at the fact he seemed to believe that she wouldn't be able to uphold her end of the bargain. She then turned on her heels and began walking behind the house quietly, Gene following behind her after a moment of consideration. It was a waste of time to him but the woman was intriguing so he might as well see where this would lead. He was already tied up in her little quest anyway.

-------

Paul was in the spare ship he borrowed, not wanting to take his own and leaving Aphmau stranded and confused given she wouldn't recognize the spare boat. He could make out the shore of Phoenix Drop ahead, Garroth and Dale on the beach waiting for him. "Dale! Boat!" Garroth called as he looked up and saw Paul docking the ship, heading over quickly. Dale, who had been seated on the sand and very drunk, stood up angrily. "Don't talk about my wife like that!" He called in his drunken haze. Garroth didn't bother trying to correct him as anything else he said would probably be taken as an insult. Garroth got onto the docks just as Paul got out of the boat, being as careful as he could with the herb Aphmau managed to get. When Garroth saw Aphmau wasn't with Paul, however, he got concerned. "Where is Lady Aphmau?" He asked, worry in his voice. Paul turned to look at him. "She's perfectly fine. She's in Brightport," Paul replied cooly. "I am aware she's in Brightport! I meant why isn't she with you?!" Garroth replied, now getting angry. Paul just silently held up the moon herb, Garroth gasping in shock as he saw it. "Is that- Dale! Take this to Brendan!" Garroth said quickly, looking over to the drunken male.

In hindsight, it probably wasn't wise to ask Dale to take it but Garroth was so excited Brendan's life would be saved that he didn't question it immediately. "You got it!" Dale slurred before immediately falling over into the sand. "Are you insane? Like I'd trust that drunken idiot with such precious cargo," Paul says, glaring slightly. "Oh, right. My apologies, I got so excited I forgot. But Paul, where is Lady Aphmau? Why hasn't she come back with you?" Garroth asked, glad they had the herb but still worried about Aphmau. "She managed to get this moon herb from doing trade with a guard in Brightport. She stayed behind to do him a...  favor ," Paul said, winking at the last bit of his sentence.

Garroth was silent for a moment as he thought about what Paul said before it clicked and his helmet almost seemed to blush to match his red face underneath. Garroth grabbed Paul roughly by the shoulders and shook him a little. " What kind of favor?! " Garroth asked, sounding angry and worried at the same time. Paul just laughed, however, amused by his reaction. "See, this is what I mean when I say you have a stick up your ass. Always jumping to the worst conclusion. Relax, she's just getting a replacement herb for the guard so he isn't short on one, that's all," Paul explains, still smiling. Garroth sighed heavily, looking down in defeat. "Hm, unless," Paul started, to which Garroth just glared at him from behind his helm. He already fell for it once, and he wouldn't fall for it again.

"Paul, you realize you just left a woman with no memory to fend for herself, right? Not to mention every time she uses magic she gets incredibly ill for a while. She could barely move last time! What if she gets hurt? None of us will be able to go to her aid in that situation," Garroth states angrily, "not to mention she just started learning how to take care of village matters on her own and cope with her memory loss!" Garroth finished, sighing heavily. Paul sighed as well, before smiling. "Trust her. She can take of it. She can fend for herself just fine. Have faith in her, as I do," Paul states before walking past Garroth. "Now come on, we have medicine to get to Brendan," Paul then said before hurrying off, Garroth following close behind as they left Dale in the sand (who had passed out).

When they arrived back at the guard station where Brendan was, Garroth explained what happened with Aphmau and that she was fine, Paul even chipping in to reassure Donna that when he saw her, she looked better than she had in a while. Once they were done making sure everyone was satisfied with what was going on, Paul went to prepare the medicine as only he knew how to do it. Donna was a medic but only to a certain extent. She had no clue how to prepare Moon Herb salve. Speaking of Donna, she grabbed Garroth by the shoulder and he turned to look at her, confused. "Garroth, I need to talk with you. It's about Aphmau," she stated, sounding serious. Garroth doubted it was about Aphmau staying behind given Donna already expressed her dislike of that certain event, so he decided to head outside with her to see what was worrying her. Once outside, she took in a deep breath and unfolded a piece of paper she had. On it, he saw the shape of a strange star, four points to the left and right as well as up and down with four smaller ones in the crevices between the points. "What's this?" Garroth asked, confused.

"First, did you see anything else on Aphmau's back when you brought her back to town the day you found her in the woods? I know you said she had what appeared to be a tattoo of angel wings but you never said there was anything else about her that seemed... off," Donna asked, concern in her eyes. "No, I only saw the edge of one wing of the assumed pair of the tattoo. Her hair was covering her whole back for the most part so I only saw the edges of the tattoo. I didn't want to look too hard considering that be invading her privacy even more so I just didn't look harder. Why?" Garroth explained, ending on a question. Donna took in another deep breath before opening her mouth to explain. "When Aphmau was at my place taking a bath, I caught a glimpse of her back. There were six of these... star-shaped scars on her back, three on each side of her spine and evenly spaced. It was the worst thing I had ever seen injury-wise. I have no idea how she got them and I didn't ask because I was afraid it would trigger a traumatic memory for her. Stuff like that is best left forgotten. I just wanted to make you aware of what I saw," Donna said, finally looking at where Garroth's eyes would be.

Donna couldn't even see his face but she knew he had to have had a look of horror on his face considering how tense he was. He was so still she could have mistaken him for a statue if she didn't know any better. "You... you're right. We shouldn't ask her about them. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Donna. I'll see if I can find out about anything that could cause damage like that. I hate to say it, considering it would be inappropriate, but I might have to see them myself before I can look into it," Garroth finally stated after a couple more minutes of silence. What Donna described to him sounded so impossible that he almost didn't want to believe it but he knew she'd never lie about something like this. 'What in Ru'aan could have caused damage like that?' Garroth thought to himself as he and Donna headed back inside. Garroth hadn't even noticed Zenix's absence, though he wouldn't have cared much anyway as he always ran off somewhere.

-------

Aphmau and Gene were standing behind John's house, hidden by stacked-up boxes and barrels in the area. Aphmau was sat on the ground, watching the swaying wheat in the area with a calm expression. Gene was staring at her and she knew it, though she didn't mind in the slightest. "You... got something wrong with you, don't ya?" Gene finally asked. He had never seen someone just stare at wheat with such a relaxed expression. She seemed so at peace and he couldn't understand it, given the world they lived in was so horribly cruel. "Hm?" Aphmau hummed in question, not looking up at him but acknowledging he said something to her.

"Well, you've been staring at the wheat totally silent like you're meditating. Like an idiot," Gene explains, still staring at her hunched-up form on the ground. She had her knees to her chest so she resembled a ball or a... sack of potatoes. "Is there something wrong with that?" She asked softly, finally looking up at him. "It bothers me," he answered honestly, narrowing his eyes slightly. She didn't seem phased, however, and just smiled softly. "Well, I must have been doing something right if it got you to speak with me," Aphmau replied softly before looking back at the wheat.

Gene groaned in annoyance, though she did have a point. "Where are you from, anyway? You're obviously not from Bright Port considering your friend isn't here and you apparently stole a boat to get here, so where exactly do you live?" Gene finally asked, curious where this girl of idiocy came from. "Phoenix Drop," Aphmau answered, getting a surprised look from Gene before he had a devious look on his face. Like he was pleased with something. "I take it you left there after the explosion?" He asked, smirking. "I did, in a sense. I'll be going back, however. I only left because my friend was hurt and I needed to find a moon herb for him; of which I thank you greatly for providing in my hour of need," Aphmau replied, though Gene noticed she suddenly got quite somber at the mention of the explosion that  he  caused. Suddenly, she got a confused look on her face and turned to face him. "How did you know there was an explosion there?" She asked, causing Gene to fumble slightly in surprise. He really shouldn't have said that. Was he going to have to kill her? Was she going to find out he was there and that's how he knew? It would have been easy to just stab her and get away, not like he would have cared, but he found himself thinking of an excuse to give her.

"I uh... heard it from fellow guards. Tragic, really," Gene quickly said, though he was confused about why he felt the need to lie to her. She wasn't important, just another sheep headed for slaughter at the end of the day, but something about her caused him to want to keep her... safe? No, he just didn't want to be the one to kill her for some reason. She stared at him for a little longer before looking away, a sad look in her eyes. For a moment, her eyes lost that shine they had, going dull for a moment. It was quickly rectified a few moments later when she slapped her cheeks with her hands. Not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough to sting.

"What about you? Where are you from?" Aphmau asked, curious about him as well. "Oh uh, I'm from a village... pretty far from here," Gene explained, though not going into detail. Aphmau didn't seem to care though that he didn't give a name. "I see. You must miss it greatly, as well the people there," Aphmau said, giving him a kind and warm smile. Gene couldn't remember the last time he was looked at like that by someone. Well, he could, but those memories were too painful, even for him. "Yeah, I'm sure at least... one person there does," Gene said, sounding a little more somber than he would have liked.

Gene watched as Aphmau stared at him, seeming to be paying closer attention to how he looked. "What happened to your ear?" She suddenly asked. "I lost it in battle while protecting my village," Gene stated and watched as Aphmau gave a bigger smile this time. "Why do you keep smiling at me like that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "You just seem like someone who hasn't been smiled at in a very long time. That, and you seem trustworthy to me," Aphmau states and Gene's eyes went wide for a moment. She was surprisingly good at reading people, though not by much if she thought he was trustworthy.

Suddenly, John arrived, carrying Lowell in a new, sturdier box. "Sorry about the wait. My mom took forever to go to sleep and-" but John cut himself off as he turned and saw Gene. His eyes widened in horror and he dropped the box carrying Lowell in shock, causing the poor wolf pup to yelp in surprise, though muffled. "Why is there another adult here?!" John cried, panic setting in. Aphmau was trying to explain that the man was Gene and he had helped her so she was helping him in return and he needed to get to the werewolf village so he was here for that but John had completely blocked her out.

"Why did you bring another adult here?! He's a guard, too!" John said in a panicked tone before quickly picking up the box containing Lowell. "You'll never take my best friend from me!" He yelled before running off, Aphmau moving forward to call after him. "John! John wait!" Aphmau called before hurrying after him before he got himself hurt. Gene was watching in stunned silence at what just transpired but then sighed heavily. "How wonderful," he mutter softly in an annoyed tone before heading off after Aphmau before she also got herself injured. Aphmau followed after Jonh, asking him why he was running while he yelled at her that she was a traitor (while some poor guards watched on in confusion, though not worried from the bar they passed).

Eventually, John stopped in an alleyway, panting heavily. "John, I'm scared!" Lowell cried from the box. "Don't worry buddy, I'm not gonna let anyone kill- GAH!" John jumped at the sound of something heavy landing behind him and whirled around to see Gene behind him, frowning in annoyance. John was frozen in fear and didn't get a chance to react before Gene placed his hand on his forehead, John's eyes going pure white a moment later.

"You will no longer fear us. You will  not  run," Gene said sternly, though softly. "I- I am not-" John began but didn't finish before he collapsed to his knees, eyes shut as if he was focusing hard on something. Gene, meanwhile, had his hands on his knees and panting heavily. He was sweating and seemed completely drained, though still standing, even if he had to support his upper half by leaning on his knees with his hands. Aphmau arrived moments later and once she saw John on the ground, she became worried, hurrying over like a mother hen concerned for its chick. He was still a child so she felt a sort of responsibility over him, at least while his mother wasn't around. "John? John are you okay?" Aphmau asked, bending down to make sure he wasn't hurt.

"He ran into me," Gene stated, finally standing up though he looked almost sickly. "He uh... fell down because of that," Gene then added as he held his head which was hurting. John groaned, slowly opening his eyes while looking dazed. Aphmau finally looked up at Gene and seemed to become even more worried. "You look awful. Are you okay? Is this why you had the moon herb?" She asked, though didn't get closer as she had seen he didn't like people being too close to him. "Yeah, with the battles I've been it, this happens occasionally," Gene explained, though was pretty much lying straight to her face again.

Aphmau just nodded a little before looking back to John. "Why did you run?" She asked, concerned about him as he didn't seem like himself. "I- I don't know," John replied as he finally stood up. "You seemed scared. Did I do something wrong again?" Aphmau asked, placing her hand on his forehead to see if he might be running a fever. Aphmau already knew her own memory was awful, but for John to forget why he ran from her in the first place concerned her. "Why would I be scared of you?" John asked and smiled at her, moving her hand away from his forehead. "Let's just get on with this," Gene stated, causing John to look at him in surprise. "Wait, who is this guy? I may not be scared but I sure as heck don't trust adults!" John said quickly, narrowing his eyes at Gene.

"This is Gene. He got me a moon herb for my friend but he needs a replacement, so we have to go through with the original plan of getting someone from the wolf tribe to trust us enough to either get one for me or let us go with them to their village," Aphmau explained, smiling a little to try and help John relax. "He helped you?" Lowell's muffled voice came from the box, though Gene didn't seem to realize it was someone else and just thought it was John. "You told him about the wolf tribe?!" John said, upset someone else knew now. "I had to John. He wouldn't have helped me otherwise," Aphmau stated. She knew very well the only reason Gene helped her was because she mentioned the wolf tribe to him.

John sighed and placed the box containing Lowell down, who promptly got out of it, worrying John. Gene's eyes widened when he saw the pup, surprised there was an actual werewolf cub in their presence. "Relax John. She saved my life and I still have to repay her somehow. Besides, it's just a moon herb. I'm sure my parents will be happy to help!" Lowell said happily, though John seemed even more worried now. "Parents! They're probably already here!" John stated before looking at Aphmau. "Listen, I have to head back home because my mom usually wakes up a couple times at night to check on me. Lowell's parents should be somewhere in the woods near the docks. You need to go deep to not be seen at the port. Get Lowell to his parents safe, okay?" John says, concern in his eyes. Aphmau wanted to ask why he couldn't come with but after everything she had heard from him when he spoke of his mother, she sounded protective over him and if he was found out when he shouldn't be, she didn't know what would happen. "Alright, I understand. leave it to me," Aphmau says and gave him a warm, comforting smile.

John then turned to Gene and gave him a bright look, somewhat hopeful looking. "What?" Gene asked, raising an eyebrow. "You gotta promise to get Lowell there safely too, okay?" John replied, still staring at him. Gene looked from John to Lowell and then back to John before sighing. "Sure," he said, though it sound a bit strained and like he was saying 'shore' instead of 'sure'. "Thank you! You aren't like the other guards! You're cool!" John said happily before glancing at Aphmau. He then whispered just loud enough for only Gene to hear. "Hey and uh, keep an eye on her? I trust her but I don't know if she can protect herself if things go south or anything," John whispered before running off after saying bye to Lowell and Aphmau, Gene watching him leave with widened eyes (mostly from being called cool).

-------

Aphmau was carrying the box containing Lowell, who had gone back to hiding, while Gene led them to a side door in the wall around Bright Port that would take them close to the forest they needed to be in without being spotted. As they walked through the foliage, Aphmau glanced at Gene. "Are you feeling better?" Aphmau suddenly asked, concern in her eyes. He looked better than before but he was still sluggish and not nearly as energetic as before. "Hm? Uh, yeah, a little. I'll be fine, so don't worry about me," Gene replied. "I don't think I'll be able to. You didn't look good earlier and you still aren't back to normal. Let me know if you need my help or anything, okay? We gotta look out for one another," Aphmau stated and smiled at him.

Gene just looked at her through the corner of his eye as he led the way. She really was an odd one. "Anyway, Lowell, what can we expect your parent's temperament to be like? Werewolves act mostly on impulse without really considering the aftereffects of their actions. They easily lose their temper too," Gene asked, turning to face the box Aphmau was carrying as they came to a stop. "Well," Lowell's muffled voice came from the box, "they'll be happy to see me, I think?" He said, but he sounded unsure of himself and very nervous.

Just then, the bushes rustled around them, like a big animal was coming closer to them. Gene immediately got on guard, pulling out his sword to defend against whatever was out there. Gene instinctively pulled Aphmau behind him, so whatever it was that was out there would get him first instead of her, who was unarmed as far as he knew. Aphmau gently put the box down on the ground, in case it was Lowell's parents and he'd need to get out quickly. Aphmau had on her backpack and had mostly eaten everything in it. All that was really left was the rabbit plush Kiki gave her so she took it out and disregarded the backpack to the ground.

No need to carry something someone could grab if there wasn't anything in it. She put the stuffed rabbit in a pocket somewhere on her pants, the pocket big enough to hold the rabbit easily. "What was that?" Gene asked though he wasn't sure who he was asking as he highly doubted Aphmau knew. Just then, a low growl came from the bushes in front of them before a huge wolf walking on two legs sprung out into the air before their claws collided with Gene's sword. The werewolf was brown in hue and their eyes a bloody red color. Gene, still weak from his previous wiping and rearranging of memory in John's head, buckled under the weight when he usually would have taken in easily and fell to the ground.

"This presence," the werewolf mumbled, glaring at Gene. 'This one's strong. It must have fought Shadow Knights before. If I use my full power, I risk it learning what I really am,' Gene thought to himself, wracking his brain to figure out what to do without going overboard. Just then the werewolf struck again. Gene wouldn't have been able to dodge in time but just then, Aphmau shoved him out of the way, getting badly scratched on her lower right arm. Two deep but short scratches were left, bleeding profusely, but she didn't seem concerned nor affected by whatever pain she should have been feeling.

Before the werewolf could react again, she picked up a rock from the ground and chucked it at its head, promptly stunning it for a short moment. Gene was still seeing stars from being shoved to the side and landing on the ground (considering he hit his head which would add to his headache later). Once his vision cleared, the first thing he saw was blood on the ground. He quickly followed it and saw Aphmau by the box containing Lowell, bleeding from the wound, and the werewolf was looking right at her. "You-" Gene started but before he got any closer to completing his sentence, the werewolf spoke.

"Who are you?" The werewolf asked, looking at her in surprise and curiosity. Who in their right mind would just take a blow for someone while unarmed? Did she not care for her safety? "I am Aphmau of Phoenix Drop! Inside this box is what you've been looking for!" Aphmau stated and motioned to the box at her side, which remained still and silent. The werewolf stared for a minute before looking at her like she was crazy. "It's a box," he stated. "Well, yes, but I said  inside  the box. Are you even listening to me?" Aphmau said, holding her wound with one hand. "What is inside the box?" The werewolf asked, ignoring the question she asked. Gene was watching on in astonishment.

She was talking her way out of this situation when the obvious answer to him was to fight. "Lowell," Aphmau whispered to the box. "Yes?" Lowell's muffled voice, which was even quieter due to him whispering too, answered. "You need to come out of the box so we can get you home safely. He isn't gonna back down unless he sees you are okay," Aphmau whispered. "No, I don't wanna! He's scary right now! Can't you calm him down first?" Lowell replied, whining slightly. "How am I supposed to calm him down? He won't listen to me or Gene!" Aphmau whispered back. A small whisper argument started between them and the werewolf just moved slightly closer, looking on in confusion.

'Wait, this is my chance!' Gene thought after he snapped back to reality from watching the little argument she was having with Lowell. He raised his sword and struck but the werewolf caught him and lifted him up by the throat, causing Gene to drop his sword. "Cocky little bastard aren't you?" The werewolf asked. "Usually," Gene replied, smirking. Suddenly, the werewolf let out a cry of pain as Aphmau picked up Gene's fallen sword and stabbed the werewolf in the back, though not deep enough to fully stop him. She wasn't strong enough to do enough damage with one arm injured. "I see your mate cares a lot about you," the werewolf snarled before dropping Gene and wheeling around to attack Aphmau.

His claws got her again, this time on her left lower arm, causing it to start bleeding badly as well. Despite this, she didn't flinch to the pain and backed up, discarding Gene's sword to the side. Aphmau picked up the box, her blood dripping on the sides which seemed to cause Lowell to worry as a soft whimper came from the box. Despite the injury, she seemed to be able to move her arms just fine and was able to easily hold up the weight of Lowell inside the box with ease. Aphmau began running in a direction that seemed best and the werewolf bounded after her, leaving Gene to recover. Once he was able, he picked up his fallen sword (which was bloody thanks to Aphmau getting a hit in) and ran after them.

Aphmau eventually came to a halt at a cliff that dropped down into a river of water below. The edge of the cliff crumbled a bit and she moved back, worried now. Her body was starting to ache due to her wounds, though she didn't feel pain at all. It was still very uncomfortable, however, to be bleeding and she was starting to lose her sight from blood loss. She turned, looking to the werewolf who had finally caught up with her. "Please! Just listen! Inside this box is Lowell! Your son!" Aphmau pleaded. "Do not speak such nonsense to me! I know humans well enough to know that they would never return a pup to us!" The werewolf growled, stepping closer. "Please, you have to believe me! He's inside!" Aphmau cried. "His pelt is probably inside! Humans would have killed him! Enough of your lies!" The werewolf said before heading towards her just as Gene got there.

"Move out of the way Aphmau! Run!" He called but was stunned to silence when the werewolf who was so hellbent on killing her, stopped and started sniffing her. She remained still, far too happy about being alive to care what he was doing. "This scent... you wouldn't happen to have a doll on you by any chance?" The werewolf finally asked after moving away, though his face was still a little too close. "Yes, I do," Aphmau replied, surprisingly calm despite the fact she almost died and was currently still bleeding. Aphmau carefully pulled the rabbit out of her pocket, making sure to not get any blood on it as she also set down the box containing Lowell. "Kiki... but you don't look like Kiki, nor smell like her other than the doll. Why do you have my friend's doll?" The werewolf asked though he was far calmer now.

"I already told you, I'm Aphmau. Kiki is my friend and she gave me this doll when I set out to Bright Port. She said it would help me, though I didn't understand how until now," Aphmau replied. "I see... when I was a pup, Kiki saved my life. She gave me the doll as a symbol of our bond. I had to give it back in the end, however. You must be a good person if Kiki gave this to you. She does not give it out on a whim," the werewolf stated. Aphmau glanced past him and saw Gene moving closer, sword at the ready. Aphmau shot him a glare as a warning to put the sword away and let her handle this, to which he listened, mostly from the shock she could make such an expression. Aphmau carefully put the rabbit back in her pocket before looking back at the werewolf.

"Now, where is my son? I will stop attacking you and I trust your word he is here," the werewolf asked. "Dad?" Lowell's muffled voice called from the now blood-soaked box, courtesy of Aphmau's bleeding arms. "You are alive..." Lowell's dad said, amazed but happy. "Lowell, you can come out now," Aphmau said, and the box shook a bit before stopping. "I can't, I'm stuck," Lowell stated. Aphmau sighed but smiled a little as she bent down. "Let me help," she stated but before she could, Lowell moved the box back too far and it toppled over the edge, plummeting him into the icy water below. "Lowell!" Aphmau called before turning to his father and Gene. "I've got it!" She said quickly before diving in after him.

Shortly after she dived, she surfaced holding the box. "Got him!" She called before she slowly began sinking. "Aphmau! You gotta swim if you wanna stay above the water!" Gene called from over the edge. "What's swimming?" Aphmau called back before being muffled by the water and sinking under the waves. Gene sighed heavily and slapped his hand to his face. "Of  course,  she can't swim," Gene stated, exhausted. "I can't either," Lowell's dad stated as he looked on at the slowly drowning Aphmau. Gene sighed heavily before quickly taking off his armor and diving in after her. Moments later, they were on a bank of the river between the cliffs and Gene had helped Aphmau cough up a lot of water and free Lowell.

He had made a fire a while back and was drying most of his and Aphmau's clothes (who was using a cloak Gene had that had dried quickly to hide her body). Lowell had just finished retelling the story of how Aphmau saved him and how they got to this point in time to his father. "I see. Then I owe her quite a bit," Lowell's dad stated before turning to see her. Aphmau had just finished getting dressed behind a bush in her now dry clothing when he turned and she waved a little. Gene had patched up her arms but she'd still need to see a proper medic or healer for them. Just bandages weren't gonna help much.

"My son has told me of your deeds in saving him. I am eternally grateful," Lowell's father stated, bowing slightly to her. "No need for that. I was happy to help. I'm not gonna stand by when someone needs my help," Aphmau replied and walked over as Gene put on his shirt. He hadn't gone back for the armor, mostly because he didn't want to make the climb up and down again so he was just wearing plain pants and a plain shirt with boots on. "I'm deeply sorry about the wounds I gave you. Are you alright?" Lowell's dad then asked. "Oh, yes, I'm okay. I was a bit dizzy for a while but Gene patched them up as best he could. Also, I never got your name. Obviously, I'm Aphmau, I told you that twice already, but over there is Gene, a guard from Bright Port that helped me," Aphmau stated.

"I'm Boldolf, the Alpha of the Southern Wolf Tribe," Boldolf stated. "are you two..." Boldolf then went to ask something but Gene stood up and quickly walked over. "No, we aren't," Gene stated, knowing what Boldolf was going to ask and not allowing him to finish the sentence. Gene stood behind Aphmau, still wary of the werewolf in front of him. "Then why are you together?" Boldolf asked. As far as he knew, humans didn't care about others unless they were family or mates. "Gene helped me and in turn, I made a promise with him to repay him. I seek your help to fulfill it," Aphmau explained.

"I see. Name what it is you need and I'll do all I can to get it for you," Boldolf stated, Lowell looking on happily. "I need a moon herb. Gene gave me his last one for my dying friend and I need to get him a new one to replace it," Aphmau stated, seeming quite happy herself. "A moon herb? Those are quite a rarity, especially now. Parting with one would be damaging to our village," Boldolf said, seeming unsure. "A rarity?" Aphmau asked, confused. "Many bad things are happening around our village and it's causing things to not grow properly. Crops and normal flowers are dying off or taking far too long to grow into maturity," Boldolf explained. The way he made it sound reminded Aphmau of Phoenix Drop with its dying crop fields.

"C'mon dad! She saved me!" Lowell pitched in, not wanting Aphmau to go through all this trouble and not be able to get what she was after. "Hm, I suppose just one should be alright. I'll get you that moon herb and deliver it myself," Boldolf caved, mostly due to Lowell's puppy eyes. "Thank you!" Aphmau stated but Gene put his hand on her shoulder. "Wait a minute. First, I prefer it as fresh as possible. Picking it and then delivering it won't be as good. Second, Aphmau here needs an actual medic to look at her wounds. If we go back to town for that people are going to question what happened and we can't tell them because it'll make you guys seem even worse to the villagers. It might push them to actually start a full-on war that I'm sure neither of you wants. How about we go with you to your village so Aphmau can get some proper medical attention and I can get the herb as fresh as I like," Gene stepped in, trying to use Aphmau as leverage to get him to agree.

The likelihood Boldolf would let them go just for a fresher moon herb was low, but if it was for Aphmau's sake then they had a chance. Boldolf was silent. "No. My tribe has enough to deal with as it is. Aphmau seems to be holding out well and I can smell that the blood flow has already stopped. The portal to the shadow abyss is already-" Boldolf cut himself off, sighing. "Shadow abyss?" Gene asked, raising an eyebrow. "Come Lowell," Boldolf said to his son before beginning to head off, Lowell following after. "What about the Lord of Bright Port?" Gene suddenly asked before Boldolf and Lowell got too far.

Boldolf stopped and looked down. "The people of Bright Port, especially the guards, are blaming you for his disappearance," Gene added. "They blame us for a lot of things, as do we to them," Boldolf replied, not looking at them. "Then let us prove them wrong. If you take us to your village, we can prove it wasn't the werewolves that took the Lord of Brightport," Gene stated, making Boldolf turn to face him in slight shock. "Dad, it  is  a good idea," Lowell mumbled, earning a small glare from Boldolf. "Um," Aphmau started, making Gene and Boldolf look at her. "The Lord of Bright Port?" Aphmau asked, seeming incredibly confused.

"Oh, right, you probably wouldn't know about what's going on," Gene said, though it was muttered under his breath. "From what I know of Bright Port and the Southern Werewolf Tribe, things had always been... violent... between them. Bad blood and wars for many years between the settlements. It wasn't until a year ago things began calming down when suddenly-" "Strange things began to happen," Gene was cut off by Boldolf speaking. "Mind you, strange things had been happening for years before but not to the extent it should have been worrying. Given that humans without magic didn't notice the shift, it wasn't much of a concern to us. Magic has always been sensed by those with magic themselves, even if it was a small amount. If it grew to the point regular people could feel it, that was when it became a problem," Boldolf explained.

Gene turned towards him. "I'm well aware of this. I travel a lot and have heard plenty of tales," Gene said. "I can promise you we didn't take anyone from Brightport," Boldolf stated, but looked down solemnly, "but  someone  was taken from us, and now we are faced with a most dreadful decision," the werewolf finished. Lowell looked up at Boldolf, surprised. "Wait, is Kiva still-" Lowell started but stopped when Boldolf gave a small nod as confirmation. "I'm afraid she's still missing," Boldolf replied to his son, seeming just as upset as Lowell at this fact.

"You have a lot more going on than you told us," Aphmau suddenly spoke up, making everyone look at her. "Going back and forth just for a flower would take more time than is necessary, and I would like to help you as well," Aphmau then said, making both Gene and Boldolf's eyes widen in surprise. "What?" Gene asked in disbelief. "Someone I cared for was in danger and I wanted nothing more than to help them, even if it meant relying on someone else. Now, someone you care about is also in danger and needs help, and I don't want to stand by and wait while knowing this fact. If I can help, I will," Aphmau stated, moving closer to Boldolf with a look of determination in her eyes. Boldolf stepped closer and sniffed Aphmau. He was mostly searching for a scent of betrayal or deceit, but he got none of that from Aphmau.

Just pure, unrivaled determination and a strong sense of kindness; a scent far stronger than any creature he had gotten from before. Kiki was kind, but even Aphmau outmatched her. There was another thing though, something he couldn't quite place his paw on. "You smell... fresh. Like the Earth hasn't had you long. I don't know how else to describe it," Boldolf stated, though he hadn't really meant to say it out loud. Boldolf then sighed in defeat. "I am interested in hearing more about Kiki, like how she's doing," Boldolf stated, trailing off. "Fine, you may come along, but you will do everything you are asked of and not wander far from me. You may be kind but our village isn't exactly safe at the moment. Not to mention I don't trust the male with you much," Boldolf stated, earning a small 'hey!' from Gene who sounded a little offended.

Aphmau smiled a little and nodded. Lowell was celebrating in the background, saying something about having humans visit as Boldolf walked towards the woods. "Are you alright with this?" Aphmau asked Gene before they followed. "Yes, I need to get back to the sha- I mean, I would love to get a fresh Moon Herb," Gene replied before heading off after Boldolf, Aphmau watching him for a moment before following quickly after.

-------

They had arrived at the Southern Werewolf Tribe village, a place completely made up of werewolves. Some were older with graying fur (one looking so old that Aphmau was surprised they were alive still), others younger like pups or werewolves that seemed to have just reached adulthood or hadn't been adults for more than a few years. The houses were made of wooden planks and thick hay, and a fire pit in the center of town had lines of clothing hanging by it to dry. It didn't look anything like Phoenix Drop or Brightport, but it was still cozy and welcoming like she felt a town  should  be.

She could spot two cave openings in the sides of the tall hills around the village, each on the opposite end from one another as some houses towered over the rest on said hills. As they neared one of the caves that had a sun and moon sigil carved into the rock above it, Aphmau got a sick, twisted feeling in her stomach; like something inside that cave was horribly wrong. Aphmau physically had to stop and bend over, clutching her stomach as if she was going to throw up. Gene and Boldolf stopped and turned to face her before Gene quickly walked over to her and placed his hand on her back.

"Hey hey, what's wrong?" Gene asked, almost a little concerned, though he knew he shouldn't be feeling that way. Aphmau just held up a shaking finger and pointed to the cave. "I don't... like the feeling it gives off..." Aphmau muttered and Boldolf immediately understood. "It might be too strong for you," Boldolf stated as he walked over to her. Just then, another werewolf arrived. "Boldolf!" They called and Boldolf turned to face them as Gene helped Aphmau stand back up straight and supported her shaking form. "We found another material!" The werewolf proclaimed before holding out a piece of obsidian.

It was sharp, crudely cut, and shiny, glimmering black in the moonlight. "You're collecting obsidian? What for?" Gene asked though he knew very well what it was for. It was for the thing in the cave Aphmau was being affected by, though he was surprised it was having such a negative effect on her. "I told you, it's a werewolf matter," Boldolf stated as the two began arguing about it, with Gene stating it was an incredibly rare material (at least around the snowy climate they called home) and with Boldolf telling him to mind his business. Neither of them was aware of what was happening to Aphmau until her legs gave out on her and Gene accidentally dropped her as she collapsed to the ground.

"Aphmau! Hey, snap out of it!" Gene said quickly, bending to her level and making her look at him. He saw a look of pure fear in her eyes, but also a sort of great sadness and regret. She was muttering an apology to no one in particular, clutching her aching head as a vision flashed into her mind. Lava was everywhere, pooling into giant lakes as red, soil-like material covered everything. Giant bones littered whatever ground she could see and floating above the lava lake was a shadowy figure of a man, laughing ominously, almost hysterical sounding. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was coming back to her senses with Gene staring at her, seemingly concerned as she was being picked up by someone else.

-------

When Aphmau woke up, she felt awful, like her body was breaking apart and then putting itself back again. Her head hurt like crazy and her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults, all while her muscles and body ached. Aphmau's vision was blurry as she tried to sit up but was stopped quickly by the hand of a woman. As Aphmau's vision came back to her, she turned her head to look at the woman and saw a dark-skinned woman with deep black hair sitting in a chair next to her holding what seemed to be a glass teapot but smaller. The woman was dressed mostly in green with a crop top that had a cut out of a diamond on the chest, off-the-shoulder sleeves with golden-yellow accents, and a skirt just long enough to cover everything important. Two golden bands were around her wrists and just above her elbows, as well as a single golden band around each of her ankles. She didn't wear shoes and had a tail that was swaying softly from side to side; it was the same color as her hair except at the end where it had white fur covering the tip. She had wolf ears coming out of the top of her head and the right ear had a chunk missing. Her eyes were a deep red, with slits for pupils and black tribal-looking markings resting under her eyes and on her cheeks.

While the woman looked intimidating to most others, Aphmau saw kindness and concern in her eyes and didn't fear her. "Y-You're awake. That's good," the woman stated, having a small stutter. She had a small accent and Aphmau saw she had fangs when she spoke. "I'm K-Khira, Boldolf's wife. He brought you to me in a p-panic, saying you had collapsed suddenly after feeling e-effects from the...  thing  in the cave," Khira stated, disdain in her voice as she mentioned the thing in the cave Aphmau was sensing. Khira brought up the spout of the teapot to Aphmau's mouth, making her drink a medicine she made for her.

The teapot was there to make it easier to drink while laying down, as a cup could easily spill. Once done, she pulled the teapot away and put it down on a table nearby. "Do you think you could t-tell me what happened? My h-husband and your friend didn't exactly know so I was h-hoping you could spread some light onto this for me," Khira asked, wanting to know what was happening to the poor woman before her. "I don't-" Aphmau started but her head suddenly hurt horribly as she tried to remember what she saw. It was like her head was being cracked open like a watermelon.

Aphmau was surprised at how much pain she was in as when Boldolf hurt her earlier during their fight, she barely felt anything. When she started bleeding, she felt a sort of buzzing feeling where she was hurt which was how she knew she was injured, but it wasn't painful. In fact, she hadn't felt this much internal pain since Visher's death, but that was a different kind of ache. Khira was about to grab the medicine again but was stopped by Aphmau who sat up carefully in the bed she was laying in. They were currently in their medic area which was just a small wooden hut with a straw roof (like all the other houses) that had a long table in the corner that had a bunch of herbs and different items like a mortar and pestle scattered across it. That appeared to be where the medicine was prepared. There was also a chest next to it as well as the bed Aphmau was in, the chair Khira was sitting in, and the small table next to the chair that the mini teapot was on. "It hurts to remember, but if I don't say something, I'm scared I'll forget something important again," Aphmau muttered, which confused Khira a little but she nodded.

"I remember seeing... lava and this weird red soil everywhere in my head. There were really large bones everywhere and... a shadowy man was floating above the lava, laughing. He sounded... happy, about something," Aphmau stated, holding her head in her hands as she explained what she saw. "I saw all this after I saw that piece of... I think Gene said it was obsidian? I don't know why it triggered that vision, but I saw  something  and it felt too real to be me hallucinating," Aphmau then uttered as she layed back down. Khira was worried about her. Visions weren't uncommon for people with magic but what Aphmau described was what books had described what lay beyond the portal to the Shadow Abyss, minus the laughing man. How did this woman know what lay on the other side if she had never been there before? Did Aphmau even have magic or was someone or  something  projecting a vision to her? There were too many unknowns to determine the truth, so Khira would keep this between her and Boldolf. She felt it best not to tell Aphmau's friend, at least not yet. "And what about before that?" Khira asked after letting Aphmau relax a bit.

"I was fine until I got close to that... cave. I don't know what's in there, but it gives me this sick, slimy, disgusting feeling. Like it shouldn't exist," Aphmau explained, to which Khira nodded. She was definitely a magic user, though of what kind she wasn't sure. Sure, people without magic could definitely feel the portal's energy, but it would be nowhere as intense as Aphmau had felt. Only magic users could feel something that intense and be so affected by it. Aphmau was feeling much better, thanks to the medicine Khira gave her kicking in. "Um, I wanted to ask, you're a werewolf, right? But you look more human than everyone else. Can I ask why?" Aphmau suddenly asked, looking at Khira curiously. "Oh. Yes, I suppose most w-wouldn't know. Many werewolves can take on h-human or semi-human forms if they n-need to. All of us here in the v-village prefer our wolven forms but we can turn h-human or human-like when needed. I thought it would be e-easier to care for you in this form, hence the human a-appearance," Khira explained as she stood up and started putting things away on the long table.

Aphmau went silent for a moment. "So, that's why Visher felt different from other humans," Aphmau stated, not expecting Khira to care about what she was saying. Aphmau was very wrong, however, as Khira right then dropped the mortar she was holding. Luckily it didn't break, being made of stone made it far harder to smash, but it still spilled whatever leftover contents it had inside it all over the table and floor. "You knew Visher?" Khira asked, not stuttering this time as she turned to face Aphmau, surprise on her face.

"Yeah, he was staying in my town, Phoenix Drop, for a while. He uh, he was the one who gave me these clothes and was even helping me build my own house before he..." Aphmau stopped and looked down, not wanting to finish her sentence. She knew she had to, though, and maybe saying it out loud,  admitting  he was dead, would help her. "He died in an explosion while setting sail from Phoenix Drop to Brightport. I saw it happen and... it still hurts to remember," Aphmau finished, sighing deeply. Khira was silent for a moment before speaking. "Visher d-died in your village? We had just h-heard he died, we were not aware he p-perished outside of Brightport," Khira states.

Visher's body had never been recovered as it was likely destroyed during the explosion so only news of his passing was sent to Brightport. Aphmau never learned how that went down with Visher's family, but part of her didn't want to know anyway. "So you knew Visher?" Aphmau asked as she finally stood up, though she was a bit wobbly. She had to lean on the table nearby to keep herself upright. "Y-Yes, he was... a friend," Khira stated as she went to help Aphmau balance herself. "He was a werewolf, like you. Was he part of your village or just another werewolf you were friendly with?" Aphmau suddenly asked.

"I'm s-surprised you knew Visher was a w-werewolf. He always k-kept his features hidden so he could l-live among humans. Only a s-select few knew what he r-really was," Khira stated, impressed by Aphmau's intuition. "He just... felt different from humans. The energy he gave off didn't feel entirely human but more... animal like," Aphmau explained. She had never been sure what Visher was, but she was aware he wasn't human. She never asked for she believed there was a reason he never said anything about it and who was she to pry into something he didn't want to tell anyone?

"I see. Well, V-Visher was once part of our p-pack. He fell in l-love with a human w-woman who knew what he was and still a-accepted him. Eventually, they got m-married and he stopped coming a-around here, preferring to live a-among humans for his son's sake. His s-son used to come around to p-play with the pups, but after Visher d-died, we haven't seen him much," Khira explained as she helped Aphmau walk to the door so she could get some fresh air. "I see. I'm sorry you didn't get to see him again before he died," Aphmau said solemnly and Khira just looked at her. "No, I am s-sorry for  your  loss. You c-cared about him a lot, I can s-smell it. You do not s-smell of tears but the g-grief you give off is more than t-telling of how his death has a-affected you," Khira said solemnly, nudging Aphmau's cheek with her own as a way to comfort her. They got outside and Aphmau took in a deep breath of air just as Gene, Boldolf, and Lowell came up the hillside to the house. "You're okay!" Lowell cried when he saw Aphmau up and about, running up to her happily.

"Lowell, calm d-down. She is still weak," Khira scolded her son, who apologized quickly and calmed himself, though he still seemed overjoyed about her being awake. "What happened? You just collapsed suddenly after apologizing a lot to literally no one," Gene asked, walking over to her. Khira was about to answer for her so she could exclude anything Gene shouldn't know, but Aphmau beat her to it. "I think I got a little sick from almost drowning in that cold river earlier. I was probably hallucinating and stuff, but I'm okay now," Aphmau said, smiling happily.

Gene stared at her for a moment but she didn't seem like the type to lie, so he took what she said as truth. "Alright, just don't go doing anything stupid again, okay?" Gene said, sighing heavily, to which Aphmau nodded in agreement. Aphmau then turned her head to Boldolf. "Earlier you mentioned someone from your tribe, someone named Kiva, was still missing. I still want to help where I can," Aphmau states. "Are you insane? That was fine  before  you collapsed on the ground!" Gene stated, putting more emphasis on the last four words of his sentence to show his dislike of the idea.

"He is right. You are in no state to help us, even if we had let you," Boldolf states, to which Khira nodded in agreement. "I'm fine. Besides, I won't rest well until I know the person missing is recovered safely," Aphmau said, sounding stern all of a sudden. Boldolf and Khira looked at one another for a moment, before Khira nodded a little. Boldolf sighed before nodding in return and looking back to Aphmau. "Alright. Come on, let's talk somewhere else. Aphmau, do you think you'll be able to handle being near that cave from before?" Boldolf asked as he led the way, Aphmau finally being able to stand and walk on her own. Gene trailed behind, keeping a close eye on Aphmau. "Yes, I'll be fine," Aphmau stated, though it was obvious she wasn't entirely sure herself. When they arrived at the cave, Aphmau got that sick feeling again, but it wasn't nearly as intense as before. When they headed inside, they quickly came to a chamber inside the tunnel. Some wooden steps led down slightly to the ground and torches lit up the area around them.

They were standing in front of an unfinished portal made of obsidian. The frame was broken but still upright, missing chunks here and there. Aphmau could feel that sick, disgusting feeling radiating off the portal and it made her hair stand on end. "This is the portal to the Shadow Abyss. A couple weeks ago, we opened it for the first time, foolishly thinking we were strong enough to take on anything that came out. We were horribly mistaken in that regard. Beings that called themselves 'Shadow Knights' arrived from the portal, brandishing swords and shields. They attacked without mercy, injuring many of us. During the battle, the Lord of Brightport arrived for peace negotiations but when he saw us in trouble, he rushed into the fray to assist us. We were able to push most of the Shadow Knights back through the portal but they took away the only other pure-blooded werewolf of our village; Kiva. The Lord of Brightport jumped in to save her and before nay of us could follow, the portal suddenly crumbled away in many places. The damage was worse than what you see here as we have repaired it considerably," Boldolf explained.

Aphmau walked down the wooden stairs towards the portal, stepping on the grass that grew around it carefully. She stared silently at the portal for a moment before reaching out and touching the black stone that made up the frame. "And you've been trying to open it again?" Aphmau finally asked as she peeled her eyes away from the portal to face the others, who looked concerned about her. "Something like that. We want to rescue Kiva if she is still alive, as well as the Lord of Brightport if possible considering he helped us during the fight, but those Shadow Knights are too strong for us. While none of us died, we were still badly injured and we won't be able to take another large-scale attack like the first again, not to mention we don't know what lies on the other side and we'd likely stick out too much, even in human forms," Boldolf replied, walking down the steps to stand next to her.

Aphmau turned back to the portal, thinking. "When do you think it'll be fixed?" Aphmau asked, staring at the broken-off parts of the portal frame. "Tomorrow night. We have the materials to finish it, but it takes time to piece them together. Why do you ask?" The werewolf leader asked, looking at her warily. "I want to go in. I can take Gene with me if he wishes to go, and we can find Kiva and the Lord of Brightport. It'll be better for us to go as we probably won't stand out and a small group will move faster. You should stay here in case anything tries to get out. You'll be prepared this time and I highly doubt the beings that came out the first time will try another attack like that again after being beaten back the first time around," Aphmau stated firmly. Boldolf didn't dare to question her or argue against her, but no way in hell was he letting her go in there unprepared. "Fine, but we'll be setting you up with a change of clothes that are sturdier and a weapon, as well as a way to get both people back safely and easily," Boldolf finally stated after a moment of silence.

Aphmau just nodded before turning to Gene to see how he was taking this. Surprisingly, he seemed quite pleased. "Well, I sure as hell can't let you go in there on your own, now can I? You're already a clutz as it is," Gene states, shrugging nonchalantly. Aphmau smiled, seeming to be calmed by the fact he'd be coming with her. "Then we should get some rest," Aphmau says as she and Boldolf headed back up the wooden steps and left the cave with the others. Aphmau and Gene were shown to an empty house with two beds inside it, along with a large wooden chest to store stuff. Other than that, the house was very small and empty. Boldolf bid them good night along with Khira and Lowell before they headed off, Aphmau watching them go from the doorway. When she turned back, Gene was already in his bed, asleep. Aphmau sighed heavily and sat on the other bed, thinking hard about how things were going to go the next night.

-------

Aphmau didn't sleep that night, though it wasn't from discomfort or fear. She wasn't tired and saw no point in trying to sleep if she wasn't tired so she spent most of the night outside, staring at the stars and thinking about random things. Like what Donna was doing, if Logan was still working on her house for her, if Brendan was doing better. That last question lingered around the most, often consuming her thoughts. Her worry for him never went away, even after she got the moon herb to Paul. His recovery was bound to be unpleasant, but at least he'd survive (hopefully).

Gene woke up about two hours after sunrise, surprised to see Aphmau awake so early. She didn't mention she hadn't slept and just told him she woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, which he seemed to believe. He and Aphmau went down to the fire pit where they were treated to a nice breakfast of rabbit soup with the other werewolves, many of whom kept their distance from Aphmau and Gene. After breakfast, Gene went to procure weapons and supplies for their trip into the Shadow Abyss, considering Aphmau was unarmed and out of her own supplies that she once had. Aphmau, on the other hand, went to find Khira.

It didn't take long to find her as she was in the house Aphmau was treated in, although she now looked like the other werewolves. It was hard to distinguish them from one another at first, but Aphmau quickly learned the differences between them and could now identify them quite easily. "Khira?" Aphmau called out as she stood in the doorway. Khira turned towards her, looking away from her work. It appeared Khira was making more medicine using moon herbs and other plants Aphmau didn't recognize. "Oh, A-Aphmau, good m-morning. Did you n-need something?" Khira asked kindly with her soft stutter interrupting some of her words. "I was wondering if there may be a change of clothes for me. These clothes were from Visher and I don't want to damage them. They mean too much to me," Aphmau asked as she walked in farther.

Khira nodded and opened a small chest near the table. She dug around inside it for a moment before pulling out a plain shirt, some slightly torn pants (mostly around the knees), and leather boots. "Will th-these work?" Khira asked as she handed the items to Aphmau. Aphmau compared the clothing to her body before deciding it would fit well enough, "Yeah, this will work perfectly! Thank you," Aphmau said happily, smiling at Khira. Khira nodded happily and watched Aphmau walk off, frowning slightly. "She b-better come back in o-one piece..." Khira muttered to herself before going back to her work.

-------

Soon enough, night had fallen upon the village and the portal was finally fixed. Aphmau had changed into the clothes Khira gave her, along with some other additions Gene procured for her like a leather belt with a place to hold her sword (which was a gift from Boldolf) and a leather bag that held some herbs, ready-made medicines, and a knife. Aphmau had put her hair into a braid so it was more contained and Gene gave her some mini lessons in wielding a sword before night fell so she could at least defend herself properly (something he was hoping he wouldn't end up regretting). Finally, they were standing in front of the portal, which had been lit when they got there. The portal itself was a purple hue, misty and ominous. Aphmau hated the feeling she got from it but she wasn't going to back out now.

"We've got our forces ready in case anything tries to come out. Come back in one piece," Boldolf said to them, though it was obvious most of his concern was aimed towards Aphmau as she wasn't as experienced in fighting as Gene was. Many werewolves were armed with actual weapons (mostly the younger ones whose claws weren't sharp or hard enough to use as weapons) and they even had some armor on that was made specifically for them; they were prepared this time. Aphmau and Gene nodded before turning to the portal. Aphmau stepped forward first, entering into the misty embrace of the portal. She felt like she was spinning rapidly and everything was blurry. When the spinning finally stopped and her vision returned, she looked at where she wound up and froze to the spot.

Red soil crunched under her feet, though it felt more like rock and the walls were covered with the same stuff. It was like she was inside a giant cave with no sky above her to illuminate the way. It was very dim and hot, the only light coming from glowing crystals hanging from the cave ceiling in clusters or the lava dripping from holes in the walls. Aphmau was already sweating from the heat and it was quickly becoming unbearable, but she refused to leave now just because of some heat. Gene arrived shortly after and seemed quite unbothered by the heat or surroundings. "Well, where to now?" Gene asked as he looked at Aphmau, who looked terrified. "Forward," she muttered before taking in a deep breath and starting to walk.

Gene followed behind her, watching her closely. He found it odd how despite being obviously scared out of her mind, she continued on with what she promised she'd do. They were silent for their journey, often passing strange, humanoid pigs. They never attacked them, despite wielding golden swords, and Aphmau seemed to understand not to go near them. Their trek was slowed for a while by some weird, ashy brown soil that appeared to have screaming faces embedded into it. Their shoes sunk into it and it took them forever to move past it, but when they did they were not disappointed by what they saw.

A giant castle made of deep, black bricks lay over a huge pool of lava that stretched farther than either of them could see. A huge bridge led right to the front entrance, lined with strange lanterns that appeared to be made of the crystal Aphmau had seen on the ceiling everywhere. Aphmau didn't like how quiet it was but the castle was the only thing they had seen that looked like a place someone could be kept prisoner, so they couldn't just ignore it. "Should we just... walk right in?" Aphmau slowly asked Gene. To her surprise, Gene ignored her question and began to walk across the bridge. Aphmau quickly followed, unsure of what he was thinking but not daring to question him.

When they finally entered the castle, they were met with a grand entryway, lined with suits of armor and banners bearing a strange symbol that appeared to be a bleeding rose with a sword sticking out of it. Marble pillars stood out drastically from the black bricks that made up the castle but looked oddly right with it all the same. Torches glowing in an unnatural blue hue lined the pillars, flooding the place with a dull blue hue. As Aphmau and Gene made their way upstairs (Gene leading), Aphmau began to question how Gene knew where they were going. At first, she thought she was thinking too deeply about it but was quickly proven wrong when Gene never took a wrong turn, despite all the halls looking identical to one another.

Eventually, they entered a strange room with a cage in it, along with a chair and a table across from it, as if someone sat there to watch the inhabitants of the cage struggle and suffer for amusement. Aphmau quickly snapped out her thinking, however, when she heard soft whimpering from the cage. Aphmau rushed over and saw a wolf pup like Lowell huddled inside, injured but alive. "Are you Kiva?" Aphmau asked in a soft whisper, trying to sound as kind and harmless as possible. The wolf pup jolted before turning towards Aphmau, sniffed, then seemed to relax. "You smell like my home! Did you come here to save me?" Kiva asked Aphmau. "We did and don't you worry, you'll be back home and safe in no time at all," Aphmau stated before looking for some keys to the cage. Moments later, the door was unlocked and Aphmau scooped Kiva into her arms gently, who had passed out from exhaustion (no thanks to the extreme heat). "Okay, let's get going Gene-" but Aphmau was cut off when she barely dodged a strike from a silver sword.

The sword cut her right cheek badly, going right up towards the ridge of her nose, and bled profusely, dripping everywhere. Aphmau barely had time to react before a second strike aimed at her other cheek came. She managed to dodge that one a little better, only ending up with a small (but wide) cut on the other side. Aphmau staggered before falling to the ground, bleeding from the face. She looked up to see Gene glaring down at her, like she was scum, and holding his sword which was splattered with her blood. "G-Gene-" Aphmau started but was cut off when Gene slashed at her left and right lower leg, just below the knee. He was aiming to make her hurt too much to run but seemed to miscalculate how little she felt pain as she appeared unbothered by the cuts and the amount of blood she was losing.

Aphmau managed to get over the betrayal and stood up weakly, wobbling on her feet but keeping Kiva protected. Blood had managed to get into her eye and was congealing, making it hard for her to see but she never took her eyes off Gene, who almost seemed impressed. "Now I get it," Aphmau muttered, stepping back as Gene came closer, "you're a Shadow Knight, one of the ones that attacked the werewolves and got away," she finished as she continued to try and keep her distance from Gene who couldn't seem less impressed now. "Nothing against you doll, but I can't be having you go around telling people what you've seen of the Nether. That's what us Shadow Knights call the Shadow Abyss. Far better name in my opinion," Gene stated, watching her closely.

Aphmau stared with her current good eye before looking to the side for a moment. She decided right then and there what she needed to do. Aphmau kicked the small table next to the chair at Gene, who had to dodge it. When he looked back at her, he caught the end of her braid disappearing through the entryway to the room. He laughed a low, meticulous laugh. He was amused by her attempt at running. "You won't get far Aphmau!" Gene hollered as he made his way after her. Soon enough he entered a room of mostly pillars, which cast shadows around the room that appeared human in shape at times. "You were dumb to trust me, Aphmau!" Gene said to the room as he prowled around it. Her trail of blood led him here, so he was sure she was listening. "Not entirely, I'm afraid! But yes, I should have been more cautious. My panic for my friend clouded my judgement," Aphmau's voice responded, seeming to echo off the walls. Gene looked around a pillar, expecting her to be there but she wasn't.

He caught another glimpse of her braid disappearing behind a different pillar and chased after her but ended up losing her again. "What do you mean not entirely? You told me everything I wanted to know, no questions asked," Gene responded, trying to search for her using her blood trail but by now the blood was everywhere and he couldn't determine where she was with it anymore. "Your voice gave you away. The way you spoke made it obvious to me you were lying about something, and the excitement you held about coming with me into this place was worrying, so I lied to you about some stuff since then," Aphmau responded, once again dodging out of Gene's sight before he spotted her. A true game of cat and mouse, and it appeared the mouse was winning.

"You knew I was hiding something and were still nice to me? How idiotic can you be? Haven't you been told kindness gets you killed?" Gene laughed at her, mocking her and trying to make her unsure of herself. Most people stopped moving when they began second-guessing themselves. It was human instinct to stop and question themselves, so he was hoping he'd find her that way. "I have, but I don't care about that! After all, it would appear that kindness has gotten me quite a long way. I survived Boldolf by being kind, I've gained information by being kind, and I even broke down your walls by being kind," Aphmau responded confidently. "You, however, are quite weak in my eyes. Kindness is something no one can afford to give because they are scared of what'll happen to them. They get nothing out of being kind, so why do it? You are like everyone else; weak and scared, turning to violence and insults to mask your insecurities and fears," Aphmau stated, her voice becoming serious.

Gene stopped for a moment before looking behind a pillar and striking with his sword. He managed to find her and hit her across the right side of her waist, cutting deep into her skin. She quickly disappeared again, however, and Gene yelled in frustration. How was this small, insignificant woman evading him all while taunting him? "I am strong because I care for others. I am strong because I can risk getting myself hurt for others in more ways than one. I am strong because I am kind despite how cruel our world is. No matter who it is I'm speaking with, everyone deserves kindness and to be treated right, even as they hurt me," Aphmau stated as she ducked behind a different pillar just before Gene looked behind the one she was at previously.

Suddenly, she was behind him and hit him over the head with the blunt part of her sword, knocking him to the ground. She picked up his dropped sword before he could act and stabbed it into his shoulder, where he immediately screamed out in pain but glared at her all the same. "You should stay here a bit and think about what has happened. Despite your betrayal, Gene, I still do admire your strength and the time we spent together, while it may have been a lie, was still quite fun," Aphmau said and smiled at him brightly as if he didn't just cut her multiple times and made her bleed everywhere. Aphmau then turned on her heel and left without looking back, Gene yelling profanities after her and cursing her, swearing he'd take her head the next time they met.

Only after Aphmau had exited the palace and got across the bridge did she collapse. "I was really hoping he wouldn't betray me. Seems my hopes were for nothing," she muttered softly, shaking from blood loss. At least she wasn't cold, as the heat from the magma around her warmed her body. Aphmau carefully stood back up, almost falling over, before continuing on her way to the portal. "Miss?" Kiva's soft voice called to her from her arms. "It's okay, I'm fine," Aphmau said quickly as Kiva stared at her wounds with immense concern, "but can I ask what happened to the Lord of Bright Port?' Aphmau then asked as she shakily made her way through the brownish soil that slowed her movements even more. "The man in red with the beard? He was with me in the cage, he was trying to comfort me while he was there, but shortly before you showed up, a guy I didn't recognize showed up and took him away," Kiva answered tiredly, staring at the ground sleepily.

Aphmau just nodded a little with a soft hum as she continued through the Nether. She soon spotted the portal but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw it. A man she didn't recognize but felt like she should know was standing at the portal, a man dressed in deep crimson hues with brown hair and a beard slung over the other's shoulder. The Lord of Brightport was right in front of her and any other day she'd have jumped in to rescue him, but she wasn't in fighting condition. She could only watch as the other man walked through the portal with the unconscious Lord. After about five minutes of Aphmau being rooted to the spot, she finally moved toward the portal and walked through, experiencing that spinning sensation again before popping back out in the Overworld.

Aphmau was met with the smell of burning and saw badly injured werewolves all around her. None dead, but unconscious. Aphmau saw the wooden steps were burned badly, along with the fencing around them and she quickly made her way up them. When she exited the cave, she was met with the sight of the werewolf village in flames. The houses were on fire, some of their roofs completely gone, and the farms destroyed. The fire pit was broken and it seemed most of the fire had spread from it. Aphmau leaned against the wall of the cave entrance, feeling weak and terrified.

"Aphmau!" A voice called and she turned her head to see Boldolf and Khira running towards her, both injured but upright. More werewolves, in similar conditions, were following behind. "I got her," Aphmau muttered softly when they arrived, holding Kiva out carefully with shaking arms. Khira took Kiva and Aphmau could tell she was speaking, as well as Boldolf, but all she heard was a sharp ringing in her ears. "I think... I'm gonna rest for a bit," Aphmau muttered softly before slowly shutting her eyes and collapsing, only seeing Boldolf lunge to catch her before everything went black.

~To Be Continued~

Chapter Text

Everything was white, a soft bell tolling away as if signaling something was happening soon. Aphmau felt as light as a feather, like nothing could hold her down. She looked around, not moving from her floating position. “Wake up,” a sudden voice echoed around her, its source unknown. “What?” Aphmau answered, trying to see who had spoken. Her eyes landed on a woman dressed in white, gold, and plum purple. Her eyes were hidden behind shadows, but Aphmau could feel her staring at her. "I said, wake up. You have to wake up. It's not your time yet," The woman said in a soft, calming voice. The woman began walking towards Aphmau and she noticed the woman didn't wear shoes nor have many defining features aside from her deep black, almost bluish hair. 

The woman reached over, placing a hand over Aphmau's eyes. "Wake up," the woman said once more as a final bell tolled, louder than the rest. When Aphmau opened her eyes, she was laying in a bed, wrapped up heavily. One of her eyes had been wrapped as well and at first, Aphmau didn't realize why, but memories of her exploits in the Nether and Gene's betrayal flooded her mind. 'Oh, right. He cut me close to my eye,' Aphmau thought, and she assumed the werewolves just bandaged that whole side of her face as a precaution. 'Wait...' Aphmau thought again before sitting up rapidly. "The village!" Aphmau said to no one in particular, panicked. The last time she saw the werewolf village it was in flames and many of them were wounded.

Aphmau threw the soft blankets off her and she quickly hopped to her feet. However, it seemed her body had other plans as she immediately fell forwards and thumped loudly onto the wooden floor. Aphmau carefully got up, being slower this time and leaning on objects. She didn't smell smoke and it seemed like a good day if the view outside the window was to be believed. Aphmau hobbled over to the window and peered out of it. She could see the whole werewolf village below her, meaning she must be in one of the highest houses. The village still seemed worse for wear but it was obvious repairs were being made. The fires had been put out and the fire pit was put out entirely. Seemed fire wasn't exactly welcome in any form at the time.

Aphmau turned to the doorway and hobbled over to it slowly. When she exited the house, she could see werewolves moving about the village holding supplies and tools, a lot of them taking human forms to better use the tools they had. Aphmau looked to the side of the house and saw a cane there, the top carved to look like a bird. A note was attached to it and Aphmau plucked it and read:  This cane is for Sister Aphmau when she awakens, but I did not know where to put it so I shall set it against the house for you to deal with later, Alpha. -Tala . Aphmau stared at the letter for a moment longer, wondering just how long she had been out, before grabbing the cane and using it to help her down the hill the house was perched upon.

When Aphmau entered the village, the werewolves all immediately halted their work and swarmed her with questions, concerns, and other words that all muddled together for Aphmau. She could barely get a word in before a loud howl silenced the group and they split to form a path, where Boldolf stood. "Sister Aphmau! You are awake!" He said, sounding surprisingly happy. He engulfed Aphmau in a big hug, lifting her off the ground in the process. "Whoa! Yeah, I'm up! I'm glad to see everyone is alright," Aphmau stated, laughing at being picked up so easily as if she weighed nothing to him. Boldolf carefully set her down and had her walk with him while the other werewolves went back to work, seeming quite happy.

"Yes, we have all recovered well. Our wounds were not as bad as they seemed at first. We were far more worried about you. You came out of the cave covered in deep wounds and blood, all while sheltering Kiva. We didn't see the male with you anywhere and had no time to question you as you fell unconscious," Boldolf stated as he let Aphmau use his furry arm as extra support. "Do not let Gene through that portal," Aphmau suddenly said, halting in her steps. "He's a Shadow Knight and did this to me. I was able to get the better of him via hiding and speaking to him to distract him, but I don't know if he'll stay in the Nether for long," Aphmau explained after seeing Boldolf's confused expression.

"That traitor! To do that to someone like you! I'll tear him limb from limb if he ever shows his face again!" Boldolf snarled angrily. "How dare he lay a finger on someone from our pack!" He then added, very upset. "Your pack?" Aphmau asked, extremely confused. Boldolf turned to her with a soft smile. "Yes. You have done so much for us, Sister Aphmau, that we all agreed you should be an honorary part of our pack. You may be human but you have helped us in our time of need without wanting anything in return for yourself. Werewolf or not, you are one of us and if you should ever need our help, we shall answer that call without hesitation," Boldolf explained as they started walking again.

"What happened to the village? The only thing I remember after coming out of the portal was everything on fire," Aphmau asked as she looked around at the progress being done in the village with a soft smile. "A man came out of the portal and did quite a lot of damage while getting away. The Lord of Bright Port was over his shoulder and we don't know where he took him. We've never seen the man before, but he went off into the valley below," Boldolf explained, pointing towards the cliff edge. Aphmau had seen it from the window and knew it was just a very steep mountain that was possible to climb up and down. What she saw of the valley was very pretty, with lots of animals and even wild horses roaming in packs.

"I see. I'll have to do something about that, then. Maybe go after them and look for clues once I'm in a state to do so," Aphmau stated. Boldolf looked at her, seeming confused. "How come? He is not your Lord, correct? Why will you have to go after him?" He asked curiously as they stopped to say hi to a werewolf that was looking after the younger cubs (though Lowell and Kiva were not there). "I said I'd rescue Kiva and the Lord of Bright Port. I have only done one of those two things, therefore I have to complete what I said I'd do. Besides, I'm a Lord myself and I can't let another Lord get hurt or killed if I can do something to help," Aphmau explained as they continued walking, taking in the clean air of the mountain. 

Boldolf laughed at first, complimenting her resolve and compassion before they stopped by a pine tree where Aphmau sat down to rest. The village was small so there wasn't a lot to see, but being injured and walking through snow quickly wore Aphmau out. "You are a Lord?" Boldolf finally asked once she sat down. "Yes, well, technically I'm a stand-in until a new one can be properly found. Phoenix Drop is the town where I am Lord and their old Lord was killed a while before I showed up. I ended up lying about being Lord to keep a merchant in town given the town is already dying. I've been keeping up the lie for their sakes," Aphmau explained, twiddling her thumbs.

"Visher said I'd make a good Lord, but I'm not so sure anymore. I mean, I've been gone for an unknown amount of time and I could be considered a failure to the town. I just feel like a Lord should be there for their people, not away on some weird quest," Aphmau finished, looking up at the clear sky. "Hm, well, I think what you have and are still doing is quite noble. Many other people, including Lords, wouldn't have cared about anything going on outside of their town and some don't care even  if  it's their town. You are a wonderful and kind person to go out of your way to help those you don't know just because you want to. I believe any leader or person in power should be like you, despite what others may think," Boldolf replied, watching her closely.

Aphmau hummed softly before reaching up and taking off the bandages around her eye. "How's it look?" She asked as she felt the cold, crisp wind hit the still delicate flesh. "It's beginning to scar over and quite quickly, too. I believe we can put a normal bandage over it now so you may use both of your eyes," Boldolf replied, looking closely at her wound before helping her stand back up. Aphmau nodded in agreement and they headed off toward the healer's house.

It hadn't taken long to check Aphmau's wounds. They were still quite bad but considering it hadn't been long since she acquired them they were healing surprisingly fast. Khira had put normal bandages over the wounds as basic protection but Aphmau could now move around without having to only use one eye to see. During the treatment, Khira informed Aphmau that she had been asleep for almost three days and they had thought her dead at first. "Sorry to worry you guys so much, but I'm afraid I still have some things to do," Aphmau stated, seeming to be truly upset she would worry them further. She then filled them in on her plan to go after the Lord of Brightport. Aphmau had expected them to at least be upset a little bit but both Khira and Boldolf seemed proud.

"W-We know nothing we say will ch-change your mind, so I think I sp-speak for both my husband and e-everyone else in the village that as long as you come back a-alive, we will not try to stop you," Khira stated, smiling warmly at Aphmau. Aphmau smiled back, relieved. "I promise I will. If I can make it out of the Shadow Abyss alive, I think I can manage coming back alive while still in the overworld," Aphmau stated, laughing a little. "Then once you can walk on your own without the need for your cane you should go after the Lord of Brightport," Boldolf piped, ruffling Aphmau's hair slightly.

After her check-up, Aphmau headed off into town by herself while Boldolf stayed behind to speak with Khira. Once in town, she heard someone calling her name and turned to the side to see Kiva and Lowell rushing at her. They stopped before they ran into her but she could tell they were very excited. "We heard you woke up from the grown-ups! We were really worried!" Lowell said quickly. "I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me! You've been away from your pack for so long now!" Kiva cried. Aphmau managed to bend down and pet Kiva gently. "Don't apologize Kiva. I'd happily get hurt while protecting someone than go uninjured while they lost their life. Besides, I made it back in one piece didn't I?" Aphmau said, smiling purely at the pup.

"Yeah, you did! You were super cool as well, Sister Aphmau! I didn't see a lot of your fight cuz I was super tired but I heard you and stuff! You sounded super awesome!" Kiva stated, now jumping up and down happily. "I wanna be as cool as you when I grow up Sister Aphmau!" Lowell piped up, also jumping around happily. Aphmau laughed at their excitement before heading off with them to play some games.

Five hours passed before Aphmau was finally able to walk without her cane to aid her. Three of those hours were spent playing with Kiva and Lowell, while the other two were spent conversing with Boldolf about how Kiki had been doing. Once Aphmau geared herself up with a sword and basic supplies like medicine, bandages, and bread, she headed down into the valley below the werewolf village and set off toward some tall hills in the distance. It took two hours for her to finally reach the hills and when she did, she saw a wooden frame built into the side of the hill, covered by vines and moss growing wildly across the oak. The door was made of iron but it was rusty and easily broke off its hinges when Aphmau slammed her body into it enough times.

At first, she assumed it to be an abandoned mine but when she stepped inside, a smooth tunnel carved into the rock proved otherwise. It slopped downwards but was easy to walk across as it wasn't polished stone but just smoothed out so it wasn't sharp. The tunnel wasn't too long and when Aphmau reached the bottom, she was met with a big, empty room carved from stone in a perfect cube shape. She looked around for a moment, taking in her surroundings. She made note that the only entrance and, therefore, exit, was the tunnel she walked down so if she ended up trapped inside for any reason, her only exit was that tunnel.

As Aphmau spotted an archway leading to another off-room at one end of the room, she felt like someone was coming up behind her. Aphmau turned around in time to get slashed across her left eye which immediately started bleeding profusely. Blood dropped loudly onto the stone, staining it red as Aphmau shut the bleeding eye quickly and stepped backward. Her good eye slowly widened as she took in the male before her, who had wiped her blood off his steel sword. Aphmau didn't recognize the rest of him but his eyes she remembered clearly. At least, she remembered the shape and look they always gave her.

The once brown eyes belonging to Zenix had turned deep red and stared at her with hatred and pity. Aphmau had never known what to call the look in his eyes before given she saw him as a friend, but now that he had attacked her she finally understood that look. Zenix had short brown hair and was surprisingly pale with scars on his face, arms, and legs. Aphmau managed to pull out her sword in time to block another attack from him, holding him back. Aphmau shook away her surprise and replaced it with courage and she managed to push him back and strike him across the chest with her sword. "So you're a traitor too?" Aphmau asked as she dodged another attack from Zenix by side-stepping around him and striking him in the side with the blunt part of her blade.

"Is that what you call me? Then I should call you a fraud, you pathetic excuse for a Lord!" Zenix retaliated and tried again to hit her. He hadn't expected her to be this good at sword fighting and was beginning to believe his only strike to her was a lucky one. He hadn't expected to see her here at all. He thought she had already returned to Phoenix Drop. "At least I care about the village! I trusted you and so did everyone else! How long have you been faking your loyalty?!" Aphmau yelled, getting increasingly upset at the fact he betrayed everyone back in Phoenix Drop. Zenix laughed at her as their swords collided with a loud clang, which echoed across the stone walls.

"You're such an idiot woman, you know that, right? I haven't been loyal since the beginning! I've been pretending just to get information on the old Lord's family, and I've finally got what I was looking for. Did Garroth not tell you he found me shortly after the old Lord died?" Zenix asked as he pivoted and hit her again, though the damage was minimal and she only bled slightly from the wound received. "Do you really think that his death was some freak accident? How coincidental would that have been, huh?" Zenix laughed at her, smiling maliciously as she once again made some distance between them by pushing him back when their swords collided again.

Aphmau paused for a moment, processing what he said, and when it clicked, her anger grew once more. She didn't respond to him but Zenix felt the change in her demeanor. He flinched slightly at the look in her eyes. He had never seen her angry before and he didn't like it one bit. He felt like he was staring down an angry bear as he looked into her eyes, and what made it worse for him was that she wasn't even glaring. She still looked as calm as usual despite bleeding badly from one eye but she managed to change the atmosphere around her to make it obvious how she was feeling.

Then, Zenix finally understood. This was a warning. If he didn't back down now, she wouldn't hold back anymore. Normally, he wouldn't have taken her seriously due to her stature and lack of knowledge of fighting, but he still hesitated. "You think you scare me?! I've been going easy on you because I underestimated you slightly! I'll make sure you don't make it out of here alive!" Zenix yelled at her, though panic was in his voice. As Zenix rushed at her to strike at her heart, he swore he saw Aphmau's eye flash white before she dodged his attack quickly and, in the same motion as she dodged, struck his head with the end of her sword handle.

As her blow hit, a loud crack sounded and he fell face down onto the cold stone. A few seconds later and blood began pooling under his head, though he was still alive. Aphmau took in deep breaths, her heart suddenly hurting like it did when she tried to heal the crops back in Phoenix Drop a second time. Aphmau wobbled on her feet for a moment before sliding down against the wall and clutched her heart, trying to steady her rough breathing. Her ears were ringing and it felt like where she got hurt was on fire, though she didn't know why she knew what being on fire felt like. It wasn't painful like anyone would expect, but it was still worrying.

As her heart began to feel better, she felt someone touch her forehead. She looked up quickly to see the man cloaking in green she had spotted before, shortly after she arrived in Phoenix Drop. While his eyes were relaxed and his body language calm, his eyes showed concern in them, like he was silently asking her if she'd be okay. Aphmau stared at him for a moment before silently nodding as if confirming to him that she'd be alright. It appeared the stranger understood what she was implying with her nod and walked over to Zenix. As the man picked Zenix up, Aphmau saw he was bleeding badly from his nose, mouth, and forehead, as well as being knocked out cold.

Aphmau looked back at the man and stared for a moment longer. "Good luck," she muttered softly, to which he nodded softly and disappeared when Aphmau blinked. Aphmau took a few more deep breaths before she slowly stood up and made her way to the off-room past the archway. Another room met her eyes, one that had iron bars going across the length of the room on one side and crates on the other side of the bars in the open part of the room. A bed, table, lamp, and what seemed to be an empty plate that once had something crumbly on it were inside the cell. As Aphmau made her way into the center of the room, she saw a man clad in deep reds and gold hiding behind the table, as if he was trying to both hide and protect himself.

The man was pale with deep brown hair and a messy beard, though Aphmau had a feeling it wasn't meant to be so unkempt. His eyes were a piercing blue and as he spotted her, the fear in his eyes drained away and was replaced by concern. He stood up quickly and walked over to the bars. "Miss, are you alright?! You're bleeding horribly!" He asked quickly, having a slight accent and a deep voice. Aphmau gave him a weak smile. "Yes, I'm okay. I could be doing far worse, honestly. I'm Aphmau and I've come to rescue you. The man who took you here is not here now, I dealt with him," Aphmau explained before spotting some keys hanging on the wall near the cell door.

Aphmau hobbled over and took them down before unlocking the door and setting the man free. "You're Lord Burt, right? You're people have been worried sick about you and are blaming the werewolves for your disappearance. If I don't get you back soon, I fear war is not far behind for the two villages," Aphmau stated as Burt exited the cell. Aphmau noticed he had some scratches and cuts on him, as well as a few burn marks. Aphmau attributed those to his time in the Nether, but it did upset her to see him hurt.

"You know the werewolves?" Burt asked her as he helped her out of the rooms and back up the tunnel to reach the outside world once more. "Yes, I'm on good terms with them. I traveled into the Shadow Abyss to rescue you and their pup, Kiva, but when I learned you had been taken I came to find you as soon as I could walk on my own again. Apologies that it has taken this long to get to you," Aphmau explained as they reached the exit. "Do not apologize, my dear. You've done more than enough. I'm surprised you made it out of that god-forsaken place alive in the first place. I suppose we should head back to the werewolf village where they can take a look at that eye of yours," Burt stated as he and Aphmau went to make their way back toward the place Aphmau came from.

"Yes, I believe that would be a good-" but Aphmau paused in her talking as she heard a soft whining from an animal near the trees growing at the base of the hill they just exited. She immediately turned around before she had even begun walking and headed straight for the noise, lord Burt following after her. When she got to where the sound was loudest, she bent down and moved some bushes aside. There, among the dirt and overgrowth, she found a puppy. It was around three months old, maybe four, and was hurt. "Why, that's a Siberian Husky pup right there. You don't find dogs like that in the wild. I wonder if someone abandoned it out here in the middle of nowhere," Burt piped up as he bent down to get a closer look.

The dog's fur was brown and white with a white heart shape in its fur on its forehead. Its eyes were two different colors with the left one being pale blue and the right a deep brown. Aphmau carefully picked up the puppy, which immediately started wriggling and crying louder. "Shhhh, it's okay, sweetheart. I won't let anyone hurt you again," Aphmau muttered softly to the puppy. Just like that, the small pup calmed down and relaxed in her arms. Aphmau held it close and let it rest in her arms. "I guess I have a dog now," Aphmau laughed softly as she and Burt finally headed off.

An hour after they arrived back in the werewolf village, Aphmau and Burt had been patched up. Aphmau had been informed that her eye wasn't going to have any lasting damage other than a nasty scar when it healed as long as she took care of it properly and that she was lucky she didn't go blind. Khira had entirely wrapped that eye in bandages and gave Aphmau instructions on how to properly take care of the wound. Afterward, Khira tended to the puppy Aphmau had found. "Wh-what will you name your n-new companion?" Khira asked as she finished patching the dog up, who was now happily bounding around Aphmau's legs. Aphmau was silent for a moment as she thought.

"Thorgi," Aphmau finally said after a few minutes. "A wonderful name," Lord Burt stated, smiling a little at the energetic pup. "I'll be heading home soon. I've already been away from my village for too long," Aphmau stated as she picked up Thorgi and pet him while he rested in her lap. "Do you need an escort back to your village? I can send you with a guard if needed," Burt asked, concerned for her safety after everything that happened. Aphmau just shook her head, however. "No, I can make it on my own. Besides, the boat I took to get here isn't exactly mine, so I have to return it," Aphmau explained, to which Burt just nodded.

An hour later, Aphmau and Burt were back in Brightport, much to the people's pleasure. Burt bid Aphmau farewell when she got in the boat she stole from Paul before he had to go and explain the situation with the werewolves to his people. Aphmau, meanwhile, began sailing back to Phoenix Drop with her new puppy, who was napping in the boat.

