As the travelers arrived outside of the guard station, H'aanit frowned and reached for her bow. "Lizardmen... I liken them not," she muttered crossly. 

"You know these creatures?" Olberic asked, though he immediately kicked himself for posing the question. Of course H'aanit knew about lizardmen. If there was anyone he could trust to know everything about the creatures of Orsterra, it would be H'aanit. 

"Aye," H'aanit confirmed with a nod, not at all bothered by the question. "At least their water-dwelling cousins. These lizardmen aren adapted for the sands, but they still needen water to liven."

"Then this oasis is as essential to their survival as it is to the people here," Olberic realized. He cast a glance over at the water, and it stared back at him innocently, completely unaware of the scuffle it was already causing just by being there. 

"Indeed," H'aanit confirmed. "They aren wary, mistrustful creatures. They attacken all whom wanderen into their domain. As long as they claimen dominion over this oasis, conflict is inevitable. It mattereth not how long the people of Wellspring have been here; they willen be targeted regardless."

"I see," Olberic frowned. His grip tightened on his sword's hilt. "The sword I bear makes me duty bound to protect the people of this town." Stating that as his present purpose rang hollow, Olberic had to admit, but it was as fine a reason to fight as any. The people of Wellspring needed him, and Olberic would not neglect them. This wasn't about Erhardt, at least not at the moment. Olberic needed to defend those in danger, and he would not forget his vows of knighthood regardless of how long ago they had been spoken. 

"'Tis a just cause," H'aanit agreed. She created an arrow of lightning magic, and Linde snarled from beside her feet like she was excited for the battle to come. "I shall standen by thy side through it all."

"We must proceed with caution," Cyrus declared. "I imagine the lizardmen will be particularly weak to ice magic. They have adapted to sustain themselves in the heat, and a sudden blast of cold will likely catch them by surprise just enough for us to claim the upper hand."

"Understood," Ophilia nodded. She glanced out over the rest of the travelers, ignoring the way her hands shook along the way. "Let's see what we can do to aid the people of Wellspring then. There's not a moment to lose."

Olberic led the charge out of town and toward the sands leading out of the western exit of Wellspring. Olberic could immediately see why the road on this side of town was so widely ignored; a massive cave marked the horizon, and he knew it had to be the domain of the lizardmen. Any caravans that tried to push through to the other entrance of Wellspring would be attacked before they realized what was happening. The eastern path into town was much safer. Olberic hoped he would be able to aid those who needed to come from the west, but he wouldn't know for certain until the end of the battle if his contributions would be enough to change everything for the better. He would simply have to wait and see. 

Bale was already ordering his men about the area, his voice sharp yet distant. The air was clear, and Olberic was lucky enough to not have to battle sandy winds as he approached the captain of the guard. "See that no harm befalls the town," Bale declared to a trio of his men. The guards nodded before slipping into defensive positions, their blades poised at the ready. Bale turned to address the travelers directly, to give them any sense of direction as to what they should do next, but before he had the chance to speak, an inhuman scream pierced the air. 

Olberic yanked his sword free in an instant. The lizardmen scurried across the sand quickly, their snarls only growing louder as they approached Wellspring. Bale swore under his breath at the sight of them. "They're here already?! To arms, men!"

Olberic rushed toward the first lizardman before it had the chance to run at his allies, countering a slash with a swing of his own blade. Cyrus raised one hand above his head to create a tempest of ice that soared through the air toward the lizardmen. A wall of jagged icicles formed in between the lizardmen and humans immediately, fending them off for at least a few extra seconds. The lizardmen were smart though, having adapted to fight humans and other humanlike monsters ages ago. Their weapons and claws moved to cleave the icy wall into pieces, fierce cries of rage and hatred echoing into the air. 

Ophilia pushed one hand forward to create yet another spell of raging ice. The magic compounded upon Cyrus' initial spell, stabbing at the lizardmen the instant their defenses dropped. The icicles wouldn't last long under the oppressive sun overhead, so the travelers had to make the most of it while they could. Tressa, seeing this, curled her hands out in front of her body before pulling them in, creating a gust of wind that slammed into the lizardmen from behind and knocked them into the ice. The first few lizardmen of the bunch shrieked in pain as the ice stabbed at their bodies, but they refused to give up, thrashing however they could to get away. 

H'aanit didn't let them get away though, and she launched a trio of electric arrows at the initial cluster of lizardmen. The searing electricity paralyzed the lizardmen who were hit, giving the ice the full power to tear through them. One more blast of ice from Cyrus was all it took to send the lizardmen into their final round of screams before going slack. He flicked his wrist to shake the lizardmen off the jagged icicles, frowning at the sight of the blood and pretending he didn't see it. Now wasn't the time to be held back by his terror. 

