Story Veilbrand Rising

[GojiBean]

Disclaimer: (Welcome one and all to a new test of a story concept I've been developing for a long, long time. I'm hoping this one will lead to something down the line. But, for now, it's a test which I hope you'll enjoy.

Please note there will be potentially triggering material due to the fact it's about a war/revolution, and a lot of disgusting and vile human behavior will be alluded to, though never shown up-front. All content within this story will fall within site rules and guidelines.)​

"It's stuck!"

"Ugh... For the love of the Gods, Oscar, just-"

"Got it!!"

A quick yank and a stream of blood in a wide arc later, and his blade was free of the back of the lifeless corpse at his feet.

"You really need to learn the meaning of 'subtlety.'"

"Shut your beard Xander. It's fine. Not like I left his limbs all about or anything."

"Not the point. And quit talking about my beard."

"He's right, Oscar. I mean, you did just whip a lot of blood across a bunch of dirt and grass. People are gonna see that if they come through here."

"Aw, c'mon Mari. It'll be dry and turn to dust long before anyone tries traveling this road."

"That's... Well."

"Oscar."

"Yeah, boss?"

"Unlikely though it may be, treat it as if there's every possibility someone could come through. The last thing we need is for Eagon's men to see a giant blood smear on an otherwise pristine stretch of road."

"Fair point, Glo. Sorry."

"It's fine, this time. Now then everyone, gather the bodies. We need to hide them and clean the blood as best we can before any more patrols come through."

Oscar rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as the group set about their task of hiding the bodies. With them being so out in the open amongst the relatively flat grasslands between Veilbrand and Valkyom, there wasn't much in the way of hiding places. However, a nearby rock formation provided just enough cover that the stacked corpses weren't visible from the main road, which was something. Once the bodies were hidden away the group returned to their horse-drawn cart and piled up in the back while Xander hopped in the driver's seat and got them moving again.

It was the third patrol they'd run into in the last two days as they attempted to reach and cross the border. And trying to evade them these last few days had been rough, to say the least. Moving past a small farming village just yesterday especially came as a stark reminder of the state Veilbrand was in. Empty and barren crop fields clearly not touched to in years, a fenced pasture containing nothing but skeletons of former livestock, and row after row of dilapidated and partially destroyed buildings left behind by the horrors of war. The story for other villages and towns along the way had been much the same. Though not in as horrid a state of disrepair, and despite having somewhat healthier populations, they were nonetheless just as lifeless as their long dead cousins in many ways.

By evening the group had set up camp a fair ways off the main road without setting up a campfire. Doing so had its perks, like less visibility. But it also meant less warmth and no fire to cook any meat they hunted and prepped for eating. So, raw red meat and sleeping in the cold it was. Still, if it meant avoiding further unnecessary combat then the discomfort was a small price to pay. They needed to get to Valkyom and her capital city, Yuthran, ASAP.

Thankfully, the rest of the journey went smoothly. Another day saw them cross the border into Valkyom, and a further three days of near non-stop travel save for sleeping at night brought them to the gates of Yuthran.

"Greetings, travelers!" Said one of four guards at the South Gate. "What brings you to our fair city?"

"Just passing through. Taking in the sights, and all that."

"Understood. We require inspection of any and all goods entering the city. So, if you please, step out of the cart. This will only take but a moment."

"Is that real-"

"Xander. Out."

Xander grumbled as he hauled himself out of the driver's seat and stepped to the side with the others. The guards gave the cart a once-over, checking to make sure no loose weapons or unknown objects or substances were visible, before allowing everyone back into the cart to continue on their way.

"Bask in Her light, travelers." The guard said with a wave.

As they moved slowly through the streets, Xander leaned back and spoke quietly over his shoulder.

"The fuck does 'bask in Her light' mean?"

"A local religious custom, no doubt."

"Oh. Pff."

"Hey, c'mon man. At least have the decency not to mock people's beliefs."

"Religion's bullshit."

Oscar shook his head and threw his hands up, earning a giggle from Mari.

"Xander's never been one to mince words, have you Xander?"

"No point. Besides, honesty's the best policy."

"Quiet down, everyone. Let's just find her and get this over with."

"You expecting a refusal?"

She remained silent.

"Take that as a 'yes.'"

"Just drive."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Where is this place, anyway?"

"No idea. Mari, can you ask around?"

"Oh, sure!"

Mari hopped out of the cart as Xander brought the horse to a halt.

"Good afternoon!" She called to a middle-aged woman nearby who was sweeping dirt away from her front door. "Please, forgive the intrusion, but by chance could you direct me to the Almna Apothecary and Clinic? My friends and I are from over the hill and don't quite know the way."

"Oh, you're from Veilbrand, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma'am. How'd you know?"

"Ho ho ho. You said you're from 'over the hill.' That's a phrase you normally only hear from folks in Veilbrand."

"Oh, ah..." She giggled nervously.

"No need to be nervous, dearie. If you're looking for the clinic simply head straight down the main road here. It'll be on your right in about five minutes. Red roof, big sign. Can't miss it."

"Thank you so much! We'll be on our way then!"