When Aphmau finally got back to Phoenix Drop, it was dark out given she had left in the afternoon. After she tied up the boat and got Thorgi out, she headed back into town. She headed straight to the house Brendan had last been recovering in and didn't run into anyone on her way there. As she opened the door, she saw Kiki asleep in a chair by the fireplace which was lit and burning softly. Aphmau smiled a little and set Thorgi down (who immediately began sniffing around the house). Aphmau dug around a crate near the door and pulled out a blanket. She carefully draped it over Kiki and brushed her hair out of her face before heading upstairs; Thorgi clumsily following after her.

When Aphmau made it upstairs she saw Brendan asleep in the bed closest to the window she had previously jumped out of, which was open to let in some cool air. Aphmau walked over to his bedside and pulled his blankets up for him before closing the window quietly. She turned back around and pulled up a chair to Brendan's bedside, where she promptly sat down. She pulled Thorgi up onto her lap and rested there as Thorgi fell asleep. Soon, Aphmau found her eyes drifting shut as her exhaustion finally caught up with her until finally sleep took hold and she drifted off into a dreamless rest.

When Aphmau woke up, the sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. Aphmau yawned slightly and glanced at Brendan, who she was surprised to see was awake and staring at her. When he noticed she was awake he blinked slightly before reaching out a hand and poking her cheek. "Brendan? What are you doing?" Aphmau asked, smiling slightly. "Oh my god, you're actually here," he whispered in response, seeming to be amazed she was really there before him and not a hallucination.

"Yes, it's really me. Sorry I've been away so long, but I'm back now," Aphmau stated and held his hand in hers. "How are you doing? I wasn't able to get updates on your condition while in Brightport," Aphmau then asked as she stood up, carefully putting Thorgi on Brendan's bed. "How am I- Aphmau, you're entire eye is bandaged heavily along with a bunch of other wounds on you and you wanna know how  I'm  doing?!" Brendan whisper-yelled at her as he slowly pat Thorgi, who had woken up and was demanding attention from the new person in the room.

Aphmau sighed a little as she gently raised her hand and placed it over her bandaged eye. "I'll be fine. It isn't as bad as it looks, honest," Aphmau said softly. She then walked over to a table in the room that had a basin with some water in it. "Do you need to change your bandages?" Aphmau asked, jerking her head at his bandaged torso as he wasn't wearing a shirt. "Oh. Yeah, I do I guess," Brendan muttered as he watched Thorgi jump off the bed clumsily. "When'd you get a dog?" He then asked, curious as to how Aphmau managed to find a puppy. "On my way back to Brightport from a little side adventure. He was abandoned in the middle of the woods, so I took him with me," Aphmau explained as she heaved the basin of water over to his bedside.

She then found the bandages and a spare cloth while Brendan carefully removed his old ones, which were dirty with accumulated dust and dried blood from when he moved too fast and opened his wound again. Aphmau stared at his wound for a moment before carefully washing away any debris with the now-wet cloth, being careful to not touch the wound too roughly. "I'm really glad you're back, Aphmau. Everyone's been worried about you. That Logan guy kept saying you abandoned the village but Donna shut him up pretty quick," Brendan suddenly muttered as he watched Aphmau work.

"I would never abandon Phoenix Drop!" Aphmau said quickly, looking up at him, "I'm sorry, I ended up being gone too long because I couldn't mind my own business and got wrapped up in the problems of someone else. I helped them in the end and I don't regret that, but I do regret not being able to tell everyone I was okay and coming back to town," she then added softly as she began bandaging his wound with fresh bandages, having moved the old ones off to the side to be disposed of later. "It's okay, you're back now and that's what matters. I'm guessing no one else knows you're back?" Brendan asked, but before Aphmau could answer him they both heard someone walking up the stairs.

Thorgi immediately ran towards the stairs and wagged his tail happily as Kiki's head came into view from the steps. "A dog? Brendan, how'd a puppy get-" Kiki began as she stepped onto the second floor, turning to face Brendan. She went silent the moment she saw Aphmau, her mouth agape, and eyes wide with shock. "Thorgi, leave her alone," Aphmau called to her new puppy, who just tilted his head at her in a confused fashion. "I'm just gonna assume I'll have to train him to understand that and leave it at that," she then muttered before looking toward Kiki.

Silence filled the air for a while with Brendan looking between the two women with concern. "I'm back and I'm gonna need some help with learning how to care for a dog," Aphmau broke the silence and laughed a little, smiling at Kiki. Aphmau was quickly engulfed in a hug, only seeing a flash of bright red hair before Kiki buried her face in Aphmau's shoulder. Aphmau heard Kiki crying softly and felt her shoulder moisten from tears. She hugged Kiki tightly and rubbed her back softly. "Sorry, I think I should have started off with an apology. I thought joking a bit would lighten the mood," Aphmau muttered.

"No! No, it's okay! I was just so shocked to see you that I thought I was hallucinating! You're alive! Hurt but alive! What happened to you!" Kiki fired a million questions at Aphmau as she pulled away from the hug and held Aphmau by her shoulders, happiness in her bright green eyes. Aphmau sat down with Kiki on Brendan's bed and told them the entire story of her adventure to Brightport on Paul's stolen boat (leaving out the part about Zenix being the one to attack her when she found the Lord of Brightport). When she finally finished, Kiki was sobbing again.

"You're such an amazing person!" Kiki sobbed, drawing out the word 'person' in her sentence as she hugged Aphmau again. "Whoa, you had a  lot  going on. You went to a place everyone thought was a myth! That's amazing!" Brendan piped up, more amazed than concerned about everything Aphmau went through. "Honestly, it was all extremely exhausting. I think I should spend a few days recovering, maybe find a hobby or do some simple work around the village. I just need to take my mind off everything I've been through until I can fully process it all," Aphmau stated, letting her exhaustion show on her face.

"Yes! You seriously need to get some rest! Should I go get Garroth or Donna?" Kiki immediately piped up, wiping away her tears as she stood up abruptly, disturbing Thorgi who had been laying down at her feet. Aphmau just nodded slightly. "Then I'll get fetch them! I'll fill them in on the basic stuff like your condition and stuff, but you can tell them what you told us when you want to," the red-haired girl stated cheerfully before rushing down the stairs two at a time. Aphmau heard the door shut downstairs and then looked at Brendan. "Do... you know how to change eye bandages?" She asked hesitantly, motioning to her eye. Brendan just chuckled a little and nodded before beginning to help her change her bandages.

When Kiki finally returned she wasn't alone. Pretty much the whole of Phoenix Drop was soon upstairs, staring at Aphmau in shock. Everyone quickly broke out either into tears of happiness at her being back (Donna, Brian, Molly, and Dale mostly), looked at her with amazement at the fact she was alive (Logan and Emmalyn), or rapidly questioned her on what happened to her (Garroth and Paul). It took Aphmau a full hour to finally calm everyone down enough to explain what happened to her. She still left out the involvement of Zenix in her story for their sake but she included everything else.

Once she finished, everyone began bombarding her with even more questions and concerns but it was Donna and Molly who calmed everyone down this time. "You lot all need to leave her alone for right now! She's already been through Hell and back! Aphmau needs to rest and relax her head. She can answer our questions later," Donna said sternly, Molly nodding along in agreement behind her. Soon everyone was slowly being ushered out of the house (Emmalyn put up quite the fight because she wanted information on the Nether and the Shadow Knight Aphmau ran into), leaving behind Molly, Donna, Kiki, Paul, and Brendan.

Garroth was waiting downstairs for when Aphmau decided to leave as he'd be escorting her out of concern. "Thanks for helping me calm them all down," Aphmau thanked Molly and Donna before turning to Paul, "and I got your ship back safely. Sorry again about taking it," she then finished, looking down in shame. "Darlin', don't you apologize! I left you alone with someone who bloody tried to kill you! I should be apologizin' out of everyone here!" Paul said quickly, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking her over slightly.

"There was no way you would have known what Gene really was. At least now we know and can prevent it from happening again," Aphmau comforted him, smiling brightly. She then said her goodbyes to everyone and decided to leave Thorgi with Kiki so she could look him over for any wounds or illnesses that Khira might've missed as a precaution. Aphmau then made her way downstairs, where Garroth was waiting for her patiently. "Oh! Are you already done talking with everyone?" He asked as he spotted her. "Yes, I think I'm finally done reassuring them all I'm okay. Shall we head out?" Aphmau asks, to which Garroth nodded in agreement and led her outside. They began making their way to Emmalyn's house to gather some things Aphmau might've left there.

"Garroth, I need to talk to you," Aphmau suddenly stated as she stopped in the middle of the path halfway to Emmalyn's library. Garroth stopped as well and turned to face her. "You can tell me anything, Lord Aphmau, but why now when you could've mentioned it earlier?" He asked, tilting his head in slight confusion. Aphmau took in a deep breath. "Garroth, I'm gonna tell you something that I didn't want anyone else to hear and you don't have to believe me. I know what I'm about to say is going to sound incredibly farfetched but you know I'd never lie to you," she began, looking up at him and he could tell from the look in her eye that she was deadly serious.

He nodded slightly, more concerned now. Was it something on her condition she couldn't tell anyone else in case it started a panic? "Garroth, I know I told you and everyone that a stranger gave me this cut across my eye but that was a lie. I know who it was and you do too. Everyone here knows them," Aphmau explained, still holding whatever eye contact she could with him considering his helmet hid his entire face. "Zenix attacked me. He took the Lord of Brightport from the Nether and burned down much of the werewolf village before escaping into the valley, where he hid him away in that underground room. When he saw me he tried to kill me and it resulted in my eye getting like this," she finished her statement, finally blinking and taking in a deep breath.

Garroth was still and silent but he didn't need to say a word for Aphmau to understand what he was feeling. It was radiating off him like mist. It was like she could almost see it. He was in disbelief and a million questions were running through his head. He was reliving all his memories with Zenix, trying to piece together if this was true and, as he did so, a lot of things that hadn't made sense back then suddenly did. As the reality of Zenix's betrayal; no, of him showing his true colors set in, Garroth's legs almost gave out from under him. Panic began setting in and he leaned against a nearby fence post to stop himself from falling over. He had always been calm and collected, the one who kept everyone in order but now he felt like he was out of control, like he was losing himself.

Just when he was beginning to start having a full-on panic attack, arms wrapped around him and he slowly came back to reality. He looked down slightly and saw Aphmau hugging him, her face buried in his shoulder. "I can't begin to understand what you're going through. I can't understand what I'm feeling either. I thought Zenix was a friend and he betrayed all of us. I don't know why he did any of this but I'll help make sure it never happens again," Aphmau muttered, tightening her grip slightly.

They stood like that for a while, Garroth thinking over what she said. Aphmau wasn't sure she could prevent another Zenix incident, but she wanted to believe she could. After a while, Garroth finally regained balance and stood upright again, Aphmau letting go of him. "Sorry for reacting like that. The shock of that information just got to me a little too much," Garroth stated, sounding surprisingly calm. "I probably should have waited to tell you until we were in a place you could sit down, but I was afraid I might forget to say something," Aphmau replied, twiddling her thumbs.

"No, I understand why you told me now. Thank you for telling me this. I don't want to believe it but too many things make sense now that you've told me this, from his actions to his suspicious arrival. I found Zenix in a similar situation to you but you've shown to be much different from Zenix. I'll keep hold of this information but I don't think anyone else should know just yet," Garroth explained and patted her shoulder. Aphmau smiled a little but she still felt bad for causing him to panic. Garroth had pretty much raised Zenix from what she had heard around town before so the shock of him being a traitor and one Garroth trained himself was bound to cause him to break.

Aphmau sighed heavily and they continued walking to Emmalyn's, though now an awkward silence followed them. When they finally arrived, Emmalyn was putting away some new books on her shelves and was very unhappy to see Aphmau back. "Oh great, is she still rooming with me?" Emmalyn asked, glaring at her though still curious to ask about her experience in the Shadow Abyss. "No, Aphmau's home has been finished and furnished with a basic bed so she can move in now. We came to pick up anything Aphmau may have left here during her stay," Garroth explained to Emmalyn as Aphmau walked into the room she had once slept in and found the blank book she had been writing in, along with the one she burnt on accident.

She grabbed the bottle of ink and the quill she used as well, tucking them away in her pockets so she wouldn't drop them. "Hey, Emmalyn, can I ask you something?" Aphmau suddenly asked as she walked into the main library. "I suppose so, but make it quick," Emmalyn said as she continued shelving books. Garroth tapped Aphmau's shoulder and motioned to the front doors, silently saying he'd wait outside, to which Aphmau nodded in agreement and watched him leave. "I wanted to ask if I could borrow some books to learn from, if that's alright," Aphmau responded, walking a little closer.

Emmalyn almost dropped a book she was holding and turned towards Aphmau. "You want to read?" She asked hesitantly, looking her up and down as if she had expected Aphmau to be illiterate. Aphmau nodded quickly, smiling. "Yes! I wanted to learn about some stuff I could do as a hobby but I don't know about anything like that, so I was hoping you might be able to help," she stated quickly, looking around at the many books on the shelves, all carefully put away and tended to. Emmalyn hummed a little, thinking it over. Normally, she would have immediately told her hell no, but Aphmau was asking her outright instead of just taking a book and she seemed quite genuine, so she made up her mind.

"Fine, you can take what books you'd like but you better bring them back exactly the way they were when they left their shelves! I won't tolerate another book being damaged by your hands," Emmalyn stated sternly, wagging a finger at Aphmau in a warning manner. Aphmau bowed deeply, smiling even brighter. "Thank you! I'll take good care of your books, I swear!" And with that, Aphmau began looking around the shelves for any books she could find to help her discover a hobby.

By the time Aphmau left Emmalyn's, she had amassed quite the collection of reading material, so much so that Garroth had to help her carry some of the books. Altogether she had books on subjects including but not limited to woodworking, gardening, cooking, painting, sculpting, embroidery, knitting, sewing, sword fighting, botany, archery, and gemology. She also gathered a few books on how to care for animals in general but also had a book on dogs specifically that included their diets based on breed, exercise information, and some simple commands to train them with.

"Will uh... will you be able to read all these?" Garroth hesitantly asked, motioning to the two stacks of books in each of their arms. "Hopefully! I just chose everything that seemed interesting, honestly. Maybe some of this stuff I'll be good at, maybe I'll be garbage at others. I'm just excited about the learning process. I need all the information I can get," Aphmau explained as they made their way up to her finished house. Logan had completed it for her, with occasional help from Brian and Dale when they were available.

Garroth managed to open the front door for her before walking in and placing down his stack of books on the wooden floor. Aphmau followed behind and did the same. "You should get some sleep before you try to read any of these. Have a good night Lady Aphmau," Garroth stated and turned to leave her home. "Garroth," Aphmau's voice rang out and Garroth stopped dead in his tracks, but he did not look at her. "If you ever need to talk, especially about everything going on, you can come to me. I can't guarantee I'll understand but I will say that anything you tell me stays between us," she stated, "have a good night yourself, Garroth," Aphmau finished as she watched him leave, shutting her door behind him.

Two days passed after Aphmau returned and she spent those two days mostly huddled up in her house. No one minded much considering she needed the rest but after not seeing her for a while, people began to get worried. Brendan was finally up and about, able to walk on his own without much pain except for a small sting here or there so he decided to head up to Aphmau's place with Kiki and Donna. Donna knocked on Aphmau's door and waited, looking around the outside of it. "Is it just me or are there fewer trees around here than before?" Donna suddenly asked. Brendan looked around and noticed the lack of trees as well.

"Now that you mention it, yeah, there is. There weren't many to begin with after the house was finished but now there are fewer. Wonder what happened to them," Brendan answered, very confused as to how this happened. Suddenly, Aphmau's door opened and she was wearing a white cloth around her nose and mouth, a saw in her hand. She quickly pulled down the cloth, smiling happily. "Oh, hey guys! Did you need something?" She asked, wiping something off her pants.

"Oh, we just wanted to see how you were doing. You haven't left your house much and we started getting worried. What uh... what're you up to?" Kiki responded, peering inside. "Oh! Come on in, I'll show you!" Aphmau motioned for them to follow her inside. She turned on her heel and walked in, the others following after her. They were met with a bunch of sawdust on the ground (of which Thorgi was rolling in as he had been returned to her a day earlier) and pieces of wood scattered around. There were many new pieces of furniture around, including four chairs, a big table, counters, a chest, and some shelves that seemed to be meant for hanging.

"Sorry for the mess! I was gonna do this outside but the wind picked up too much and my plans kept getting blown away so I had to do it all inside. I'll sweep everything out later," Aphmau explained as she sat down on one of her new chairs and began sawing a larger piece of wood in half. "What in the world is all this?" Donna asked, but she was smiling and looking around excitedly. Brendan was inspecting the other pieces she made, staring at them in awe. "I picked up a new hobby. I decided to learn woodworking and thought I should start small. I made little statues at first then moved on to bigger items once I got the hang of the tools. I picked it up kinda fast but it's really fun!" She explained excitedly.

"I'll say! It's only been two days and look at what you've created!" Kiki said happily, petting a now dirty Thorgi. A loud thunk echoed through Aphmau's house as the large piece of wood finally broke in two. "Is this what happened to all the trees outside?" Brendan asked, walking over and peering at some of Aphmau's plans on the new table she made. "Yeah, I cut them all down during the night so I wouldn't disturb anyone. I plan to replant some saplings so they'll hopefully grow back." "You wanna add a basement to your house?" Brendan suddenly piped up, pointing at some plans Aphmau had half-developed.

She stood up, dusted herself off, and walked over. "I was thinking about it but I don't know if I'll be able to do it myself. I figured I could use the extra space but just digging the space of a basement would take a while on my own, not to mention I haven't got a clue as to how to make it sturdy or anything," Aphmau explained, motioning at the many drafts she drew up for it all. "I think a basement is a wonderful idea! Your house was built with just you living her in mind but now that you have a dog, the extra space could be nice!" Donna stated, smiling happily at the work Aphmau had done on her own.

"Well, if you'd really like a basement, I could help you out. It'd take a few weeks with just us but it's possible," Brendan stated, picking up one of the drafts for the basement and staring at it. "Are you sure? Shouldn't you be resting still?" Aphmau asked, worried he might hurt himself further by trying to help her. Brendan nodded happily, moving to pat her shoulder. "Aph, if you hadn't gone to Brightport and risked your own life for me, I wouldn't be here. I can help out with this as long as I don't over exert myself," he stated, smiling confidently.

Aphmau stared at him for a minute before a bright smile lit up her face. She engulfed him in a big hug, nearly toppling them over onto the dusty ground. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement. She then let Brendan go as she was squeezing the air out of him before walking over to the table and beginning to discuss plans for the basement with him. Donna and Kiki silently left so the two of them could discuss what they were gonna do in peace, Donna deciding to head to Garroth and let him know she was alright.

Two weeks had passed in the blink of an eye, with Aphmau keeping herself busy with new hobbies she picked up and digging out a new basement with Brendan's help. It had taken a while to dig it out but it was finally close to finishing. They ended up digging too far into the hill on accident and created an opening in the hill that looked out onto the town. Aphmau liked it however so they turned it into a big window. They smoothed out the stone walls so they weren't sharp and looked nice before installing a wooden floor and wooden stairs.

All that was left was to install lighting of some kind, which Aphmau was still debating on. She didn't want plain torches due to fire scaring her ever since she saw the werewolf village engulfed in it but oil lamps didn't look very nice to her either. She had been thinking about what to do about the lighting situation at her new table, drawing up ideas she read in books she lent from Emmalyn (who had slightly warmed up to her). A sudden knock on her front door snapped her back to reality, however, and she quickly got up to answer the door as Thorgi began barking at it.

When Aphmau opened the door, she was met with Garroth, who was holding a bundle of purple flowers. "Donna told me you had finished decorating your main house so I thought you'd like to add a finishing touch. I didn't know what flowers you'd like so I asked Molly and Kiki what they thought was best," Garroth explained, carefully handing the bouquet to Aphmau. He had just started to tell her what flowers were there when she started speaking. "Lavender, lilac bellflower, wild hyacinth, and cattleya orchid," she listed off, pointing at each flower respectively.

"Oh, you know these flowers?" Garroth asked as he was led inside, Aphmau shutting the door behind him. "Oh! Yes, I read about flowers in a book Emmalyn gave me," Aphmau explained, putting the flowers in a vase she got as a gift from Brian before filling the vase halfway with clean water. Garroth looked around Aphmau's house, surprised at how much it had changed in such a short amount of time. There was a new half-wall to separate the rest of the house from the new stairs that led to her basement, which went down for a bit to the left and then had a landing before turning and heading in the direction of her doors before hitting the basement floor.

Her bed was pressed against the half-wall and the actual house wall with a bedside table next to it. A small chest sat at the foot of her bed and across from the chest, against the wall near the door, was a bookcase. All of the books Aphmau had borrowed were set neatly inside to keep them safe, and organized by color. A rug, which Molly had given Aphmau as it had been sitting in her house unused for a while, was laid out in front of the doors. It was pale blue and fuzzy, easily making the house seem cozier. Across from the stairs was a large, square dining table with four chairs around it. Two against the wall and two across from those. Behind the chairs furthest from the wall were counters and hanging shelves, along with a herb rack hanging from the ceiling. Between some of the counters was a fireplace and chimney made of brick, an iron rod going the length of the fireplace inside to let items hang over the open fire.

"You went all out decorating. It looks nice," Garroth stated, proud she was able to do all of this herself. He then turned to look at Aphmau, who was placing the vase in the center of her table. "Does it? I was worried it looked boring but I'm glad you think it's nice," Aphmau responded, smiling at him. "I wanted to also ask if you were free later this evening. I felt like we should talk some more as a guard and Lord. We haven't spoken much since your arrival, so I thought you'd like to chat," Garroth hesitantly asked, already beginning to regret asking her.

Aphmau blinked at him, slowly processing what he had said to her. "Oh! Of course! Honestly, I've been wanting to speak with you anyway," Aphmau stated, smiling warmly. Aphmau had meant well when she said she had wanted to speak with him but Garroth took those words and immediately misinterpreted them. He thought she was upset about something, hence why she wanted to speak with him. He was racing through all of their last interactions to find out what he could have done to upset her but couldn't think of anything. What would even make Aphmau upset in the first place? He had only seen her get mildly upset on a handful of occasions and those moments didn't last long.

"Garroth? Garroth, are you okay?" Aphmau's voice rang out, pulling Garroth back from the depths of his mind. "Oh! yes, yes, I'm okay. May I ask what you wanted to speak with me about?" He asked, sounding more anxious than he would have liked. Aphmau hummed, trying to recall what she had wanted to talk with him about. She just had it but it seemed to quickly slip her mind all the same. "Oh!" She exclaimed finally, softly placing a fist in her open palm like a 'eureka' moment. "I wanted to ask you about what your favorite hobby is! I've been learning new hobbies to help keep me working and distracted but I wanted to know what you do in your off time," Aphmau explained.

"My... favorite hobby?" Garroth asked, confused but relieved he hadn't done something wrong. "I haven't had much time off in a while and recently I've been working 24/7 to keep up with patrols now that Zenix is... not here," Garroth explained, becoming somber at the mention of Zenix. "Aren't you tired, then?" Aphmau asked, having him sit down in one of her chairs, staring at him. "Not really. I'm used to not sleeping much, but I suppose I should get some rest when the opportunity comes along," Garroth sighs, relaxing rather quickly in the chair.

Aphmau hummed, closing her eyes as she thought. "What if I helped with patrol so you can get some rest?" She suggested, smiling at him. "You'd do that?" "Of course! I don't mind helping and it allows me to train Thorgi on how to be a guard dog!" Aphmau spoke ecstatically. She didn't get an answer, however. She looked at Garroth for a moment before realizing he had fallen asleep sitting up. She could hear him snoring softly, his body lax and still except for the slow rising and falling of his chest every time he breathed. "Oh dear, he really needed some sleep," Aphmau whispered to herself before debating on what to do.

She'd feel bad if she woke him up but if he didn't show up for his patrol people might get worried. Aphmau soon made up her mind, deciding she'd take over his patrol for as long as needed while he slept. Aphmau managed to move Garroth to her bed and let him relax there. She thought about taking his helmet off but decided against it, given how protective he is over hiding his face. "C'mon Thorgi, we're going out!" Aphmau called, Thorgi quickly bounding towards her. He had gotten a lot bigger since he arrived and now he was the height of Aphmau's knees. He became very fluffy extremely quickly and was very mellow for a husky; at least that's what Kiki told her.

Aphmau had been taking over Garroth's shift for an hour, standing in place and keeping watch, Thorgi at her side and looking very happy to be included. Aphmau had watched Garroth's patrol routine enough times from her window to remember what to do. At least, she hoped she was remembering what to do. It was hard to see clearly from her house but she guessed she was right about what she was doing. "Aphmau?" A voice rang out suddenly and she turned to face Brian, who had walked up to her curiously.

"You know, I'd ask what you're doing but I have other problems. Have you seen Garroth? He hasn't shown up for patrol for an hour and I'm getting worried," Brian asked her, looking around anxiously in case Garroth popped up from nowhere. Thorgi began barking at brian, demanding attention, which brian happily gave him. "Garroth? He's in my house, sleeping. He passed out while we were talking and I didn't want to wake him up. I took over his patrol so he could get some rest," Aphmau explained, pointing at her home on the hill.

"Yikes, I knew he was working himself ragged but to fall asleep while talking? You're right, he needs the sleep," Brian remarked before looking back at her. "Do you need a run down of his patrol route or have you already figured it out?" He then asked as he rubbed Thorgi's stomach. "I think I've got it. I watched Garroth patrol from my house a lot when making stuff so I believe I memorized the majority of it," Aphmau stated, smiling proudly.

Brian laughed heartily. "Alright, I'll leave you to it then. Before I go, however, I wanted to ask you something." "Hm? What is it?" "I wanted to know if you'd like us to finish taking down the old Lord's home or not," Brian explained, standing up straight as Thorgi was now satisfied. "No, let's leave it the way it is for now. I don't like the idea of anyone going near that place until we have more people to look over the place. The last thing we need is a repeat of what happened to Brendan," Aphmau said, looking slightly grim, though her actual facial expression didn't change much.

Brian nodded in understanding before bidding Aphmau and Thorgi goodbye so he could get back to his patrol. Aphmau looked back at her house for a moment before looking down at Thorgi. "C'mon boy, let's move to our next spot," she said to her loyal pup before heading to her next station, Thorgi following at her side.

Aphmau stayed on patrol for 15 hours straight, taking breaks every two hours, sometimes joined by Donna or Molly. Aphmau was at one of Garroth's stations when she heard someone calling her name. She turned, Thorgi barking happily at the person coming toward them. "Garroth!" Aphmau called, smiling happily as she waved him over. In moments she was joined by the guard who seemed out of breath. "How long have you been out here? Brian told me you took over my shift so I could sleep," Garroth asked, hands on his knees as he took in deep breaths. Running around with heavy armor on was not an easy task.

Aphmau hummed as she tried to remember how long it had been. "I think it's been about 16 hours? At least, verging on 16 hours. Did you sleep well?" Aphmau asked, acting like spending nearly 16 hours on something so boring was fine with her. "16 hours of patrol?! Jeez, I really passed out then. Uh, yes, I did sleep well. Thank you and... sorry about sleeping in your bed," Garroth muttered, suddenly embarrassed. Aphmau just chuckled, patting Garroth's shoulder affectionately. "Don't apologize. I moved you there myself because I figured sleeping in a chair would be uncomfortable," she explained, still smiling but it was softer now.

"You... moved me? Aphmau, how did you manage that? I'm not exactly light as a feather with all this armor on," he asked, stunned she could even drag him, let alone lift him onto her bed. "Well, you weren't all that heavy to me. It was slightly hard given the weight of your armor but it wasn't too difficult looking back on it," she shrugged, bending down to pet Thorgi so he'd stop barking. "Huh. Maybe at some point, we should test your physical capabilities. It'd also help you know what your limits are, but that's for another day. I'll take over from here, you should go rest or do something entertaining. I highly doubt my patrol was very exciting," Garroth stated before patting her head and heading off to finish the rest of his patrol.

Aphmau waved him off, smiling the whole time. "Well Thorgi, what do you say we start fixing some things around here?" Aphmau suggested to her puppy, who jumped around happily at her suggestion. At least, she liked to think he did but he was probably just happy in general. So, Aphmau headed off to see Brendan and ask about how to fix the pathways in town. Soon, she was helping Brendan fix potholes in the path and cut away the grass growing onto the stone. She then began removing weeds, occasionally having to stop and move her arms and wrists to help with aching muscles.

Finally, she headed to the plaza with some wood and tools, as she planned on both fixing the stalls there and start building some new ones. When she arrived, she saw Logan trying to open a crate with a crowbar but had no luck. "Want me to try?" She asked, walking over to him. Logan looked at her, slightly surprised. "Knock yourself out," he mumbled before moving to the side to let her have a go. Aphmau grabbed the crowbar, stuck it under the top of the crate, and pushed it down. In seconds the top of the crate popped off, revealing the many small decorations inside the crate that logan had brought in.

"How'd you do that?" Logan asked, no longer scowling and looking at her, slightly impressed. "I just did what you did," she responded, a little surprised at her own strength. Logan looked over to the many other crates he had to open, debating if he should ask her to open them as well. However, he didn't even have to say anything as Aphmau immediately began opening the other crates with just as much ease as the first. Soon, all the crates were opened and each was filled with either furniture or foodstuffs that didn't expire quickly. "Is that all of them?" Aphmau asked, wiping some sweat from her forehead.

"Yeah, that's all of them. Uh, thanks for opening them for me," Logan said, scowling again but not as roughly as before. Aphmau just smiled and set the crowbar down. "You don't have to thank me, Logan. I wanted to help so I did," she stated before turning and getting to work fixing up one of the pre-existing stalls. "Also, I never got to thank you for finishing my house for me. You didn't have to do that, but I'm thankful either way," she then added, moving rubbish off to the side and taking down any rotted planks. "Don't worry about it. Just means you owe me one," Logan replied simply, beginning to stock his wares. "Well, any time you need something, come to me. I'd be happy to repay you when needed," Aphmau replied, smiling at him.

Three days passed of Aphmau fixing up the town in small ways. She fully repaired the pathways, fixed up the old stalls in the plaza (even made some new ones), got Brendan's help to make new street lamps, and helped Brian and Garroth with their patrols. She and Thorgi had just arrived at the plaza when Brian called out to her. "Lord Aphmau!" He waved and stopped in front of her. "Good morning Brian. Is something wrong? Did Dale fall into the well again?" Aphmau asked, though she still smiled at him as he didn't seem panicked. "Well, nothing's  wrong  per se, but Garroth needs you at the entrance to Phoenix Drop," Brian explained, pointing towards the woods.

Phoenix Drop didn't have gates so it was very exposed and they didn't even have a solid path to town. The path that did exist was overgrown and made of dirt and gravel. "Understood. Thank you for letting me know," Aphmau smiled before heading off to meet up with Garroth. When she finally found him, he was speaking with a strange woman. She was shorter than Donna by an inch or so and dressed almost entirely in green. Her clothes were unusual, at least, from what Aphmau had seen from women in town and Brightport. Her earrings looked like big, oval-shaped leaves, and smaller leaves decorated her shoes. Her eyes were pale blue and kind looking, her skin pale and blemish-free, and her hair a soft, dirty blonde hue. The strangest thing about her, though, was her ears. They were long and pointed upwards, the tips being slightly sharp looking.

"Garroth!" Aphmau called out to him before making her way toward them. Garroth turned to face her and the strange woman looked at Aphmau as well. "Ah, Lady Aphmau, I see Brian found you," Garroth stated, seeming happier than usual, though still sounded calm as always. "Yes, he said you needed me for something so I came as soon as I could," Aphmau explained before looking at the newcomer. "Oh! I'm sorry, I should introduce myself," the woman suddenly piped up, before bowing slightly, "I'm Zoey. I'm an elf traveling across Ru'aun in search of a place to settle down. I came across this village after getting a bit lost and Garroth has been explaining things about this place to me," Zoey explained, standing upright once again.

"It's as Lady Zoey says. She got a bit lost, which is understandable considering the state of the roads leading to Phoenix Drop. I was telling her that Phoenix Drop is still recovering from almost having a famine and might not be the place she would like to settle down," Garroth elaborated. Aphmau hummed for a moment, closing her eyes in thought. "Zoey, do you want to live here despite the state of the village?" Aphmau suddenly asked, reopening her eyes to stare at Zoey. "The village itself may seem quite... decrepit to the naked eye but I feel like this place is the perfect settlement for me to lay down roots. If your village would have me, I'd be delighted to live here and have you as my Lord, Lady Aphmau," Zoey responded, practically glowing with happiness.

Aphmau turned to Garroth with a smile. "Then that settles it! She'll be moving into town," Aphmau clasped her hands together happily. "More the merrier, but where will she stay? All of our houses are occupied and the rare few that aren't are in no state to be inhabited yet," Garroth questioned, to which Aphmau closed her eyes again to think. After a few moments, she reopened them. "She can stay with me until one of the vacant houses are in living condition! I have two spare rooms downstairs that I haven't figured out what to do with yet, so she's free to have one!" Aphmau smiled brightly at her genius idea.

"Would... would that be okay?" Zoey asked, surprised Aphmau would give such a suggestion to someone she had just met. "I've learned my lesson on trusting strange people I've just met, but something about you gives me a good feeling. As long as it's alright with you, you can live with me for however long you need! Besides, I could use the company," she responded, seeming excited she'd have a roommate. Zoey's eyes lit up and a huge smile crossed her face. "Thank you so much! I promise to help out in return as much as you need me to! I can even make some fairy lights and sell them in town!" Zoey said excitedly, the two of them beginning to talk animatedly as they headed into town. "Seems those two will get along just fine," Garroth said to himself as he watched the two leave, trusting Aphmau's instincts regarding Zoey.

~To be continued~

Chapter Text

Vylad made his way up the hill Aphmau's house sat on, coming from the side furthest from the docks so he wasn't spotted. It was a few hours away from sunrise, clouds covering the night sky and blocking out the moon; all the better for him. The less moonlight there is, the easier it is for him to go unnoticed by guards in town. A soft cooing echoed from his arms as a bundle of blankets shifted slightly. Vylad stopped walking and moved a hand down to gently play with the bundle. "It's okay, we're almost there. She'll take good care of you, I swear," Vylad said softly and the cooing stopped. Vylad continued his way up the hill until he came to her front door.

He carefully placed a basket that hung from his other arm on the ground before placing the bundle of blankets inside it. Finally, he fished a small piece of paper from his pocket and placed it inside the basket as well. "Sleep well, she'll be up the moment the sun rises. Like clockwork that one," Vylad softly mumbled to the bundle before turning away and hurrying off into the woods, disappearing shortly afterward.

The sun rose over Phoenix Drop, immediately waking Aphmau up from her slumber. She sat up and yawned, stretching her arms above her head as Thorgi perked up from his sleeping spot at the end of her bed. "Morning Thorgi. Shall we make some breakfast?" She greeted her puppy with a sleepy smile as she got out of bed. She grabbed his food bowl and filled it with leftover cooked chicken from last night's dinner. Zoey had made dinner every night since her arrival, which was only two days ago, but Aphmau was very appreciative of it.

She placed the bowl back on the ground and Thorgi quickly jumped off the bed. He ran to his food bowl and started eating happily. "Zoey's still out helping Garroth and Brian with patrol. Maybe I should make her breakfast and bring it to her," Aphmau said to herself as she opened her front door to get some fresh air before making breakfast. However, all thoughts of food left her mind the moment she saw a basket at her door and especially what was inside it. Aphmau stared at a small baby wrapped in many warm blankets inside the basket, sleeping peacefully. After her momentary shock wore off, she bent down to get a closer look.

The baby didn't look any older than a few months and already had a full head of hair. Its hair was a mix of blond and brown, skin pale and smooth. Aphmau noticed a small piece of paper inside the basket and picked it up, unfolding it slightly. "Levin?" She questioned softly so she didn't wake the child. She then looked back at the baby and deduced that was his name. "Levin," she said again, sounding more sure this time. After she looked around, as if expecting to spot whoever left him at her door, and found nobody, she picked up the basket with Levin inside and took him into the house.

She shut the door with her free hand before sitting down on her bed and placing the basket beside her. Aphmau then carefully picked up the baby and cradled him in her arms, staring down at his face as his eyes slowly opened. "Hi, I'm Aphmau," she introduced herself, not knowing if the baby could understand her. She didn't know how kids functioned, given there weren't any children in town she could learn from and she had never expected to find a baby at her doorstep, so she didn't have a book on them either. Levin cooed at her, raising his tiny hands at her as he smiled.

His eyes were a piercing blue and big, making him appear extremely cute. His face was round and plump, and he appeared to have dimples. Aphmau reached towards one of his hands with her pointer finger extended and was surprised when he suddenly grabbed it, giggling. "You're very cute. Who left you at my door?" She questioned, not expecting a response from Levin, given he was now blowing spit bubbles. Thorgi suddenly barked from Aphmau's feet, sniffing in the direction of Levin. Aphmau thought for a moment before getting off her bed and sitting on the floor, allowing Thorgi to smell the baby.

Thorgi sniffed Levin's face a bit, causing him to giggle and grab at Thorgi. Thorgi barked again, sounding happy, before kissing Levin's face. "Thorgi, don't smother him," Aphmau quickly said, though she was happy Thorgi liked him and it seemed Levin liked Thorgi too. "How about we go get a book on how to care for children from Emmalyn?" Aphmau asked Levin, smiling softly at him as she stood up. Aphmau grabbed a leather bag she had made herself a few days ago, called Thorgi to her side, and they were off down the hill towards the town.

Aphmau hadn't run into anyone as it was still very early in the morning, but Aphmau knew Emmalyn would be up so she could get in some early morning studying before reorganizing her books. Aphmau lived with Emmalyn long enough to remember her morning patterns and Emmalyn was probably the only person other than the guards that was up as early as she was. When Aphmau arrived at Emmalyn's, she knocked on the door softly before looking down at Levin who was snuggled up in his blankets in Aphmau's arms, fast asleep. A moment later and Emmalyn opened the door.

"Aphmau? I'm not surprised to see you up this early but you don't normally come into town until 10 AM when everyone else is up," Emmalyn stated, confused as to what could warrant such an early visit from Aphmau. Emmalyn had warmed up to Aphmau more ever since Aphmau started reading books from Emmalyn's library, given Emmalyn respected those who sought knowledge. "I know, I'm sorry to bother you so early but it's a bit of an emergency. Do you have books on childcare?" Aphmau asked.

"Childcare? I mean, I do just because I didn't want to leave out any subject I could get my hands on, but why on Earth do you need a book on that sort of-" Emmalyn started but went silent when she finally noticed what Aphmau was holding in her arms. "Oh. My. Irene. Aphmau, where did you get a baby?!" Emmalyn whisper-yelled, not wanting to wake the sleeping bundle as she ushered Aphmau inside, Thorgi sitting outside patiently. Aphmau headed inside, Emmalyn closing the door behind her and then rushing off to make some tea, Aphmau right behind her.

"He was left at my doorstep this morning. I woke up and went outside to get some fresh air and found him in a basket, fast asleep. His name's Levin, according to the piece of paper left with him," Aphmau explained as she softly rocked Levin in her arms. "Who'd leave a baby at your doorstep? Who would even know about our town out here in the middle of nowhere?" Emmalyn asked though she was glad Aphmau found him and took him with her. Aphmau just shrugged, not sure herself. "I don't know the first thing about children, but if he's going to be with me for a while then I want to learn all I can about how to properly care for him," Aphmau stated, smiling at Levin.

Emmalyn stared at Aphmau from the corner of her eye as she prepared the teacups. "You know, I don't think anyone in this world would take in a strange baby as fast as you. It's not a bad quality to have though. You're a good person," Emmalyn responded after a moment, going back to what she was doing. Aphmau looked up at Emmalyn, surprised she'd say something like that to her, but thankful that Emmalyn thought she was kind. Soon the tea was done and while Aphmau sipped some, Emmalyn went and gathered the books on childcare she had. "Here you go, these are all the ones on babies his age I have," Emmalyn stated as she sat the books on the table.

Aphmau placed her teacup down and looked at the books before carefully opening the first one. Emmalyn sipped her tea and watched Aphmau as she read, surprised at how well Aphmau was doing with Levin despite her limited knowledge of childcare. "I see. I'll need a few things if he's going to be staying with me for a while. It says here that babies his age drink milk, usually from the mother's breast, but he's not my biological baby so I can't do that. Is there another way to feed him?" Aphmau asked, looking up at Emmalyn. Emmalyn sat her teacup down on her saucer and took the book from Aphmau. "Let's see," she muttered, pushing up her glasses before reading through the book with surprising speed.

"Yes, there is a way to feed him even if he isn't biologically yours. People have developed a baby formula that can act as a substitute for breast milk. You just have to import it, which Logan might be able to do if you ask him. I doubt even he would let a baby go hungry. Until the powder formula comes in though, your best bet for feeding him is cow's milk. It isn't the best for him yet but it's better than nothing with such short notice," Emmalyn explained, pushing the book back over to Aphmau before picking up her teacup and sipping from it.

"I see. Then I'll go see Logan. I don't think he's up yet, but it doesn't hurt to check the plaza just in case," Aphmau stated, smiling happily before closing the book, picking it up with the others, and carefully sliding them into her leather bag. "Thank you for this Emmalyn. Is there anything I can do to repay you? Not just for this, either, but for lending me all those other books," Aphmau then asked as she stood up, quickly finishing her cup of tea. "No, you don't need to thank me. It's enough that you're broadening your knowledge. A lot of people in this world don't see the point in research or learning anything outside of the basic necessities of living," Emmalyn waved her off, giving her the smallest of smiles.

Aphmau smiled brightly at Emmalyn before hugging her carefully (given Levin was still in her arms). "Thanks, Emmalyn," Aphmau said to her softly before waving goodbye and heading out. Thorgi perked up from his napping spot on the ground when Aphmau exited Emmalyn's house before standing up and stretching. "Let's go Thorgi, we've gotta pay Logan a visit," Aphmau smiled down at her loyal puppy, who barked happily and followed at her side.

Aphmau was in the plaza, staring at the empty stall that was usually where Logan spent his time. "Seems he isn't up just yet. That's okay, we can just come back later," Aphmau stated, not at all put down that Logan wasn't there yet. "What did I do to warrant a visit from the Lord this early?" A sudden snarky voice rang out, sarcastic as always. Aphmau turned around to see Logan walking towards her, Donna at his side. "Oh, be nice to her, will ya?" Donna scolded him, but she was smiling. "Just the merchant I was looking for! Logan, I need you to import some goods for me as soon as possible," Aphmau said, making her way over to them.

"Import some goods? What exactly do you-" Logan started but was cut off by Donna squealing happily. "Aphmau! Where did you get such a cute baby?!" Donna blurted, cooing happily at Levin who was now wide awake and happily playing with Donna. "He was left at my doorstep this morning. I don't know who left him there so I decided to take him in until I figure out what else I can do. I was hoping Logan could import some baby formula for me so Levin has something to eat," Aphmau explained, looking towards Logan with a hopeful expression. Donna immediately looked up at Aphmau, however.

"Of course Logan could do that! Right, Logan?" Donna said happily, turning to face Logan. Donna appeared happy like usual but something in her eyes told Aphmau she was silently threatening Logan to make him agree without arguing. Logan tensed up slightly before sighing heavily. "Alright, alright, I got it. I'll get some baby formula imported as soon as I can. It could take a few days though, depending on stock and wait time. How're you gonna feed him until then?" Logan asked, heading over to his stall to write down the order so he could send it off with his carrier bird. "Emmalyn said cow's milk would be the best option until I can get the formula for him, so I'm gonna be heading out to find a wild cow after Zoey gets back," Aphmau explained, sitting on a barrel as Donna continued to coo at Levin.

"Alright then. Anything else you need before I send this off?" Logan asked, looking towards the two women. Aphmau shook her head, smiling softly at him. "No, I can handle the rest. Thank you very much, Logan," she replied, looking down at Levin who smiled up at her. "You two seem closer than before. Are you guys hanging out more?" Aphmau suddenly asked Donna, looking up at her with a smile. Donna blushed slightly and glanced toward Logan for a moment, who just nodded slightly. "Well, actually, Logan and I are dating now!" Donna said excitedly, only to be met with silence from Aphmau.

Aphmau had her head tilted in her usual confused fashion, though still smiling like everything made sense. "Dating? I don't know that term. Is it something I should know?" Aphmau suddenly asked, moving her head back upright. "Oh, I didn't even consider you might have no clue what the hell romance is," Donna muttered softly, shaming herself mentally for not thinking of that possibility. "Um, how do I explain this without making it even more confusing?" She then added, thinking hard about how to make it easy to understand.

"Dating is when two individuals, either different genders, same genders, or if they identify as neither go on outings together to determine if they'd make a good couple. It's like... you're determining if your date would make a good partner for life," Donna explained, watching Aphmau's expressions carefully to see if she was getting it. Aphmau was silent for a moment, thinking it over. "Oh! So, dating means you've found someone who'd make a good life partner? I think I get it!" Aphmau said, smiling happily as she played with Levin, who kept grabbing at her hair and giggling. Suddenly, she looked confused again. "Wait, why would someone want a life partner?" She asked, confused all over again.

"Oh boy," Logan muttered, sighing heavily at Aphmau's lack of understanding. It wasn't like he could blame her; Donna had filled him in on her condition so it made sense that she wouldn't get a lot of concepts like that but it was still frustrating to see. "Well, there could be many reasons. One is that some people want to put down roots and form a family of their own by having kids or getting married. Marriage is the biggest factor in dating as when people get married, they vow to each other that they'll be with them through the rest of their lives together. It's like a ritual to bond two people together until death," Donna explained, enjoying watching Aphmau understand new concepts.

"Dating others can also help you figure out who you are. You learn more about yourself and your values by dating other people and seeing what their values are like. Not only can you learn what you don't want in a lifelong partner, but you also learn what it is you'd like out of dating someone. It can also help with communication between you and others. You learn how to better interact with people around you that way on a deeper level," Donna finished explaining. Aphmau closed her eyes as she processed everything Donna told her, not moving a muscle except her head whenever Levin tugged on her hair.

"I see. I don't really understand it still, but it seems to be very important to both you and many other people. I'm sure I'll understand it better later on, but it doesn't seem like a necessary thing to me right now," Aphmau responded finally, opening her eyes once again. "And that's completely fine! Some people don't need to date to figure all that stuff out. You may never find someone to love romantically; many people don't. Just don't let it bother you or let anyone push you into something you're uncomfortable with, alright?" Donna stated, placing a hand on Aphmau's shoulder.

Aphmau nodded in agreement, smiling brighter at Donna. "I won't, I promise," she said softly before standing up. "Anyway, I should go find Zoey and let her know what's happening. I'll see you later Donna. You as well, Logan," Aphmau said to them, waving goodbye before heading off, trying to free her hair from Levin's surprisingly strong grasp.

Aphmau had managed to find Zoey with Brian and Garroth, where she explained the same story to them about Levin. Zoey was more than happy to look after him while Aphmau went out to find a cow, even telling Aphmau she knew how to take care of kids as well if Aphmau ever needed more help or a babysitter. Brian headed back to patrol and Garroth walked Aphmau to the edge of the town towards the woods. "You sure you can handle taking care of a baby right now?" Garroth suddenly asked her before immediately realizing what he said sounded incredibly rude. "Not to say you couldn't! I just meant you're still recovering from a lot of emotional damage and physical damage! I'm just worried adding a child to the ever-growing list of your duties might overwhelm you," Garroth quickly reiterated.

Aphmau just laughed, however, smiling at him. "I'll be okay. Thank you for worrying about me Garroth. I'm not sure I'll be the best mother to Levin, nor if I should consider myself his mother, but I'll do whatever I can to make his life a good one," Aphmau stated, smiling up at Garroth. Garroth sighed with relief that she didn't take offense to his comment before regaining his calm composure. "I'm glad to hear it. By the way, I was thinking I could send a message to any neighboring villages about Levin being left here, just in case his biological mother is looking for him. Is that alright with you?" Garroth questioned, though he was already sure what her answer would be.

"Yes, that's a good idea. I don't want to keep him if his actual mother is searching for him. It wouldn't be right, at least not to me," Aphmau agreed, though she did look slightly somber at the idea of possibly having to say goodbye to Levin. Garroth just nodded a little. "Alright then. I'll send word to Brightport first then, considering our now good standing with them. At least, I will if my message bird returns soon. I haven't seen him in a while and it worries me, though he is no stranger to disappearing for a few days on end," Garroth muttered the last part to himself before saying goodbye to Aphmau.

Aphmau waved him off before turning towards the woods, ready to go find some wild cows. She knew there were some wild animals like that wandering around outside Phoenix Drop given she heard Kiki talking about them before. She headed into the overgrowth, holding a lead Garroth managed to find for her in storage before they arrived at the perimeter.

Aphmau spent a good hour looking for wild cows with not much luck. She kept hearing them but every time she thought she got close enough to finding one, it was suddenly quiet all over again with no signs of a cow ever being there. She was about to take a break before trying again when something glittering gold caught the corner of her eye. She turned quickly to face where she saw it, squinting through the overgrown grass and weeds to spot it again. It was only because the shining thing moved that she spotted it again. She slowly moved closer, moving brambles and grass aside to see it better.

In just a couple of moments, she was able to see the creature in full view, awed at its brilliance. It was dragon-like in appearance, no more than 4 feet lengthwise and 3 feet in height. Its scales were a brilliant gold, speckled with small clusters of gems like rubies, sapphires, diamonds, and topaz; its face was long and it had a beak that was brown at the tip with wings that appeared to be two to three feet larger than its body, the inside of the wings being made of skin similar to a bat's wings but much thicker. Its feet were like a bird's, though much larger to fit the scale of its body and its talons were razor sharp. Its eyes were piercing yellow, which stared up at her not in fright, but in contempt like she was below it.

Aphmau would have remained amazed far longer had she not realized the creature before her was badly wounded. Its side was bleeding heavily, staining its golden scales and the ground below it deep crimson. She observed that some of the blood was dried, showing that the creature had been injured and laying there for a while. Aphmau crouched down slightly as she walked towards it more, closing the gap between them little by little. The closer she got, the more agitated the creature seemed to become. As she reached out to inspect its wound, the creature bit her, sinking its sharp beak into her arm.

Moments later, Aphmau's blood mixed with the grass as well given the creature did not bite down lightly. Anyone else would have yelled in pain but Aphmau was calm, due to the fact she couldn't even feel it. "I know, I'm sorry for trying to touch you without asking first. I just wanted to see how bad your wound is," Aphmau said softly, keeping eye contact with the draconic being. It stared at her, surprise and curiosity in its eyes as it slowly released her arm (which continued to spill blood onto the grass). "Thank you, I'll try to be gentle," Aphmau responded thankfully to her arm being released before adjusting her position to better look at the wound.

She carefully moved the being's wing out of the way, observing the cut on its side. "You're in luck. It seems to look worse than it actually is," she softly stated to the creature before hovering her other hand (the one not spewing blood) over the wound. Aphmau closed her eyes before beginning to focus on stopping the bleeding. She learned from trying to heal Brendan that if she tried to fully heal a wound, she'd end up in worse shape than if she focused on at least slowing down the bleeding or flow of poison in a wound. A glow formed around Aphmau's hand, softly raining down tiny balls of light onto the creature's wound.

As the light sunk into the creature's scales and skin, the blood flow began to halt until it finally stopped. The wound even began scarring over slightly before Aphmau had to stop. She was breathing heavily and her head hurt like hell, but she was still conscious. She sat back on the ground, holding her head with one hand. "Give me a minute... I really shouldn't be doing that but I didn't have anything else to help you with on me," she explained softly, taking in deep breaths as her headache began to disperse.

Once she recovered from the physical strain put on her by healing the creature, she looked over to see it trying to stand up. "Would you like me to carry you? I can take you back to where you live if you'd like," she asked, slowly standing up. The being looked up at her, seeming to be weighing its options mentally, before bowing its head as a sign she was free to carry it. Aphmau smiled brightly before carefully scooping the creature into her arms. "Point the way then!" She said cheerfully, watching as the creature looked in a certain direction. Aphmau got the hint it was pointing that way so she headed off in that direction at a steady pace so she didn't irritate its wound.

"You know, I came out here looking for a cow and perhaps a sheep if I found one. I wasn't expecting to find you, whatever it is you are. I feel like I should know what type of creature you are but I haven't known much for a while," Aphmau began talking, not expecting the being to listen. "I can't remember anything about my past. Garroth found me in the woods around here, actually, and I've just been in Phoenix Drop ever since. I'm looking for that cow and sheep I mentioned for Levin, a baby who was left at my doorstep. I wanted to milk the cow so he could eat and sheer the sheep so I could make bedding for him," she continued, changing her direction every time the creature moved its head and stared in a different direction.

Finally, they arrived at the foot of a small hill. It would have looked normal to anyone else that hadn't been standing in the spot Aphmau was, but she could see the secret it was hiding. A small opening was on the side of the hill, leading down into the Earth. "Shall I leave you here? Or would you prefer I took you inside? Nod once for the first option, two times for the second," Aphmau questioned, watching the creature carefully. It nodded twice so Aphmau headed inside the small opening. Once at the bottom of the small decline, she was met with a cave inside with walls made of gem ore. The whole place shimmered beautifully, mostly due to the small piles of gold littered around the floor.

Aphmau quickly noticed there were four more creatures like the one she was holding in the cave and each one was staring at her. Two of them were slightly bigger than the one she was holding while the other two were smaller. "I apologize for the intrusion but I brought your friend or... sibling? Sibling, I think, back to you. He's injured, so I didn't want to leave him alone," Aphmau explained to the other critters before carefully setting the one she was holding on a flat pile of gold, where it curled up contently and looked up at her. "I'll be taking my leave now. I hope you recover fully soon!" She said happily but before she could leave, the creature she saved turned to look at one of its siblings and made a soft, yet commanding roar. The sibling nodded softly before leaving the cave.

A few minutes later, Aphmau heard the sounds of a sheep and cow outside the cave entrance. "Did... did you ask them to find those animals for me?" Aphmau softly asked the being she saved, who nodded softly. Aphmau smiled even brighter, practically shining like the gold in the cave. "Thank you very much! I'll leave you be now! I hope I can see you again, just to make sure your wound healed over properly," Aphmau bowed slightly before carefully leaving the cave. She saw the sibling who had fetched the animals on top of the sheep, staring at her. "Thank you for taking the time to fetch them for me. If you ever need something in return, you can come to find me! I live atop the hill in Phoenix Drop and I'm usually home," she said to the creature before watching it head back into the cave.

Aphmau returned to Phoenix Drop with the cow and sheep in tow a few minutes later, having climbed the hill to see where she was beforehand. Aphmau spotted Garroth waiting for her near the perimeter and she waved happily at him. "I found them! Took me a bit though!" Aphmau said happily. Garroth, however, was staring at her bloodied arm. "How did this happen?! Did something attack you?!" Garroth asked quickly, inspecting the wound. "Oh, this? I'm not quite sure what happened. One minute it was fine, the next I'm bleeding. Anything coulda happened to do it," Aphmau stated, though she did pull her arm away quickly before Garroth got a good look at the bite.

Garroth immediately knew she was lying to him but he knew she had her reasons. After all, she never seemed like the type to enjoy keeping up a lie. "If you say so. Should I grab some bandages for you from the guard station?" He asked, motioning to a house nearby that he and the other guards used as their base of operations. The house was old, older than many of the buildings in town, and looked like it could fall apart at any moment. "Yes, that would probably be a good idea," she responded, following him as he headed towards the house. Aphmau tied up the cow and sheep outside before heading inside with him.

Aphmau allowed Garroth to patch her up and as he did so, she stared at his helmet. "Hey, I've been wanting to ask this for a while but thought it might be rude. Why do you always wear your helmet?" Aphmau suddenly asked. Garroth stopped moving for a moment before continuing to clean her wound. "It's a bit personal. Not exactly a story I wish to share with anyone. Let's just say... I don't exactly like it when people look at my face," he explained airily, choosing to not go into detail. "I understand. Forgive me for prying," Aphmau replied, feeling bad that she asked now. "Don't apologize. It's honestly surprising you hadn't asked until now. Usually that's the first thing people comment on," he stated, bandaging her wound.

"Do you think, when you are okay with it, I could see your face? I'd like to properly thank you for helping me so much, face to face," Aphmau suddenly inquired, looking up towards the ceiling. "I'm not sure if I'll ever get to that point, but if I do, I promise you'll be the first to see me without my helm, My Lord," Garroth responded, sounding very proper and stiff, but Aphmau knew he was being genuine. She smiled a little as Garroth finished up. "I look forward to that then," she said softly before gathering her things and saying goodbye to him. Aphmau then left, grabbed the two animals she got help with finding, and headed back to her house where she milked the cow and sheered the sheep while Zoey watched Levin.

A day passed since Levin's arrival. Aphmau had been told to stay home until the evening that morning by Zoey, who looked very excited about something. Her instructions were to go to the farmhouse (which wasn't really a farmhouse, it was just an empty house Brendan stored farming supplies in) at noon and to bring Levin, then she was off without another word, leaving Aphmau home with Levin as Zoey took Thorgi with her for something. Aphmau passed the time by continuing her work on Levin's crib, which she started last night while Zoey got Levin to sleep downstairs.

By the time noon rolled around Aphmau had finished the crib and had placed some bedding that she made out of the sheep wool inside it. She also managed to feed Levin with some cow's milk as the powdered formula hadn't arrived yet. Aphmau bundled Levin up, grabbed her leather bag, and headed out. She decided to make some rounds first so she walked around Phoenix Drop, holding a very happy Levin the whole way. When she reached the well in the middle of town, she saw Dale on patrol, surprisingly sober.

"Hi, Dale. How're you?" Aphmau asked as she walked up to him, smiling happily. Dale turned to her and a big smile broke across his face. "Ah! Look at the mama bear with her little cub! I'm doing well today, thank you for askin'. Oh, and before I forget, Kiki told me that I should let you know that she still needs a little time with your surprise but to still go to the farmhouse in 15 minutes. She figured you'd be makin' your rounds first before going to your end destination," Dale stated, smiling brightly as he played with Levin, who was grabbing at Dale's hands.

"Kiki knows me well, then! Thanks for letting me know. Any idea where Garroth is? I wanted to see how he was doing today," Aphmau asked, smiling softly at how happy Levin looked. "Garroth, eh? The last I heard o' him was that he was sending messages off this morning using that carrier bird o' his or somethin', though I've never actually seen the bird. Kiki managed to convince him to send off some messages to people you've met and such for your surprise, though I don't think he minded. Welcomed it pretty fast, actually, like the proud father he is!" Dale stated, laughing heartily.

Aphmau tilted her head in confusion. "Garroth isn't Levin's father, though I will admit they look a bit similar," Aphmau stated, confused by what Dale meant. Dale stared at her for a minute before remembering that Aphmau usually took things said to her quite literally and often needed someone to explain what someone meant. "Ah, I just meant he acts a lot like his father, you know what I mean? I'm a dad myself, My Lord, and I can tell fathers apart from single men. Garroth has that look about him of a dad. I think he might see Levin as his own, though he's always been one to accept people into his arms when their situation isn't the best," Dale explained.

"Ever thought of getting together with Garroth? He'd make a fine partner for ya," Dale then asked, though he was joking. Even he of all people knew Garroth wasn't interested in relationships, at least not now, and he already learned from Donna how Aphmau felt about the whole process. He was more interested in seeing how Aphmau reacted to such a question. Aphmau closed her eyes and hummed, thinking. "I don't entirely understand why some people would want a partner in the romantic sense, though I do understand it is still important for a lot of people. However, if I try and see Garroth as more than a friend, I find myself not disliking the idea," Aphmau answered honestly, though she made it clear she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about such a thing.

Dale nodded a little. "I see. I wasn't actually serious, but it still helps that you gave me an honest answer. If you wanna speak with Garroth, he might be in our guard quarters. Brian is out on patrol near the edge of town so you probably won't run into him. Take care, Lord Aphmau," Dale stated, waving her off as she said her goodbyes and headed off to find Garroth. It didn't take her long to find the guard quarters and when she entered, she saw Garroth speaking with the golden creature she saved yesterday. It was sitting on a table and Garroth seemed to be tying something to its leg as he spoke to it in a hushed tone.

"Garroth?" Aphmau called, startling Garroth and making the golden creature look over at her. "L-Lady Aphmau! I thought you'd be at-" Garroth began panicking but shut up when Aphmau moved over to the being on the table. "Oh good, you seem to be doing much better than yesterday," Aphmau said softly to the creature, which looked up at her and gave a curt nod. "You've met Raven?" Garroth asked after a moment of stunned silence.

Aphmau looked over at him as she tried to keep Levin from grabbing at Raven. "Raven? I didn't know he had a name, but yes, we've met. He was injured in the woods while I went out looking for that cow and sheep. Actually, he was the one that caused that injury on my arm, though I don't blame him. It was a natural response to someone foreign trying to touch you while you were in a weakened state," Aphmau explained, to which Raven looked down, seeming slightly guilty.

"I ended up using some magic to at least stop the bleeding then I took him back to his little cave. He had one of his siblings fetch a cow and sheep for me, too. I suppose it was his way of thanking me," she then finished, playing with Levin to distract him but to no avail. It seemed Levin really wanted to touch Raven. Garroth looked down at Raven after she finished her explanation. He sighed heavily, knowing Raven always had been the type to attack first and ask questions later. "I was about to send him out to nearby villages to see if any of them knew of a mother or father missing their baby," Garroth stated, looking back to Aphmau.

Raven walked closer to Aphmau and allowed Levin to grab the wing-like protrusions on his head, which Levin happily played with. Aphmau nodded, a somber smile on her face. "Good. If we're lucky, we'll receive word soon," she stated, trying to appear happy at the news. "What is Raven, exactly? I've never heard of a creature like him before," Aphmau suddenly asked, changing the subject before Garroth could mention her expression. Garroth glanced down at Raven, trying to figure out a way to explain him without making it confusing.

"He's a Wyvern, an ancient type of dragon. They went extinct a long time ago, about 900 years earlier. During the war between the old king and the Wyverns, the Wyverns were sealed away by Lady Irene in their own dimension to keep the peace; all at the Wyverns' own will, mind you. Some, however, seemed to have escaped that and still wander the Overworld. Raven and his siblings are the only ones I know of, but for all I know there could be more," Garroth explained, glancing up at her.

Garroth wasn't expecting the focused look on her face, however, as if something about that story seemed familiar to her. "A Wyvern... and how did Irene know that the Wyverns  wanted  to be sealed away?" She asked, looking to Raven once more as Levin finally let him go. "Stories say that Lady Irene understood them; could speak their language. No one knows how true these stories are, but if they aren't lies then Irene would have been the only being in existence that could understand Wyverns. They have the intelligence of a human, even more so to be honest, but they cannot speak human tongue," Garroth stated, happy to tell Aphmau these stories if she was interested in them.

Aphmau nodded a little, still thinking about what she was told. "Well, I should get going. Zoey seemed excited about that surprise she was talking about so I don't want to be late. Are you going to join us later?" Aphmau asked him heading to the door. garroth shook his head. "No, I think my presence might ruin things. Besides, I need to help Dale and Brian with patrol. Thank you for asking, though, Lady Aphmau. Have fun," Garroth stated, waving goodbye to her as she exited the station. "Don't look at me like that. I highly doubt she would want me there being a downer or acting awkward," Garroth muttered to Raven, who was staring at him like he messed up badly.

When Aphmau arrived outside the farmhouse, she was surprised to see balloons hanging outside the door, tied in place to large rocks on the ground. "Ready Levin?" She asked the bundle in her arms. Levin blew spit bubbles at her in response, giggling happily. Aphmau smiled softly at him before opening the door and stepping in. "Surprise!" Kiki's peppy voice yelled, among others in the room. Aphmau saw the inside of the farmhouse was decorated in baby blue colors, like balloons, streamers, and even a banner that read 'It's a Boy!' in silver letters. Even Thorgi, who had been taken that morning, was dressed in a cute bowtie collar (and immediately began following Aphmau around).

Among the people in the room was Kiki (obviously), Zoey, Logan, Donna, Emmalyn, Paul, and someone Aphmau had never met. The woman Aphmau hadn't met dressed primarily in green with steel armor bearing the Bright Port crest. Her hair was bobbed and dirty blonde in color, with deep blue eyes. She was watching Aphmau, holding a wrapped present in her arms, but made no move to get closer to her. "What's all this?" Aphmau asked Kiki, smiling happily.

"It's your baby shower! Normally we'd hold one of these  before  the baby is born but Levin's a special case! Besides, all babies deserve to be celebrated, no matter what!" Kiki said happily. "Now, go say hi to everyone! They all brought gifts too," Kiki then gently pushed Aphmau farther into the room. Aphmau stopped to say hi to Donna, Logan, and Zoey who were all close to one another. "I'm a little surprised you're here of all people, Logan. I'm glad you are, though," Aphmau said, smiling as Levin giggled and tried to grab at anything he saw.

"I pretty much dragged him here, but he hasn't left yet! I'm glad Levin's doing well. Quite the happy baby you've got!" Donna said, smiling as she played a little with Levin. "He never seems to get upset. Most babies are usually quite fussy, but Levin is quite calm," Zoey piped in, placing a gift on the table behind her. "All of the gifts people got you are on this table. You can open them later, though," Logan stated, looking uncomfortable in a room with so many people.

Aphmau spoke a little more with them before moving on to say hi to Emmalyn (who was doing surprisingly well with so many people around) and then spoke with Paul, who had stopped in town specifically because he got a letter from Kiki telling him what was happening. He also filled Aphmau in on what happened with Visher's wife when he told her the news. Turns out she was not pleased, which was to be expected but was mighty pissed at Paul as well (though Paul said that was due to grief and many people did it when they were mourning).

"Really? And Visher's son? How did he take it?" Aphmau asked, worried about Visher's family. Considering how poorly Aphmau took his death, no doubt they were much worse. "John took it better than his ma, but he was still shaken by it. I think the boy expected it with his father's line of work, which just makes it worse but still," Paul sighed. Aphmau had gone uncharacteristically silent, staring at him like he just said something surprising. "John? A little boy with blonde hair?" Aphmau asked hesitantly.

Paul cocked an eyebrow at her, surprised she knew that. "Yeah. How'd you know that?" "I met John when I was in Bright Port," Aphmau stated, lowering her voice slightly, "he asked me to help Lowell, a werewolf pup that had been taken by a hunter in town, then helped me meet Lowell's parents," she muttered, trying to not be heard by the guard from Bright Port nearby. She did break into a house, steal some keys (which she put back but still), and then practically robbed him (even if Lowell wasn't his property). Paul almost choked on his drink, before smiling wide at her.

"John's always been the type to do somethin' like that. Glad he picked the right person to trust such a thing to," Paul replied in a hushed tone, also aware of the woman near them. God forbid he got Aphmau in trouble after everything she went through just to get back to Phoenix Drop in one piece. Aphmau finished talking with Paul before finally turning her attention to the guard. She walked over, Levin trying to grab at the woman's armor the moment she got close enough.

"Sorry about Levin, he's a bit grabby. I don't think we've met, though forgive me if we have and I forgot. My memory isn't the best, to be frank," Aphmau stated, chuckling a little. The woman just smiled a little, extending her hand out to Levin for him to mess with. "It's quite alright. Most babies are. You're right, we haven't met before. I'm Azura, Lord Burt's head guard. He sent me here in place of himself to deliver you a present for your baby shower. I was happy to go, as I wanted to thank you in person for saving him," Azura stated, handing Aphmau the present she had been holding.

"You don't have to thank me. I was more than happy to help. After all, if I didn't do something to help while I could, I think it would have bothered me forever," Aphmau stated, giving Azura one of her blinding smiles. "I can see why the werewolves took a liking to you as well. We were all filled in on what really happened. If you hadn't returned with Lord Burt when you did, I fear we may have made a grave mistake. War with the werewolves would have been a tragedy and we wrongly accused them because of what they are, but you, Lady Aphmau, saw them as innocent bystanders who made a few mistakes," Azura stated.

She then bowed a little to her. "I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping us prevent a meaningless war. Now, please enjoy your baby shower, and good luck with that little bundle of joy in your arms," Azura then stated, standing upright again to give a final wave goodbye to Levin. Aphmau stuck around for a while, talking with everyone and opening gifts with Levin in her lap (he got some colorful blocks, clothing, rattles, bottles, plushies, the powdered formula Aphmau asked Logan to get, and even a rocking horse for when he got older) before being told by Kiki that she should check out the docks after sunset and that someone would be waiting for her there.

Afterward, Aphmau headed out into town while Zoey stayed behind to help move the toys back to the house, help Kiki clean up, and take Thorgi back to the house for a bath. She decided to do one more lap of town before heading to the docks as it would be just a bit after sunset once she was done. She didn't run into any of the guards, guessing they were around the borders of Phoenix Drop instead of in town. Her final stop was in the town square, where she saw an unusual sight. Brendan was with a strange girl, one she didn't recognize but got a bad feeling from.

She was pale, more than anyone she had met thus far, and her eyes were a deep purple hue. Her hair was snow white and partially kept up in a bun while the rest of her hair fell to her waist. Her clothing was mostly in shades of black and grey, with occasional purple popping through. She was smiling and laughing with Brendan but Aphmau say no kindness in her eyes. Aphmau made her way over, trying to not show her dislike of the woman despite having not met her yet.

"Oh! Lord Aphmau!" Brendan said happily when he noticed her walk up beside him. "This is Sasha! She came into town after being checked by Dale and Brian for any weapons and stuff then we started talking!" Brendan explained before Sasha walked a little closer, smiling at Aphmau. "It's nice to finally meet you Lady Aphmau. Brendan here has told me so much about you. My name is Sasha and I'm a potion maker!" Sasha introduced herself before her eyes met Levin's blue ones.

"Aw! Is that your baby? He's adorable! Do you think I could hold him?" Sasha asked, her eyes flicking up to look at Aphmau. Aphmau smiled but took a small step back. Even Levin didn't seem too fond of her. "I'm sorry, but I'm not very comfortable with you holding him, considering we just met," Aphmau stated. She sounded kind but the stern undertone told Sasha she meant business.

"Ah! Please forgive me. I understand, it was very rude of me to ask. Say, you've got quite a lovely town here! I've been traveling a lot lately but I have been meaning to find a place to settle down for a while. Do... you think I could move in?" Sasha asked, quickly changing the topic and also putting some distance between them (poor Brendan being unaware of the tension between the two women). Aphmau stared at Sasha for a moment, as if sizing her up, then smiled warmly.

"Of course! You honestly picked a good time to show up, too! We just finished repairing some of the older houses that previously weren't fit to be lived in, so you're free to take one of them! Do you have anything you need help moving in?" Aphmau asked, deciding that if Sasha was going to be around, it'd be best to keep an eye on her in town. "I'll be fine! Thank you, Lord Aphmau. Have a good night!" Sasha bid them farewell as Aphmau left to head to the docks, given the sun had just set. She and Brendan then began talking once more, though she seemed less interested in what he had to say now.

As the docks came into view, Aphmau saw what Kiki had been talking about. By the docks were Khira and Kiva, waiting for her with a present. They were wolfed out but seemed happy. "Khira! Kiva!" Aphmau said happily, hurrying over to them. Levin seemed amazed by them, though he was also quite tired so it could have been him too tired to process what he was looking at. "A-Aphmau, I am g-glad to see you have a c-cub of your own now. Your p-pack seems to be a w-wonderful bunch, especially with Kiki in it. She asked me to at-attend the party, but even in human f-form I fear I might not be we-welcome, so I decided to w-wait here for you," Khira stated, smiling at her.

"I understand. Besides, Phoenix Drop had some bad history with werewolves apparently, and while the guards and townsfolk know you helped me and we're good friends, they might be on edge nonetheless," Aphmau replied, fine with the fact they didn't join the festivities. "Th-thank you for your understanding, S-Sister Aphmau," Khira responded, before handing her a stuffed wolf, "and th-this is from our p-pack to your new cub," she finished.

Aphmau smiled softly at the wolf plush before handing it to Levin, who cooed and giggled at it with joy. "Is the village doing alright?" Aphmau asked, looking up at Khira. The last time she had been in the werewolf village, it had been undergoing repairs due to the fire Zenix started there. "It's v-very prosperous. We we-werewolves have undying d-determination so there was no th-thought of abandoning our home. But... your v-village, Aphmau. I sense a g-great evil within it. I do not d-doubt your capabilities in s-sensing it as well, but be w-wary. Now, I and Kiva must t-take our leave," Khira stated, sounding slightly worried.

"F-Farewell for now, Sister A-Aphmau, and thank you a-again for all your help," she finished. Aphmau then turned to Kiva, who had been patiently waiting her turn (unlike Lowell who would have been pouting the whole time if he was here). "Hi, Sister Aphmau! The stuffed wolf is from everyone in the village! Lowell also says 'hi' and that you should visit soon to play with us!" Kiva said happily, smiling up at her. Aphmau smiled back, patting Kiva softly before thanking her. She then bid her goodbyes to the pair before heading home and getting Levin to bed (Zoey had already fallen asleep).

The next day Aphmau left Zoey with Levin and headed into town with Thorgi to do her usual rounds of checking in on everyone. She headed to the plaza first, where she was met by Kiki, Logan, and Dale. Kiki was tending to Sean Connery and Cuddlezilla while Logan was yelling at Dale to get off his stand. Dale, on the other hand, was drunk as all hell and dancing on Logan's stand. At least he wasn't in the well again. "Dale! Dale get down from there before you break something!" Aphmau hollered, worried he might hurt himself.

It took her a few minutes but she managed to get him off Logan's stand before being chewed out by Logan for not taking care of her guards and making sure they didn't get piss drunk so early in the morning and cause problems. Aphmau had to apologize a  lot  before Logan finally let it go. She quickly left the plaza, dragging Dale along with her. She dropped him off at his home (Molly was not pleased with him) before heading towards the homes that had been repaired a few days ago.

When she arrived, she saw Donna spying on Brendan and Sasha from behind the wall of a house. "Donna? What are you doing?" Aphmau asked, keeping her voice low as it was obvious Donna didn't want to be seen. "Do you see it too, Aphmau? That Sasha girl... something about her rubs me the wrong way. She's using Brendan, and I know a thing or two about using men. I'm not exactly a saint. Something about her... it reminds me of how I was before I met Logan and that ain't a good thing," Donna muttered, keeping her eyes on Sasha.

Aphmau didn't respond, but she did know what Donna was talking about. She didn't trust Sasha either, but unlike Donna, she didn't know why. She just knew she didn't like the feeling Sasha gave off. Aphmau silently walked over to Brendan, who was gushing over Sasha's beauty and how he had never romantically liked a girl until he met her (Aphmau didn't understand a thing he was talking about, she just nodded along awkwardly).

Then, she entered Sasha's home, which was smaller than the other houses considerably. It only had two rooms; the main room and a bathroom. It was cozy, however, and Sasha had already moved in a bookcase, a bed, a side table, a small dining table with chairs, everything needed for a kitchen, and what appeared to be potion supplies like a cauldron, empty glass bottles, and jars filled with different plants and animal parts (all labeled accordingly).

"Oh! Lord Aphmau! Welcome to my new home! I hope it's alright I'm using this one. Brendan said it was unoccupied and recently fixed," Sasha said, smiling at her. "Yes, it's fine. I'm glad you seem to be adjusting well. I've heard moving isn't an easy thing to do for some people. You said before that you make potions. Are those your supplies over there?" Aphmau asked, looking at the cauldron. "Hm? Yes, yes it is. I mostly make them as a hobby, but some Lords have paid me good money to make them antidotes to poisons," Sasha stated.

Aphmau didn't miss the sick joy in her voice when she mentioned poison. Something about it told Aphmau antidotes weren't the only thing she made, but she kept her mouth shut and smiled. Was she reading too far into it? She had been betrayed by two people she thought were friends not long ago; was she being put off by all newcomers because of that? But if that was the case, wouldn't she have felt that way about Zoey? Why was Sasha different? "Well, I'll leave you to it. Let me know if you need anything," Aphmau replied, smiling as she bid her goodbye and left.

Aphmau had spent a while after that interaction finding Brian, checking up on him, and then looking for Garroth. She was unable to find him, however, so she decided to head back to her house to take a break. When she arrived, Zoey was upstairs, passed out in a dining chair with her head on the table. "She was more exhausted than I was after that party, I guess," Aphmau whispered to herself, smiling a little. She found a blanket and draped it over Zoey before heading downstairs to check on Levin.

She and Zoey had converted the other room that Zoey wasn't using into Levin's nursery the day after he arrived, so all of his toys and things Aphmau made for him were down there. When she pushed open the door, she was surprised to find Garroth sitting in the rocking chair she made, holding Levin who was passed out. "Lord Aphmau. I apologize for the intrusion but Zoey let me in. I told her I'd hold him so she could get some rest, considering she looked like she was running on fumes," Garroth whispered, not wanting to wake Levin.

Aphmau quietly shut the door behind her before walking over. She was smiling. Garroth held Levin like it was the most natural thing to him, despite having never held Levin before now (he always said he was afraid he might drop him). "It's alright, you're always welcome to come in, even if I'm not home. I know you wouldn't enter without good reason, after all. Is something wrong, though?" Aphmau asked, looking at him with a worried expression.

"Not particularly wrong, I just have some... information to share with you. About Levin's origins," Garroth stated, watching her facial expressions closely. He never saw her smile falter, but the look in her eyes was telling. Whatever he was about to say, she didn't want to hear because she got attached to Levin. "Is it good news?" She asked calmly, breaking eye contact to look down at Levin.