Bale stared at the travelers with wide eyes and a dropped jaw for a few seconds. He hadn't expected the haphazard group he recruited to deal so much damage to the lizardmen in so little time. He wasn't complaining about it, of course, but his shock remained even so. Bale looked over to the cave once again and was met with the sight of even more lizardmen. "There's no end to them! Watch your backs!" Bale roared. 

The travelers didn't need to be told twice. Alfyn rushed forward first, raising his axe before bringing it down on the first lizardman. Vines spread out from the axe, restraining the lizardman's arms and forcing it to drop his club. The lizardman screamed, but his shrieks silenced as Primrose rushed forward and stabbed it in the chest. With a harsh downward slash of her knife, the lizardman was sent sprawling backwards. Two other lizardmen appeared in its place, and Primrose ducked out of the way of them both before summoning a blast of dark magic to knock them backwards. 

The lizardmen were left stunned by the attack, but it didn't stop them entirely. Therion rushed behind the first with his knife at the ready, and he slashed at its back in one clean motion. The lizardman whirled around to face him, but Therion was ready for the counterattack, and he slipped out of the way just before the attack could strike him. Olberic distracted the lizardman before it could follow up on Therion, stabbing it with his sword before yanking the blade free. The lizardman let out one last small wail before it went still and collapsed backwards. 

The last lizardman of the wave tried to slam Olberic with its club, but he was ready for it, and he twisted his blade around to meet the strike before it could reach him. With one last stab, Olberic sent the lizardman back into the sand. The creature screamed one last time before crumpling fully, and Olberic flicked his sword gently to rid the blade of blood. He glanced around the area for any signs of other lizardmen, but he saw none. 

Bale took a few steps forward to look around, cupping one hand around his eyes to make sure no sand got in them. The wind had kicked up during the last round of combat, and while it wasn't enough to impede the battle, it was a distraction now that the fight was over. "We have stopped them... At least for the moment," Bale muttered. 

"Do you think Lord Erhardt is safe, sir?" one of the guards asked. His voice was wavering, and Olberic already knew it had nothing to do with the lingering adrenaline from the battle. 

Bale nodded. "If any man could survive it alone, it would be him." He looked off at the cave once again, a frown staining his lips. "And yet, against these numbers... I would send him reinforcements, but..."

"Let me go," Olberic cut in. "I could double his chances." He glanced at the rest of the travelers. "We could all fight off the lizardmen to bring them back. I dare to say we could even stem the flow for the rest of the week."

Bale only considered Olberic's offer for a moment before he nodded. "Then go, Sir Olberic," he instructed. "And thank you." He turned back to the rest of the guards to give them other orders, leaving Olberic and the travelers to set their sights instead on the cave the lizardmen called home. 

Olberic took in a careful breath, the overwhelming stench of blood and steel infiltrating his nostrils. The last time he had been involved with a battle of this scale, it had been the day Hornburg fell. Even in the past battles against the heads of houses or monsters in forests, there had never been this many players on the field. This was the atmosphere that had taught Olberic how to fight in the first place... And it was the atmosphere that had ruined his life too. Even so many years after Hornburg's fall, Olberic remembered the day too well, and it threatened to flood his senses the instant he let his defenses fall too far. 

And yet, it felt like the battles in Hornburg had taken place in another world. Olberic was hardly the man he had been back in those days for better or worse. Back then, he hadn't feared that hatred or fear would be his purpose. He simply fought for the best of the people of Hornburg. He wanted to defend the innocent from the evils of the world, and nothing could stand in his way once he put his mind to that ambition. In those days, Olberic and Erhardt had seemingly fought for the same purpose... But not anymore. 

Until that day. 

For the first time in all these agonizing years, Olberic and Erhardt were fighting behind the same ideals, swinging their blades for the same banner. Wellspring was as good a purpose to have as any, and they would do anything and everything in their power to keep it safe. Olberic had done the same for Cobbleston in the years after Hornburg's fall, and it had given him at least something to believe in even if it was far from the lofty purpose he had once touted as his own. This was progress, and Olberic never imagined he would find it in the same place as Erhardt after all their years spent apart. 

Olberic took in a careful breath and let it out, ignoring the sand as it swirled and thrashed in the wind around him. "Upon this sword, I swear to defend this town and its people," he declared. It was not the purpose he had expected to find when he first set out on this journey, but Olberic thought it was a worthy one even so. As long as the world had innocent people, the world would need defenders, and Olberic was glad to do everything he could to look after them. 