"Bask in Her light, dearie."

"Yes. You as well! Thank you!"

Mari trotted back to relay the information and hopped in the cart as Xander flicked the reins to get the horse moving again. Slowly but surely they made their way through the city. And Oscar made sure to admire the beauty of the women here. He was particularly taken by the ornaments they wore in their hair such as decorative pins, hair bands, flowers, and other hand-carved wooden ornaments of various designs like butterflies and the sun or moon. It gave them a very refined and almost exotic look. At least to him. Even Xander seemed to kind of appreciate one or two he saw along the way.

A few minutes later, as promised, they finally came upon the Almna Apothecary and Clinic. With a red roof and a large sign hanging over the door welcoming anyone and everyone with medical needs, they had Xander park and stay by the cart while they headed inside.

"Greetings! How can we help you today?" Asked a chipper young woman with tanned skin and dark blonde hair matching her own.

"Hi. My name's Gloria. I'd like to speak with Doctor Almna, if she's available."

"One moment, please! Let me check her availability."

The girl behind the counter slid over a large book and flipped through the pages, mumbling to herself quietly as she skimmed the names and times of appointments and consultations.

"Looks liiiiiiiiiiiiike... She should be available in about an hour or so, if you don't mind waiting."

"That's fine. Thank you. Is it all right if we sit here in the lobby?"

"Of course! Please, be our guest!"

"Thank you. Mari, can you let Xander know the expected wait time?"

"Oh, sure thing!"

Gloria and Oscar sat down side by side on a nearby bench. And she couldn't help but be annoyed at Oscar's fidgeting.

"Can you please sit still, Oscar?"

"Sorry, Glo. Can't help it. This bench has an awesome cushion!" He said, gently bouncing up and down on it. "Plus, the Doctor's supposed to be like an angel. Beautiful face. Perfect body. Big ti-"

A sharp elbow to his side forced a grunt and a groan as Gloria silently glared daggers at him.

"Sorry."

"No more brothels for you when we get back."

"WH-"

A heel on the middle of his foot just above the toes shut him up instantly. And the two looked around noticing they'd drawn a few eyes from folks who'd been sitting here since before they arrived.

"Apologies for his lack of manners, everyone."

"Hey."

Time ticked by. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Thirty. Forty. During that time the door on the left leading into the clinic side of the building opened numerous times for nurses to call patients in for their appointments. A few times the door on the right leading to the apothecary opened with people going in and out to purchase herbs and medicines. And as they neared the one-hour mark, Mari and Xander had since come inside to sit with them after putting the horse and cart up at a stable near the edge of town. No sooner had the two of them sat down and exchanged a few words with Gloria and Oscar that the clinic door opened and someone new stepped through drawing all of their eyes at once.

In a word, she was 'beautiful.' Rather, it was as if she suddenly existed purely to personify the word 'beautiful.' A heart-shaped face. Long chocolate brown hair flowing behind her in a well-kept ponytail which tickled the backs of her shins. Large almond-shaped eyes with vibrant amber irises. Gracefully arched eyebrows, like the wings of a raptor in flight. Naturally pink, cupid's bow shaped lips. A perfect hourglass figure with a large, shapely bust. A taught round posterior and long legs. And a smile which would melt the permanently snow-capped mountains in Veilbrand.

Oscar's and Mari's jaws were on the floor while Xander raised an eyebrow. Gloria, meanwhile, was stoic as ever. But in her head she found herself hoping against hope that this beauty was who they'd come to see. And it was confirmed a moment later when the woman took a look at the schedule book and turned towards the lobby.

"Gloria?"

She stood immediately. And as their eyes met Gloria found herself instantly filled with a deep sense of warmth. It was almost like when... She shook her head and motioned for the others to follow her as the Doctor led them into a consultation room just behind the front counter. She held the door and gave each of them a bow of her head and a pleasant smile as they entered. Once everyone was inside she closed the door and took a seat behind the desk with her hands resting comfortably on the desk top.

"Welcome, everyone. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of seeing any of you before. My name is Lorraine Xe' Almna. It's a pleasure."

"Likewise, Doctor. I'm Gloria. And these are my companions. Oscar, Mari, and Xander."

Again, Lorraine gave them all a smile and a bow of her head.

"So, what can I do for you today, Gloria?"

She took a deep breath.

"Doctor Almna, I realize this isn't medically relevant. But can I ask what you know of the situation in Veilbrand?"

Immediately the tone in the room shifted. Lorraine's once vibrant smile faltered momentarily before her eyebrows turned upwards, and the smile slowly vanished entirely.

"I've... Heard rather horrible rumors."

"I see. Mind if I ask you to describe what you've heard?"

Lorraine swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I've heard that the ruler, Eagon, is a tyrant. That he treats the populace more like playthings than humans. And that his soldiers commit inhumane acts on a whim."

"Mm. Well, that's not inaccurate. But it's a bit oversimplified."

"May I presume you all come from Veilbrand?"

"We do."

"Ah." Lorraine's hands slid off the desk top to her lap, and she seemed to look off into the distance rather than at Gloria.

"Do you know the medical situation in Veilbrand?"