"Hopefully. I got word from Azura in Bright Port that a missing person report came in for a baby around Levin's age that had blond-brown hair and blue eyes. The report came from Scaleswind from a mother, which is incredibly far from here and can't even be reached by boat," Garroth explained. "So you don't want to risk sending Levin unless you know for sure it's his mom and not someone else," Aphmau filled in the gaps. Garroth nodded a little.

"I understand. I'll head out in the morning. Just give me directions and I should be fine," Aphmau replied, smiling a little wider to try and convince him she was okay. "Are you sure? I can always send a guard or go myself, if you wanted to stay with Levin," garroth replied, despite knowing they couldn't afford to send out Brian or Dale, let alone himself with their few numbers. It'd be like leaving Phoenix Drop open for attack. Aphmau just nodded, however.

"I'm sure. He was left with me, so it's my responsibility to check and see if it really is his mother looking for him," Aphmau stated. "Are you okay?" Garroth suddenly asked, reaching out as if he was going to touch her face, but reeled back before he did. Aphmau stared at him before sighing. "To be honest? I don't think I am. When I imagine letting Levin go; giving him back to his rightful guardians, it hurts inside. I don't like the feeling, but I know it's the right thing to do, so I'll see it through," Aphmau responded, giving a small but genuine smile this time.

Garroth smiled under his helm, proud that such a woman was his Lord. "Understood then. I'll get everything set up for your voyage tomorrow. Just... be careful when you leave. Scaleswind is far south and while some of the journey can be made by boat, the rest is by foot and I've never been out by Scaleswind before. I have no idea what might be out there," Garroth says to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Aphmau placed her own, smaller hand on Garroth's. "I promise I'll come back in one piece. You better help Zoey take good care of Levin while I'm gone, though!" She laughed a little, knowing he'd never dream of leaving Zoey on her own with Levin while she was gone. "I swear I'll take good care of him. Knight's honor," Garroth replied, chuckling with her. Aphmau bid him good night, telling him he was free to stay as long as he'd like, but that she was heading back out for a while to help Brendan with some work. Garroth waved her off, before looking down at Levin. "You have no clue how lucky you are, little munchkin," Garroth said softly before beginning to rock with Levin again.

The next day, Aphmau was gearing up for her trip. Garroth had apparently gotten a ship ready for her and Zoey had made her plenty of food for her trip, all packed away in a bag. Aphmau was going to do her rounds before she left, checking in with everyone. Zoey had been downstairs with Levin last she saw them, and she made sure to say goodbye to both of them before heading out to check on the town. When she exited her house, she was surprised to see Garroth there with a small chest. "Garroth?" She asked, smiling a little.

She walked over to him and he perked up slightly when he heard her. "Good morning Lord Aphmau. I brought you some things for your journey. To be honest, most of the things are from Donna, she figured that you'd like them and they'd keep you in good spirits on your trip," Garroth stated, motioning to the chest. While Aphmau opened it and shifted through the items, Garroth kept speaking. "Dale is setting up defenses around your home, just in case something were to happen. Call me a worrywart but I have a feeling something bad might happen, so I'm just taking precautions. It's also punishment for his recent... behavior," he said, glaring at Dale through his helmet, who was on Aphmau's roof installing spikes and other defensive measures.

"I see. I think it's okay to worry, especially as the head guard in town. Sometimes it's good to be cautious," Aphmau stated, pulling out two potions of healing that Logan had shipped in earlier by Garroth's orders (though he did pay Logan for them all the same). She stored them away in her bag before pulling out a flower crown that Donna made, which was made of purple and white flowers. Aphmau smiled softly at it before placing it on her head. She then took out a sword, one that seemed newer and sharper than the ones she had previously held.

"That's from us guards. It's one we hadn't used before, just sat in storage for a while. Brian sharpened it for you so it'll serve you well," Garroth explained. "Thank you-" Aphmau started but paused when she took out the final item; a small, black box. She stared at it before carefully opening it and finding a golden engagement ring inside. "Ah. That was my idea. Women traveling on their own can be seen as suspicious in some towns, and we don't want anything bad to happen to you because of it. I figured if you had on an engagement ring, people would think you have a fiance nearby and leave you be," Garroth explained.

He was well aware of her stance on romance; Donna had told him earlier when they were conversing about something or another. He was still adamant it would be a good idea, though. He didn't want her to get in trouble because someone thought she was alone or easy prey. "Oh! I see, thank you for worrying about that!" Aphmau said happily, not at all bothered by it. She thought it was a good idea as well. Aphmau put it on but she put it on her pointer finger, given she hadn't worn an engagement ring before (for obvious reasons).

"Ah. No, it um, it goes on your ring finger," Garroth stated, trying to not laugh at her misunderstanding, though he doubted she'd mind. "Ring... finger?" Aphmau questioned, tilting her head slightly. Garroth chuckled before holding out his hand to hers. Aphmau placed her hand in his own and he removed the ring from her pointer finger before carefully slipping it onto her ring finger. "There. This is your ring finger. When people wear a ring on this finger, it shows they're either engaged or married. It depends on what rings are there," Garroth explained before going silent. He had just realized he put an engagement ring on her.

Garroth pretty much stopped working for a minute while Aphmau admired the golden band around her finger. She had to admit, it fit well and she liked the way it shined. Aphmau turned her attention to Garroth, smiling brightly. "Thank you, for everything. I'll be careful, I swear it," Aphmau stated happily. Garroth just nodded a little, still processing what a fool he was just a moment ago. He was thankful for his helmet for once as it was covering his blush, which he didn't need Aphmau seeing.

"I'm gonna do my rounds now before I leave. Will you come to see me off?" Aphmau asked. Garroth cleared his throat, calming down before looking at her, though he found it hard to meet her eyes. "Yes, I'll come to see you off if that's what you wish, Lord Aphmau," Garroth replied, far happier than he deemed normal at her wanting him to see her off. Aphmau waved goodbye before heading into town. "You've got it bad, bud," Dale called from the top of Aphmau's house, smirking at Garroth. "You. Shut it. Get back to work before I put more on your shoulders, Dale," Garroth growled, not wanting Dale of all people to tease him.

Aphmau made her rounds, starting at the plaza to see Logan, who was unhappy about something but didn't say anything to Aphmau other than she better come back faster this time compared to her last trip. Aphmau agreed just to keep him happy before checking in with Brian, who was doing his usual patrol of the village. He wished her luck on her trip and asked her to come back safely. After saying hi to Molly and Kiki she headed to where Sasha was staying as she hadn't found Brendan or Donna anywhere else.

When she arrived, Donna was still spying on Sasha. "Aphmau, last night a man came to see Sasha. I wasn't able to get a good look at his face but after he left Sasha began brewing up a storm. When I told Garroth he decided to put up defenses at your house and Logan thinks I should stay out of it. I haven't said anything to Brendan, considering he wouldn't listen to me anyway. Just... watch your back, okay?" Donna whispered to her when Aphmau asked her what was up.

Aphmau nodded before heading over to Brendan, who was fawning over how smart and dedicated to her work Sasha was. Aphmau decided to leave him be, as he seemed to be in his own wonderland at the time and headed into Sasha's house. "Sasha? Are you busy?" Aphmau called, spotting her at the cauldron. "Oh! Lord Aphmau! I'm sorry, I'm a bit held up at the moment. I got an order for some potions so I have to keep an eye on them! I heard you were heading out to Scaleswind today in search of Levin's mother; such a wonderful thing to do. I brewed you a fire-resistance potion for your journey! Lava pools are common around the south, so I figured it'd be safe for you to have one!" Sasha stated, smiling at her before pointing to a potion on her side table.

Aphmau walked over and picked it up. It had 'For Aphmau' on a tag wrapped around it. The contents were orange-green, swirling around inside the bottle. "Be sure to drink all of it if you use it, otherwise the effects won't kick in! Oh, but don't get it on any animals! Suffice it to say, potions meant for humans aren't safe for animals," Sasha explained. Aphmau smiled at her before putting the potion in her bag. "Thank you. It's very kind of you to do such a thing," Aphmau stated before saying goodbye and leaving, heading to the docks with all her supplies.

When she arrived, Garroth was already there, waiting patiently for her. He helped her onto the boat, making sure she had all of her supplies squared away. Then he gave her a map and compass to help her on her trip, with a path even marked out on the map for her. "You'll pass a village called Meteli on your way across the ocean. The shorter half of your journey on the sea should take two days if you don't stop in Meteli, which is a day's sail from here southwards but the rest of the trek will be on foot and can take up to three days. If needed, I'd suggest you stop there to rest as two full days of sailing might be too much for you, considering you've only sailed once before now and have very little experience on the ocean," Garroth stated.

"We don't expect you back for around two weeks, even if your trip goes quicker than anticipated, but take your time if needed. Good luck, Lady Aphmau," Garroth stated, bowing to her. "Thank you. I'll try not to take too long this time and worry you," Aphmau said happily. With that, she set sail, heading southward as Garroth told her to, with him waving goodbye to her. Once she left his view, he headed back into town and headed up to Aphmau's home to lend Zoey a hand with Levin.

Aphmau sailed for a full day, keeping track of where she was going using the compass and map Garroth had given her. She decided to stop by Meteli after all, considering she was already feeling woozy from being on the ship a full day. When she had gone to Bright Port, she was in a state of panic and high adrenaline, while her trip back had mostly been of her exhausted and focused on getting back. Now that her second trip by boat wasn't one she technically had to make quick, she was beginning to feel the effects of travel by ship for people not used to it. Highly unpleasant, to say the least.

When she finally spotted the dock for what she hoped was Meteli, she breathed a sigh of relief at seeing dry land. Docking the ship went easier this time around, as well as disembarking and tying up the boat. Aphmau grabbed her bag of supplies and headed into town. It was different from Bright Port, smaller and more confined, but still cozy. It felt like a town, at least, and many people walked the streets, heading home as the sun began to set. "Well, what a sight for sore eyes!" A voice called behind her. She knew that voice.

Aphmau turned to face a man clad in elegant green and white, with golden jewelry acting as accents. His hair was long, kept up in a ponytail, and a vivid orange hue as if his hair was ablaze. His piercing green eyes had at first been happy to see her, but she noted how they suddenly widened as he scanned her face and, more likely, her new scars. Aphmau stared at him, trying to remember his name. She recognized him (how could she forget hair like that) but only having heard his name once made it difficult for her to recall it. "Laur... ence?" She slowly said aloud, tilting her head as she finished.

"Oh! You remembered me, huh?" He asked, shaking away his surprise as he came to a stop in front of her. She noted how different their heights were from one another. He already appeared like he'd tower over her naturally, but his boots were heeled, making him even taller. He seemed to be as tall as Garroth, if not more so thanks to the heels. "A bit. It's hard for me to forget someone when they make a lasting impression, and flaming orange hair isn't something I've seen before until I met you," Aphmau replied, giving him a bright smile.

"When'd you get some scars? What's a pretty lady like you getting into to cause such things?" He asked, flirting slightly. He already knew from before that she appeared to not understand flirting, but that didn't mean he'd stop trying. "Oh! These? Two different people tried to kill me!" Aphmau said happily, causing Laurence to freeze in place, going rigid as he processed what she said. Someone tried to kill her? How is she so calm, then? Anyone else would be panicking at that sort of thing, but she was collected and even jovial.

"You seem troubled," Aphmau suddenly piped up before looking around her at the dwindling groups of people on the streets. "Everyone seems like they've got a problem bothering them. Has something happened?" She then asked, before recalling a past conversation she heard between Paul and Garroth. Paul had said before when he first met Aphmau that Meteli was in the middle of a feud between two people, which was badly affecting the inhabitants of Meteli, making it so that the head guard had to buy more things from Paul than normal to uphold their way of life.

"I'm... surprised you noticed. Things in Meteli aren't doing so well right now, with the feud between our two Lord candidates and the daughter of one of them missing. Things aren't in the best of states. But that's all talk you shouldn't have to listen to," Laurence stated, amazed by her observation skills. She had barely been in town and Laurence kept his emotions well hidden, yet she picked up on the unease floating around town that not many others would have sensed.

"What brings you to town? Come to see me?" Laurence asked, winking at her. She just laughed a little, shaking her head. "Resting, actually. I'm heading to Scaleswind to find someone but I haven't sailed much, so I figured I'd rest here in town before heading back out. A full day already wiped me out, after all," Aphmau explained, motioning to the docks of Meteli. Laurence spotted the boat she arrived on, which was fit for only one person and short journeys at that.

"I see. Then how about I show you to our local inn for the night?" Laurence suggested, bowing slightly as he held out his open hand to her. Aphmau stared at him for a moment before smiling and taking his hand in hers. Laurence glanced at her hand, having gone to kiss it like he would have done to any other woman, but noticed the golden band around her ring finger.  Crap, I just flirted with an engaged woman , he thought to himself. Laurence may be a casanova but he isn't a homewrecker. He went to pull his hand away, but Aphmau had a surprisingly strong grip and seemed happy to be holding hands.

Adorable , Laurence thought, before awkwardly smiling at her and leading her to the inn, where he helped her through the process of checking in and getting her to her room. "Have a good night, Lady Aphmau," Laurence smiled at her, before turning on his heel to leave. "This missing person. What happened to her?" Aphmau suddenly asked him, staring. He was surprised by the sudden sternness in her eyes. She had been so relaxed before as if her head was in the clouds, but now she looked like she meant business.

"Why do you want to know?' He found himself asking, not having meant to sound so rude. He may find Aphmau pretty, but this sort of business wasn't for her to get caught up in. "Because I might be able to help. I've found missing people before. Lord Burt, for example," Aphmau stated, keeping her eyes fixed on his. "You... found Lord Burt of Bright Port?" Laurence asked, shocked. None of his guards were able to locate him and while he heard that lord Burt had finally returned to his town, no news of who found him was shared.

Laurence, however, had heard rumors that a woman who had never been to Bright Port before had gone looking for him for reasons unknown to everyone else, and returned with him safely. While he didn't know Aphmau well, she definitely seemed like the type of person to do something like that. He contemplated for a moment before deciding it wouldn't hurt to at least tell her what happened. If she went looking for her, that was Aphmau's business.

"Her name is Cadenza. She's the daughter of Haden, a person running for the position of Lord. She often goes out to pick flowers but one day she never came back. No one knows where she went, just that they waited a day before going looking for her," Laurence explained, looking down slightly. If they had gone looking for her the moment they knew something was up, maybe they would have found her by now.

"What does she look like? What flowers does she like?" Aphmau suddenly asked. Laurence stared a moment longer before sighing. "She's pale and has red-orange hair, kind of like mine. Her eyes are pale blue and she often dresses in emerald green. Very girly in appearance," Laurence describes, "and her favorite flower are roses. Usually red ones. They grow in abundance around here for some reason," he finished looking at Aphmau once more. She had a thoughtful look on her face; like she was committing the information to memory.

"Understood. I'll take a look around the outskirts of the village in the morning before I leave to continue on my way to Scaleswind," Aphmau stated, finally giving him one last smile before bidding him goodnight and shutting the door to her hotel room. Laurence stared at her closed door for a moment, processing what a strange woman she was, before chuckling to himself and heading back outside to continue his nightly patrol of Meteli.

~To Be Continued~

Chapter Text

Morning broke over Meteli, sunlight blossoming over the small town and stirring awake its inhabitants. Soon, busy people were walking the cobbled streets, doing their morning chores, or setting up shop in the stalls in the town square. Aphmau had been awake long before the sun rose, having only slept five hours before her body decided that was enough rest. She felt full of energy despite her few hours of rest, however, and was ready to take on whatever the day tried to throw at her.

Aphmau gathered her things, not intending to stay another night, and headed downstairs to greet the innkeeper, who asked her how she slept ("Good," she had replied with a smile) before bidding her a nice morning and waving her out the door. Aphmau didn't see Laurence that morning, having been able to spot his flaming red hair had he been around, and assumed he was asleep. She deemed that good, as she'd be worried if he had been up all night.

Aphmau looked around, trying to figure out where she should head to search for Cadenza, the missing woman Laurence told her about last night when a small explosion erupted from a house nearby. Smoke billowed out of the chimney shortly afterward, followed by all the windows being flung open so more smoke could escape. Aphmau then watched as the front door flew open, a man quickly running from the house covered in soot and coughing like crazy.

He was somewhat short with brown hair that reached just to his nape. He wore goggles, which he was quickly taking off, leaving a goggles ring around his eyes where the soot hadn't been able to penetrate thanks to them. Aphmau hurried over to him, patting his back softly despite the fact she was now being covered in soot as well. The man kept himself steady by holding his knees in his hands while bent over, taking in deep breaths of fresh air.

"My, are you alright? That's an awful lot of smoke coming from your home," Aphmau asked, concerned about his health as he finally began standing upright once more. "Oh, I'm alright! It's usual for my inventions to explode. That's why testing them is so important!" The man waved her off, smiling at her like his house wasn't going to be hell to clean out later. He finally opened his eyes (hazel in color), staring at Aphmau as he processed the fact she wasn't a villager.

"Are you... a traveller?" He suddenly asked, dusting himself off but keeping eye contact. He seemed mildly interested in her, particularly her scars which his eyes kept darting to. "Of sorts. If you're going to be okay, can you tell me where some roses grow around here? One of the guards told me they grow around here and I wanted to see them for myself before I headed out," Aphmau asked, brushing away the incident with the smoking house.

"Oh! Interested in the local flora? I can't blame you, we've got some interesting plants here in the swamps of Ru'aan. Over that hill, near the river is where they grew most commonly," the man pointed at a hill on the direct opposite side of the ocean from the village. "Thank you very much!" Aphmau said happily, dusting herself off. "What's your name?" The man then asked, tilting his head at the newcomer. Might as well learn about her while he waits for his house to air out, right?

Aphmau stared at him for a moment, a goofy smile on her face like always, when she finally processed what he said. "Aphmau! My name's Aphmau. What's yours?" She asked. "I'm Kenmur! I'm the local scientist in town and uh... probably the only scientist for miles, to be honest. I'm one of the lord candidates right now, though!" He stated, smiling proudly.

"Laurence mentioned something like that before. I don't really get it, but I wish you best of luck, Kenmur!" Aphmau stated before waving goodbye and hurrying off to the hill. Kenmur stared after her, processing. "Laurence?" He murmured to himself, now fearful for that poor woman considering Laurence's reputation with pretty women.

Aphmau easily made it to the top of the hill as she was used to upward climbs like that, considering where her home was placed back in Phoenix Drop. She looked around the other side of the hill, spotting the river Kenmur had mentioned, as well as many different rose bushes growing in the area. There were roses in all colors, ranging from the usual red ones to yellow, orange, blue, purple, and white. It was a beautiful sight to be sure, and she would have admired it more if she hadn't spotted something very out of the ordinary.

Aphmau tilted her head as she watched a small creature rush around the rose bushes, the pattern it was moving in reminding Aphmau of how some people pace nervously (like Brendan or Garroth). From her place on the hill, she couldn't make out what the creature was, but it intrigued her nonetheless so she decided to put off looking for Cadenza for a moment to investigate the creature.

Aphmau made her way down to the roses, carefully moving past the bushes so she didn't rip any of her clothing on the thorns. She quickly found the creature she had spotted earlier, which had stopped its pacing to look at her. Aphmau tilted her head again, staring at what was a very strange, red chicken. The feathers were bright red, similar in hue to the red roses around them, and its beady black eyes were staring up at her.

"A chicken?" Aphmau questioned herself when suddenly the chicken started bawking like crazy, flapping its wing wildly as it jumped up and down. "Whoa! Hey, hey, it's okay! I won't hurt you!" Aphmau said quickly, bending down to the chicken's height. That didn't stop it, however, and Aphmau soon noticed it wasn't looking at her. It was looking  behind  her. Aphmau went rigid as she felt a presence behind her, and before she could react, something hard hit her over the head and everything went dark.

When Aphmau awoke once more, her eyesight was blurry but she wasn't in any pain. She probably should have hurt somewhere, but given her track record of not feeling pain, it was highly likely she wouldn't feel it when being hit over the head with something. She tried to move but found she was tied to something. "A pole?" She muttered to herself as she blinked, trying to regain her normal vision.

"Oh, are you awake already?" A voice called. Aphmau's head snapped in the direction of a man, who sat in a chair directly in front of her. Aphmau, once her vision came back, immediately noticed the sheer amount of weirdness about the area she was in. For one, the house she was tied up in was littered with chickens and chicken feathers. The second oddity other than the red chicken being by the man's side was the man himself.

She had never seen someone so strange looking, but despite what he had done to her up until that point, she didn't get the feeling of danger from him as she had with other people she's faced in battle. His hair was brown and raggedy like he hadn't brushed it in a long time. His eyes were brown as well and he dressed mainly in white and brown clothing with golden accents. Chicken feathers stuck to his clothes, however, giving the impression he was a giant chicken himself. An orange bandana was tied around his head and he was holding a staff with a chicken carved on the top.

"Did you hit me over the head?" Aphmau asked, deciding his appearance was the least of her worries at the time. "Yes. Yes I did. To be fair, when I saw some strange woman getting suspiciously close to my dear Cadenza, I decided the safest option was to immediately render them unconscious," the man stated, motioning to the red chicken. Aphmau stared at him before looking at the chicken. "Cadenza? As in... the woman Laurence told me about?" She asked the chicken, who almost seemed  surprised  she knew that before hopping around wildly once more as if trying to confirm what Aphmau said.

"Understood. So, you turned her into a chicken?" Aphmau said, turning her head back to the man while she figured out how to get out of her binds. "What? No! She turned herself into a chicken," the man stated, seeming appalled Aphmau would think he did that to Cadenza. Aphmau tilted her head, confused about why Cadenza would turn herself into a chicken. "Yeah that doesn't really clear that up, does it?" The man then said, realizing his own mistake.

"Cadenza sometimes comes over to play with the chicks when she ventures away from Meteli. A while back, she was playing with some of them under my work table while I was brewing and she bumped the table, spilling a potion I made over herself. It turned her into a chicken," he explained, looking into his side room where Aphmau could spot a workbench and potion brewing supplies.

Aphmau finally got her binds off (the knot was not done well) and moved away from the wooden beam she was once tied to. "I see. And why haven't you turned her back yet? Meteli is in a feud due to her disappearance and it's causing trouble for the people living there," Aphmau asked, making her way over to the man, who didn't seem surprised she escaped her binds. "Turn her back? But she's my dear Cadenza! She's wonderful as a chicken!" The man stated.

Aphmau stared at him, her expression never changing. The air around them suddenly grew heavy as Aphmau continued to stare unblinkingly at the man before her. The man stared right back, feeling himself begin to sweat from nervousness. He wasn't usually put off by others so easily, yet this woman had a sense of intense disapproval around her, unlike anything the man had ever seen or heard of before. What amazed him the most was her unchanging expression, how she made the air so heavy just by staring blankly.

"But does she want to stay a chicken? Does she want to stay here, with you and all these other chickens? It seems to me she would much rather be anywhere else right now, much less not a chicken, yet you are depriving her of that for selfish reasons," Aphmau suddenly stated, keeping eye contact for a moment longer before finally blinking. The weight in the air lifted quickly as if it had never been there in the first place, and she turned her attention to the chickens in the room other than poor Cadenza (who looked properly spooked thanks to Aphmau's sudden seriousness and harsh words).

"So, who are you, and what's with all the chickens?" Aphmau suddenly asked, pretending like she hadn't just insinuated the man before her was a selfish bastard. The man stuttered for a moment before standing up, almost afraid of what she could do to him if he tried to touch on what she had said earlier, considering she completely brushed it off just now. "I'm the Chicken Shaman! You can call me the Great Shaman Castor," he said proudly, "and the chickens are my people! They're my villagers, if you please," Castor then finished.

"Got it. Well, I learned what happened to Cadenza, so I'll go inform her father of her whereabouts," Aphmau states, turning to leave the house. 'Wait wait wait!" Castor quickly calls, stopping Aphmau in her tracks. He sounded panicked, like what she was going to do was a bad idea. "You can't tell the village! They'll come after me and my people! It'll be a blood bath of chickens and feathers!" He said quickly, going quiet as Aphmau turned to look at him.

"Then will you turn her back?" Aphmau asked, tilting her head as she used her hand to motion to Cadenza, who was looking curiously at Aphmau now. "But then I'd lose our princess!" Castor said, upset she'd suggest such a thing. "Then I'll tell them so they can turn her back," Aphmau shrugged, but had barely moved when Castor quickly closed the distance between them. "I'm telling you that you can't do that!" He stated. "Then turn her Cadenza back into a human," she reasoned.

Castor grumbled, pacing back and forth before throwing his hands up in defeat. "Fine! I'll turn her back, but you have to build houses for my people in return!" Castor stated, glaring at her. Aphmau thought he was in no place to demand anything from her, but she decided this deal was as good as she was going to get, so she agreed. She and Castor shook on it before she headed outside with an ax and her other things that Castor had taken and then stored. She was made well aware of the number of chickens Castor had as his people and decided to make some houses that could house up to three chickens instead of individual small houses.

She worked for three hours, using the chickens as guides to how the houses should look, considering they seemed far more aware than the usual chickens she had seen before. Technically, she should have finished two hours ago as it didn't take her long to make the miniature houses, but Castor kept coming outside every half hour to complain about the way the houses looked and demanded she did it over. Aphmau, with her endless patience, complied with his demands each time until three hours had passed and he decided to show her what he wanted. He ended up rebuilding the very first house she had made and then demolished it because he hated it.

Safe to say her patience ran out then. Castor decided to let her off the hook, calling her a terrible chicken house builder to her face but stating she had at least tried and that was worth something. "By the way," Aphmau said suddenly as she prepared for her departure back to Meteli (Castor having pointed her in the right direction). Aphmau dug around in her bag as castor stood by the stairs to his house, tapping his foot impatiently at whatever else she wanted.

Aphmau finally pulled out the fire-resistance potion Sasha had made her, holding it out to Castor who suddenly went rigid. "Do you want this potion? An acquaintance gave it to me but I don't have any use for it, as I plan to avoid fire and lava at all costs on my trip," Aphmau stated, remembering her trip to the Nether and immediately feeling what she could only describe as  fear  prickle up her spine, causing her great discomfort. "Do I- no! No, I do not want that horrid thing," Castor said, stepping away from the potion with fear in his eyes.

Aphmau caught on quickly, noticing the look he was giving the concoction and she moved her gaze to look at it. "It's a fire-resistance potion. I guess you wouldn't need it either, though," she stated, going to put it back in her bag. "Fire resistance? No, that is a very potent  poison  potion. Even just a sip could kill most humans. Drink the whole thing and it'll practically dissolve your body in minutes!" Castor said quickly, immediately noting the immediate confusion followed by horror in Aphmau's eyes. Someone tried to kill this girl by lying to her.

"Poison," Aphmau said suddenly, almost like it made sense suddenly. "Sasha tried to poison me," she then added, anger boiling in her body. Castor stared at her for a moment, registering the name she had just said before his eyes widened. "That- that can't be right. What does she look like?" Castor asked quickly, moving closer to Aphmau as she placed the potion in her bag to discard later. "Sasha? Well, she's got white hair, pale skin, and purple eyes. Why do you ask?" Aphmau stated, tilting her head at him.

Castor let out a small gasp before holding his head in one hand and looking down at the grass. "That isn't possible. The woman you speak of should be dead. I  watched  her die," Castor said quickly before looking up to meet Aphmau's eyes. Aphmau thought for a moment, processing slowly, and when what he said caught up with her, her eyes widened in shock. "But that's not possible. I saw her a day ago, walking around and talking like a living person!" Aphmau stated.

Castor shook his head, regaining what little composure he usually had. "Sasha, the girl you speak of, used to be the Head Guard in Meteli, back when Lord Joh was alive. Mind you, this was a few years ago. One day, Lord Joh was taken into the Nether through a portal opened near Meteli. It no longer exists, we made sure of that, but when me and a few others went to rescue Joh, Sasha perished during the confrontation," Castor explained, pulling out a flask from his clothes and taking a swig of whatever liquid he kept in there.

"We were unable to rescue her body from their clutches as when she died, she died on the bridge leading out of their hideout. Her death was not in vain, as we rescued Lord Joh from the Shadow Lord's clutches, but if what you say is true then something truly awful must have happened to her," he finished, sighing heavily. Aphmau was horrified by what she learned, but more confused than anything else. The name 'Shadow Lord' sparked feelings in her she didn't like. It made her sick to her stomach. "What do you mean?" She found herself asking.

Castor eyed her, trying to see if it'd be a bad idea to disclose this information to a stranger, but decided that it would be alright given the poor woman before him was going to be dealing with Sasha's possibly reanimated corpse causing problems. "I did not know her well, but what I did know was that she was a kind, selfless woman. She was Kenmur's fiancee at the time of her death and she loved that man like no other. She gave her life protecting us. The woman you describe sounds deceitful, if not completely deranged for trying to poison you through such lies," Castor explained.

"Not to mention that Sasha was a simple guard, stronger than many but still a guard. She did not know how to brew potions like the woman you speak of. If they are the same person, then I fear dark magic is the cause of her resurgence. You'd be smart to watch your back, terrible chicken house builder," he concluded. He didn't stick around after that, turning on his heel without a simple goodbye, and heading back inside his home. Aphmau trusted he'd keep his word to turn Cadenza back, so she focused on the information she was given as she made her way back to Meteli by following Castor's directions.

Aphmau feared for her village's safety but knew this was not a reason to turn back. If something happened, she had full faith in Garroth to handle it without her. For now, she'd focus on her mission at hand and locate Levin's supposed mother in Scaleswind.

When Aphmau returned to Meteli, it was evening and more people were around than before. As she made her way to her boat, she spotted Laurence's bright orange hair in the crowd and got a brilliant idea. She couldn't mention anything about Cadenza to the Lord candidates, but maybe she could mention something to Laurence who seemed far more relaxed about the situation than the others might have been. Aphmau hurried over, using his hair as a beacon, before coming to a stop in front of him.

"Good evening Lady Aphmau! I thought you had left, considering I did not see you around town. Kenmur stated he saw you head off to the roses earlier, so I figured you went to pick some for your fiance or look for clues on Cadenza's whereabouts before leaving," he stated, smiling radiantly at her. "Fiance?" Aphmau asked, her thoughts being derailed by that word. Laurence tilted his head at her slightly, confused as to why  she  was confused. "Your... husband or wife-to-be?" He clarified, pointing at the engagement ring on her finger.

Aphmau looked at it for a moment, before laughing slightly. "No, no, I'm not getting married. To tell you the truth, the head guard in my town was worried I'd get in some trouble if people were aware I was a single woman on her own traveling to someplace as far away as Scaleswind, so he suggested I fake being engaged so no one bothered me," Aphmau explained, trusting Laurence with that information. Despite not knowing him for long, Aphmau liked him quite a bit and found him trustworthy.

"Oh! I see! The head guard is smart, then, as you had me completely fooled. Anyway, did you need something, my pearl?' Laurence said, comfortable once more with casually flirting with her now that he knew she wasn't  really  engaged. Aphmau glanced around before motioning for him to bend to her level. Laurence did so, only then realizing the staggering difference in their height (and finding her shortness to be adorable). Aphmau double-checked that no one was listening in on them before getting closer to his ear.

"I found her," she whispered. Laurence was still as her words seeped in, a small smile on his face for a moment before he realized what she meant. His eyes went wide and his smile dropped before he pulled away, grabbing Aphmau by the shoulders to look into her eyes. He scanned the amber hue, looking for any sign that she was lying to him in those wide eyes, but when he found none he could almost cry. Laurence carefully took her hand and they walked to somewhere secluded so no one would overhear them.

"You found her? You found Cadenza? Where is she?!" He asked quickly the moment they were alone. Aphmau smiled up at him, calm and happy. "She's with the Chicken Shaman, Castor. She got turned into a chicken during an accident and he's finding a way to turn her back as we speak. I told him I wouldn't tell anyone in town, but I figured you'd handle it well and should know," Aphmau explained. Laurence sighed in relief, calming himself. "I see. Castor is an old friend to both of us, so I know he means no harm. It was a good idea to not say anything to anyone else, given Haden might overreact and declare war on Castor and Kenmur might as well do the same," Laurence stated, affectionately ruffling Aphmau's hair.

"How'd you find this out?" He then inquired, walking with Aphmau to her boat so he could see her off. "Castor knocked me out and tied me to a pole in his house to interrogate me. His knots need work," Aphmau said simply, unbothered by the ordeal she went through earlier. Laurence just laughed, like it was normal for Castor to do such a thing. "Sounds about right. Thank you for going out of your way to look for her, Lady Aphmau," Laurence thanked her, smiling as she got in her boat.

"Just call me Aphmau, okay? By the way, I was happy to help. No thanks are needed. Good luck with choosing a new Lord!" Aphmau stated, waving goodbye as she set off once more towards Scaleswind, Laurence waving goodbye as she sailed away. He then turned on his heel and headed back into town, figuring he should give Castor a visit during his next break and send word to the closest seaport village she'd have to stop in before going on foot to Scaleswind. Might as well lend her some help, right?

Aphmau sailed for another day, continuing to head in her original direction before coming to a stop at her final destination via boat. She docked at a small seaport village that was very brown. Aphmau was slightly off-put by  how  brown everything in town was, from the buildings to the pathways. Aphmau gathered up everything she needed before getting off her boat at the dock, looking around to see if she could spot a guard and try to explain that she needed to leave her boat behind as her next destination could only be reached via walking.

However, she didn't need to look very long as a guard walked up to her. "Pardon me! Are you Lady Aphmau?" He asked, dressed in bronze armor to compliment the brown scenery. He looked kind, if not nervous.  He must be new , Aphmau thought. "I am. How did you know?" Aphmau answered blankly, staring at him. "Sir Laurence of Meteli sent word that a woman named Aphmau would be docking here and would need to keep her boat here while she made her way to Scaleswind. He requested we look after your boat while you make your way there and until you get back," the guard explained, smiling.

Aphmau smiled right back, if not a little more. "He did? I'll need to thank him properly next time we meet, then! If it's not too much trouble, I'd greatly appreciate that," Aphmau stated, to which the guard nodded happily. "We're more than happy to assist a friend of Sir Laurence's! To get to Scaleswind you can follow the main road," the guard stated, pointing in a direction. Aphmau looked where he was pointing and noticed the brick path in town continued a little way into the forest, where it then became a gravel road.

"I see! Thank you very much. I'll get going then. I'll be back in no time at all!" Aphmau smiled, beaming at the guard before bowing her head slightly. She then turned on her heel and headed off towards the path, with the guard waving her off before heading back to duty (and alerting any fellow guards in the area that Aphmau had arrived and already headed off).

Aphmau traveled inland for a few hours, following the gravel path out of the thick woods into more sparse hills, which still had some trees dotted around in clusters but were mostly barren minus some bushes and animals here and there. The sights were nice and she enjoyed the clean air of untouched nature. She'd occasionally pass some traveling people on the path, who she'd ask how far she was from Scaleswind. She was still around a day out if she kept walking according to most people she asked.

Eventually, Aphmau felt fatigued and decided she needed to find a safe spot to rest for a while, given her legs felt like jello. She always thought she had more energy than that, but she hadn't rested after she docked in Choco Village after a day of sailing, so she was already pretty drained when she started walking. Aphmau stepped off the path for a moment, looking around to see if there was a place she could lie down without worrying about getting mugged or attacked by animals.

It was then that she spotted a strange building atop one of the hills nearby. the building was white and pink, built to look cute and stand out. It looked somewhat like a house, but fancier, and Aphmau couldn't help her curiosity. She quickly headed toward the building, only coming to a stop once she was in front of the white doors. Just by peeking in through the giant glass windows shaped like hearts at the front of the building, she could tell it was supposed to be a restaurant of sorts.

It had tables and a welcome desk, and even little people dressed in frilly outfits were carrying trays of teacups around. The tables were empty, though, so Aphmau figured this place was either not well known or not popular. Aphmau carefully opened one of the doors and stepped inside. Once the door shut behind her, some of the people- no,  dolls - looked at her. They were dolls because of the stitching along their bodies. They were just made to  look  like people.

However, there was a real person among them. Near the back wall of the building was a woman, dressed in a frilly black and white maid outfit. Her hair was light pink, with black cat ears popping out the top of her head and a black and white cat tail coming out the back of her dress. Her back was turned to Aphmau, so she couldn't see her face, but the woman looked harmless enough. She was trying to put up a banner, but struggling on the ladder she was using as some dolls tried to keep it steady for her.

Aphmau walked over, gently placing her hands on either side of the ladder. The dolls around her seemed to understand what she was trying to do and stepped back, allowing Aphmau to steady the ladder for them. The cat-girl was able to put up the banner, sighing heavily but seeming happy with the result. "Thanks guys! I'm surprised you got it steady!" The woman said before looking down, having been expecting to see her dolls there but instead finding a living woman.

Aphmau smiled at her. "They seemed to be struggling, so I figured I'd step in before someone got hurt," Aphmau stated, unfazed by the woman's shocked look. The woman in question quickly climbed down the ladder, staring at Aphmau once she was back on solid ground. Aphmau noted that the woman had cat-like eyes, almost honey yellow in hue with slits for pupils, though they were slowly widening out to become circular. "Oh my Irene! A real person!" The woman suddenly stated, her tail and ears perking up before she began running around frantically.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you come in! I should have greeted a customer at the door and instead, they helped me put up a  banner  of all things!" The woman stated, finally gathering herself better and curtsying at Aphmau. "Greetings and welcome to the Kawaii Treat Maid Cafe! I'm the owner of this establishment, Kawaii-chan!" Kawaii-chan stated, almost sounding robotic in the way she said it.

"Did... you rehearse that?" Aphmau asked, amused and already liking the woman before her. Kawaii-Chan blushed a little but nodded. "Yup! It took a lot of memorizing to get it right. I kept tripping myself up or saying the wrong thing," she said shyly, giggling a little. Aphmau laughed a little as well. "I like this place. It's a bit strange, at least to me, but a welcome sort of strange," Aphmau stated, looking around at the pink and white furniture before looking back at Kawaii-chan. "You said your name was Kawaii-chan? Are you a cat person?" Aphmau asked, tilting her head slightly as she fully took in Kawaii-chan.

"Oh! You wouldn't know what a Meif'wa is, would you, given you're from Ru'aun!" KC said, clapping her hands together. "Meif'wa?" "Meif'wa are cat people from Tu'la, our home region! Think of us as the equivalent to werewolves in your region, but for Tu'la. All Meif'wa have cat characteristics and some can even transform into cats, though unlike werewolves this doesn't apply to all Meif'wa," KC explained, pouring tea for Aphmau after a little maid doll brought her a teapot and teacup.

Aphmau sat down at a small table and allowed KC to serve her tea and snacks, happily listening to her explain about Meif'wa. After a few minutes passed, KC seemed to realize she had done most of the talking and hastily apologized to Aphmau for talking her ear off. "It's okay! I enjoy listening to others talk," Aphmau stated, smiling softly at Kawaii-chan before sipping her tea. "Anyway, what brings you all the way out here in the middle of nowhere, Miss?" Kawaii-chan asked, sitting across from Aphmau.

"You can just call me Aphmau. I'm on my way to Scaleswind. I'm currently looking for someone who's supposed to be there," Aphmau explained, quietly thanking a little doll for bringing her a slice of red velvet cake. "Oh! A mission then! I'm glad my cafe could serve as a rest point for you, considering it's quite a ways to Scaleswind if you continue walking," Kawaii-chan stated, pouring Aphmau some more tea. "I'm glad I came across it," Aphmau said, smiling happily before pulling out a small bag of coins from her satchel. Aphmau pulled out five gold coins and handed them to Kawaii-chan.

"Here, payment for the food. I can't offer much, but I hope that's enough," Aphmau stated, finishing her second cup of tea and cake before standing up. "Oh! No no no! You don't have to pay me! To be honest, I only set up my cafe here to serve as a rest stop for travelers coming and going from the Neopolitan villages and Scaleswind, but I haven't had much luck with people stopping by. I'd feel bad taking your money after you've been so nice to me, anyway!" Kawaii-chan said, handing the money back to Aphmau before she could refuse.

Aphmau decided arguing would be a waste of time, so she put the money back in the pouch. "Still, thank you anyway. Next time we meet, let me know if there is anything I can do to repay you, alright? No good deed should go unrewarded," Aphamu stated happily, to which Kawaii-chan just laughed and nodded. "Oh! Here, take one of my dolls with you! She'll make sure you get to Scaleswind safely," Kawaii-chan said before Aphmau made it out the door. A small doll dressed in a similar dress to Kawaii-chan's ran up to Aphmau, carrying a small purse, not dissimilar to a coin pouch.

"I won't take no for an answer, either! Take care!" And with that, Aphmau was unceremoniously shoved out of the cafe by a few dolls, with the one Kawaii-chan gave her at her side. Aphmau just chuckled at the absurdity of the situation before heading back to the path and towards Scaleswind once more, the doll right at her heels.

Aphmau walked for another 15 minutes, enjoying the silence between her and the doll before she spotted an old man by a tent waving her over. Aphmau, being the kind person she is, headed over to the man instantly, worried he might be hurt and needed help. "Are you alright?' Aphmau asked the moment she was close enough to him. He just laughed heartily. "Yes, yes, I'm alright miss. I called you over to ask what a young woman like yourself is doing by herself out here," the man stated.  Oh, so he was worried about me , Aphmau thought, smiling a little.

"Oh! I'm on my way to Scaleswind. Visiting, for the most part," she stated. He seemed nice enough, but something about him bugged her, so she decided to not tell him the real reason for her trip to Scaleswind. "I see! It's a lovely city to be sure," the man stated. "But uh, forgive me for asking, but would you mind doing this old man a favor before you continue traveling?" He then added.

Aphmau tilted her head. She really shouldn't take on any requests from people, considering she had to get back to Phoenix Drop sooner rather than later. Garroth said they weren't expecting her back for at least two weeks, mostly because he suspected her to take on any requests people put on her shoulders. She was hoping it'd take a week at most, considering she was already away for three days.

But the old man wouldn't be asking if he could do it himself, and if she declined him she'd feel bad afterward. "Depends on what it is. I'm afraid to say I'm in a bit of a rush," Aphmau stated. The man turned and grabbed a staff leaning against his tent. It looked magical and the feeling it gave Aphmau was powerful. Like the magic it held was forbidden and dangerous, but not dangerous like the Nether Portal had felt. This sort of danger felt like it could put more than just human lives on the line. She didn't like the feeling.

"This staff leads to the Wyvern Lair. 900 years ago, after Lady Irene toppled the old monarchy due to its corrupt state, the Wyverns who had fought as enemies against the human race were sealed away within their own dimension to keep balance and peace between us humans and them," the man explained, "but because of the separation, some things that came about because of Wyvern magic no longer exist in our world. I'm talking specifically about Wyvern Lair Wood. It's completely fireproof and after my old village was burned to the ground, I want to rebuild it with Wyvern Wood so it'll never burn again," he finished.

"And you need me to go to the Wyvern Lair?" Aphmau added, tilting her head as she processed the bit of history he gave her. The old man nodded. "I would have done it myself, but I'm old and these bones don't work like they used to. The staff has two uses left in it. One to get you there, one to get you back. Will you get me some Wyvern Lair Wood?" The old man asked.

Aphmau thought about it, going over whatever bad outcome to this might happen. Wyverns were fierce if she learned anything from Raven, and he was tiny compared to his siblings. If the Wyvern Lair had fully grown ones, she might be out of her depth. At the same time, however, she was curious about the other dimension. So, gathering her courage, she agreed to get the wood. The old man gave her the staff and told her he didn't need much wood, just whatever she could carry back would do and with that, she used the staff.

~To Be Continued~

Chapter Text

The magic from the staff was intense and ethereal, giving Aphmau goosebumps as her body began to feel like it was spinning. She felt something holding onto her leg but the sensation from the magic made it hard for Aphmau to keep her eyes steady, though she assumed it was her little maid doll coming with her to lend her some much-needed help. 

As she managed to open her eyes a crack, she saw the world around her blurring and shifting, like it was made of smoke or watercolor, and a sudden feeling of familiarity washed over her. It pulled at her mind, trying to make her remember something no longer there as if it was trying to recreate the memories missing because this was important.

Aphmau didn't have time to linger on the feeling, no matter how strange and frankly concerning it was, as the spinning finally stopped and her feet landed shakily on something solid. Aphmau was dizzy and uncoordinated, but she refused to sit down as she could hear massive wings flapping around her and cries of large, aggressive-sounding animals.

Sitting down could put her in harm's way by showing weakness to the creatures possibly watching her. Once her eyes stopped spinning and everything came into focus, she saw she was standing on a marble platform with four marble pillars in the corners, supporting a marble ceiling. It looked like a miniature temple, welcoming people who dared to enter the Wyvern Lair to their deaths. Aphmau and her little maid stepped onto the ground, noticing the purple hue of the grass.

The place Aphmau was on seemed to be a giant floating island, existing within a vast expanse of nothing. The trees were large, towering over Aphmau and becoming perching spots for the vicious inhabitants of the Wyvern Lair. The wood was greyish-white, with green-blue leafs decorating the logs. Vines hung loosely from some of the trees, hanging down to the ground. Aphmau watched as giant wyverns, several times larger than Raven, flew around the treetops.

She could feel their eyes on her, watching as she moved around their land. However, she hadn't expected them to be so calm with her presence, acting like they were stunned into submission by her arrival. Who knows how many years it had been since they last saw a human? Aphmau was about to begin harvesting wood, as asked of her by the old man when something caught her eye. There was a cave opening nearby and from what Aphmau could see from inside, it was lined with gems and ore.

Aphmau's curiosity overtook her as it usually did and, deciding she could get the wood afterward, made her way to the cavern entrance. Aphmau carefully peered inside, feeling the air leave her lungs at what she saw. A wyvern, even bigger than the ones outside, sat in a nest in the center of the room. It was golden like Raven, with large gems decorating its scales, forming a sort of crown around its head.

Another feeling of familiarity tug at the inside of Aphmau's mind, trying to make her remember something once more as she stared at the magnificent beast before her. She stepped into the room against her better judgment, with her little maid following behind carefully. "A human in the Wyvern Lair? How peculiar," a voice rang out once she was in view. Aphmau could hear undertones of growling and roaring from the words, as if her brain was automatically translating the speech.

She couldn't shake the feeling the giant wyvern before her was speaking to her. "Um... I'm sorry to intrude," Aphmau found herself apologizing, knowing she entered their land without so much as a hint of approval from whoever was in charge here (though she was sure the wyvern before her was the ruler). She watched as the wyvern before her seemed taken aback by her words, staring curiously at her. "Human, can you understand me?" The wyvern asked, tilting its large head at Aphmau.

Aphmau tilted her head right back, thinking that was a silly question but not saying it. "Yes, I understand you. Is that strange?" Aphmau asked right back, answering the question with another question. A deep, guttural laugh echoed around her, shaking the ground and walls. "Yes, it is indeed strange. No human can understand the language of wyverns, at least not any normal human. Tell me, do you carry the blood of Lady Irene in your veins?" She asked because the voice undoubtedly belonged to a woman.

Aphmau shook her head. "Not that I am aware of. I don't remember anything about my past, except my name. I am unable to tell you if I am related to such a woman," she responded. Aphmau found it odd that she replied so formally to someone, as she was not used to feeling such a way, but this wyvern exuded power and nobility, making it seem almost blasphemous to not speak with reverence. "I see. That definitely poses a problem for you. Then, let me ask you this instead. What brings someone like you to such a place?" The wyvern inquired.

Aphmau thought about lying, or telling some sort of half-truth, but found herself trusting the creature before her in her entirety. "An old man asked me to come harvest Wyvern Lair wood so he could build a fire-proof village. To be honest, the request seemed odd, but I have a habit of accepting tasks from others," Aphmau explained. The wyvern laughed once more, as if it thought she was joking, but when it was made obvious that Aphmau was deadly serious, the wyvern ceased their laughing.

"Dear, you've fallen for a very nasty trick. Wyvern Lair wood burns like all other wood, but it is special in a different way. If a large quantity of it is gathered and given to the wrong hands, it can be used to rip apart the barrier between this world and the Overworld, setting us wyverns free or allowing humans in. Doing such a thing would bring war to both species immediately. We've already fought one war with humans before, and the only solution to it was to have Lady Irene send us here," the wyvern explained, staring at Aphmau.

Aphmau gasped softly, unaware that it would have such a horrific use. "Though, to do such a thing would require many sacrifices. Opening a realm barrier is no easy feat, and lives more often than not must be used to rip it apart. How did you get here?" She added, and Aphmau pulled out the Wyvern Lair staff, which was one use away from shattering. "The old man gave me this," Aphmau stated, holding it up so the wyvern could get a good look at it. "Dear, you are holding something terrible in your hands. That staff... to create it takes sacrifices of quite of few living beings. This old man... I fear he has done something awful and tricked your pure soul into doing his dirty work. I suggest you leave and get as far away from him as possible," the elder wyvern stated.

Aphmau nodded in agreement, now aware she seriously needed to work on accepting quests from just anyone. "Thank you for enlightening me. I'll be sure to follow your advice," Aphmau bowed her head respectfully, to which the elder wyvern returned graciously. Aphmau turned to leave before remembering something, turning back quickly. "Oh! I almost forgot! There are still wyverns in the Overworld. I've met five so far," Aphmau explained, talking about Raven and his siblings. The elder wyvern hummed, thinking. "Then they will be Gaia's children. She's over there. You should speak with her about them," she stated, motioning behind her with her large head.

Aphmau headed behind the elder wyvern, spotting a brilliant golden wyvern that looked almost identical to Raven and his siblings. "Pardon me, are you Gaia?" Aphmau asked, keeping a proper distance between them so she wasn't in Gaia's space. Gaia looked up at her, surprised for a moment before nodding. "Yes, that would be me. I... overheard you talking to the Elder. You've seen my children?" Gaia asked, tilting her head at Aphmau. "Yes, they were doing well last I saw of them, minus an injury one got, though I helped them deal with that. Is... there anything you wish for me to tell them on your behalf?" Aphmau asked. Gaia paused, thinking carefully before nodding.

"Can you tell them this?" Gaia asked before a guttural roar echoed from her. Aphmau understood the words hidden behind the noise, nodding in agreement that she could pass on the message for her. Though, she wasn't sure she'd get it right the first time. Could she even make a noise like that? "Got it. I'll be sure to tell them," Aphmau stated, smiling warmly at the wyvern before turning and heading out of the cave. Once she was gone, Gaia walked up to the Elder, staring at where Aphmau had left. "She doesn't know, does she?" Gaia asked, to which the Elder shook their head. "No. No, she does not. Perhaps that is a good thing, though. She'll be better off not knowing until it's time," the elder wyvern stated, sighing deeply.

Aphmau arrived back at the alter with her little maid in tow, stepping onto the pristine quartz. It had given her the feeling of both an entrance and an exit, so it seemed right to use the staff once more in this place. "Ready?" Aphmau asked her little maid, who nodded and held onto her clothing. Aphmau used the staff once more, feeling that all too familiar magic swirling around her like a rapid wind. Aphmau didn't open her eyes until everything stopped spinning, where she then opened them to take in her surroundings. She was back where she had been before she left for the Wyvern Lair, at the old man's tent with him standing nearby, seemingly expectant. "You're back and alive. That's good! Did you get the logs?" He asked.

Aphmau stared at him, dropping the pieces of the shattered staff onto the ground where she then stepped on them, turning them to nothing but dust under her foot. "No, I didn't. There were too many wyverns. I would have died had I tried to take any," Aphmau stated. The man's expectant face turned quickly to fury, a scowl crossing his lips. "What?! Do you know what I had to do to get that damn staff?! You... you've been nothing but trouble since the day you stepped foot in the village!" He yelled, his voice contorting as magic erupted from him. Aphmau held her arms in front of her face as the dark energy rose around her, making her sick to her stomach.

She removed her arms the moment the magic stopped being so powerful, dying into a trickle of energy as she stared at the person before her. Zenix was there, angrier than she had ever seen him before, his red eyes glowing with hatred. The eruption of magic had caused fire to spread around them, burning away at anything it could reach. "I should have gotten rid of you from day one!" Zenix yelled at her. Aphmau pulled out her sword, poised to defend herself. Something about him was different and Aphmau didn't like it. He seemed stronger. A fight against him would end in a loss for her and possibly her life being taken by his hands. "I'm surprised you survived that hit to your head," Aphmau said simply.

Zenix laughed, deep and callous. "I can't die. I'm a full-fledged Shadow Knight! I'm immortal! Nothing you do will kill me," he stated, mocking her with a crooked smile. "Immortal? Sounds more like a curse to me," Aphmau stated. It did. Immortality sounded awful to her. If she were immortal, she'd have to watch people and places she cared about disappear forever, dying or being destroyed, returning to nature without her. It sounded like a sad existence. "What would you know? I would have gained even more had Vylad not stepped in and saved the wife and son of the Lord of Phoenix Drop. Speaking of which, isn't there a new baby in town, Lady Aphmau? It would be a shame if something happened while you were gone, wouldn't it?" Zenix chuckled, his intentions clear in his words and tone.

"Don't you dare," Aphmau stated, glaring at him. She didn't care what he did to her, but if he dared to lay a finger on someone in Phoenix Drop, let alone Levin, she wouldn't hold back. "Tick tock, Aphmau," Zenix laughed. Aphmau wasn't able to react when magic suddenly hit her, her vision blanking and falling unconscious. She faintly heard sounds of battle afterward, then felt herself being carried off, but she never woke from whatever Zenix did to her. She had to get back to Phoenix Drop after finishing this task as fast as possible. She had no more time.

~To Be Continued~

Chapter Text

I AM ALIVE AND THIS STORY HAS NOT BEEN ABANDONED!

I lost motivation a while back and started writing/working on different stories while I worked up the desire to continue this story. The next chapter is nearly done, but before I post it, I wanna clear up some timeline stuff I fucked up because my itty bitty baby brain managed to jumble up the new timeline.

So, I shall explain the timeline here of the events that have already happened so everyone knows what the fuck is goin on.

Garroth started working as a guard in Phoenix Drop five years before Lord Malik's death. A year into his service, Zenix was found nearby in a similar state to Aphmau (which was a ruse to gain sympathy, but yeah). After that, he train with Garroth for another year before becoming a proper guard. Six months before Aphmau's arrival, Zenix, along with Gene and Sasha, kill Lord Malik and set the house ablaze. His wife Matilda, who had given birth to their son two months ago, is able to get away with baby Levin thanks to Vylad's interference. A month and a half into Aphmau's time in Phoenix Drop, Levin is left at her doorstep, making him nine months old.

That is the timeline we've got. I managed to fuck it up in the early chapters, but that's the canonical timeline in this story revolving around Malik's death and shit. Now then, I will finish up the next chapter, and if anyone gets confused by any of my bad writing, feel free to leave a comment and I'll reply with an explanation.

-The Author, MinkaWitchy

Chapter Text

Aphmau blearily opened her eyes, her head aching and body sluggish. A canopy of pink greeted her eyes, her mind slowly realizing she was laying in a pink canopy bed in a large, open room. She slowly turned her head to see KC steeping a teabag in a mug, a worried expression on her face as her little dolls came over, carrying a basin of cold water and a few cloths. Some even had medical supplies, like bandages or salves. "Kawaii-chan," Aphmau mumbled, her vision clearing up fully to take in her surroundings. She was in the cafe owned by KC, her little dolls tending to Aphmau's scratches and cuts.

"Aphmau!" KC startled, turning quickly to face Aphmau, relief blooming in her eyes at seeing the black-haired girl awake. "How long was I out?" Aphmau questioned, slowly sitting up with KC's assistance. "It's only been a few hours, so you should get some proper sleep," the meif'wa stated. Aphmau shook her head, a damp cloth falling onto her lap from her forehead. She hadn't even realized it was there. "No, I need to get to Scaleswind. Now. I can't rest," she said sternly, panic spreading through her at the prospect that Zenix was already ahead of her to get to Phoenix Drop.

KC didn't argue, just watching Aphmau's worried expression. Something was wrong to make Aphmau this restless, that much she could tell. When they first met, KC got the feeling that Aphmau was one to do things at her own pace, only hurrying when something bad was going to happen. It was similar to how some people were airheads, yet Aphmau didn't fully give off that feeling. More like she was someone relaxed with the way things happened, not feeling too strongly about anything unless it involved people she cared for.

Aphmau glanced at the other girl before a question came to mind. "How did I get here? What happened?" Aphmau asked, looking around for her her little maid. KC made a hesitant noise, humming softly, before sighing deeply. "Well... I had been here, baking some new cakes, when all of the dolls suddenly stood rigid and then ran out of the cafe. I followed after them only to see you being carried off by a man. I had thought you'd been... well, your little maid was trying to get you back, and I think she called for the others using their soul link, but she was..." KC cut off, a look of deep sadness on her face.

Aphmau's eyes widened a little as she caught on. She hung her head, thinking a soft apology to the little maid that had been traveling with her for a short amount of time. "Some of my other little maids died in the process of saving you, but I can re-enchant them. However, your little maid was taken by the man before he fled, so I can't bring her back," KC explained, glancing up at Aphmau. "Aphmau... who was that guy? He was strong... with magic I haven't seen before," she then asked. Aphmau sighed heavily.

"His name is Zenix and he's a Shadow Knight, working for someone called the Shadow Lord. He was posing as a regular guard in my town for years, well before I showed up. He was exposed when I got away from him, though, so now he's after Phoenix Drop to make me suffer," Aphmau explained, looking at KC only to see a look of horror on her face. "No... no, this can't happen. He can trace my magic now! They'll find me and take my magic," she babbled, panic flooding her brain. She stopped when Aphmau suddenly grabbed her hands.

"I'm sorry, you've been put in danger because you met me. If you need somewhere to hide, Phoenix Drop will welcome you with open arms if it still stands when I get back. I didn't want you getting pulled into something like this, but I'll do everything I can to fix it," Aphmau stated, knowing full well how dangerous the Shadow Lord and his knights were if Gene and Zenix were anything to go off of. KC sniffled before nodding. "Okay. Thank you, Aphmau. I need to leave this place and fast, but before that, you told me you needed to get to Scaleswind quickly, right?" She asked.

Aphmau nodded. "Then take my horse, Kimi-chan. She'll get you there in about two hours if you don't stop. You can just leave her afterward. She'll find her way back to me, she's very smart," KC stated. Aphmau smiled and hugged the meif'wa, pulling away shortly afterward and standing up. "Thank you, Kawaii-chan. I'll see you in Phoenix Drop next time we meet, alright?" She smiled. KC nodded happily, watching as Aphmau hurried out the door and mounted Kimi-chan, who was waiting outside. "Please be safe, Aphmau," KC mumbled before beginning to get ready for departure.

Aphmau came to a halt at the gates of Scaleswind, staring at the large city walls and beautiful homes inside them, silently marveling at how large and beautiful the city was. It was no wonder people called it the second-largest village in Ru'aun, though that made her wonder how much bigger O'khasis was in comparison if it was bigger than Scaleswind. She dismounted Kimi-chan, tying her up to a nearby post so she could get back to at least KC's cafe quickly. She made her way to the gate, spotting a guard stationed there, and walked up.

"Excuse me, do you know of a woman missing her baby that sent out a notice to villages across the country?" Aphmau asked, trying to appear calm despite her internal panic. She still needed to remain a good figure for Phoenix Drop, should anyone learn of her being a lord. It wouldn't look good if another lord was heavily panicked and freaking out so far from their village. The guard looked at her and nodded. "Yes, you're talking about Lady Matilda. She came here a few months back, nearly a year now, with her infant son in tow," the guard stated.

"However, a few days ago, her son disappeared in the middle of the night and two days later, she disappeared. We think she left to search for him, as any mother would, so we don't know exactly where she is. I'm sorry you got here too late to see her," the guard explained, bowing a little. Aphmau didn't like the sound of that. What mother would leave after sending out a message to all other villages to return her son to this village? It didn't make any sense. "I see. Thank you," she replied simply before heading into the town.

Aphmau weaved through the busy streets, glancing around at everything her eyes could catch, looking for anything or anyone out of place. Something she noticed was that the townspeople seemed... sad. Like they had all experienced a great loss, one that disrupted everything. She doubted it was related to Matilda, though, so it was likely it had something to either do with the town itself or the lord. It could even relate to the lord's family, but she had no time or desire to pry into the happenings of a town that wasn't hers.

At least not with how bad things might be for her town. Aphmau paused as a church caught her eye, a large window on the front shaped like a symbol. It had three points, with the middle one being oval-shaped and the two on the sides curving away and then toward it. The bottom was a triangle with the top cut, leaving only the bottom points. The whole window was colored deep purple and staring at it made a strange feeling well inside her like this was something she should know but didn't.

Before she even realized it, she was pushing through the crowd and entering the church. In front of her were rows of pews facing a fountain that had the statue of a woman in the center. The woman was dressed in flowing clothing, with a hood over her head and long hair. One of her hands was in a loose fist, with the other hand draped over it, like she was holding it, with her arms and hands pressed close to her chest in a pose that resembled a prayer.

Something pulled at the corners of Aphmau's mind, a headache forming the longer she looked at the statue. She knew that person, didn't she? She had seen her somewhere, she knew that, but where? "Captivated by the sight of our patron, Lady Irene, miss?" A kind voice broke her out of her trance. Aphmau turned to face a priest, who smiled kindly at her. "Lady Irene?" Aphmau questioned, though the name rang a bell. Garroth and Emmalyn had spoken of such a woman before, hadn't they? She was a god to the country of Ru'aun.

The priest nodded, unbothered by the fact Aphmau seemed nearly clueless about a person who was supposed to be known by everyone. "Yes, she's our patron deity. A goddess. Her official title is Irene the Matron. She lived centuries ago and is the founder of Scaleswind. It is believed she spoke the language of wyverns and that is why she was able to stop the war between humans and wyverns. Irene sought peace, but people deemed her a traitor to humanity. Those who had seen her fight knew otherwise," the priest explained.

"The king wanted her head, but the knights that had been saved by Irene stopping the war didn't go after her. She had seen them home alive to their families by ending the war the way she had, so instead, they executed the king and attempted to make Irene the new queen. She instead destroyed the monarchy and posed a new rule, where every village would have a leader, so that no one had complete and utter control ever again, as power like that would corrupt anyone's mind. She even declared that every lord would have a protector as she had during the war, which created the role of Head Guard in every village.

Lady Irene ruled over Scaleswind for many years afterward, eventually either dying or disappearing to continue her ideology of freedom and peace elsewhere. No one truly knows what happened to her, just that she no longer exists to our knowledge. We worship her as a god to this day, as a remembrance of the lives she has blessed us with," the priest finished. Aphmau hummed, the story seeming familiar to her, though she didn't believe she had ever heard it before. "You seem troubled, my dear. Perhaps praying to the shrine will help. I'm sure Lady Irene would bless you with her wisdom," the priest then turned and went back to sorting through some papers nearby.

Aphmau faced the fountain and statue once again before walking up to it, staring at the face of the marble statue. She found it odd that it didn't have eyes, just a nose and a concentrated-looking frown. Suddenly, Aphmau's gaze snapped to a small crack in the shrine, watching as water dripped into it slowly. She bent closer, spotting something white inside the crack. She managed to get it out using her nails, standing upright now that she held the slightly damp item in her hand. It was a piece of paper, crumpled like the person had hated or feared what was written on it. Aphmau unraveled it, glad the water hadn't managed to make the ink writing illegible.

Prayers will get you nowhere, Matilda. We know about the child and his bloodline, as well as the people after him. It won't be long before they find out what you did and where you are, and when they do, you'll bring disaster to Scaleswind. If you want to fix this, come to the alley behind the tavern at night, or we'll fix it ourselves.

Aphmau turned quickly, ignoring the setting sun as she rushed around, looking for a tavern. She stopped quickly when a sign hanging above a building labeled it as a tavern caught her eye. She made her way behind the building, moving quickly but quietly, trying to not be spotted by anyone that'd question what the hell she was doing (though most people were too occupied with themselves to really care). She looked around, trying to find anything out of the ordinary when a hatch in the ground caught her gaze.

She nearly missed it because it was covered in dirt, moss, and leaves to try and conceal it. She stalked over, dusting it off before gently easing it open. It creaked from disuse, but the ladder down was in decent condition, so she eased into the hole and slid down the ladder. Aphmau turned, her breath catching in her throat. The scene before her gave her flashbacks to when she rescued Lowell, as there was another cell before her with thick iron bars and a heavy steel door. The inside of the cell had a bed and a side table, but nothing else.

A woman on the other side of the bars stared wide-eyed at Aphmau. She was tall and lean, with red hair decorated with golden bands. Her ears were pointed like Zoey's. An elf. Her eyes were a pale red, nearly grey from how dull the color was. Her grey and blue dress was tattered and dirty, showing she had been there for a while and wasn't treated particularly well. "Are you Matilda?" Aphmau finally asked, not stepping closer as she didn't want to frighten the woman.

"Who are you?" The woman responded, ignoring the question. "You're not one of them, that much I can tell, but you aren't from the city either," she added. "I'm Aphmau and I came looking for you after I got word you were here in Scaleswind looking for your baby boy," Aphmau explained. The woman's eyes went wide. "I didn't send any news of my son being gone to any villages. I sent him away on purpose," she stated.

Aphmau wasn't as surprised as she should have been, considering what she had learned and realized since she stepped foot in Scaleswind. "I know. At least, I figured that much since getting here. He ended up at my doorstep, in Phoenix Drop. I'm the new lord," Aphmau explained, a shocked gasp escaping Matilda's mouth. "He's back in Phoenix Drop?! You need to leave before those damn Shadow Knights find you, then! They can't know he's there, they'll kill him!" Matilda said quickly.

Aphmau walked closer to the bars. "I need to get you out before I leave. Why would they even be after a baby?" Aphmau asked, looking around for the key to the cell. "He's a descendant of Irene. My husband, Malik, was a descendant as well. After so many years, the bloodline of Irene would be muddled, but none of the Shadow Knights want to risk one of the descendants suddenly gaining Irene's powers and finally destroying their king, so they kill any descendants they can, no matter how young or old they are," Matilda explained, watching as Aphmau found the key and unlocked the door, walking in.

"Malik?" Aphmau questioned. She's heard that name. "He was the Lord of Phoenix Drop before those Shadow Knights appeared and killed him. It's only thanks to the man in green that I and our son escaped to Scaleswind. However, the man returned a few days ago and said we were in danger. The Shadow Knights tracked my magic to find us, so I knew then that my son wasn't safe so long he was with me. I gave him to the man and told him to take Levin somewhere safe. It seems he deemed the new lord, you, a good candidate. He is smart. Hiding Levin in the last place we'd want him is a good idea," Matilda stated.

She turned, opening a drawer in the side table. "I can't go with you. I'd be putting both my son and the people of Phoenix Drop in danger. They'll find me and while you can protect Levin, you can't protect me," she then added, finally turning around, holding a rectangular box elegantly carved with depictions of birds, foxes, and trees. It had a winding key on the side. A music box.

Matilda handed Aphmau the box, practically shoving it into her hands. "Thank you for caring for Levin. Please, keep him safe for me. Make sure he grows up knowing he is loved. Play this music box for him, it used to soothe him when he was still a newborn," Matilda stated, smiling at Aphmau softly. Aphmau stared at the music box in her hands before looking up at Matilda. She moved closer before pulling her into a hug. "I'll tell him about you and what you did for him when he's older. I'll tell him his mother was a brave woman who did everything for him. I will not erase the things you have done for him just because he will be unable to remember you," Aphmau mumbled.

She pulled away from the hug, Matilda teary-eyed but smiling. "Thank you, Aphmau," she whispered. Aphmau nodded, leaving the cell and locking it behind her. She put the key back where she found it before heading to the ladder. She glanced back at Matilda, who was wiping away the tears, before stashing the music box in her bag and heading up the ladder. She shut the hatch and covered it back with dirt and leaves, trying to make it seem like it hadn't been moved. Aphmau headed for the entrance to the city, exiting without a simple goodbye to the guard before untying Kimi-chan and heading off.

Aphmau watched as something large and golden landed near Kawaii-chan's cafe, riding Kimi-chan up the hill to see what it was. She came to a stop and stared at the wyvern in front of her, as well as Laurence, who was smiling at her. Aphmau dismounted Kimi-chan, barely glancing at the boarded-up windows of KC's cafe. Laurence's smile fell when he saw the edges of panic on Aphmau's face. "Lady Aphmau, is everything alright? I stopped to say hello, as I had been doing business in a town near here when I spotted you down below. However, you seem troubled," Laurence stated, looking over her form. She had new wounds.

He could see the bandages poking out from under her clothes, though the wounds didn't seem too bad if she was moving so well. "Laurence, how fast does the wyvern go?" Aphmau asked quickly. He blinked at her. "Depends on where it is you need to go. What, want to have a romantic date with me somewhere nice?" He chided, trying to lighten the mood. "No, Phoenix Drop is in danger. A man who has it out for me is going there and he is going to hurt the people I care about. I need to get back there and  fast ," Aphmau said quickly, though she had no clue what a date  was  in the first place.

Laurence's eyes widened.  Right, she's a lord , he recalled. It was so easy to forget she was a lord since she didn't act like any lord he had met previously. She had never told him she was a lord, but he easily assumed it due to many of the things she told him or the way she'd phrase certain words or sentences. "Okay, Phoenix Drop is half a day's sail from Bright Port, right?" He asked, trying to figure out where he needed to head. Aphmau nodded. "Alright then, it could take around six hours to get there, but it'd be much faster than going by foot and then using a boat, as I'm sure you know. First, you'll need to get Ungrth's permission to ride," Laurence stated, motioning toward the large, golden wyvern.

Aphmau nodded, slowly approaching Ungrth as Laurence stood off to the side, staring at the building in front of them and at the horse Aphmau had dismounted from moments before. Aphmau and Ungrth stared at one another for a moment. "I have a message for you. From your mother, Gaia," Aphmau suddenly stated, before opening her mouth and recreating the deep growling and roaring Gaia had done before. She was surprised by how easily the draconic language rolled off her tongue.

Ungrth's eyes widened a little. "You speak the language of my people, and so easily at that. I heard what you said to Laurence. Your home is in danger. Do not worry, I will get you there as fast as I can, as repayment for passing on the message in a language I have not heard in many years," Ungrth stated, bowing his head gratefully. Aphmau smiled a little as Laurence walked over. "Seems you've got his permission. We'll get going. You'll want to hold on tight, as he goes very fast," Laurence stated, easily climbing onto the saddle on Ungrth's back.

He offered his hand to Aphmau, who took it and was helped up. She wrapped her arms around Laurence's waist, glancing at Kimi-chan. "Is it alright to leave your horse here?" Laurence questioned. "She's not mine. She belongs to a friend. I was told she can find her way back to my friend on her own, so she should be fine," Aphmau stated, earning a hum in response before they took off into the sky. Aphmau held on tight, her hair whipping around as they soared high into the air, Ungrth's wings flapping loudly and gently jostling them.

"It'll be okay. I'm sure your guards can protect your town. When we get there, I'm positive they'll regale you with the story of their victory," Laurence said after a moment, glancing at her from over his shoulder. "I hope you're right. This person is no pushover, though. They're the one who gave me the scar over my left eye," she responded. Laurence nodded a little. He didn't know what he could say to make her feel better, assuming the only way she'd relax is if everything in her town was alright.

"Aphmau, I see smoke ahead. Judging by the thickness, whatever fire was there stopped burning a few hours ago, but is still somewhat smoldering," Laurence called over the wind, Aphmau peeking over his shoulder to see what he was talking about. Her grip tightened suddenly, her eyes wide. "That's where Phoenix Drop is," she stated. Laurence held one of her hands wrapped around his waist as a silent comfort, using his other hand to tug on the reigns to tell Ungrth to start heading down.

They landed on the beach shortly afterward, Aphmau dismounting quickly. Laurence told Ungrth to stay put before rushing after her, following her into town to a sight that made both of them freeze. Phoenix Drop had been lit on fire, all of the houses burned to the point the rooves were missing, the smoldering parts having fallen and crashed into the ground or other parts of the homes. The pavement had been destroyed in many places by the heavy parts of houses falling onto it.

It was  bad . Even the farms weren't spared, with whatever crops had managed to grow being burnt away, and the fences destroyed. The plaza had a crater in the center, with the stalls broken and smoldering. Aphmau's house, however, was the worst. Even from the ground, they could see the entire top half of it had been burned away like it had been blasted off by magic. Aphmau stared in horror, looking around to see if anyone was wounded. She was relieved she didn't see anything that resembled blood or a human body part, but she was still worried.

"Would you like me to look around? See if anyone is hurt while you go see what happened at your home? It seems to have taken the worst damage, so it might have been targeted," Laurence suggested, placing his hand on her shoulder. Aphmau looked up at him, smiling weakly at his kindness. "Yes, thank you very much. The guards in town are Brian, Dale, and Garroth. Dale is the oldest, though I think I spot him by my house. Brian is the youngest of the guards and you can see his face through his helm. Garroth keeps his face hidden at all times, so you'll know who is who very quickly," Aphmau stated.

"The townsfolk are Donna, Emmalyn, Molly, Zoey, Logan, Brendan, and Kiki. Zoey should be at my place. Donna has brown hair, Emmalyn is blond with purple glasses, and Molly is Brian's mother and Dale's wife. She's blond and usually wears green. Logan is our merchant and tan with pale splotches over his skin. Brendan and Kiki are siblings. Kiki had bright red hair and Brendan had black hair. I'm worried about him because he was injured not long ago and nearly died. Even after getting back to work, he's still recovering," Aphmau added.

Laurence nodded. "Alright, I'll keep my eyes out for them. I'll tell them you went to your home first and foremost, then help them however I can," he stated before heading further into town. Aphmau rushed toward her home, hurrying up the hill until she was standing safely on the ground. "Dale!" Aphmau called, waving at the guard, who turned around quickly the moment he heard her voice. "Aphmau! You're safe!" He called, pulling her into a tight hug the moment she was close enough.

"We were so worried about you! How'd you get here so fast?" He asked, finally letting her go. "Laurence, the head guard of Meteli, gave me a ride on his wyvern Ungrth. I made it here after six hours of flight. What happened? Is Levin safe?" Aphmau asked, wanting to rush into the house immediately, but also wanting to hear what happened. "Yes, he's safe, Zoey made sure of that. It seems she can create barriers using her magic, so she put one around them both when Zenix showed up. It kept him from harming them long enough for Garroth to step in," Dale explained.

"Garroth and Zenix fought. It was like nothing I've seen before. Garroth is skilled, more so than many normal guards, but even he was having a hard time against Zenix. He won in the end, but none of us have seen him since Zenix fled. Obviously, the town got damaged in the process, but none of us are badly injured," he then added, shuddering at the memory of Garroth's clash with Zenix. Aphmau nodded a little, worried about Garroth. "Oh! One more thing. Levin and Zoey are downstairs. I don't know where everyone else went, they all spread out after Zenix was gone to put out the fires. I stayed here to make sure the bastard didn't try anything sneaky," Dale finished.

"Thank you, Dale. I'm going to go check on them. Don't mind Laurence if you see him, he has red-orange hair, it looks like it's on fire. He's just here to help until I let him know we'll be fine," Aphmau said quickly, smiling at him before heading into the burnt ruins of her home and heading down the stairs. She opened Levin's door, spotting Zoey holding Levin nearby. "Zoey!" Aphmau said, walking over. Levin cooed at her, bringing a smile to Aphmau's face, relief washing over her now that she saw for herself that he was safe.

"He's alright, Aphmau. I made sure of that. I'd give my life before I let anything bad happen to him," Zoey stated, smiling at the lord. "Thank you so much, Zoey. Are you alright? You aren't hurt are you?" Aphmau asked, looking at her carefully to try and spot any wounds. "I'm alright, I promise. Zenix was unable to break through my barrier," she reassured her before passing Levin over to her. Aphmau cradled him in her arms, smiling at her adoringly before letting him play with her fingers. "Did you find his parents?" Zoey suddenly asked.

Aphmau paused. "Yes. I found his mother. She had given him away on purpose because he was in danger, due to his bloodline. I don't know what will become of her. She insisted I leave her as her magic would be tracked. The message sent out about him being missing was a trap, to lure whoever had him back to Scaleswind. They were unlucky enough to get someone like me to fall prey to it, as I didn't want to send Levin until I knew the truth just as much as Garroth did," Aphmau responded.

Zoey nodded a little. "I see. She was a brave woman, to possibly give her life to save her baby. Whoever left him at your door was smart to do so," Zoey smiled solemnly. Aphmau nodded and stared at Levin a little longer before handing him back to Zoey. "I'm going to go into town and see if I can find Garroth or the others. I'm worried about him first and foremost considering what Dale told me, but I'm worried about everyone else as well," Aphmau stated. "Of course. Be careful, Aphmau," Zoey nodded, watching as Aphmau left the room.

Aphmau trudged through town, stepping over fallen debris before spotting Laurence up ahead, kneeling and holding Emmalyn's head up as Donna check her over, with Logan nearby holding a bow. "Donna! Logan!" Aphmau called, hurrying over. "Aphmau! You're okay!" Donna smiled, standing up and hugging her tightly. "Zenix had said he hurt you badly when he attacked, we were all so scared for your safety," she stated, pulling away from the hug. "He didn't hurt me badly, just a few scratches before he made me fall unconscious," Aphmau replied.

"Sounds like he was purposefully making it sound like you were worse off than you really were, to make people panic and give him the upper hand. It did throw Garroth off for a minute, from what I saw," Logan stated. "I don't doubt that was his aim," Aphmau sighed. Then she glanced at Emmalyn's bandaged form. "Is she okay?" Aphmau asked. "She'll be alright. Her wounds weren't bad. If anything the shock was the worst of it, as it caused her to fall unconscious," Laurence stated.