Bale's head bowed in reverence and gratitude. "Your words give us courage, sir," he confessed. He looked up to the rest of the guards, finally giving out the last order before the next wave arrived. "Men, form lines on this position! Let none of those slavering fiends pass!" The guards cried out their agreement as they fell into their positions, and Bale looked at Olberic with sobered, honest eyes. "May the gods guide your blade."

Olberic held back a laugh about how the gods had long chosen where their allegiances rested within his domain. "And yours," he said instead. With that, he took off through the sands, the rest of the travelers trailing after him. In a matter of seconds, the silhouettes of Bale's soldiers faded into the distance and vanished from view. 

The cave was farther away than Olberic expected, but at the very least, there were no lizardmen directly targeting him yet. It was a small victory, but he was willing to take it. He doubted he would be granted such peace after he entered the cave in full. This was the last chance Olberic had to think before he encountered Erhardt again, and he had no idea what to do with that time. 

Olberic wanted to hate Erhardt. He had always wanted to despise the man who had ruined his life with one cruel slash of a blade... But Olberic had never quite been able to commit to it. No matter how desperate he was to hate Erhardt, he couldn't do it. Erhardt had meant too much to him in the past for Olberic to let him fall among the ranks of his most detested foes. Every time Olberic tried to let his hate and rage consume him, he found himself falling short. He would always remember the time he had spent with Erhardt fondly, and Olberic doubted that would ever change. It was bittersweet treachery, but that was what love always had been. It was as cruel as it was kind, and Olberic had only learned that brutal truth after he lost the one who gave him so much of both love and hatred. 

Olberic still didn't know how he was going to react when he saw Erhardt again. He had always thought it would be so simple. When he and Erhardt crossed paths, they would talk the only way they knew how: with their blades. That had been before Olberic realized just how massive the footprints Erhardt had left in his wake were. Everywhere Erhardt went, he left behind proof of his kindness. Even after he killed the king of Hornburg, Erhardt found small ways to make a difference. He regretted his history, but he would not beg for forgiveness after all he had done. Erhardt wanted to fight for the sake of Wellspring's people, and Olberic admired his resolve and dedication to that purpose... 

And it was one of many reasons he didn't think he would be able to kill his old friend. Murder was such a cruelly simple answer, but it did not fit complex situations such as these. Olberic had been a fool to believe it would ever be so easy. He and Erhardt were human, and while that was their greatest strength, it was their deepest flaw all the same. Olberic almost yearned for the days in which he had been nothing more than a blade, an extension of an empire... But he could never go back to that. He was so much more now, and he would have to grapple with every horror of humanity in turn. 

"Are you ready for this?"

The sound of Primrose's voice pulled Olberic out of his thoughts, and he turned to face her with a muted frown. "This is what you've been waiting for all this time," Primrose went on. "What are you going to do when you see Erhardt again?"

"I... I'm not sure," Olberic confessed. "I thought everything would make sense when I met with Erhardt again, but... Instead, it just seems to have made it all more complicated. I can't say what will happen when we cross paths. I imagine we will simply need to let our blades do the talking and let that be the end of it."

"Will you be ready for that fight then?" Primrose inquired. "None of us are going to let you go, and that includes letting Erhardt take you from us be it through blade or word." She didn't say that Olberic belonged there with the rest of the group, at least until their journey was seen through to the end, but they both understood that to be the truth. Primrose was right about it too; Olberic needed to stay with the rest of the travelers until their journey was over. None of them could say when that would be, but Olberic was determined to see it through. 

"I may not know what this encounter will mean for me or Erhardt... But I will not let him defeat me so easily," Olberic assured Primrose. It was a small bit of encouragement and not something Olberic could stick to reliably, but for the moment, it had to be enough. He would figure out what he needed to do with Erhardt when he saw his old friend again. Until then, the best thing he could do was be patient... Even though that was the last thing he wanted to do. 

"You had better give that fight your all then," Primrose told him sternly. "We're not going to like it if you let Erhardt beat you." She didn't say that she would never forgive Olberic if he let Erhardt kill him during their duel, but they could both feel the weight of the unspoken words even so. 

"I will not surrender easily, I can assure you," Olberic said. He tightened his grip on his blade. He didn't know what to do in this next fight, but he would figure that out when he saw Erhardt again. All the pieces would fall into place exactly as he needed them to. Olberic was certain he would find a purpose in Erhardt's eyes, and if it took him an eternity to figure out what that meant for him, so be it. He was willing to wait, and he was willing to fight for a better future at the end of it all. 

