Standard Mission: Singing Bones

The Mountain Village

- Bastion -

Bastion frowned in sympathy for Rohan. He certainly didn't envy his position. He was about to say as much when Cleo put up a hand to stop him, earning a scowl from Bastion.

Still, at least he was now taking a more sensible approach to all this. Perhaps they could now get on with their duty, which might allow them to curry favor with the village's Council concerning Vayu's case.

Of course, things immediately became complicated again when the siblings began to argue about Akio assisting them in the case. Bastion glanced between the two, hoping he wouldn't offend Rohan for accepting, but...

"We'd appreciate any help you could provide," Bastion told Akio. "And as a woman, you might be a very valuable asset indeed. If this demon or phenomenon only affects or intentionally targets men, it would be reassuring to have one member of the party we know won't be targeted."

He turned to Rohan. "And if you need a represent of Chaldea to help explain or smooth things over with your Council, let me know. I'll help if I can."

- Cleo -

"Far be it from me to disagree with a lady that knows her own mind." Cleo responded with a slight smirk. Seeing Akio put her brother in his place was definitely the best part of this entire situation so far. He also didn't miss the mention of the word 'healer'. Aside from the obvious usefulness of keeping a healer nearby, the comment made Cleo wonder how much sway the woman might have with this town council that Rohan was going to report to.

As much as he hated to admit it, Bastion also raised an interesting point. Hadn't Cleo himself commented just the other day that sending a bunch of men on this job had seemed like a poor judgement call? "We'll make sure your sister stays safe." He glanced in Akio's direction. "Although, I get the feeling that she's quite capable of dealing with a bit of trouble herself."

"Before you go," he turned back to the other man, "is there any sort of pattern in which men have gone missing? Have they been guardsmen out on patrol? Farmers taken from their beds? Anything you can share might give us a better place to start."

Mountain Village

When it was clear that neither Cleo nor Bastion objected to Akio assisting them, Rohan simply nodded.

“Thanks for the offer. I’ll let you know,” he said to Bastion. “Akio can answer all your questions,” he added towards Cleo. “I’ll see you in the morning then, but don't hesitate to send for me if you need anything,” he said and left the guest house.

Akio placed some plates on the table and then sat down.

“As far as information goes, unfortunately, we weren’t able to gather anything useful. That’s why Rohan is so frustrated,” she said. “We had had very few men disappear during their guard duty. Most of them have disappeared from their beds. And the curious thing is, no one seems to notice anything.” She folded her hands and looked down. “We don’t even know if something comes into the village and takes them, or if they are being lured out somehow.”

Akio sighed. “I mean, we’re used to having demon visitors. And being so far from Chaldea, we usually have adequate protection inside the village. But this?” she shuddered. “I just don’t know.”

“Do you have any idea how to approach this?” she asked. “Are you planning to head out tonight?”

- Bastion -

Bastion joined Akio at the table, listening as she provided a few more details of the situation, such as they were. Unfortunately, they didn't give any more direction than they'd had a few minutes ago.

"If the men are disappearing at night, then yes, we can't afford to wait," he told her. "I think our best approach will be to split up and try to determine our two questions - how are they taken, and where?"

He looked at Cleo, hesitant to suggest the plan on his mind. Cleo was unreliable, to say the least, when it came to maintaining his focus around women, but as it was, there was no other choice.

"One group will need to keep watch over the village for any signs of men being drawn out or captured. The other group should search the woods to either find the perpetrator or follow the victim back to wherever they're being taken." He turned to Cleo, trying not to let his reluctance show. "Archangel's scouting abilities far exceed your Silky's. He and I can manage well enough on our own. You and Akio should take the other search point."

Knowing Cleo wouldn't possibly refuse being alone with a woman, he didn't bother to get confirmation before moving on.

"You're more familiar with both the village and the surrounding area," Bastion addressed Akio. "If it's not an imposition, I'd like you to decide where you think both groups would be best suited to take point."

- Cleo -

"Can Archangel see the whole village from above?" Cleo asked as Bastion laid out his plan, despite his personal disagreement with the other man's temperament, Cleo could respect his intellect. "I don't know how good his eyesight is, but if he can see everything from a single vantage point, we could use him as a sort of radar for strange activity in the village during the night. That would put the two of you in the village."

He turned his attention to Akio for a moment. "I'm assuming you're very familiar with the terrain surrounding the village? Are there any areas that would be difficult to see from above? We would probably want to patrol those areas and leave the more open ones to Bastion and Archangel. That will give us the best coverage of anyone coming or going during the night."