Aphmau nodded. "I see. Keep an eye on her, I'm gonna finish looking around. Laurence, when you're done, we can talk more in the center of town. Thank you for helping," she smiled softly at him. "Of course, I'm happy to help, my dear. You go check on your people," he dismissed her before she thanked him once again for the umpteenth time, watching as she hurried off further into town. "She... thanks people a lot, doesn't she?" He laughed, glancing at the two next to him. "Yeah, she's got a bad habit of repeating herself, especially when it comes to thanking people," Donna smiled.

Aphmau ran into Kiki and Brian during her walk around town. Kiki had been caring for some injured animals that were hurt during the attack, using a makeshift pen made of one of the mostly intact farms, with Brian nearby to help keep her protected as she would otherwise be on her own. Neither had seen Garroth since Zenix left, so Aphmau still had no idea where her head guard had gone to.

She stepped into the ruins of the plaza, the broken stalls reminding her of their state before she and Brendan fixed them, just worse. Scorch marks littered the ground, giving the impression that the majority of the fight had happened there. A glint of metal caught Aphmau's eyes, her attention shifting to a broken piece of metal nearby. She walked over, noticing a splattering of blood near it, trailing off toward the forest. She picked it up, turning the shard over in her hand, before pausing.

"This is part of Garroth's helmet," she muttered, recognizing the piece of metal. She let the shard fall from her hand as she followed the trail of blood. She entered the forest before watching as the trail shifted and went into the old mine. It stopped being used after Lord Malik died, as no one that stayed in town knew how to use a pickaxe other than Brendan, who always had his hands full with other work. Aphmau was the only other person who went down there and even then it was few and far between.

Garroth's helmet was discarded at the entrance and Aphmau felt her breath catch in her throat. The helmet was nearly destroyed, missing multiple chunks of metal that seemed to have been carved out by a sword with clear cuts. Other parts were heavily dented. If Garroth hadn't been wearing it, he would have died from the hits sustained by the metal helm. Aphmau made her way down the chipped stone stairs, entering the main tunnel just under the surface that led to tunnels that went lower and lower into the earth. She looked to the left to see the rest of the tunnel, seeing no sign of Garroth, before looking to the right and pausing.

She stared at Garroth who had his back turned to her, sitting on an old crate with his hands in his lap. His sword and shield were discarded nearby, with his armor thrown somewhere else. He was only in a white shirt with long sleeves and brown pants. The only piece of armor he still had on was his boots. Aphmau could spot new wounds bleeding through his clothes, clearly still fresh and not tended to. However, she was staring mostly at his head, which she had only ever seen covered by his helm.

She was surprised that he had a full head of blond curls, the hair dirty and tangled from possibly years of barely taking off his helmet. It was long and tied back loosely in a short ponytail. Garroth suddenly stiffened and turn his head to stare at her, eyes wide. Blue was the only thing she could see after he turned to face her. His eyes were piercing blue, big and beautiful, like the ocean or sky. Endless. They were only slightly sullied by the heavy bags under them, showing how much he worked without rest. The many sleepless nights he'd go through, how he worked nearly on fumes.

He had deep wounds on his face, sliced upward and tearing into the flesh, creating a horrific artwork of blood and dirt. His skin was pale and otherwise blemish free (other than the new scars he'd get from the wounds on his face). His lips were chapped and his hands were covered in scars and calluses from working with a sword. She knew this face. Something deep in her mind screamed and pulled at the edges, a blurry figure trying to come to the surface. Aphmau knew this face and yet she didn't at the same time.

That, however, could wait. "Aphmau... I-" Garroth started, his voice hoarse and strained, like he had spent a while yelling or crying. He was silenced when Aphmau suddenly walked closer, bringing her hands to his face and cradling his cheeks in her palms, uncaring of the blood getting onto her tanned skin. She held him like he was something precious, her grip solid but not rough. Amber eyes bore into blue, her gaze powerful and kind. "I was right," she suddenly spoke, voice barely above a whisper.

He did not respond, too transfixed by her warm touch. How long had it been since someone held him like he was something to protect? Too damn long, apparently. He didn't realize how touch-starved he was until now. "You  are  handsome under that helm," she smiled warmly, admiring his face even longer. Her thumb gently rubbed the eye bag under his right eye while her other hand brushed some hair out of his face. Garroth closed his eyes, his hands coming up and resting over hers. "I'm sorry..." he muttered.

"Don't apologize. This wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. You protected Phoenix Drop, that's all I care about. Please don't blame yourself for this," Aphmau replied softly, pressing their foreheads together. "But I created that  monster . I taught Zenix, and let him learn from me and the other guards," he retorted, his eyes snapping open to meet hers. "No, you didn't. Zenix was already a monster, long before you met him. He told me. He was a Shadow Knight before you all met; before he wormed his way into the guard here. Before he tricked you all. You created nothing. You are  not  at fault here," she reassured him, staring into his eyes.

Garroth just shook his head as best he could in her grasp. "How'd you get here so fast?" He asked softly, changing the subject. For now, Aphmau would let him. "Laurence, the head guard of Meteli, gave me a ride on his wyvern Ungrth from near Scaleswind. I helped him when I was heading to Scaleswind, back when I stopped in Meteli. He returned the favor, I suppose. He's still here, helping out until things get to a point we can handle it ourselves," she replied. "I see. That's kind of him. I'll have to thank him if I get the chance. What of Levin's mother?" He questioned.

"Do you know a Matilda? An elf with red hair?" Aphmau questioned. Garroth pulled away from her slightly. "That was Lord Malik's wife. She was a very kind woman, but also headstrong. How do you know that name?" Garroth asked, his eyebrows raised in confusion. Aphmau sighed. "That's Levin's mother. Matilda. She and Levin escaped the fire thanks to a man in green, who got them to Scaleswind. It turns out the Shadow Knights, who had killed Lord Malik, were tracking her magic so the man returned and took Levin since she didn't want to put him in danger. The man left him at my door, it seems. The last place they'd look for Levin would be the one place he should be far away from," she explained.

"That means..." "Levin is Malik's son, a descendant of Irene, being hunted by Shadow Knights to prevent anyone from Irene's bloodline from causing them problems," Aphmau stated. Garroth let out a shaky breath. "What happened to her?" Garroth slowly asked. "I don't know. She was still alive when I met her, but she was being kept as a prisoner. I assume she'll be killed once the person who took her learns she won't speak about where her son is. I wanted her to come with me, but she was vehemently against it. She said she'd be tracked again, putting us in danger. She wanted me to leave her behind and I did because she didn't exactly leave room for argument," she replied softly.

To her surprise, Garroth chuckled dryly. "That sounds like Matilda. Strong to the very end. She doesn't change her mind once it's set. At least she knows Levin will be safe," he stated. They both kept silent for a moment, Aphmau keeping her hands gently on his face. "You told me that Zenix had always been a Shadow Knight, yet I knew him before Lord Malik died," he suddenly stated. "I don't know the full story nor how Shadow Knights come about, I just know he's immortal or something. He was gloating about it," she replied simply.

Garroth nodded a little. "I'm going to go check on everyone else, but I'll come back and treat your wounds, okay? We can't let them stay like this," Aphmau stated, finally pulling away completely, her hands falling to her sides. He already missed the contact after years of not having something that soothing, but like hell he'd tell her that. "Alright," he mumbled, knowing he couldn't persuade her to do otherwise. Aphmau smiled at him, warm and sweet, before turning on her heels and leaving the old mine.

Aphmau walked toward the center of town, spotting Laurence nearby. "Laurence!" She called, closing the short distance between them. He smiled at her. "Did you see everyone you needed to?" He asked. Aphmau sighed. "For the most part. I haven't seen Brendan yet, but I'm sure he's somewhat okay if Kiki isn't worried. I found Garroth, the head guard." "Is he alright? You were very worried about him." "I don't know. He blames himself for this happening. The person who attacked used to be a guard here, one that tricked everyone and feigned innocence to gain the trust of those around him. Garroth taught him before he showed his true colors, so you can see why he thinks he's at fault," Aphmau stated.

"I see. That's understandable, given the circumstances. Is he injured at all? I got a bit of the story from Lady Donna and Sir Logan that the man who attacked was on par with Garroth, if not stronger," Laurence questioned, tilting his head slightly. Aphmau nodded slightly. "He sustained some pretty bad wounds, mostly to his face. I'll be returning to where he is later on to patch him up. I doubt he wants anyone else to see his face. I know he only hides it for very personal reasons, so I will do what I can to make sure no one else sees him until he gets a new helm. I can respect his privacy, especially if it deals with something so personal," she explained.

Laurence nodded. Footsteps approaching made them both face toward where the houses Aphmau had previously repaired (and were then burned) were located. Sasha was walking towards them, clearly in a world of her own, when she looked up and froze upon seeing Laurence. Laurence was stone-still, eyes wide as he stared at her. Then, Sasha turned and ran. "That's... that isn't possible. She died. I  watched  her die. How is she still alive?" Laurence muttered, before watching as Aphmau rushed after her. He ran after her, surprised by how fast she was with those little legs of hers.

Aphmau spotted Brendan near Sasha's house, clearly panicked. "Aphmau! Sasha said she was leaving the village and bolted!" He stated, watching as Aphmau slammed open the door to Sasha's house, looking around before stepping outside and scanning the area. When she saw no sign of her, she sighed heavily. Laurence finally caught up, slightly winded. "Dear Irene, you are fast for someone with little legs," he muttered, trying to catch his breath. "Sorry, I should have warned you before I took off. I had some questions for her, but she clearly doesn't wish to speak to me," Aphmau stated.

Laurence nodded weakly. "Aphmau, what's going on?" Brendan asked. Aphmau turned her attention to him, smiling softly. "It's not something you should worry about. I just... I learned some things from trustworthy individuals about Sasha, and I think she might not be who she says she is. If you see her again, even if you have doubts it's her, then come get me, alright?" Aphmau stated, watching as Brendan nodded a little before walking off, Laurence trailing behind her. Laurence opened his mouth to speak when Aphmau cut him off before he even started.

"Do you know what a Shadow Knight is?" She asked, stopping in the center of town, right where they started before she chased after Sasha. "Yes. They took our previous Lord, Lord Joh. We managed to get him back from the Shadow Abyss, but Sasha was lost during the fight. She was the Head Guard before me," he responded quickly. "Why do you know about them, Lady Aphmau?" Laurence then asked. "I encountered two before. Zenix, the man who attacked Phoenix Drop and before that gave me this scar on my eye. The other is a man named Gene, who tricked me back in Brightport and tried to kill me when we went into the Shadow Abyss," she stated, turning to finally face him.

"I see. What... what do those  things  have to do with Sasha?" He asked, fearing what he was about to hear. "I think she's one of them. A Shadow Knight. Castor said that dark magic had to be at play for her to come back to life. I can safely say that anything having to do with Shadow Knights or the Shadow Abyss is dark and magical. It's the only thing I can think of that'd explain it. Zenix is immortal and coming back to life seems like a good first step to such a thing," Aphmau sighed, rubbing her eyes. This was too much stuff in one day. She felt tired yet it also felt like every fiber of her being was on fire, hopped up on energy.

Laurence sighed heavily. "It makes some sense, that's true. It's just... people are supposed to stay dead when they pass away. How are they bringing people back to life?" "I don't know. I don't like it either. It feels wrong, like nature itself is being toyed with. I'm far too tired to think any harder about this, though. You are free to stay in town, we'll be setting up a safe place for everyone to sleep tonight, but I need to go patch Garroth up and then go help Zoey back at my house," Aphmau dismissed the conversation.

Laurence stared for a moment before gently patting her head. "Don't wear yourself out, alright? I'll help your guards with patrol for the time being, but I'll need to leave tomorrow. Meteli can't be without its head guard for long," he smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood. He understood how she was feeling, considering he was feeling the same way after seeing Sasha again despite the fact she should be dead. Aphmau smiled back, warm and radiant. "Thank you, Laurence. I appreciate the help," she said softly before bidding him goodbye and heading off.

Tomorrow, she had a  lot  of work to get done.

~To be continued~

Chapter Text

Aphmau woke the next morning, her body still heavy with sleep. It faded quickly as she got up and began her usual morning routine of feeding Thorgi, getting breakfast ready for Zoey and herself, then heading downstairs to take over baby watch while Zoey ate. Aphmau fed Levin some puree Zoey made a while back, which consisted of mashed-up carrots and peas. She couldn't see the appeal of mush for food, but Levin got a kick out of it, so it seemed to work fine.

"Should you bring Garroth some breakfast?" Zoey asked as she took her empty plate to the sink and began washing it.

"That's a good idea. I don't know what he'd like, though," Aphmau replied, spooning some more mush into Levin's open mouth, watching as he ate messily. At least he wasn't trying to throw it everywhere. Yet.

Zoey smiled. "Then maybe some eggs and bacon? I can get it started while you go into the village and check on everyone. That Laurence guy is leaving soon, right? You should see him off," she suggested. Aphmau nodded, letting Zoey take over as she stood up. Thorgi bounded after her, following her up the stairs into what remained of the ground level of her home.

She, Zoey, and Levin had been living downstairs, able to use the small kitchen Aphmau had installed down there previously that was mostly used by Zoey during the night when Aphmau was sleeping. She exited the hole that once held a door before stopping. She stared at Dale nearby, who was looking at the beach from the hill Aphmau's house sat on. "Dale, what are you doing?" She asked, smiling at him as she walked over, Thorgi keeping pace. 

"Wonderin' why all these women are so taken by that new guy. Women used to look at me like that, back when I had pecs and stuff. Eh, just means more beer for me, huh? Ha ha!" He laughed heartily, motioning to the beach so Aphmau'd understand.

She gazed out at the beach, spotting Laurence and Ungrth, before catching sight of Kiki and Donna watching him from a "hiding" place. They were very much not hidden, but she wasn't about to ruin their fun. Also, for some reason Aphmau could not fathom, Brendan was there too. She walked over, still smiling, before walking up closer to Donna. "You know, now that we aren't stressing over if Zenix will come back, I can finally get a good look at the hunk you brought with you!" Donna smiled. Aphmau tilted her head.

"Oh! By the way! During the whole incident yesterday, I wasn't able to tell you, but I and Logan are engaged! We'll be getting married!" She then added, her smile getting wider. 

"Congratulations, Donna! But, if you're getting married, why are you looking at other guys?" Aphmau asked.

Donna shrugged. "Logan knows where I am. I'm just lookin', I have no plans of doing anything more than that. We don't get good eye candy around here, so I'll take what I can get," Donna smirked, clearly being cheeky, but Aphmau just nodded, wearing her generic, kind smile.

Then she walked over to Brendan, who was pouting and mumbling something about wishing he was that hot so women would like him better. After standing there for a moment, Aphmau decided it was best she didn't say anything and silently moved on to Kiki. "Oh! Aphmau! I was going to come to get you for something, but then I spotted Donna and Brendan here and got sidetracked! The guy you came back with is very kind! He helped me fix up a pen for the animals in the plaza so the farm I was using could be used properly," Kiki smiled at Aphmau.

"What did you want to get me for?" Aphmau asked.

"I found some puppies near town last night and was wondering if you wanted to take one of them as a friend for Thorgi. I'll introduce you later, I'm sure you want to see Laurence off first," the redhead smiled warmly, turning on her heels and leaving. Aphmau waved her off, excited to see the dogs she was speaking of, but first, she had to speak with Laurence. 

Aphmau walked calmly across the sand, stopping near Laurence. "Good morning. Leaving early?" Aphmau spoke up, watching as Laurence turned to face her with a warm smile. Huh, he has dimples, Aphmau suddenly thought, her eyes drifting to the small indents at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes, I have to get back to Meteli. Cadenza still hasn't returned, so things are still hectic, but I visited Castor shortly after you left Meteli and he was working on the potion to turn her back, so I assume it'll take a while," he stated. Aphmau nodded in understanding. Laurence stared for a moment. 

"You wanted to ask about her, right? Sasha?" Aphmau suddenly spoke up, her statement making him flinch slightly. His smile twitched, falling slightly, but still present as a wobbly line between his lips.

"Ah... I was just curious about something. The Sasha I knew was kind and headstrong. I... wanted to know what she was like while she was here," he asked softly, almost nervous.

Aphmau hummed, thinking about it. "I didn't interact with her a lot, but she was... suspicious. She acted kind and sweet, but there was no kindness in her eyes. Just twisted curiosity. She was also a good liar. She tricked nearly everyone in town into thinking she was a wandering potion maker. Only Donna, Garroth, and I didn't trust her. I'm just glad I was the only one she tried to hurt, considering I hadn't fallen for her faux kindness." 

"She tried to hurt you?" 

"Poison me, specifically. She made a very potent poison potion and gave it to me, telling me it was a fire resistance potion. She told me to drink the whole thing if I used it. Castor quickly informed me that it was, in fact, a poison potion. Drinking the whole thing would have disintegrated my body, leaving nothing behind," she said, seemingly in consideration. Despite the graphic end she almost met, Aphmau looked relatively unconcerned. 

Laurence stared at her, horrified. "It is hard to believe the Sasha I knew and the one we saw are one in the same, considering the differences between them. But there isn't a chance of Sasha having some secret twin I knew nothing about," he muttered, shaking his head, eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Aphmau nodded. "Anyway, I wish you good luck with the whole...Cadenza and lord situation. If you need my help with anything, feel free to send me a message by bird or come visit Phoenix Drop. I'll be busy with rebuilding the town, but I can always set aside the work to assist a friend in their time of need," Aphmau beamed at him.

Laurence looked at her fondly, a smile teasing at his lips. "You truly are the kindest being to exist, my love. I'll be sure to let you know if I need help with anything. Having a lord to depend on during these tough times is reassuring," he stated, grabbing her hand and gently kissing her knuckles.

"Now then, would you like to say goodbye to Ungrth before we head off?" Laurence suggested, motioning to Ungrth, who was staring at Aphmau. 

She nodded happily, walking up to the wyvern. "Thank you for getting me home so quickly, Ungrth," she thanked him, bowing her head respectfully.

"Anything for a friend of Laurence's. I wish you the best of luck, Lady Aphmau, with repairing your home," he responded simply, though to Laurence it sounded like normal dragon screeching. Despite the bland tone in his voice, the sincerity was clear to Aphmau just by looking into Ungrth’s brown eyes.

Aphmau smiled warmly before facing Laurence. "Good luck and take care on your way back," she said with faux sternness, clearly teasing. Though she did want him to take care of himself, that was true. Laurence nodded, easily climbing aboard Ungrth. He bid her farewell before taking to the sky, Aphmau waving goodbye as he left toward Meteli. Once he was out of sight, Aphmau turned and headed back to the house.

Zoey had finished making some food for Garroth, so she had plated it and handed it to Aphmau, who quickly left after kissing Levin on the head and headed for the mines.

It barely took any time at all for Aphmau to reach the mine entrance, carefully walking down the old steps and looking around. She spotted Garroth nearby, melting ore he had dug up. During the time she spent patching him up yesterday, he stated he'd work on digging up ore and minerals in the mine to help with repairs until he could be more active around town. He was going to issue an order for a new helmet, but neither of them knew how long that'd take, so he'd make himself useful while they waited.

"Garroth, good morning," Aphmau smiled, catching his attention as she walked over.

"Ah, good morning, Lady Aphmau. What brings you down to the mines this early?" He asked, facing her with a soft smile. He looked tired, but he still tried to appear cheerful for her.

Aphmau still had trouble getting used to seeing Garroth's face, as every time she looked at him without his helmet, she kept getting pangs of familiarity and sadness rushing through her, though for what reason she didn't know. "Zoey made you breakfast. I wanted to bring it to you myself," she responded simply, handing him the plate of eggs and bacon, along with a fork.

He looked surprised as he stared at the food, eyes wide. "I see. Please let her know I appreciate the food," Garroth stated, his grin slightly wider as he began to eat, not minding how Aphmau sat down on a barrel nearby and watched him. He may not have known Aphmau for very long, but one of the many quirks about her that he got used to quickly was how she watched him and others. It was always idle, not like there was any meaning behind it. He assumed she just liked to know their habits and behaviors better by watching them, so she could adapt to them.

"Laurence left already, I saw him off. He's going to be keeping me up to date with the happenings in Meteli until they get a lord, that way he has a lord to rely on during these rough times. That, and he wants to keep me updated on the status of Cadenza," Aphmau started speaking to fill the silence. 

"Cadenza?" Garroth asked, raising an eyebrow. It was hard to keep up with all the new people Aphmau met on her adventures.

Aphmau nodded. "She's the daughter of one of the lord candidates that went missing a few days ago. Turns out she got turned into a chicken by a local shaman while playing with the chickens that live with him and he's finding a way to turn her back. I was the one that found that out and relayed the information to Laurence," she explained.

"Ah, I see. Hopefully, she gets turned back soon, for everyone's benefit," Garroth stated. 

Aphmau nodded. Silence filled the mine once again. "Are you alright? You look like you're thinking hard about something, my lord," Garroth suddenly asked when he noticed Aphmau's focused expression. 

"Well... I've been thinking of how we're going to repair the houses with so few of us. That's a lot of heavy lifting for so few people that can handle it, not to mention being down to two guards that can work, given you have to wait until you get a new helm," Aphmau stated. 

Garroth tilted his head slightly, wondering where she was going with this.

"So I was thinking that... maybe we could ask the Southern Werewolf Tribe for help. Werewolves are much stronger than normal humans, not to mention they know how to repair houses damaged by extreme fires. They'd be able to provide extra protection in case Zenix comes back and assist in repairs," she smiled awkwardly, hoping he’d be okay with such an idea.

Garroth hummed, setting the empty plate nearby. "It's not a bad idea, actually. Phoenix Drop has always had bad blood with werewolves, and even though everyone in town knows you've helped and been helped by werewolves, they will still be hesitant to accept them around as friends. Having them help us in our time of need might help get rid of that fear."

Aphmau’s smile grew rapidly, warm and radiant like the sun. "Great! I'll send a letter to them immediately! Is Raven back? I need to visit him anyway, so it works out," Aphmau asked, standing up. 

"He should be, but I don't know if he'll come if you call him, so you might have to find his cave," Garroth stated. 

"Alright! That's fine. I'll be going now. I'll come back for the plate and fork later," she smiled at him, waving goodbye before leaving the mines. Garroth watched her leave before getting back to melting down the ore and fashioning it into ingots.

Aphmau stood on the outskirts of the forest, looking around. "Raven? It's Aphmau! I need to ask a favor and pass on a message!" She called, listening closely afterward. A low roar made her turn her attention to a tree near her. One of Raven's siblings stood on a branch, staring at her. It nodded its head at her before flying low through the trees, leading Aphmau to the cave where they all lived. 

Aphmau entered the small opening after the wyvern, finding Raven and his siblings waiting for her. "She's returned once again," one grumbled, staring at her with a harsh look.

"Be quiet, she helped our youngest brother in his time of need and is kind to us. If she requires his help, we should assist her in finding him," another snapped.

"I wonder what you require, human," Raven muttered, staring at Aphmau from his pile of gold. 

"Hopefully it isn't much to request of you," Aphmau replied, all of the wyverns falling silent. 

"Do you-" 

"Yes, I understand you. I have a message I need to pass on first, from your mother, Gaia," Aphmau smiled, before recreating the draconic words Gaia had spoken to her days before, that she had already passed onto Ungrth. 

"My, what a surprise. I knew there was something odd about you, but this solidifies that strangeness. Tell me, what do you need?" Raven asked, his demeanor more relaxed after she had passed on his mother's message.

"Can you deliver a message for me to the Southern Werewolf Tribe near Brightport?" Aphmau asked. 

"I can, but I am surprised you wish to send a message there of all places," Raven replied, watching as Aphmau pulled out a piece of paper and a quill with some ink from one of her large pockets. She began writing on the paper, using the smooth stone floor as a solid place to write. 

"They're old friends. They told me to send a message if I ever needed their help and with the state Phoenix Drop is in, I think now is a good time to call on them for help," she explained.

"I see. That is smart of you. I shall deliver your message quickly, then. Did you require anything else?" He asked. Aphmau paused before looking up. 

"Can any of you find people?" She asked. 

"Depends on what they look like. The more unique they look the easier, and we can only operate here in Ru'aan." 

"The person I need to find is a meif'wa girl named Kawaii-chan. She has pink hair, black cat ears, and a black cat tail, and dresses in a maid uniform," Aphmau described. 

Raven hummed before turning to face his siblings. "Indrix, think you can find the person she described?" He called to one of the bigger wyverns.

"It shouldn't be hard. Where did you last see them, miss?" Indrix asked, walking closer. 

"Between the Neapolitan Villages and Scaleswind. She owned a bright pink cafe that was abandoned and boarded up the last I saw it. I don't think she moved too far since then, but I can't be sure," Aphmau replied. "I'll write up a letter in a moment for her if you find her. Please don't worry if you don't think you can find her, though," she then smiled, finishing her letter to the werewolves requesting their aid. Raven let her put the letter in a pouch around his leg before flying off to deliver the letter.

Aphmau then started on the letter for Kawaii-chan, letting her know that she has friends in Brightport and Meteli if she needs help finding Phoenix Drop and that the offer to come live in Phoenix Drop was still up. Once finished, she gave Indrix the letter, who then flew out of the cave to locate KC. Aphmau turned to face the wyverns left in the room. "Is there anything I can do to thank all of you for helping me with this?" Aphmau tilted her head.

"Passing on that message from our mother was more than enough, miss. I am Gossamer, the eldest of the wyverns in this cave. If you require help from any of us while the other two are out, you may call for us at the edge of the forest and we will come to your aid," a bigger wyvern stated, bowing his head at Aphmau.

Aphmau smiled as the other wyverns walked up. "The other two are Sulpha and Gypsy. Good luck with repairing Phoenix Drop," Gossamer then stated.

"Thank you. Don't hesitate to come get me if you need help at some point, alright?" Aphmau replied in earnest before leaving the cave and heading back to Phoenix Drop.

Aphmau stopped in the plaza, spotting a small pen where Kiki had been caring for animals injured during Zenix's attack. "Aphmau!" Kiki greeted her as she walked over. 

"Hello, Kiki. Now, what was the thing about puppies you mentioned earlier?" Aphmau asked, looking into the pen at four young dogs, each around Thorgi's age. Thorgi was staring at them all from behind Aphmau's legs before walking up and beginning to try and play with them from the other side of the fencing.

"I found these babies last night. I wanted to know if you'd like one as a friend for Thorgi," Kiki smiled. Aphmau remained silent as she stared at the four puppies inside the pen, before slowly turning her head to face Kiki. 

"I want them," she stated.

"Uh... which one?" 

"All of them." 

Kiki’s eyes widened in shock. "Aphmau, that would make five dogs in your house. Can you handle that?" 

"Yes. Please, I can't say no to their faces. They love Thorgi already," Aphmau stated, motioning to how badly the puppies were trying to escape their confines to play more with Thorgi.

Kiki sighed in defeat before smiling brightly, "Alright, what are you going to name them?" She asked. 

Aphmau hummed before pointing at the first puppy. It was brown and white, with slightly shaggy fur. "I'll call that one Cookie." 

"The bearded collie? Good thing she's a girl," Kiki stated, laughing a little. Aphmau then pointed at another puppy that was lankier than the others, with short fur colored a menagerie of grays, browns, and white. 

"The Irish wolfhound?"

"Jiggy!" Aphmau stated happily. Kiki nodded as Aphmau moved onto one of the chunkier dogs (Kiki may have overfed them by accident, so they were just a little pudgy until they digested the food they gobbled down).

"I'll name that one Puma," Aphmau stated.

"She's a greater Swiss mountain dog," Kiki stated, petting the black, white, and brown puppy. 

"I'll name the last one Phoenix. Fitting, don't you think?" Aphmau giggled. The puppy designated as Phoenix was a golden retriever with bright blond hair. 

"Very! Now, if you're taking them all, then I should let you know that all of them are classified as big dog breeds. Meaning they'll get very large and take up a lot of space," Kiki stated, handing Aphmau some dog bowls for water and food, dog food, and treats for training purposes.

"Thank you, Kiki. I'll take good care of them," Aphmau grinned, freeing the other puppies, to whom she gave a pat each before turning and heading off to get the plate and fork she left with Garroth. Thorgi trudged after her and the other dogs followed his example, following after them both as a little herd.

Aphmau entered the mines once more, carrying the items Kiki gave her with ease in one arm, while her little army of puppies followed her. "I'm back!" Aphmau greeted Garroth with a smile as he was swarmed by the four new puppies. 

"My word! You've seemed to have gained more dogs, Lady Aphmau," Garroth chuckled, placing down the tools he was using and began petting the dogs. 

"Yes, Kiki found them last night. I couldn't take just one while they all looked so cute, so I decided to take them all in," she chuckled, grabbing the plate and fork she had left behind earlier.

"Did you find Raven?" Garroth questioned as the puppies began exploring the mine. Aphmau nodded.

"Yes, he's already left to deliver my message to the werewolves. One of his siblings also went out to find a friend I made on my way to Scaleswind. I accidentally put her in danger, so I told her she could come to live in Phoenix Drop. She's a baker and a magic user, from what I know," Aphmau stated. 

"A friend? Is that safe?" Garroth asked though he didn't doubt Aphmau's decision. She had a knack for knowing who was or wasn't trustworthy.

"Yes, she's very kind and saved me from Zenix when he attacked me before he came here. The least I can do is offer her a place to live where she will be protected," Aphmau stated. 

Garroth nodded a little. "Alright then. I hope we'll be ready to accept her when she arrives," he smiled softly, watching as Aphmau beamed at him before calling her dogs to her. Thorgi was the only one who answered quickly, but the other four came running once they saw what Thorgi was doing. She bid Garroth farewell before heading off back to her house, the dogs following quickly.

The next day, Aphmau was in the plaza with all of the villagers (minus Garroth). Zoey was holding Levin as Aphmau began listing what they needed to do to get repairs started, as yesterday had served as a day for everyone to get their bearings and rest before repairs started. A sudden howl startled everyone but Aphmau, as she turned to face a werewolf nearby, staring at her. 

"S-Sister Aphmau!" Khira waved, a smile on her wolfish face. Aphmau broke into a wide grin. 

"Khira!" She waved excitedly at her friend, who walked over.

Khira stopped in front of Aphmau and patted her head with a large paw. "We c-came as soon as we c-could once we got your le-letter. We're h-here to help," Khira stated, motioning to a group of werewolves walking into the plaza, carrying tools for woodcutting or mining.

"Thank you so much, Khira! Is Boldolf doing okay since we last spoke?" Aphmau questioned, tilting her head slightly. 

Khira nodded. "My h-husband sends his r-regards. He wishes he c-could be here to help, b-but as our pack leader he c-cannot leave our home u-unattended for long stretches of t-time," she stated.

Aphmau nodded a little. "I see. I'll have to visit sometime, then!" She said happily before turning and facing her village, who stared at the werewolves with wide eyes. "Everyone, this is Khira of the Southern Werewolf Tribe! She and a few other werewolves are here to help with repairs and protection until we can handle the rest on our own. Their village was in a similar state to ours a while back, so they know more about handling these situations than us," Aphmau explained with a smile.

Khira stared at the gathered humans, glancing them over before closing her eyes and taking on her semi-human form, leaving her ears and tail out. "G-Greetings. We are fr-friends of Sister A-Aphmau, who has helped us in our t-time of need in the past. We will do our b-best to assist you with repairing your v-village," Khira respectfully bowed her head. The villagers blinked at her for a moment before glancing at Aphmau's smiling face. How could they deny help from people who could assist them, despite what they may be when Aphmau looked so proud of herself?

"Welp, this'll be interestin'," Donna stated, smiling wide as she walked up to Khira and offered her hand to shake. "Pleasure to meet you! Little Aphmau told us all about how you guys helped with her wounds back in Brightport! We'll be happy to accept your help," she stated. Khira seemed happy, her eyes slightly wide at being accepted so readily, before shaking Donna's hand. 

"Alright then! We'll split into three groups!" Aphmau interrupted, bringing attention to her. "The first group will be in charge of harvesting new materials! We'll need to cut down trees and mine some stone! Garroth has been working in the mine, so he's got the stone part covered for the most part, but we'll need wood!"

Aphmau turned to face Brendan and Logan. "Brendan, Logan, I want you two to go with some of the werewolves to chop down trees in the woods. I'll get the stone Garroth gathered from the mines myself," she instructed, getting an energetic nod from Brendan and a roll of the eyes from Logan. Some of the werewolves left the group and walked over to Brendan and Logan, handing them some of the axes they brought before heading off toward the woods. Aphmau then turned to face Dale and Brian. "Dale, Brian, you'll go about your regular guard duties. Some of the werewolves will help so you aren't handling all the work yourselves," she stated, getting a salute from both guards before they and a couple of werewolves headed off.

Finally, Aphmau faced everyone left behind. "Everyone else will work on clearing the debris! We'll leave the heavier pieces to the werewolves and reuse what we can. Khira, is there anything we should do about what's left standing?" Aphmau asked the werewolf. 

Khira hummed. "We s-should remove anything b-burnt that is still attached to the b-buildings, as well as the u-upper flooring of any two-story h-houses," she instructed.

Aphmau nodded. "You heard her! Let's get to work!" Aphmau grinned, watching as everyone else began to start clearing out debris.

Aphmau headed toward the mines, however, to get the stone and such that Garroth had been collecting while down there. She found everything already fashioned into bricks, however, outside the mine entrance on wooden pallets. Aphmau quietly stepped into the mine just to find Garroth passed out with his head leaning against a barrel and sitting on the ground. He was covered in soot and dirt, clearly having worked for multiple hours straight without rest before finally falling asleep.

Aphmau smiled softly at him, bending down and moving some hair stuck to his forehead out of the way. She found an old blanket he had been using and draped it over him before leaving the mine. She stared at the pallets, trying to figure out how she'd move them when she decided to just pick them up and hope for the best (despite the few hundred pounds of stone bricks on them). She put her hands under one of the pallets and heaved it up, finding it to be much lighter than she expected.

It reminded her of the time she easily carried Garroth to her bed while he was asleep and in full iron armor. She set the pallet back down where it first was before grabbing the very bottom one (as they were stacked on top of one another) and hoisted them all up at once, easily carrying the pallets of bricks. Aphmau smiled at her strength, glad she was able to be of use somehow before the building part began, and headed toward the plaza.

Two days passed quickly, filled with work on the village. They got rid of any unusable debris and kept anything that could be repurposed, laid the groundwork for new buildings where the trees they chopped down once were, and overall began making Phoenix Drop better. The houses that hadn't been as badly damaged were handled first so that people had places to stay during the night, instead of camping out at the plaza in sleeping bags or cots. Aphmau insisted her house be handled last, as she, Zoey, and Levin still had a safe place to sleep in the basement.

Aphmau was working with some of the werewolves on the new guard quarters, where the guards that didn't have a family to stay with in town could live, as well as serve as a place to hold criminals. For the time being, it'd only be used by Garroth, as Dale and Brian were from the same family and already had a home to live in. The building was made mostly of stone, with wooden accents here and there, as Aphmau thought it should be sturdy if it was going to hold potential criminals. It'd be much harder to escape a stone building than a wooden one.

"Lady Aphmau," a voice brought her out of her thoughts as she stared at the half-finished building. 

She turned to see Garroth standing nearby, his helm replaced and back on his head, once again hiding his face. "You got your helm replaced! I'm glad, it was strange not seeing you around town," Aphmau grinned at him as he walked up and looked at the stone building. She would miss seeing his face, as seeing him smile instead of assuming when he was was a very nice sight, but she also liked seeing him around town, doing what he did best. Keeping people safe.

"It was just as abnormal for me as well. Has everything been going well?" Garroth asked, glancing at her. Aphmau nodded happily.

"Yes, the original buildings that were here are complete and the new ones are almost done. We can finish the rest of the work ourselves, so the werewolves will be leaving tonight to get back home. It seems things are getting rough over there with another werewolf tribe, so they can't stay any longer," she explained. 

"Hunting ground wars?" 

"I believe so. To be honest, I don't understand the need to fight over such things, but I'm not a werewolf so I don't think I'd get it regardless," she shrugged. Garroth nodded a little.

"So, what's with this building?" Garroth questioned. 

She smiled a little wider. "It's your new guard quarters. It has rooms upstairs for guards to sleep in, as well as some cells on the first floor to hold criminals. Do you like it so far?" Aphmau asked. 

Garroth stared at her for a moment. "Yes, it's lovely. If I may ask, however... why did you build this? The old building was just fine," Garroth asked, confused. Aphmau laughed softly, gently patting Garroth's shoulder. 

"Because I wanted to do something nice for you. Now you'll be able to do your job in the proper building!" She smiled wide. Clearly, this wasn’t a gift he could say no to. Besides, it was already halfway done.

Garroth did not respond but she could tell he was happy. "Donna asked me to be her Maid of Honor at her wedding yesterday," Aphmau suddenly spoke up. 

Garroth quickly looked at her. "She did? That's wonderful, but do you know what that means?" Garroth asked, worried Donna hadn't thought her request through before she asked Aphmau. 

Aphmau nodded a little. "Somewhat. Donna explained to me that the Maid of Honor helps plan the wedding. She told me all I need to do is set up the venue, find someone to make the wedding cake and get dresses and suits for everyone that is going to be attending. She told me I can do everything at my own pace and that she trusts my judgment," Aphmau grinned softly, calm and collected.

Garroth sighed a little. "I see. Sounds like Donna to saddle others with the bulk of the work, but I'm sure it'll be fine. Do you know who'll be officiating the wedding? Who the priest will be? We don't have one in town, after all," Garroth questioned. 

Aphmau shook her head. "Donna told me that she'll figure that part out. Or at least, her mother is likely to when she learns Donna is getting married. I'll trust Donna on that one," she explained. He nodded a little. 

"Aphmau!" Brendan's voice came hollering, making both her and Garroth turn to face him as he ran towards them.

"Brendan? What's wrong?" Aphmau asked, concerned as Brendan placed his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. 

"That... Laurence guy is... back," he wheezed, finally standing up after taking in another big gulp of air. "He said it's important and that he needs to speak with you right away," he then added. Aphmau nodded before heading off toward the beach, Garroth trailing after her.

It took not much time to reach the beach. Aphmau spotted Ungrth near the dock, with Laurence standing nearby, looking anxious. "Laurence, what's wrong?" Aphmau said quickly as she rushed up to him, grabbing his hands in hers the moment she was close enough. Garroth stopped at her side, getting a good look at the man that had helped Aphmau get back to Phoenix Drop quickly. 

Laurence squeezed her hands a little. "Aphmau, it's good to see you. I'm sorry to bother you given the state of things in your town, but it's about Cadenza. I haven't heard from Castor in days. I keep sending letters to him with no reply. Usually, he responds right away and I can't leave my post for very long to search for him," Laurence said quickly. "Can you come with me to Meteli to find the old idiot? I want to think it's fine and he's just off doing his drunken shenanigans, but I keep getting this feeling that something is wrong.”

Garroth glanced at his hands as he listened to them talk, before tearing his eyes back to the pair as Aphmau turned to address him. "Garroth, can you oversee the rest of the construction while I'm gone?" She asked. 

Garroth nodded. "Of course, Lady Aphmau. You go help Sir Laurence with finding this Castor man. I can handle things here," Garroth said quickly, understanding how important this was from what Aphmau had told him of Castor and Cadenza.

"Laurence, this is Garroth, by the way. He's the head guard in town," Aphmau quickly introduced her guard, who bowed his head at Laurence. 

"I see! Aphmau spoke highly of you during the conversations we've had. I'm glad to see you are doing well after getting injured," Laurence smiled a little at him. 

"Likewise. Thank you for looking after her during her time in Meteli and on her way back from Scaleswind. We all worry about her, as she attracts trouble," Garroth stated. Laurence chuckled before hopping on Ungrth.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Garroth. Let everyone know I had some things to take care of in Meteli," Aphmau stated, accepting Laurence's help to get on Ungrth. 

"I will. Be safe, Lord Aphmau. Return to us in one piece," he bowed to her before watching as they soared into the sky toward Meteli. Garroth stayed at the beach for a while longer, anxiety making his stomach swirl, before turning on his heel and heading into town to relay Aphmau's message.

~To be continued~

Chapter Text

Ungrth landed in Meteli in less than three hours, touching down near the forest. "Thank you for coming with me, Aphmau. I would have gone myself if I didn't have so much going on," Laurence explained as he dismounted, helping Aphmau get off Ungrth and onto solid ground. 

"It's no problem, I meant it when I said I'd help you if you needed it. I'll go see if I can find Castor then report back with what I learn, alright?" Aphmau smiled, easing Laurence's nerves ever so slightly.

He nodded. "Alright, be careful, my love," he stated, placing his hand on her shoulder, smiling softly before watching as she hurried off in the direction Castor's home was, weaving through the trees before disappearing from sight. 

A soft growl brought Laurence's attention to Ungrth, who was staring at him with a concerned look in his eyes. "You're worried too, aren't you? I know, something about this doesn't feel right. I'm sure Aphmau will be fine, though," Laurence frowned, sighing heavily.

Aphmau pushed away some low-hanging branches as she stepped into the clearing where Castor's house stood, near the river and forest to easily provide drinking water. She stopped the moment she caught sight of his house, however, staring in horror at the scene before her. Blood and feathers littered the ground, and dead chickens sprawled about with their necks snapped horrifically or brutally maimed. "Oh my..." Aphmau muttered, slowly stepping further toward the house.

Her eyes snapped to a man nearby, who was surrounded by bees, though they only buzzed softly and didn't attempt to attack him or Aphmau. He looked worried, glancing around at the area with a hand on his chin, clearly thinking. He was stocky and slightly tan, with short slicked back black hair, a mustache, and dressed in yellow and black. He was dressed similarly to a doctor, but more... bee-like. He seemed to become aware of Aphmau's presence, as he suddenly looked at her with a surprised expression.

He hadn't expected to see anyone else at Castor's home. "I wouldn't come any closer, miss. There's been a slaughter. I wasn't able to get here quick enough to save them," the man stated, though he didn't stop Aphmau from moving closer despite his words of warning.

"What happened?" Aphmau asked. The man sighed, looking back at the house. 

"A vicious attack, it seems. It wasn't anyone from town, I know that, so an outsider did this. Castor has made many enemies in his time, mostly from his eccentric behavior, so I don't know who exactly did this," he explained.

Aphmau nodded a little, moving past him and heading into the house to see if she could find Cadenza or Castor; or at least some trace of them or a hint as to where they went. The inside of the house was just as bloody, though there weren't any dead chickens inside the house, so it was likely the blood belonged to Castor. A crumpled note caught her eye as she walked closer to Castor's seat, where he had been when he tied Aphmau up days ago. She picked it up, carefully unfurling it, before reading the text.

If you want what remains of your "people", come to the Nether. If you don't, they won't make it out alive. -Sasha

Aphmau stared at the note a little longer before pocketing it and looking around once more. Then, she left the house, paying no mind to the strange bee man before heading straight to the forest.

Aphmau arrived back in Meteli a short while later, heading toward where Laurence had been waiting. He was still there, still nervous-looking. "Laurence!" Aphmau called out to him, his head snapping toward her quickly. 

"You're back! That was much faster than I thought it'd take," Laurence said, facing her fully once she was close by. 

"We've got a problem. Castor went to the Nether after Sasha murdered most of his chickens and threatened to kill the rest if he didn't go to get them himself," Aphmau said quickly.

Laurence's eyes widened slightly. "That's not good. What of Cadenza? Did you see her?" 

"I didn't see any trace of her, not even a feather or anything. I don't know if she's with him or not, but we can't just leave Castor for dead," Aphmau explained. 

Laurence nodded in agreement. "The problem is how we're going to get to the Nether. As far as I know, there isn't a portal active near Meteli, and making one is far too difficult to do in a timely manner.”

Aphmau glanced down for a moment before sighing. "I know of one active near Brightport. I've gone in once before, to be honest. It wasn't pleasant, to say the least, but I'm willing to relive that if it means saving Castor from death," Aphmau explained, her eyes distant, holding her hands tightly together as she remembered her last jaunt into the Shadow Abyss.

She could still hear the crackling flames in her mind, the sound of lava bubbles popping, and the weird, brown sand squishing under her feet, slowing her progress. The sight of the castle was the worst of it, as she still got a sick, dark feeling deep inside her body every time she remembered it. 

Laurence stared at her, concerned. The Shadow Abyss was no joke, he knew that much. He, too, had gone in once, but that had been with multiple people. Aphmau had practically gone in alone and made it back alive, but not unscathed. She was scarred and somewhat traumatized by her experience, yet she was still willing to go back in if it meant saving some crazy old quack from dying a brutal death.

"I won't ask if you're sure, as you wouldn't suggest going in if you weren't. Shall we go now?" Laurence questioned, trying to help alleviate her worry with a calm voice. He knew Aphmau well enough to know that she wouldn't suggest doing something if she wasn't positive about following it through.

"Are you able to leave Meteli?" Aphmau questioned, raising an eyebrow. She knew he was important to Meteli given the current Lord situation.

"This is important. I'm sure those two can withstand tearing each other apart for a couple more hours. They have personal guards, so it'll be fine, I think," Laurence replied, though he didn't sound so sure. His job was extensive, more than just being a guard. He had to step in as a makeshift Lord until the election was over, which at the rate it was going, would take a while.

If he was gone for too long, it could lead to trouble, as there wasn't an unbiased person in town with the authority to play as Lord until he returned. However, knowing what happened to Cadenza was more important and Castor was an old friend. He couldn't just leave the old quack to die, even if he sometimes hated being around the crazy chicken shaman.

Aphmau nodded a little. "Then let's go," and with that, they both got on Ungrth and took to the skies, heading toward Brightport as fast as Ungrth could go.

They landed at Brightport's docks a couple of hours later, close to sunset but still bright out. Ungrth was tied up by the docks before Aphmau started leading the way. However, she didn't head into town. Instead, she started heading toward the woods, pushing through the overgrowth and low-hanging branches with ease.

"Aphmau, where are we going?" Laurence asked after a moment. He trusted her of course, but he was concerned about where they were heading.

Aphmau was silent for a moment as she kept walking, before looking over her shoulder. "The Southern Werewolf Tribe. They're the only people I know of with an active portal to the Nether that we can use," she said simply. 

Laurence stared at her like he expected her to say she was joking, but she was serious. "Is... is that safe?" He asked cautiously. 

Aphmau nodded, facing forward once more. "Yes, they're old friends of mine. I helped them recover one of their young from the Nether, so they refer to me as Sister Aphmau now and I'm an honorary part of their tribe.” 

"Will they be alright with me? They might be fine with you, but I'm a stranger to them.”

"If you're a friend of mine, you're a friend of theirs. As long as you're kind to them, we should be fine. They'll understand.”

A couple minutes later, they emerged into a clearing, filled with wooden homes with straw roofs. The Southern Werewolf Village. Aphmau looked around, noting how empty the village looked compared to normal. 

"Sister Aphmau!" A familiar voice called out, both Aphmau and Laurence turning to the source.

Boldolf stopped in front of them, smiling. He pulled Aphmau into a big hug, lifting her off the ground and slightly swinging her before setting her back down. "Boldolf! It's good to see you. I heard about the fight with the other tribe you were having," Aphmau stated, smiling weakly at him. 

"Yes, we are still fighting, but so far it isn't anything we can't handle. But let's save the talk of our condition for a later date. Something is troubling you, my dear. What's the matter? Who is this?" Boldolf asked, looking at Laurence with a suspicious eye.

The last time Aphmau arrived with an unknown man, that same man tried to kill her. Though he doubted Aphmau would make that same mistake twice, he still worried about the poor girl.

"This is Laurence, the Head Guard of Meteli. He helped me get back to Phoenix Drop after Zenix told me he was going to attack it. It's thanks to him I got back quickly to help deal with everything going on. I trust him with my life," Aphmau introduced her companion. Laurence bowed politely.

"I see." 

"Laurence, this is Boldolf, the Alpha of the Southern Werewolf Tribe. He and his wife, Khira, helped me recover after I was wounded in the Nether and then by Zenix shortly afterward. Despite his scary looks, he's very kind," Aphmau smiled. 

"Pleasure to meet you," Laurence stated. Boldolf nodded in acknowledgment to him. 

"Boldolf, is the Nether Portal still active?" Aphmau asked, looking back at the Alpha. 

"Yes, it is. We haven't seen anyone go in or out of it since your visit to that hell hole," he confirmed, pointing toward the cave that held the accursed thing. "Why do you ask?"

"Me and Laurence need to go in. Someone he knows is in there and we need to get them back," she explained. 

Boldolf nodded in understanding. "Then I'll get the sword you used last time and bring it to you at the portal before you head in," he stated, watching as Aphmau nodded before heading toward the cave, Laurence at her heels. Boldolf went to one of the houses and grabbed the sword Aphmau had used during her last venture into the Nether, heading toward the cave right afterward.

When he arrived, Aphmau and Laurence were staring at the portal and the swirling, purple vortex within the frame. Boldolf handed Aphmau the sword, watching as she stared at it. "Be careful, Sister Aphmau. I will await your return. You as well, Sir Laurence. Sister Aphmau has deemed you a friend, so we will worry if you do not return safely," Boldolf stated, patting Aphmau's head and staring at Laurence. 

"Thank you. We will both try our hardest to return unharmed," Laurence smiled, before facing the portal. "Ready, Aphmau?" He asked. 

She simply nodded, not looking at him before grabbing his hand carefully and giving it a small squeeze. Laurence startled, glancing at her, before squeezing her hand back before they stepped into the portal.

They emerged on the other side after the swirling purple mist engulfed them, the heat of the Nether hitting them at full force. Aphmau wasn’t particularly bothered, but Laurence was wearing armor that heated easily.

“Will you be okay to handle the heat?” Aphmau asked, looking at his pauldrons and boots. He didn’t wear the traditional full-body armor that Garroth did, but he still had bits and pieces on, mostly to protect his legs and arms.

Laurence nodded at her with a smile. “Yes, I’ll be fine. I’m used to stuffy air like this. The swamp gets warm on sunny days, not to mention how humid it can get. Besides, I’ve been to the Nether once before, so I expected it to be stifling hot,” he explained. He took notice of how Aphmau didn’t let his hand go, her grip showing how nervous she was.

Aphmau hummed a little before facing forward. She finally let go of his hand, knowing he’d need both if they had to fight. Aphmau never paid much attention to Laurence’s weapon, given he didn’t carry it with him often, but it seemed a bag attached to his hip was enchanted to allow him to put his weapon inside, despite the small size of the pouch.

His weapon was a vivid green claymore, a powerful two-handed weapon. The edges were serrated, perfect for hacking through monsters or human enemies alike, or even making your way through the tangled overgrowth of the swamp he called home. Aphmau mildly wondered if the green hue was caused by the sword being made of a gemstone or made that way using other methods, though she didn’t think this was the time or place to ask questions about his choice of weapon.

They trudged through the Nether, listening to the lava bubble and pop as monsters made noises somewhere just out of view. Nothing was said between them as they walked, Aphmau focusing on getting out as fast as possible and Laurence too concerned for Castor’s safety to try and make small talk.

They both stopped when the castle came into view, standing proud over the sea of lava, with a single, large bridge connecting the mainland to the horrible building in front of them. “There are… people here,” Aphmau stated, though it sounded more like a question as she pointed at the two figures on the bridge.

They were clad in black and red armor, with sharp edges to the whole look, making them appear more like demons than people. They each held a red sword but no shield, with the inside of their visors too dark to tell what they looked like under the helms.

“They’re Shadow Knights, dressed in their armor. I saw them last time I was here,” Laurence stated, grabbing the handle of his claymore. “They won’t let us through without a fight, but we’ll alert the other ones by doing so. We’ll need to make this quick.”

Aphmau readied her sword, nodding in agreement. “The faster the better,” and with that, they headed toward the bridge, quickly being spotted by the two guards, who charged at them.

The one on the left aimed at Aphmau’s neck, attempting to take her out immediately, but she blocked the blow with her sword, striking back as she moved forward. Despite being covered in armor, they still had spots on them that were weaker, so Aphmau struck at those, aiming primarily for the neck.

Laurence was fairing far better than her, as he had experience with fighting, given he’s a guard. The other Shadow Knight was no match for Laurence’s heavy blows, tearing through the armor with ease. It was amazing, watching as he used the momentum created by swinging his claymore around to both dodge and attack. It was almost like he was dancing.

Just as Laurence fell one Shadow Knight, Aphmau finished the other, nearly severing their head, though she could see the wound slowly beginning to repair itself, watching as the flesh began to stitch back together.

“They heal their wounds, no matter how bad they are. We watched it happen the last time we were here, making them tricky to dispose of,” Laurence stated, heading inside the castle with Aphmau at his heels.

“When you went to save your old lord, right?” Aphmau asked, following him through the halls, though she occasionally took the lead when she recognized a hall from her last visit to the castle.

“Lord Joh, yes. He was my adoptive father, so even though I wasn’t a head guard back then, I was still allowed to go, since we were family. It ended up being for nothing, as he was assassinated two weeks later by an unknown person,” Laurence stated, venom lacing his words as he spoke of the person who had killed his adoptive father.

Aphmau suddenly bent backward, nearly at a 90-degree angle, just as a sword came flying from around a corner. Had she not bent backward when she did, it would have taken her head clean off her shoulders. As the Shadow Knight that tried such a trick rounded the corner, clearly having expected to see one of the intruders dead on the ground, Aphmau planted her hands on the ground and kicked upward, her heel connecting with the chin of the Shadow Knight, sending him flying behind them as her foot took him with her momentum.

She stood back up, both her and Laurence looking behind to see the Shadow Knight tumbling down the flight of stairs they had just climbed. “I… almost feel bad for that guy,” Laurence muttered, wincing as he heard a loud crash, which was undoubtedly the Shadow Knight finally hitting the wall at the bottom of the stairs.

“I… didn’t think I could do that,” Aphmau stated, furrowing her eyebrows as she wondered what else she could do with the right training. Deciding to think about it later, they continued down the hallway, dealing with any other Shadow Knights that attacked with relative ease, though Laurence handled the majority of enemies.

They eventually came to a stop outside a room as they heard Castor’s voice loudly complaining about the situation he was in. Both of them peered in to see if the coast was clear, only for Aphmau to suck in a gasp she nearly let out.

She stared at a large, shadowy figure that seemed almost transparent, floating near the cell but not looking at any of them. A surge of horrific feelings flooded her mind, everything going fuzzy for a split second before her vision quickly returned. She wanted to hurl from the fear building up inside her as she stared at the shadow, every part of her body screaming at her that she needed to avoid being spotted by it at all costs.

Aphmau slowly took a step forward, her hands shaking as she moved quickly and quietly toward the cage that held a disheveled Castor and… three chickens? Laurence, meanwhile, kept an eye out by the entrance, only sparing a single glance at Aphmau when she had walked past.

“Castor!” Aphmau whispered, grabbing the bars once she was close enough. Castor glanced at her once before looking away, only to quickly snap his head back to look at her.

“What the hell are you doing here, terrible chicken house builder?!” He whisper-yelled, clearly not stupid enough to be loud and draw attention to Aphmau being in the room.

“Me and Laurence came to get you out of here. Is Cadenza with you?”

“No, she’s back with my friend, Doctor Bees! You think I’m stupid enough to bring her to a place like this?” He asked, glaring at her in faux anger.

“Well, at least that’s one less person we have to worry about,” Aphmau mumbled before reaching toward the lever that connected to the door to Castor’s cell. As she pulled it down, it made a loud clicking sound as the door swung open on rusty hinges. Aphmau, Castor, and Laurence all went rigid as Aphmau slowly turned her head toward the shadow, hoping it didn’t have ears to hear with.

No such luck. Its red, pinprick eyes were staring right at her, his mouth agape as if in a silent scream. Then, it let out a deafening wail, alerting any Shadow Knights in the vicinity to their presence.

Aphmau grabbed Castor’s hand, pulling him from the cage and out of the way just as the shadow lunged at them. She ran to the door, pulling Castor with her as he pulled his chickens (which were attached to leads) along.

As they exited the entrance to the room, Castor spun around and pulled out a bottle filled with a glowing blue liquid. He chucked it at the entrance to the room as the shadow came after them, the glass shattering against the red brick ground before a sturdy wall erupted, sealing the shadow off from them.

However, they weren’t out of danger yet. What sounded like hundreds of footsteps clad in armor were coming closer from further down the hall. Shadow Knights were rushing to their location and would be there soon.

“Go! Get Castor out of here, I’ll hold them off!” Laurence stated, readying his claymore for a fight.

“No! I can’t leave you here!” Aphmau cried. She couldn’t lose someone, not again. She already had too close of a call with Brendan. This would spell certain death for Laurence if she left him behind.

Laurence looked over his shoulder, smirking at her in a casual and confident way. “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll catch up, I promise,” he grinned.

Aphmau stared at him, worry in her large, amber eyes, before she nodded. She trusted him to hold his word. Aphmau grabbed Castor’s hand before he could protest and started leading him back the way they came, rushing through corridors and skipping steps down staircases. It was a miracle Castor didn’t fall along the way, nor lost any of his three chickens.

They made it to the portal with minimal injury. At some point, they had been ambushed by two guards that strayed from the rest, and Aphmau struggled against them, earning her a lost chunk of her left ear and a wound under her right boob that was definitely not going to heal straight. But she beat them and Castor hadn’t been hurt, that’s all that mattered. Nor his chickens, as he was far happier about them being okay than Aphmau’s injured state.

Aphmau silently watched as Castor jumped through the portal, planning to wait until Laurence showed up to go through, but she suddenly heard shouting from people she knew were Shadow Knights, given they were yelling things like “they must be at the portal” or “it’s this way”.

Aphmau looked around nervously before hopping through the portal, ending up on the other side in the cave, with the werewolves nearby, watching Castor with funny looks given his strange appearance and demeanor.

Aphmau felt it before she heard it. A surge of energy appeared behind her for a split second, like something was being overwhelmed with unstable magic before a loud cracking sound echoed through the cave, followed by the sound of glass breaking. Aphmau turned around to face the portal, staring wide-eyed at it.

Where there had been a complete portal now stood a broken frame, the purple mist that had once inhabited the center now gone. Large chunks were missing from the frame, shattered, and fallen to the ground, while other chunks were cracked, oozing a purple goo that occasionally sparked with light. The Nether Portal has been broken.

“No,” Aphmau muttered, walking closer to the portal as Castor opened his mouth to try and say something. “No, no, no,” her muttering got faster, more desperate, as she touched the inside of the portal. Nothing happened to her or the portal as she fell to her knees, staring at it. “I left him in there. He said he’d catch up… I thought he would,” she mumbled, not paying attention to the hand that had grabbed her shoulder.

“Hey, you still with us?” Castor asked, gently shaking her as he stared at her face. She looked like she could cry, but no tears fell.

“I left him alone in there! I need to go back for him!” Aphmau cried though she didn’t move. She didn’t know what to do or how to process what just happened. Why’d she leave him in there? She trusted him but she shouldn’t have left him behind. They should have fought together! She could have made sure they all escaped instead of just her and Castor!

Aphmau was deaf to Castor explaining to Boldolf and the other werewolves what had happened so that they knew why she was freaking out. Boldolf gently put his hand on Aphmau’s head after Castor finished, crouching down to try and match her height. “Sister Aphmau, I know how you feel. Trust me, I do, but there isn’t anything we can do. It took us forever to make the portal the first time, let alone fix it the last time it broke. Fixing it again… it’d take us weeks. Going in there anyway would be a suicide mission. They know what you look like now,” Boldolf said softly.

Aphmau shook her head, looking down at her lap. “Everyone I meet… gets hurt. Am I bad luck? Am I cursed? If Laurence had gone in without me, maybe he’d be okay. Maybe he’d have gotten out,” she wondered aloud, clutching her pants in her hands.

“Nonsense. If you hadn’t joined him, he wouldn’t have gotten as far as he did,” Castor stated, crossing his arms over his chest. “Besides, if you had stayed to fight, none of us would have gotten out. Going back in, risking your life? You’d be disregarding his sacrifice. He stayed behind so we could get out. You’re really going to try and go back in after that?”

Aphmau fell silent before slowly looking up at Castor. His face was neutral, attempting to show he didn’t feel too strongly about what had happened, but she could see the hurt in his eyes. He had watched two people he once knew be taken by the Nether. First Sasha, who had died before his eyes, and now Laurence, whose fate was unknown but trapped in that hellscape.

She looked back down before standing up once more. “Then I’ll find another way to get him out. No matter how long it takes. I’m not giving up on him, not after what he did for me. For us,” she stated, determined to save him.

Castor shrugged. “Better than you freaking out, I suppose.”

“You should rest, Sister Aphmau. We need to take a look at the wounds you sustained, anyway,” Boldolf stated, slowly leading her out of the portal room, Castor trailing behind with his chickens in tow. She didn’t argue or fight against it, following him willingly.

She and Castor trudged back through the forest, mostly silent, save for the occasional clucking from Castor’s chickens. Aphmau was bandaged as best they could do, though you could still tell she lost a chunk of her ear with the way the werewolves had to bandage it.

“Don’t worry about telling Meteli about Laurence. I’ll deal with it,” Castor suddenly piped up once he spotted Aphmau’s focused expression.

Aphmau jumped slightly, not expecting to be spoken to on their walk to the docks. She turned her head slightly to look at him before nodding. “Thank you. I don’t… know how to address something like this,” she muttered, facing forward once more.

Castor just nodded in understanding. When they got to the docks, Castor hung back while Aphmau walked up to Ungrth, who was lying down, waiting for their return. When he heard footsteps approaching, he lifted his head, expecting to see Aphmau and Laurence with Castor, but instead only saw Aphmau and Castor. He tilted his head slightly as Aphmau sat on her knees in front of him.

Aphmau bowed her head slightly. “I’m sorry. Laurence didn’t make it out of the Nether before the portal was broken. He told me to take Castor and go. That he’d catch up. I don’t know how to get him out without disregarding his sacrifice,” she muttered, ashamed of her failure to bring back Ungrth’s friend.

He didn’t speak for a moment, staring at her unblinking. “He’s alive. I can feel it, but barely. Our connection is weak because he’s in another dimension, but I can feel that Laurence’s heart still beats,” Ungrth finally stated, gently nuzzling her cheek, trying to comfort her. He respected and appreciated how much she cared for Laurence, despite not knowing him for very long.

Aphmau looked up at him, her eyes wide. “I will handle getting him out of the Nether. This is not something a mortal can handle, nor has the knowledge of. Your time to help will come soon, however. Please, do not worry about him,” he added, standing up carefully.

Aphmau stood up as well, nodding a little, though it was clear she was still worrying. “Can you take us back to Meteli so we can drop Castor off?” She asked softly.

Ungrth nodded. “Yes, I’ll also take you home to Phoenix Drop,” he stated, bending down slightly so she could get on easier, since Laurence was taller than her and always helped her up before.

Aphmau motioned for Castor to come over before getting on Ungrth, sitting where Laurence would normally be. It felt wrong , being where he should have been. Castor picked up his chickens, carefully handing them to Aphmau before getting on behind her, where he then took back two of the chickens, holding them close with one arm while the other held onto Aphmau’s waist so he wouldn’t fall off as they flew. Aphmau held the other chicken with one of her arms while her other held the reigns.

Once they were settled, Ungrth stood up fully before opening his wings and taking to the sky, flying toward Meteli in the dark of the night.

“Does your ear hurt?” Castor asked as they flew over the ocean, talking about the chunk of ear missing from Aphmau.

“No, I don’t feel anything. I don’t think I can process pain, as I’ve gotten hurt before in worse ways and didn’t feel anything. I don’t know why,” Aphmau responded simply, only now realizing how strange that sounded.

Castor just hummed, curious as to why that was, but deciding he had no business asking about it further.

Aphmau landed in Phoenix Drop hours later, having dropped off Castor at the edge of Meteli so that no one asked questions about where Laurence was and why he wasn’t with Ungrth and them. She dismounted him and sighed heavily, turning to face him.

“Thank you, Ungrth. Take care of yourself, okay? You can always come find me if you need anything, even just some company,” Aphmau smiled softly, gentle and kind, but exhausted-looking.

“Thank you for your kindness, Aphmau. I can see why Laurence likes you so much. You should take care of yourself as well,” he bowed his head before standing upright and taking to the skies once more.

Aphmau watched him, waiting to head back into town until he was out of sight. Once she could no longer spot him in the dark of the night, she turned on her heel and headed into town from the beach. She spotted Garroth at one of his posts, speaking with Dale and Brian about something.

Brian spotted her first, interrupting Garroth and pointing at her, making both Garroth and Dale turn to face her. “Lady Aphmau! Welcome back- what happened to your ear?!” Garroth interrupted himself once he spotted Aphmau’s new wound.

She didn’t answer, walking closer before suddenly hugging Garroth, getting a shocked response from all three guards. She buried her face in his chest plate, standing there without a single word.

Garroth hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, gently patting her back. “Lady Aphmau? What happened? Did you find Castor?” Garroth slowly asked, too worried about her strange behavior to mind her sudden hug. He didn’t care that Dale and Brian were standing to the side, watching with curious gazes.

“Yes. We found Castor and I got him out safely, but…” she started, hugging him tighter. “Laurence didn’t make it out of the Nether. Things were getting bad and he told me to run and take Castor. He said he’d catch up, but when me and Castor exited the portal, it broke moments later, leaving him trapped on the other side,” she whispered, just loud enough for only Garroth to hear.

She heard his breath catch for a moment before his grip around her slightly tightened, trying to comfort her. “It’ll be okay, Aphmau. I’m sure it will,” he muttered.

They stayed like that for a moment longer before Garroth pulled away from the hug. “Let’s get you home so you can rest and see Levin,” he gently pat her head, before turning to face Dale and Brian. “I’m going to take her home. Continue with patrol as usual,” he instructed, getting a salute from both of them.

Garroth gently grabbed Aphmau’s hand, guessing she’d feel comforted that way, before heading toward her house. She walked next to him silently, though her grip on his hand was tight, showing she didn’t want to let go any time soon. When they arrived, they headed downstairs to find Zoey already asleep, as well as Levin asleep in his crib. Aphmau sat on her bed, Garroth sitting next to her since she was still holding his hand.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked after a moment, worried about her continued silence.

She inhaled for a moment before slowly letting out her breath. “He’s alive in there, I know he is. He wouldn’t go down without a fight. But him being alive… I’m worried what they’ll do to him. If he hasn’t been caught already, he can’t run forever in the Nether. If they have him, then what are they doing to him? I left him alone in there and I can’t go in to get him… it’s eating me up inside,” she stated, leaning her head on Garroth’s shoulder.

“I understand. There are too many things that could happen to him. He’s a good man and I owe him greatly for saving your life when thing started going south by putting himself in the line of danger. But going after him in any capacity… Aphmau, I’m worried they might turn him into one of them. Into a Shadow Knight. We know too little about them to rule that out as a possibility,” Garroth stated, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

“So we just leave him in there to a fate unknown?” She asked. She wasn’t upset, just confused and worried.

Garroth shook his head, trying to find the right words. He was never good at making conversation in the first place, but comforting someone while trying to make the situation clear was even worse for him. “I’m saying that we’d be putting people at risk trying to find other ways to save him, especially if he’s been turned into a Shadow Knight. All we know about them is that they’re more dangerous than any mortal being and bloodthirsty beings that find joy in hurting others. I don’t know if that applies to all of them, but with so little information on them, we need to think first before attempting anything,” he explained.

Aphmau stayed silent, gently nodding her head. They both remained quiet for a while, with Aphmau still leaning on Garroth as he rubbed soft circles into the back of her hand.

“If he makes it out and isn’t dangerous… I’m sure we could help him, even if he becomes one of them. He didn’t strike me as the kind of man who’d succumb easily to things like that. If becoming a Shadow Knight alters your way of thinking, making you bloodthirsty, then I think he’d be able to fight it,” he added after a moment, making Aphmau look up at him with wide eyes.

Then, she smiled, bright and happy. “There’s that smile. It’s strange not seeing it on your face. Now, you should get some sleep. It’s been a rough day for you,” Garroth stated, watching her nod before she stopped leaning on him. He stood up so she could lay down, kicking off her boots and not bothering to go change into her nightgown.

Garroth covered her in her blanket, patting her head. “Goodnight, Lord Aphmau,” he muttered softly, watching as her eyes closed and she fell asleep quickly. He turned and headed upstairs, exiting her house and heading back into town so he could fill Brian and Dale in on what had happened to Laurence and why Aphmau was acting strange, given they’d bombard him with questions anyway and Aphmau’d tell them if they asked. Hopefully, the next couple of days would be better.

~To be continued~

Chapter Text

Aphmau woke the next morning, staring at the ceiling with blank eyes. She could barely hear the sounds of people in Levin’s room, talking amongst one another. It wasn’t uncommon for people to come to see Levin when Aphmau was out, but to leave her asleep while she was in the vicinity? She assumed it was because they knew something was wrong and that she needed sleep. It wasn’t like it bothered her anyway.

She sat up, spotting her dogs sleeping peacefully nearby, though Thorgi stirred as she stood up and got her boots on. He wagged his tail at her before laying back down, still tired. She walked to Levin’s door, opening it slowly. She spotted Donna, Kiki, and Zoey all looking at Levin with excited smiles. Levin was sitting up, leaning forward with his hands planted on the ground, his face oddly focused for the usually happy baby.

“Aphmau! I was about to come to shake you awake, even if Garroth told me to let you sleep in a little more than usual! Levin’s about to stand up!” Zoey said quickly the moment she spotted Aphmau, her smile wide with excitement.

Aphmau looked at Levin with wide eyes, watching with bated breath as he leaned forward, standing on his hands and feet like one of the dogs before fully standing upright. He was wobbly since he had never stood before and had only recently started sitting up, but he was standing all the same.

Aphmau’s lips curled into a smile that slowly grew. Just as he started falling back, finally having lost balance, Aphmau caught him under his arms and scooped him up, holding him in the air.

“Good job, Levin! I’m so proud of you!” Aphmau said happily, listening to him squeal with glee and excitedly wave his hands at her.

“Guuu… mama!” Levin cooed, freezing Aphmau in her tracks as she stared at him, a smile frozen on her face. She could hear the collective gasps of surprise from the trio of women behind her, but her focus was solely on Levin at that moment.

“Mama!” Levin repeated, oblivious to the mini panic attack rushing through Aphmau. Why hadn’t she expected Levin to view her as his mother? Why was this such a shock to her?

Aphmau’s eyes upturn as her smile becomes wobbly.

If I could cry, I think I would right now , she absently thought.

“Yeah Levin, I’m your mama,” she whispered, lowering him and hugging his little body. He didn’t care, just happily blowing spit bubbles and babbling incoherently over her shoulder.

She sets him down on the carpet, letting him flop around on his side as he tries to grab things just out of his reach, stepping back to watch him from a short distance.

“I’m so happy he sees you as his mother, Aphmau. It’s a wonderful thing,” Zoey stated, smiling softly at her.

Aphmau nodded in agreement. “Yes, though I am surprised. I’ve never really called myself his mother in front of him before, so I didn’t expect him to view me as such,” she muttered, idly watching Levin be fawned over by Donna and Kiki.

“By the way, Garroth stopped by early this morning. He told me about what happened while you were gone. He also said he had business to attend to in Brightport and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow afternoon. I think Dale has more information,” Zoey added, deciding to not say anything about Laurence, given how recent the loss had been.

Aphmau hummed. “I understand. Thanks, Zoey. I’ll go talk with him. I already slept the morning away and… I want to keep myself busy,” she states, giving a grateful smile to her roommate for not saying anything about Laurence just yet. She didn’t think she could handle talking about it anymore so soon after the incident happened.

Zoey nodded in understanding, knowing full well Aphmau wasn’t one to sit still for very long unless she was keeping her hands busy. “Have a good day, Lady Aphmau, and be careful. Irene only knows that Garroth will have a heart attack if you make him worry anymore,” she chuckled, knowing that Garroth was a bit high-strung recently, both due to worrying about Aphmau’s increasing scars/injuries and the issues with the Nether cropping up.

Aphmau said her goodbyes to them, though Donna and Kiki were too busy fawning over Levin to notice and Levin was too busy trying to eat a wooden block to pay her any mind. Then, she left the room. She left her dogs be, as they were still sleepy, and headed upstairs to what remained of her actual house. She still had neglected to repair it, but it still didn’t seem like the right time to do so. With all the things going on, she hadn’t had the time or reason to start fixing her house. She exited where her door used to be and headed down the hill, into town.

Aphmau entered the center of town to see Dale at his post, not drunk for once. “Dale!” Aphmau waved at him, getting his attention quickly. He turned to face her, a small smile on his face, though he seemed concerned about something.

“Lord Aphmau! Good ta see ya. Let me guess, Zoey sent ya my way?” He asked, chuckling.

Aphmau nodded. “She said Garroth headed to Brightport and that you knew more about it. What’s happening?”

“Ah, that. To be honest, I think Garroth should be the one ta explain. He also said it’d be best if ya joined him as soon as possible but that if ya couldn’t because ya needed some time to yourself, that was fine. It was somethin’ about needin’ to address the Shadow Knight and Nether situation with guards from nearby towns. Since Phoenix Drop is in no state to hold such a meeting currently, he went to Brightport instead,” Dale explained plainly, scratching the back of his neck.

“I see. Thank you, Dale. I’ll meet up with him, then. I should get going if I want to get there before tomorrow, so take care of the town for me, alright?” She grinned. Dale nodded without another word, saluting as she turned and headed toward the docks.

As Aphmau stepped onto the beach, the flapping of wings caught her attention, her eyes facing the sky as she searched for the source of the sound. Ungrth came into view moments later, flying down to land on the beach in front of her.

“Ungrth, it’s good to see you,” Aphmau greeted him, trying not to show the worry that spiked in her at seeing him just a day after they had said goodbye. The only reason he’d be at Phoenix Drop was to pass on any update about Laurence he could give her, and that scared her.

“You as well, Lady Aphmau. I come bearing news of Laurence’s condition. He is still in the Nether, but something major has changed. Our connection, which while weak was still intact, has shattered completely. The only thing that can do that to a wyvern’s connection is powerful, dark magic. I fear they have done something to him. Something irreversible,” Ungrth stated, bowing his head so Aphmau could look at his face properly.

Aphmau looked at him, her worst fear confirmed. They had turned Laurence into one of them. That was the only thing that could have happened to him in the Nether outside of being straight-up murdered. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ungrth opened one of his wings as a way to silence her, in the same vein as if she put up her hand to quiet someone.

“I know what you are thinking after hearing such words. You wish to save him even more so, even if it means risking your life and going into the Nether. But Aphmau, you cannot go in there. It’s a trap, meant to use you as the final piece of the puzzle to complete his transformation. To become a full-blooded Shadow Knight or to even finish becoming one in the first place, Laurence needs to kill the last person he cared about. Laurence cared much for you after everything you did for him, so they plan to use you. I repeat, do not go into the Shadow Abyss,” Ungrth stated, serious and firm. Aphmau couldn’t argue with him, for he wouldn’t allow it.

“He… he wouldn’t do something like that,” she muttered, clenching her hands. Not being able to do anything killed her inside.

She felt helpless and she hated it. She always had to do something to help. She never sat by and let others handle things for her, yet now she just had to watch as someone she knew and cared about suffered while she could do something to help if people just let her, but wouldn’t because it jeopardized her safety. Why was her safety so important, anyway? She’s been through so much already. Just because she’s a Lord doesn’t make her above everyone else.

“Laurence wouldn’t, but he isn’t truly Laurence anymore. Not after what they’ve done to him. He’s been tortured and broken, then put back together in the worst way possible. Time in the Nether… moves strangely. You wouldn’t have noticed due to your jaunts inside being so short, but a single day in the Overworld equals two weeks in the Nether.”

Aphmau was silent as this information set in. Despite his words, Aphmau refused to believe that Laurence wasn’t himself anymore. Part of her knew, deep down, that he was still the same Laurence. That nothing the Shadow Knights did would ever erase that part of him.

“You plan to save him yourself, but what will happen to you?” She finally asked, her gaze sad, as if she knew the answer.

Ungrth didn’t reply, just staring at her with sad eyes. Neither said anything for a moment, the air heavy with the weight of the conversation and revelations that Laurence would never be the same and Ungrth… would likely not survive saving him.

“Do you need to go somewhere? I can take you,” Ungrth finally broke the silence, changing the topic. He doubted Aphmau was on the beach because she knew he was coming, so she had somewhere she needed to go.

“Oh, yes. I need to get to Brightport. Garroth is waiting for me, I think,” she answered, a small, fake smile gracing her lips. She was trying to appear unbothered, and if Ungrth couldn’t read emotions well, he would have fallen for it.

“Then I’ll take you. I’ve been staying with the werewolf tribe near there as it is, so it isn’t out of the way for me,” he bowed his head before lowering to the ground so she could get on.

Aphmau gently pats his head. “Thank you, Ungrth,” she whispered, before climbing onto his back and holding on tight to the reigns as he stood up. His wings opened before he took to the sky, heading toward Brightport.

They landed near the woods a few hours later, out of view from prying eyes. Aphmau dismounted from Ungrth’s saddle before walking in front of him, gently patting his head.

“Aphmau, when I get him back, will you make sure he is safe afterward?” Ungrth suddenly asked though he knew her answer right away.

The smile that graced Aphmau’s lips was true and kind. “I’m surprised you even have to ask. Of course, I will. After everything he’s done for me, it’s the least I can do to repay him. It’ll also be my repayment to you for helping me despite having no reason to do so. I promise I’ll take good care of him,” she affirmed.