"Good," Primrose replied shortly. She looked back to the cave ahead, narrowing her eyes into a glare at the sight of it. Her grip on her dagger was stiff enough to make her knuckles turn white even under the influence of the oppressive desert sun. Primrose didn't openly admit to what she was afraid of, but Olberic could guess it easily enough. She feared that Erhardt would betray Olberic when they saw each other again. Erhardt had no qualms about stabbing Olberic in the back previously, so who was to say he wouldn't do it again? Primrose had recently learned her lesson about trusting too much, and Simeon had burned her and then some after the fact. She didn't want to risk letting any of the travelers stray too far from the given path in case it led to their downfalls. Primrose was afraid of letting go, and if she had to hold onto everyone with the same white-knuckled grip she used on her dagger, then she was more than happy to do so. 

Olberic would not give her the chance though. More accurately, he would do everything in his power to ensure such a thing was not necessary in the first place. He couldn't say he knew what would happen when he saw Erhardt again, but Olberic would do everything he could to see the inevitable battle through to the end. He had people to go back to, and they would be waiting for him on the other end of the fight. He may not have known what his purpose was meant to be, but Olberic had found a home and a family for the first time since Hornburg. Returning to them was enough of a motivation for him to make it through this battle. He couldn't let his fate be a coin flip that fell on Erhardt's side of the field. Olberic had to find a way to win, to return to the people he loved so dearly, no matter what it took. He and Erhardt would fight, and Olberic would come back to those who had cared for him in his darkest hour. He had sworn silently to Balogar that things would be different, and Olberic was going to take the first step to prove just how much the rest of the group meant to him. 

It was a shame they hadn't been given more time to talk after their encounter with Balogar. They had been thrust right into searching for information about the black market and then their pursuit of the lizardmen, and no one had the chance to ask the rest of their allies about how they felt regarding Balogar's words. The fact of the matter was that the god was right; they had grown apart over the last few weeks. They still traveled together, and they would gladly put their lives in one another's hands if the situation called for it. Even so, they hadn't been able to bring themselves to trust each other with their emotions, and somehow, that was even more damning. They needed to open up enough to be able to embrace one another again. Olberic was tired of letting his fears dictate everything he did with his life. He needed to make things right with his friends. 

And fighting Erhardt was the first step to doing that. If Olberic could find a solution to the oldest and best and worst relationship he had ever known, it would probe to him that he could change this for the better too. He would not let this set of powerful friendships flicker away and die without a fight. No matter what it took, Olberic would make this right. Fighting Erhardt was part of the solution, but Olberic was going to bring the rest of it to light after his inevitable battle with his old friend. He would act as the glue to hold the rest of the travelers together if need be. Whatever they needed, Olberic would do. They deserved that much. After all they had done for Olberic, it was the least he could do for them. 

Olberic's thoughts only slowed to a stop as he arrived near the mouth of the lizardmen's cave. He glanced around at the rest of the travelers, silently checking if they were all prepared for the string of battles they would face after they set foot inside. No one objected, and Olberic allowed himself a small smile. 

As soon as the travelers set foot in the cave, a new swarm of lizardmen converged upon them. Olberic was ready for the beasts, and he raised his blade in a counter stance to fend off a pair of clubs aiming for his head. After the two lizardmen had been stunned, Olberic slashed outwards, opening wide cuts across their chests. Alfyn finished off the first one with an attack from his axe, and Primrose killed the other with a well-placed stab of her dagger. 

Another group of lizardmen launched at the travelers moments later, and Cyrus and Ophilia threw up matching walls of ice on either side of the group so they had a bit more time. Therion vanished into the shadows only to reappear just behind a small cluster of lizardmen. He released a small blast of electric magic to send the beasts collapsing into one another and then the jagged icicles of the barricade. Monstrous shrieks echoed throughout the cave before giving way to silence. H'aanit created a small pillar of earth from the sand to stand on, and she nocked a few electric arrows before sending them flying. The lizardmen she hit were left too stunned to fight, leaving them as easy targets for Tressa's next blast of wind magic. Once again, the beasts struck the icy wall with screams of pain, and seconds later, they went silent. 

Olberic let out a small sigh once he was certain the immediate danger had passed. He knew none of them would be truly safe until they escaped from the lizardmen entirely and got out of the cave, but this was a fine enough situation to be in for now. He could only hope Erhardt was able to fend off the beasts on his own. The travelers had no problems with fighting them, but Erhardt was alone rather than in a group. Would his raw strength be enough to keep him alive? 

Yes. Olberic already knew the answer without needing to ask. If anyone would be able to handle an onslaught like this, it was Erhardt. Bale had said as much, and Olberic believed it. He could place his faith in his old friend to remain alive until they saw one another again. Olberic was afraid of what would happen when they crossed paths again, and he doubted that would change until the day was over, but he was fine for the moment. That had to be enough. 

