Floating down the Alexievich River was a small, cabinned fishing boat that couldn't have provided much space for its occupants. The young knight manning the boat was tall and extraordinarily handsome, and his white robes only enhanced his beauty against the backdrop of mountains and fields. He made sure the boat was moving steadily so his sickly passenger would not vomit on the platform again. 

He'd spent the whole night taking care of Xiao. As soon as he got out of the prison, he'd ran towards the dock in the next city with Xiao draped across his back and laid him down inside the boat he'd gotten ahead of time. Xiao was shivering and vomiting with whatever the two rapists had forced him to drink in his system the whole night. It was quite unsightly.

Speaking of, he hadn't checked up on Xiao since two hours ago. He abandoned his sculls and crouched to step into the cabin. Xiao was lying on the bed that was an old fur coat of the last occupant of the boat, twitching once in a while. He felt for Xiao's pulse, the only thing he really knew about medicine. It was thanks to Monk Olga that he had the cold medicine specified for Xiao.

Xiao felt like he was coming out of a dark void and instead a dull yellow colour surrounded him. His headache was better than before, though he could still hear a buzzing sound, and someone was moving next to him. His eyes opened into slits to see a figure in white next to him. "Cole."

"How are you feeling?" Cole asked nervously.

"I ... I am conscious," Xiao mumbled.

"Good, I don't have to force feed you anymore," Cole said, relaxing a bit. "Here, drink down this whole bottle of water. I'm sorry but I don't have alcohol and frankly I don't think that's good for you."

Xiao took over the bottle and sniffed. It was water alright. He downed the whole thing, which quenched the fire in his throat he didn't know he had. "You rescued me," Xiao said.

"I'm sorry," Cole said. "I know you would have wanted to kill the mayor and Laffut and the two rapists - I took care of them, by the way - but really, we had to go. The jailor could only be in the bathroom for so long. And by the time I got to you, I had already alerted the guards. I had to get your stuff, you see. And Bradley's stuff. Which I am so sorry about, Xiao. I really don't know what to say ..."

Xiao just listened to him talk blankly. "How did you know ... "

Cole mixed together some powder with water and handed it to him. "I met Childe Williams and Monk Olga in Wyatt City and they told me Bradley hadn't been back to his guest house and you were away. I gathered Bradley's stuff from the guest house and I was going to look for you, when I heard the news of you being captured. I caught the last part of your court hearing and that's that."

"Where are we going then?"

"Tajfel City, but I will explain more when you're better."

Xiao struggled up. "No, tell me all that's happened. What time is it?"

"It's about four in the afternoon," Cole told him. 

"What happened?" Xiao demanded. "What have you been up to the past three weeks?"

The more Xiao talked, the more quiet Cole became. "Drink the medicine. Monk Olga gave it to me for you."

Xiao didn't move. "Tell me and I'll drink it."

Cole smiled a little at the childish game they were playing, causing Xiao to smile bashfully too. Cole started from the beginning -

As he watched Xiao walked down Mount Huai, Cole involuntarily let out a sigh. What a talented person Grandmaster Liang had just kicked out, he thought. Feeling weird standing outside all alone, he walked back towards the disciples' wing. All the way, he wondered how Xiao learned the Sunfall Sequences. Judging by his mentor's reaction, he had learned it without his knowledge. Whether it was proper or not, Xiao had been exceptional tonight. Everyone had agreed with him on that point. Just by looking at Bradley alone, one could see the admiration radiating off of him - mixed with apprehension and disapproval, of course. 

"Cole!" Jason called behind him.

Cole turned around. "Jason, I wish you didn't have to make me pick Xiao," he started complaining at once. "Look at how you embarrassed yourself."

Jason smiled mysteriously. "Listen, I've got a plan to get back at him."

Cole furrowed his eyebrows nervously. "What plan?"

"People all saw him use a bit of our sequence, right? I could say that he learned it from me."

"How would that - "

"I'll just say that he let me play with him - you know - and I taught him sequences in return."

"What?" Cole exclaimed. "No! Jason - "

Jason narrowed his eyes. "What? He deserves it! That little bitch walks around the place like everyone owed him money! And he definitely looks down at us because he's from the high almighty Mount Gudu Sect and we are not. Besides, I've heard the Mount Huai disciples talking about him not training with them but always going to the back. It's a perfect rumour."

Cole knew Jason would not hear of anything that took Xiao's side. "How would this look good on you, Jason? That you have a male ... prostitute?"

"No matter," Jason brushed it off. "It will look worse on him."

Cole's whole face was scrunched up in disgust. "What's your proof?"

Jason laughed. "I knew you would ask. I saw these bruises on his arms and neck," he said. "Who knew how he got them but ... it works for me."

Cole pursed his lips. Xiao had bruises on him? Or ... hickeys? He and Bradley - though they fought a few times in proximity to himself - seemed very close. Could they have ...? Cole didn't let himself think too much of it as the pressing issue was Xiao's reputation being tainted because Jason was angry. It was most likely from training. (Xiao nodded vehemently.)

"Jason, be the bigger person, will you?" he begged. "So he beat you this time. But that's only because you were careless and wanted to play him."

Jason laughed. "Be the bigger person? That's not the way with Anlang Sect. Don't tell me those Gudu-Xue disciples' pretentiousness have rubbed off on you."

"You were just complaining of being looked down at because of being a part of Anlang Sect," Cole reasoned. "Why are you enforcing the bad image?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. I won't do it. I was just discussing it with you. If you are so against it, Cole, I won't do it."

Cole nodded curtly. He knew Jason never discussed something. He just did it. So, he grabbed onto Jason's sleeve to prevent him from causing any ruckus. "Let's go back, then."

However, the next morning, he woke up to Robbie and Gary laughing about Xiao. "With his hair, it really isn't too hard to believe," Gary was saying. "I mean, he looks like a girl too, especially from the back."

Robbie guffawed. "Being a prostitute just for a sequence. He really is a stain on the Mount Gudu alliance, isn't he?"

Cole pushed past everyone in the front yard and punched Jason hard in the face. "What have you been saying to these people?"

Jason grinned at him smugly through the bruise that was already forcing on his right cheek. "Just what I told you last night."

At least he was brave enough to admit it. "Why would you spread around lies?"

Jason's grin only grew bigger. "Lies? What, have you been with him in the back?"

Their audience oohed but Cole stood his ground, like he should have done last night. "No, but I've been with you all the time and I barely saw a finger of Xiao's on you."

"It's not all the time then, is it?" Hao sniggered.

Cole whirled around at him. "I'll beat you up like I did last night," he threatened.

Jason pulled on his sleeve. "Why are you even standing up for someone like Xiao? What about him makes you so crazy about him?"

Cole glared at Jason. "I can tell he's a good person," he said, somewhat lamely.

Jason guffawed. "Alright, I see what's going on. You like him!"

Cole punched Jason in the face. Jason tried to dodge it but his left ear was hit. "Stop spreading all these rumours so you can feel good about your defeat last night," Cole said.

Jason's face flushed and he punched at Cole's stomach. Cole twisted his body away. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gary and Owen coming up to help Jason and Reece and Kun blocking their way. There was also Jonah wanting to join in on the fight and Stephanus restricting him.

After a while, Cole realized that he would get into trouble with the older knights when they caught wind of this and he jumped out of the fight. "I'm leaving to do some good," Cole spat at Jason and jumped over the wall.

"Wait so," Xiao interrupted the story - which, of course, skipped over some dialogues and Cole's thoughts. " So, my reputation was bad even before the mayor took me in..."

"Drink your medicine down," Cole said in an attempt to divert his attention. When Xiao finished it all in one gulp despite the bitterness, Cole started talking again. "So after our fight, I left Mount Huai and went around Xenon, going after the Maiden Case. Frank told me to come to Wyatt City, but I heard there were cases to Bodang County north of Wyatt City so I went there first. I figured Wyatt City would be under control with Frank there."

"You know Frank?"

"We have been going around together for a while," Cole said. "We met Bradley one night too."

Xiao furrowed his eyebrows. Bradley did mention something like that. "Bradley said you were from Svetlana River..." Xiao said, discombobulated.

"I think he just assumed that I am because Frank is," Cole said. "I didn't stay to talk because there was another trafficker."

Xiao wasn't too happy with him pointing out Bradley's mistake but he knew it would be irrational to be mad at Cole for it. "So you went to Bodang County, and then?"

"And then."

A few nights ago, Cole was out patrolling Bodang County at night, like Xiao and his gang had been doing in Wyatt City and the surrounding areas, and he found two men discussing the price of a boat. One man, who wore a bright red robe, was shaking his head while the other, a man in black, was trying to calm him.

"Listen, Mr. Charles, we are still discussing this, alright?" the one clad in black was saying. "We just need to rent a big boat for a long period of time. We will definitely return it to you."

"Where are you driving the boat to?"

"We can't tell you that, like I've already explained."

"Listen, knight, I have a small business that depends on boats. I can't just give away a boat without at least a deposit," the man in red said. Cole tensed as he heard the word "knight". That word could also indicate criminals.

"I don't have money, now," the boat renter said exasperatedly. "Once I deliver whatever I need to deliver, I will get a handsome amount of gold and silver and I'll pay for the rental."

"How long will it take then?"

"I'll say ... a month there and a month back."

The man in red shook his head. "No way. That's my biggest boat too! Where are you headed that takes so long?"

"I can't tell you," the boat renter said. "Look, good sir - "

"No," the man in red interrupted. "I refuse. I make enough money doing daily rentals and short term delivery with trustworthy customers."

The boat renter's back straightened and he whipped out a knife. "I'm getting the boat no matter what!"

Cole jumped out from his hiding place a few yards away and hit the knife away. "Hey! Why are you threatening him with a knife?"

Fear flashed across the boat renter's face but he quickly composed himself and put on a fake smile. "Good knight, I'm sorry. The thing about me is that I'm really impulsive and I get angry really easily. We can't reach an agreement on renting his boat and I just got overly excited, that's all." He turned towards the boat owner. "Mr. Charles, I am sorry. I shouldn't have gotten out a knife, especially at night too. I hope I didn't scare you."

Cole glanced at Mr. Charles and almost laughed out loud. He was definitely scared. Cole looked back at the boat renter. "So finish the deal. I'll watch."

The boat renter grimaced. Clearly he didn't want an audience. "Knight, really, there's no need for that. You've already kicked my knife away. I'll just make sure I keep my temper from now on."

"I'll help you make sure of it," Cole said firmly.

Charles was half hiding behind Cole. "I refuse to do business with you," he told the boat renter. "I'll leave now." And with that, he ran off.

Cole thought that was a bad idea as the boat renter would probably take revenge. He turned back to the boat renter. "I suggest you be nicer to the next person."

"Yeah, thanks for the advice," the boat renter muttered. "Bye, knight."

Cole let him go and headed the other way. But after walking down a block, he doubled back. The man in black was still within sight but he was running away at a rapid speed. Cole smirked. One accurate general perception about Anlang disciples was that they were good at running. He leaned down and followed the man through the desolate outskirts of Bodang County.

"So what happened?" Xiao asked impatiently.

Cole tucked a piece of loose hair behind his ear, "The traffickers are associated with the Ravens."

Xiao's eyes widened. However, he didn't want to show Cole that he surprised him. "I suppose that would make sense. I wouldn't put anything pass those savages."

Cole nodded. "Right and that's why I needed your help. They are going to traffick the maidens down south and I couldn't have managed to stop them all on my own. And their first stop is Tajfel City. Oh and they are going by boat, which is why we are on one right now."

"We've sent letters to our friends who help," Xiao told Cole. "We discovered several strongholds of the organisation."

"Where?" Cole demanded excitedly.

"I don't remember it really. It's all on this notebook, which was in our guest house."

"Then I have it," Cole said. He went over to pull out a bag from under the floorboard. "I packed all of Bradley's stuff. The guest house owner was getting a bit out of hand."

Xiao could imagine the owner complaining about them running away without paying and then becoming all smiley after Cole paid for them. "Thanks."

Cole handed it to him. "It should be in there."

Xiao rummaged through it. There were torn up poetry books - which made him concerned as Bradley never disrespected books, Bradley's clothes, some of Xiao's remaining medicine... Then he found the small, brown notebook. "Guifang, Harrison, Roche, and Lapoint," he said, handing it over to Cole. "You've been to any of these places?"

"No," Cole answered. "Though Jason had been in Roche for a while..."

Xiao's eyes narrowed. "Is he - "

Cole glanced at him warningly and Xiao stopped talking. It had been tactless to accuse Cole's brother of trafficking maidens, even though Jason seemed like the type to do it, especially with his track record.

Cole then sighed and fidgeted with the edge of the fur coat that was Xiao's bed. "I don't know. It is likely."

"You know him better than I do," Xiao said simply.

Cole looked down at the floor.

"Anyway, our friends will help get rid of those strongholds," Xiao said.

Cole nodded. "Yeah."

Xiao changed the topic to something he was dying to know. "So you saved me. How?" 

"I might have killed a few guards," Cole said with a satisfied expression. "Last night, I went into the town hall and grabbed all your stuff - I have your sword and stuff here, though not your night suit. Then I sent Bradley's casket off to his hometown. I have his sword, too. The mayor was playing with it. Then I went into the prison and I caught the two bastards trying to ... do things to you. So I killed them and carried you to the boat."

Xiao nodded. He didn't know how he was feeling. "Can I have my sword back?"

Cole gave both his and Bradley's sword to Xiao. Xiao placed his own Severus to the side and took Yunchang, caressing it gently. This had been Bradley's pride and joy for ten years. It would have been with Bradley right now if Laffut actually followed through with his words. "So what happened?" Cole asked Xiao after a while.

Xiao hugged Yunchang close to him. "We came to Wyatt City like Frank asked and we would patrol the surrounding areas at night. We chased away a priest, which Monk Olga probably told you about. He was most likely the drug provider. Then one night, me and Bradley got into an argument, which was my fault, obviously, and we separated. That night, he was killed after saving several maidens. Probably through the use of drugs too. That was how I got captured, anyway."

Without realizing it, tears slid down his cheeks. Xiao didn't bother to wipe them away and let them fell.

Cole sat there in silence, not sure what to say. So he just watched Xiao cry in silence.

Finally, Xiao straightened up. "So why are we going to Tajfel City?" he asked.

Cole breathed out in relief. "There is a really influential tyrant there, Baron Walker. I think he would be involved with trafficking in the area and probably have the maidens and a bunch of outlaws and bandits with him."

"Bradley's murderers would be there then?" Xiao asked.

Cole nodded.

Xiao gripped Bradley's sword even tighter than before. He was done crying. He would avenge Bradley if that was all he would do for the rest of his life.

"Let me man the boat," he offered.