Ungrth nodded his head, a sensation of happiness radiating off of him in waves. Given he had a beak, he couldn’t smile as a human could, but Aphmau got the feeling that if he could, he would be grinning at that moment. He was thankful, that much was clear.

“You are a kind woman, Aphmau. Especially for a human. It has been many years since I last met a human like yourself, other than Laurence. Be careful, though. That kindness can just as easily get you killed, though I’m sure you know that by now,” he commented, simple and true. Then, he bowed his head a final time before taking to the skies, heading toward the werewolf village near Brightport.

Aphmau watched him leave before turning on her heels and heading toward the closest entrance, which was located near the docks and was the one she had used the last time she had been in Brightport. As she entered the walls of Brightport, she spotted a familiar face near some stalls, haggling for merchandise.

“Paul!” Aphmau called, waving her hand in the air to get his attention.

His head turned to see who was calling his name, his face lighting up when he spotted Aphmau coming toward him. Aphmau stopped in front of him, a gentle smile on her face.

“Aphmau! Long time no see! How’s little Levin doin’?” He asked, patting her shoulder, smiling at her, though she could see his eyes looking over all her new wounds.

“He’s good. He stood up today, a few hours ago. I don’t think it’ll be long before he starts walking. He even called me mama!” Her smile widened as she remembered Levin calling her that.

“That’s great! Little tike is growing real fast. What brings you to town? Not another medical emergency, I hope,” he joked.

Aphmau shook her head. “No, Garroth wanted me to meet him here in town. Something about a meeting between guards from the neighboring villages. You wouldn’t happen to know where they might be, would you?”

“Hm, meeting, eh? I’d try the old medical house. Hasn’t been used in years, but it has a lot of good, empty space on the second floor. It’d make for a good meeting area,” he suggested, pointing down one of the nearby roads. “It’s old and still has the old sign out front. It shouldn’t be too hard to spot, since it isn’t kept up with like the other buildings.”

“I see. Thank you, Paul! You should stop by Phoenix Drop soon and come see Levin,” she waved goodbye, getting a nod in response before heading off toward the road he pointed at.

She passed more stalls selling things as she walked, humming softly as she kept an eye out for the building Paul mentioned. Brightport was as busy as she remembered, which was slightly overwhelming since she was used to the peaceful, slow days Phoenix Drop held since so few people lived there.

She stopped once she got in front of an old building. It was still intact but the architecture was older than the current one used by Brightport. An old, worn sign stated it was a medical office once upon a time, so it had to be the place Paul was talking about. Aphmau opened the door, it creaking on its old, rusty hinges before stepping in, shutting the door behind her. The bottom floor was a mess of old furniture and even older books, with stairs leading up to the second floor at the back of the building.

Aphmau couldn’t hear anything, so she headed for the stairs to check if this was the right place. It should be, but if no one was here, then perhaps there was more than one old medical building.

The stairs creaked under her feet as she made her way up, avidly avoiding using the railing, as she didn’t feel like getting a splinter. Even if it didn’t hurt, it would still be annoying to have wood in her skin. As she neared the top of the stairs, a sword was suddenly pointed in her face, aimed between her eyes.

Aphmau glanced at the tip of the sword before looking at who was holding it. It was a female guard wearing steel armor. She had short, black hair and blue eyes, which were glaring at Aphmau. The woman was pale and clearly strong, given by the muscles Aphmau could see through the chainmail decorating the woman’s arms and legs.

“Glenda! Lower your sword,” another woman called before Azura came into view, placing her hand on Glenda’s shoulder.

Glenda glanced at Azura before looking back at Aphmau. She lowered her sword but kept it out, continuing to glare at Aphmau.

“Lord Aphmau, I’m sorry about that. This meeting is supposed to be for us guards only, so no one else is supposed to be here. I think Glenda assumed you were someone trying to eavesdrop and pulled out her weapon before asking questions,” Azura apologized, watching as Aphmau climbed the rest of the stairs.

Aphmau smiled, waving her hand. “It’s okay, I understand. Is Garroth here?” She dismissed in favor of looking for her head guard.

Azura nodded before pointing toward the other end of the room, to where Garroth was speaking with two other guards, his back facing them.

“Is that Brian?” Aphmau questioned, having been unaware that he was also here.

“Yes, he came with Garroth, I believe,” Azura nodded before the three of them walked over to the others.

Garroth turned his head when they arrived, surprised to see Aphmau there so soon. “Lord Aphmau! I’m glad you came. Did Dale tell you I wanted you to meet up with me here?” Garroth asked, turning fully to properly address her.

Aphmau nodded. “Yes, he said it’d be best if you told me what exactly was going on. I just so happened to get a visit from a friend that could get me here quicker than going by boat, so I decided to come,” she confirmed.

Garroth understood she was talking about Laurence’s wyvern and nodded. “Ah, I should introduce you to everyone. Well, I guess just Ulrich and Glenda, since you’ve already met Azura and you’ve known Brian since you arrived in Phoenix Drop,” he chuckled, before motioning to a man in armor staring at her as well as Glenda, who was standing next to the man.

The man was much older than everyone else in the room, clearly around his mid-40s to early 50s. He had deep blond hair that was beginning to grey and a full beard and mustache. His eyes were crinkled with crow’s feet, showing he smiled often and his eyes were deep blue in hue.

“Lord Aphmau, this is Ulrich, Sir Kenmur’s guard from Meteli. Kenmur is one of the Lord candidates,” Ulrich nods, “the woman next to him is Glenda, the guard to Sir Hayden, the other Lord candidate from Meteli,” Glenda just stares.

“Ulrich, Glenda, this is Lord Aphmau of Phoenix Drop,” Garroth then introduced Aphmau. She smiled and bowed her head before standing upright once more.

“We heard a new Lord was found for Phoenix Drop. I wasn’t expectin’ someone so young or… kind-looking, but she seems like she’s good to everyone,” Ulrich stated.

“She is. Lord Aphmau cares deeply for the people of Phoenix Drop, to the point she’s put herself in danger to help those who were injured and dying. It’s thanks to her one of our own didn’t die a brutal and painful death,” Garroth confirmed.

“I’d be happy to do it again if needed,” Aphmau grinned, cheeky and well aware Garroth would rather cut off his own arm than let Aphmau do more dangerous things. Not like he could really stop her, though. They all knew she’d find a way to get into trouble.

“I’m well aware, Lord Aphmau. Now then, I should tell you why I wanted you here. We guards are retaking the Oath of the Guard, with revised rules. Shadow Knight incidents are cropping up more and with the revelation that Shadow Knights can and will disguise themselves as regular guards, we need to take precautions. However, that is a matter strictly for us guards. What you are here for, Lady Aphmau, is that you’ve met many Shadow Knights and know about their behavior and the Nether. I was… hoping you could tell us what you know about them, so we’re better prepared to face them should an attack from one occur,” Garroth explained, his voice becoming strained at the mention of Aphmau telling them about her encounters with Shadow Knights and the place they called home. He knew she didn’t like reliving her meetings with them. He could see how stiff she got every time the topic came up.

Just like every time she needed to speak of anything dealing with those monsters, Aphmau tensed up, though her face remained the same, with a gentle, deceiving smile gracing her lips. “Of course. I’ll tell you all what I know, but it isn’t much, I’m afraid,” she muttered.

Garroth pulled up a chair for her, letting her sit while she spoke, knowing it’d ease her nerves somewhat. Once she was sat down, he placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling how her body nearly instantly relaxed at his touch. They all watched as she fell silent, staring at her lap as she tried her best to recall every detail about the Shadow Knights and Nether she could. Her memory was garbage, but information about the Shadow Knights and their hellscape of a home always stuck well with her compared to other things.

“Well… I believe Shadow Knights are more than just… knights turned dark by magic. Sasha, a girl who was in Phoenix Drop for a very short amount of time, was once the Head Guard of Meteli. Yet she died during a trip into the Nether to save the Lord at that time. However, she was walking around and talking with me and others days prior, not to mention, when Sir Laurence had been in Phoenix Drop to help us before his…” she trailed off, not wanting to say it. Not wanting to admit he was lost to that abyss.

“Capture. We know,” Ulrich spoke up for her, sensing her unease about admitting such a thing happened. Castor had come into Meteli for the first time in years a day ago, stating that Laurence had been taken by the Nether with no way to safely get him back. With how serious the usually idiotic man was, they took his words as truth, and since then have been working overtime to make up for Laurence being gone.

“Yes. She had seen him and… she looked terrified. She bolted and Laurence stated she was supposed to be dead. We both believed she was a Shadow Knight, a person brought back from the dead and twisted horribly to make them more powerful than any human should be. My basis for her being brought back is that Zenix, someone who posed as a guard in Phoenix Drop for years but was actually a Shadow Knight in disguise, stated he was immortal and that it was because he was a full-fledged Shadow Knight. I figured… being brought back to life is a good first step to getting immortality.”

“How do we know he wasn’t bluffing or something?” Glenda finally asked, her tone harsh and disbelieving.

Aphmau kept her eyes on her lap. “I and Laurence went into the Nether before he was trapped. We had gone in to rescue Castor, afraid of what they’d use him for. We couldn’t risk them turning him into one of them or using his skills in magic for something terrible. One of the Shadow Knights we encountered… I nearly severed their head. It was barely hanging on, yet it started repairing itself. That same Shadow Knight was up and about by the time I had to flee.”

“You were with him and didn’t do anything to save him? What kind of-” Glenda hissed, stepping closer before being stopped by both Ulrich and Garroth. Garroth stood protectively in front of Aphmau, while Ulrich glared daggers at Glenda, his hand on her chest to stop her from moving forward.

“Glenda, are you insane? Look at her. She’s lucky to have made it out in the first place. She’s not a trained fighter, I’m sure you can see that. Laurence was their only means of protection. Against Shadow Knights, beings so strong they can rival armies, she’d have stood no chance while trying to protect that old coot. Knowing Laurence, he would have told her to run, even if it meant leaving him behind to die,” Ulrich spat.

“Aphmau isn’t the type of woman or Lord to leave someone behind. I’m sure it’s eating her up inside being unable to go into the Nether to save him or at least learn what’s become of him. Watch your tongue when speaking to someone of the Lord status, Glenda. Especially when you know nothing about what she’s been through,” Azura added, glaring at Glenda, who finally moved back, but glared at everyone in the room.

“It is. It hurts inside, not being allowed to go help him. But he told me he’d catch up. He’ll keep his word. One way or another,” Aphmau spoke up, her words cutting through the tension in the room as Garroth moved so everyone could look at her once more.

“You say that like you expect him to come out on his own,” Ulrich raised an eyebrow.

Aphmau’s gaze lifted slightly, allowing them to see her amber eyes through her bangs. “Because I do. He will make it out. I don’t care what he comes out as. Shadow Knight or human, he’ll still be Laurence. If I can’t help him now, I’ll help him once I see him again.”

Aphmau’s determination and certainty that Laurence would still be himself if he made it out filled the room like a haze, making the guards stop and stare at her. Aphmau was usually an airhead, someone who daydreamed the mornings away, and didn’t show particular interest in anything. However, the woman they were seeing now was brimming with confidence. A confidence held by someone who knew exactly what would happen, whether it happened naturally or forced it to happen. It was impressive, at least to the guards.

Just as fast as that impressive feeling arrived, it was gone in a flash, everything returning to normal as her gaze lowered once more. “As for how they’re being brought back to life, I don’t know. It could be anything and everything. I don’t remember much of their base, since everything looked the same, other than the room we found Castor in, which just had a cage in it, so nothing about the castle that I know of could tell us the secret behind their revival,” she shifted the conversation back to the original topic. “I… also know that they have to kill someone they cared about to either finish their transformation into becoming a Shadow Knight or make them a full-fledged one. I think killing people also increases their power, which is why they enjoy killing people and causing harm to others.”

Garroth hummed, crossing his arms as he processed the information. “That tracks with the death rate increasing suddenly across the country. People have been dying left and right, usually people with influence or magic powers. Shadow Knights not in the Nether are possibly gathering power by killing these people. We’ll need to dispatch any Shadow Knights we might find, and it appears they work best during the night, which makes sense for them I suppose, since all the murders have been at night for the most part, so night duty for all guards is a priority.”

Aphmau was silent for a moment. “I don’t… I don’t think all Shadow Knights are bad, though.”

They turned to face her once more. “What makes you say that, Lord Aphmau?” Brian questioned, tilting his head.

“There was this woman I met. She… she was the mother of my adopted son. She lived in Phoenix Drop and was attacked by Shadow Knights months ago. She only escaped because of a man clad in green, who I also saw after Zenix tried to kill me the first time. He was kind, but he wasn’t truly human. Now that I think about it, he felt more like Zenix, Sasha, and Gene felt. That same man… he took her son when he learned they were still in danger. I think he was the one who left my son on my doorstep.”

“So this man is possibly a Shadow Knight but is kind, unlike others. It’s possible not all who become Shadow Knights wish to follow their leader and are unwilling participants in everything. It’s improbable but not impossible. Every leader has those who don’t agree with the way they do things, after all. It just seems that those who don’t agree with the leader of the Shadow Knights tend to be more kind-hearted despite what they’ve become,” Garroth hummed.

“Is that everything you know, Lord Aphmau?” Azura asked. Aphmau nodded.

“Thank you, Lord Aphmau. I’m sorry to make you relive the things that happened to you, but we needed to know everything we could about this new threat. We guards need to speak privately now, but I’ll come to find you once everything is settled. You didn’t get to see all of Brightport last time you were here, so maybe you could walk around town for the time being,” Garroth suggested, gently patting her shoulder as she stood up.

“That sounds like a good idea. Good luck with your discussion, everyone,” she smiled before turning and leaving downstairs and then exiting the old medical house.

Aphmau wandered the streets, looking at the merchandise people in stalls were selling, and idly observing the people as it got later in the day. She paused during her walk when she spotted a woman trying to carry a lot of things by herself, all stacked on a large box she was carrying. Aphmau made her way over, watching as the woman tripped over a hole in the pavement.

Aphmau caught the box with one hand while the other kept the woman from falling to the ground. She took the box and the many items atop it, holding it with one hand. “Are you alright?” She questioned.

The woman sighed in relief, dusting herself off before smiling softly at Aphmau. “Yes, thank you very much. That would have been bad had I fallen.”

Aphmau smiled back. “It’s no problem. Would you like some help carrying these things?” She motioned to the large box and bags of miscellaneous things on top of it, still resting in her hand.

The woman seemed shocked by Aphmau’s ability to carry such heavy objects like they were no heavier than a bag of feathers, but she nodded gratefully. “If it’s not too much trouble. My husband used to carry heavy objects for me but… he’s not around anymore, rest his soul,” she said sadly, the grief in her eyes prominent.

Aphmau stared for a moment, taking the woman’s appearance in. She was pale, with long, blonde hair. Her eyes were heavy with sadness and sleepless nights, green in hue like emeralds. Stress made her look much older than she probably was.

“I’m sorry for your loss, miss. Grief is a hard thing to deal with. It must be difficult,” Aphmau finally responded, walking alongside the woman, following her lead to get to where she needed to be.

“It is, but I’ll manage somehow. You speak like you’ve lost someone as well,” she stated, glancing at Aphmau and all of her scars. She could tell Aphmau had been through a lot, but losing someone with how young she was didn’t sit right with her.

“I did, and it hurt, but I didn’t know them long either. I have memory loss, you see, and I know nothing about myself other than my name, no matter how hard I try to recall who I once was. The person I lost… they were kind to me and taught me to stand up for myself, but to also be cautious in this world, for there were always going to be people who’d want to use me. They also taught me that people can be very demanding, that the stress that comes with that is a part of life, and that I need to handle it with grace. I owed them everything for such lessons, yet I never got to repay them.”

“I don’t think knowing them long should impact how hard a death hurts. They still helped you, dear, that means they were important to you despite the short time you knew one another.”

Aphmau smiled a little. “Thank you. I have regrets I carry on their behalf as well. They were unable to see their wife and son before their death. I wish they could have been able to say goodbye.” She stopped outside a familiar house, the woman at her side.

The woman was staring at her with wide eyes. “Who… who was the person you lost?”

Aphmau tilted her head a little at her. “His name was Visher. A merchant from this village.”

The woman opened her mouth to speak when a tall, blonde boy rounded the corner of the house, holding a hammer in his hand meant to be used during blacksmithing. “Mom, did everything go okay? I’m sorry I wasn’t able to go with you to get everything,” he asked, catching sight of Aphmau setting the box and items on the ground by the door. “Aphmau?”

Aphmau turned her head, staring at the boy’s surprised expression. His mouth was slightly agape like he was amazed she was standing before him. She knew him, didn’t she? He looked familiar, but not at the same time. Where had she seen him?

Her eyes widened as she finally recalled the face of a much younger-looking boy, who was identical to the tall, older-looking boy in front of her.

“John? Is that you?” She questioned, a bright smile gracing her face.

John smiled wide, dropping his hammer and hurrying toward Aphmau. He scooped her into a hug, squeezing her tight. “Aphmau, it is you! I’m so glad you’re okay! I didn’t see you after Lord Burt returned, but I knew you were the one that found him! I was worried something bad had happened to you!”

Aphmau laughed, hugging John back as he held her off the ground. “I’m sorry I didn’t come and say goodbye, John. I wanted to get home as fast as possible to check on my friend. I’m alright, I promise.”

John gently set her down, smiling down at her. “Did your friend get better? The moon herb worked, right?”

Aphmau nodded. “Yes, he’s doing much better now. He’s still healing, but that’s only because the wound was bad. He’s walking around and getting back to his usual work.”

“That’s good! I’m glad he’s okay. What are you doing in town?”

“Confidential, I’m afraid. My head guard needed me to relay some old information to the guards from the nearby villages. Now, I’m just waiting for him to finish the meeting and to come find me. That’s when I ran into her and helped her bring her shopping back here,” Aphmau motioned to the shocked woman they had been accidentally ignoring.

“Oh! Aphmau, this is my mother, Merida. Mom, this is Aphmau, a friend of mine I made a while back,” John smiled before one of Aphmau’s past sentences came back to him and he quickly turned to face the raven-haired woman once more. “You’re a lord?!”

Aphmau blinked at him, still smiling. “Yeah, I’m the lord of Phoenix Drop right now. Mostly until they can get a proper replacement, but a lord all the same. Did I not tell you that?”

“NO! Wh- have you been a lord this whole time I’ve known you?!”

She nodded. “Yeah!”

John just blinked at her before breaking out into laughter. Aphmau chuckled as well, though she didn’t know why he found that so funny. As John leaned on the side of the house, trying to stop his laughing before it became painful, Aphmau looked to Merida and smiled softly.

“Sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier. I’m Aphmau, the lord of Phoenix Drop. John helped me back when I first came to Brightport after I helped him with something. I’m surprised he’s so tall, though I suppose half-werewolf children grow fast,” she chuckles.

John instantly falls silent, looking surprised, as does his mother.

“You… you know that John is half werewolf?” Merida asks softly.

Aphmau blinks. “Well… I mostly just assumed, given Visher was a werewolf and John’s his son. It makes sense John would have some werewolf in him because of that.”

“How’d you know my dad was a werewolf?” John questions, standing next to his mother.

“Khira told me when she found out I knew Visher. At the time I had thought Visher wasn’t human, as he felt a bit different from a human, but that was none of my business nor did I have any proof to bring to him, so I didn’t say anything at the time,” Aphmau explains.

“And you… don’t care? At all?” Merida asks, looking skeptical.

“Should I? Whether he was human or not doesn’t matter to me, just as it doesn’t matter if John is fully human or not. I only care if someone is kind or not; if they’re trustworthy. Race has nothing to do with that,” Aphmau states, simple and unbothered.

Both of them just stare at her, amazed a person like her can truly exist in a world so unkind to anyone slightly different from the majority. They’re both shaken from their surprise when they hear someone calling Aphmau’s name, all three of them turning to find the source.

Garroth is walking over, waving his hand in the air so they can spot him among the dwindling people left on the streets.

“Hi Garroth!” Aphmau waves at him with a wide smile on her face, watching as her guard stops in front of them.

“I was wondering where you went. You weren’t near any of the shops, so it took me a bit to find you, Lady Aphmau,” he states, though he doesn’t sound worried.

“Yeah, I spotted Merida here struggling to carry some things back home, so I helped. This is John, her son, an old friend of mine from my first visit to Brightport,” Aphmau introduces, motioning to the two blonds next to her. “Merida, John, this is Garroth, my head guard.”

Garroth bows a little. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Merida and John bow back on instinct before straightening out.

“It’s nice to meet you too. Guessing you’re here to steal her away?” John chuckles.

“Something like that, yes.”

“Um,” Merida steps in, looking nervous. “Have you found out anything about what happened to my husband? Visher?”

Garroth freezes, only now recognizing their names as those belonging to Visher’s wife and son.

“I’m afraid not,” Aphmau speaks first, suddenly looking more serious. “Whoever caused his death was careful to not leave any trace of themself behind. With how few numbers we have in town, it’s taking much longer than we’d like to figure out a culprit or even find clues. But I promise you, the second we learn anything about his death, we’ll tell you. I’m sorry we don’t have more to give you, something that’d give you closure.”

Garroth stares at Aphmau, surprised she was able to memorize everything he had talked about regarding Visher’s untimely death. She had been curious about it, and given her (fake) status as Lord, she needed to be kept up to date about the investigation. However, Aphmau’s memory was bad and she struggled to remember things often until it was drilled into her head by repeating them over and over again, yet she remembered the details of the investigation (or lack thereof) with ease.

Merida sighs, nodding sadly, her eyes beginning to water. Aphmau walks closer and tugs her into a comforting hug, squeezing her.

“I know it feels like everything is ending right now, that there won’t be any light at the end of this tunnel, but it’ll get better. It might take a long time, but it will get better. Hold out until then, for your son and for your husband’s memory. He’d be sad to see you so distraught. He was just that kind of person,” Aphmau mumbles.

Merida hugs Aphmau back and sobs quietly into her shoulder. “Thank you, Lord Aphmau…”

“Don’t mention it. If you ever need anything, send a letter to me in Phoenix Drop. It’s only right I take care of Visher’s family in his steed.”

Merida pulls away, wiping her tears away. “Thank you. I’ll remember that if we ever need any help.”

Aphmau smiles before turning to John, who hugs her tightly.

“Take care of yourself, Aphmau. Don’t get into any trouble you can get yourself out of,” John mumbles.

“Don’t worry, I’m very capable,” Aphmau chuckles, hugging John back before pulling away and walking over to Garroth’s side.

“Ready?” Garroth asks.

“Mhm. Bye, you two! Take care!” Aphmau waves bye to Merida and John before following Garroth. “Where are we going?” She then asks her head guard.

“There’s a house here we’re being allowed to use until tomorrow. It’s rather late and sailing now would make everyone exhausted. Brian is staying somewhere else, if you’d prefer to stay with him instead of me,” Garroth explains.

“No, I’m fine staying with you,” Aphmau just smiles at him.

They come to a stop outside a house with a watch tower attached to it. Inside, the decorations are sparse but nice, with a kitchen, fireplace, two bedrooms, and stairs winding up to the top of the watch tower. Aphmau walks to one bedroom and peers in, spotting a single bed, side table, and dresser. There are curtains on the window, currently open to let the moon shine in.

“I’ll take this one, if that’s okay,” Aphmau says as she turns back to Garroth.

He nods. “Of course. I’ll take the other room, then. Have a good night, Lady Aphmau.”

Garroth enters the other room, shutting the door behind him. Aphmau enters her chosen room and slips off her shoes before crawling in bed, lying on her side to face the rest of the house. She listens quietly for a moment, though only silence meets her ears as the walls are rather thick and Garroth is usually rather quiet as it is.

Then, she shuts her eyes and drifts off to sleep.

Aphmau startles awake when she hears a terrified scream next to her room, shooting up and scrambling out of her bed. Rushing out of her room, she quickly enters Garroth’s room to find him sitting up in bed, one of his hands clutching his chest as he hyperventilates. His armor is discarded in a corner near the window, leaving him in his plain pants and shirt, his face fully exposed.

He looks terrified, tears forming in the corner of his eyes and sweat falls down his face, his entire body shaking. She makes her way over to him and sits on his bed, grabbing the sides of his face and making him look at her.

“Garroth, it’s okay. Breathe with me,” she says, beginning to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth.

Garroth, unable to do anything else through his panic, begins to follow her example, breathing slowly to calm himself down. It takes a long time, over 20 minutes, but eventually, his shaking slows to a small tremble and his breathing evens out. Aphmau moves her hands to hold his, ignoring how sweaty his palms are.

She lets him gather his thoughts, not speaking to provide him with the silence required to form the words he’s looking for. After a moment, he finally meets her gaze, looking almost ashamed of himself.

“I-I’m sorry, Lady Aphmau. I woke you,” he mutters.

“Garroth, I swear I am going to whack you over the head if you apologize one more time for something that isn’t your fault,” Aphmau scolds him, rubbing her thumbs over the top of his hands. “I don’t care you woke me up. I care if you’re alright. What happened?”

Garroth swallows nervously, looking down at his lap. “It was just a nightmare, that’s all.”

Aphmau narrows her eyes at him before sighing, deciding she has no right to push the matter. “Okay. What do you need? You’re still trembling.”

“I don’t require anything, my lady. I will be alright. You should get some more sleep,” Garroth quickly says, flinching at the sight of Aphmau glaring at him in the dark.

“I’m making tea. Go sit your butt on the couch in front of the fireplace,” she instructs, standing up and marching out of his room. However, she pops her head back in for just a moment. “That’s an order, too! You don’t ignore the lord’s orders!” She puffs up her cheeks before truly leaving for the kitchen.

Garroth watches the doorway for a moment before slowly getting out of bed and making his way into the main area of the house. He can see Aphmau in the kitchen boiling water in a teapot, though she has her back to him as she searches the cabinets for tea. He sits down in front of the fireplace, which is now lit, on the soft couch. He keeps his hands in his lap, watching the crackling flames eat away at the wooden logs fueling the fire.

He jolts from his thoughts when a mug is suddenly in front of him, looking up at Aphmau. She’s standing in front of him, one mug of tea in her hand, the other being held out to him. Garroth silently takes it, watching as she plops down next to him on the couch and blows on her tea.

“It’s jasmine. At least, that’s what the box said,” she says softly, taking a sip of the warm liquid.

Garroth sips his tea, instantly feeling better when the calming liquid fills his mouth. He swallows and they sit there in silence, sipping their tea.

“I won’t make you tell me what the nightmare was about,” Aphmau suddenly speaks, turning her head to face her guard, who looks at her. “But… whatever it is about, I will never judge you, Garroth. Never. ”

Garroth stares at her for a moment, her face illuminated by the fire, which reflects off her amber eyes. Then, he sighs and turns to face the fire, cradling his mug of tea in his hands.

“I… I want to tell you the truth, Lady Aphmau. I really do. But… I am terrified of what you’d think of me. I am terrified of what everyone else will think, once it gets out. I cannot keep this secret forever and it plagues my mind, causing me to have horrific nightmares,” he states, looking exhausted, both mentally and physically.

“Then… shorten it. Leave out as many details as you’d like. Whatever you tell me… it stays between us until you tell me otherwise,” Aphmau places one of her hands on his shoulder.

Garroth looks at her out of the corner of his eye before moving some of his hair behind his ear. “I… ran away from my home, because of my father. I was abused nearly my entire life, up until almost six years ago. I escaped and ran as far away as I could, landing me in Phoenix Drop. I hide my face to prevent anyone from recognizing me and alerting my father to my whereabouts.”

Garroth sets his mug of tea on the coffee table before reaching up and moving his shirt down, exposing one of his shoulders and part of his back. Aphmau nearly drops her mug of tea when she sees what’s on his back, her eyes widening in horror she didn’t know she could feel.

On Garroth’s back are old whip scars. They aren’t completely awful, possibly because they were properly treated shortly after they were made, but it’s the fact he has them at all that horrifies her. She’s only seeing the ends of a few of them, long straight lashes in his skin, but there are possibly many more hiding under the rest of his shirt.

Garroth moves his shirt back up, hiding his scars from the world once more. “My mother was the one who treated my wounds after my father made them. Bless her soul. She couldn’t do anything else, though. My father was only slightly kinder to her, whether it was pity or the dregs of love he had for her, I know not. It hurt to leave her behind with him, but I couldn’t live like that anymore, walking on eggshells around him just to try and avoid being hurt for the smallest accident.”

The sound of porcelain shattering meets his ears and he whips his head around to look at Aphmau. Hot tea has spilled across her hand, arm, and clothes, her hand clenched around pieces of her now broken mug. Her hand drips blood from the cuts the pieces have made, the rest of the pieces either on her lap or on the ground.

Her face is twisted into one of pure anger, rage burning in her eyes, and if looks could kill, Garroth would drop dead.

Then, it suddenly fades, and she realizes what she’s done and quickly unclenches her hand. She silently looks at her bleeding hand, somehow unburned after getting hot tea spilled on it, and starts picking the shards of porcelain out of her hand. Garroth, on the other hand, quickly gets up and fetches some wet rags and a first aid kit, starting to help her clean the blood and tea off her skin.

“Sorry. I got angry and I guess I… reacted in a way I thought wouldn’t hurt anything,” Aphmau mutters, quiet and thoughtful.

“Angry?” Garroth asks, starting to wrap her hand in bandages.

“Not at you. At what you’ve gone through. The fact you have been so badly hurt, both physically and mentally… it made me angry. I wish I could have helped you. You suffered and continue to suffer.”

“I am not suffering, my lord.”

“You are, though. You are still plagued by what you went through and it makes you so terrified that you hide away your face and have horrible nightmares. That is suffering.”

Garroth is quiet for a moment, her words sinking in. “You need not concern yourself with me, my lord. I am your guard. My job is to protect you and your people. Your job is to worry about the villagers, the people who look to you for safety and advice.”

“Are you not one of my people, Garroth?”

Garroth pauses, finally looking up at Aphmau, his blue eyes wide with shock. “What?”

“Are you not one of the very people I’m suppose to protect as Lord?”

Garroth stutters, words failing him as he tries to figure out how to answer her question. He walked right into a trap.

Aphmau moves her other hand and places it on Garroth’s cheek, running her thumb over one of the scars he got from Zenix. “You are a guard. You protect those who can’t protect themselves, but who is to protect you from the things you cannot handle by yourself?”

It’s a trick question, Garroth knows that. No matter how he answers, Aphmau will get what she wants to hear. He either denies needing protection, proving to Aphmau he thinks he is worthless, only meant as a shield for others with no other purpose, or he tells her what she wants to hear.

“You do, my lord. You are the one who protects us guards when we cannot handle something,” Garroth finally answers, voice soft and hesitant.

Aphmau smiles a little. “Exactly. Lean on me when you need to, Garroth. Just because you protect others does not mean you don’t need protection as well. There is no shame in needing help. When everything seems hopeless, remember that I am here. I will always be here, for as long as I am needed.”

Garroth sighs, placing his hand over hers. “You are too kind to me, my lord.”

“I am kind to everyone, but yes, I am a bit mushy toward you. I just think you need it, that is all. I have a feeling that kindness is not something you’ve had directed at you for a while.”

“It is not.”

Aphmau stares for a moment before pressing her forehead against Garroth’s, staring into his blue eyes with her amber ones. “Do not fear your life, your past. Whatever may come to harm you—to drag you back into the darkness—will have to go through me first. I will be the walls that encompass you, to keep you safe. I will be your shield to fend off attacks. I will be your sword, to fight for what you think is right. You have supported me. Let me return the favor when you are ready to live freely.”

Garroth stares back before sighing softly, giving her a small grin. “Understood, my lord. You have my word that when I am ready, I will come to you for protection when I am ready to face my past head-on.”

“Good. Now, finish your tea and head back to bed. I’m going to stay up for a bit. I saw some books earlier that I’ve never seen before on a shelf,” she pulls back, standing up and heading to the kitchen to fetch a broom so she can sweep the broken pieces of porcelain up.

“As you command,” he bows his head a little, picking his mug of tea up and quickly drinking the rest of it, watching as Aphmau sweeps up the broken pieces of her mug and disposes of the shards, before starting to mop where the tea had spilled onto the ground.

He stands after a moment, heading to the kitchen and washing the mug, before setting it on a towel to dry. He makes his way toward his room, pausing in the doorway to look at Aphmau in the living room. She’s already finished cleaning up the spill, now placing a towel on the couch to soak up any tea that got onto it.

“Good night, Aphmau,” Garroth suddenly calls, making Aphmau look up.

She blinks at him, not used to him using her name without Lord or Lady before it. Then, she smiles brightly.

“Good night, Garroth.”

He enters his room and shuts the door behind him, getting back into bed and staring up at the ceiling. For the first time in a long time, sleep comes rather easy, and in moments, Garroth is fast asleep, dreamless and peaceful.

Chapter Text

“Is… she okay?” Brian asks, pointing at their Lord.

Garroth, Aphmau, and Brian had set out in the early morning for Phoenix Drop. Garroth had been rather quiet when they got to the dock to set sail, at least compared to normal, but Aphmau had told Brian he was fine, just feeling a bit ill.

They had been on the boat for two hours when Aphmau stated she was going to take a nap before lying down at the bottom of the boat. She promptly passed out, as quiet and still as a corpse.

“I believe so. I think it’d be obvious if we needed to worry,” Garroth states, looking at Aphmau through his helmet.

When he came out of his room in the morning dressed in his armor—helmet included—Aphmau only smiled at him and asked if he wanted something to eat. He could tell she was a little disappointed he had it on, but he was glad she didn’t say anything, nor acknowledge what had happened last night. Her kindness was truly endless, it seems.

“It’s just… she’s so still. It’s a little unnerving,” Brian mutters.

“I think that’s normal for her. From what I’ve seen when she dozes after working around town or takes naps on the grass, she’s always rather still.”

Brian just hums, nodding a little and continuing to watch Aphmau while occasionally looking at the compass in his hand to make sure they’re still heading in the right direction. Garroth stares out at the horizon blankly, lost in his thoughts per usual when he is unable to keep himself busy.

“Uh… Garroth?”

Garroth turns his head, looking at Brian. “Yes?”

Brian looks scared, pointing down at Aphmau’s sleeping form silently. Garroth looks down at her and instantly is on edge.

She’s glowing.

Not in the pretty sense of glowing (though practically everyone in town will admit that Aphmau is very beautiful) but physically glowing. Across her tanned, scarred skin, white glowing marks have appeared, woven together like roots and vines, snaking across her body in intricate patterns, seemingly starting from somewhere on her torso with the way they move out and toward her fingers and face (and presumably her feet).

“Lady Aphmau!” Garroth moves quickly to try and shake her awake, but the second his hand touches her shoulder, a shock of magic makes him reel back, shaking the boat dangerously.

He and Brian manage to steady it, but the rocking didn’t wake her either, only making her shift slightly onto her side. They both stare at her with concern, unsure of what they should do.

“She really uses magic…” Brian mutters. “What do we do?”

“I-I don’t know. This has never happened before! I don’t even know if she’s trying to do this. The first time she used magic was an accident,” Garroth replies, panicking slightly.

“Maybe… maybe she’ll wake up on her own?” Brian suggests nervously, though he obviously doesn’t trust his own suggestion.

Garroth doesn’t reply, staring down at Aphmau’s sleeping form. Will she wake up? What if this is like when she uses too much magic and becomes incapacitated? She always took a while to get back to normal and the more magic she used the worse she was. When she tried to heal Brendan it knocked her out for several hours, after all.

“Hopefully she does…” Garroth finally mutters.

-Laurence’s POV-

I listen as heavy footsteps grow quieter and quieter, disappearing altogether before I spit blood and a tooth onto the stone floor in front of me. Slowly looking up, my blurry vision attempts to refocus on the room those fuckers stuck me in weeks ago.

( Was it weeks? How long has it been?).

The deep red, near black stone walls and matching floor haven’t changed, save for the fact they finally took away that other guy who had been chained up with me, though where they took him I don’t want to know. Nowhere good, that’s for sure. Poor bastard, he was nice considering he was one of them .

Moving my arms, I hear the chains binding me to the wall clink, holding my arms up in an uncomfortable position while keeping me in a kneeling position (it hurts, my knees are bleeding by this point). The sweltering heat of this damned prison makes my matted hair stick to my sweaty and bloodied skin, the many open wounds those things have carved into me spilling blood onto the floor.

I’m in so much pain, but it’s better this way. She got away. She’s safe. That’s all that matters. I can suffer like this as long as she stays safe (she better not come after me). Those Shadow Knights sure like to torture people. I’m sure many others had given in to the pain by now long before me, but I won’t. They want information on her, orders by their damned Shadow Lord, but they’ll have to pry anything like that from my cold dead hands .

(Why do they want information on Aphmau? Why has she stood out to them?)

Someone’s here. I can feel it.

I look up quickly to try and see who arrived while I was lost in thought, but my panic disappears instantly, replaced by confusion as I stare at the thing in front of me. It’s a sort of… glowing figure. Pure white and wispy, like it’s attempting to form a proper body but can’t. I can barely see what are supposed to be eyes where its face is supposed to be, staring at me.

“Wh-What are you?” My voice sounds awful. All the screaming destroyed it.

It doesn’t speak or answer me, instead slowly gliding toward me and moving like it's bending down to look at me. Despite it being an unknown and so much like the Shadow Souls (creepy things), I don’t fear it. I can’t fear it, something about it is comforting, willing away any fears or suspicions I may have had just by existing.

A wispy, not fully formed hand touches my cheek and cradles it in the warm glow of its body. I feel my pain slipping away, being obliterated by this thing’s light and comfort. It keeps staring at me, silent and unmoving.

“It’s going… okay…”

It speaks, voice broken and sentence fractured. It sounds like it’s trying to speak from behind many walls, muffled and quiet, but I can still tell it's a woman speaking.

“Aphmau..?” I mutter, my eyes becoming heavy and my vision getting fuzzy. Now that my pain is disappearing, exhaustion creeps in. The adrenaline caused by the pain was the only thing keeping me awake and now it’s gone.

“Be out… soon… will wait…”

“I’ll be out soon? What does that mean?” I ask, trying to fight against the creeping sleepiness. It sounds impossible (it should be impossible) but she’s really here, trying to communicate through what looks like magical means.

She doesn’t speak again though and the white, ghost-like form starts to dissipate into balls of light, which melt into my body like water. I can feel my wounds stop bleeding, the flow stemming itself out of nowhere when it should have taken hours for it to stop naturally, but they don’t heal past that.

Then, she’s gone completely, not a ball of white light left in the room. I feel a smile creep onto my face as I let my head fall, my body relaxing as best it can with the position I’m held in.

“I’ll be home soon, Aphmau… thank you for coming to reassure me of that,” I mumble, letting my eyes drift closed before the hellish torture resumes.

-No One’s POV-

Aphmau slowly opens her eyes, trying to recall what she dreamed about. It was something important, wasn’t it? But no matter how hard she tries, her brain remains foggy, her memory refusing to work properly. This is going to bother her for a while, isn’t it? She hates forgetting important things, but she knows it isn’t her fault. Whatever made her memory so shit is at fault, she just suffers the consequences.

Sitting up, she realizes she’s in her bed at home in her basement. Looking around, she spots Zoey asleep nearby in a chair, her head drooping to the side. Footsteps make her turn her head to her stairs, watching as Garroth walks down them with a man Aphmau doesn’t recognize and Donna, who looks worried.

“Aphmau!” Donna speaks, scaring Zoey awake with her loud voice as she hurries over to Aphmau’s side. “You’re awake!”

“Yes, I’m awake. Why do you look so worried?” Aphmau tilts her head, watching Garroth and the strange man walk over as Zoey stands up.

“You fell asleep in the boat on the way back and then…” Garroth starts, glancing at the strange man, before sighing. “Then you started glowing. Strange marks appeared over your skin that were glowing white. Neither I nor Brian could wake you. When we tried, you wouldn’t stir, and we couldn’t shake you awake. We got shocked if we tried. The glow disappeared about 10 minutes later but you still didn’t wake up no matter what we tried.”

“When they docked, they hurried here and set you in bed,” Zoey explains. “They told me what happened but I’ve never heard of magic like the kind that happened to you, nor could I explain why you weren’t waking up, so they went to get Donna.”

“My uncle came with,” Donna motions to the strange man. “He’s a doctor. An actual doctor, mind you, not like me where I just know some stuff but don’t have a medical license. I thought he might be able to help.”

The man steps forward, smiling at Aphmau. His beard and mustache are well-kept and his eyes are kind, just like Donna’s. He’s holding a bag with a red cross on it and his clothes are professional-looking. Suit and tie, long coat, and loafers for comfort.

“I’m Dr. Doctor, Lord Aphmau. A pleasure to meet you,” he grins.

“Uh…” Aphmau raises a brow, his name confusing her.

“I’m a doctor and my last name is Doctor. I know, it confuses people a lot,” Doctor laughs. “Now, how are you feeling?”

Aphmau hums. “I’m fine. Just bothered that I can’t remember what I was dreaming about.”

“Most people can’t remember their dreams, dear. It’s perfectly normal.”

“I know, I just… I have this feeling it was important. Like, I needed to remember what it was I saw,” Aphmau huffs, trying to force the memory to the surface by focusing. “It’s one thing to forget small things but important things? It bothers me.”

“I was told you suffer from memory loss. Do you forget things often?” Doctor questions, setting his bag down and pulling out a stethoscope.

“Constantly. Small things usually. I can remember things if they’re repeated a lot or if they’re super important, at least sometimes I can. I forget stuff like… eating, drinking, what I was doing if I stop doing it halfway, some words,” Aphmau lists.

“It sounds like your short-term memory is damaged but not shot entirely. I’ve seen cases where short-term memory gets better over time as long as people do their best to recall things by writing them down and remaining organized. Do you write things down?” He asks, listening to Aphmau’s heartbeat and breathing with the stethoscope.

“Sometimes, if they’re important. Should I be writing down everything?”

“I think keeping a log of your day-to-day life will help. Like a diary. It can be as detailed as you’d like but it should be able to help jog your memory when you read it. I’d also recommend carrying a notebook with you to write things down as you go about your day, so that way you can keep track of what you’ve done that day,” Doctor suggests, putting the stethoscope away. “Writing down a to-do list might also help. I recommend getting help putting one together for your daily tasks. Your head guard here might be the best solution to that. Also, I think telling someone everything that happens to you will increase the chances of you remembering things and if you don’t, then someone else has that information.”

“I’d be happy to help you make a to-do list, my Lord,” Garroth states.

Aphmau smiles at her guard, wide and bright. “Would you mind being my memory keeper as well? You’ve got a better memory than I do.”

“If you’re fine with me doing that, then I’d be happy to lend an ear, Lady Aphmau.”

“I was told you can’t remember anything about your past, either. Just your name. Is that still true?” Doctor asks.

Aphmau nods. “I haven’t regained any memories about my past. I don’t know if I ever will.”

“Your long-term memory is probably entirely shot then. Not a lot of things can damage the long-term memory that badly. Alcohol, drugs, and head injuries are the only things I can think of that aren’t magic related,” he hums.

“Magic can cause memory issues in some cases, but only if the backfire is severe and came from a powerful spell. I’ve personally never seen such an injury, I’ve only ever heard of it, and I’ve been alive a long time,” Zoey adds, her eyebrows furrowed. “Whatever damaged your memory, Aphmau, it had to have been something awful. With how bad it is, I’m more inclined to think it was magic based.”

“Why’s that, Zoey?” Donna asks.

“Memory loss caused by non-magic accidents or ailments usually don’t wipe someone’s memory this fully,” Zoey states, which Doctor nods along with in agreement. “Aphmau is only able to remember her name, which isn’t normal. Even people with shot long-term memories can usually recall snippets of their pasts, but with you, Aphmau… you can’t remember a thing. That’s a magic-related incident right there. Only magic could possibly wipe your mind like that.”

“So… it’s possible at some point during my past I performed a spell and it backfired bad enough to wipe my memory?” Aphmau tilts her head.

“It’s possible but even then, not a lot of spells can do that. Backfiring spells can have tons of different outcomes. Either you got very unlucky or something else happened to cause this.”

Aphmau sighs but then smiles wide. “Well, whatever it was, I’m sure it’s fine now. I feel much better, so I should get up and start working.”

“Are you sure, Aph? You work all the time. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sit down unless you were fixing something on the ground,” Donna asks.

Aphmau nods. “Yup! I like working, it gives me things to do and I help people in the process! I promise I’ll take a break, though. I still have to plan your wedding!”

“Actually,” Garroth speaks up and jumps a little when everyone in the room suddenly turns to look at him, “I was uh… thinking that maybe you should take Levin outside for a bit. He’s been cooped up in the basement for a long time and now that he’s starting to crawl a little, it’d be a good time to stretch his legs.”

Aphmau blinks before nodding happily. “Yes! That sounds like a wonderful idea! I’ve been wanting to simply walk around a bit lately and taking Levin with me is a perfect reason to do so!”

None of them say anything about the fact she’s allowed to walk around without needing to work already, simply all smiling at her. Zoey grabs Levin from his room, where he had been playing with his toys while they all talked, and Aphmau gets him dressed in a simple shirt, pants, and little shoes. She then calls Thorgi and her other dogs to her side, who come bounding over, ready to head out with her.

Garroth, Donna, and Dr. Doctor follow her out of the house, with Donna and her uncle leaving for the plaza, while Garroth stays behind a bit as Aphmau watches Levin sit on the grass for a bit before they get going, with all her dogs sniffing around or watching Levin.

“Be careful while you’re out and about. I have some work to attend to so if you end up needing me for anything, come find me in the guard quarters. Dale and Brian are doing their normal rounds so they’ll be around if you find trouble,” Garroth states, staring at Levin, who is plucking grass out of the ground and throwing it in the air with a smile.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be safe and I’ll keep Levin safe. I may get myself into trouble but I won’t allow anything to happen while I have Levin with me. Besides, I have all my pups with me. No one in their right mind would attack us and any wild animals would be scared off,” Aphmau reassures him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I know, I just worry. I have a bad habit of doing that,” Garroth responds with a soft chuckle.

“I know and it’s not without reason. You’ve had a lot to worry about throughout your life as far as I know. I’ll be safe, though, and should anything happen, I can defend myself and Levin until help arrives.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Have fun, Lady Aphmau,” Garroth bows his head, gently pats Levin’s hair down, and heads off to the guard quarters.

Aphmau watches him go and remains by her house for a bit to just bask in the sunlight, before picking Levin up and using her arm and hip to keep him situated on her side as she walks down the hill into town. As she walks, partially watching Levin as he swivels his little head around while babbling to look at everything and partially watching where she’s going, she spots Dale up ahead, sober and speaking with Brian. A break between rounds, no doubt.

“Hi, Dale! Hi, Brian!” Aphmau waves with her free hand, coming to a stop in front of them while her dogs stop and heel at her sides or behind her, waiting for her to start walking again.

“Ah! Lady Aphmau! Good ta see ya!” Dale smiles.

“My Lady! Are you feeling okay? Garroth and I were worried earlier when you wouldn’t wake up,” Brian asks, not mentioning the use of magic she had shown on the boat. Garroth had told him to keep quiet about it and to not tell anyone—not even his father—and Brian was going to honor that order.

“Yes, I’m alright. Got the all clear from Donna’s uncle and now I’m just going for a walk with Levin,” Aphmau states, motioning to the babbling baby on her hip.

“Aw! Look at the little tike! He’s gettin’ so big! Soon enough he’ll be bigger than Uncle Dale!” Dale coos, letting Levin grab hold of his finger and move it around. “Brian, remember when you were this small? I miss those days!” He then laughs.

Brian smiles. “He’s such a happy baby, Lady Aphmau. You’re very lucky. My mother often tells me I was a nightmare as a baby. Crying and fussing constantly. I’m glad I grew out of that,” he chuckles.

“You have a nice walk, Lord Aphmau. Call if ya need either of us!” Dale grins.

“I will. See you two later. Don’t overwork yourselves!” Aphmau states, waving goodbye and heading to the plaza.

She sets Levin down and watches him crawl along the cobbled ground, glad they repaired it so that she didn’t have to worry about Levin hurting himself. Levin follows her as she walks over to Donna, who is standing next to Logan, who looks worse than normal but trying not to let it show. It isn’t fooling Donna, though.

“You alright, Logan?” Aphmau asks as she gets to them, tilting her head a little.

Logan huffs. “I’m fine, just a bad headache. They’ve been happening for a while. Nothing major, don’t get your hair in a twist about it like Donna has,” he states, grumbling.

“I’m just worried, you idiot,” Donna hisses, her voice lower than normal so she doesn’t spike his headache. “They’ve been happening so frequently and medicine has stopped helping as much.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I wish I could do something to help,” Aphmau frowns.

“Well, I need some more herbs for a tea I’ve been making to help Logan’s headache not feel as bad. They grow around the edge of the forest. You could grab some for me if you want to,” Donna suggests. “I need peppermint and lavender. You know what they look like, right?”

Aphmau nods. “Yup! I’ll grab some for you while I’m out,” she states, picking up Levin as he tries to put a large rock in his mouth, making him drop it. “Levin, don’t eat rocks, buddy. I know they look tasty but they’re bad for you,” Aphmau scolds her son with a playful smile. Levin just babbles in response.

Logan stares momentarily before sighing and digging around in a crate for something. He pulls out a light blue rubber ring with bumps and grooves on it and hands it to Levin, who happily takes it and starts biting down on it.

“It’s a teething toy for babies,” Logan states upon seeing Aphmau’s confused expression. “He’s probably getting ready to pop his first tooth and is chewing things to relieve the discomfort. You’re lucky he isn’t the kind of baby that cries from the feeling of teething pains. Let him chew that and it’ll help. Making it cold will work even better. Wipe it down with a cloth to clean it.”

Aphmau blinks and a wide smile crosses her face. “Thanks, Logan. Levin loves it already. I’ve been wondering why he’s been chewing things lately, so that must be why.”

“Soon enough he’ll move onto pure solid food instead of milk and mushed veggies! He’s growing so fast!” Donna coos.

“I hope so. He’s been getting tired of the same old mush we give him,” Aphmau chuckles. “I’ll see you two later, okay? Logan, you should get some rest. That headache of yours will go away faster if you do.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling him, but he’s more stubborn than a mule,” Donna shakes her head while Logan huffs in response.

Aphmau waves goodbye and heads off, her dogs trotting after her and Levin in her arms, babbling away between biting down on his new teething toy. As she walks, Aphmau suddenly remembers that Levin is the son of the late Lord Malik, whose house is still partially standing ever since she told Brendan to stop demolition on it.

“Levin? Wanna go see your dad’s old house?” Aphmau asks the little drooling child, who simply responds with a hearty “bah!”.

Aphmau giggles and nods, changing course to go to the old Lord’s home. Perhaps she should have Brendan work on repairing it instead of demolishing it. Keeping the house could be a nice gift for Levin when he’s older. After all, it belonged to his late parents. It’s only right she gives him their things or whatever remains that was once theirs. He deserves to know who his parents were, after all.

When they arrive, the building is the same as it was when Brendan stopped working on it. Mostly demolished, save for a few walls and the base of the house. Aphmau walks through the doorless doorway, stepping onto the dusty but otherwise clean floor of the house, marred with scorch marks to show the horrific things that happened inside the now destroyed walls. If she’s going to have this place fixed, she’s going to make sure none of the scorch marks remain.

No one needs to see those anymore. Such parts of the past of the house don’t need to remain.

Aphmau sets Levin down carefully, watching as he sits on the ground chewing away at his toy, his little eyes darting around to take in the destroyed house. Aphmau turns and walks over to one of the mostly intact walks, placing her hand on the splintering wood and feeling it.

“Not too bad. Might need to replace it all either way, though,” she murmurs. She’d like to keep some of the original house somehow, if possible.

A sudden sick, crawling feeling overcomes Aphmau, and she feels like she’s not alone anymore, save for Levin. Someone else is nearby, someone wrong and dangerous. The air feels heavy and warm, too familiar to be comfortable. It feels like she’s back in the Nether, yet not at the same time.

Aphmau turns and her eyes widen. Levin is gone. She didn’t hear him move—he isn’t that quiet. Someone’s moved him.

“Levin!” Aphmau calls and hurries to the doorway, stopping in her tracks at what she’s seeing.

Laurence is there, staring down at Levin, who is sitting at his feet. Laurence looks wrong, though—dressed in Shadow Knight armor and with deep, red eyes void of emotion. Unfeeling and not human.

It isn’t Laurence. Aphmau can tell. He looks like Laurence, down to every single detail, but this thing… it isn’t mortal or semi-mortal. It doesn’t feel like the Shadow Knights but is just as wrong. Whatever it is, it isn’t either Laurence or what is left of Laurence after being in the Nether. It’s something else entirely. A trick to make her lower her guard.

“What are you?” Aphmau says, her eyes narrowing.

The thing looks up at her and tilts its head as if confused by why she isn’t reacting like they expected her to. It expected her to be distressed, not on guard. They thought she’d fall for the trick.

They take her for a fool.

“Get away from my son,” Aphmau states, fire in her eyes.

Aphmau doesn’t take notice of how the clouds begin to swirl, darkening around the area of the old house in response to her emotions, nor how to trees creak and the ground rumbles slightly, as if the roots are trying to unearth themselves to assist her. The wind picks up, rustling leaves and foliage, and vines begin wrapping themselves around Aphmau’s feet to ground her.

The creature that looks like Laurence stares at her blankly before looking down at Levin, reaching their gloved hand out toward the small child.

“I said get away from him!” Aphmau yells, panic welling up inside her.

A tree root bursts out of the ground, sharpened and deadly, and stabs right through the thing's head. At the same moment, the vines around Aphmau’s legs wrap around Levin and pull him toward her defensively, lifting him up and into her arms. She’s too shocked to react, staring at the disintegrating body of the thing, which only has one eye as half of its face has disappeared into ash.

“You aren’t Laurence,” Aphmau speaks, voice wavering. “Don’t try and fool me like that. Playing with my emotions won’t end well. If you think I’m stupid enough to fall for such a deception, then you don’t know me at all,” she whispers.

It smiles at her.

Aphmau watches as it fully disappears into ash, that same smile on its face until it no longer has a face to smile with. The clouds return to normal, the tree root disappears back into the ground, the vines return to the forest where they slithered out from, and the wind returns to normal. It looks like nothing happened, save for the pile of ashes on the ground and the disturbed dirt which the tree root had lashed out from.

Aphmau breathes heavily, only saved from a full-on panic attack by Levin, who is blowing spit bubbles in her arms and giggling, clearly safe and unharmed. Aphmau smoothes out Levin’s hair and holds him close, getting on her knees as her legs feel weak. She feels drained, like a bunch of energy has been sapped out of her rapidly, and it doesn’t feel pleasant.

“Lady Aphmau!” Brian’s voice calls and the guard comes running over, panic in his gaze. “Are you alright?! I heard you shouting!” He asks, coming to a halt and bending down, looking Aphmau and Levin over for any wounds.

“I-I’m okay, Brian,” Aphmau mumbles. “Levin is too, I think… he’s not hurt at least.”

“What happened Lady Aphmau? Did something or someone come at you?” Brian questions worriedly, helping Aphmau to her feet and taking Levin from her so she can lean against him properly.

“I’m not… entirely sure what just happened,” Aphmau states and looks up at Brian. “I think… the Shadow Knights are trying to lure me to the Nether. This… fake Laurence appeared and I think he used Levin to lure me out to him. It’s… a lot to take in.”

“They know you want to go after him, then,” Brian furrows his brows. “You didn’t fall for their tricks, though.”

Aphmau shakes her head. “It felt… wrong. Like I wasn’t looking at a living creature. It… felt like the Shadow Knights but… less physical. It’s hard to put into words.”

“Maybe Zoey knows what it was.”

“Maybe… can you take Levin to her? I want to see Garroth. I need to tell him about this so we can be on the lookout for another being who looks like Laurence. I don’t know if they’ll try to trick me or someone else again.”

“I’ll take you to Garroth first. I don’t wish to leave you alone. You don’t look so good…” Brian mutters.

Aphmau is pale and her eyes have dulled. Not to mention her entire body is trembling and she’s broken out into a nervous sweat unconsciously. He has no intention of letting her walk to Garroth by herself. Thankfully, Aphmau doesn’t protest and allows Brian to take her to the guard station, using one arm to carry Levin and the other to keep Aphmau upright as they walk.

“Would you like me to get Donna and her uncle to take a look at Levin first? Just in case?” Brian asks as they walk up to the door of the guard quarters.

Aphmau nods slowly, her head beginning to hurt. “Yes, that’s a good idea. Thank you so much, Brian.”

“You don’t need to thank me, my lady. I’m simply doing my job by protecting you and little Levin. Please rest after you speak with Sir Garroth.”

Aphmau chuckles a little. “I will. I don’t think I want to be out and about anymore after what happened.”

“Lady Aphmau?”

“Yes?”

“What was with the clouds earlier? It looked like they were beginning to spiral near the old Lord’s home, not to mention the wind picked up. It’s what made me start heading in that direction in the first place.”

Aphmau falls silent. She doesn’t know why that happened either, only having realized what was going on when that tree root struck the fake Laurence in the head.

“I really don’t know, Brian. Maybe nature was just as upset about the fake Laurence as I was,” she suggests.

“Mmm… maybe. Wouldn’t be the first time nature reacted that way to bad magic. It’s said nature responds to Lady Irene’s wishes. When someone is doing something bad, nature tends to lash out in response. Many people believe that’s why earthquakes or tornados happen around here—they’re all caused by someone doing something bad to the world and Lady Irene is responding through nature,” Brian states. “Of course, those are just stories my mother told me. We don’t know for sure why nature in this region tends to act on its own, but it’s true that it responds to dark magic and bad people in vicious ways.”

Aphmau hums. “How interesting. I never knew that.”

“There are many stories pertaining to Lady Irene’s abilities and powers. Mind you, no one knows for sure what exactly she was capable of, just that she could heal people and she was strong. How she went about those things is mostly unknown,” Brian shrugs. “If you’d like to know more about her, though, I’m sure Miss Emmalyn has books on the matter, not to mention my mother is a devout follower who knows her fair share of things. You could ask either one about it later. For now, speak with Sir Garroth. I’ll get Levin checked out and then take him to Zoey.”

Aphmau pats Brian on the shoulder, giving him a warm, tired smile. “Thank you again, Brian. I appreciate your help and concern.”

“Anytime, my lady,” Brian smiles back before heading off with Levin in his arms.

Aphmau sighs once he’s gone and turns, opening the door to the guard quarters and walking in. Garroth is sitting at the main table, papers strewn about and books open as he writes with a quill in hand, an inkwell open next to him. How he can see anything with that helm on, Aphmau knows not, but she doesn’t question it.

Garroth looks up and turns to face Aphmau, surprise evident in his body language even if his face is obscured. “Lady Aphmau? Did you need something?” He asks, before noticing how exhausted and almost terrified Aphmau looks. “What happened?” Garroth questions, voice laced with concern as he quickly stands up and helps Aphmau to a chair.

Aphmau leans back in the chair and lets out a breath before beginning to tell Garroth everything that happened as best she can recall it. Garroth doesn’t react much but she can tell he’s on edge by the end.

“So you think they’re trying to lure you back? Why would they send a look-a-like of Laurence, then?” He asks.

“To make me feel guilty for leaving him, I suppose,” Aphmau answers softly. “I mean, I suppose it worked, but I already felt guilty before this. I knew right away it wasn’t really Laurence, so the plan failed. That or they were using that thing to spy on me, see how I was doing. What I was doing.”

Garroth hums, looking down. “Well, you handled the imposter from what it sounds like, and I don’t think they’d be foolish enough to try a stunt like that again if you weren’t fooled the first time. I’ll let Brian and Dale know to keep a close eye on the town though and to tell me or you about any suspicious activity.”

“I’m worried about how I dealt with the fake, though,” Aphmau mumbles. “I don’t know what happened or why it happened.”

“Your powers and abilities are still a huge unknown, Lord Aphmau. Until we can figure out a way for you to safely experiment with them and learn how to control them, it’s safe to assume you can do many things. Your healing powers are strong from what I’ve seen of them and you’ve always been drawn to nature. Perhaps controlling plants with your emotions is a natural thing you do,” Garroth suggests, hesitating for a moment before placing his hand over hers. “It’ll be okay. We’ll figure it all out in due time. There’s no rush to getting answers.”

Aphmau sighs and then smiles a little. “Thank you, Garroth. I appreciate your help, I really do. You always make me feel better when I’m stressed.”

Garroth shakes his head a little. “You don’t need to thank me, Lord Aphmau. I’m just doing my job of protecting you. That doesn’t always mean in a violent way through fighting opponents. Sometimes it means offering advice and comfort, like how you help me.”

“What would I do without you?” Aphmau asks with a laugh.

“Mm, probably stress yourself to death,” he responds with a soft chuckle. “Now, hurry on home and get some rest. Whatever happened with the plants out there obviously drained you of your energy.”

Aphmau nods and stands up carefully, her balance better after resting a bit. “Ah, by the way, Logan hasn’t been feeling well lately. Donna doesn’t know why.”

“I see. Do you have any idea of what’s happening?”

Aphmau shakes her head. “No, but I think he does and he’s keeping it to himself. Whatever is plaguing him is his business, but I’m going to keep a close eye on him to see how his condition progresses. If he gets better or worse and stuff. I’ll keep you updated if it’s something we need to worry about, like a possibly contagious illness has taken hold of him.”

“I hope not. We don’t need a mass breakout of ill people,” Garroth sighs.

“If it does come to that, then I’ll just go adventuring for medicine again,” Aphmau jokes.

“That worries me more than the possibility of a mass illness,” Garroth blanks.

“Rude, but fair,” she laughs and heads to the door. “Bye, Garroth. Don’t forget to take a break between work. You’ll make yourself sick from overworking otherwise.”

Garroth nods. “I will, don’t worry. Have a good day, Lord Aphmau.”

Aphmau waves bye and leaves the guard station, heading to her home to check on Levin and inform Zoey of what happened in full, just to get her opinion on the matter. Entering her still-destroyed home (she really needs to fix this place), Aphmau heads downstairs and to Levin’s room, where Zoey is sitting in the rocking chair while watching Levin as he stacks blocks on top of one another.

“Is he alright?” Aphmau asks.

Zoey nods. “Brian told me Donna’s uncle said he was just fine. He’s got traces of dark magic around him but that was probably caused by the fake Laurence you saw. Brian told me what he could of what transpired when he arrived with Levin,” she states, looking somber.

Aphmau proceeds to tell Zoey everything about what happened, including her odd use of magic that happened accidentally to get Levin to safety and destroy the fake that had appeared. Zoey agrees with Aphmau’s theory that they were either using the fake Laurence to guilt her into going back for him to complete his transformation or to gather information on her.

Aphmau and Zoey are silent for a moment after the explanation finishes, watching Levin quietly as he plays and babbles nonsense to himself that probably sounds a lot more sophisticated to his little baby brain.

“Are you okay? I’m sorry if I caused you to worry by not bringing Levin myself,” Aphmau asks, glancing at Zoey worriedly. She’s never seen the elf this depressed-looking.

Zoey shakes her head. “No, it’s not your fault, Aphmau. I just… this situation brought back some bad memories for me. Ones that cause me great grief,” she explains softly then sighs. “I had a son once, a very long time ago. He was taken from me.”

Aphmau’s eyes widen and she remains silent, knowing Zoey wouldn’t be telling her this if she didn’t want to.

“My husband was part of the Elven Council. Elves have very strict laws regarding magic and only elves on the council can study and use magic freely. However, I was born with a gift for magic, and my thirst for knowledge clouded my judgment. I went against our laws and practiced magic in secret, behind my husband’s back, and for it, I was punished severely when I was found out. I was banished from our home, the Yggdrasil Forest, and sealed out with powerful magic so that I could never enter my homeland without permission from the Elders.

Me and my husband were separated for years, many more than a human would survive. To us elves, time is not as big of a deal. We live long lives, up to 800 or 900 years if lucky, though we are by no means immortal. We can die by normal means like illness, starvation, or old age, we just have longer life spans than humans if we remain healthy. He couldn’t follow me and I couldn’t just wait outside our homeland for the day I could return.

One day, years later, one of the elders was found guilty of treason for passing information and sacred magic to the Shadow Lord and his knights. A most grievous offence, even worse than I one I had committed. He disappeared when he was found out and has never been seen since. He’d be a fool to return or to make his presence known in the outside world. He’d be killed for his crime, after all. Even us elves would go on a hunt for him for what he pulled.

Because he was found guilty of such a crime, my husband was promoted to the status of Elder in his place as the next in line, and he was able to bring me home. However, I had been gone so long. The son I had been forced to leave behind was but a baby when I left. When I returned… he was an adult. He had grown up without me there and I missed his childhood. I missed his milestones and birthdays… his achievements and failures. I wasn’t there to celebrate with him or to comfort him… I was ashamed of myself. I tried to make up for it, I really did, but it never felt right for either of us… and then he…”

Zoey cuts off, beginning to cry, tears falling down her face. She buries her face in her hands, sobbing softly as Aphmau quickly hurries to her side and wraps her arms around her, trying to comfort her.

“I-I’m sorry, I can’t… I want to tell you, I do, but I just can’t-” Zoey’s cut off by Aphmau squeezing her tighter.

“I’m so sorry, Zoey. You went through so much and lost so much. It wasn’t fair what happened to you and I wish things went better for you,” Aphmau states, gently running her fingers through Zoey’s hair. “But I’m so glad to have you here. You’ve been nothing but a blessing upon this village and upon me and Levin. If not for your arrival, I wouldn’t have had any clue of how to care for Levin. It’s thanks to you he’s so happy and healthy, that I have both time to care for him and the village without burning myself out.”

Zoey hugs Aphmau back, sobbing into her shoulder. “Th-Thank you, Aphmau… I’m so lucky to have met you…”

“And I am lucky to have met you , Zoey. Now then, dry those tears. I hate seeing you cry,” Aphmau pulls away, using her sleeve to wipe away the tears on Zoey’s face, smiling at her. “I hope you continue to help me with Levin. He and I both need you, Zoey. We’d be lost without you.”

Levin crawls over and tugs on Zoey’s clothes, smiling at her and cooing softly. Zoey picks him up and smiles as he touches her face, giggling as he does.

“I’d be honored to continue helping you with Levin, Aphmau. Thank you so much,” she says softly.

Aphmau nods, patting Zoey on the head. “You don’t need to thank me, Zoey. You’ve done so much for me. It’s I who should be thanking you. I’m going to go get some rest to recharge and then get back to work on whatever I need to do. Come get me if you need anything.”

Zoey nods with a smile. “I will. Get some rest. From what you told me happened and from looking at you, I’d say your magic is running low. Rest will do you wonders.”

Aphmau leaves the room after kissing Levin on the head and plops down on her bed, taking her shoes off and getting under her blankets before passing out, entering her usual dead sleep, practically a corpse to anyone who would happen to look at her due to her stillness.

Aphmau hums as she works under the afternoon sun next to her house. She had woken up that morning with a brilliant idea to build a place for Levin to play outside that was safe so he could get some outside time. She got Brendan to help her and they started working next to her house on what Brendan called a “playground”. Aphmau had no clue that’s what an outdoor play area for kids was called, but the more you know.

They started with a fence around the area so Levin wouldn’t go tumbling down the hill on accident and installed a safety gate so he wouldn’t escape by himself (they baby-proofed the gate). After that, Aphmau worked on cutting down trees nearby and lugging the logs over to Brendan so he could cut them into the right-sized pieces for each bit of equipment the playground would need. Aphmau’s inhuman strength was at least useful for that bit. If she wasn’t so strong, it would have taken at least four people to lug one cut tree to the building area.

They build a swingset, a slide, a bench for people to sit on, and a sandpit for Levin to play in. Aphmau brought buckets of sand from the beach to the sandpit after the wooden beams were set so the sand wouldn’t spill over and onto every inch of the grass, dumping the buckets one by one and doing a few trips to fill it up. Once the big things were done, Aphmau dismissed Brendan after giving him some food as thanks for the help and got to work carving toys for Levin to play with outside.

As she cuts off a bit of wood, a dragon cry echoes out above her, and Aphmau looks up to see one of Raven’s siblings hovering above her, staring down at her. She remembers this one—Indrix. She was staring at Aphmau, a letter tied around her leg.

“Hello, Indrix,” Aphmau smiles, putting her carving tools down and lifting up her arm so Indrix can perch upon it.

Indrix does just that, flying down and landing on Aphmau’s arms, careful to not dig her claws into Aphmau’s skin. “Hello, Aphmau. I have brought a reply from the person you sent me to find. I apologize it took so long. Your friend was a bit hard to locate. She uses powerful spells to conceal her location but thankfully I caught her while she was on the move not long ago.”

“Wonderful! Thank you very much, Indrix. Would you like something to drink before you leave? Maybe something to eat?” Aphmau asks, untying the letter from Indrix’s leg.

“If it is not too much trouble. I am rather parched,” Indrix responds, getting off Aphmau’s arm and onto the ground, staring up at her.

Aphmau nods and heads inside before returning with a cup full of water and a plate of cooked meat and chopped fruit, placing both things down in front of the golden wyvern. Indrix sticks their beak into the cup of water, opening it and gulping down the water happily, before scarfing down the food provided. While their main diets were that of gemstones and gold, golden wyverns could satiate their hunger temporarily by consuming other things until they could find gold or gems to consume.

“Thank you for the water and food, Aphmau. I shall be taking my leave now. I hope the letter contains good news for I did not read it as your friend was writing it,” Indrix states.

Aphmau waves goodbye to Indrix and watches the wyvern fly off toward the woods before sitting back down and opening the letter, beginning to read the neat, cursive words belonging to Kawaii-chan.

Dear Aphmau,

Thank you so much for the invitation! To be honest, I was worrying about where I was to go now that I could be tracked by those awful creatures, but your offer has relieved me of those worries! I’d be delighted to come live in your village. I’ll start heading there now and should hopefully arrive soon, depending on when you get this letter. A day or two at most, I think. Maybe I can even start up a cafe in town if that’s okay with you! We’ll talk about it in person, though. Thank you again!

Love, Kawaii-chan

Aphmau smiles at the letter and folds it up, putting it away in one of her pockets. She stands, picks up the dishes on the ground, puts them in the house, and then heads down the hill into town. If Kawaii-chan is going to be living there now, she needs to make sure the guards are aware she’ll be arriving soon, not to mention she needs to get a house set up for her.

She spots Brian and Dale together, talking to one another, and they turn when they hear her coming.

“Mornin’, Lord Aphmau,” Dale greets her with a tired smile. “Sorry if I’m not my usual energetic self! Was up late last night helping the missus with laundry!”

“That’s alright, Dale. I just wanted to let you both know a friend I made on my journey to Scaleswind will be arriving in a day or two. She’ll be moving into town and possibly starting up a cafe. If you spot a pink-haired woman at the uh… fences, let her in. If a boat arrives instead, let me know,” Aphmau smiles.

Dale nods. “Roger that. We’ll keep our eyeballs peeled!”

“A cafe sounds nice. A place to sit and have a nice drink and something to eat with good company or by yourself without being surrounded by drunkards would be wonderful,” Brian remarks, already excited about the prospect of such a thing.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. A place to relax is just what the town needs,” Aphmau giggles. “Have a good day, you two! Dale, get some rest when you can. I don’t want you collapsing from exhaustion.”

“Don’t worry, I plan ta switch with Garroth here in an hour and head right to sleep. See ya, Lord Aphmau!” Dale laughs heartily, waving her off.

Aphmau waves back and then keeps walking, heading to the plaza to check on Donna and Logan. She doesn’t like what she sees, though. A cot has been set up near Logan’s stall and Donna is looking worriedly at her future husband, who is asleep on the cot. Logan is feverish, his face bright red and sweat pooling on his skin. His breathing is ragged and he looks to be in pain. Kiki is ringing out a small rag over a bucket of water next to Logan, clearly helping Donna with caring for Logan.

“What’s happened?” Aphmau asks worriedly, walking up to Donna’s side.

“I don’t know! He just got worse overnight and now he’s barely conscious long enough to eat!” Donna sobs, tears falling down her face. “We’ll have to put the wedding on hold until he’s better, but I don’t know when that’ll be! Nothing I’m trying is working and my uncle headed to Brightport to search for a stronger medicine for him.”

“I’m sorry… I wasn’t able to get you the herbs you needed for the tea,” Aphmau states, feeling guilty. Maybe the tea would have helped. If only that damn look-a-like didn’t show up when it did.

“No, it’s not your fault, Aph. The tea wouldn’t have worked, anyway,” Donna sniffles. “I heard about what happened from Brian yesterday. Forgetting to get the herbs was only natural after all that. I don’t blame you, I’m just so worried…”

Kiki places the damp cloth on Logan’s forehead to try and cool him off, her brows furrowed. “It’ll be alright, Donna. Once the fever breaks he’ll be on the fast track to recovery. For now, we should try and limit the pain he’s in from the headaches. Would you like to watch Logan while I grab some herbs from the woods or would you like to do it?” She asks, looking at Donna.

“I’ll do it,” Donna says quickly. “Maybe if I pick them, he’ll get better faster or something. The power of love or some junk,” she laughs softly, her heart not in it. She’s trying to make herself feel better with very little luck.

Kiki nods and writes down what she needs, along with drawing little pictures of what the herbs look like before handing the piece of paper to Donna. Donna looks it over then nods to herself, looking determined.

“Thank you for your help, Kiki. I owe you one,” Donna smiles at the redhead before hurrying off to collect the herbs.

Once Donna is out of sight, Kiki sighs heavily. “This isn’t good…”

“He looks awful. Is there anything I can do to help?” Aphmau asks.

Kiki shakes her head. “Nothing can help him now but to wait it out. I didn’t say anything in front of Donna but… Logan’s been cursed. A werewolf bit him and he’s been infected. He’ll turn into a full werewolf soon. Maybe two days, less if he was bitten a while ago.”

“Infected?”

Kiki nods. “Werewolves are usually born but their bites, when administered to humans on full moons, become infectious. Bitten humans—if not outright killed from the attack—turn into werewolves after about a week. Bitten werewolves tend to lose their minds when they turn, becoming highly aggressive. Some are luckier and retain their sanity, though. It depends on how strong their will is. I think Logan will be one of the few to keep his sanity, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s going to grow a tail and a pair of wolf ears soon.”

“What do we do?”

“That’s up to you, Lord Aphmau. A werewolf visiting town is one thing but to harbor one will put you on a hit list for many villages that despise werewolves and other nonhuman creatures. Making allies with these villages will become impossible if we ever need to if Logan stays. However, if Logan retains his sanity, he will be even more invaluable than he already is. A werewolf’s brute strength is practically unmatched by any creature and their innate hunting skills are useful. If Logan stays, you will make many enemies, but if he goes you lose a merchant and hunter.”

“He’s not going,” Aphmau says firmly, a dark look in her eyes. It is an order. He will not be leaving town under any circumstance.

Kiki looks surprised for a moment before a smile crosses her face. “I figured you’d say that. I’ll do everything I can to ease his transition, but it’ll be painful for him. I’ll move him to the mines when he transforms but I’m worried about Donna. I know she was fine with Khira and the southern werewolf tribe visiting, but marrying a werewolf might be a different story.”

“I’ll try and bring up the topic without giving away what Logan is becoming with her,” Aphmau sighs, looking at Logan’s sick form. “I’ll… also need to tell Garroth what’s happening. Logan leaving is off the table. Werewolf or not, he is a villager here and I will keep him safe. I won’t throw him out simply because he’s turning into a werewolf.”

Kiki nods. “I know, Aphmau. You’re very kind. I’ll let Logan know your decision once he’s conscious and when Donna isn’t around. I can’t say for certain how he’ll take it, but I think he might be happy you won’t toss him out.”

“I hope so. He hates me enough as is,” Aphmau chuckles. “I’ll be going now. Keep a close eye on him, okay?”

“I will. Have a good day, Aphmau.”

Aphmau waves goodbye and heads off, walking through the empty streets of town toward the newly built houses that have gone uninhabited (save for Sasha, whom Aphmau likes to voluntarily forget used to live in town). Suddenly, Brendan comes running towards her from the direction she’s heading, looking panicked and scared.

“Aphmau! I saw Sasha!” He says quickly, coming to a halt in front of her, winded from running.

“Slow down, Brendan. Tell me what exactly you saw,” Aphmau says, seriousness on her face.

“I-I was doing some touch-ups on the houses back there when I thought I saw something in the window of the house Sasha was staying in. I thought maybe a wild animal got in so I went to go get it out before it damaged anything, but when I opened the door, Sasha was just standing there! In her old house!” He exclaims. “I-I didn’t say anything, just left to come find you. She looked kinda… see-through? I dunno, but it was freaky. You told me to tell you if I saw her again so…”

Aphmau pats Brendan on the shoulder and smiles, watching as he calms down thanks to it. “Thank you for following through with those instructions, Brendan. I’ll handle this. Can you go find Garroth and let him know I need to speak with him in the meantime?”

Brendan nods. “Yeah, I can do that. Um… is Sasha a bad person?” He asks softly, looking hopeful it isn’t so. He didn’t want to believe Sasha wasn’t who she said she was back when Aphmau first told him, but Aphmau wouldn’t lie to him about something like that.

Aphmau stares for a moment before sighing. “I just know that… she’s hurt a lot of innocent people and was trying to hurt me, too. You don’t need to worry about it. I’ll handle the situation.”

“Oh Irene… I brought her into town!” Brendan cries, looking ashamed of himself.

“It’s okay, Brendan. You had no way of knowing. She’s good at deceiving people. Now, go on, find Garroth. I’ll be fine,” she smiles warmly then walks past him, heading toward Sasha’s old home.

When she arrives at the door, she opens it carefully and steps in, spotting the thing Brendan saw. It’s definitely Sasha but isn’t at the same time. It looks like her but it’s see-through—like a ghost. Her back is facing Aphmau but she turns around as Aphmau steps closer, her purple eyes staring into amber.

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” Sasha speaks, voice echoing softly in the empty house.

“I was hoping you’d stay gone, but I suppose I’ll get some answers now,” Aphmau responds simply.

Sasha blinks and then a wicked smile crosses her face. “Then I suppose I should get to answering, Lord Aphmau.”

Aphmau huffs. “Firstly, why did you try to poison me?”

“Oh, you found out about that? Sorry, I was simply following orders,” Sasha laughs. “I’m surprised you realized what it was, though.”

“I didn’t. Castor did.”

“Hm. For how crazy that old coot is, he is rather brilliant when it comes to magic and potions. I can at least give him that. Why didn’t you drink it before showing him it?”

“I didn’t trust it. I didn’t trust you.”

Sasha laughs louder. “Oh, come off it! You let me live in your village!”

“Yes, and I knew the entire time something was wrong with you.”

“How could you have possibly known something was up with me? I had everyone fooled. That Brendan idiot was wrapped around my finger!”

Aphmau steps closer, her face in the Sasha-spirit’s personal space, a dark glare upon her face. “Don’t you insult Brendan after you tricked him, you harpy,” Aphmau hisses before stepping back. “It was your eyes. Your words were sugary-sweet but your eyes were dead. Void of emotion, save for bloodlust. I figured keeping you in town was better than you outside it where we couldn’t keep tabs on you.”

Sasha looks almost… surprised that Aphmau did that. As if she expected Aphmau to be an idiot or a fool. She underestimated her and paid the price for it.

“Second question,” Aphmau speaks again. “Why did you come to town in the first place?”

Sasha hums. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter if I tell you. We were here on orders to destroy this town. We killed the Lord to make that happen. The town would die once he was gone, but then it started becoming revitalized. We found out it was because you showed up so we were ordered to take down the person causing the regrowth of the village. That clearly failed, though. Nothing we did stopped you,” she states. “You have the devil’s luck.”

“Perhaps I do.”

“That all you wanted to ask?”

“There’s more but I’d rather get you out of here sooner rather than later.”

Sasha huffs. “Well then, I guess I’ll say what I came her to say. You left Laurence behind. You abandoned him just like I was abandoned. You’ll pay the price for that soon enough.”

“I would have gone for him by now if I didn’t know that’s exactly what you want me to do. You want him to kill me. I won’t give you that chance,” Aphmau states, glaring. “And you weren’t abandoned. You were killed. Forgive the people you loved for thinking death was the end when oh so clearly it isn’t for you Shadow Knights. What were they supposed to do?”

Sasha doesn’t respond the the second part of Aphmau’s speech. “You’re smarter than I thought. That doesn’t change the fact Laurence holds resentment for you leaving him and never coming back. He’ll be coming for you the second we figure a way to reopen the portal.”

“I don’t think he will.”

“What would you know about him?”

“More than you’d think. I know he’s got a good heart and a strong will. He protects others with everything he has and is a self-sacrificing fool. A fool who has become dear to me after everything he’s done to help me when he had no reason to. When he gets out, he will not kill me and I will not hurt him,” Aphmau explains. “Shadow Knight or not, he is still Laurence and Laurence would never hurt me. I know that to be fact.”

Sasha glares at Aphmau, upset by her resolve and absolute belief in her words. “Whatever. You can believe what you want but it’ll be your funeral. I have nothing else to say to you.”

“Good. Get out of my village, then. You aren’t welcome here.”

Sasha says nothing else and her ghost-like form dissipates into smoke, fading into the air. Aphmau stares at the spot she once was for a moment, only looking away when she hears someone else enter the building. She turns and spots Garroth watching her.

“Brendan told me you needed me. He also told me he saw Sasha and that you went to handle it,” he says softly, off-put by the anger and resentment on Aphmau’s face.

Her expression calms and her usual smile returns to her face. “Yeah, I handled it. It was just a sort of ghost or illusion so she could communicate with me. She’s stuck in the Nether right now, I believe. She wanted to chastise me for leaving Laurence behind.”

“I see. Well, at least it’s been sorted. What did you need me for?” Garroth questions walking closer to her.

“It’s Logan.”

“Has his condition worsened?” Garroth asks, tilting his head.

Aphmau sighs. “Kiki told me he’s becoming a werewolf. He must have been bitten a while back and it’s now taking hold. He’ll be fully turned in just a few days. One or two, depending on when he was bit.”

Garroth’s body stiffens for a moment before he relaxes again. “I… see. What do you wish to do about it?”

“He’s staying in town. Nothing anyone says or does will change my mind about that. However, we need to tell Donna somehow without freaking her out. I plan to discretely ask her opinion on werewolves soon, just to see how she feels about them. I know she was fine when the southern werewolf tribe visited but that’s a different story compared to the current scenario.”

He nods a little. “Understood. I’ll do what I can to prepare the other villagers for the inevitable shift. I don’t think they’ll have any issue with it but it never hurts to prepare them.”

“Okay. Also, Kawaii-chan will be moving in soon. She’s on her way to town.”

“Got it. Where will she be staying?”

“I’m thinking that newly built house with an upper floor. I was thinking she could open a cafe on the bottom floor and live on the top floor.”

Garroth nods. “A brilliant idea, Lord Aphmau. Do Brian and Dale know she’s arriving already?”

“Yes, I told them earlier. If you see a traveller at the fences or a boat at the docks, come let me know.”

“Will do. Are you alright?”

“I think so. I’m just… angry at Sasha. It’s not a pleasant feeling but I’ll get over it. I don’t like being angry.”

“Neither do I. I don’t think anyone does,” Garroth chuckles a little. “I’ll take my leave, then. Good luck talking with Donna, Lord Aphmau.”

“Garroth?”

“Yes?”

“You can call me Aphmau. You don’t need to use a title when speaking with me. At least, don’t use it if it’s just us or if we’re with friends.”

Garroth stares at her for a moment before nodding. “Okay. I’ll try my best to do so, Lo- I mean, Aphmau.”

Aphmau smiles warmly at him before walking past him and out of the house, heading off to find Donna so they can talk. She finds Donna at the edge of the forest, picking herbs and flowers with a determined expression.

“Donna, can I ask you something?” Aphmau asks as she stops next to Donna.

“Hm? Sure, I guess,” Donna says in response, only glancing at Aphmau briefly before returning to picking herbs.

“It’s going to sound weird.”

“Aph, I love ya hun, but you’re always weird,” Donna chuckles. “Just ask whatever is on your mind.”

“What are your thoughts on werewolves? I know you were fine when the southern werewolf tribe came to help rebuild the town, but you didn’t interact with them much.”

Donna hums thoughtfully. “Well, I guess it depends. The village I was born in was attacked by werewolves, so for a long time I’ve had an intense fear of them, but I eventually met one that was very kind. He changed my perception of them drastically. Thanks to him, I learned not all werewolves are vicious or murder-hungry.”

“Visher, right? I found out he was a werewolf when I first met the southern werewolf tribe,” Aphmau asks.

Donna nods. “Yeah. Visher didn’t tell just anyone his secret. In fact, I think other than his wife and son, I was the only other to know about it. I think Paul had his suspicions, though,” she explains. “Meeting Khira and the other werewolves from the tribe also solidified the fact that not all werewolves are bad in my mind. So, I suppose if they’re a decent person, I don’t mind whether or not they’re a werewolf or human or whatever else.”

Aphmau nods with a smile. That alleviates those worries, then. “I see. Thank you, that’s all I wanted to know. I was just curious, is all,” she states, deciding Logan should be the one to tell her he’s become a werewolf once he’s in a state to do so.

“How’s Logan holding up?” Donna questions, standing up straight and facing Aphmau, the herbs she collected in a basket on her arm.

“He was doing alright when I left. Kiki’s still keeping an eye on him. She thinks he’ll be fine soon.”

Donna sighs with relief. “That’s good. I’ll hurry up and get these herbs to her to help a little. See you later, Aphmau.”

“Bye, Donna.”

Aphmau watches Donna walk away and stays by the forest for a bit, taking in the scent of the trees and grass. She always loved nature. Being outside was comforting to her in a way she couldn’t describe other than it being like she felt like she was part of nature itself.

After a bit, she walks off and heads back to her house to finish carving toys for Levin, wanting to get done before tomorrow so he could start playing with them right away.

She hopes everything turns out well with Logan soon.

Chapter Text

Aphmau smiles as she watches Levin play in the sandbox she and Brendan built, observing how he throws sand around happily or piles it up and then smashes his baby hand into the pile. Zoey is sitting down at the bench, also watching Levin with a cheerful smile. It’s good he’s finally able to spend time outside safely after being cooped up in the basement for such a long time. Aphmau should have done this sooner but better late than never.

“Lord Aphmau,” Garroth’s voice rings out and she turns, watching him walk towards her.

“Just Aphmau, Garroth,” she corrects with a grin.

“Ah… right. A boat just docked and the captain says there’s a woman on board who says she’s welcome here. He wants to speak with the Lord first,” Garroth explains.

Aphmau nods and moves away from the fenced playground. “I’ll head there now. Mind keeping Zoey company?”

“Not at all. I’ll see you shortly,” Garroth states, watching her walk off to the beach.

Aphmau spots the boat Garroth was speaking of docked at the wooden pier, a man standing next to it and checking the ropes tying it to the pier. As she walks toward him, he looks up and at her.

“Ye be the Lord?” He asks.

“I am,” Aphmau nods.

“Understood. Got a lassie aboard who said she be welcome here. Said her name was Kawaii-chan.”

“Yes, she’s welcome here,” Aphmau smiles brightly. “Thank you for bringing her.”

“Not at all, miss. Just happy she be welcome. Poor thing looked mighty stressed when she bargained for a ride out ‘ere,” the man shakes his head. “Go on an’ get ‘er. I gotta get outta ‘ere soon. Other stops and such.”

“Got it. Thank you again,” Aphmau says before climbing aboard the ship and heading into the storage hold.

A familiar face is sitting on a couch down there, fiddling with her fingers. Kawaii-chan looks just as she did when they met, save for the fact she’s wearing a pink sweater and black skirt instead of the maid dress Aphmau met her in.

“Kawaii-chan!” Aphmau calls happily.

KC looks up and a bright smile crosses her face. She stands quickly and engulfs Aphmau in a tight hug.

“Aphmau! It’s so good to see you!” She squeals before letting Aphmau go. “Thank you so very much for letting me come live in your village.”

“No need to thank me, Kawaii-chan. I’m just happy you’re alright,” Aphmau chuckles and looks past her to the pink luggage nearby. “Do you want help with your things?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” KC laughs and is amazed when Aphmau easily picks up the biggest pieces of luggage with ease.

KC takes the smaller bits and they head off the ship. The meif’wa pays the man for the trip before following Aphmau further into town, staring at the buildings with curiosity.

“Sorry, it’s not very lively here. We’re still recovering from past issues. Many villagers left long before I arrived, so there are only a few people left. A home has already been set up for you with basic furniture. You’re free to renovate it as you see fit, though,” Aphmau explains. “Brendan is doing some last-minute touch-ups on it. The hinges on the doors were creaking and the windows were getting stuck while trying to open, so he’s been working on fixing the issues since this morning.”

“Oh, I’m so excited to see where I’ll be staying! It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper house. My cafe was just one big building without any interior walls, after all!” KC laughs. “Is it really okay for me to renovate it?”

“Mhm, as long as you can do it yourself or with little help. I won’t be much use for a while. Brendan will probably help if you ask him, though. He’s very nice and a skilled craftsman.”

“I see! I’ll ask him, then!”

They come to a stop outside the house Aphmau decided would work best for Kawaii-chan. It’s a medium-sized two-story house with a front porch and decent space inside. It’s very simple looking, void of color save for the roof being red.

“I thought you could use the bottom floor for a cafe and the top floor for your living space. I made sure it could work if you decided on doing that, but you’re free to use the space as you see fit,” Aphmau states.

KC looks about ready to burst into tears. “It’s perfect! Thank you, I love it!” She cries joyfully.

Brendan walks out of the house just then, carrying a toolbox. “Oh! Hey Lord Aphmau! I just finished fixing everything,” he smiles at her.

“Wonderful! Thank you, Brendan,” Aphmau smiles back. “This is Kawaii-chan. She’ll be the one living here from now on.”

“Oh! Nice to meet you! I’m Brendan-” Brendan starts introducing himself but trails off as he properly looks at Kawaii-chan, his face slowly going red.

“It’s nice to meet you! Aphmau said you could possibly help me with renovations on the house. Would it be okay to ask that of you?” Kawaii-chan asks with a smile.

“Uh…” Brendan blanks for a minute before a big smile spreads across his face. “O-Of course! I can totally help you!”

KC squeals with excitement. “Yay! Thank you so much, Brendan!”

Aphmau chuckles a little. “Brendan? Mind taking these suitcases from me? I have work I need to get to while Kawaii-chan settles in.”

“Not at all! Leave it to me!” Brendan puffs out his chest a little as he speaks before hurrying over to take the suitcases from her while KC heads into the house.

“Hey, Brendan?” Aphmau speaks as he turns to head after Kawaii-chan.

“Yeah?”

“I can see you like her. You look the same as you did when you introduced me to Sasha. Kawaii-chan has been through a lot so… try and be normal, okay? She doesn’t need any more stress,” Aphmau smiles softly.

Brendan blushes darker but nods, looking a little embarrassed. “R-Right. Sorry, I’ll try and behave. I just… don’t know how to interact with women like a normal person very well. I’ll try my best, though!”

“Thank you. That’s all I need you to do: your best. Now, I’ll be taking my leave. Come find me if you need anything.”

“Alright! See you later, Lord Aphmau.”

“Just Aphmau is fine, Brendan. We’re friends,” she laughs before walking off.

Returning to her house, she pauses when she sees Brian keeping Zoey and Levin company instead of Garroth. She knows he’d never leave a post she gave him, so something must have happened in town requiring him to switch with Brian.

“Brian? Where’s Garroth? Did something happen?” Aphmau asks.

“There’s been a uh… incident in town at the plaza that he had to go handle. He stationed me here in his place,” Brian explains, looking nervous. “He said he’d get it handled but uh… I think you should go just in case.”

Aphmau nods. “Got it. Thank you, Brian. I’ll be back soon to alleviate you of this post.”

“No problem, Lady Aphmau. I love watching Levin! He’s so cute,” Brian smiles warmly. “Kinda makes me wish I had a younger sibling.”

Aphmau chuckles a little before heading off to the plaza, walking quicker than normal. She hears yelling the closer she gets, belonging to Donna, and two voices trying to calm her down—Kiki and Garroth. Aphmau speeds up and enters the plaza just in time to see Donna break away from Garroth trying to keep her back and punch Kiki in the face, making the redhead fall to the ground, clutching her face.

“Donna!” Aphmau yells, her usual smile disappearing and being replaced by a stern look as all three of them jolt, turning to face Aphmau. Kiki’s nose is bleeding and her eye is already swelling shut.

“Aphmau, she-” Donna starts yelling, tears streaming down her face.

“Quiet,” Aphmau says loudly, earning surprised silence from Donna. “I don’t know what’s happening but whatever it is doesn’t warrant violence. Kiki—whatever you might say she’s done—did not deserve being punched.”

Donna looks like a deer in front of a hunter, her eyes wide and shocked.

“Now, Garroth, would you mind escorting Donna somewhere she can calm down until I can speak with her? I’m going to tend to Kiki first,” Aphmau asks her head guard.

Garroth is silent for a moment, frozen with shock, before quickly nodding. “Ah… yes, I’ll do that,” he states, moving Donna away. She doesn’t protest, just silently following Garroth away from the plaza.

Aphmau waits until they’re gone before helping Kiki off the ground and onto a barrel. “Let me see,” she says.

Kiki removes her hands, letting Aphmau see that her nose, while not broken, is spewing blood and her eye is starting to bruise. Tears are falling from her eyes, caused by the pain she’s in.

Aphmau looks around for a moment, making sure it’s just them, before holding up one of her hands to Kiki’s face. Aphmau closes her eyes and focuses as best she can, trying to pull from the magic in her body. It takes a moment but a soft white glow starts flowing from her hand and Kiki’s face starts healing. The swollen eye returns to normal and the blood stops flowing from her nose.

Once Aphmau stops using magic, she takes in deep breaths as Kiki gently feels her face. Her nose and the area around her eye are still tender but the pain is mostly gone. Now she just needs to clean away the dried blood on her skin.

“What happened?” Aphmau finally asks, her head beginning to hurt. She could have treated Kiki the normal way but she didn’t like seeing her in pain, so she used magic instead. She can handle the headache caused by it if it’s for Kiki.

“Logan transformed last night, far earlier than I expected. I managed to move him to the mines but when Donna woke up in the morning to Logan gone, she uh… went hysterical and started calling me a homewrecker and a lot of other nasty things,” Kiki says softly. “I know she was just worried and scared for Logan, so I’m not really upset, but she wouldn’t calm down no matter what me and Garroth tried. Then uh… obviously you saw her lose control and hit me.”

“I see. Is Logan alright?”

Kiki nods. “Other than his body aching from the transformation, he seemed completely fine. Still as sane as before. I told him what you said to me, but he didn’t seem to believe me. He’s uh… waiting for you in the mines. He said he’d hear your decision himself. He also said if you told him to leave, he would without question.”

Aphmau sighs, running a hand down her face, before letting her normal smile return to her face. “Okay. I’ll go speak with him. You should rest a bit. I don’t really know what effects my powers have on people so I don’t want you moving around too much.”

“Alright. I’ll stay here, then. And Aphmau?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t… be too harsh on Donna. We all react badly in stressful situations sometimes.”

Aphmau stares for a moment. “With all due respect, Kiki, Donna went too far by hitting you. I can understand she was worried about Logan but that gave her no right to insult you without reason or hit you unprompted. I will handle the situation based on that but I cannot turn a blind eye to what she did. Not entirely, at least.”

Kiki looks a little saddened by that but nods, not saying another word as Aphmau leaves for the mine entrance.

Aphmau walks down the stone steps and looks in the direction Garroth had been when he hid down here before. It’s empty that way so Aphmau goes the opposite direction. In a small alcove where tools and resources are stored, she spots a golden-colored tail poking out from behind the stone wall.

“Logan?” Aphmau questions and the tail goes rigid before disappearing behind the wall. Yup, it’s him alright.

Aphmau walks closer and looks into the alcove, spotting a large, golden-colored werewolf huddled as far back in the corner as possible. She guesses his fur is that color because his hair is golden, as all the people in the southern werewolf tribe have brown hair, therefore they have brown fur in their wolf forms.

“There you are,” Aphmau chuckles a little.

“Lord Aphmau,” Logan snarls but there’s no bite behind it. He’s trying to appear unfazed but he isn’t.

“You really wanna act like this isn’t a huge change for you?” Aphmau questions, sitting atop a crate so they can talk fully.

Logan looks down. “I suppose this is how karma decided to get me. Turning me into this.”

“Mm, who knows? Though, aren’t you able to control your transformations?”

“I should, but it’s hard. I’m not used to this. Most werewolves are born, I’m sure you were told that, so they grow up learning to control that ability. I haven’t figured it out just yet,” Logan sighs. “Did you come here to tell me to pack my things and get out?”

“Do you think I’m that cruel?” Aphmau asks, tilting her head.

Logan looks at her, his wolven eyes wide in surprise.

“I’m not kicking you out of town simply because you’ve become a werewolf, Logan. I’m not heartless,” she laughs. “But I do need to know how this happened and what you plan to do regarding Donna. She’s in a tizzy about your disappearance. So much so that she punched Kiki, thinking Kiki tried to uh… steal you from her? I guess? I don’t really get it.”

Logan winces. “Ah. I’m… I’m sorry Kiki got hurt protecting me. She’s been… very understanding of my current situation and far more helpful than I expected. Or deserve,” he mumbles. “I’ll… tell Donna the truth. I don’t have much of a choice.”

“Are you scared she’ll leave you?”

“I’m not scared,” Logan growls, glaring at Aphmau, but falters at the look on Aphmau’s face.

Her smile is gone, replaced by a neutral expression he’s never seen her with before. She’s always smiling, whether that smile is big or small doesn’t matter. It’s always been there. Yet, here she is, blank and as wide-eyed as usual. It feels like those amber eyes are staring right into his soul, reading him like a book.

Logan fiddles in place for a moment, hating himself for what he’s about to admit. “Yes. I’m frightened. What if she hates me? What if she’s terrified of my new form? I’m different than the man she fell in love with. The man she agreed to marry…”

“No, you aren’t.”

Logan stares at Aphmau like she grew a second head. “What?”

Aphmau hums, swinging her legs back and forth. “You may have a wolf form now and you may have wolf ears and a tail when in a humanoid form, but… you’re still Logan. You’re still the same man who came to town and instantly insulted the village. The same man who, despite not being asked to, provided formula for Levin without asking for payment despite harping on about losing business giving me freebies. You may have changed physically… but deep inside you’re still Logan. Nothing can change that.”

Logan blinks, surprised. “Why did something so wise have to come from you of all people?”

“Dunno,” Aphmau shrugs before getting off the crate and heading to leave. “But, Donna will still love you no matter what. That is something even I can understand, even if love confuses me to no end. Nothing will change her mind, Logan. Not even if you’ve suddenly grown a tail.”

Logan is silent for a moment. “Thank you… Lord Aphmau. Please, bring Donna to see me later today. I… want to compose myself. I’ll… tell you and her what happened to cause this then.”

Aphmau nods, not looking at him. “Okay. I wish you luck while thinking over your words, Logan. I’ll ask Garroth to bring you some food here in a bit.”

Logan just nods, watching Aphmau walk away. She heads out of the mines and toward the center of town. She spots Donna and Garroth near the well, with Donna on the ground and holding her knees to her chest while Garroth watches her closely. Garroth hears her approach and looks at Aphmau. He nods at her and steps back a bit, staying nearby and within hearing range just in case, though he doubts Donna would try and hurt Aphmau.

“Donna,” Aphmau speaks and Donna flinches, looking up at Aphmau with tear-filled eyes. “We need to talk. Come on, we’re going somewhere less out in the open.”

Donna only nods a little, getting up and slowly walking over to Aphmau, keeping her head down.

“Garroth? One of Kiki’s hamsters is in the mines, looking for food. Mind bringing some to them?” Aphmau addresses her head guard.

Garroth tilts his head, confused for a moment before catching on. “Yes, I’ll bring something.”

“Thank you. I’ll catch up with you in a moment.”

Garroth nods and watches her leave before heading toward the storehouse to grab something for Logan to eat.

Aphmau leads Donna to one of the empty homes that was once used as the guard quarters before Aphmau built a proper building. Inside, they sit down across from one another at a table. Donna refuses to look up at Aphmau and she doesn’t mind, understanding that Donna must be ashamed of herself now that she’s calm.

“Are you calmer now?” Aphmau asks.

Donna nods and then sniffles, tears beginning to fall down her face. “I-I’m so sorry. I’ve been so awful…”

“You aren’t awful, Donna. However, I’m not the one you need to apologize to. But that can wait for a bit.”

Donna shakes her head. “I don’t deserve you… I don’t deserve anyone. Kiki’s my friend. We haven’t known each other long but… she’s been so good to me and I went and accused her of something awful, then hit her! She’s bound to hate me…”

“She doesn’t hate you, Donna. She understands you were worried and scared for Logan and that you didn’t respond in the best way to those emotions. I’m not going to pretend like I fully understand how you feel, because I honestly don’t. Most of this stuff confuses me, but I know for a fact that Kiki wouldn’t hate you and that you deserve everything you have. You’re regretful of what you did and that’s proof that you didn’t mean a single thing said or done. Now, you just need to apologize to Kiki.”

Donna sobs into her hands. “L-Logan’s going to leave me! I’ve been useless while he’s been ill! He won’t want a useless wife!”

Aphmau stares at Donna. She’s not sure what to say, not capable of understanding Donna’s fear of losing her husband-to-be. Love like that isn’t something Aphmau has experienced nor can wrap her head around, but Donna needs reassurance.

“You’re not useless, Donna. We can’t always handle everything thrown at us by life. Logan wouldn’t leave you simply because you didn’t know how to handle the illness he was dealing with. Not even Kiki could fully help. If anything, Logan would forgive you for worse things. You’re the only person I have ever seen that man be soft for. You could do no wrong in his eyes, Donna.”

Donna sniffles loudly, looking up at Aphmau. She doesn’t speak but there’s hope in her eyes. She wants to believe Aphmau’s words.

“Listen, you should rest a bit. Get some sleep or do something to occupy you. I want to take you somewhere in a bit, but I want you to be in a better state of mind first, okay?”

Donna nods a little, trying to wipe away her tears. “O-Okay… I think I’ll stay here for a bit…”

“Alright. I’ll come get you in a few hours. It’ll all be alright, Donna. I know it will be,” Aphmau smiles at her before getting up.

Something inside her drives her to do what she does next. Aphmau moves Donna’s hair out of the way and kisses her forehead like she does with Levin. Donna looks only a little surprised but she smiles at Aphmau, watching her leave the house in silence. Aphmau may have treated her like a child just then, but it felt comforting instead of belittling like most people would have seen it. It almost felt… right. Like having Aphmau treat her like a child was the correct way for Aphmau to behave.

How odd.

Aphmau hums as she walks through town five hours later. She had met up with Garroth after she left Donna to rest and told him she was going to take Donna to Logan later in the day, but until then she was going to walk around and do some work. She tasked him with freeing Brian from watching over Levin before leaving him alone.

As she walks, Aphmau spots Molly trying to carry a large basket of veggies and some dead chickens to her home. She looks like she’s struggling so Aphmau hurries over and, without asking, takes the basket and dead chickens hanging from a big stick from her.

“I’ll help, Molly,” Aphmau smiles.

“Oh! Thank you so much, Lord Aphmau!” Molly smiles at her.

They continue walking until they reach Molly and Dale’s house. As Molly goes to open the door, they hear some loud clucking and squawking from behind them. As they turn, they spot a bright red chicken running toward them, looking rather… relieved?

“A red chicken?” Molly questions.

Aphmau blinks. “Oh, that is… that would be my chicken,” she says quickly, deciding Molly doesn’t need to know the story behind the red chicken running up to them. “I found it in the woods a while back! She wanders a lot and doesn’t come into town! Something must be wrong.”

“Oh! I see! Well then, you must have a similar gift to Kiki to befriend a wild chicken!” Molly laughs a little. “I’ll take the veggies and meat from here, Lord Aphmau. Please, go tend to your animal friend!”

Aphmau nods, handing over the things and waving bye as Molly heads into the house, before turning and staring down at the red chicken, which is hopping up and down excitedly, looking up at her.

“Hi, Cadenza. I’m guessing things weren’t working with Castor?” Aphmau asks.

The chicken nods quickly.

“I see. I can try and see if Zoey might be able to help, but I have something to take care of first. Think you can get to that house on the hill and wait for me there?” Aphmau questions, pointing toward her home.

The chicken looks towards it then back at Aphmau, nodding with a rather determined look for a chicken. Then, Cadenza the chicken hurries off to Aphmau’s house to wait for her. Aphmau, meanwhile, turns and heads to where Donna last was, finding her inside the old guard quarters reading a book.

Aphmau has Donna follow her and they head toward the mines, walking down the steps.

“Aphmau? What are we doing in the mines?” Donna questions softly.

“You wanted to make sure Logan was okay, right?” Aphmau asks.

Donna blinks and then her eyes widen a little. She nods her head quickly.

“Good,” Aphmau smiles. “Logan! I’ve brought Donna as you asked!” She calls.

They don’t get an answer but Aphmau knows he’s listening. They walk to the alcove and Aphmau looks in first. Logan has figured out how to transform in the time he’s spent down here since Aphmau last saw him. He looks human again—at least mostly. He still has a wolf tail, wolf ears, and his nails are long and sharp, but everything else is the same.

Donna then enters and she pauses when she sees Logan, her eyes darting to his new ears and tail. He looks nervous but is keeping eye contact with Donna. Aphmau sits down on the same crate as before to watch, as Logan said he’d explain how this happened to him to her as well.

Logan takes in a deep breath and then opens his mouth. “Donna, when I proposed to you, I did so without a ring, as I wanted to acquire the jewel for it myself and have a custom ring made. The jeweller I bought it from was suspicious but the price was too good to give up. He had specific requirements for the transaction to take place but as a cheapskate, I didn’t care as long as I got what I needed. He wanted to meet at night in a secluded place. The jewel was real. The merchant, however, was a werewolf. I believe he planned to kill me and rob my body, but I got out alive by playing dead.

Yet, the bite he left me with was administered on a full moon, meaning I’d turn into a werewolf in a week. I didn’t say anything because I was afraid you’d leave me. But… Lord Aphmau talked some sense into me. I don’t expect you to stay with me, nor would I object if you left me, but… this is for you,” he states, holding out an open ring box to her.

Inside the box is a beautiful gold ring encrusted with a gorgeous moonstone gem. Ironic, given Logan was turned into a werewolf on a full moon, yet oddly romantic at the same time.

Donna covers her mouth with her hands, her eyes watering. Then, she removes her hands to show she’s smiling wide. “You dumbass… I’ll never leave you, not even if you’re a werewolf now,” she laughs through her tears before hugging Logan tight.

A few tears fall from Logan’s eyes and he hugs Donna back, allowing himself to smile. “Sorry, I was being idiotic… forgive me.”

Aphmau smiles at the scene before quietly leaving. The wedding is back on it seems and she has planning to get to. Heading to her house, she enters the broken home and spots Cadenza sitting on the ground, waiting for her.

“I’m back, Cadenza. Now then, shall we speak with Zoey?” Aphmau asks and Cadenza clucks happily, following Aphmau downstairs to where Zoey is.

Zoey is cooking some chopped vegetables, steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy at the downstairs kitchen while Levin sits in his high chair, playing with blocks while he waits for food.

“Zoey? Do you have a moment?” Aphmau asks.

Zoey looks over at her. “Yeah, give me just a second. I need to finish these steaks really quick.”

Aphmau nods and waits until she’s done. When finished, Zoey turns fully and walks over.

“What is it, Aphmau?” She asks before spotting the red chicken at Aphmau's side.

“This is Cadenza. She’s a human girl who was turned into a chicken on accident a while back. A man named Castor was supposed to change her back but that seems to have fallen through, so now she’s here. Do you think you could help her?”

Zoey blinks for a moment before getting down on her knees to look at Cadenza properly. “Oh, you poor thing. I might be able to help reverse this spell, but I’ll need another magic user to help me. This sort of spell is too much for just myself to undo.”

“Kawaii-chan is a magic user, I believe,” Aphmau hums.

“The new girl in town? I saw her at the docks when you went to go get her from Levin’s play area. If she’s open to it, then we could both work on fixing what’s happened to Cadenza here.”

Aphmau claps her hands together joyfully. “Wonderful! We’ll go see her in the morning. It’s rather late. Cadenza, you’re free to stay here tonight if you don’t mind staying in a basement. As you saw, my actual house is way overdue for repairs but I haven’t had the time to fix it.”

Cadenza the chicken clucks happily, jumping up and down excitedly. She would love to stay, it seems. Aphmau chuckles and begins helping Zoey with dinner (or at least helping as much as she can without burning the food, like she did last time she “helped”). They sit down to eat when everything is done, giving Cadenza some of the sauteed veggies on a plate so she can eat as well.

When dinner concludes, Aphmau offers her bed to Cadenza, who refuses and instead goes to snuggle with Aphmau’s plethora of dogs who wrap around Cadenza like a cozy blanket and snooze away in peace. Aphmau just shrugs, bids good night to Zoey (who had already put Levin down), and climbs into bed to get some sleep.

Aphmau stares at the violently pink and white house in front of her, both surprised and impressed by how fast KC and Brendan were able to renovate the building. What was once a basic two-story house is now a pink and white striped building with flowers decorating the front and up the walls, heart-shaped windows, and the smell of cakes wafting from the entire building. It had only been two days, so how KC and Brendan managed to finish renovations this fast was a miracle.

“She… really likes pink, huh?” Zoey speaks up from Aphmau’s side, Cadenza in her arms and all of Aphmau’s dogs around her (who are excitedly sniffing the new flowers).

“Yup. She… really does,” Aphmau chuckles before walking up to the two front doors and entering.

A bell jingles above them as they walk in, looking around the interior of the building. The bottom floor is filled with white tables and chairs, decorated with pink accents and cloths, and heart-patterned curtains. In front of them is a desk with a steel cash register and a few display cases filled with cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and other sweet treats. Behind the counter is a wall of bread, fresh and letting off a delicious smell.

Next to the wall of bread is a doorway with a pair of swinging doors to allow quick and easy access to what Aphmau thinks is the kitchen.

“Kawaii-chan? You here?” Aphmau calls.

KC’s head appears in the doorway to the kitchen, a bright smile on her face. “Aphmau! Just a moment, I’m finishing up a cake!” She states before disappearing once more.

Aphmau, Zoey, and Cadenza wait quietly in the main room while Aphmau’s dogs wait outside patiently for their return (they learned commands fast and now follow Aphmau’s every order—very well-behaved dogs). After a bit, Kawaii-chan exits the kitchen with a finished cake, decorated in white and pink frosting with cherries atop it. She puts it in the display case and then hurries up to Aphmau.

“Now, what can I do for you?” KC asks happily.

“You’re a magic user, right?” Aphmau questions.

KC blinks, a little surprised by the question. “Yes, I am. I thought I told you that…”

“Ah, sorry. My memory is really bad. The doctor I saw said I have short-term memory loss atop my amnesia, but that’s not the point right now. Do you think you could turn someone who was cursed to be an animal back into a human?”

“If I had help, then yes, I could,” KC confirms.

“Wonderful!” Aphmau cheers then motions to Zoey and Cadenza. “The chicken is Cadenza. She’s the daughter of one of the Lord candidates in Meteli and got turned into a chicken on accident. The man who was supposed to be turning her back seems to not have been able to or something, so I was hoping you and Zoey here could turn her back instead.”

“Oh, you poor dear! Of course I’ll help!” KC states. “We can use my upstairs bedroom. Though, someone needs to watch my cafe while I’m working with Zoey to get Cadenza back to normal.”

“I can handle that. Everything is labeled, right?” Aphmau tilts her head.

KC nods. “Yup! Everything is labeled both on the front and back of the display cases and the bread wall. You’ll just need to make tea and coffee for anyone who asks. Can you do that? I can also give you a list of prices for everything!”

“I’m at least capable of making tea and coffee! Never trust me in a kitchen making food, though.”

“She burnt a pot of water. I don’t know how,” Zoey sighs.

“It was one time!” Aphmau says dejectedly.

“And that was enough times before I banned you from unsupervised cooking,” Zoey retorts with a smirk. “She can make tea and coffee though. Rather well, actually.”

“Wonderful! That’s all you should need to do! Come on Miss Zoey, we should get to work quickly!” KC grins before leading Zoey and Cadenza the chicken upstairs.

Aphmau goes behind the counter to cover the cafe in Kawaii-chan’s absence, humming softly to herself. An hour after she starts waiting (and after KC quickly runs downstairs to give her a list of prices for everything), the bell above the door rings, and Aphmau looks forward, watching as Donna walks in with two people she doesn’t recognize.

The man with Donna is brown-haired with a full beard and dressed simply in a grey shirt, dark blue pants, and brown boots with brown gloves on and a thick belt around his waist. The woman is blonde with vivid green eyes and wearing a pretty dark green dress and sandals. In the woman’s arms is a young child who appears to be a few months younger than Levin and has dirty blond hair and bright green eyes, dressed in a green shirt and brown shorts.

“Oh! Aphmau, what are you doin’ here?” Donna asks with a confused smile.

“Watching Kawaii-chan’s cafe while she helps me with something. Who are they?” Aphmau responds.

“This is Corey and Emma, and their son Kyle! They used to live here in town but after Malik died, they left to live in a village more… put together,” Donna states. “I invited them for the upcoming wedding! They’re stayin’ with me, don’t worry.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Aphmau smiles, holding out her hand.

Corey shakes her hand with a grin. “Nice to meet you too! When Donna sent us a letter sayin’ she was getting married, me and Emma could hardly believe our eyes! We’re happy to come and witness the wedding, though. Donna was always good to us.”

“She didn’t tell us there were more people in town until we arrived, though,” Emma laughs.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t have time to really explain anything. Corey, Emma, this is Aphmau, our current Lord,” Donna chuckles.

“Lord?!” Corey and Emma say in surprise, their eyes widening.

“Temporary Lord,” Aphmau corrects. “Mostly just to make sure the village stays afloat until a proper Lord is found.”

“Aphmau, sweetheart, you’re practically our real Lord now. I honestly don’t think we’ll ever get a different Lord. Besides, you’ve done a bang up job at bein’ Lord!” Donna pats Aphmau on the shoulder.

“Mmm… if you say so. I don’t mind either way. I’ll happily do whatever I need to to ensure everyone lives their best lives here in Phoenix Drop,” Aphmau shrugs. “Now, what can I get you guys? Kawaii-chan gave me everything I need and everything is labeled, so not even I can mess this up.”

“Ooh! Carrot cake! Can I have a slice of that, please?” Emma asks.

Aphmau nods and pulls out a slice with ease, placing it on a plate delicately.

“Can I get some of that chocolate cake there? Looks mighty tasty,” Corey asks, pointing at a specific chocolate cake with chocolate icing and chocolate chunks.

Aphmau grabs a slice of the cake and puts it on a plate as well before looking toward Donna.

“Mmm… ooh, that looks good? Know what it is, Aph?” Donna asks, pointing at something in the display case.

Aphmau looks at it and then toward the label on her side of the display case. The label says “Chocolate Eclair” on it.

“It’s a chocolate eclair. I think it has icing or something similar inside it, but Kawaii-chan is the only one who knows for certain. I don’t even know half of these things myself,” Aphmau chuckles. “Want one?”

“Yes! Can I also get some of those peanut butter cookies for Logan?”

Aphmau nods and grabs out an eclair for Donna, placing it on a plate, before grabbing a few cookies for Logan and placing them in a small paper bag with a napkin, folding the top and handing it and the plated sweets to the trio.

“All together, that’ll be…” Aphmau starts, quickly looking at the money guide Kawaii-chan gave her, “15 copper coins and 2 silver coins.”

Donna pulls out a small pouch and starts rummaging around before holding out the coins to Aphmau.

“Oh, Donna, you don’t have to pay for us!” Emma says quickly.

“Nonsense! You guys are my guests for my wedding! It’s only right I treat you while you’re here!” Donna argues before handing the money to Aphmau before either of them can argue further.

Aphmau puts the coins in Kawaii-chan’s till, then watches as Donna, Emma, and Corey sit down at a table to eat.

“Aphmau, come sit for a bit! I want to talk to you too,” Donna invites her over with a smile.

Aphmau nods and walks over, sitting down in an empty chair, before looking over at Emma who is trying to keep her son from destroying her food.

“Would you like me to hold him, Miss Emma?” Aphmau asks. “My son does the same thing sometimes. I can keep him occupied while you eat.”

“Oh, if you wouldn’t mind,” Emma smiles gratefully and hands Kyle over, the little child cooing in Aphmau’s arms.

Aphmau gently tickles his tummy, watching him giggle happily and play with her hand whenever she isn’t attacking his stomach.

“You have a son?” Corey asks as he takes a bite of his cake slice, humming happily at the taste.

“Mhm, a little boy named Levin. He isn’t my biological child, though. He was left at my doorstep not long ago and I’ve since taken to raising him. I’m glad he found his way to me,” Aphmau chuckles. “He’s energetic and a little rambunctious, but he can be a sweetheart. He’s recently taken to calling me Mama.”

“Oh, how lovely! I’m glad you two have one another. Babies are blessings, aren’t they?” Emma remarks with a grin.

“Indeed they are,” Aphmau replies before looking at Donna. “What was it you wanted to talk about, Donna?”

“Well, it’s a couple things, really. First, how are you fairing with planning the ceremony and afterparty?” Donna asks.

“I’ve planned out how everything should look and have the materials ready to make everything. Garroth said there are plenty of chairs and tables in storage we can use, I’ll just need to get Brendan’s help to fix them up and make them look nice. Boldolf recently sent word saying he heard news of the wedding and asked if there was anything he could offer to help. I thought maybe we could borrow a ship from them and you and Logan could go off to your… I think you said honeymoon? In the boat.”

Donna’s eyes are sparkling with joy. “Yes! I love that idea!”

“Wonderful, because I forgot to ask you first and already sent a request about it. One of the werewolves will handle the ship and drop you off at your destination before going back to Brightport. However, we still need to figure out the dress and food situation. Zoey offered to cater the dinner but she isn’t a very good baker, so she can’t make the cake.”

“Why not ask the person who runs this cafe?” Emma suggests. “Would she do it?”

“Oh! You’re right! I’ll ask Kawaii-chan if she’ll make the wedding cake once I have the chance,” Aphmau beams before pulling out a small notebook and writing down that she needs to ask KC if she’ll make the cake. Aphmau had taken to writing things down just as Donna’s uncle suggested and it has worked wonders thus far.

“We can handle the dress situation soon, don’t worry. But uh… I wanted to tell you my mother will also be arriving the day before the wedding, once we set a date. She’s… already asked a priest to come but I’m not sure who they’ll send. Whoever it is, they’ll be showing up in the next few days depending on where they’re coming from and when they left,” Donna sighs.

“Is the fact your mother coming to your wedding not a good thing? You look upset that she’ll be coming,” Aphmau questions.

“Well… my mother is a bitch. Just gonna say it. I love her because she’s my mom, but uh… she’s crazy and entitled. She loves cats but hates dogs with a passion, so she doesn’t know Logan is a werewolf, and she always acts like she knows what’s best. She’s insufferable and I can’t guarantee she won’t kick up a fuss. You… might need to throw her out of town if she gets to be too much. You’ve got my full permission to do that,” Donna states, looking exasperated.

“Ah. Well… I’ll keep that in mind. Is that all?”

Donna nods. “Pretty much. Just wanted to warn you a priest will be showing up sometime soon and to get a place ready for them to stay until the wedding. Let me know once everything is ready, though! We’ll have the wedding the day after everything is ready.”

“Will do, Donna. I’m looking forward to your wedding! I know you are too,” Aphmau smiles warmly.

Aphmau stands upstairs in Kawaii-chan’s bedroom two hours later, staring at Cadenza the chicken, who is standing in the center of a small magic circle. KC is holding an open potion bottle while Zoey stands to the side, ready to act if anything goes awry.

“Ready, Cadenza?” KC asks the red chicken.

Cadenza clucks happily and then nods.

KC smiles and pours the potion over Cadenza’s feathered head. Smoke billows out from the circle and Zoey, Aphmau, and KC step back a bit, watching with hopeful gazes. The smoke begins to clear and where there was once a red chicken now stands a beautiful young woman.

Cadenza is slightly tan with freckles covering her shoulders and face. Her eyes are large and pale blue, with long lashes and a beauty mark under her left eye. Her long hair is an ombre of red, orange, and yellow, exactly like Laurence’s hair, and she’s wearing a long, beautiful green and black dress with white, tear-drop-shaped jewels as decoration. Her black heels clack gently against the floor as she turns to look at herself, her red lips upturned in a joyful smile.

Then, her head whips around to look at Aphmau, her smile somehow stretching. She looks like she could cry.

“Aphmau!” Cadenza squeals before embracing Aphmau, hugging her tightly. “Thank you, thank you! You actually turned me back!”

Aphmau pats Cadenza on the back, smiling happily. “You’re very welcome, Cadenza. I’m glad you’re back to normal.”

Cadenza pulls away from the hug. “I’m so happy to be back to my old self! It felt so weird being a chicken!” She then turns to face Zoey and Kawaii-chan. “Thank you as well! You don’t even know me but you did all that work to turn me back!”

“Anything for a friend of Lady Aphmau’s,” Zoey chuckles. “Try not to get cursed into a chicken again, though, alright?”

“Of course! I plan to be very careful from now on!” Cadenza laughs.

“You must be starving after only being able to eat things a chicken could stomach! I’ll get you something nice to munch on!” Kawaii-chan states before hurrying downstairs.

“I’ll be going now, Aphmau. I best relieve Garroth of baby duty. He looked so nervous when we asked him to watch Levin this morning even with that helm on!” Zoey dismisses herself with a giggle, heading downstairs and out of the cafe.

“So, what happened to having the Chicken Shaman turn you back, Cadenza?” Aphmau asks the redhead.

Cadenza groans. “Ugh, don’t even get me started. Castor was making great progress until his friend Doctor Bees showed up to “help”. Those two started drinking while making the reversal potions and kept messing them up. I finally had enough of them when their 20th attempt failed and came to find you!” Cadenza says, smiling again. “I figured you might be able to help or know someone who could, and I’m so happy I was right! I followed the old path near the Chicken Shaman’s house that I knew led to Phoenix Drop years back and poof! I ended up in your town! It’s a lovely place, by the way! So cozy and not nearly as dense or foggy as the swamp!”

“Well, I’m glad I could help. What now?” Aphmau questions.

“Well… I hate to ask something else of you after everything you’ve already done, but I need to get back to Meteli right away. Tensions are getting higher there after… Laurence was taken. Castor told me the whole thing when he got back to Meteli from being kidnapped. I was keeping an eye on the village in Laurence’s place, or at least as best I could without being spotted,” Cadenza sighs. “Do you think you could take me there?”

Aphmau nods. “Of course! I’ll get a boat prepared right away. You should stay here and eat first. Kawaii-chan will make sure you get your fill! I’ll come get you when the boat is ready and we’ll head off.”

Cadenza’s eyes water and she grabs Aphmau’s hands. “Thank you, Lord Aphmau. Your kindness really knows no bounds. I owe you big time for this one. I’ll repay you once I get all my business sorted out, I promise!”

“Oh, you don’t owe me a thing, Cadenza. I’m just glad I was of use to you,” Aphmau smiles.

“Cadenza! I have some food for you!” KC calls, appearing at the top of the stairs holding a tray filled with not just sweets but an actual meal, a large grin on her face.

“Ah, perfect timing Kawaii-chan. Mind staying with Cadenza while I get a ship ready? She needs to get back to Meteli,” Aphmau asks the meif’wa.

KC nods happily. “Of course! She can hang out with me in the cafe!”

“Thank you. I’ll be back soon, Cadenza,” Aphmau states before leaving, heading right for the docks.

Aphmau hums softly as she checks the only boat they have. She really needs to have another built just in case but that’s an issue for another time. Everything is in order and she’s since learned how to sail a ship properly, so she thinks just her and Cadenza going will be fine.

“Aphmau?” Garroth’s voice calls and Aphmau turns to face him.

He’s standing a bit behind her, looking rather curious despite his face being obscured. Aphmau belated realizes she’s figured out how to read Garroth’s emotions without needing to see his face.

“Hi Garroth! Sorry, I was going to come tell you once I checked on the boat, but Cadenza is human again,” Aphmau smiles at him. “She needs to get back to Meteli so I’m going to take her.”

“I heard. Zoey told me when she came to take over watching Levin,” Garroth states. “You get roped into going places a lot, don’t you?”

“Mmm, yeah, I suppose so. I don’t mind, though! I like exploring and going on these little adventures,” she laughs. “By the way, Donna told me her mother got a priest to agree to attend the wedding. They’ll be arriving in a few days or so. It all depends on when they left the place they’re coming from, wherever that is. Even Donna doesn’t know which priest it is.”

“Ah, I recall her telling me her mother is going to be arriving for the wedding. I didn’t know her mother hired a priest, though. I suppose that rids us of the problem of finding one ourselves.”

“Lord Aphmau!” A cheerful voice calls out and both Aphmau and Garroth turn toward the source.

Cadenza is hurrying toward them, carrying a basket on her arm. Aphmau waves at her and stays silent until Cadenza comes to a halt before them.

“I’m sorry, I know you said you’d come get me when the boat was ready, but I’m just so eager to see my father I couldn’t stay put,” Cadenza apologizes.

“No need to be sorry, Cadenza. You’ve got wonderful timing, actually. The boat is ready to depart,” Aphmau smiles at her.

Cadenza beams and then turns her attention to Garroth. “Oh! I’m sorry, did I interrupt your conversation with Lord Aphmau?”

Garroth shakes his head. “No, it’s alright. I was just checking on her after Zoey told me you were turned back into a human. Cadenza, yes?”

“Yup! That’s my name! You are?”

“Garroth, the head guard here in town. I’m glad to see you are back to normal, Lady Cadenza. I wish you safe travels back home and bid you good luck speaking with your father,” Garroth bows his head.

“Thank you very much!” Cadenza smiles warmly at him.

Aphmau helps Cadenza into the boat and then hops in as well. Garroth unties the boat for her, helping her kick-off by scooting the boat further from the dock with his foot.

“Stay safe, Lord Aphmau. If you come back with more scars, I might actually have a heart attack from worry,” Garroth calls as the boat starts moving out into open water.

“I can’t promise anything but I’ll try my best, Garroth! Be a dear and keep everyone safe while I’m gone!” Aphmau waves at him, beaming.

Garroth shakes his head in disappointment before raising his hand and waving her off. He stays on the dock, watching quietly until they’re almost out of sight. He turns on his heel and heads back into town to continue his work. While Aphmau is gone he’s in charge, which means he needs to be readily available should anyone need anything.

12 hours have passed on the ocean and 12 more await them, as Meteli is a full day away from Phoenix Drop. Aphmau remained awake the entire time, making sure they stayed on course while Cadenza slept a bit, exhausted after everything she had been through. Her excitement could only keep her awake so long, after all.

Aphmau glances over as Cadenza sleepily snacks on the bread she had brought, a gift from Kawaii-chan when she left the meif’wa’s home. Looking away, Aphmau continues glancing from the compass to the open ocean, watching fish leap out of the water and occasionally get caught by birds flying overhead.

“Does Sir Garroth always wear his helmet?” Cadenza suddenly asks, staring at Aphmau.

“Yes, he does. He doesn’t like taking it off for anything,” Aphmau answers. “I don’t mind, though. It makes him feel comfortable and his comfort matters to me. So long he can do his job and is happy, that’s all that I care about.”

Cadenza nods a little. “I was just wondering. I think he’d look nice under it, though! His voice sounded lovely! His face is sure to match.”

Aphmau chuckles a little. “I think so as well,” she states, deciding she doesn’t need to share that she’s seen Garroth’s face not just once, but twice.

Cadenza fidgets in place for a moment, looking hesitant, before looking at Aphmau’s amber eyes with her blue ones. “Um… Lord Aphmau?”

“Just Aphmau is fine, Cadenza. No need for formalities,” Aphmau smiles at her.

“Ah, yes, okay! Um… may I ask you something?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Do… you have any empty homes in your village?”

“A few, yes. Why?”

Cadenza fidgets a little more, her face turning a bit red. “W-Well… um… I know it’s a lot to ask of you after everything you’ve done for me, but… do you think I could move to Phoenix Drop?”

Cadenza expects Aphmau to deny her kindly but sternly or say flat-out “no”. Instead, Cadenza is shocked when Aphmau simply tilts her head to the side, her smile taking on a curious appearance.

“Sure, but may I ask why you’d like to move to my town? I have no issues with it, but I would like to know your reasoning,” she asks.

Cadenza blinks in shock for a moment. “Oh! Well, um, being a chicken sucked but… it had its good bits, too. My father… isn’t my biological father. Both I and Laurence are orphans from two different places. My father, Hayden, is one of the Lord candidates in Meteli. Growing up and even until recently, he’s been highly protective over me. I was never allowed outside of Meteli and anytime I snuck out and got caught, he’d ground me or scold me. He’s never let me have any freedom, at least not willingly. When I became a chicken… I suddenly had that freedom I never got before. I… want to keep that. I think, if he knows I’m somewhere safe with people looking out for me, he’ll let me move away,” she explains quickly.

Aphmau hums and then nods, her smile widening again. “Alright, that’s all I needed to know. I’m more than happy to house you, Cadenza.”

“Ah! I won’t just be doing nothing, though!” Cadenza adds quickly, as if worried Aphmau might find her to be a hindrance if she isn’t useful. “I’m a tailor! Well, at least I want to be one! I heard from Kawaii-chan that a wedding will be happening soon. If it’s okay, I could make everyone’s outfits! I work fast, so time isn’t an issue!”

“If you’d like to do that, you may, but I don’t want you to think you have to earn your keep. I’d never ask you to work if you can’t or don’t want to. Besides, you should spend your freedom doing what you want, not working if you can help it.”

“Dang it, Aphmau! Why do you have to be so nice?!” Cadenza whines playfully. “I can see why Laurence was so taken by you, though! You’ve got a wonderful heart.”

Aphmau doesn’t respond, not sure what to say, and goes back to watching the ocean and compass in silence. Cadenza sings to herself in the meantime, clearly both excited and nervous to be returning home.

It’s almost noon the next day when Aphmau and Cadenza dock at Meteli, the town exactly the same since Aphmau’s last visit, if not a bit more barren. People must have become too scared to leave their homes with Laurence gone. The head guard served both as their main protection and their Lord stand-in during the election, and with him gone, the town isn’t as safe or stable.

Aphmau ties the boat to the dock and then helps Cadenza out of the ship and onto the dock. They head into town, not meeting anyone along the way save for the few villagers doing business at their stands, who seem too nervous or depressed to realize Cadenza has returned. Aphmau spots Ulrich near a house, looking exhausted as he stares at the door.

“Ulrich!” Aphmau waves at him and he jumps, turning to face Aphmau with wide eyes.

“Lord Aphmau? What are you doing in Meteli? Did something happen?” He asks quickly as she stops in front of him. Then his gaze shifts to Cadenza, who is standing a little behind Aphmau with a smile. “C-Cadenza?” He questions, looking disbelieving.

“Hi, Ulrich. Sorry I was gone for so long,” Cadenza says to him softly.

Ulrich’s eyes water and tears begin to fall down his face. He hugs Cadenza tightly, which she returns instantly. “Oh, Cadenza, you had us worried sick! What happened to you?!”

“It’s a long story, Ulrich. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you and everyone else, but first I need to see my father. Aphmau brought me here for that,” Cadenza states.

Ulrich pulls away from the hug and wipes away his tears, smiling wide. “Your father will be ecstatic to see you, Cadenza. And you’ve come back not a moment too soon. He’s been at Kenmur’s throat for the past few days.”

“At Kenmur’s throat? Whatever for?” Cadenza asks, looking worried.

“He thinks Kenmur took you away to get an upper hand in the election. Nothing Kenmur says gets through to him. I tried to step in a few minutes ago but Hayden demanded I leave, so I had to to avoid a fight,” Ulrich sighs.

“Kenmur…” Aphmau mumbles. “I think I met him. He wears goggles, right?”

“Yes, he does. He’s an aspiring inventor. Most think his ideas are crazy but he’s got a brilliant mind,” Ulrich nods. “But that’s beside the point. You both should head in. Hayden will want to thank you for bringing Cadenza back to us all, Lord Aphmau.”

“Understood. Let’s go, Cadenza,” Aphmau smiles toward the redhead.

Cadenza nods and heads up to the door, opening it in time to hear her father cursing Kenmur out. Aphmau heads in after Cadenza, blinking at the harsh language being used. Most of it goes right over her head but she gets the point that all of it is insults.

Hayden is an older man with brown, slowly greying hair, black eyes, and tanned skin. He has scars on his face and hands, old and mostly faded but still visible if you’ve got good eyes. Kenmur is the same as when Aphmau last saw him, though not covered in soot this time. Glenda is standing near Hayden, looking uninterested in the current one-sided fight, as Kenmur is silent while Hayden yells at him.

“Father!” Cadenza shouts, shocking everyone in the room, save for Aphmau.

Kenmur, Hayden, and Glenda all whip their heads around to stare at Cadenza, wide-eyed and surprised.

“Cadenza! Where have you been?!” Kenmur says quickly, about ready to burst into tears of relief.

“My sweet daughter, what happened to you?! I’ve been worried sick!” Hayden states, hurrying over to Cadenza and holding her face in his hands, checking her for injuries.

“I’m fine, father! It’s a dumb story, really,” Cadenza sighs, moving away from her father. “I snuck out a few weeks ago to play with the new baby chicks at Castor’s place. While there, I accidentally spilled a potion on myself that turned me into a chicken. I knew if I came back as a chicken, you’d wage war against Castor, blaming him for it even if it was my fault. I didn’t want ceaseless slaughter, so I stayed away, and Castor was trying to turn me back. That… didn’t end up working out, so I went to a village not far from here called Phoenix Drop.

The Lord there, Lady Aphmau here, had met me in Meteli during a previous visit and knew of my situation. She kept silent about it because she was informed by Castor of the possible repercussions of telling you all the truth. I went to her for help when Castor wasn’t able to fix me, and some of her friends were able to turn me back into a human yesterday. She quickly got me on a ship to bring me back home to see you all and explain what happened.”

Aphmau waves with a smile, Kenmur and Hayden looking at her. “Hi, nice to meet you. Sorry I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t want Castor to be blamed for an accident. I was happy to help turn Cadenza back to normal and bring her home, though.”

Kenmur’s eyes widen a little more as he recognizes Aphmau. “You- you’re the girl who asked where roses grew around Meteli! I remember you!”

“Mhm! Nice to see you’re doing better than I last saw you, Kenmur,” Aphmau chuckles. “Laurence told me roses were Cadenza’s favorite flowers, so I decided to look for her near some while in town. I’m just surprised I found her back then!”

“I am still sorry Castor knocked you out cold then, by the way,” Cadenza sighs heavily. “He’s an old idiot.”

“And crazy.”

“Yes, very crazy,” Cadenza laughs.

Hayden clears his throat and walks up to Aphmau. “Thank you for returning my precious little girl to me, Lord Aphmau. What would you like as payment?”

Aphmau tilts her head. “Payment? I don’t want payment.”

Hayden looks surprised. “But… why did you help my daughter, if not for payment?”

“Because she needed help. Why else?” Aphmau asks. “I didn’t help her because I thought I’d get anything in return. I helped because she needed it and I had to means to assist her. All I care about is that she’s happy and safe. I don’t need anything else.”

Cadenza hugs Aphmau, smiling. “You’re so sweet, Aphmau! I wish more people were like you!” She squeals. Then, she turns to look at her father. “Father, I… wanted to say something else, though.”

“Yes, my dear? What is it?” Hayden asks.

“I… I want to move to Phoenix Drop,” Cadenza states, looking determined. “Lord Aphmau already said that’d be fine. Having freedom while a chicken was… one of the best feelings ever. I want to find my way in the world and live on my own.”

Hayden opens his mouth to argue, his brows furrowed, but Aphmau speaks first.

“She’ll be safe in Phoenix Drop. No harm will come to anyone in my village if I can help it. We have strong guards and kind people. I’ll make sure she stays safe,” Aphmau states. “Besides, your daughter is an adult. You can’t exactly stop her if she wants to move away.”

“Exactly!” Cadenza says quickly. “I’m an adult, father! It’s about time I learned how to live on my own.”

Hayden remains quiet, looking between Cadenza and Aphmau, before sighing heavily. “Fine. You’ve got a point, Lord Aphmau, but if any harm comes to my daughter, you will feel my wrath.”

“Understood, Sir Hayden. I wouldn’t expect any less from a devoted father,” Aphmau smiles warmly.

Cadenza hugs her father tightly, smiling wide. “Thank you, father! You can come visit any time and I’ll write to you every day!”

Hayden hugs her back. “You better,” he chuckles.

Kenmur is smiling sadly, standing back as Hayden and Cadenza start talking about the specifics of her moving. Aphmau walks over to him, watching the father and daughter from the sidelines.

“You alright, Kenmur?” She asks him.

Kenmur nods. “Yeah, I’m okay, Miss- I mean, Lord Aphmau. I uh… I love Cadenza but… I know she doesn’t feel the same. I was going to tell her when she returned but… I think it’s best I don’t.”

“What’ll you do now?”

“Mm… I think I’m gonna step down from being a Lord candidate. I figured if I was Lord, Hayden would be more open to me being in love with Cadenza, but… I want to focus on my inventions. Besides, in hindsight, I’d be a terrible Lord. I shouldn’t try and be one simply for love. Plenty of fish in the sea and what not.”

“Why would you be with a fish?” Aphmau asks seriously and Kenmur looks at her with a confused expression.

Then, he laughs, taking her real confusion for a joke. “You’re funny, Lord Aphmau! I’m glad it was you who found and saved Cadenza.”

Aphmau smiles at him. “I am too.”

Aphmau hops onto the docks of Phoenix Drop, tying the boat down as she watches Cadenza and her father get off the boat they took with all of Cadenza’s things on it. Hayden had insisted he come to help Cadenza set up her new home, so he took a boat so he could journey back to Meteli once Cadenza was settled. Cadenza had a lot of things, things that wouldn’t have fit on the small boat she and Aphmau took, so Aphmau didn’t say anything about it and let Cadenza decide.

“Lord Aphmau!” Brian’s voice calls and she turns to watch as he hurries up to her from the beach. “Welcome back!”

“Hello Brian. Everything alright?” She asks with a smile.

“Yes, my Lord. We just got a message that the priest Donna’s mother requested to be here for the wedding will arrive sometime today. We’ve already set up the farmhouse for them, as it’s the biggest space we have available for them. Apparently, they’re traveling with a few guards for safety reasons.”

“I see. Thank you, Brian. Mind doing me a favor?”

“Anything, my Lord!”

“Mind taking Cadenza and her father Hayden to one of the empty homes near Kawaii-chan’s place? Cadenza will be moving in for some time, to live on her own for a bit.”

Brian salutes. “Of course, Lord Aphmau! It’s wonderful to see more people moving into our small village!” He smiles.

“I know, right? I’ll meet up with you later. Also, if you see Donna, please tell her Cadenza offered to make the wedding outfits. I need to go see Levin. I need my baby fix!”

Brian laughs. “Alright, Lord Aphmau. I’ll let Miss Donna know. Also, Paul is in town for the wedding. Donna invited him. I believe he’s with Garroth at your place to see Levin. Garroth has been helping Zoey since you left.”

Aphmau nods. “I see. Thank you for letting me know.”

“Of course. Also, my mother wanted to see you. She’s got a surprise! Please see her at our home sometime today,” Brian adds before hurrying over to Cadenza and her father to help them unload Cadenza’s belongings.

Aphmau walks off to her home, entering the destroyed building and heading downstairs. Paul, Garroth, and Zoey are all downstairs in the main area, watching Levin play on a blanket.

“I’m back!” Aphmau says cheerfully.

“Ah, Lord Aphmau! Good ta see ya,” Paul greets her with a smile. “Your lil’ tyke is growin’ fast!”

“Welcome back, Aphmau,” Zoey smiles at Aphmau.

“Did everything go alright in Meteli?” Garroth asks her from the floor, where he’s being handed blocks by Levin for seemingly no reason. So cute.

Aphmau nods. “Cadenza settled everything. Hayden is going to become Lord, as Kenmur stepped down from the running. Speaking of Cadenza, she’s going to be living here in town for a bit, to live on her own. I don’t think it’ll be permanent, but it’ll be nice to have her in town.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Zoey cheers. “Cadenza is such a sweetheart. I look forward to seeing her around!”

“It’s good things in Meteli will be coolin’ down, too,” Paul adds. “I was gettin’ worried ‘bout that place.”

“Mama!” Levin’s little voice calls to her.

“Hi, Levin! Mama’s back,” Aphmau smiles at her son, walking closer.

She stops when Levin suddenly stands up, using his hands to prop him up on all fours before standing fully. He outstretches his arms and takes a few steps toward her, babbling happily.

“Levin! You’re walking!” Aphmau says in shock, joy radiating from her as she watches her son take little steps.

Levin then trips over his own little foot, falling forward. Garroth reaches out quickly and catches him, lifting him up from under his armpits and turning him around to face him.

“Careful, Levin,” Garroth says to him.

“Thank you for catching him, Garroth,” Aphmau smiles at him.

“Of course, Aphmau. Don’t need Levin getting hurt.”

Levin reaches out and places his hands on Garroth’s helmet, smiling wide. “Dada!”

Everyone freezes in place, staring at Levin. Paul suddenly starts laughing hysterically, bending over and supporting his weight by placing his hands on his knees. Zoey puts her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide in shock.

“Oh my,” Zoey mumbles.

Garroth’s head slowly turns to look at Aphmau, his entire body rigid as Levin continues babbling in his hands. “A-Aphmau I-” he starts but pauses at the look on Aphmau’s face.

She’s beaming .

Her smile is incredibly wide, the exact same smile she had when Levin first called her “mama”. Her eyes are crinkled from how wide her smile is and she’s practically bouncing in place from joy.

“Oh, isn’t that wonderful, Garroth?! He called you dada!”

“I-It is?” Garroth asks softly.

“Of course! Levin sees you as his father! That’s a wonderful thing!” Aphmau states. “I always thought you were kinda like a dad to him! It seems Levin does as well!”

“Ah, um… yes, I… I suppose it is,” Garroth mumbles.

“Well, I need to get going. I’ll be back later today! I’ve got some things to do. I need to set up the wedding venue since we’ll probably be holding the wedding soon. Cadenza is probably going to be making everyone’s outfits for the wedding and I need to ask Kawaii-chan if she’ll make the wedding cake.”

“Oh! Then I should get started on getting the ingredients together for the feast! I wonder if Kawaii-chan would let me use her kitchen…” Zoey says, starting to mumble to herself.

“I’d offer to help, but I’d ruin the food, so I’ll focus on setting up the venue,” Aphmau states. “See you all later!”

She then walks up to Garroth and leans down, kissing Levin on the head while he’s still in Garroth’s hands. He babbles at her, watching her leave (along with all her dogs, who bound after her) before going back to messing with Garroth’s helmet.

“You’re a dad now. Didn’t think I’d live ta see the day!” Paul laughs, recovering from his previous loud laughing.

“I… didn’t think I would, either,” Garroth replies as he stares at Levin. It’s weird to be considered Levin’s father, but he doesn’t find himself disliking it, either.

Aphmau knocks on Dale and Molly’s door, standing outside their home. A moment later, the door opens, and Dale is standing there, looking both tired and incredibly happy.

“Aphmau! Yer back!” He says happily.

“Mhm! Brian said Molly wanted to see me, so here I am!” She smiles at him.

“Yes, yes, come on in!” Dale motions for her to enter, her dogs staying outside as she does and he shuts the door behind her and leads her upstairs.

Upstairs in Dale and Molly’s room, Aphmau stops and gasps. In the bed is Molly, looking tired and worn out, holding a baby wrapped in a pink blanket. The baby looks similar to Molly, with a soft, round face and long lashes, but the short hair on its head is golden-brown instead of just blonde or brown.

“Molly! You had a baby?!” Aphmau asks, hurrying to Molly’s side.

“Mhm! Dale and I kept it secret, given everything going on in the village. Her name is Alexis,” Molly grins. “We wanted to choose an A name in your honor, Aphmau. After all, it’s thanks to you we can still live in this village without any issues.”

“Oh, Molly, she’s precious!” Aphmau coos and then hugs Molly tightly without disrupting Alexis. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you! I can make you a crib or something!”

“All I ask is that Levin and Alexis get to play when she’s older!” Molly laughs.

“Oh, of course, Molly! I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you, Aphmau.”

“Ain’t she precious?!” Dale butts in, smiling wide at Alexis. “I’mma dote on her like crazy!”

“You better, Dale,” Aphmau chuckles.

Molly laughs along with Aphmau and bids her farewell when she has to leave to continue working. Aphmau leaves reluctantly, wanting to stay a little longer to see Alexis, but she has work to get done that can’t be put off. Walking down the road toward the forest with her dogs by her sides, she plans to pick some lovely flowers for the venue and Donna’s bouquet.

Maybe she’ll find something interesting in the woods, as well!

Chapter Text

-Zane’s POV-

I grumble as I make my way through the woods. We’re nearing the village my father demanded I go to for some stupid wedding. It isn’t really for the wedding, I’m not dumb enough to think that. I know he’s sent me out here because he’s found out that my brother is in this small village in the middle of nowhere and I need to get him back. Like hell my brother will come willingly, but I need to play my part. They’re always watching. Always waiting for me to slip up.

At least I got away from those damned escorts. I needed some time away from them and they at least listened when I told them I needed to use the bathroom. No one has the luxury of a real bathroom while traveling and they know I can’t go far in these damned robes without leaving a trail, so running isn’t an option, so they let me go rather easily.

(Not like there’s a place to run to , anyway…)

Someone singing catches my attention and my curiosity gets the better of me. Who the hell is in the middle of the woods? No one is dumb enough to do that unless they’re a hunter. Wild animals run rampant in this area and aren’t afraid to attack humans unprovoked if they’re alone.

I emerge into a small clearing, barely 10ft wide in a circle, and catch a glimpse of a dark-haired woman before I’m tackled to the ground by something furry.

“What the-” I speak before something starts licking my face. “Hey, get off!”

“Cookie, to me,” a woman’s voice speaks and the licking stops.

I open my eye and spot a young bearded collie walking away from me, tongue out and panting as it heads to its master. A hand is suddenly in front of me and I look up at who is standing above me.

The woman is beautiful with tanned skin and long black hair. Her eyes are big and the most vivid amber color I’ve ever seen. She has scars on her face, showing she’s been through some things, and she’s smiling at me.

“You alright? I’m so sorry about Cookie. Usually I can keep her from pouncing on anyone like that if I see them first, but I didn’t notice you until she already got you,” the woman chuckles a little.

I quietly take her hand and she heaves me up like it's nothing. Now standing, I’m able to take her in properly. She’s shorter than me by a few inches and dressed in purple and grey clothing. Her smile never fades and she seems to be looking at me like I am at her. Carefully and observant.

Suddenly, her hand comes up and I hate how I flinch. She notices with how she pauses but she continues and touches my face, wiping something off. Once it’s gone, whatever it was (drool from her dog, probably), she removes her hand and steps back, giving me space. At her sides are five dogs, one of which is the dog that tackled me to the ground and licked me. The other four are also big dogs, still young but nearly fully grown.

I recall the question she asked me earlier and I look back at her, those amber eyes boring through me as if she’s seeing my insides or my soul. “I’m fine,” I state coldly.

She doesn’t get offended. She just continues smiling. “Oh good! I was worried she hurt you!” She says and turns back to what she was doing.

A bunch of flowers are in two baskets nearby, freshly plucked. Some are medicinal but others serve no purpose or could even be poisonous if ingested, so they must be for decoration instead of for medicine.

“Are you a traveller?” She asks me, walking over to a rose bush and beginning to pluck roses with ease.

I stare in bewilderment as she easily ignores the roses' thorns, not caring how her fingers begin to bleed. “I… suppose you could call me that,” I mumble. Her dogs haven’t stopped staring at me.

“I see! Well, I hope you like it in Phoenix Drop. It’s not far from here. Maybe 20 minutes out from this area,” she turns back to continue smiling at me, yet it isn’t creepy. Instead, her smile is calming, nearly infectious.

I nod a little. “I… hope I do as well. What are you doing this far out into the woods?” I question, deciding talking for a bit couldn’t hurt. Something about this woman feels so welcoming that I can’t help but desire to stick around a little longer. It beats my previous company, at least.

“Picking flowers for my friend’s wedding venue and bouquet! She tasked me with setting everything up and with the priest almost to town, I figured I should get everything ready now,” she answers me without hesitation. She isn’t cautious at all, perfectly open to a complete stranger.

How odd.

“Are you alright?” She suddenly questions me.

“I just told you that your dog did me no harm,” I answer simply, confused as to why she’s repeating an old question.

“Ah, sorry, that’s not what I meant. I should have been more specific,” she laughs and walks up to me, pointing at my visible eye. “Your eye is… very dull. Void of life, almost. It makes me think you’re sad or lost hope. Are you okay?”

I blink, shock running through me. No one has ever seen my true emotions. I’ve spent years hiding my real emotions to keep up this damned facade my father demands I hold up, yet simply by looking at my lone eye for a couple of minutes, this woman has seen right through my deceit?

I should lie to her. I know I should. I can’t tell anyone the truth, especially not a stranger in some backwater town. Yet… I feel compelled to say at least a half-truth.

“My… my employer is forcing me to do things I don’t want to do,” I say before I can stop myself.

Her expression saddens, her smile turning into a soft frown. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Would you like to talk about it?” She asks. “You don’t have to, of course, but I don’t mind lending an ear and I don’t expect the entire truth.”

I clench and unclench my hands. It couldn’t hurt, right? It’s not like I’ll see her often or ever again after this wedding. I just have to somehow get my brother and leave. I nod softly and she motions for me to join her at the rose bush. I automatically listen, walking up next to her, watching quietly as she starts plucking roses again, not speaking. She’s waiting for me to start talking.

I carefully grab a rose, avoiding the thorns, and pluck it from the bush, staring at the vivid red petals. “My employer is… not a good person. He… makes me do things I don’t want to. I’m always being… watched and… I can’t do anything about it. I have to pretend to be someone I’m not to avoid anyone learning I… do all of this stuff unwillingly. Someone has to take the fall and he won’t take it himself, so he… uses me instead. I’m a pawn to him,” I mumble, holding the rose a little tighter.

“I’m sorry. That must be awful,” she says to me, placing her hand on my shoulder. Her expression is so sad yet so kind. She means every word she says. “I wish I could help you. I hate seeing others suffer.”

I shake my head. “It’s fine. I… I’ve been doing this a long time. I will continue doing it for my survival. I shouldn’t say anything more.”

Her hand moves to my face, her warm skin on mine, and my eye widens as I stare at her.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure one day you’ll be free to be yourself. After all, everything has a balance. Nothing can be always bad without some good, otherwise I think the world would implode,” she says softly to me, warmth in her voice, and her smile returns. “You can hold out until then. I can tell you’re strong. You’ll make it.”

I fall silent in shock, staring at her. She takes the rose from my hand and easily snaps off the thorns, ensuring nothing sharp is left on it before handing it back to me. She puts the roses she picked into one of her baskets before picking both of them up and slinging them onto her arms.

“Well, I should get going. I wish you good luck, sir,” she states, turning and heading in the direction of the village I’m supposed to be heading to. Her dogs quickly jog after her.

“Y-You have nice dogs,” I speak up and she turns, staring at me.

“Thank you! They like you. I always thought animals were a wonderful judge of character, so I’m glad they agree with me that you’re a good person deep inside,” she beams at me then continues into the forest and out of sight.

I look down at the rose in my hand, thornless and beautiful. She was such an odd woman, yet so kind to a stranger like me. There was only honesty in her words and warmth in her voice and touch. I’ve… never known someone to be that kind before.

I don’t know how to feel about it.

-No One’s POV-

Aphmau waves goodbye to Kawaii-chan as she exits the meif’wa’s cafe. She had just asked her if she’d make the wedding cake and Kawaii-chan had ecstatically said yes, so she was now on her way to the plaza to continue setting up the reception area. She planned to do the docks last since that’s where the actual vows would be said, so she wanted to focus on it instead of putting it together quickly like she was doing with the reception area. She needed to make time to see Cadenza so she could get her measurements for her maid-of-honor dress, too.

“Watch your tongue, scum!” An angry voice yells out nearby.

Aphmau’s head snaps in the direction of the confrontation. Not too far off she can see Garroth with four armored guards she’s never seen before, and a fifth person who is obscured by Garroth’s height. One of the guards is in Garroth’s face, brandishing their sword, and Garroth is rigid and on edge.

Aphmau turns her entire body and quickly hurries over, grabbing the guard's sword, her face blank and exuding seriousness. Both the guards and Garroth seemed surprised she’s here, holding onto the sword of the guard who yelled at Garroth.

“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t take out your weapon in my village,” Aphmau says coldly, moving the sword to the side so it isn’t pointing at anyone.

Her eyes snap to the fifth person, standing between the four guards in a protective circle. She recognizes him from the forest—the man Cookie tackled to the ground and who had told her he was being forced to do things against his will.

He’s taller than her, though only by a few inches, and dressed in priest attire, which she hadn’t noticed when they met in the forest, having been too occupied by his sad expression to care about what he was wearing. His clothing is mostly a white robe with purple accents and a purple stole. Golden crosses act as buttons on his robe and his stole has an odd golden symbol on the ends. He has cross-shaped earrings on his lobes and a grey mask covers his lower face, leaving only his eyes visible. Or, well, eye, as his right one is covered by his pitch-black hair, which is tied low in the back in a short ponytail.

His single visible eye is a beautiful light blue hue, just as dull as when she first met him in the woods but is now less expressive, stuck in a semi-closed fashion to make him look relaxed or stern. He’s holding himself up high, as if he’s above everyone else, and Aphmau can’t help but feel it’s horribly wrong for him to be standing like that.

He wasn’t lying when he said he was forced to pretend to be someone he’s not.

Aphmau’s eyes turn to Garroth. Even without being able to see his face, she knows he’s both terrified and on high alert. He doesn’t like this man at all.

“Garroth, what’s going on?” She asks him, choosing to ignore the new people until she knows her head guard is alright.

Garroth is silent for a moment before his head slightly turns in her direction, splitting his vision between her and the priest. “The High Priest of O’khasis is here to officiate Donna and Logan’s wedding, my lord.”

Aphmau tilts her head, not understanding the title “High Priest”. The black-haired man walks a little closer and Garroth’s head snaps in his direction.

“I apologize for my guard’s outburst. They’re all used to me getting a certain standard of greeting that your guard didn’t give, so they reacted before I could stop them,” the man states, and Aphmau feels he’s smiling under his mask. “You are the Lord of this village, I take it?”

Aphmau nods. “I’m Aphmau. You are?”

The man blinks, as if surprised Aphmau doesn’t already know. Garroth clears his throat and they all look at him. He’s staring directly at the priest.