The group pressed on through the cave once they were certain they were safe, but their eyes never drifted far from the shadows that surrounded them. No lizardmen tried to jump at them from the darkness though, and Olberic couldn't have possibly been more relieved. The lizardmen were being surprisingly merciful... Either that or they already knew they didn't stand a chance of winning this battle. That was a very clear option too. 

An eternity later, the travelers arrived at the very back of the lizardmen's den. Olberic was vaguely aware of the sound of steel clashing with the bone clubs of the lizardmen, and his heart skipped a beat. A cluster of monsters were fighting something--or more accurately, someone--at the back of the cave. Olberic already knew what to expect even before the monsters parted enough for him to catch a glimpse of their prey. 

Erhardt stood at the center of the fray, and for a moment, Olberic thought he looked exactly the same as his old memories. Olberic proved himself wrong seconds later when he noticed the extra stress lines across the Erhardt's face. Years ago, Erhardt's eyes had glowed with a life that Olberic had only hoped he would one day be able to imitate, but now, his gaze was dark and hollow. He may have found a reason to swing his blade, but it wasn't enough to completely solve his problems. At the end of the day, Erhardt was just as flawed as any other man, and Olberic could see it plain as could be. 

Erhardt slashed at three lizardmen and sent them all reeling backwards immediately. That opened enough of a gap in the scuffle for Olberic to rush forward and take his place at Erhardt's back. It was just like their rhythm from the days of Hornburg; no matter what, they were always watching one another's backs. They were at peace as long as they were together. They were safe as long as they were together. Even though those statements had lost the bulk of their truth over the years, there was still some hope to be found from being together. 

Erhardt turned to look over his shoulder at Olberic, his eyes going wide with a sudden spark of emotion he hadn't known in years. "Olberic?!" he cried out, and Olberic realized that Erhardt's voice had changed over the years too. It was a bit deeper now, grisly and jaded in a way that Olberic had never thought it could be. "Blazes, what in the name of the gods are you doing here?!"

Olberic wanted to let all of his wild emotions and tales of grief take over his tongue, to tell Erhardt of every hardship he had endured since Hornburg's fall, but he knew he couldn't let that temptation get the best of him. Wellspring was still in danger as long as the lizardmen were vying for their territory, and until the beasts had all been pushed back, no one could breathe easily. "Let's deal with these monsters first. We can talk later," Olberic declared. 

Erhardt hesitated for a moment before shrugging. He had long figured out that the battlefield was not the place for conversation, and while he yearned to stop the confrontation with the lizardmen then and there to talk to Olberic, he knew he couldn't indulge in those old desires. Erhardt adjusted his grip on his blade slightly and sunk into a defensive stance, preparing to kick off the ground and slash at the lizardmen the instant they rushed him. "Fair enough." 

Erhardt's words were the only cue the lizardmen needed, and no fewer than a dozen beasts rushed toward Olberic and Erhardt. The rest of the travelers began to erode at the enemy forces from their place outside the immediate ring of monsters, and Olberic could hear the fierce noises of combat to prove it. He turned his attention to the nearest lizardmen and readied his sword, cutting at the beasts as soon as they were in range. Olberic's body seemed to move on its own, the blade an extension of his arm rather than a separate weapon, and he found himself falling in love with his power all over again. He hadn't felt this alive in years, and he knew it had everything to do with his old friend at his back. 

At long last, the truth Olberic sought was within view. After he and Erhardt survived this battle, they would talk. It was not a question of 'if,' and they both knew it. They would come out of this together, and when they did, they would let their blades sing and dance as they once had so many years ago. 

Soon, Olberic would have his purpose, and he knew Erhardt would too. 

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We're almost there, everyone! The climax of Olberic's third chapter is within view!

I don't have all that much to say about this chapter honestly. The main thing I wanted to address was Cyrus' travel banter. I have a plan for that travel banter to be repurposed later on, and I'm going to be using Cyrus' allotted travel banter for something different at the end of the chapter. I wanted to fit it in, but it would have largely disturbed the pacing of the opening scene, so I decided to cut it and use it later. I haven't forgotten about it though, I can assure you. 

We're moving through Olberic's third chapter very quickly. It's going by a lot faster than I thought it would. We're already halfway through the dialogue of the chapter, and it's only going to continue at this breakneck speed once we get through the rest of the combat. I'm really looking forward to it. Things are about to start turning around, and I can't wait to show you all what that means. 

Next time, we'll dive into the battle against the lizardman chief. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital