Diane

The night sky was starless, the air cold despite the fire before her, insects buzzing from the trees around them. The skewered rabbit crackled, a pungent smell rising from it. "Are you sure this rabbit isn't cooked yet?" Diane crossed her arms. It had looked cooked earlier, but Ironball had insisted it wasn't.

"No...it needs more-" Ironball's jaw dropped. It was clearly blackened. "I think it's cooked." He pulled it out of the fire. The meat looked dry, hard.

"I'll grab the rations..." Razor rose to her feet, shaking her head as she walked away.

"That was a waste of a game." Ponytail sighed. Ironball chewed at the meat, and it cracked. He nodded, the meat crunching in his mouth.

"It's not that bad." Ironball smiled, but his face betrayed him.

"Is it? You can eat them then. All of them." Splithair leaned forward with a smile, arm rested on her knee. Ironball swallowed hard, kept his smile, and took another bite before turning away to escape.

Where's Eilhart?" Diane turned to Splithair, who pointed toward the ridge. "I'll check on her." She rose to her feet, grabbed two packs of ration and climbed up the slope. Her heart beat faster as she closed in, brows furrowing. Prettyface sat at the edge of the cliff, staring out into the dark, unmoving. What would she even say to her?

"I am fine...Kaela." Prettyface turned, eyes wide. "Oh..." she snapped her attention away, "Captain, what are you doing here?"

Diane sat beside her, an arm's length away and placed down the ration along with a waterskin. "You should eat up, you'll need the strength." She stared at the trees below them, the graves aren't visible but they're down there, it was the least they could do. "Their deaths were unnecessary, but there was nothing we could do." She convinced herself more than she was convincing Prettyface.

"We could've saved them. It was inaction that killed them." Prettyface wasn't wrong, she could have saved them but she had to obey authority, until she earned her amnesty at least. "I am not supposed to be here, if only I-" she bit her tongue, shook her head and laid on her back.

"What did you do, Eilhart?" Diane laid on her back as well, staring into the sky.

"You first."

"I was...a Captain in the Second Army." Diane closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. "My father was a governor. He was one of those still loyal to the previous Emperor." She let out a sigh, "My father was no soldier, he'd die out here but I wouldn't. So I bargained."

"Do you wish the princess didn't go missing?"

"I don't care. I don't even know why he cared." Diane turned toward her. "I wish he'd let it go. He was more loyal to strangers than to his own family."

"I am sorry that happened." Prettyface forced a wry smile, "But I admire your father, he risked his life to stand up for what he believed was right. I only care about myself." She turned her face away.

"That makes the two of us." Diane sighed, "What's your story?"

"I was a thief, caught during a botched robbery." Diane arched her brow, she'd never expect that from her. "My friends abandoned me, the people I trust and love."

"No honor among thieves, right?"

"Is there honor among criminals?"

"I don't care about strangers, Eilhart. But I care about this band of misfits." Diane rose to her feet, "We'll never abandon you, I won't atleast." She shut her eyes, taking in the cold breeze. They were only three meters apart, and yet she wished they were closer. This feeling will doom her. If Prettyface was a psychic she'd brush it off as enchantment, could she actually fall for a criminal?

"Thank you, I appreciate that."

"Let's go back to the others, get rested and prepare for tomorrow." If she obeyed orders tomorrow, more senseless killings might follow. If she disobeyed, she would lose her amnesty. Her conscience would have to endure. For amnesty's sake, she'd stain her hands with more blood.

Emrys

A calm breeze brushed his skin. Silence lingered in the darkness. That was how it had always been...until now. An unknown group had come to their doorstep. His peace shattered. The night would end in blood. He would have retribution. "Ten women. Fourteen men." He glanced at Hakon, a giant of a man who seemed small from the branch Emrys stood on. "Should I do the honor?"

"We wait for Arthur."

Emrys exhaled softly. It was his people they had slaughtered, and he would avenge them. Personally. "Where's the fun in that?" He stretched his back, gaze sharp on the intruders. "Even the two of us would be too much for them." He drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and his dark brown eyes flashed lightning blue. The arrow crackled with faint blue sparks. Part of him whispered patience. Another thirsted for vengeance.