“Lord Aphmau has amnesia that she is recovering from. She doesn’t know who the High Priest is because of this, or many high-ranking people in general,” he states.

The priest makes a sad expression and looks at Aphmau. “Oh, you poor thing. Don’t worry, I’m happy to explain my position to you, my dear,” he says and gently grabs her hand, pressing his mask-covered lips to it—the proper greeting for someone like him. “I’m Zane Ro’meave, second son of Lord Garte Ro’meave and High Priest of O’khasis. My status as High Priest means I run the entire Church of Lady Irene and act as her mediary between the mortal realm and the realm of gods.”

“You talk to her?” Aphmau questions. Something in her tells her he’s lying, not just about the fact he can commune with gods but that speaking with Irene is physically impossible. She doesn’t know why, though.

“In a way, yes. She gives me divine messages that I then act upon in her steed,” Zane states, holding his hands behind his back.

Aphmau just nods. She gets the idea of his role, at least. He’s incredibly important, meaning they must tread carefully around him and his guards. “I understand. Thank you for explaining it to me. There is still so much I am still relearning.”

“Oh, anytime, my dear. I’m always happy to educate people about our Lady Irene and our practices,” Zane chuckles.

Aphmau glances at Garroth, noting he’s only become more on edge since they started talking. “Garroth? Can you go tell Donna and Logan the priest has arrived? I’m sure they’ll want to know,” she asks him. She needs to get him away from these people.

Garroth nods stiffly and bows to her. “As you wish, my lord,” he mumbles then leaves quickly, not wasting a moment of Aphmau’s mercy. He’s both thankful she gave him an excuse to go and worried about leaving her with Zane.

Aphmau turns back to Zane and smiles wide. “Come, I’ll show you to where you and your guards will be staying until the wedding.”

“Oh my, an escort from the Lord herself? How wonderful,” Zane remarks, following her as she starts walking. His guards remain slightly behind him the entire time.

“Is it special to have the Lord take someone to their temporary living space?” Aphmau asks as they walk through the cobbled streets.

“Most Lords will delegate such responsibilities to their guards,” Zane explains. “You seem to find that unnecessary, however. May I ask why?”

Aphmau hums. “Well, I don’t find myself to be more important than anyone else. My title as Lord is just that—a title. I am human like everyone else here, a living being that coexists with everything else in this world. If I am capable of doing something, I will handle it myself, because I see no point in telling an equal to do it in my steed if I can get it done.”

Zane simply hums in response, his expression never changing, never giving away how he’s truly feeling. But his eye says differently. Aphmau can see the surprise hidden in that blue orb when she glances back at him. Is her stance that uncommon?

They come to a stop in front of the farmhouse, staring up at the building. It’s bigger than the other buildings by a decent bit, given it’s meant to hold farming equipment, seeds, fertilizer, and other such things. However, it was cleared out already and cleaned deeply, so it’s fit for human habitation.

“Here we are! It’s been cleaned and basic furniture has been placed inside for you. Please let me know if there is anything else you need,” Aphmau smiles at Zane.

Zane bows his head in thanks. “I shall, Lord Aphmau. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality.”

“Anytime. I’ll leave you to get settled in. Please feel free to walk around town. My home is at the top of the hill over there if you need me for anything. If I’m not home, it’s likely I’m in town working.”

Zane nods. “Understood. Have a good day, Lord Aphmau,” he says and walks inside the farmhouse, his guards following quickly and shutting the door behind them.

Aphmau leaves, heading toward the plaza, but stops when she sees Garroth staring down the well, seemingly lost in thought. Walking over, she places her hand on his shoulder, and he jumps slightly, turning his head to look at her.

“You okay?” Aphmau asks softly.

Garroth nods. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry, that was… unprofessional of me.”

“I know you probably don’t want to tell me and I won’t force you to say anything but… what’s your issue with the High Priest?”

Garroth sighs, turning his entire body to face her. “What was your impression of him?”

“He seems… reserved but well-meaning.”

“Don’t believe that, then. Zane Ro’meave has done horrific things in his time as High Priest. He became High Priest three years before I… ran away from home. In that time, rumors began spreading of awful things he supposedly did, though no evidence was ever found. His supposed crimes ranged from manslaughter to arson to thefts on grand scales. Many never fell for the rumors but… I know for a fact many of those rumors are true. Lives have been lost and ruined because of his actions and he plays innocent, tricking people with his fake, pleasing personality,” Garroth states, venom in his words. He hates Zane, that much is certain.

“Should I be concerned about him being here?”

“I don’t know. There’s no telling what brought him to town but I doubt it was to officiate the wedding. He will, of course, but I highly doubt it was the deciding factor for him being here. Just… please keep your eyes peeled, Lord Aphmau.”

Aphmau stares at him and then nods. “Okay. Come get me if you need anything. I’m heading to Cadenza’s to get my measurements. You should do the same soon.”

“Already have, actually. I figured I should get it out of the way before work became too much for me to make the time.”

Aphmau smiles. “Wonderful! I should hurry and get mine done. See you later, Garroth!” She waves and hurries off, Garroth watching her go.

Deep inside, he knows he won’t be using the suit Cadenza makes for him, even if he wants to wear it. A shame, really. He should have told her to not bother making him something, but she looked so excited he couldn’t say anything about it to Cadenza.

Aphmau wakes on the day of the wedding, stretching her arms over her head before getting out of bed. She has to meet with Donna and the other ladies to get ready at Cadenza’s place, as it’ll probably take a good while for them all to get ready. Zoey is making breakfast nearby, while Levin plays on the ground with his blocks. Her dogs are sleeping the morning away as usual and quiet bickering is coming from above the basement.

Wait.

“Zoey, do you hear that?” Aphmau asks, looking up at the stone ceiling.

“Hm? Oh, now that you mention it, I do. Sounds like talking,” Zoey says, furrowing her brows.

“I’m going to check on what it is then head to Cadenza’s. Can you handle getting Levin ready on your own?”

“Yup! Don’t want breakfast?” Zoey questions.

“I plan to gorge myself during the feast,” Aphmau chuckles.

Zoey laughs as well. “Understood. Good luck!”

Aphmau kisses Levin’s head, listening to him babble at his toys, before heading upstairs. The bickering is instantly louder now that she’s in the open air, and she spots Garroth and Zane with his knights in front of her house. Garroth is stiff as he speaks, while Zane looks rather calm.

“What’s going on? Why are you both arguing in front of my house this early in the morning?” Aphmau questions, walking up to them all.

“Ah, Lord Aphmau! Wonderful timing. Perhaps you can assist me with your… unruly guard here,” Zane states, the smallest hint of a grin under his mask.

Aphmau folds her arms. “Depends on what it is.”

“Well, guards are required to dress formally for weddings, as heavily armored guards present at weddings are seen as “rich” weddings, which attract thieves and bandits. As High Priest, I cannot have my safety put in jeopardy, yet your Head Guard here is refusing to take his helm off, even for the wedding. Perhaps you can talk some sense into him?”

Aphmau stares at Zane. “I see. Understood,” she states then turns to face Garroth, smiling warmly. “Garroth?”

Garroth is still stiff as he turns his head to look at her. “Yes, my Lord?”

“Would you be a dear and guard the wedding from afar, staying out of sight?”

Garroth, Zane, and his guards become surprised by her words, Garroth’s body relaxing considerably at her orders. He bows to her.

“Of course, Lord Aphmau.”

Aphmau clasps her hands together. “Wonderful!”

Zane clears his throat and Aphmau and Garroth turn to look at him. “Why didn’t you tell him to take off the armor for the wedding?”

“Ah, perhaps you didn’t understand what I was saying from my orders alone. Let me rephrase so you may understand,” Aphmau says and her smile falls, her wide eyes digging holes in Zane and his guards as her blank face gives way to her clear dislike of them trying to decide how Garroth should look and behave. “I will not force Garroth to take off his helmet for any reason. None. I will not make him uncomfortable for your safety. Instead, I am more than happy to find a middle ground that works for everyone, but you will not tell me or him how to act or behave in my village. Am I clear?”

Zane stares at her and she notices how his hands very slightly clench. “Crystal.”

Aphmau’s smile returns. “Fantastic. I’m so glad we figured that out. Now, I must get going, I have to get ready for the wedding. You do as well, High Priest Zane,” she says then turns to Garroth. “Would you mind lending Zoey a hand with Levin so she may get ready once he’s dressed?”

Garroth nods. “Yes, my Lord.”

Aphmau nods back to him then turns and heads down the hill, making her way to Cadenza’s home. Garroth, meanwhile, turns to enter Aphmau’s home and head down to the basement.

“You can’t hide behind her forever,” Zane says and Garroth freezes in place. “Are you really a guard, getting protection from your Lord?”

Garroth turns slightly to look at Zane from the corner of his visor. “She protects us when we can’t protect ourselves. That’s what she told me.”

Zane laughs dryly. “And you believed her?”

“I’d believe Aphmau if she told me the sky was green or the grass was blue,” Garroth hisses before heading downstairs, not wishing to talk with Zane any longer.

“What now, my liege?” One of Zane’s guards asks.

Zane sighs. “He’s stubborn and that woman is protective. Like a mother bear protecting her cubs. If I cannot convince him to leave, then I will seek instructions from my father, per usual in a case where I cannot talk my way through something, threatening or otherwise.”

The guards nod and follow Zane down the hill to the farmhouse, where they are staying for the time being.

Aphmau smoothes out her hair a little more, staring into the mirror before her. It took three entire hours to tame her wild hair, which had refused to flatten no matter what they did. Eventually, Aphmau managed to tame it (if only a bit), but she doubted it’d stay down for very long. Three hours wasn’t even the full time it took to get ready. It took two more before then to get dressed, as Cadenza had to adjust a few of the dresses to make them fit perfectly.

Aphmau smoothes out her purple maid of honor dress, which connects around her neck and shoulders with a golden hoop, leaving her arms exposed. A yellow belt is tied around her waist and dark purple heels decorate her feet. She’s glad she can’t feel pain, as she’s sure they would've have been killing her feet by now if she could.

“Aphmau, come here for a second!” Cadenza says, standing next to her vanity. Kiki is also there, looking at her face in the mirror, as Cadenza had just finished applying makeup to her face.

Aphmau walks over and is promptly sat down in front of the vanity, where Cadenza begins looking over lipstick colors to find a match. After a bit of thinking, she ends up applying mahogany-colored lipstick to Aphmau’s lips. Then, Cadenza applies pale yellow eyeshadow to her eyelids with black eyeliner.

“What do you think?” Cadenza asks with a grin.

Aphmau looks at herself, blinking. “I think I look like a different person. In a good way, though! It’s pretty!”

“Makeup can be super transforming, so that’s no surprise!” Cadenza chuckles.

Aphmau stands up and her spot is taken by Emmalyn, who Cadenza gets to work on. Aphmau looks over at Donna, who is trying to put her hair up, though her hands are shaking and she looks nervous.

Aphmau walks over and starts putting Donna’s hair up in a fancy bun, smiling softly. “Nervous?”

“Very,” Donna chuckles. “I mean, I’m excited too, but uh… I can’t help but feel worried and junk. Getting married is a big thing to me. I just don’t wanna mess up or anything.”

“It’ll be okay, Donna. Once the formal stuff is over, you won’t have to worry about a single thing,” Aphmau states, placing her hands on Donna’s shoulders, and looking in the mirror Donna is sat in front of.

Donna is wearing a long, beautiful white dress with fake flowers made from fabric decorating it along the train. Her makeup is perfect and her hair is gorgeous. Aphmau grabs a thornless rose from one of the vases nearby and snaps off most of the stem, leaving enough for it to stab snuggling into the bun she put Donna’s hair into, making it into a hair accessory.

“Besides, we’ll be there with you. It’s not like you’re doing this alone,” Aphmau adds.

Donna nods and smiles at her reflection. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, Aph.”

“Anytime, Donna.”

“I just… I wish Visher was here. He always teased me about being single at my age. Most people get married young, y’know. Kinda always thought he’d be there when I got hitched.”

“He’ll be there in spirit,” Aphmau states confidently. “I think he’ll be watching the whole time.”

Donna laughs. “I think you’re right.”

“It’s time, Donna!” Kiki squeals, hurrying over.

“Ready to get married?” Cadenza asks.

Donna stares at herself for a second before nodding confidently. “Mhm. Let’s do this!”

-Garroth’s POV-

I stand among the trees, hidden by foliage and overgrowth as the ceremony commences on the beach. For someone who has never set up a wedding before, nor seen one as far as she can remember, Aphmau did a splendid job. She made an arch from vines she harvested in the woods and decorated it with flowers she picked, then made the walkway from scattered flower petals. She set up the chairs in perfect rows on each side of the aisle, decorated them with flowers as well, and carved beautiful lanterns from wood to light the place up once it gets darker out.

Donna looks lovely in her wedding dress as her uncle walks her down the aisle, both nervous and excited. Logan is standing at the alter in his suit, looking equally nervous and excited as Donna, with Dale standing a bit behind him and off to the side, as he was chosen to be the best man. Everyone is in attendance and dressed for the wedding. I still don’t know how Zoey got Levin into that small suit with such ease earlier nor how she has him sitting so still in her lap.

Zane is wearing the proper attire for a wedding. Mostly white with golden accents and trim, covered in Lady Irene’s symbols, and holding an open book in his hands. The only difference in his attire compared to a normal priest’s is his face mask, which is white to match his clothing. He always wears that thing. No one has ever seen him without it.

My eyes scan the gathering crowd as Donna and Logan take each other’s hands, standing before one another before I stop and stare at Aphmau. She’s standing opposite of Dale’s position, next to Donna instead of Logan, and wearing a simple purple dress. Her smile is wide and bright compared to the small smile she always wears. Even from this distance, I can tell she’s wearing makeup and her hair has been flattened. Sort of. I can still see how it strains against the way it’s been forced into submission, waiting to puff back out into the fuzzy mass it always is.

She’s gorgeous. It’s odd seeing her so dressed up and formal-looking, but she’s as radiant as ever.

She really wanted me to attend the wedding. I am thankful she found a way for me to avoid removing my helm, but I can’t help but feel bad about disappointing her. She never made a fuss or said anything about being upset, but I could see it in those amber eyes when she told me to stay among the trees to keep watch. She does so much for me and everyone else yet all I do in return is cause her issues and worry.

.

..

…

I move from my post, heading into town knowing that no one will see me since everyone is on the beach to witness the vows. I have some time, at least. The after-party will go on for a few hours. I might regret this decision later, but I find myself not caring in the moment as I step into the guard quarters, heading upstairs to my designated room. Inside, I start undoing my armor, getting it off, and putting it onto the stand. It leaves me in my normal clothes.

I grab two towels and head to the added bathroom Aphmau built when she had the building created. It’s a large bathroom, meant to be shared by all guards, but with me as the only occupant of the guard quarters, it’s just my bathroom. I undress fully and submerge myself in the warm water of the large, inground tub, cleaning my hair and body more thoroughly than I have in weeks. I take baths, of course, but I don’t often take the time to be thorough. As long as I don’t reek, I deem myself clean.

This, however, requires me to be as squeaky clean as reality will allow me to be.

Once clean, I step out of the bath and wrap my lower half in one of the towels, draping the other around my neck. I avoid looking in the full-length mirror on the wall, not wanting to see my back and head out of the bathroom to my room. I dry off, put on clean undergarments, and then look at the suit hanging from a wall hook. Cadenza allowed me to keep my helm on when she took my measurements and the suit she made is wonderful.

I’m glad I’ll get to wear it at least once.

I grab the pants and white button-up shirt first, pulling the pants on and making sure they’re clasped properly, before putting on the shirt and buttoning it up. I check to make sure there aren’t any wrinkles before putting on the light blue tie Cadenza gave me when she handed over the suit. I’m glad I still remember how to tie one of the damn things, but it doesn’t change the fact it’s uncomfortable. It takes me back to bad memories I have of wearing similar clothes, though those were more extravagant than the plain black suit.

Slipping on the suit jacket, I button it properly and then smooth it out. I glance over at my side table next to my very unkempt bed (I… should really fix that…) then open the drawer, pulling out a small box. When I ran from home, I kept very few things on me, as I didn’t want to be reminded of my past life. But… some things were too important to me to leave behind.

I open the box and peer inside. It’s the same as the last time I opened it four years ago when I was two years into my position of Head Guard here in Phoenix Drop. A small pile of old drawings from my younger years are folded neatly so they don’t take up too much space, a golden locket that holds a family picture (that I refuse to open and haven’t ever since I ran), and gold cufflinks. They were an old gift from my mother when I attended my first party as a teenager. They mean a lot to me.

I take them out of the box and put the box back, fashioning the cufflinks onto my sleeves. Walking to my mirror, I look at my face.

“Dear Irene, am I getting that little sleep?” I mumble to myself as I bring a hand up and gently touch the heavy bags under my eyes. “I look like a mess… but I suppose there’s no helping that.”

I grab my hairbrush and brush it out, watching in the mirror as my hair curls the longer it dries. I got the curly hair gene from my father, though thankfully it’s only the ends that curl into spirals instead of my entire head like his does. I don’t think I could look at myself if I looked any more like him.

I grab my only hair tie, something I haven’t used in forever, and tie my hair into a small ponytail. I’m overdue for a haircut by six years, my hair has grown long enough to pass my shoulders by a few inches. I’ll take some scissors to it later. The shoes Cadenza gave me go on last—formal black shoes with laces that I will probably never wear again.

I look at my reflection again. I look as put together as I can with how much of a mess I’ve allowed myself to become. The only care I ever give myself is cutting my stubble regularly, simply because it annoys me when it grows too long. (That, and my father has a beard, and there is no way I will allow myself to look similar to him more than I already do). The scars on my face are at least clean-cut and not jagged, having healed since I got the wounds.

“I’m really doing this, aren’t I?” I chuckle dryly to myself. “I am… going to regret this later. But… it’ll also be worth it to see her happy.”

I leave my sword behind, heading out of my room and out of the guard quarters. The after party has started. I hear the music from here, though that isn’t saying much considering the village's size. Taking a deep breath, I start walking toward the plaza where the party is happening, gathering every ounce of my courage along the way.

-No One’s POV-

Aphmau watches the party with a smile. Dale is drunk as all hell, dancing like a madman on the dance floor, while Molly watches from one of the tables while holding her daughter, Alexis. With how recently she gave birth, Molly can’t move around too much, but she seems to be enjoying the odd show her husband is putting on all the same. Donna and Logan are sitting at their special table, enjoying cake and other foods while watching everyone have fun. Donna won’t dance in heels and Logan won’t dance period, so sitting and watching the drunken madness unfold is the best entertainment they’ll get.

Looking around, she spots Emmalyn eating cake while watching Kawaii-chan and Brendan dance, looking a little down but trying very hard to not let it show at such a happy place. Kiki is speaking with Zane while his guards sit at a different table nearby (she’s not entirely sure how she should feel about Kiki speaking with Zane…) and Zoey is watching Levin and Kyle as they play in a safe, enclosed space Aphmau set up before the party. Emma and Corey are dancing, enjoying their time off from having to watch their son.

Donna’s uncle and her mother (an infuriating woman Aphmau is starting to want out of her village) are talking (more like arguing quietly) over something or other. Aphmau doesn’t care enough to pay attention to what it’s about. Paul is… passed out drunk already in a chair. Typical Paul. Cadenza isn’t here, having left after the vows due to being too tired. Making all those outfits wiped her out.

She wishes Garroth could have been here. It’s a shame he wasn’t able to wear his armor but she would never force him to take his helm off, even if it meant him being absent from the ceremony and party.

Turning her head to the road leading into town, she pauses as someone walks toward the plaza, stopping at the party's edge looking nervous but resolute. She can’t believe her eyes.

Garroth is wearing the suit Cadenza made for him, his helm nowhere to be seen. She’s never seen him look so… normal before. Even when she first saw his face, he was a mess of blood, dirt, and high-strung emotions. Now, he’s all dressed up and fancy-looking, with his hair clean and done up in a ponytail, face void of blood, dirt, or sweat, and not nearly looking as exhausted as the two previous times she had seen his face (though those eyebags are worrying).

Standing up from her seat, Aphmau walks up to him, no one else aware of his presence just yet. The entire short walk to him, she takes in his appearance, drinking it in, knowing that once this party is over and everyone retires for the night, his armor will be back on and not get removed for some time.

“You showed up,” she says softly, her smile widening as she stares at his face.

“I… figured it was time I got out of that stuffy armor and enjoyed some time off. After all, parties like this don’t happen often around here,” Garroth states, looking more relaxed now that Aphmau is in front of him.

Aphmau brings up her hand and moves a stray piece of curly blond hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear. “You look very handsome. Though, I will say it’s a bit odd to see you out of uniform. I’m so used to that armor.”

Garroth chuckles. “I know. It’s strange for me as well,” he says. “You look lovely. Who did your makeup?”

“Cadenza. Does it look alright?”

Garroth nods. “Yes, though I think I prefer you without it. You don’t need makeup to look beautiful.”

“Aw, you’re sweet. I don’t think I’ll wear it after this anyway. It’s just easier to go without it.”

“I don’t doubt it. You’re hair is… flatter than normal.”

Aphmau touches some of her hair, looking at it. “Yeah, I tried taming it for the wedding. It fought back viciously.”

Garroth lets out a little snort when he laughs. Aphmau finds it cute. “I can believe that. It already looks like it’s trying to pop back into it’s wild state.”

“Dang, I thought it’d last another hour or so,” she says jokingly.

Garroth looks out at the dance floor and then glances back at Aphmau. “Would you… like to dance?” He asks, holding out one of his hands.

Small scars litter his hand, along with calluses from his training. Such rough hands for such a gentle person. Aphmau simply smiles and takes his hand in hers. Dainty, thin fingers that have yet to know tough training meeting rough, thick ones that have fought for their owner in brutal ways, all for the sake of others.

“I’d love to, but I will warn you, I’ve never danced before.”

“That’s no problem. I haven’t danced in years, so I’m quite rusty,” he chuckles before leading her out to the dance floor.

Holding one of Aphmau’s hands and placing the other on her upper back, Garroth leads her in a traditional waltz dance, moving slowly so she can keep up and get the hang of the steps. He wasn’t lying when he said he was rusty, as it takes him a moment to remember some of the moves despite how simple the dance is, and he’s stiff with his movements, but he does decently well for someone who hasn’t danced in years.

Aphmau steps on his toes a few times as she learns the steps, but Garroth barely reacts. The pain is nothing compared to the things he’s experienced. Zenix’s cuts hurt worse than having his toes stepped upon, after all. She learns fast, though, and soon they’re speeding up the dance, spinning gently with each boxstep. Aphmau laughs gleefully as they dance, enjoying herself immensely, and Garroth is happy enough to see her so excited about learning something new.

Neither takes notice of Zane watching them as Kiki talks his ear off about animals, unaware of his slipping attention. The way Garroth looks at Aphmau isn’t good. He won’t be able to convince him to leave, but he still needs to try. He doesn’t know what his father will make him do to this town if Garroth doesn’t comply but he doesn’t want to see anything bad happen to these people.

They’re kind folk who don’t deserve to suffer because his father is a tyrannical man.

Aphmau takes a bite of cake as she and Garroth watch the others continue to party. It’s nearly sundown. Another hour or less and the sun will hit the horizon, meaning Donna and Logan will be leaving for their honeymoon and the party will end. She and Garroth danced a lot but eventually had to take a break. Aphmau had endless energy but Garroth didn’t, and she didn’t want to exhaust him fully just by dancing, so they went to the buffet table to grab something to eat.

“Hey, Garroth?” Aphmau turns her attention to the man next to her, who is sipping some juice, as he doesn’t wish to get drunk.

“Yes?” He turns his head to look at her.

“How old are you?”

Garroth raises an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

Aphmau hums, looking forward again. “Well, I don’t know a lot about you. I mean, I know some stuff, but it’s all big stuff. I wanna know the simple things about you. Like your age or favorite color. Is that silly?”

Garroth shakes his head. “Not at all. I… don’t often feel the need to tell others about myself, even if it’s something simple. Give me a moment to think. I haven’t kept track of my birthday in a while,” he states, thinking about his age. He stopped counting long before he fled home, so it was a bit tricky to recall just how old he was. “I’m 29, I believe. Nearly 30.”

“Oh! You’re younger than I expected,” Aphmau exclaims.

“I know. Most think I’m older based on my voice and mannerisms. Though, to be fair, I look older too. I think I’m already getting grey hairs from stress,” he sighs.

“Well, no matter how young or old you are, I think you look nice,” she giggles. “You could do without the eyebags, though.”

“Are they that noticeable?” He questions, touching his face.

“A little. Do you get enough sleep?”

“Not often. Either because nightmares keep me awake or I have to work. We’re too short-staffed to allow me much rest and we can’t hire more guards due to our limited funds.”

Aphmau hums. “Then I’ll find a way to get us more money. One way or another, at least. Maybe we could sell lumber.”

“Maybe. We’ll have to figure it out after Logan and Donna get back, though. Logan is our only merchant right now.”

Aphmau nods in agreement and then takes another bite of cake. “How tall are you?”

“6 feet and 5 inches, last I checked. Are we playing a game of 20 questions, now?”

“Yup! Next question. What’s your favorite animal?”

“Birds,” Garroth answers simply. “They’re pretty and their chirps are nice. I like hearing their songs in the early morning.”

“How about your favorite color?”

“Mmm… that one’s a little tough,” he hums. “Blue, probably. It’s a nice, soothing color.”

“I like purple! It’s pretty. So many flowers around here are purple, too!” Aphmau states.

Garroth smiles at her. “It is a nice color, isn’t it?”

“Mhm! What’s something else I can ask…” she mumbles, searching her mind for something she wants to know about Garroth. “Oh! What calms you down when you’re upset?”

Garroth’s face turns a little red and he looks into his drink. “Uh… it’s a bit embarrassing but… when I was a kid and got upset about something, my mother would have me lay my head on her lap and she’d pet my head and tell me a story to cheer me up. To be honest, physical touch has always calmed me down rather quickly, at least when it’s from someone I trust,” he says softly, glancing at Aphmau. He… doesn’t like how mischievous she looks. “Are you going to use that against me one day?”

“Maybeeee,” she smiles evilly, then laughs. “I’m just kidding, but I’m glad to know that. Now I know how to calm you down when you’re sad!”

Garroth’s eyes droop with calmness, his smile softening a bit to be more relaxed as he raises a hand and gently wipes his thumb under her bottom lip. Aphmau blinks at him in confusion, her eyes darting to his thumb. Cake frosting is on his thumb.

“You’re a messy eater,” he chuckles, grabbing a napkin and wiping his thumb off.

Aphmau puffs out her cheeks in faux upset. “Rude! I woulda eaten that!”

“You would have, that’s true, but it’s too late now. Besides, you’ve still got half that slice of cake left,” Garroth points at her plate.

“Mmm… true!” She cheers and then begins eating the cake again.

Garroth just watches her eat with a smile, sipping his drink again. Once Aphmau finishes her slice of cake (and then gorges herself on every food on the buffet table), they both look toward Logan and Donna, who are heading toward them.

“It’s sunset! We’ll be heading off now. Wanna come see us off?” Donna asks with a big grin.

“Of course!” Aphmau agrees readily before grabbing Garroth’s hand and practically dragging him toward the dock as Logan and Donna follow behind them.

The ship from the werewolf tribe is docked at the alter Aphmau built atop the pier and one of the werewolves (in human form) is standing aboard with a grin. “Ready to head out?” They ask.

“Yup! Thanks for agreein’ to take us,” Donna says.

“Anything for Sister Aphmau’s pack. I’ll get you to your destination safely,” the werewolf states, then looks at Aphmau. “Take care, Sister Aphmau!”

“I will! Thank you!” Aphmau giggles before watching as Donna and Logan board the ship.

Aphmau and Garroth wave as the ship sails off, heading out onto open waters. Garroth stops waving once they’re a decent distance away but Aphmau keeps waving until they’re out of sight. Aphmau turns to face Garroth, exhaustion beginning to creep up on her after all the fun and food she had.

“Well? Did I throw an amazing wedding or what?” She asks.

“You did. I haven’t seen a wedding this big since three years ago when Corey and Emma got married and even then that one was rather reserved. For your first time planning one, you did a wonderful job,” Garroth answers truthfully.

Aphmau throws her hands into the air with a happy cheer. “Yes! I was so worried it wouldn’t be okay! I’m glad you, Donna, Logan, and everyone else think it was great!” She exclaims before something catches her attention.

Aphmau turns her head toward the beach, her smile falling slightly. It was still present but smaller than normal. Colder, more hesitant. On the beach is Zane, alone and without his guards, who are presumably back at the plaza. He’s staring at them. Well, he’s staring at Garroth specifically. The blond is staring right back, his eyes narrowed and body stiff.

“Seems that father was right about you being here. How long has it been? Six whole years?” Zane asks, tilting his head to the side as he keeps his arms behind him. “How cruel. You couldn’t even say goodbye to me? Your younger brother?”

Garroth’s body jolts and he balls his hands into fists, his eyes moving from Zane to stare at Aphmau, who has switched her gaze from Zane to him. Those amber eyes pierce his soul but there isn’t anger or disappointment there. Simply understanding. She has realized why he was so on guard with Zane here and she understands fully why he was more adamant than normal to keep his face hidden.

Aphmau’s gaze moves back to Zane. “Brother?” She questions.

Zane moves one of his hands to his chest, feigning shock. “Garroth, you kept us a secret from your Lord? How mean,” Zane says before looking at Aphmau. “Let me educate you on your guard you think you know so well, then, Lady Aphmau. Garroth here is the eldest son to Lord Garte Ro’meave of O’khasis, while I am the lowly second-born. We had a younger brother, but he died of an illness when we were very young. Six years ago, Garroth was set to marry the daughter of the Lord of Scaleswind to unite the two biggest villages in Ru’uan and become Lord of O’khasis to replace our aging father, so that our bloodline would remain in charge as we have been for the past 28 generations. Instead, Garroth here faked his death and ran away. For such a failure to our bloodline, he’s remarkably good at covering his tracks. It took six whole years to find him.”

Aphmau glances at Garroth to find he looks… ashamed of himself. She won’t have that. Not one bit. Garroth has no reason to be ashamed of escaping such a miserable life. She doesn’t know the full story, but she’s seen his scars and heard what his father did to him. Anyone would want out of that by any means necessary.

Aphmau looks back at Zane. “So what do you want? Why are you really here? Because it’s painfully obvious it wasn’t to consummate Logan and Donna’s wedding.”

“I am so glad you asked, Lord Aphmau,” Zane says cheerfully. “Father wants him back. O’khasis and Scaleswind are on the verge of war again. They have been ever since Garroth faked his death to get out of his arranged marriage but it’s been worse lately. Thankfully, the Lord of Scaleswind is willing to go through with the original marriage agreement, but we need Garroth for that, as it’s incredibly rude to marry a second-born to a first-born. Otherwise, Father would have just had me marry and we would have continued to pretend Garroth was dead.”

Garroth opens his mouth to speak but is silenced by shock when Aphmau steps in front of him protectively.

“Then Lord Garte can pry Garroth from my cold, dead hands. No way am I letting Garroth go back to an abusive home and be forced to marry someone he doesn’t want to,” she says viciously, her smile completely gone and replaced by a frown.

“I’m afraid this isn’t something you can stop, Lord Aphmau,” Zane retorts.

“Like hell it isn’t. Garroth is my guard, no matter if he’s the son of a Lord or not. My word goes above anyone else’s here and I say he’s not going. So tell your father that if he wants Garroth, he’ll need to go through me first.”

Zane’s eye narrows, surprise fluttering through that pale blue orb for the smallest of seconds. Then, he sighs. “You’re very protective. It’ll get you killed one day to be so stubborn, Lord Aphmau. I’ll be staying in town until you come to your senses and allow us to take Garroth.”

“Then you better be prepared to live here permanently,” she hisses, watching as Zane turns and heads back to town.

Once he’s out of sight, Aphmau turns to look at Garroth, whose face is slightly red and his eyes wide. He opens his mouth to speak, maybe to explain or tell her more, but she holds up her hand to silence him. He still looks guilty.

“It’s late,” she says softly, her smile returning. “There is a lot you have to tell me now that we’re dealing with your rather pushy family, but we are both tired and in no state to talk about something this serious. Head to bed, Garroth, and we may talk first thing in the morning.”

Garroth opens his mouth to try and speak again, but the words don’t come out, so instead he shuts his mouth and nods stiffly. He turns and heads into town, leaving Aphmau at the alter as she watches him go. She then turns her attention to the water and watches the gentle waves of the ocean as time passes. She doesn’t move for a while, not until she hears the party come to a full stop, and then she heads to her home to get some sleep.

Aphmau lies awake in the dead of night. It’s been three hours since the afterparty ended. Leftover food was split between the partygoers and everyone retired for the night a long time ago, yet despite her exhaustion, Aphmau can’t sleep. Something is nagging her mind, forcing her to stay awake. Something is wrong and she knows it, at least her mind does.

Sitting up, she puts on her slippers (a gift from Cadenza, along with her nightgown), has Thorgi and Phoenix come to her, and writes a note to Zoey telling her she’s going to be at the guard station for the night. She’s sure Zoey will understand without much explanation.

Aphmau heads out of her home, Thorgi and Phoenix sleepily trailing after her, and down the hill into town. She passes Brian who is on duty, who just gives her a sleepy wave, not caring about what Aphmau’s up to this late, and stops in front of the guard station. She can see flickering lights on through the windows. She knew it.

Opening the door, she walks inside to find Garroth at a table, pouring over papers with a quill in hand. He looks more exhausted than normal, his hair messy and eyes drooping. He’s wearing a simple shirt and pajama pants, which is better than she expected (she half-expected him to fall asleep in the suit). He’s so tired he doesn’t notice her presence, mumbling to himself as he writes on one of the papers. A few candles are lit around him, giving him enough light to work but keeping everything else shrouded in darkness.

“I knew it,” Aphmau speaks and watches as Garroth screams in shock, toppling over in his chair with his legs in the air. Phoenix promptly takes the opportunity to start licking Garroth’s face. “I figured you’d still be up.”

Garroth scrambles to his feet, looking incredibly embarrassed. “I uh- I couldn’t sleep,” he says, avoiding eye contact.

“Couldn’t or didn’t try?” Aphmau asks, raising an eyebrow.

Garroth is silent for a moment, his face returning to a normal color. “...couldn’t. I tried but… a nightmare woke me and I couldn’t go back to sleep after that.”

“How long ago was this?”

“Two hours.”

Aphmau sighs, thinking quietly about what to do. Then, an idea makes her smile wide. “Put that stuff away and blow out the candles.”

Garroth tilts his head. “May I inquire as to what you’re plotting?”

“If you can’t go back to sleep on your own, then I’ll join you!”

Garroth’s previously decreasing blush comes back with a vengeance, turning his entire face red. Aphmau can almost imagine steam coming off his head. He starts stammering, not a single comprehensible word leaving his mouth, and Aphmau decides that’s a “yes” in Embarrased Garroth Talk, so she makes her way to the stairs, her dogs trailing behind her. Garroth, unable to comprehend anything but her previous orders, starts putting his things away, blowing out the candles once he’s done, and following Aphmau upstairs.

He locates her in his bedroom, a small space that fits a bed, dresser, side table, and armor stand, but not much else. She’s making his bed, flattening out the sheets and fluffing the pillows, all while humming as Thorgi and Phoenix make themselves comfortable on the floor, already beginning to doze off.

Aphmau looks up and motions for him to shut the door before crawling to the far side of the bed, lying down so that her back is facing the wall. Garroth looks unsure but his training, which consisted of having the orders “follow your Lord’s every demand” drilled into his head at the guard academy in O’khasis, makes him move. He shuts his bedroom door, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness so he doesn’t trip over Thorgi or Phoenix as he makes his way to his bed.

He lies down next to Aphmau under his sheets, nervous and stiff. Aphmau places her hand on his face and runs her thumb across his scarred skin before moving her hand to his head, starting to pet his hair and run her nails across his scalp in a soothing, gentle manner. His body relaxes at the soothing motions, his eyes drooping as exhaustion takes over quickly.

“Sleep. I’ll keep you safe while you rest,” Aphmau whispers, her quiet, silky voice matching the night around them.

Garroth can’t see her properly in the dark, as there aren’t any windows into his bedroom (or any of the rooms), yet he can almost see with perfect clarity the gentle smile that is gracing her features. A smoother smile than her usual one, one that matches the dead of night and stillness around them. It brings him peace of mind and comfort, knowing she’s here, keeping him safe from the nightly terrors that plague his every waking and sleeping hour.

“Okay… but this is the only time this is happening,” he mumbles sleepily, his eyes half-closed as he hears her answering chuckle.

She says nothing in response, and Garroth wants to believe it’s a silent acceptance of his statement, but they both know this won’t only happen once. It’ll become a habit Garroth will be reluctant to break and one she’ll be more than happy to indulge him in, but for the time being, they’ll both pretend this is a one-time-only situation.

Garroth falls into a deep sleep, mind and body dead to the real world, and Aphmau pulls him closer to her once he’s out. She nestles his face in her chest, allowing him to listen to her heartbeat subconsciously, and wraps one of her arms over his torso and the other under his head, resting on his hair. Unconsciously, Garroth’s arms wrap tightly around her torso, trying to keep her there, afraid she’ll leave him if he doesn’t.

She has no intention of leaving him before daylight and Aphmau finds herself overcome with joy at seeing Garroth sleeping so peacefully, a joy so bone-deep it feels like it’s rattling her insides, humming through her in an odd tremble. Her body and skin are still, though—it’s simply a figment of her imagination. Still, she is glad she can be the reason he has some peace for once. She will continue to be the reason he gets peace as long as she breathes.

Aphmau shuts her eyes, allowing her own tiredness to take over, and she soon falls into a dreamless sleep, body and mind at ease, content now that she has taken care of what is her’s.

Aphmau wakes in the morning, knowing it is so thanks to the birdsong she can hear faintly. Garroth is still asleep in her arms and at some point, Thorgi and Phoenix climbed onto the bed and joined them in the middle of the night, snuggled up at the foot of the bed over her and Garroth’s legs. She hears Garroth stir and looks down, watching as his eyes flutter open.

He looks confused for a moment, his brows furrowing, before he glances up and freezes upon spotting Aphmau watching him with a sleepy grin. His face bursts into a violent red blush and he shoots up, mildly disturbing Thorgi and Phoenix who resettle.

“L-Lord Aphmau!” He stutters.

“Just Aphmau, Garroth,” she corrects with a yawn. “Did you sleep alright? No nightmares, right?”

Garroth gulps and nods quickly. “Y-Yes. Better than I have in… a very long time, actually…” he mumbles.

Her smile stretches a little. “Good. I’m glad,” Aphmau states, sitting up and stretching. “I know I said we’d talk first thing in the morning, but I’m hungry, so I’m going to head back to my house for breakfast.”

“Of course,” he answers, allowing himself to calm down now that he fully recalls what happened last night from the depths of his sleep-addled mind. No doubt Aphmau pulled him that close when he fell asleep.

Aphmau suddenly stills, looking around, her brows furrowed. “Do you feel that?” She asks.

Garroth tilts his head as he gets out of bed, disturbing Phoenix (whom he silently apologizes to). “No. What are you feeling?”

“Mmm… no, it’s nothing. Nevermind. I just… thought I felt something in the air. Shocking, almost. But it must’ve been my imagination since it’s gone,” she smiles again, shaking off the weird feeling. Something deep inside her knows it wasn’t just her imagination. She ignores it.

Garroth is a little concerned about her but he says nothing about it, watching as she gets out of his bed with major bedhead and creases in her skin to show just how well she slept. They talk idly as she puts her slippers on and they make their way downstairs, Thorgi and Phoenix trailing after, the dogs getting more energetic the longer they’re up.

At the front door, Aphmau stops and turns to face Garroth, taking his hand in hers.

“Take it easy today, Garroth. No overworking yourself!” Aphmau says with faux-sternness, though part of her is serious. She doesn’t want him working himself to the bone today.

Garroth chuckles a little. “I’ll try, Aphmau, but I make no promises. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.”

Aphmau puffs out her cheeks before sighing. “I suppose that’s the best I’ll get out of you for now. I’ll be back later, okay?”

“Understood. I’ll see you later today,” Garroth nods.

She pats his hand, her face taking on a more serious look without dropping her smile. “It’ll be okay, Garroth. I won’t let you go back to that life, no matter what.”

Garroth smiles back at her. “I know, Aphmau. Thank you.”

“Good. Bye!” She waves, letting his hand go and heading out with an excitable grin, her dogs trailing after her.

As she walks away, Garroth can’t help but think Aphmau’s a bit like a dog herself. Always so happy yet can quickly turn dangerous if those she cares for are in danger. Her bite is just as deadly as her bark.

-Zane’s POV-

I drum my fingers nervously on the table as I wait for my father to pick up the communication pendant. I’m alone in my room in the farmhouse Lord Aphmau lent me and my escorts (who are waiting outside the closed door), waiting so I can give my report and receive instructions (Irene forbid whatever it is he tells me to do next). After a moment, the amulet on the table before me starts glowing blue, showing he’s on the other side.

“Your report, Zane,” my father’s cruel voice echoes from the necklace, making me shiver. I hate his voice.

“It’s going to be hard to get him to leave,” I speak. “The Lord of this village, a woman named Aphmau, is highly protective of my brother. Like a mother bear protecting her cub. She won’t be reasoned with and Garroth… the fool trusts her every word. If she says she’ll keep him safe, he won’t listen to a thing I say.”

My father is quiet for a moment and I know he’s thinking over every word I’ve said. “She cannot be bargained with at all?”

“I don’t believe so, sir. She’s not afraid of my status, or yours, and she cares not for power or money,” I say stiffly. I can’t call him father to his face. He gets angry when I do.

My father hums. “What of her villagers? Who lives in that miserable little town?”

“Not many people. A few human adults, an elf, a meif’wa, and two children are permanent residents.”

“Children?”

“Yes sir. Aphmau’s son, Levin, is highly guarded by both her and her live-in caretaker, the elf Zoey. The other is an infant, only a few days old. A little girl named Alexis.”

“Do you still have that… special pendant I gave you when you left O’khasis?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Give it to the parents of the young girl, for the baby.”

Horror floods through me. “You want me to curse a baby?!”

“Zane,” my father’s harsh voice answers, anger creeping into his tone. I shut up. “I expect you to do as you are told. If she won’t listen to people of higher status than her nor be bargained with, then you will hit that wench of a woman where it hurts. Her people must be highly important to her, children above all. Make her see the consequences for disobeying me.”

I gulp. “Y-Yes sir.”

“Good. Don’t fail me, Zane. You know what will happen if you do after the last incident.”

Without another word or waiting for an answer, the pendant stops glowing, showing that my father has severed the connection. I hold my head in my hands, unable to look at the pendant’s box near the door. That cursed object… he wants me to hand it to a child?! Not even a normal child, a baby only a few days old?!

“I-I can’t…” I mumble aloud. “I can’t do this… I can’t curse a baby…”

The door to my room clicking closed makes me look up quickly, but I’m still alone. Did I leave the door cracked on accident? The wind probably shut the door fully… it’s a bit drafty in here.

I don’t like this bad feeling crawling through me…

-No One’s POV-

Aphmau listens quietly as Brian tells her of his patrol last night, as he had seen some shooting stars and was very excited to tell her about them. They’re standing near the well, talking animatedly.

“What are you two up to?” Garroth’s voice interrupts them and they both turn to face Garroth.

Garroth is back in his armor, helmet and all. Neither Aphmau nor Brian says anything about it.

“I’m telling Lady Aphmau about the shooting stars I saw last night on patrol! I’m sure they’re a sign that Lady Donna and Sir Logan are going to have fun on their honeymoon!” Brian smiles wide.

“A sign from the heavens? How interesting,” Garroth hums, before noticing how Aphmau has stopped looking at them.

Her smile has fallen, her expression blank as she stares out toward the forest, her body too still to be normal for her.

“Lord Aphmau?” Garroth asks, becoming concerned.

Aphmau’s eyes suddenly widen and her body stiffens before she cries out in pain, falling to the ground and clutching her chest. It feels like her entire body is being ripped apart and stabbed, crackling as if she’s crumbling away painfully. She can’t hear Brian or Garroth, but she can see them bent down beside her, unsure of what to do but highly worried—panicked, even. She’d never experienced pain like this before. Sure, the headaches she’s gotten from using magic can be bad, and that time she tried to heal Brendan was rather awful, but this… it feels like she’s dying.

Something bad has happened to the world—Aphmau knows it deep inside, but she doesn’t know why. Something has broken the world itself and she’s feeling what the world feels, breaking apart internally and crying in agony where the world cannot. Then, the feeling ends abruptly. What felt like an eternity of pain only lasted moments, but it leaves Aphmau on the ground gasping for air, eyes wide and sweat pooling off her skin.

Looking up, she sees almost a misty trail of something guiding her toward the forest, something Brian and Garroth seemingly can’t see or are ignoring in favor of calling her name, trying to get her to answer. Scrambling to her feet, she starts running in the direction of the mist, something in her screaming at her that she needs to find the source and fast.

“What the-” Brian starts before seeing Garroth take off after her.

“Brian! Get Zoey and Dr. Doctor!” Garroth calls over his shoulder before disappearing into the woods after Aphmau, leaving a very concerned and confused Brian behind.

Garroth runs through the forest, following Aphmau as best he can. She moves fast and the forest is like her playground. She moves with ease among the foliage and overgrowth where he gets stuck or trips. Soon, he comes to a gasping stop behind her, taking in air as he tries to recover.

“A-Aphmau, what was-” Garroth starts but stops talking as he takes in the scene before them—the scene that has Aphmau’s full attention.

On the forest floor is Laurence, covered in bruises and bleeding wounds, wearing nothing but ragged, old clothes. He’s bleeding out, a pool of blood sinking into the earth below him. Before Laurence is what was once a golden wyvern, now scorched black and covered in purple cracks, their body breaking apart like a crumbling statue.

Laurence’s appearance is different apart from the cuts and bruises, though. His once round ears are pointed viciously, sharper than an elves and shorter. Crack-like shapes are under his eyes and his mouth, agape with sleep (it has to be sleep… please let it be sleep) now sports fangs, not as long as a werewolf’s but just as deadly should they find purchase on your gullet. His fingernails are long and pointed, coated in old, dried blood.

Laurence has returned, beaten and bloody, his humanity ripped from him, and Aphmau… is boiling in anger, face contorted with murderous rage.

They’ve damaged what is her’s.

They will pay for this.

Chapter Text

Aphmau’s rage boils upon seeing Laurence broken the way he is on the forest floor, so much so that she can’t contain it, turning on the spot and punching a tree. The tree cracks under the force, a deep dent forming in the trunk before it slowly topples over, uprooting itself as it tilts backward. It does little to quell her anger but she tries to bury it, turning to look at Ungrth, tainted and dying in front of her. She knows he’s dying. She can feel it.

“Garroth,” Aphmau’s voice rings like a crack of thunder in the silence, her head turning slightly toward her guard, though her face remains hidden by her hair. “Take Laurence and get him treated.”

Garroth jolts back to reality, nodding before hurrying closer. He doesn’t dare look at Aphmau’s face, too afraid of the rage he’ll see in her expression. He’s gentle as he scoops Laurence into his arms, blood staining his armor as he stands. Laurence’s body is unnaturally warm, yet Garroth has the feeling he’s colder than he should be, that his body heat should be much warmer than it is now. He says nothing as he turns and hurries off, silently praying to Irene that Laurence survives his wounds.

Once Garroth is gone, Aphmau turns her full attention back to Ungrth. She brings her hands up and cradles his head in her palms, wincing as his scales and flesh dust under the touch, as if she’s holding nothing more than ash in her grasp.

“What have you done to yourself?” Aphmau asks softly, her rage being replaced by overwhelming sadness at seeing such a kind creature dying in a brutal, agonizing fashion before her.

Ungrth’s voice is quiet yet still strong as he answers. “What I had to.”

Aphmau stares at him. No tears come to her eyes, for she has never cried and is unsure she can, but her sadness is clear to the wyvern before her. The ache in her heart for him is comforting as he knows his end is coming. He always thought Laurence would be the only one to mourn him if he were to pass. Ungrth is glad that isn’t the case. He is glad it is Aphmau who will bear witness to his final moments.

“Aphmau, I must tell you what has happened. What I had to do to save Laurence. There will be repercussions you will have to face. I am sorry I have brought you trouble,” Ungrth speaks, glad his voice has remained undamaged. He will hold on for as long as he must to tell her everything.

“I will do my best to understand,” Aphmau answers softly, pressing her forehead to his.

Ungrth shuts his eyes, focusing on his words and what he must say. “Between all realms in this universe is a thing called the Realm Barrier. It is an invisible force that must be ripped open to create portals to different dimensions. The Realm Barrier, however, is very tough and is made of pure magic, far stronger than anything humans could ever hope to obtain. If someone were to mess up in ripping open a portal or try and go through the Realm Barrier without a portal… it could kill them. The magic would rip them apart and taint their body, much like it has done to me. There is no cure once it takes hold like this… but it doesn’t just kill. It takes and it destroys. The world itself will become damaged and it will take things from the people who dare pass through it without using a proper portal.

I had to save Laurence, no matter the cost. I knew I would lose my life. I went through it twice to save him without a portal. There was no chance I would survive the damage… but Laurence will live. I shielded him as best I could, but there will be damage. It will have taken from him. Whatever it took… I know he will adapt. He is strong.

Laurence… he saved my life. My siblings, the other wyverns trapped in this realm, cast me out when I befriended Laurence. I was too close to him. I let him use me as a mount. That is a crime in their eyes. We are proud beasts, we do not bow to humans, but I did for Laurence. I was abandoned. Laurence took me in. I… do not regret helping him, but… I do wish I could have said goodbye to my siblings.”

Aphmau’s expression twists into one of agony, her body hurting as the corrupted magic coming off Ungrth’s body mixes with hers, but she refuses to let him go. He will not die alone and in pain without comfort to guide him to the light.

“I know them. Your siblings,” Aphmau whispers. “Would you… like me to pass on a message?”

Ungrth’s eyes water and he nods very slightly, pain shooting through him as he continues to crumble. “Tell them… I am sorry. Tell Laurence to stay strong and that… I wish I could have said goodbye.”

“I will, Ungrth. I will,” Aphmau kisses his head.

“Aphmau, you are a powerful woman. Far more than you realize,” Ungrth suddenly speaks, opening his eyes fully to stare at her. “Use that power to protect your loved ones, like I wish I did when I had the chance,” he whispers, his eyes beginning to lose their light, shutting slowly. “I hope… I meet someone like you and Laurence… in my next life, no matter how many years it takes…”

Aphmau hugs him, her arms wrapped around his neck as his head rests on her shoulder. She feels him fall limp in her arms, his final breath leaving him peacefully, and then his body crumbles fully. Ash litters her hands and lap, dusting her hair and face, until nothing remains of Ungrth but a pile of black dust. Aphmau sits there, among the ash, mourning the loss of a wonderful companion in silence, before taking a small bag out of her pocket. The bag once held berries she’d snack on when working but had been empty for some time.

She should fill it with something of worth once again.

Aphmau scoops some of the ash into the pouch, just a small amount, and then stares at the remaining pile. A strong wind blows as if answering her inner thoughts, and Ungrth’s remains are carried away by the wind, blowing to who knows where. She knows that wherever it lands will become a monument to his legacy, to his will and fortitude. It will become blessed land.

She stands, bidding a silent farewell to her fallen friend, and then heads into town, making a beeline for her house, where Garroth would have taken Laurence to recuperate. Her house has the most room in the basement and is the only place he’ll always be under watch.

Entering the broken remains, she sees Garroth standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at the basement. His armor is stained crimson from Laurence’s blood and when he looks up to face her, she can see his concern despite the helmet hiding his face.

“Zoey and Dr. Doctor are looking over him now,” Garroth says quietly. “They said it was a miracle he was still alive. He’ll scar heavily, though. I didn’t see most of the damage but… I could feel the wounds when I was carrying him. I doubt there is any flesh not damaged in some way.”

Aphmau nods, standing next to Garroth. “Ungrth is dead. He passed in my arms,” she whispers.

Garroth grabs her hand and she intertwines their fingers. “I’m sorry. He was a good friend of yours and to Laurence.”

“He was. He was able to tell me what happened before he passed,” Aphmau states and then proceeds to explain to Garroth what Ungrth had told her about the Realm Barrier.

Once she finishes, Garroth looks back at the stairs. “Taken from him… he offered no other clue?”

“No, but I’m sure we’ll find out what it took soon.”

“I hate to ask this, Aphmau, but is there no way for you to heal him?”

Aphmau shakes her head. “I could try with the physical wounds but… I could barely heal Brendan. I don’t know what trying to heal so many wounds would do to me. What it might do to Laurence. As for whatever the Realm Barrier took… something in me knows that damage like that can’t be undone with my powers. Is that weird?”

Garroth shakes his head. “I have heard a few tales of people with magic knowing their limits automatically, despite not understanding why. Many humans without magic also have something similar. We automatically know what we can or can’t do. Some among us can even sense danger whereas others are oblivious. Much like how you knew Sasha was bad when you met.”

Aphmau doesn’t reply but nods, staring down the stairs in silence. She doesn’t know how long they stand there for, her mind swimming with information and worries she has yet to process, but eventually, the sun nears its descent to make way for the night, and Zoey walks up the stairs, looking worn and tired. Aphmau and Garroth say nothing, staring at the elf as she gathers her words.

“Laurence… his wounds are… incredibly severe. He’s been tortured extensively, many of his wounds reopened when they were beginning to heal, and he’s going to scar heavily all across his body. However, there was no internal damage. No broken bones or damaged organs, so he’ll be alright after much rest. However, he won’t be able to move much. The pain will make it near impossible to do so, nor should he move without assistance,” Zoey begins.

“So he’ll make a full recovery?” Garroth asks.

“Yes, but…” she trails off, glancing down the stairs, then sighing. “The Realm Barrier… it damaged him. Usually, when damage like this occurs, it physically takes something. An arm, a leg, or even something internal like a liver or lung. I’ve never seen it do this before…”

“What’s happened to him?” Aphmau questions.

Zoey stares before looking down, her eyes closed. “He’s blind. The Realm Barrier took his sight. It’s absolute blindness. He can’t even tell light from the dark beyond feeling heat on his skin. We tested and… nothing.”

Aphmau’s hands clench and her body tenses. Her anger rises again but she tries not to let it show. It doesn’t work as both Garroth and Zoey recognize her rage instantly. Zoey steps forward quickly and grabs one of Aphmau’s fists.

“He’s awake, Aphmau. He… he wants to see you. He thought I was you at first, actually. He grabbed my hand but knew instantly I wasn’t you. You should see him before he falls asleep again. He won’t be able to keep his consciousness very long,” the elf states. “It should be safe. I sensed no darkness about him.”

That eases Aphmau’s rage and her body relaxes. She nods and heads downstairs, Garroth following her while Zoey remains upstairs. They pass Dr. Doctor on the way down, who seemed to know Aphmau would be coming down soon and wanted to give them space. He just nods sadly at them before disappearing upstairs.

Aphmau and Garroth stop at the bottom of the stairs, staring ahead. On a bed they pulled from storage and placed in front of the main window lies Laurence. His entire body is covered in bandages, his long hair dirty and splayed out under him. He’s staring at the ceiling, a white blanket over his body. He’s got on a blue shirt that Aphmau had, which she had been mending for Brendan, and possibly some pants on as well, though they can’t see it.

Laurence’s eyes are milky white, just barely tinged blue around the edges, and he looks exhausted. Even without the ability to feel his pain, both Aphmau and Garroth know he must be suffering from his wounds, even if Dr. Doctor and Zoey provided medicine to numb the pain for a while.

Garroth places his hand on Aphmau’s shoulder and leans closer to her, not wanting to alert Laurence to the fact he’s there. He wants to offer as much privacy as he can while still unsure if Laurence is a potential threat.

“Speak with him. I’ll stand here if you need me,” he whispers.

Aphmau nods and takes in a deep breath, moving away from the armored knight and toward the bed. As she gets closer, Laurence’s eyes widen very slightly, showing he’s no longer stuck in his thoughts and aware someone else is around.

“Someone there? Zoey?” He asks softly, his voice so very quiet compared to how loud and energetic it should be.

Aphmau sits down at the edge of the bed and grabs one of Laurence’s bandaged hands in hers. “Try again,” she says, trying to sound humorous, as if she’s unfazed, but she knows Laurence will see through her.

His hand instantly tightens around hers, a smile crossing his face. “Aphmau…”

Aphmau smiles back at him even though he can’t see it. “How… how are you?”

“I hurt. More than physically. Mentally… emotionally… spiritually. I can’t… I can’t begin to describe how much pain it brings to become one of them .”

“I’m so sorry. I wish I could take it away from you, to lessen the burden even slightly,” she mumbles, running her thumb over the back of his hand.

“Knowing you are here… so close to my side… it brings me more comfort than you’d know,” he states before laughing softly. “You know… I’d much rather be here and blind, by your side, than back there and still have the ability to see.”

Aphmau laughs a little in response. “I’m glad my presence is that soothing for you,” she whispers, trailing off a bit, not wanting to say anything to trigger him with how delicate his situation is. But she has questions, so many questions, and Laurence is the only one who can answer them.

“You’ve got stuff you want to know, right? It’s okay. You can ask,” Laurence chuckles. “You won’t upset me.”

Aphmau remains silent for a moment longer. “No. Not right now. You’ve been through so much, the least I can do is offer you some peace before you must relive everything.”

“Your kindness knows no bounds, my pearl,” Laurence laughs a little louder this time but she can see the relief in his body, how he relaxes more and his eyes droop. “It smells nice here… like lilacs and wood. Where are we, exactly? I was never told, simply that you were here, along with Miss Zoey and that doctor.”

“Phoenix Drop, my town. You’re currently in my basement, actually.”

“I see. Well… I don’t, but you get what I mean.”

Aphmau snorts and shakes her head. “A little soon for blind jokes, isn’t it?”

“Hey, I’m the blind one here. I get to decide if it’s too early,” he laughs along with her before quieting himself. “Aphmau… may I be honest about something?”

“Of course.”

Laurence breathes in deeply. “I was… turned against my will. I mean, I don’t think anyone is willingly turned, but what happened to me was… it was bad, Aphmau. I can barely remember it through the screams and white-hot pain. All I know is… when I thought I was going to die, that I would never know peace again… the thought of you kept me going, kept me fighting. I have never met someone so kind before, so willing to put their life on the line over and over again for people they barely know simply because it’s the right thing to do.

You were like… the light in the darkness for me during those months I spent in the Shadow Abyss. I know it must have only been a few days for you but it felt like an eternity for me, yet not once did they ever manage to make me hate you. They tried, oh they tried, but I could never hate you, Aphmau. I could never wish harm upon one such as you.

I know it must be odd for me to say this, given how short of a time we’ve known one another, but I have come to love you, Lord Aphmau. Whether that love is simply as a friend or something more… I honestly can’t tell. Truth be told… I’ve never had many true friends, never had one I’d love so dearly like that outside my father and my sister. I know this feeling isn’t familial but… I can’t pinpoint which other one it is. Romantic or platonic. Whichever it is… I do love you, Aphmau, and I cannot begin to repay you for sheltering me after what I’ve become.”

Aphmau moves some of his hair out of his face. “You need not repay me, Laurence, outside of getting better. This is the least I can do after you saved me.”

“You are too good to me, Aphmau. Thank you,” Laurence moves his hand up slowly, feeling for her face until he can hold her cheek. He then turns his head in the direction of Garroth. “You too. I know someone else is over there. You carried me, right? I remember feeling armor while unconscious earlier.”

Aphmau looks at Garroth to see he’s surprised, his body stiff but not in the way that she knows he’s uncomfortable. He fidgets for a moment before moving closer.

“Yes, I carried you on Aphmau’s orders,” Garroth says softly.

“Oh! I recognize that voice,” Laurence says, his smile stretching a little. “Garroth, right? Aphmau’s head guard. Thank you. Sorry, I probably bled all over the steel, huh?”

“It’s no issue. I’ve cleaned worse things off my armor,” Garroth shakes his head.

Laurence turns his head back to Aphmau. “Aphmau… what happened to Ungrth?”

Aphmau falls quiet, her hand tightening around his free one, and she sighs. “He’s… he passed. I bore witness to his final moments for you… he wanted me to tell you he was sorry he could say goodbye to you and that… you must stay strong. His body… turned to ash. I saved some, to bury later, once you are able to move more or I can do it for you, but the rest blew away in the wind.”

Tears appear in Laurence’s eyes but he remains smiling. “That sounds like him… I knew Ungrth since I was 13. I practically grew up with him… I wish I could have thanked him for his sacrifice but… I am put at ease knowing that you were there with him in my steed.”

“Ah… one last thing, then you should rest. Cadenza has been safely returned to her human form. I can give you the specifics later but she’s since moved here to Phoenix Drop, to learn to be on her own in a safe environment. I’ll tell her you’re here tomorrow.”

“She is?” Laurence says in surprise, his tears falling down his cheeks. Aphmau wipes them away for him. “I want to hear her. I look forward to her presence tomorrow. I’m… I’m going to sleep for now…” he then yawns.

Aphmau nods, getting up and patting his hand gently. “Of course. Please, get some rest. You’ll remain here while you heal. Zoey and Dr. Doctor will take great care of you when I’m not home.”

“His… his last name is Doctor?”

“Yeah… I thought that was weird too.”

“I’ve heard worse names,” Garroth chimes in.

“Really?” Laurence asks him.

“Yup. I can tell you some of the weirdest ones later, if you’d like.”

Laurence smiles at him. “Yeah, I would,” he says, shutting his eyes. “G’night…” he mumbles before falling asleep, breathing softly.

Aphmau and Garroth move away, walking toward the small kitchen located in the same area. Aphmau sighs heavily, leaning against the counter and holding her head.

“Are you alright?” Garroth asks her softly.

“Mm… yes, I think so… I believe it’s just stress,” she answers quietly. “We have no time to rest, though. There are things we must speak of, things we cannot put off.”

“My family issues?” Garroth questions.

“Correct. I don’t know what Zane or his men will do now that I’ve told him I will not let you go unless you wish to and I won’t let him scare or bully you into leaving but… we don’t know what lengths he’ll go to to get you back.”

Garroth looks down, thinking. “I… I wouldn’t put it past him to harm someone in town. I hate to suggest such a thing, but… it isn’t safe for anyone to be around Zane on their own or to accept anything from him.”

“We can’t ban people from speaking with him or accepting gifts, though. It’ll be suspicious.”

“I know, that’s what worries me. If we can’t prevent an incident, we’ll just have to be on careful watch.”

“Is there any way we can get him to back down fully from trying to take you away? Anything that might make him leave and reevaluate the situation?” Aphmau asks.

“The only thing that comes to mind is telling him I am already engaged or even married. However, he knows everyone in town already. Donna and Molly are married, Kiki is off the table as she was speaking with Zane during the wedding so he’d know she’s single by now, Zoey might be able to play along but if he knows she only recently came to town it’d be obvious it’s a lie…”

“What about me?” Aphmau asks.

Garroth freezes and stares at her. “Y-You?”

Aphmau nods. “I haven’t talked to Zane outside of business-talk. He knows nothing about me. He wouldn’t have a way to dispute our fake engagement if he has no prior knowledge on me.”

Aphmau can see that Garroth wants to deny her and tell her that he won’t use her like that, but she can also tell that he knows they don’t have much of an option. He starts pacing quietly back and forth, muttering to himself as Aphmau watches in silence before he turns back to face her.

“Promise me something,” he says suddenly.

“Anything.”

He grabs her shoulders and stares at her. She can almost see his eyes hidden in the darkness of his helmet with him this close. “You won’t use yourself unless absolutely necessary. I don’t want a target placed on you more than you already have one. Faking an engagement should be our last option.”

Aphmau places her hands on Garroth’s and smiles. “You have my word. It’ll be our last-ditch effort. Until then, I’ll look for anything we can use to make him leave sooner rather than later that doesn’t involve faking a marriage.”

Garroth sighs and nods, moving back. “You should get some sleep. It’s late and tomorrow you’ve got your usual work to do. I’m going to rest as well to prepare for patrol tomorrow.”

“Okay. Try and get as much sleep as you can.”

Garroth bows. “I will, My Lord. Have a good night,” he states and then leaves the basement.

Aphmau watches him leave before heading upstairs to find Zoey and Dr. Doctor gone, possibly hunting for herbs in the woods or getting supplies from the plaza, where Dr. Doctor set up one of the stalls as his workspace while he’s in town (with permission, of course). Thorgi is on her bed, the other dogs around the base of her bed, snoozing, and she feels bad as she moves him so she can get under the blankets. He simply lays down atop Cookie and falls back asleep as Aphmau stares at the open sky.

She shuts her eyes and soon drifts off to sleep, worry eating away at her as she dozes.

“Morning, Laurence!” Aphmau chirps bright and early the next day, hovering over Laurence’s bed and staring down at him with a large smile.

His eyes open slowly and he yawns. “Morning… how early is it?” He asks as Aphmau helps him sit up (his entire body wants to argue against it, though).

“Mm… I think nearly 7 AM? Zoey’s getting breakfast ready but first it’s bath time!”

“Bath time?” He questions.

“Laurence, I am glad you’re back, but you look like a horse ran you over into the mud. And a puddle of blood. Also… you smell kinda… not good?”

Laurence tilts his head and raises one of his arms, sniffing himself. He then reels back. “Oh sweet mother of Irene, yup, I smell awful.”

“Yeah, which is why it’s about time to give you a bath.”

“I’m guessing Dr. Doctor is helping considering the whole… blindness thing? Or maybe one of your guards?” Laurence asks, letting Aphmau help him out of bed and onto his feet.

He’s unsteady as hell and every step hurts, but he powers through, leaning on her as she helps him to the bathroom in the basement near his bed.

“Nope! Dr. Doctor is busy making more medicine for your wounds and we don’t have guards to spare for that. I would have asked Brendan but he’s been busy tending to the farms lately. The soil is finally getting better,” Aphmau states, opening the door to the bathroom and stepping inside with Laurence, shutting the door behind her.

She sets him down on a stool and dumps a final bucket of hot water into the wooden tub. She had spent the first hour of the day filling it bucket by bucket. Going down to the well and back up wasn’t an easy task. The hill her house is on is rough and carrying heavy buckets of water up it isn’t pleasant for anyone, even someone as strong as Aphmau.

“So who’s helping me?” Laurence questions.

“Me!” Aphmau smiles at him. “Now, lift your arms if you can. We need to wash that shirt.”

Laurence blinks before his face begins to turn red. He tries to cover his sudden embarrassment with laughter, chuckling a little as he raises his arms as far as they’ll go without hurting much.

“Won’t even ask me to dinner first? How forward,” He jokes, feeling Aphmau’s hands on him as she lifts his shirt up and off him, throwing it into the dirty laundry hamper.

His pants are next, getting pulled off gently and also thrown to the side. Finally, Aphmau begins unwrapping his many bandages. The salves Dr. Doctor and Zoey applied to the wounds help jumpstart the healing process but each wound is still severe. Aphmau’s rage boils under the surface as each wound is revealed. She can tell many of them were made by different weapons. Sword strikes, whips, stab wounds made from small and big weapons alike, and even arrow and bolt wounds from bows and crossbows.

The skin is still red and the wounds have barely begun to heal, but she’s able to help him bathe. The worst ones have been sutured, thread keeping his body together. Aphmau stares for a moment longer before shaking her head and helping Laurence into the bath. He hisses for a moment, the water irritating his wounds for a moment, but he adjusts quickly.

Aphmau pours water over his head and begins cleaning his hair, her sleeves rolled up to avoid getting them wet. Laurence sits as still as possible in the water as Aphmau works.

“So… you aren’t embarrassed about this at all? Most women would uh… not be this comfortable unless they’re nurses and used to this sort of thing,” Laurence finally asks.

“No, I’m fine. Does it make you embarrassed?” Aphmau responds.

“Maybe a small amount. I’ve never had a woman help me bathe before. Or anyone, for that matter,” Laurence laughs.

“Well, let me know if you’d like me to stop,” she says. “Otherwise, I’m gonna make you sparkle with cleanliness!”

“I have no doubt about that, Aphmau,” he smiles.

“May I ask what you are going to do about your guard duties?” Aphmau questions.

“I’ll have to quit,” he sighs. “I can’t be the head guard of Meteli now that I’m blind. It’s best I give up my position so they can work on finding a replacement. Speaking of Meteli, how is everything there?”

“Good, last I heard. Kenmur stepped down from the running so Hayden is Lord now. I don’t know what Kenmur is up to, though.”

“That’s good. Honestly, I think Kenmur would have been miserable as Lord. He’s probably pursuing his interests. How has your town been?”

“Good so far. Donna and Logan got married a few days ago. They’re on their honeymoon.”

“Oh, how wonderful! I must congratulate them once they return. If I’m here then, I mean.”

“Why wouldn’t you be here?” Aphmau asks as she dumps water over his head to rinse.

“I figured you’d like me gone as soon as possible. Shadow Knight and all,” Laurence shrugs.

Aphmau falls silent before patting his head. “I would never toss you out, Laurence. Shadow Knight or not, you are my friend. I know you would never hurt someone without just cause and whether you’ve lost your humanity or not would never change that. I have faith that you won’t hurt anyone.”

Laurence is quiet, unsure how to respond. Aphmau just returns to helping him bathe, washing his body gently with soap and a rag. Once he’s clean, she helps him out of the tub and then drapes a towel over his head, beginning to dry his hair off.

“Your hair is brown at the roots,” she suddenly says.

“Ah. It’s grown out a lot since I last dyed it. My natural color is coming through,” he explains. “It’s also quite long… maybe I should cut it. Make it easier to manage now that I’m blind.”

Aphmau chuckles. “You should do what you’d like, but I for one like the long hair. If it’s a management issue, then I’m happy to lend a hand. Until then, let’s get you dressed and put some food in your stomach.”

“What’s on the menu?”

“Bacon, eggs, and toast, I think. We have fruit too, if you’d like me to cut some.”

“Any oranges?”

“I believe so. I’ll peel one for you,” she nods, drying off his body and wrapping his wounds in new bandages before dressing him in a change of clothes.

“I’m being spoiled,” Laurence purrs. “Not that I’m complaining, of course.”

Aphmau laughs a little and leads him out of the bathroom. She sets him down in his bed and props up a few pillows for him to lean against. As she helps him get comfy, Zoey walks over with a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast.

“Breakfast is ready!” Zoey beams.

“It smells wonderful,” Laurence comments.

“I’m glad you think so,” Zoey chuckles.

Aphmau looks toward the small kitchen and sees Levin sitting in his high chair, messily eating some scrambled eggs. He was finally ready for softer solids, so Zoey had been feeding him things like eggs and softer fruits.

“Levin is enjoying his food,” Aphmau chuckles.

“Levin?” Laurence questions.

“My son,” Aphmau explains. “He was left at my doorstep and has no family left. I’ve since taken him in and Zoey helps me raise him, given how busy I can be.”

“I had no clue you were a mother. That explains your tendency to worry,” Laurence laughs. “Is he the reason you made a stop in Meteli a ways back?”

“Yup. I went to Scaleswind to search for his mother. You… know how that went.”

“Yeah… at least he’s got two wonderful caretakers now, huh?”

“Three, actually,” Zoey chuckles. “Garroth lends a hand every now and then when he has the time between patrols and other work. Levin has started calling him Dada.”

“Oh, that’s right! Poor Garroth had no clue how to respond when it first happened. He was so flustered!” Aphmau laughs heartily. “Speaking of Garroth, I should probably meet up with him and do my rounds.”

“Not staying for breakfast?” Laurence asks.

“Aphmau rarely eats in the morning,” Zoey explains, holding up a forkful of eggs to Laurence’s mouth. “Not that it seems to hinder her. She functions just fine without it.”

“Hm, both worrying and intriguing,” Laurence mumbles around the eggs in his mouth. “Well, have fun outside, Aphmau. Give Garroth and your people my greetings.”

“I will,” Aphmau smiles at him, pulling her boots on and quickly tying them. “I’m heading out! I’ll take Phoenix and Jiggy with me today!”

“Bye, Aphmau! Take care!” Zoey waves her off.

Aphmau kisses Levin’s forehead as she passes him before heading upstairs and out of her house, Phoenix and Jiggy walking after her. She spots one of Zane’s guards in front of the farmhouse, all of the windows and even the door blacked out with thick curtains so that no one can see inside. It makes her nervous but she says nothing, simply nodding at the guard and smiling at him as she passes. He doesn’t even glance at her.

She stops by Molly and Dale’s house to say hello, finding Molly in the kitchen cleaning and then locating Dale upstairs with baby Alexis. She makes sure to say hello to all of them before heading out, walking along the streets, and making sure everything and everyone is where they need to be and that nothing is wrong. She spots Brian near Cadenza, Kawaii-chan, and Emmalyn’s homes, doing his rounds. She stops to say a quick hello but otherwise leaves him to his business.

Standing outside Emmalyn’s house/library, she knocks before entering.

“Emmalyn? You here?” Aphmau calls.

“Yes, I’m putting some new books away!” Emmalyn’s voice calls from around the corner.

Aphmau walks over and spots Emmalyn on a stool, putting books away among her many shelves.

Aphmau smiles at her and picks up one of the books waiting to be put away. “‘Myths and Legends of 900 Years Ago?’” Aphmau asks, holding out the book to Emmalyn to be put away.

“I wouldn’t take anything inside it too seriously. They’re all old stories from over 900 years ago compiled into one book. You know, things like folk tales and stuff. They’re usually made to scare children into behaving,” Emmalyn states, putting the book away. “Anyway, is there something you needed, Lord Aphmau?”

“No, I was just doing my rounds and figured I’d stop by and say hello. Do you need help with anything?” Aphmau questions.

“No, I’m good here. Thank you for the offer, though,” Emmalyn shakes her head.

“Alright then. I’ll leave you to it!” Aphmau smiles before turning and leaving Emmalyn’s house.

Aphmau glances at Cadenza’s house, spotting the redhead through the window moving boxes and luggage around. Her father must have sent more of her things over. Normally, Aphmau would be quick to inform Cadenza about Laurence being back, but she decides that Laurence needs a little longer to recover. She’ll tell Cadenza the news after her rounds and lunchtime.

Moving away from Cadenza’s house, Aphmau spots Emma outside with her son Kyle. She and her husband decided to stay in town for a while after the wedding and Aphmau let them use the last empty house on this side of town. She even helped them furnish it. They had no intention of moving in permanently but they had said they’d enjoy coming to Phoenix Drop for a vacation now and again.

“Hello, Emma,” Aphmau greets her with a smile.

“Lord Aphmau! Good morning!” Emma smiles back. “How are you?”

“I’m good. What are you up to?”

“Just enjoying the nice day! It’s the perfect weather for an outing,” Emma giggles.

“It is, isn’t it? Well, let me know if you need anything. I’m going to continue my rounds.”

“Oh! Actually, Lord Aphmau, may I ask you something?” Emma asks.

“Of course. What is is?” Aphmau tilts her head.

“Well, Miss Kiki had come to me earlier and proposed having a baby shower for Molly’s new daughter! She said her brother, Brendan, was nearly done with the final touches on the barn and we could hold it there! She had asked me to ask you if you could help with preparations if I saw you before her.”

Aphmau looks confused. “Barn? When did we build a barn?”

“Miss Kiki said her brother asked you about it when you were doing large-scale renovations on the town a couple weeks ago.”

Aphmau searches her broken memory, trying to recall the conversation Emma is referring to. It takes a moment but eventually, she remembers what she’s talking about. It had been when they were first repairing the less-damaged houses.

“Aphmau?” Brendan had walked up to her, looking a little unsure.

“Yeah, Brendan? Is everything alright?” She had asked him.

“Oh! Yeah, everything’s great! We’ve nearly got enough wood for the first chunk of repairs. But uh… I wanted to ask you somethin’.”

“Sure! What is is?”

“Do you think we could build a barn over there? Past the fields and farmhouse? Kiki’s been wanting a place to stay with all her animals but she’s running low on space just using small enclosures made from the unused farms.”

Aphmau looked to where he had been pointing, at a small hill not far from the farmhouse. It had been without trees for a while but was never used because a bridge was needed to reach the area if the people didn’t want to climb a steep hill every time to get there. Considering their few numbers, it just wasn’t feasible, so it had been left empty.

Now, however, they have the manpower required for some time.

Aphmau had smiled at him warmly and nodded. “Sure! As long as you make time to help with repairs, you can use any spare time or materials to build a barn!”

Brendan had cheered, looking excited. “Yes! Kiki’s gonna be so happy! Thanks, Lord Aphmau!” He said before running off.

Aphmau blinks, returning to the present. “Ohh! I remember now! Of course, I’ll happily help with preparations for a baby shower! I’ll find Kiki later and let her know I’m on board!”

Emma smiles. “Wonderful! I look forward to it!”

“Bye, Emma! Let me know if you need anything!” Aphmau waves goodbye before heading to Kawaii-chan’s bakery.

Entering the building, the smell of freshly baked cakes and breads waft through the room, a pleasing scent that would make anyone instantly crave something from the shop. Aphmau spots Brendan placing some new chairs down, engulfed in his work, so she leaves him be and walks to the back of the store, entering the main kitchen.

KC is at one of the stoves, adding more logs to the fire to keep the temperature up. As the meif’wa turns around, she spots Aphmau watching her and smiles wide.

“Aphmau! Good morning! Here for something to snack on?” KC asks, dusting her hands off and walking over.

“Not right now. I’m just checking on everyone,” Aphmau chuckles. “How are you?”