"I can also have my Silky help us keep watch to extend our numbers a bit. Bastion is correct in saying she's not a great scout, but an extra pair of eyes isn't a bad thing."

Mountain Village

Guest House

Akio filled their plates while they discussed the plans for the night.

The idea they proposed made sense, and she nodded in agreement but still, there was a hard line around Akio’s mouth.

“The place you’re looking for to post with a full view of the village is probably on top of the assembly hall. It’s right in the middle of the village and it’s higher than most buildings,” she replied to both Cleo and Bastion.

“And yes, I’m very familiar with the area around here, but…” she hesitated and sighed. “Leaving the village at night is dangerous. There is no protection from the demons lurking in the forest and surrounding mountains.”

“I guess as soon as you leave the village and enter the forest, it becomes difficult to see anything, especially at night,” she added.

After a pause, she spoke again.

“I’m assuming Archangel and Silky are your demon partners?” she asked carefully. “Please be cautious of where and when you summon them. Because of the recent events, everyone is quite wary when demons appear inside the village without warning.”

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

Prison

After making his report to the Council, Rohan walked back through the village. His eyes looked around and he sighed. Even though the light was only beginning to dim, hardly anyone was out and about. It was sad to see.

With heavy steps, he made his way over to the prison building and was let in without question. His boots resounded on the uneven stone steps as he descended down the stairs.

At the bottom the stairs opened up into hallway, crudely carved out of the stone. There was one opening to the right with a locked door and a large opening that was barred with heavy iron bars and a locked door to the left. Inside was a cot and a small barred window that allowed some of the evening sun to enter the cell.

Hesitantly Rohan stepped up to the iron bars.

“Vayu…can we talk?”

- Bastion -

Bastion's eyes moved between Cleo and Akio. "Archangel's range of sight should easily cover the village bounds, especially if we can use an ideal location like the assembly hall."

Akio expressed her concerns about what the presence of their demons might do in the village, which he could understand under the circumstances.

"We'll be as discreet as we can," he assured her. He didn't bother to mention that Archangel was unlikely to parade around other humans anyway.

He hummed appreciatively as he set into his dinner, which proved quite delicious.

"Dinner is excellent, by the way." He smiled and wiped at his mouth with his napkin. "Just as good as-" He caught himself before spouting out Vayu's name, then continued. "-as any I've had in Chaldea."

- Cleo -

Since Bastion seemed to believe that their chosen plan would work well with Archangel, Cleo didn't delve further into it.

"What kind of demons are we talking about?" Cleo asked when Akio mentioned the dangers of wandering out of the village at night. "As Vanguards, we're no pushovers, but I'm not familiar with the local demons. So, it might be a good idea to know what we're likely to encounter."

He took a bite of the food she had provided and chewed on it while she continued speaking. It really was good, but he realized that he'd not really taken the time to enjoy it until Bastion mentioned as much. The situation with Vayu must have thrown him more off his game than Cleo had originally realized. Speaking of which, now he wondered what kind of food they'd be serving Vayu tonight, if any. Surely, they wouldn't make him go hungry. Rohan hadn't seemed thrilled with the situation, and Cleo couldn't see the man letting things devolve any further than they already had.

With another bite of food halfway to his mouth, Cleo paused. Slowly, he lowered it back to his plate. "Do you get visitors here often?" He asked, a seed of concern forming in the back of his mind. "Some demons can pass themselves off as human under certain conditions, and I didn't see any physical walls between the watch towers."

Mountain Village

Guest House

Akio smiled appreciatively when Bastion and Cleo enjoyed the food. She gestured to the pot on the stove.

“Eat up. And there’s plenty more for tomorrow.”

She sat down at the table, looking thoughtfully at Cleo’s questions.

“Uhm…I’m not sure what you would consider local, but around this time of year, we mainly get small forest demons,” she said. “They’re usually just looking to feed before they retreat for the winter.”

They didn’t have any detailed records or demon profiles like the Vanguards had in Chaldea. Most people in the village couldn’t read or write, so even if they had records, it wouldn’t do them any good. Their experiences were passed down orally.

“The visitors we have are mostly tradespeople,” she explained. “It’s a tight knit group since we’re so far away from Chaldea not many people venture out here. So, we know them pretty well. We do get the occasional stranger. It’s rare though.”

“As for the physical walls…as you observed there are none. The watchtowers form a protective barrier against low level demons so we can sleep calmly. Up until now it has worked fine.” She shivered slightly at the thought of their current situation.

She stayed quiet while they processed the information before she spoke again.

“When do you want to leave?”

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

Prison

“Piss off, Rohan!” Vayu stood up from the cot he’d been sitting on and walked up to the iron bars. About two feet from the door, he was stopped short by the two chains around his wrists, attached to the opposite side of the wall. Apparently, they felt somewhat threatened by him.

“What?”

“If you were going to tell me that you’re sorry. I don’t care if you are. I’m still pissed off that my own brother just arrested me.” Vayu clarified his statement, still sounding angry.

“You and your friends got people killed, Vayu. You were 15.” Rohan had also raised his voice.

“That was five years ago.”

“And are you sorry?”

There was a silence.

“Oh?” Rohan raised an eyebrow. “Not a straight answer. Five years ago, you didn’t even know the word regret. And now?” Rohan looked at his brother, surprised. Maybe he had changed.

“No. No, I’m not. They deserved it.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“No, I just stand by my choices.”

Rohan lost his patience. “I don’t even know why I’m trying to talk to you, Vayu. You left your family.” Rohan shook his head. “Do you know how much that betrayal stung?”

“Betrayal?!” Vayu snorted in disdain. “You think I betrayed you? Please, get off your high horse. Do you really think I should’ve chosen to go to prison so I can be near my family?”

“No, I think you should’ve chosen prison to atone for your sins.”

“I have nothing to atone for. They all deserved what they got.”

The two brothers glared at each other.

- Bastion -

After a glance out the window at the darkening sky, Bastion finished the remains of his meat and politely cleared his place at the table.

“I’ll head out now,” he told them. “I want to find a good vantage point at the assembly hall before it gets too dark.”

Nodding to Akio and thanking her again for dinner, he set out into the village. Unlike Chaldea, which would have hummed softly with nighttime activity, the village was eerily silent as the fear of recent events hung over the people. How much good would huddling away in their homes do, though? Depending on the demon’s methods... possibly not much.

He made his way down the street toward the assembly hall as Akio had described it. As he did, he found himself thinking about her and her brothers. They had the kind of relationship of siblings who had needed to grow up with only each other to rely on. That tended to put strain on the older siblings, who had to act more like parents than friends, and their younger counterparts. What had happened to their parents in the end? Vayu didn’t seem likely to share, and neither did Rohan. In that regard, they were quite similar.

Reaching the assembly hall, Bastion carefully moved out of the main thoroughfare before summoning Archangel to his side. With the demon’s help, he climbed up onto the roof and found a discrete position to watch over the city.

“Keep watch for any signs of activity,” Bastion told Archangel once he’d brought him up to speed. “If anything moves, I want to know about it.”

Archangel nodded silently, keen eyes scanning the layout of the village.

“Any ideas what could be dragging off the men of the village?” Bastion asked him.

“A few,” his companion replied, brow furrowed. “None of them good...”

- Cleo -

“Small forest demons shouldn’t be any real threat to Bastion or me.” He responded, giving his partner a nod.

Cleo continued to eat as he contemplated Akio’s answers to his other questions. It sounded like they probably weren’t dealing with any kind of invader then. The village seemed too close-knit for that. So, it was probably an external threat.

As Bastion got up to leave, Cleo also rose to his feet. “I’m curious about this protective barrier, to be honest. Do you mind if we go take a look at it before the sun sets?” He asked as he cleared his own spot at the table. “I’d like to get a better idea of how exactly it works.”

With Bastion now gone, it was just the two of them that made their way towards the edge of the village, and Cleo took a moment to reflect on their conversation so far. “So, if you’re going to be working with us…” His words trailed off, and Cleo’s eyes widened.

“It just occurred to me that during the confusion of our arrival, we didn’t properly introduce ourselves. How very unprofessional of us. I do apologize for the lack of manners.” The situation with Vayu really had thrown him more off his game than he’d originally realized. “I’m Cleo, and the stick in the mud that we’ll be working with on this mission is Bastion.”

“Your brother mentioned something about you being a healer. Do you mind my asking about your capabilities?”

Mountain village

Outskirts of the village

Akdio accompanied Cleo to the edge of the village, steering him towards a watchtower.

They were sturdy wooden structures with a small platform that allowed one pereon to sit up there and keep watch with a wide range of view.

She smiled when he began to introduce himself properly.

"Don't worry, you arrivial did somewhat cause a commotion because of Vayu and everything that happened," she said. "However, I am glad that you showed up, despite the weird circumstances, we do need your help."

They stopped at the watchtower and Akio pointed to a scroll that was simply nailed to the back post.

At Cleo's last question, she frowned a little.

"Rohan tends to overgeneralize things. I don't know if your and my idea of a healer align or what you mean by capabilities," she began to explain. "We have a Shaman living in the village, that helps us with all of our medicinal needs, not by ways of magic but mostly by ways of nature. However, she is getting older and while I was only helping her in the beginning, I'm now trying to learn her craft, so we don't lose that knowledge."

Akio gently touched the scroll. "She is also the one who set up the barrier. These scrolls connect to each other all along the village outline and back to the center of the village, forming a protective dome," she explained. "It keeps most unwanted visitors from the forest and the mountains out."

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

Prison

The staring contest of the brothers was interrupted when the guard came down the stairs, carrying a tray.

Rohan stepped back to allow him to work while keeping his eyes on Vayu.

The light was already pretty dim as the sun began to set outside and nothing more than a torch illuminated the room.

Vayu also stepped back, watching amused as the guard eyed him warily while setting down the tray.

They both waited until the guard had left. Vayu eyed his food with a slightly disguisted expression.

"You call this a decent meal?" he asked, touching the tray with the tip of his boot.

Rohan stepped back up to the bars, looking upset. "This isn't Chaldea where you can just buy whatever you want," his brother said. "I personally made sure that you were given food. Did you forget what it's like here?"

Vayu looked a little rebuffed. "Maybe I did forget," he admitted.

There was another silence.

"Knowing you, you probably already talked to the Council. What did they say?" he finally asked. Apparently he had decided to be reasonable for now.

Rohan's eyes narrowed.

"That's what you're concerned about?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be asking about your family?"

There was a ringing noise when the chains around Vayu's wrist were called to tension when he suddenly stepped forward as far as he could. Reasonable had gone out the window.

Of course he wanted to know about his family. Wanted to know if they were still alive and healthy. In all these years, of course he had missed his family and questioned his choice to leave over and over again. These burning thoughts hadn't left his mind since he realized where he was. But he couldn't admit that. Not now and not to Rohan.

"I tell you what I'm concerned about, Rohan." he said, his voice low but aggressive. "That you have an unsolved demon problem in this village and that my team is probably out there trying to solve it without my help."

He stepped back and crossed his arms.

"You should leave, Rohan," he said dismissively. "I have nothing else to say to you."

Rohan gave Vayu another long look and then, without another word, he turned around and left.

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

Center village

Rohan exited the prison building and stopped outside. He gave the empty village a glance in the dying evening light and sighed.

His eyes wandered up to the clear sky. The stars were already beginning to be visible, being much clearer and more numerous up in the mountains.

After taking in the atmosphere for a couple minutes, he began to make his way across the village.

The news of Vayu's arrival and arrest would be difficult to deliver to their parents.

The Assembly Hall

- Bastion -

Minutes slipped past into the silent night as Bastion kept watch over the village. It was relaxing out here, away from the thrum of the city, with only the soft whisper of the wind over the trees for company. It was the most calm and peaceful Bastion had felt in a while, even as his eyes moved vigilantly across the landscape for any signs of activity.

Oh. There was Rohan, trudging across the village with a heaviness over his shoulders. Had he been to see Vayu yet?

Not wanting to cause any commotion by calling out to him, Bastion signaled to him from the roof, hoping he'd notice. Archangel sighed, turning away and focusing his attention in the other direction.

- Cleo -

"Yes, I can imagine that having an exile return might stir up any situation." Cleo responded, frowning. This entire mission had already spiraled, and they had barely gotten started. Unfortunately, that was beginning to feel somewhat normal to him. He remained silent for a few moments as they walked, but as they approached one of the towers, Cleo spoke again.

"Just so you're aware, I have no intention of leaving Vayu behind when we go." He studied her expression as the words left him, looking for an answer, even if she didn't verbalize one. "Since he's been gone for this long without causing any kind of drama, I imagine that whatever got him exiled is probably isolated to this village. It's probably not ideal for anyone involved that he be forced to stay here."

He turned to the scroll on the tower and felt his eyes widen at the inscription. It looked oddly similar to another charm he'd seen before, and Cleo's fingers flexed involuntarily.

"Don't sell yourself short." Cleo raised his hand and gently pressed his palm to the parchment. It was uncomfortably hot to the touch, like pressing his palm to an iron that had just come from the fire, and a hint of smoke rose from between his fingers as he pulled his hand away. "If you're also learning this part of her craft, then I'd most certainly say that you can perform magic." He looked over his palm, which was now an angry shade of red, save for the white scar at its center. "It might not be the same as mine, but it's magic none the less."

"Nightingale."

The air beside him swirled into mist before forming Silky's solid form. She regarded him for a moment before immediately grabbing his burned hand and twisting his arm to get a better look at it.

"Not that." He grumbled as she began to heal it. "I Just want to know if you can walk between the watchtowers."

She raised a mocking eyebrow at him and fluidly stepped through where the barrier should be, still dragging Cleo by his arm.

"Okay. So, it's only effective against weaker demons then." Cleo muttered as Silky finished up with his hand. Once she'd returned it, the demon turned towards Akio and offered the woman a smile.

Assembly Hall

Just when Rohan was about to turn away, something caught his eye. When he looked up, he was able to make out Bastion at the roof of the assembly hall, signaling him.

He stopped and looked around. The village was empty and it was quiet. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to do one more stop.

Rohan walked up to the assembly hall and climbed up on the roof. It was only then that he noticed Archangel as Bastion’s companion. He inhaled sharply and eyed him carefully before sitting down.

“I take it you drew the short straw of having to keep watch of the village while Akio and the other Vanguard are out in the forest?” he asked Bastion.

The Assembly Hall

- Bastion -

It wasn’t easy to miss Rohan’s immediate surprised and discomfort at Archangel’s presence, though he covered it up quickly enough. However, Archangel still ruffled his feathers a moment before slowly moving to the far side of the roof to scout.

“You can trust angels,” Bastion told him. “They’re here to help us. They saved my life not too long ago.”

Would Rohan appreciate an angel as a demon partner? Bastion thought he would, if given the chance, especially if he knew just how much Bastion was underselling what they’d done for him. Still, telling someone you’ve only just met that you were resurrected might be a bit off-putting, so he decided to keep the details to himself.

“It was my idea, actually,” he replied, shrugging. “It seemed the best way to play to our strengths. Although...” He hesitated, not sure if he should disparage Cleo too much in front of their clients. “I just hope your sister is capable of dealing with excessive amounts of flirtation and innuendo.”

He shook his head, letting his eyes wander around the village as he summoned up the courage to ask. “Did you talk to Vayu?”

Mountain Village

Outskirts of the village

Akio looked into the forest when Cleo spoke. It wasn’t clear whether it was intentional, and she was avoiding the subject of Vayu or whether she was just looking for anything that disturbed the quiet of the night.

She gave a small start when Cleo’s Silky suddenly appeared, but it soon gave way to curiosity.

“This is an interesting demon,” she said unsure how to approach the Silky, but still openly curious she smiled back. Finally, she drew her eyes away.

With another look at the now dark and starry sky, Akio spoke again. It was a clear night and the stars shone brightly even though or maybe because there was no moon. The air was fresh and cold.

“If your curiosity is satisfied, shall we get going? Into the forest?”

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

Assembly Hall

Rohan was awed when Bastion mentioned that it was an angel.

“A real angel?” he asked, extending his hand almost as if to touch Archangels feathers. But he withdrew his fingers at the last moment.

He scratched his head. “This opens up so many questions,” he admitted. “I always thought demons were like wild animals that had to be forcefully tamed before you can work with them.”

Rohan gestured between Bastion and Archangel. “This does not seem like that kind of relationship.”

There was a silence until Bastion spoke again.

Rohan nodded in response. “I did,” he said, “It didn’t go well. He was pretty angry. It’s probably good that he has a night to cool off his temper.”

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

The Assembly Hall

- Bastion -

It was for the best that Rohan didn't touch Archangel's feathers, but Bastion couldn't blame him for trying. Even though he'd gotten used to Archangel's presence, there was still something awe-inspiring about him and the idea of the angels.

"Most of them are," Bastion said, shrugging. "But the angels are different. They care about humanity. Thanks to them, we stand a chance against the coming darkness."

He turned his head slightly, and though he spoke to Rohan, it was more for Archangel's benefit. "I think the angels would like you. You seem to have all the qualities they admire, like doing what's right no matter the personal cost."

Archangel pretended not to notice, though Bastion thought some stiffness eased from his shoulders and wings.

When Rohan confessed that Vayu had taken things badly, Bastion could only sigh. It wasn't exactly surprising, but he wished Vayu would at least make some attempt at handling this diplomatically. Getting upset could only make things worse for him.

"If it helps..." Bastion said tentatively. "Vayu has been a great help to Chaldea, and very brave in the midst of overwhelming odds. Maybe that doesn't make up for whatever he's done, but I think he was trying in his own way."

- Cleo -

“All women are interesting creatures,” Cleo responded with a hint of a grin, “demon or otherwise.”

Silky shot him a withering look, and he winked at her in response. “Some of them just don’t realize how uniquely interesting they are without being told.” The words were aimed at Akio, but the message was clearly directed towards his partner instead.

The demon rolled her eyes, clearly not on-board with Cleo’s assessment, but she remained silent.

Cleo turned his attention to Akio, who was now looking up at the sky. “I don’t know that my curiosity will ever be satisfied.” He responded, letting his eyes trace her figure for a moment before he turned them to the forest. The young woman was a figure of beauty, outlined by the soft starlight, and even now, that was a temptation for him.

She could be mine.

But she was Vayu’s sister, and that had complicated written all over it. Not to mention Nena’s advice on slowing the progression of his condition.

“You lead. I’ll follow.” Cleo gestured towards the trees. He waited for Akio to move, then fell into step behind her.

“Nightingale, keep your eyes on me.”

His partner gave him a quizzical look.

“Our target only seems to take males. So, if I suddenly stray from the course, let the lady know.”

Silky’s eyes widened for a moment, but then she nodded in affirmation.

Mountain Village

Outskirts of the village

Akio could feel her cheeks flush slightly in response to Cleo’s surprising compliment.

“Ahem…,” she said and composed herself. “Let’s go then.”

Even in the relative darkness that was beginning to set quickly now that the sun had set behind the mountain range, Akio was able to lead them towards a barely worn out path.

“This path will lead us into the forest,” she explained, her voice becoming more quiet now that the shadows of the trees began to swallow the last light of the starry sky. “It loops around the village in a wide arc. However, there are a few crossroads leading deeper into the forest.”

She began to walk, hearing Cleo’s steps as he fell in behind her. It was quiet in the forest except for a light breeze. Akio moved slowly through the night, but with the confidence of someone who knew the way.

“Nightingale….” she suddenly asked quietly without turning around. “Why is that her name?”

They had barely done a quarter loop around the village when the rustling of trees and foliage could be heard farther up ahead. It was too distinct to be from the slight wind that was moving the leaves every now and then.

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

Assembly Hall

Rohan straightened up slightly at Bastion’s words, feeling as if the young man reminded him of his ideals.

“I wish I had that much faith in myself all the time,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to know what the right thing is.”

The topic turned back to Vayu.

“Nothing can make up for what he’s done here,” Rohan muttered and lifted his hand when Bastion looked like he was going to inquire further. “Don’t bother asking. I won’t tell you because it wouldn’t be the same. Vayu has to tell you himself.”

There was silence between them as they stared into the night.

“How long have you known him?” Rohan finally asked curiously.

OOC: depending on however Payne reacts, you can have Archangel notice the disturbance in the forest after

The Assembly Hall

- Bastion -

Bastion shrugged his shoulders at Rohan’s rebuttal. “I wasn’t going to ask. I just thought it might be some consolation to know he might have changed since he left, even if that doesn’t erase his mistakes.”

Silence fell between them as they stared out over the village, the slight flapping of Archangel’s wings the only sound to drift through the silence. Then, Rohan piped up to ask about them.

“We both trained as Vanguards, though I didn’t know him very well,” Bastion told him. “We only really became properly acquainted when we graduated together this year. But we’ve been through a lot together, and he’s shown himself a capable ally.”

His mind drifted back to Chaldea and the happier moments there.

“He likes cooking for us,” he added. “Down at the bar where Vanguards like to socialize. Nena, the owner, only used to serve drinks, but his cooking has made it very popular for meals as well. She certainly appreciates the business boom.”

He glanced over at Rohan. Did they share this issue, or was it just Vayu? “He told us he didn’t know how to read. I offered to teach him, but... things became complicated, and we never found the time.”

Complicated. A pleasant way to say “I was murdered and became the angels’ vessel for stopping Mother Harlot.” Those simple times seemed so far away now.

Mountain Village

Assembly Hall

Rohan smiled into the darkness, more coincidentally than not facing away from Bastion.

His mind also drifted back into the past.

“Yeah, he does that,” Rohan replied. “Our mother taught him and Akio. I never really understood why he wanted to learn it despite…” he said, sounding thoughtful. “It may sound silly to you, because I’m sure things are different in Chaldea, but here…”

“Time ticks a little slower and to the older generation the roles for men and women are still clearly defined. Especially our dad, to him, cooking is just not something men do. So, there was a lot of protest.”
Rohan chuckled.

“However, as you probably know, Vayu does whatever he wants, and he doesn’t care what others think of him.”

When Bastion mentioned the reading issue, he turned around to face the young man.

“It’s something very common here,” Rohan explained. “Most people here don’t know how to read. Heck, I’m not very good at it either. I can read a trade permit or a simple contract. But if you gave me a book about some complicated topic?” he shrugged and shook his head. “Not likely I’d get through it.”

“I know Akio has been reading a lot in the books of our resident healer. You could probably excite her with a book more than me or Vayu.”

After a short pause he added “It’s a nice thing to offer though. To help someone improve for their good, not for yours.”

The Assembly Hall

- Bastion -

Bastion smiled at Rohan's praise, though it didn't last long.

"I've always done my best to help my fellow Vanguards," he said. "It seems more often than not, though, that I'm treated as an outsider."

He glanced off toward the woods where Cleo and Akio should be scouting around right now.

"A stick in the mud," he murmured. "That's what I get on the good days. At worst..."

His words drifted off. Things had gotten back to normal for the most part since the fateful encounter with Mother Harlot, but Bastion could never quite shake off the feeling that he was forever set apart from the others now.

"Well, I'm sure you can relate." Bastion cast a look over at Rohan. "People who try to do what's right, even when it costs them personally, never seem to be understood by those more flexible with their morals."

- Cleo -

Cleo softly chuckled at Akio’s slight embarrassment. Was she not used to receiving compliments, or had she simply been sheltered from them by her family? Either way, with the slight flush of her cheeks came the now familiar warming sensation of energy. He frowned at that and slowed his pace, allowing her a little extra space in front of him. The sensation didn’t fade though. He still hadn’t determined if proximity affected the energy he absorbed, but it seemed more and more unlikely that was the case.

He took note of the small paths branching off when Akio pointed them out, but for the most part, their course seemed fairly straightforward. Considering the canopy overhead, Archangel wouldn’t be able to see anything moving this deeply in the woods, even if it was on the path. That didn’t bode well for their search efforts.

When Akio asked about Silky’s name, Cleo remained silent for a moment, contemplating his answer. He didn’t want to lie, but maybe it wasn’t the best idea to say anything in front of Silky. No, it might be good for her to hear it.

“Because the only time I’ve ever heard her lovely voice is when she sings under cover of darkness.”

He didn’t have to turn around to know that Silky had probably turned a vibrant shade of red. He could feel the energy practically pouring off of her. Interesting. So, she liked being complimented, even if it very obviously made her uncomfortable.

A moment later, Cleo’s attention was drawn to the rustling ahead, and he placed a hand on the hilt of his katana. “Does that sound like anything familiar?” He asked Akio as he increased his pace to catch up with her. Either way, they needed to take a look, but if she already had an idea of what they might encounter, it would be good to know.

Mountain Village

Outskirts of the village

Akio smiled at Cleo’s explanation and Silky’s reaction but made no comment. She had slowed to a stop, approaching the area with the noise carefully.

“No,” she said, her voice barely audible. “Nothing like I’ve ever heard before.”

Suddenly the noise stopped just as Akio spoke again in a whisper. Had they alerted whatever was ahead?

“But there should be a clearing up ahead. What do you want to do?”

The rustling continued louder and with more intensity as if someone or something was trying to hurry up.

As they got closer, other sounds mixed into the rustling of leaves, grass and brush. There was definitely several bodies movies, feet scurrying and another noise that sounded almost like something was feeding.

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

Assembly Hall

Rohan gave a light chuckle.

“Yes, I’ve seen plenty of people with flexible morals. They tend to think we’re some idiotic hillbillies that are so desperate they can take advantage of, so we try to keep them out of this village.”

He gave Bastion a serious look. “As long as you think it’s right thing, other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter.”