"They have immortals of their own." Hakeon warned. The arrow loosed. It tore through the air, fast as lightning. His target jerked and went limp. No one noticed. He loosed another arrow. Then another. The camp panicked, their eyes glowed, fiery red and silvery white.

"And now they will have none." He inhaled sharply. The arrow crackled fiercely with sparks. It tore through the air, moments away from killing the silvereyed woman but a man leapt in front of it. He nocked another arrow, and force punched through his chest. He crashed from the branch, blood bursting from his lungs.

"Laid out already?" Hakon's blue eyes flashed earthy brown. Rock armor formed over his skin. "Get up and cover me." He charged, and the earth thudded with each step.

Emrys rose to his feet, sparks crackled around him. He flashed back atop the branch. He loosed an arrow, flashed to another branch, and loosed another. The tree shuddered as an invisible force slammed into it. Leaves rustled, then fell around him. His attention snapped to the Silvereyed woman, and he flashed closer with each branch. Every shot she threw missed him.

He smiled. Sparks crackled as his boot hit the last branch. His hand rose, blade ready to meet flesh. He flashed before her. His heart skipped a beat. The world seemed to slow as their gazes met. Skin pale as moonlight. Hair dark as night. His jaw tightened. Had he fallen under a spell? For a moment, it felt as if he loved her.

Three daggers rushed him. He deflected them one by one. Why had he hesitated? Was it the look in her eyes? An enchantment?

A flash of white stung his eyes. He shut his eyes, hand raised to the heavens. They closed in, Lightning tore down from the sky and struck him. His veins glowed. Lightning surged through every fiber. A blast of lightning erupted from him. Everything nearby was blasted backward.

His eyes watery as he squinted, they lay scattered across the ground. His ribs felt caved in. He rolled across the ground. He inhaled sharply, rising up as he pressed a palm to his ribs. The ground trembled as an invisible force rippled toward him.

His eyes glimmered. He flashed past it. She clutched a fist to her chest. Silverlight flared, then faded from her eyes. She'd run out of spirit. He glanced back. Hakon tanked fireballs and blocked a spear strike while the rest of the intruders made a run for it.

Emrys returned his attention to the girl, Was the life of one girl worth more than all the rest combined? He exhaled slowly, stealing one last glance at Hakon. They couldn't kill him even if they fought until sunrise. He was not letting that girl go that easily. Not after all the hurt she'd caused him.

His feet slammed into the ground, sparks crackled around him and he flashed to a nearby branch. Arrow aimed. Ready. She dashed through the trees, and a smile escaped him. She wouldn't be the first target he'd missed.

The arrow sliced through the air, weaving through the trees and catching her in the right side of her stomach. She stumbled, rolled down the hill and crashed into a fallen tree. He dropped from the branch and approached her. She lay on the forest floor, a bloody palm pressed against the wound. "Wait, please don't kill me."

Emrys's brows furrowed, Sefa had told him that they spoke a different language and yet. This woman spoke theirs. "Who are you? Why did you kill our people?" He aimed an arrow at her chest, but it was his heart that felt pierced. Hesitation tugged at him."Speak now while you still can." His heart trembled, he should kill her now before the enchantment dominated his mind. Too late, it already had.

"My inaction killed them, and for that I am sorry." She pushed herself up with a grunt, wincing as she rested her back against the fallen tree. "I never wanted that to happen, I could lead you to them...the people truly responsible." His aim snapped toward a rustle of leaves, grip tightened on the fletching.

"Stand back, crone."

"Marethari's first." The crone smiled wickedly, long claws playing at her unruly hair. "Leave the child to me, and I will forgive your trespassing." He could not figure out why she wanted her, but it was better he kept her until he found out. Anyone with sense knew nothing good ever came from a crone getting what she wanted.

"I am taking her with me, she knows where I can find the people who killed my brothers and sisters." The crone's gaze sharpened, her lips curving into a deep frown. "I will bring her back here myself once justice is served."

"Out of respect for Keeper Marethari, I will take your word as a promise." The crone withered into black mists and vanished. Emrys lowered his bow, even if the Keeper understood his reasons, she'd never forgive making a deal with a crone.