“Good! Brendan is helping me put in some more tables and chairs!” KC chirps, before seemingly remembering something. “Oh! I wanted to ask you something before, but it was never the right time! Mind if I ask now?”

“Go right ahead,” Aphmau smiles.

“Um… about your house… it’s rather… broken down, isn’t it? Why haven’t you fixed it yet?”

“Ah, that. Well, I wanted to focus on all of the repairs on the town first. My house is livable since I have a basement, so it never seemed important to me before. I’ve just kept pushing the work aside since I’ve been so busy. I never seem to have time to focus on fixing it,” Aphmau explains before a somber look falls over her. “I guess I… I might be clinging to what remains of the house Visher helped me build, as well. I know it’s silly, but I feel… not great when I think of tearing it down and starting anew.”

KC places her hand on Aphmau’s shoulder. “Oh, Aphmau… I’m sorry. I know it’d be hard for me to do that too if I were in your shoes. But just because the house doesn’t look the same doesn’t mean it no longer holds meaning! Think of it like this; the house Visher helped you with was your starting point of being a Lord. Fixing it up, making it even bigger and better, would show him up in heaven that you’re growing, doing great! I think it’d make him proud, seeing you grow.”

“I… never thought of that before. You think so?”

KC smiles wide and nods. “I know so! You know what, I’ll even do the repairs for you! Brendan can lend me a hand! I built my old cafe all by myself, you know!”

Aphmau looks surprised, her eyes widening slightly. “You’d do that? Are you sure? What about your store?”

“The store will be fine being closed for a day or two! I work fast, after all, and with Brendan’s help it’ll get done even faster! Tell me what you want your new house to have and I’ll make it happen!” KC places her hand over her chest, looking determined.

“Well… if you’re sure it’s alright. I’d like Levin to have his own room, preferably close to mine, and having a bedroom of my own wouldn’t be too bad. Zoey needs her room as well! Other than that… a guest room would be nice. Everything else is fine. The basement is already storage, so a storage room isn’t needed.”

“Perfect! Do you have a favorite color, Aphmau?”

Aphmau hums. “Well, I like all colors, but I’ve always found myself drawn to purple in particular.”

“Gotcha! I’ll get Brendan to help me get materials and I should be able to start construction tomorrow!” KC cheers.

Aphmau smiles at her. “Thank you, Kawaii-chan. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“Nonsense! This is my repayment for letting me live here in this wonderful house! It’s about time I repaid this debt, anyhow! Now, here, take some strawberry shortcake for the road!” Kawaii-chan quickly packs up some slices of cake and hands them over to Aphmau. “Take care now!”

Aphmau nods, turning to leave. “I will! Bye, Kawaii-chan!”

KC waves her off before returning to work, putting more bread and cakes into her ovens.

Aphmau stares at the outside of her house an hour after lunchtime. She had stopped and said hello to Kiki, informing her she was on board to help with the baby shower (which would be happening in two days) and had even taken a look at the new barn. The bridge leading to it was nice and sturdy and the barn itself was huge, with an upper floor that would serve as Kiki’s bedroom. It was the perfect place to hold a party.

She was to keep it a secret from Molly and Dale (as Dale couldn’t keep a secret to save his life), but Brian was aware and was even helping with preparations. Aphmau was currently taking one last look at what remained of her house, as tomorrow, bright and early, KC would begin repairs and renovations.

“Aphmau!” A panicked voice snaps her out of her thoughts.

Aphmau turns, spotting Cadenza making her way up the hill via the stairs built in when they did the renovations on the town (no one liked making the trek up the hill before then). It’s then, upon seeing Cadenza’s worried face, that Aphmau realizes she forgot to tell Cadenza Laurence was here. She had meant to do it right after lunch but got sidetracked.

“Cadenza, are you alright?” Aphmau asks, turning to face her as the woman stops in front of her.

Cadenza takes in a few deep breaths. “I-I heard Brian talking about someone being found in woods! H-He said they had long orange hair!”

Aphmau blinks for a moment. Right, Brian would have been told the situation, being a guard and all , she thinks.

“Yes, it’s who you think it is,” Aphmau says slowly. “Laurence… is back in this realm.”

“Where is he? Where’s my brother?” Cadenza asks quickly.

Aphmau places her hands on Cadenza’s shoulders, making her look at her. “He’s in my basement, recovering. But Cadenza, he’s been through… a lot. His humanity has been ripped from him and going through the Realm Barrier the way he did… it took his sight, Cadenza. He’s blind. If you are going to see him, you need to be calm. Panicked and worried emotions are not what he needs to sense right now.”

Cadenza breathes in deeper, calming herself. “O-Okay. I understand. I’ll… I’ll try and remain calm, for him.”

Aphmau smiles. “Great. Come, I was going to get you and let you know anyway. He’s been wanting to see you,” she says, pulling Cadenza inside by her hand.

They walk down the stairs, entering the empty basement (Zoey took Levin out for a walk around town). Sitting up in his bed near the window, staring out it (even though he can’t see anything) is Laurence.

“Laurence,” Aphmau calls, and his head turns to face her, a smile gracing his tired features. “You’ve got a guest.”

“Oh?” He tilts his head.

Cadenza steps forward, tears in her eyes. She keeps walking until she’s in front of him, Aphmau standing back a little to observe quietly.

“Laurence? It’s me, Ca-” Cadenza starts speaking but is cut off.

“Cadenza,” Laurence’s smile widens. “I’d recognize that voice anywhere. About time ya came to bug me.”

Cadenza laughs, sitting down on the bed next to him. “I’m glad you haven’t changed. Still joking around. I hope you haven’t been a nuisance to Aphmau.”

Laurence gasps. “How rude! I’d never be a nuisance to someone so lovely!” He says in faux upset.

“Eh, I dunno about that,” Aphmau giggles.

Cadenza snorts and Laurence playfully gasps louder, before wiping a fake tear from one of his eyes.

“My love, you’re so cruel to me…” he comically sobs.

Cadenza smiles at Laurence before moving some of his hair out of the way. “I was so worried about you, brother. I am so relieved to see you here, safe and sound.”

“I am glad to be here. The Shadow Abyss… it was horrific, to say the least, but I’d rather not talk about it. Not now,” he sighs.

Cadenza nods. “I understand. Your eyes… is there nothing that can be done about them?”

“Miss Zoey and Dr. Doctor said the damage was severe and magically caused. No normal cure would ever work and Zoey said magic wouldn’t help either. Nothing can fix damage caused by traveling through the Realm Barrier, at least not damage like this. I’ll be blind for the rest of eternity,” he states.

Cadenza frowns but then smiles again. “Well, it’s not like being blind will stop you. You’ve never backed down from a new challenge before.”

Laurence chuckles. “I don’t plan to back down from this challenge either. It’s just… different, I guess. Nothing I won’t get used to, though.”

It’s silent for a moment before Cadenza speaks again. “Are you planning on returning to Meteli once you’ve recovered?”

Laurence shakes his head. “I don’t think so. I mean, Meteli is great and I loved being there but… I think being blinded has opened a new chapter in my life. I want to see what else is out there, now that I can’t be Head Guard of Meteli anymore. I’ve got freedom now. Besides… I’m not exactly the safest to be around right now.”

Cadenza looks saddened by the last part of his sentence. “Aphmau told me your humanity was taken from you… I took that to mean you were turned…”

“Yeah. I’m a Shadow Knight,” Laurence says softly.

“You aren’t dangerous, Laurence,” Aphmau speaks sternly, both Cadenza and him looking at her. “If you were, you would have done something to try and hurt us by now, blind or not. You are stronger than what they’ve done to you. Don’t try to minimize your strength.”

Laurence blinks, surprised by Aphmau’s sudden seriousness. “I… can’t tell if you being serious is terrifying or attractive.”

“Both. It’s both,” Cadenza states.

Aphmau blinks and returns to her usually lax self, a smile gracing her features once more. “I was just trying to get the point across, is all. But, I do agree it’s best to keep you here in Phoenix Drop until we know what your new… Shadow Knight-ness can do. However, you are no prisoner nor threat. You are a friend and guest.”

Cadenza smiles. “You know, I can’t help but believe anything you say, Aphmau. You’ve always had this thing about you that… whatever you tell me is the truth,” she states before turning to face Laurence. “Don’t you agree, brother?”

Laurence nods. “Yeah, I get what you mean. I feel the same way. You can’t help but believe and trust Aphmau’s every word.”

“I can’t tell who gets their flattery skills from who,” Aphmau chuckles.

“It’s kinda like an endless loop. We feed off one another,” Cadenza laughs.

Laurence yawns, blinking slowly. Aphmau and Cadenza stare at him for a moment before Cadenza gets up.

“You must be exhausted, brother. We can talk more later. You should sleep for now, though. Right, Lord Aphmau?” Cadenza asks.

“Yes, you should. Sleep is the best medicine, after all,” Aphmau grins.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Laurence smiles sleepily.

Cadenza helps him lay down, draping the blanket over him and closing the curtains of the window, darkening the room. Cadenza and Aphmau say goodnight to him and leave quietly, as Laurence falls asleep almost the second he shuts his eyes.

Aphmau and Cadenza exit the broken remains of Aphmau’s home and stare down at the village, watching the calmness of the small town in silence for a moment before Cadenza looks at Aphmau.

“Aphmau?” Cadenza speaks softly.

“Yes?”

“Can… do you think it’d be possible for me to visit Laurence as often as possible?” The redhead asks.

Aphmau smiles at her. “Of course. I think Laurence would like that. Just… don’t mention anything about what happened to him. Just as he needs to physically heal, he also needs to recover mentally.”

Cadenza beams. “Thank you, Aphmau! I promise, I won’t say anything about what happened to him!”

“That’s all I ask. Also, please don’t mention Laurence being a Shadow Knight to anyone, alright? No one can know he was in the Nether or turned, at least not yet. We can’t risk causing a panic. Even if I think Laurence is safe, many others may not… share that sentiment, you know?”

“I understand. I’ll keep it a secret until you deem it the right time to be honest. Can… I talk about his wounds at all? Like, if someone comes to town who might be able to help, even a small bit?”

Aphmau hums thoughtfully. “I think that’ll be alright, so long as you don’t mention what caused any of his wounds or his… blindness.”

Cadenza nods in understanding. “Got it. Thank you for caring for him, Aphmau. I don’t know what either of us would do without you.”

“I’m sure everything would have turned out alright if I wasn’t here but I’m glad I was able to help both of you regardless,” she smiles at Cadenza.

Cadenza shakes her head. “No, I don’t think we would have. You’ve done so much for so many people, Aphmau. I think you are exactly what we all needed. I’m sure everyone else you know feels the same way.”

Aphmau doesn’t respond outside of nodding her head, as she doesn’t know how to react to those words or what to say. She doesn’t have much time to think about it either, as another face appears walking up the stairs to her home.

“Lord Aphmau, good evening,” Zane’s calm, faux-cheerful voice reaches both of them. “Oh! You have a guest already.”

“This is Cadenza,” Aphmau responds coolly, stepping between Zane and Cadenza automatically. “She’s staying in town for some time, to find herself. Now, what can I do for the High Priest of O’khasis? It’s rare I see you without your guards.”

“They’re on break and I didn’t want to wait much longer to speak with you, so I came by myself,” Zane says and Aphmau knows he’s smiling under his mask. “I heard some interesting rumors around town. Well, my guards did, but you get what I mean. They said they heard one of your guards talking about a heavily injured man being taken to your home, that he was found in the woods. My guard said the man apparently has long orange hair and I couldn’t help but think that sounded a lot like the missing Head Guard of Meteli.”

Aphmau stares at Zane and then glances at Cadenza. “Cadenza, why don’t you head back home? Laurence will need some new clothes to replace what he’s lost. I can’t think of anyone better to replace them than you.”

Cadenza gets the idea and nods. “Of course, Lord Aphmau. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says, only glancing at Zane before hurrying off.

Aphmau doesn’t speak again until Cadenza is out of earshot. “Yes, you are correct. Laurence, the Head Guard of Meteli, is currently in my home recovering from severe wounds.”

“My, the poor thing. I heard it had been quite bad. Perhaps a prayer from the High Priest could help? Guide Lady Irene’s blessings to him?” Zane asks.

“I think he’s fine without a prayer, High Priest Zane. He’s recovering quickly thanks to Zoey and Dr. Doctor’s help,” Aphmau responds coldly. “If you’d like to pray in your spare time, be my guest, but Laurence isn’t taking any visitors that aren’t absolutely necessary.”

“Of course, I understand. You wouldn’t want to risk his health, after all,” Zane chuckles dryly.

“I’m glad you understand. Now, is that all?” Aphmau questions.

Zane sighs and moves closer. Anyone else would think he was about to threaten her quietly, to avoid his words ever being traced back to him, but Aphmau sees a flicker of concern in his eye.

“That man is a Shadow Knight. I can feel the darkness myself, despite him being in your bloody basement. Being a priest has it’d uses and one of those is being able to sense evil if it’s strong enough. You would be a fool to keep him here, not only as he is a threat to you and your people’s safety but harboring one of their kind is a crime to the church,” Zane whispers, a glare forming on his face, but he isn’t being mean.

There is no bite, no anger, or anything to show he is upset with her. He isn’t even threatening her by telling her she’d become an enemy of the church if she kept Laurence around.

He’s warning her. An honest, good-intentioned warning, even if it doesn’t look that way from the outside.

Aphmau stares at him and then shuts her eyes. “I have faith that Laurence is not a threat. If the church deems me an enemy for keeping a dear friend nearby, then an enemy I am. I will not toss out anyone I care for just because they are no longer human,” she mumbles back.

Zane’s eye widens a little but his expression quickly returns to normal. He backs up and turns to leave. “I do hope you know what you are doing, Lord Aphmau. I’d hate to see you die at the hands of one you care for. It isn’t a death befitting one such as you,” he says before heading down the stairs.

Aphmau watches him leave until he’s out of earshot. She hums thoughtfully. “He… really was telling the truth back then, huh? He’s really not here willingly…” she whispers to herself before heading back into her home.

She isn’t sure how she should feel about Zane Ro’meave, but something in her tells her he isn’t the one she needs to be worried about. It’s the man puppeteering the High Priest of O’khasis she needs to be concerned with.

Aphmau stares at her home, which is currently under construction and moving along rather quickly. KC wasn’t lying when she said she knew what she was doing and having Brendan around makes the work go faster. Levin is outside with Zoey, playing in his fenced-in playground, using some toy tools Brendan brought for him. They’re all soft toys, so there’s no danger, and Levin is enjoying hitting sticks with his little hammer.

“Whatcha think so far?” KC suddenly asks Aphmau, standing next to her in overalls and a pink shirt. Her usual dresses weren’t going to cut it for such a manual job.

“It looks wonderful! I can’t wait to see it done,” Aphmau smiles.

“I can’t wait either! If Brendan and I work all day today, we should finish either tomorrow or the day after. It depends how far we get today. We won’t touch your basement much, as it’s already in good condition, but we might expand the rooms a little.”

“I have no objections to that,” Aphmau states, glancing toward town.

“You go do your rounds! Today’s been pretty quiet so far,” Kawaii-chan dismisses her with a grin. “Go take a look at the finished barn and stuff! I think Kiki is already moving her animals over there.”

“I will, then,” Aphmau nods before looking toward Zoey. “Zoey! Do you got Levin for a bit while I go do my rounds?”

Zoey smiles and nods. “Of course! Do what you have to, Aphmau!”

“Alright, I’ll come back later and give you a break! You’ve been watching him so much lately, I feel bad. I’m supposed to be his mom yet I’m always busy.”

“You’re a Lord, Aphmau. Busy is in your job description. I don’t mind, either! I love watching Levin,” Zoey giggles.

Aphmau nods and waves bye to everyone, gives Levin a kiss on his head (he says “bye, mama” as she does so), and then heads off toward town. Aphmau says hellos to everyone, as usual, sometimes sticking around for a quick conversation or helping with something before moving on. As she leaves Emmalyn’s house, Aphmau spots Brian coming out of the woods, something following him.

“Brian? What’s that?” Aphmau asks him and he looks at her.

Brian smiles awkwardly and steps aside, showing a grey dog following him. “Uh… I found a dog in the woods. Or, well, more like he found me. He won’t stop following me. He seems fine but I was going to take him to Kiki for a checkup.”

“Oh! How lovely! Do you plan on keeping him?” Aphmau asks with a bright smile.

“Yeah, I was thinking about it. I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to have a guard dog among our ranks, right?”

“Not at all! I think it’s a splendid idea. I was about to head over and see Kiki, if you’d like to go with me,” Aphmau suggests.

“If you don’t mind, I’d love to join you. I’ve been wanting to see the new barn up close, anyway,” Brian beams, following her toward the barn.

They talk a little, mostly about Brian’s baby sister or his work, and the dog follows them quietly the whole way. When they arrive, Kiki greets them with a big grin, and Brian explains the dog situation to her. She takes the dog and disappears to do a check-up, leaving Aphmau with Brian.

“You know, my dad’s cut back a little on drinking lately,” Brian suddenly says.

“Really? He has appeared to be more of a sound mind, lately,” Aphmau hums.

“Mom and I think it’s because of my baby sister. He doesn’t want her to see him drunk all the time. I like seeing him sober, too. He’s way smarter when not piss-drunk,” Brian laughs.

“Have you ever had a drink, Brian?” Aphmau asks.

He shakes his head. “No. I’m of age to drink but I’ve never had alcohol before. I don’t wanna end up with a problem like my dad. Stuff like that can run in families. What about you, My Lord?”

“I did, once. At Donna and Logan’s wedding. It… didn’t taste great, so I didn’t finish a cup, but it didn’t do much to me. Even Garroth was surprised it had no effect.”

“It’s likely you just have a high alcohol tolerance. Some people aren’t affected as quickly or harshly as others.”

“Mm, maybe. I don’t know if that was actually my first drink, as my memories are still…”

“Fractured?”

“Yeah, that. But I like to consider it my first drink. I’ve been experiencing a lot of firsts since coming to town. I like it.”

Brian smiles at her. “I’m glad we’ve all been able to do that for you, Lord Aphmau. We all enjoy having you in town. You’ve made our lives more exciting. I think everyone was bored and depressed before you showed up, even before Lord Malik died. He… wasn’t the greatest, a bit brass and not nearly as friendly as you, but he did his job well. You actually make Phoenix Drop feel like… a community, you know? You bring us together.”

“Where’d you learn such flattery, Brian? I refuse to believe it’s from your dad,” Aphmau asks playfully.

Brian’s face turns red. “C’mon, do you have to tease me when I’m being serious?”

Aphmau giggles. “Sorry, sorry. I appreciate your words, Brian. I really do. Sometimes I think that… I don’t have much purpose here in town. Everything I know are skills I learned from others or by reading. Anyone else could do the work I do, but if everyone is happy with what I’m doing, then I’m also happy.”

Brian gently pushes her shoulder with his fist, a friendly touch he does with other guards. “Hey, don’t sell yourself short. We’d still be in the midst of a food shortage if it weren’t for you. Not to mention providing Levin a safe place to grow up, growing our town just by being yourself, and heck, introducing Donna the Man-Gawker to her husband! I don’t think anybody else could do all that.”

Aphmau smiles at him and does the shoulder push he did to her right back. “Thanks, Brian. I think I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, Lord Aphmau.”

“Brian, Aphmau,” Kiki speaks, walking back over with the dog following her. “Good news! The dog that followed you, Brian, is perfectly healthy! Maybe a little underweight but not severely!”

“Great! I was worried something was wrong and I didn’t notice, so I wanted you to take a look at him,” Brian beams, bending down and petting the dog.

Kiki smiles. “That was a good idea. He’s healthy so he’s free to be kept as a pet, if you’d like.”

“I think I will! I need my mom’s permission since I still live at home, but I don’t think she’ll object. She’s always kinda wanted a dog, anyway,” Brian chuckles.

“Oh! Aphmau, while you’re here, I wanted to ask if we can do the baby shower tomorrow night!” Kiki asks with a grin.

“Sure! I still have stuff left over from the one you threw for Levin, so I’ll bring it over tomorrow and help you set up,” Aphmau nods.

Kiki squeals. “Yes! I’ll see you tomorrow, then!”

Aphmau waves bye and leaves with Brian, eventually splitting off from him and saying bye before heading back toward her house to relieve Zoey of Levin Duty. Tomorrow is the baby shower for Alexis and Aphmau’s excited to see how it goes, knowing everyone in town will be there now that they have the space to hold a big party.

Yet as she spots her house and smiles at Levin’s excited face, she can’t help but feel something dark lurks on the horizon, waiting the change everything more drastically than it has ever been changed.

Chapter Text

Aphmau blinks at her new house. Kawaii-chan… had been serious when she said it could be done tomorrow. Her home is like Kawaii-chan’s striped walls on the outside, though instead of pink and white, her home is purple and white. There’s a second story with a room for Levin and a room for Aphmau herself, the main floor is the kitchen/dining room/living room, and the basement’s rooms have been expanded.

“Sooo? Do you like it?” KC asks Aphmau, looking a little nervous. She knows her style doesn’t fit everyone but it’s what she’s most used to using.

“Like it?” Aphmau questions, turning to face KC as a bright smile crosses her face. “I love it! It’s perfect, Kawaii-chan! Thank you so much!”

Kawaii-chan smiles brightly. “Eee! I’m so happy you love it! I and Brendan moved everything into their respective rooms for you, but you’ve got a ton more space now! I’ll leave decorating up to you, though!”

Aphmau nods and then remembers something. “Oh right! A baby shower for Molly’s little girl is today! We’re all gathering at Kiki’s barn tonight to celebrate! You don’t have to attend, but I think Molly and Dale would appreciate it,” she explains.

“A baby shower? Count me in! Should I bring some sweets?” Kawaii-chan asks excitedly.

“You can if you’d like,” Aphmau nods.

“Perfect! I’ll whip up some tasty treats! Anyway, since I’m done here, I’m gonna head back home and conk out for a bit!”

“Of course, you go rest. Thank you so much, Kawaii-chan,” Aphmau pats her head.

“Daw, no problem! I was happy to do it!” Kawaii-chan fiddles in place, overcome by happiness.

She heads off moments later, Brendan following her saying he is gonna get to work on the fields for a bit before also taking a nap. Aphmau turns to her house and walks in, looking around. In the living room, Zoey is in the main kitchen, looking excited, while Levin sits on the ground stacking colorful blocks.

“There’s so much space for cooking!” Zoey says happily. “I can’t wait to start making bigger meals here!”

“And I look forward to sampling them!” Aphmau giggles.

Zoey turns to face her. “Oh! I also heard about the baby shower! Kiki told me yesterday while I was out with Levin. I was thinking… maybe we should have Laurence go. He should get out. Staying in the basement all the time will deteriorate his mental health more than it’ll help.”

“I had been just thinking about that but I’m not sure he’ll agree to go. I won’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to,” Aphmau says softly.

Zoey smiles a little. “I think he’ll agree to go if you ask him to, Aphmau. You have a way of making it hard to refuse your requests.”

“Then I’ll give it a shot! Is he awake?”

“Mhm. He’s been staying awake longer lately. He’s not as sleepy and his pain seems to be minimal. It used to range around a 7 or 8 on a 1 to 10 scale but he’s been saying it’s near a 4 or 5. Not to mention his wounds are looking wonderful healing-wise. He’s recovering quickly, but he still shouldn’t walk by himself. He’ll need support from a person or cane, which I’ve got one he can borrow.”

“Well, that’s good. I’ll go see him now and see how he feels about getting out and about later today.”

Zoey nods. “Alright. I’ll be keeping an eye on Levin here. Might take him outside soon to play in the sandbox. He loves that thing!”

Aphmau chuckles and nods in agreement before heading downstairs. She opens the door that leads to what had once been Levin’s room, looking around. The room is much larger now, expanded enough that there is now a window looking out over the sea in the hillside. Laurence’s bed is in the corner, along with a dresser and a small table that has a basin of water on it, with a dry towel sitting next to it. In front of the window is another small table and two chairs facing one another. Laurence is sitting in one, looking out the window blankly.

“Hello Laurence,” Aphmau greets him happily, walking over to the empty chair and sitting down.

A smile crosses his face instantly and his head turns to look at her. She’ll never get used to seeing his once gorgeous green eyes now being nothing but milky white.

“Aphmau. Good afternoon. It is afternoon, yes? I’m not screwing up my time counting, am I?” Laurence asks.

“No, you’re correct. It’s the afternoon,” she laughs.

“Good, good. Glad to know my sense of time isn’t messed up after being in the Shadow Abyss for so long. Anyway, what’s up? Is it lunchtime?”

“No, not yet. I wanted to tell you that there’s going to be a baby shower tonight in Kiki’s barn for Molly and Dale’s new baby, Alexis.”

Laurence’s eyes widen slightly. “Oh! I see. So you’ll all be out, huh? Well, give those two my greetings for me,” he smiles.

Aphmau blinks. “Uh, well, um…”

“What is it?”

“I… was hoping you might join us. For the shower.”

Laurence’s expression becomes nervous and he looks down at the table. “I… I don’t think that’s a good idea, Aph. I’m not exactly the most uh… “fun” person to be around right now.”

Aphmau sighs, gently grabbing his hands. “You can’t stay cooped up in here forever, Laurence. It’s not good for you. Besides, who says you aren’t fun to be around right now? You crack jokes all the time and play with Levin constantly even though you can’t see him.”

“He mostly just hands me blocks. I don’t even know why, he just kinda does then take them away again,” Laurence mutters. “And even if I am okay to be around, I doubt I look even close to presentable. My roots are showing, I have to wear bland, easy-to-remove clothing so you guys can access my bandages, and not to mention the whole… covered in scars thing. Some have healed enough they don’t need bandages but… they aren’t pretty to see, I think.”

Aphmau hums. “Well, we can always do something about your roots showing and I’m positive we can find something easy to wear that still looks nice for you. As for the scars…” Aphmau brings his hands to her face, letting him feel the few scars that have accumulated there. “I have a few myself. If anyone in town was bothered by scars, I think I’d be the first to know.”

Laurence falls quiet, contemplating the pros and cons of going, before sighing and smiling a little at Aphmau. “Alright, alright, you win. I’ll go if only to get you off my case about getting out more. But if this shower goes poorly because of me, I’m putting all the blame on you.”

“And I will take responsibility! Thank you, Laurence. You’ll have fun!” Aphmau giggles. “Now, to get Cadenza and ask her for help with your clothing situation and maybe your hair. She seems like the person who’d know what to do in those cases.”

“Did somebody say my name?” Cadenza’s cheerful voice calls and both Aphmau and Laurence look in the direction of the door.

There, in one of her usual beautiful gowns and perfect hair, is Cadenza, smiling widely. She strides over, patting Laurence on the head. “I heard most of the conversation. At least the end bit! You wanna fix your hair and clothes for the party, right?” She asks her brother.

“Yeah, Aphmau’s rather insistent that I go with her to the shower, so I might as well look normal for it,” Laurence chuckles.

“Of course, you gotta look your best for you debut outside! What were you thinking? Cutting, dyeing? Both?”

Laurence hums. “Actually, I want to keep my hair long,” he says and Aphmau doesn’t miss how he very slightly glances at her. “But I do want to go back to brown. Maybe keep some orange near the bottom?”

Cadenza nods along. “You got it! As for clothes, I actually have some stuff ready! I figured something like this would happen, so I started sewing right away after I left our first visit!” She states before turning to face Aphmau. “I can handle Laurence here! I’ll have him ready for the shower in time, I promise, but it’s gonna take some time. You might wanna do something in the meantime. It’s gonna get boring fast.”

“It’s literally me sitting in a chair for two hours trying to not move,” Laurence groans. “I remember how bad it was when you dyed it orange in the first place…”

“Shush! It wasn’t that bad! But yeah, he’s got a point. It’s a long process, so you don’t wanna be here for it,” Cadenza chuckles.

“Alright, then I’ll leave Laurence in your capable hands, Cadenza,” Aphmau grins, ignoring Laurence snorting at Cadenza being called capable. “I should do my rounds anyway. I was too busy to this morning, so I need to get it done now.”

“Go on then! Your people need ya!” Cadenza shoos her out the door of Laurence’s room. “You’ll love his new look once I’m done, I swear! See you at the shower!”

Aphmau nods and waves goodbye before leaving the house and heading into town. She first passes Brian and the newest recruit to their guard squad, Greywind the dog, who had quickly learned tricks and protection behavior not long after being cleared as healthy by Kiki. Now loyal solely to Brian, Greywind only leaves his side if commanded to. She only gives Brian a quick hello so as not to distract him from his work and pats Greywind on the head before continuing through town.

Stepping into the plaza, Aphmau spots Garroth observing the surroundings, making sure everything is still as it was the day before, as he is prone to do. He endlessly worries and while it makes Aphmau concerned about him, she has never said anything about the behavior.

“Good afternoon, Garroth,” Aphmau chirps and her guard turns to face her.

“Hello, Lord Aphmau,” Garroth greets.

“Garroth, what have I said multiple times before?” Aphmau narrows her eyes a little.

Garroth goes stiff for a moment before looking down a bit. “Sorry, I mean, hello, Aphmau.”

Aphmau smiles brightly. “There we go! Much better. How are you today?” She asks him.

“Relatively well, all things considered. I… do have some news to share with you,” he begins. “I’m not quite sure if it’s a blessing or a problem, but Zane nor his guards have been seen all day. If we don’t see him in 24 hours since the last sighting by anyone in town, we are permitted to break down the door of the home he is residing in to check on his safety.”

“Why would that be a problem? Perhaps he finally gave up and left.”

Garroth sighs. “I hope it is that as well, but knowing Zane… I doubt he’s left town. Whatever he’s hiding, whatever is going on in that house… it can’t be good, Aphmau. I’m simply concerned for everyone’s safety.”

Aphmau nods a bit then pats his shoulder comfortingly. “I’m sure it’ll be okay! We’ve yet to face anything we weren’t able to handle the aftermath of! But just in case, I’ll ask Brian or Dale later to keep an eye on the house. We may not be able to see inside but you never know if Zane or one of his guards will move the curtains slightly if they’re inside.”

“Understood. Thank you, Aphmau, for taking my concerns so seriously. Most would have called me paranoid,” Garroth states, looking more relaxed.

“No need to thank me, Garroth. I trust your instincts more than anything. If something feels off to you, then it probably is. I’ll always back you up!”

Garroth looks away a bit and clears his throat. “A-Anyway, have you come up with any other ways to get Zane off my back about… returning home? I haven’t been able to think of anything since we last spoke on it.”

Aphmau’s smile wanes slightly but remains. “No… I haven’t. Nothing I think of seems plausible enough to make him leave you alone, if only for a bit to buy us more time. The only option we have right now is faking you having a lover or being married.”

“I feared you’d say that… but I’ll try and think of something else. I still want that to be a last-ditch effort. I refuse to put anyone else in danger because of my rash actions catching up with me,” he states.

Aphmau doesn’t speak for a moment but then nods, deciding to change the subject again. “Laurence agreed to come to the baby shower tonight. Cadenza is currently working on making him more… presentable, he said. Would you like to wait for him with me later? It might bring him comfort knowing a guard is nearby when he steps out of the basement for the first time.”

“Of course. I’ll make sure to be there. Shall we meet by the four-way? Where the well used to be before you moved it?”

“Sure!”

Aphmau can’t see it but she knows Garroth is smiling at her as he speaks again. “Perfect. I’ll see you then, Aphmau. I should get back to work. I’ve lingered here too long.”

“Alright, don’t work yourself too hard. I’ll see you later!”

Garroth bows to her before leaving the plaza, returning to his normal patrol route. Aphmau, meanwhile, continues walking through town to see everyone. Molly is in her garden (a small area fenced in around her home only accessible via a door inside the home) stringing up laundry while Alexis gets some tummy time on a blanket set on the grass. Dale is taking his break before his next patrol so Aphmau doesn’t visit him, deciding she’ll see him later anyway.

Emma and Emmalyn are talking outside Emma’s temporary home about this and that, only pausing their conversation to say hello to Aphmau. Kyle, sitting on his mother’s lap, only babbles at Aphmau before blowing spit bubbles everywhere. Aphmau smiles at him and then continues, waving hello to Brendan working in the fields (wheat is nearly ready to harvest) and then heading to Kiki’s barn to help finish setting everything up for the baby shower.

The sky is dark and the stars are out, a crescent moon hanging high above everyone. Aphmau looks around as the party slowly begins, everyone mingling together or getting food at the snack bar (set up by Zoey and Kawaii-chan). Levin, Kyle, and Alexis are sat in a circle, babbling to one another in their incoherent baby speech, with Levin being the only one among them capable of saying anything. Even then, his words are limited to mama, dada, hi, bye, and no. Maybe the rare, occasional “love you” that he butchers pretty badly but is even more adorable because of it.

As she watches the party, she notices how one of Zane’s guards breaks away from him and the other guards, walking up to Molly and Dale, and handing them a wrapped present. Aphmau can’t hear them speaking but she believes the guard delivered a present from the High Priest to them. Looking toward Zane, Aphmau is surprised to see he looks… fearful. The look is barely there a couple of moments before disappearing, but the sight alone has Aphmau worried.

Zane and his guards walk outside and Aphmau watches as a necklace is pulled out of the packaging Molly and Dale had been given. It’s made of gold with red gemstones, shining beautifully as it catches the firelight. Molly and Dale look happy about it but a sick, twisted feeling churns inside Aphmau as she stares at the necklace.

“What was that about?” Garroth’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts.

“I don’t know. I’ll… go ask,” Aphmau mumbles, turning to follow Zane and his guards outside while Garroth watches, unsure of what he should do.

As Aphmau walks up to Zane, he turns to face her, tilting his head. “Lord Aphmau. What brings you outside?” He questions.

“I wished to ask you something, while we are… somewhat alone,” Aphmau states. “Where did you get that necklace? I had not known you brought such a thing with you. You had very little belongings when you arrived, after all.”

“Is that suspicion I hear? How upsetting it is to find out how little you trust me,” Zane says sarcastically. “But if I must answer your question, it had been bought on the road here. I simply took an interest in it but realized yesterday I would likely never wear it. I thought a young girl may enjoy it when they’re older, though, so I decided to give it to Lady Molly and Sir Dale for their daughter.”

“I see. Thank you for explaining that to me,” Aphmau responds, bowing her head slightly. She knows her manners and also knows better than to be too outwardly hostile in front of Zane’s guards.

“Now, let me ask you something, Lord Aphmau. Have you and my brother given any more thought to my… request of bringing him home?” Zane inquires.

Aphmau’s face never shifts from her smile but under it hides distaste and uncertainty. With Zane asking such a question, she has no option other than to give him an actual answer. She has to lie to him.

“About that. See, me and Garroth had not mentioned anything before, simply because he didn’t wish to share this information with you. Or, well, anyone really. But we both came to an agreement that you should be made aware of the situation,” Aphmau begins, choosing her words carefully. She has to make this believable. “Garroth cannot marry the daughter of the Lord of Scaleswind because he is already married. It is only a recent marriage, as of the past few months, but he is spoken for.”

The surprise that flitters across Zane’s face is obvious and even his guards stumble a little at hearing Aphmau’s words. Zane takes a moment to compose himself, shaking away his surprise.

“He… is married?” Zane says slowly.

“Yes.”

“I see. Well, answer me this, Lord Aphmau. If Garroth is truly married, then surely I’d have seen him with his partner often, yes? But oh, you’ve been the only one constantly around him, especially at Lady Donna and Sir Logan’s wedding,” Zane says quickly.

Aphmau, despite her usually slow uptake, understands what he’s insinuating. Yet, she does not hesitate and does not falter. “Ah, I see where the confusion begins, High Priest Zane. I am not Garroth’s beloved, simply his Lord. I have been with him lately because he has had many worries on his mind, worries that have resulted in him being less aware than normal. I am simply concerned for him, so I have kept close by to ensure he is alright.”

Zane, not having expected her to retain her cool head, stumbles a bit over his next words. “T-then where is his beloved? Surely they’re in town?”

“Oh yes, they’re here. They are simply running late. They haven’t seen one another in some time, as they used to live in different towns. Long distance and such. Now that they can be close again, however, his partner wishes to make themself look as nice as possible,” Aphmau’s smile stretches.

Zane doesn’t seem to know how to respond so he just clears his throat, deciding he should just change the subject slightly. “Well, I certainly look forward to meeting my… dear brother’s lover. I trust you’ll introduce us when they arrive?”

“Of course. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should go check on them,” Aphmau bows her head again, turns toward the barn, and motions for Garroth who is standing inside watching them to follow her.

Without waiting for Zane to say anything, Aphmau begins walking toward town, Garroth hurrying out of the barn to follow after her as she had silently commanded. Once out of earshot of Zane, Aphmau quickly relays the lie she had to tell Zane to Garroth, letting him know using her as an option for his pretend wife is now off the table. Garroth is simply happy that Aphmau managed to avoid letting Zane in on the lie for the time being. Now, though, they have to figure out someone who can play the part and will be a good actor. That… will be difficult.

“Oh, there’s Cadenza,” Garroth breaks them both out of their worries, spotting the redhead up ahead at the four-way.

“Cadenza! Finally done?” Aphmau asks, her usual true smile (not the fake she often puts on when stressed) coming to the surface.

“Yup! I’d like to introduce you two to the new/old Laurence!” Cadenza gleefully says.

From behind, Laurence walks up, looking unsure as he’s moving slowly to make sure he doesn’t trip and fall since he isn’t as used to Phoenix Drop’s layout as everyone else, so he has no clue where there are steps or flat roads.

Laurence looks very different than before. His hair, once a full ombre of red and orange like Cadenza’s hair, is now mainly brown with only the ombre near the ends, tied up in a braided bun. A golden hair comb with emeralds decorating it is stuck in the top of the bun, adding a glittering touch to the new hairstyle that will probably only last tonight. The plain shirt and pants he had been wearing before have been replaced with a white undershirt with puffy sleeves ending near his elbows, a light green vest with golden clasps, dark green pants, and brown boots. Golden accents litter his clothes, either as jewelry (dangling earrings, bracelets, and a single ring on his right ring finger) or decoration as part of the outfit, like on his shirt where the gold acts like the wrists of his shirt instead of normal fabric. He has a wooden cane in one hand to help keep him upright as he walks.

“You did not just call me old , Cadenza,” Laurence says, looking unimpressed.

“You are, though,” she playfully retorts.

“I’m 29! I’m not that old!”

“Positively ancient,” Cadenza shakes her head. “You’re nearly 30 while I’m only 26.”

“Nearly 27,” Laurence mocks.

“I am going to ignore that because I love you,” Cadenza boops him on the nose and turns to face Garroth and Aphmau. “I’m gonna leave him with you! I wanna get my party on while there’s still time!” She giggles.

Without another word, Cadenza rushes off toward the barn, looking rather proud of herself. Aphmau blinks for a moment before smiling at Laurence.

“You look wonderful!” She says kindly.

“Do I? She didn’t dye my hair blue, did she? She kept making ice puns while doing the process…” Laurence mumbles.

“You are blue-head free,” Garroth answers with a chuckle. “But Lady Aphmau is right. You look very nice. Far better than you have these past few days, at the least. More energy to you.”

“Well, aren’t you sweet?” Laurence teases. “Anyway, which one of you is gonna help me to this dang party. Cadenza just made me follow her voice and I ran into so many things on the way. I’m not doing that again,” he asks.

“I’ll assist, do not worry,” Garroth says, gently taking Laurence’s hand so he can lead him safely toward the barn.

They, however, do not get to move even a step before all four of Zane’s guards are standing before them, blocking their path. All of them have their weapons drawn, with Zane standing behind them. Aphmau automatically steps closer to Garroth, who is standing between her and Laurence, expecting them to be there for him.

They are not.

“Lord Aphmau of Phoenix Drop, you are hereby under arrest for attempting to sabotage attempts to stop the approaching war between O’khasis and Scaleswind, a war that would endanger the entire region,” one of the guards proclaims.

Aphmau knows Garroth is about to speak, so Aphmau raises one of her hands to silence him, before staring directly at the guard, unfazed, as she reaches into her pocket quietly, thankful she’s standing a bit behind Garroth so her actions are hidden.

“I fear I do not understand. You must forgive me, sometimes I am clueless. Care to explain how you got to this conclusion?” Aphmau asks, quietly passing the ring in her pocket to Garroth’s free hand. She is glad he understands instantly, able to slip the ring on his finger without drawing attention.

“Everyone else has been accounted for at the party, save for Lady Donna and Sir Logan. I just met with Lady Cadenza, the only woman here who could possibly be my dear brother’s beloved, and yet when I asked, she said she wasn’t,” Zane says. “So clearly, you lied to keep Garroth here and away from completing his duty as first-born to O’khasis.”

Aphmau smiles a little wider. There is only one option now. She just hopes Laurence is quick on the uptake and a good actor.

“You misunderstand, High Priest. I should have been more specific earlier but I did not think it needed. I thought you’d consider all options but it seems you stuck with women,” Aphmau says quickly. “I had not meant to give the impression that Cadenza was Garroth’s wife. I was in fact speaking of Laurence. He is Garroth’s husband .”

Zane’s eye widens considerably and many of the guards fumble, one even dropping their sword in shock. However, Aphmau’s words enrage the guard who had first told her she was under arrest and he steps closer, looking pissed.

“You insolent woman! If you think we’d believe such an obvious lie, you are-” he begins shouting but is cut off with surprise by what he sees.

Laurence has wrapped his arm around Garroth’s, his body leaning forward as his other hand has gently raised Garroth’s helmet on one side to expose his cheek. Laurence places a kiss on the scarred flesh before letting the helmet fall back into place.

“Darling, they’re quite loud, aren’t they? I can understand the uncertainty, though. Couples like us aren’t commonplace, sadly enough,” Laurence coos, his adoring smile so very natural and his loving tone obvious as he looks toward the knights, raising his right hand to show off his ring. “If you lot want more proof than that, then I can fetch the letters we’ve sent back and forth for some time, but they do get a bit… explicit at times. If you are fine with that, then I am more than happy to lend them to you for you to examine.”

Aphmau notes how all of the guards turn red, either from embarrassment or rage. Zane… is trying to muffle a laugh while eyes aren’t on him and struggling quite hard. When nothing else is said, Laurence pouts a bit, looking up at Garroth again.

“Can we go, dear? I am famished and I was promised a good meal at this baby shower. I can smell the food from here,” Laurence asks.

To Aphmau’s surprise, Garroth places his hand (the one that has Aphmau’s ring on it) on Laurence’s cheek tenderly, stroking the tanned skin with such love that Aphmau herself could easily believe they’re truly a couple.

“Of course, my sweet. You deserve a nice hearty dinner after everything you’ve been through. Shall I feed your meal to you again?” Garroth asks.

“My, how can I say no to that?” Laurence questions playfully, his blinded eyes glancing in the general direction of the guards. “May we go already?”

One of the guards opens their mouth to speak and tell them no but is silenced when Zane puts up his hand. “Of course. I deeply apologize for this misunderstanding. You lovebirds go right on ahead,” Zane says, stepping aside.

His guards can do nothing but mimic him, stepping aside as Garroth and Laurence walk past, arm in arm, continuing their incredibly convincing act. Aphmau lingers behind a bit longer, her gaze shifting from her retreating friend and guard to Zane and his knights.

“I hope this has taught everyone here a lesson about jumping to conclusions,” Aphmau chirps.

“It has indeed, Lord Aphmau. I will make sure to cover all options next time such a thing occurs,” Zane says in faux-kindness.

Aphmau’s smile stretches and she nods, walking past them without a word to catch up with Garroth and Laurence. She walks on the other side of Garroth, keeping an eye on Zane and his guards as they walk toward their current place of rest. Once she is sure they won’t see anything, Aphmau speaks up.

“They’re gone. You’re safe,” she states.

Both Garroth and Laurence instantly sigh, their bodies relaxing as Laurence releases Garroth’s arm though continues holding his hand.

“Thank the six… I didn’t know how long I could do that in a convincing manner,” Laurence groans before looking up at Garroth. “Sorry about that, big guy. I had to do somethin’ to get them off your back.”

“No, don’t apologize,” Garroth says quickly. “Thank you very much, Laurence. You’ve saved my hide. Now I won’t have to be forced to marry anyone.”

Laurence grins. “No problem. I’m happy to be your fake husband any time as long as it keeps everyone safe. I wasn’t lying when I said I was hungry, though,” he states and on cue, his stomach growls loudly.

Aphmau giggles. “Then let’s get you some food! Zoey made a whole turkey!” She cheers.

“Aphmau, you literally ate your body weight in food not even five minutes ago. How are you still hungry?” Garroth blanks, continuing to lead Laurence to the party.

Aphmau shrugs. “Dunno, but I am! We’ll have leftovers either way! I’m getting my fill while I can!”

“She is one bottomless pit, huh?” Laurence chimes.

Garroth sighs. “Indeed she is. She could eat our entire food supply if we let her.”

Laurence starts laughing and Garroth ends up joining in, quieter but still audible. Aphmau smiles at them, glad they’re getting along so well. She hopes they continue to get along so well.

It’s late, the baby shower has long been over and everyone is in bed, save for Garroth who took over the night shift. Aphmau, however, is still awake, lying in bed with a bad feeling keeping her up. Something has felt off ever since she saw that necklace and no matter what she’s tried, she can’t shake the feeling stirring in her gut that something is about to go horribly wrong. Sighing, Aphmau gets out of bed and lights a lamp, making her way downstairs in the dark. As she enters the main floor, she notes something on the floor near the front door.

It’s a piece of paper, folded up and seemingly been pushed under the door. Whoever put it there must be long gone but it doesn’t bode well. If anyone in town needed to tell her something this late, they would have walked in and gotten her. She leaves her door unlocked for that specific purpose. Picking it up, Aphmau sets her lamp down and opens up the paper. Curling, intricate words written in black ink meet her eyes.

Get that necklace away from the child.

Under the rug, hidden entrance. Take it.

I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop him.

Aphmau’s heart drops, fear coursing through her body. “Alexis-” She begins speaking but pain shoots through her, making her cry out as she crumples to the floor. It’s a similar feeling to the one she got when Laurence came back to the overworld. Weaker but far too similar.

Aphmau hears loud noises from the basement and moments later, Zoey comes rushing upstairs with a panicked Laurence in her grasp, leaning on her for support. Laurence looks terrified, a cold sweat beading across his skin.

“Aphmau! Something’s wrong! I-” Laurence begins speaking.

“I-I know! I felt it,” Aphmau cuts him off, struggling to her feet as she grabs her slippers. “It’s Alexis! Something happened to Alexis! Zoey, I’m heading into town! Keep Laurence and Levin safe!”

Zoey looks panicked and unsure but nods. “O-Okay. Aphmau, be safe! I beg of you!”

Aphmau rushes out of the house, stumbling down the stairs into town. Lamplight floods the once-dark town, showing the inhabitants are now wide awake. Aphmau notes the animals running rampant, seemingly having forced their way out of the barn, and Aphmau can see Kiki near the barn trying to rally them back. She has no time to help, continuing forward toward Dale and Molly’s home. Aphmau comes to a halt outside their home, her eyes wide in horror.

Bursting out of the second story of their home, right where Alexis’s crib would be inside, is purple and black rock, shimmering and bright like a beacon. It’s exuding something not exactly dark but definitely not of this world, a sort of magic no one should be able to see and should never touch a living thing. Brian is outside with Greywind, staring in shock and fear at the rock. His head turns toward Aphmau and tears spring to his eyes as he grabs at her nightgown.

“Aphmau! Please, help Alexis!” He sobs. “Help my sister!”

Aphmau stares at him and then pushes away from him, rushing into the house and up the stairs where she finds Molly sobbing on the ground holding a doll belonging to Alexis and Dale hitting the rock with his sword, trying to break it.

“Alexis, don’t worry princess, daddy’s going to get you out of there!” Dale cries as he again attempts to stab his sword into the rock. The sword makes no dent.

“Aphmau! That rock engulfed Alexis! What do I do?! My baby!” Molly sobs.

Aphmau rushes forward and tries hitting the rock with her hands, clawing at it for she left her sword at the house in her frenzy to get here. The rock refuses to give way to either her or Dale’s attempts and panic begins filling Aphmau’s body.

“ She’s not there… the plaza… go… ” A sudden voice whispers as if next to Aphmau’s ear, making her turn her head. No one is next to her and neither Molly nor Dale show they heard it.

Aphmau doesn’t question anything, standing up and rushing back down the stairs and out of the house, looking over her shoulder at Brain. “Brian! Get Garroth!” She calls.

She doesn’t continue looking to see if he heard her or is doing as she instructed, continuing toward the plaza as the voice told her to. The closer she gets, the more of that purple and black rock appears, covering the path and part of the grass nearby until none of the cobblestone that once existed remains in its wake. The plaza is the worst. Not a single thing is spared, all covered in that same rock. A cragged cave-like formation sits near the back of the plaza where Aphmau spots an alter of sorts, along with one of Zane’s guards who holds the necklace in hand, and Alexis, lying asleep on the alter.

Aphmau recognizes the guard as the one who gave the necklace to Dale and Molly at the shower and rage boils Aphmau’s blood as she glares. Aphmau moves to step closer but pauses when the guard speaks.

“Not another step closer, you witch,” the guard hisses. “I am sick and tired of letting you get away with your mind games and clever schemes. You may have fooled the High Priest, that incompetent idiot, but I will not let my Lord down! You are going to wish you never messed with the Lord of O’khasis and his wishes!” He shouts.

The necklace the guard had given to Dale and Molly for Alexis glows in his hand, a bright, flashing light blinding Aphmau momentarily. When her eyes readjust, Aphmau steps back in horror. Where there had once been an infant now stands a fully grown woman, wearing Shadow Knight armor and exuding the energy of one, wielding a blood-red sword. Alexis’s eyes are blood-red, clouded, and unfocused as her head lolls to one side.

“What have you done…” Aphmau murmurs.

“Kill her,” the guard orders and Alexis’s body lurches forward, rushing toward Aphmau.

“Alexis!-” Aphmau shouts and Alexis’s sword cuts into her chest, tearing a wound into her right breast. Out of the corner of her eye, Aphmau sees the guard running into the woods, planning to escape during the fight. “Alexis! Please!” Aphmau begs the once-young girl as she tries to sidestep and keep her distance. She can’t hurt Alexis, she can’t.

Alexis doesn’t answer or show she heard Aphmau, though. She continues striking with her sword. Two more deep, jagged cuts are sliced into Aphmau’s flesh, one on her right thigh and one on the left side of her naval. Aphmau manages to grab Alexis’s wrist, keeping it upright where it can’t swing the sword, and she puts pressure on it so the sword drops from her grasp onto the ground. Alexis’s other hand grabs Aphmau’s throat, beginning to squeeze, but Aphmau doesn’t let go even as her air supply begins to dwindle.

“Alex… is…” Aphmau wheezes, managing to remove the helmet on Alexis’s head, it clattering to the ground.

“Aphmau!” A voice calls out and both Aphmau and Alexis look toward the source. Molly is standing near the entrance to the plaza, looking terrified.

Aphmau opens her mouth to try and tell Molly to run, that it’s too dangerous for her to be here, but no words escape, cut off thanks to the pressure on her throat. Alexis is staring at Molly, seemingly transfixed, and suddenly she releases Aphmau, dropping her. Aphmau, unprepared for being released, crumples to the ground gasping for air as she stares at Alexis.

Alexis moves toward Molly, who doesn’t run and stares at Alexis with wide eyes. Instead of attacking, Alexis raises her hands and holds Molly’s face in her hands, her red eyes beginning to turn magenta, becoming heavy.

“M-Mama?” Alexis murmurs before her eyes fall closed and she begins falling backward.

Aphmau lurches forward, catching Alexis in her arms and lowering her to the ground gently. Aphmau feels her neck, breathing a sigh of relief when she feels a pulse. She’s just asleep, not dead, but she’s still an adult.

“A-Aphmau? Why did this woman call me mama?” Molly asks, staring at her Lord who is bleeding and bruised.

“Because this is Alexis,” Aphmau responds. “That necklace cursed her. Turned her into this…”

Tears build in Molly’s eyes as she kneels on the ground, cradling Alexis’s head in her hands, running her thumb over her cheek. “Oh, my sweet little girl… what have they done to you?” Molly sobs.

“Lord Aphmau!” Garroth’s voice calls and he arrives with Dale and Brian.

“Garroth,” Aphmau smiles at him. “Good, you’re here. Take Alexis to my home and have Zoey examine her. I’ll explain what happened in a moment, but we have other matters to tend to. Once Alexis is with Zoey, we’re breaking into the farmhouse. I need to take care of something, so I’ll meet up with you,” she states, standing up and picking up the discarded sword Alexis had been using.

Garroth wants to ask what happened to Alexis and what is covering the town, but he can see the rage in Aphmau’s eyes that she’s barely concealing. So, he nods and picks up Alexis, motioning for Molly to follow him before hurrying off with Dale, Brian, and Molly following him. Aphmau heads into the forest instead of deeper into town, following the direction that the guard had run. There is only so far he could have gotten in that armor and the woods around Phoenix Drop are Aphmau’s playground. If anyone will find it, it’ll be her.

Aphmau’s face twists into one of rage, an expression she had been hiding from the others to not worry them, and her hand tightens around the handle of the sword. “You will pay for this,” she says to herself, disappearing into the overgrowth.

Garroth paces outside the farmhouse nervously, Brian nearby with Greywind looking just as concerned. Brian would like to be with his little sister right now but this matter comes first and he knows Alexis is in good hands right now.

“Garroth, Brian,” Aphmau’s voice rings out and the two instantly look in the direction it came from.

Aphmau is walking toward them, her hands bloody and missing the sword she had disappeared with. There are splatterings of blood on her nightgown and face but she’s otherwise the same as when she left—battered, bleeding, and bruised, but alive and thriving. She has leaves and twigs in her hair from her jaunt into the forest and around her wrist is the necklace that had cursed Alexis, stained crimson with blood.

“Lord Aphmau! What happened? Are you alright?” Garroth asks quickly.

“I’m fine. Just a few deep cuts that can be tended to in a moment. How’s Alexis?” Aphmau questions, looking toward Brian.

“She’s… still an adult and passed out. She hasn’t woken no matter what anyone tries,” Brian answers softly.

“That’s good. She should stay asleep for now. She may have the body of an adult but I doubt her mind grew with her. It’ll be too confusing and overwhelming for her if she were to wake up like this. I’m hoping this necklace can give us some answers,” Aphmau states, looking at the piece of jewelry on her arm.

“What exactly happened in the plaza?” Garroth asks.

“I’ll tell you in a minute. I want to get inside this building first,” Aphmau deflects, walking toward the door. “Either of you got something I can use to wrench the door open?”

“You can use my sword, Lady Aphmau,” Brian says, holding out his weapon to her.

Aphmau smiles at him and nods, taking it from him and stabbing it into a crevice between the door and doorframe. It takes one good pull like she’s using a crowbar and the door snaps off the hinges, clattering to the ground. Aphmau gives Brian his sword back, surprisingly undamaged, unlike the door. As they walk inside, the smell of rot permeates their noses, making all of them recoil. Aphmau and Garroth manage to keep their stomachs from turning inside out but Brian hurries out of the house where Aphmau hears him vomit next to the house.

Scattered about the main part of the farmhouse are intact human skeletons, somehow old yet still horrific smelling as if they were just killed that day. Aphmau feels something dark in the air and every part of her body is telling her something horrendous occurred here under her watch, something that can never be undone. There are black and purple rocks across the floor and walls but only in small patches, not as concentrated as they are in town.

Garroth kneels next to one of the skeletons, examining it before looking toward Aphmau. “These bones are ancient despite the smell. These people have been dead for centuries. Judging from appearances, they all likely died of natural causes. There are odd markings carved into the bones, though.”

Aphmau walks over and looks at the bones, noticing what Garroth had said. Carved into the ribs of the skeletons are odd symbols and letters, forming intricate patterns in a language none of them can understand. Yet Aphmau has a feeling these bones were used for a ritual of some kind. Dark magic was put into play here. How she nor anyone else sensed it, she doesn’t know. Aphmau looks around as Brian reenters the house, having steeled his stomach, though he still looks quite green in the face.

“Keep looking around. I’ll search the room Zane was staying in. If you find anything that might be important, let me know,” Aphmau instructs, and Garroth and Brian salute, beginning to search the main room.

Aphmau opens the door to the room Zane was staying in, lighting the candles to illuminate the dark surroundings. Everything is messy, showing he left in a hurry, and as Aphmau pilfers through the room she finds nothing incriminating or informative, just files about tax collections in O’khasis, church budgets from past years, and other work befitting the High Priest. For all the bad things people say about Zane, he is very well organized in his files and keeps up with his work. As Aphmau lifts the pillow on the bed, a piece of paper falls out and Aphmau picks it up. It seems to be a passage taken from a book about Lady Irene and the Shadow Lord.

It is said that Lady Irene destroyed the Shadow Lord’s body and scattered its remains across the world so that he may never become whole again. It is believed that if sacrifices are made and rituals performed, one can summon a piece of the Shadow Lord’s body. These claims have never been proven true and we can only hope no one is foolish enough to try.

Well, that doesn’t bode well , Aphmau thinks to herself as she puts the piece of paper down on the bedside table.

Aphmau looks around, searching for anything else of note, but doesn’t find anything. She’s about to leave when she notices the carpet on the floor, her mind going back to the note that told her to remove the necklace from Alexis. Aphmau bends down and moves the carpet, running her hand over the wooden boards tainted by black rock. As she does, her hand presses down on one of the boards and a whole section suddenly opens like a trapdoor. There isn’t a basement in the farmhouse so this isn’t normal.

Peering into the opening, pitch-black meets Aphmau’s gaze, but she can just barely make out a ladder carved into the wall. Taking a deep breath, Aphmau heads into the hole, moving slowly down the ladder she can barely see. At the bottom, Aphmau makes out a small black room with no light, with small bright white platforms serving as flooring. At the one in the back, she sees a shadowy figure curled in the air around something, and something tugs at the edges of her memory much like it had when she first saw Garroth’s face. She knows what this is— who that is—but she doesn’t at the same time. The only thing she is sure of, even though she doesn’t know how she knows it, is that the thing is safe.

Aphmau walks slowly toward the being, hopping from one platform to the other, not wanting to know what would happen should she fall between the gaps into the abyss below. At the final platform, the shadowy figure opens its eyes, bright red and watchful as its gaze flicks to Aphmau. It stares for a moment before tilting its head.

“I know you,” it speaks, voice like a gust of wind and surprisingly deep. An adult male or what is left of one. “I think, at least. Your face… it looks familiar.”

“You feel familiar to me, too,” Aphmau responds. “But I can’t figure out why. I can’t remember anything.”

“I don’t think it matters. I can’t remember either and there is no point in trying to force it,” it states. “You… aren’t with that man. The frightened one with black hair and white clothes. He brought me here, summoned this space… but he didn’t want to. I could see it.”

“I think he’s scared a lot,” Aphmau smiles slightly. “Who are you?”

The creature hums softly. “I can’t remember. But I don’t think I was important.”

“Everyone’s important, no matter who they are.”

The creature almost seems surprised by that but a chuckle leaves it. “You have an odd outlook on others.”

“I’ve been told that a lot. What… is this place?” Aphmau questions, looking around.

“A pocket. It was created not long ago. It’ll disappear soon. I’d leave if I were you.”

“I need answers before I can.”

The creature turns in the air, now upside down. “I don’t know if I can help.”

“Can you… tell me what you can remember?” Aphmau asks.

“I just remember things weren’t always so dark… so painful. I remember there had been light once, a very long time ago, and that light had been home,” the creature says, continuing to spin slowly in the air. “That man… he said I was the heart. I didn’t know what that meant back then. I don’t know now. But… maybe you should take this. I think it’s safer with you than it is here. I think it’s been here too long.”

The creature unfurls, standing upright and holding out its spindly arms. In its hands rests a black heart, beating slowly and weakly, but beating. It doesn’t bleed or ooze, it just sits in the thing’s hands. Aphmau reaches out and scoops up the heart. It beats faster and stronger for a moment, radiating heat, before it slows again, becoming cooler. Aphmau feels the need to care for it, to ensure nothing happens to it, yet part of her knows this thing is dangerous. That it needs to be either locked away or destroyed. She doesn’t know how to handle the conflicting emotions.

“What is this?” Aphmau asks.

“It’s me, I think. At least, it’s part of me, a part I lost a long time ago. There might be others or there might not, I don’t know. But… it’ll be safer with you than me,” the creature answers.

Aphmau stares at the heart before looking at the creature. “Aren’t you going to try and leave?”

The creature shakes its head. “No. I know I can’t. It’s the one thing I do know. The light outside… it’ll hurt me too much, more than I already do. It’s best I just… fade away here. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. You’ve been so nice.”

“It’s okay. I’ll figure things out eventually. I’ll take care of this for you, I promise,” Aphmau smiles brightly.

“Your smile… is like the sun. Yet it is comforting instead of painful,” the creature says softly. “I am glad I met you. I am glad your face and smile were the last things I saw. You need to go. This place… it’s not going to last much longer.”

Aphmau nods. “Okay. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”

“That’s okay. You reminded me of the light of home. I thought I had forgotten it, but you… you feel like it. That’s all I think I needed.”

Aphmau steps back, looking toward the exit. “I’m going to leave now. I hope you find peace.”

“Thank you. I’m sure I will,” the creature bows to her.

Aphmau heads back toward the exit, sparing a final glance at the creature. It’s waving goodbye, a sense of acceptance radiating from it, and then Aphmau climbs the ladder back into the house. Once on the wooden floor, Aphmau turns to shut the hatch to find it no longer exists, the floor exactly how it should be as if that hole never existed in the first place. The heart remains in her hands, though, so she didn’t hallucinate that entire encounter. She truly hopes that the creature found peace in its final moments.

Leaving Zane’s room, Aphmau spots Brian moving the skeletons out of the house, laying them on the cobbled road to be transported and buried at a later date. Greywind is keeping watch as he does this, Garroth nowhere to be seen. Aphmau passes Brian and nods at him, heading back toward the center of town where she spots Garroth staring toward the entrance of town in the distance.

“Zane and his guards are gone. I did a sweep and found nothing, just traces of a hurried escape. They’ve been gone for some time,” Garroth states, aware Aphmau is behind him. “I should be rejoicing at the fact he is gone but I can’t. I want to make him pay for what he’s done to Alexis. To Dale and his family.”

“It wasn’t Zane who did this,” Aphmau says softly, walking up next to Garroth, who looks at her.

“What?”

Aphmau sighs. “It was one of his guards. The one who was so angry when we lied about you being married to Laurence. They were the one who gave that necklace to Dale and Molly in the first place, as well as the one who… turned Alexis into what she is now.”

“You are saying Zane had no part in this?” Garroth asks, almost sounding disbelieving that Aphmau would try and excuse the very person who tried to take him away.

“I am not saying that. Not entirely. I am sure Zane is the reason the necklace was even in town but… I don’t think he meant for that necklace to end up with Alexis. When the guard gave it to Dale and Molly… he looked surprised. It was a quick shift in his expression but I saw it. I don’t understand what’s going on but… let’s not put the full blame on Zane. It wasn’t a lone operation. Everyone that took part is guilty.”

Garroth sighs but nods, understanding her point of view, even if he doesn’t like it. “During my sweep, I… found that guard you spoke of dead. Impaled by the sword Alexis had been using. The one you took into the woods,” he speaks slowly.

Aphmau glances at him. “He got what was coming. Are you upset with me?”

“No. I am proud. I didn’t know you had it in you to be that unforgiving,” Garroth chuckles. “I am glad to know you don’t let people walk over you or the people you care for.”

Aphmau smiles slightly. “I thought you would have gotten that from me being so protective over you.”

“Oh, hush. That also played a part,” Garroth pokes her cheek. “What should we do now, though?”

“Let’s focus on Alexis right now. Going after Zane and his men will just be a wild goose chase and we don’t have the numbers for such a search. Hopefully, Zoey may be able to figure out what sort of spell Alexis is under and a cure for it. I should not have let my anger get the best of me. If I had kept that guard alive, maybe we’d have a clue by now,” Aphmau sighs.

“It is not your fault. I would have done the same. Besides, I don’t think that guard would have known anything important,” Garroth pats her head.

Aphmau smiles a little. “Thank you. That makes me feel a little bit better about impaling the guy.”

Garroth snorts slightly. “Any time, my Lord.”

Aphmau goes to leave but pauses, looking at Garroth. She places her hand on his shoulder, looking worried. “You… aren’t feeling alright, are you? Your body is tense and your hands clenched. You are good at masking your emotions but I can tell something is wrong.”

Garroth’s body deflates a little and he sighs. “Sometimes I wish you’d stop reading me so well. But yes, I am… not doing very well.”

“You can tell me if you want. You know I’ll always lend you an ear,” Aphmau suggests kindly.

He is silent momentarily before looking forward as the sun rises slowly. “I am angry at myself. I wanted so badly to avoid going back to the dreaded house and being married off for political reasons that I did anything I could to stop it. I got you involved, got Laurence involved despite him still healing, and now I’ve gotten Alexis, a baby, hurt. If I had just… done as Zane wanted in the first place, none of this would have happened. I let my fears get in the way of this town’s safety, a town that has done so much for me,” he says, his hands balling into fists.

Aphmau stares at him and then faces forward as well. “We cannot change the past nor can we see the future. Both things are out of our control. But what we can control is the path we take next. Sure, maybe things will get difficult and we’ll make choices we regret, but that is part of life. You aren’t at fault here, Garroth. I certainly don’t think so, at the very least. No one should be forced to do something they don’t want to and I was the one who volunteered to help you. Laurence said it himself he’d be happy to help any time, too,” Aphmau states, placing her hand on his shoulder. “As for Alexis, we’ll find a way to fix her and get her back to normal. We just have to keep going even when things get tough.”

Garroth glances at her. “You know, I’m still surprised every time you say such wise things. It’s quite unlike your usually aloof demeanor, but it’s nice. Thank you, Aphmau, for keeping me grounded.”

“Of course, Garroth. I’ll always be here to help you just as you help me. We watch each other’s backs,” Aphmau chirps. “Ah, I should also tell you about what I found in the farmhouse.”

Aphmau relays everything she discovered, showing him the black heart and retelling her odd conversation with the spirit-like entity. She also informs him that the space she had been in is now gone, though the heart is proof it had existed at some point. After she’s done, Garroth is holding his chin in thought.

“I see… that isn’t much to go on for our current issue, but it may be useful in the future. For now, I think it’s best you hold onto that heart and keep it at arm’s length. Brian and I will continue searching for anything of note but you should get some help for your wounds then head to sleep,” he states.

Aphmau nods. “Alright, I’ll go get patched up and get some sleep. Make sure you get some rest as well, Garroth. Even if it’s just a bit.”

“I’ll certainly try, Aphmau. Go on, then, and be sure to take a bath before bed. You are filthy,” Garroth chuckles, pulling a leaf out of her hair.

Aphmau sticks out her tongue playfully before heading off toward her house. Garroth watches her leave before sighing heavily and heading back toward the farmhouse to help Brian move and bury the bodies, as the poor fellow looks about ready to puke a second time as he hauls another skeleton out of the building.

Aphmau enters her home and heads upstairs first, quickly cleaning and wrapping her wounds before changing into a different, less torn nightgown. Then, she opens the door to Levin’s room to find him awake and with Brendan, who is playing blocks with him. Upon hearing the door open, Brendan looks up and visibly relaxes a bit.

“You’re okay. Garroth just said you ran off into the woods after the person who… hurt Alexis,” Brendan says, giving her a small smile.

“Yeah, nothing some rest won’t fix. I’ve wrapped my wounds for now but I need an actual bath,” Aphmau chuckles. “Do you have Levin for a moment? I’m going to get cleaned up properly and check on everyone.”

Brendan nods. “Yup! Don’t worry about a thing, I can watch him for a while. He’s my little buddy!”

Aphmau pats Brendan’s head. “Thanks, Brendan,” she says and then kisses Levin on the head before leaving the room.

Heading downstairs, Aphmau spots Dale by the large window opposite the stairs, staring out it with a dead look in his eyes, tear stains running down his face. Aphmau walks closer and places her hand on his shoulder. Dale doesn’t look at her but his jaw tightens.

“I’m going to kill Zane and his men. O’khasis can have my head on the guillotine as long as I rip their’s off,” Dale mutters, venom in his words.

“Right now isn’t the time for such thoughts, though perhaps they can be put to use at another time. We need to be thinking of Alexis and ways to help her,” Aphmau responds softly.

Dale gulps and tears spring to his eyes, beginning to fall. “R-Right. For… my little princess,” he whispers, trying to not sob.

Aphmau grabs his hand and gently pulls him toward Zoey’s room where she’s sure everyone is. “Come on, we should check on her.”

Dale nods and follows her into the room. Inside, a large gathering of people is there. In Zoey’s bed is Alexis, still a grown woman but without the armor on, now in a simple shirt and pants. Zoey, Kawaii-chan, and Dr. Doctor are around the bed, all of them looking unsure and sad. Molly is standing by the window and Dale goes over to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

“Aphmau, you’re back,” Zoey says, turning to face her with a weary smile.

“Yeah, I am. Here, I found the necklace that caused this mess. Maybe it’ll give us some clues as to how to reverse this,” Aphmau states, unraveling the necklace from her arm and handing it over.

Zoey holds the necklace in her hands before shutting her eyes. A soft green glow emanates from her hands, engulfing the necklace and then disappearing into the metal and gems.

“There… I’ve put a barrier around it so that any dark magic lingering inside doesn’t hurt anyone else. I’ll study this in a bit but… I’ve never seen anything like this,” Zoey sighs, placing the necklace in a glass case.

“What do we do?” Aphmau questions.

“I’m not sure. This magic… neither I nor Kawaii-chan specialize in curse removal, so there is very little either of us can do. Even if we combine our magic, we won’t be able to remove this spell. The best thing we can do now is monitor Alexis’s condition and keep her stable while searching for a way to undo this.”

Aphmau nods, looking toward Kawaii-chan who looks at her and sighs.

“I don’t know much either. This… this is a case for someone with a greater range of magical abilities, something we don’t have. Me and Zoey were born with our powers so we’re stuck specializing in them. We don’t have the ability to remove something this strong. But, if anything comes up, Zoey or I will send someone to get you,” Kawaii-chan gives a weak smile.

Aphmau nods, smiling back as she walks up to Donna’s uncle. “What’s your take on the situation?” Aphmau asks him softly.

“There is… nothing I can do to remove this curse. I’m not a magic user, so I have limited knowledge of this and how to remove it. Her body has aged to that of an adult but based on what I was told, it’s incredibly likely her mind is still that of an infant, so it’s best she remains asleep to limit any stress she may feel,” Dr. Doctor states. “I’ll remain in town a little longer to help monitor her condition and search for any solutions to this issue.”

“Thank you. I don’t know how to repay you for this.”

Dr. Doctor shakes his head. “There’s no need. I’m a doctor. My job is to help those who need me. I’d be quite terrible at my job if I abandoned this poor child in her time of need. I’ll head to Donna’s home and hole up there once the area is deemed safe. For now, I’ll remain here to keep an eye on Alexis.”

Aphmau bows her head a bit and turns, moving to Molly’s side and tapping her shoulder. “Molly?” Aphmau speaks softly.

Tears are still falling from Molly’s eyes, her lip wobbling as she opens her mouth. “Just the other day, I was saying how I wished Alexis would grow up faster because she wouldn’t let any of us eat in peace… now I just wish she’d go back to knocking the food out of our hands at the dinner table,” she sobs, burying her face into her hands.

Aphmau hugs Molly tightly. “It’s going to be okay, Molly. We will figure this out. We will cure Alexis and turn her back to normal. I promise you I’ll do everything I can to make it so,” Aphmau swears.

“Lord Aphmau’s never let us down before, Molls,” Dale comforts his wife. “If she says everythin’ will be okay, we gotta believe her. We can make it through this.”

Molly sniffles and tries to wipe away her tears while nodding. “O-Okay. I can do this. I can be strong for our baby girl,” Molly states, trying to be brave.

“There you go,” Aphmau grins, helping wipe away the tears as she looks at Dale. “Dale, I’m cutting back on your workload so you can be here for Alexis and Molly. Same for Brian if he wants. You all should stick close right now. Garroth and I can handle patrols.”

Dale shakes his head. “That’s kind of you, Lord Aphmau, but even though I want to be here, this town needs everyone on high alert. I’ll be sure to take ample breaks, though, to be here for Molly and Alexis when I can.”

Molly nods in agreement. “We need all guards on duty, but thank you for thinking of us, Aphmau.”

“If you say so. But the offer is always up. I’m going to check on Laurence then get a bath in. Let me know if you need anything,” Aphmau says, hugging both of them tightly once more before leaving the room and heading to Laurence’s.

Inside, Laurence is sitting on his bed, seemingly lost in thought. As Aphmau approaches, his head lifts, and his milky white eyes train on her. He’s getting better at knowing exactly where people are with his other senses.

“Aphmau. Good, I was worried about you. I’ve… been listening to the conversations happening around here. My hearing has gotten a lot keener, both from the blindness and the whole… Shadow Knight thing,” Laurence says, giving her a small smile.

“I’m fine. A bit banged up but nothing I can’t handle. How are you? You were really panicked when you came upstairs during the beginning of all this,” Aphmau asks, sitting next to him.

On instinct, Laurence grabs her hand and sighs. “Not the greatest. That girl, Alexis… she got turned into a Shadow Knight, didn’t she? I felt the change.”

“She had but… she seemed to come back to herself when she saw Molly.”

Laurence hums. “Sounds about right. I felt the birth of a new one of us but that feeling has since faded. I don’t think her transformation was permanent but I don’t know what the effects of being temporarily transformed into one will be. She isn’t dangerous right now, though. All of that dark magic has left her body but it’s… it’s still here, in the town.”

“There are black and purple rocks everywhere in the plaza and around Dale and Molly’s home. We can’t break it or even damage it. It gives off the same feeling as what happened when you came back to this realm,” Aphmau explains.

“That’s probably the source of this feeling, then. Something has invaded this town, something that should never have become visible or touchable by mortals. I’d keep my distance from it. Quarantine the area and stuff,” Laurence suggests.

Aphmau nods, patting Laurence’s head. “I’ll let Garroth know, but I’m sure he’s already on it. He tends to be many steps ahead of me and other people.”

“As long as steps are taken, I’m happy. You should go rest, though. It’s been a busy night for everyone.”

“I plan on it. You get some sleep too, Laurence,” Aphmau stands up.

“If you insist, my love,” Laurence chuckles, bowing his head to her.

Aphmau leaves the room and sighs, heading for the bathroom where a hot bath has already been drawn. Zoey had placed a heating spell on the bottom of the tub so that it’d automatically heat any water placed inside, mostly because it was a pain to haul water up to the house and then wait even longer for it to heat over the fire just to become cold five minutes later. Aphmau plucks all of the leaves and twigs out of her hair, gets undressed, unravels the bandages she placed over her wounds, and sinks into the hot water.

Her hair floats around her and she grabs a rag, beginning to scrub the dried blood off her as she makes a game plan in her head. She needs to find a cure for Alexis but that will take some time, so her first order of business is to get rid of the black and purple rocks that have invaded the town. Hopefully, Emmalyn has a book lying around her library that has information on such things.

“It’s always one thing after another…” Aphmau mumbles to herself, looking at the ceiling. “I hope I can solve this like I’ve solved other problems…”

Chapter Text

Hi everyone! I know it's been a while since I've updated and I'm really sorry about that! I've been focusing on a different story I'm currently in the process of rewriting, which I'm hoping I'll finish soon so that it's easier to jump between my stories. However, as I've been rewriting that other story, I've come to the conclusion that my current version of THIS story is... garbage. I don't like how I've described things or written certain segments. I could just go through everything bit by bit and fix things here and there but I love torturing myself, so I'm going to do a complete revamp of this story once I'm done with the one I'm currently doing! Hopefully I'll be able to make this story much better when I'm able to get started on the rewrite but until then, I hope you guys will be patient with me and wait a bit longer for any proper updates. I'm sorry to let you all down like this!

I hope to see you all when I'm done with all this work, though, and have a good day everyone!

-MinkaWitchy

Chapter Text

Hi everyone! Author MinkaWitchy here! So, I have both good news and bad news. Bad news is: this story is being discontinued. I will no longer be updating here and once enough people have seen this chapter, I will be deleting this story entirely from my page. The good news? The story is being completely reworked and revised, even going so far as to go through a new name! The new version will be titled "Phoenix Rising, Droplet of Salvation"! It'll basically be the same premise of rewriting MCD but I've decided to go more ham on fixing everything. I'm going to make things a bit of a slower burn (but not too slow because my ADHD will not allow that, lmao-) with more character interaction and world building instead of going WHAM BAM into major story elements. I want the rewrite to be more complex than the original with better story telling and pacing, while delving deeper into my revised versions of the characters. Thus, I need to redo everything and it's a whole lot easier to start from scratch than try and rewrite what already exists to make things make sense with what is there.

This chapter will remain up for a while so most everyone can read this and know what's happening and as of now, I haven't yet started the new version, but it will be posted under its new name! I hope to see you guys there and that you'll like my overhauled version more than this one! See you guys... not here!

NOTE: Due to a reader bringing it to my attention, I will keep this story up much longer than anticipated so that they and others like them who enjoy rereading things can continue reading this as I develop the new story. It will be a separate fic anyway so it isn't detrimental to keep this one up, I just hadn't thought anyone would like to look back at my shoddy formatting lol. It'll remain up until I reach where I left off here in the new story, which will take a while, so uh... have fun ya heathens (also check out my Aphmau Smut book because I've gotten decent feedback there hehe)

-MinkaWitchy, Author and Local Aphmau Fanatic