"... No, I don't."

"There isn't one. Eagon's and his forces have either imprisoned, exiled, or killed every known doctor, nurse, or other medical practitioner in the nation. All to ensure the Revolution doesn't have access to medical treatment for our sick and injured. But this doesn't affect just us. It's affecting the general populace as well. None of the sick or injured are receiving any aid. People are dying, rapidly, from things which would normally be treatable. And there's nothing we can do to prevent it."

Lorraine's face paled.

"Apologies for the ghastly reveal. But it's the unfortunate truth of the matter. There's nobody left in Veilbrand who can give the Revolution or our people any sort of relief from the injuries and illnesses which have been piling up lately. We need a doctor. A good one. Someone who could not only help the Revolution's forces, but also potentially teach others so they could help the general populace as well. And that's why we're here."

"I... I see."

"I know I'm asking you to give me the moon, Doctor. But is there anything I can say that would convince you to come back with us? Our people need a doctor. Urgently. And we can't think of anyone with a better reputation than you. Just knowing the Angel of Valkyom is in Veilbrand would give our people hope, which is something they haven't had for a long, long time."

Lorraine's lower lip quivered, but she quickly pressed her lips together to stop it and looked down at the desk top between them.

"If you can't agree, we'll understand. Veilbrand is a warzone. And you've no obligation to help us. But if, at the very least, you could give us the name and location of someone who might be willing to help it'd be much appreciated. We'll take any help we can get at this point."

Lorraine looked up at Gloria, her face a mixture of fear, sorrow, and sympathy. Standing from her chair and turning around, she walked to the window and looked outside to the streets behind the clinic where a handful of children were playing "Good Guys vs Bad Guys" with little wooden swords. Due to recent events Valkyom had become a beacon of security nd safe living. Children could play like this freely while adults could walk the streets at night without a care in the world. Fewer and fewer people were coming to the clinic than they used to due to the improved mental and emotional health and well being of the country at large. And it left fewer and fewer people in need of more advanced medical services.

In truth, with the way things had been going her nurses could run this clinic without her.

She remained deep in thought for a long time while the others looked back and forth between each other wondering whether or not this prolonged silence was a good or bad thing. Gloria even attempted to speak again, but couldn't think of anything to add. She'd said basically all that needed to be said at this point. Now it was up to the Doctor to make a decision.

"Gloria?" She said without turning around.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"I heard a rumor a few weeks ago. Groups of children, sometimes dozens strong, struggling to survive on the streets. And no adults to help or protect them when things... Go wrong." Her head lowered slightly. "Is there any truth to this?"

"... Yes, much as I wish I could say otherwise."

Lorraine's head lowered even further, chin nearly touching her chest.

"And a few days ago... I heard a rumor about a family of seven, four of whom were young girls no older than twelve, all being..." Her voice quivered, and the words to finish the sentence refused to leave her lips. But Gloria knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Yes. I saw the aftermath myself. The two older girls are dead. Suicide. The two youngest were basically the walking dead with only their heartbeat keeping them alive when I saw them. But there was nothing in their eyes. The rest of the family, similarly, is lifeless, and only living by their heartbeat. Morbid as it is to say, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire family is no longer among the living."

Lorraine's legs gave out as a gasp escaped her lips. Falling to her knees, hands barely holding her up, she trembled and sobbed quietly at the mental visual of what the family must've looked like following the attack. Mari immediately got up and dashed over to kneel beside her and asked if she was all right. Oscar took a deep breath and nodded a few times, looking to the side. And Xander, face calm, clenched his fists against his knees.

"I'm sorry to relay such disgusting and disturbing news, Doctor. But this is what Veilbrand is facing. Humanity has completely left those we fight against. And every day things like that happen on our watch because we don't have the manpower or the resources to do more than prove we're still alive and ready to fight for the sake of our nation's freedom."

It took a few minutes for Lorraine to compose herself. And with Mari's help she made it back to her feet and went back to sit at the desk while the group all kept their eyes on her, waiting for a final reply.

"Did you learn their names?"

"Yes. The parents are Ivan and Sonja Forche. Their eldest son, Griff. Their eldest daughter, Vera. Their second eldest daughter, Sascha. Their second youngest daughter, Alina. And their youngest daughter, Irma."

"Ivan. Sonja. Griff. Vera. Sascha. Alina. Irma."

Lorraine closed her eyes, relaxed her face, and clasped her hands in front of her chest as she said a prayer in her head for the family. Once finished, she took a deep, deep breath and locked eyes with Gloria.

"Gloria? May I make a single request of you?"

"I make no promises about being able to fulfill it, but yes. You may."

"May I ask Oscar or Xander for some assistance with packing? There's a lot of things I'm going to need to bring with me."

Mari burst into tears, burying her face in her hands while Oscar nearly leapt from his chair, but managed to keep himself under control enough to instead go over to comfort Mari. Xander's lips tightened, but he let a smile slip through along with a few nods of his head. Gloria's heart soared, but remained suppressed behind a quiet sight of relief while she retained an outwardly calm smile as she approached the desk and extended her hand.

"Thank you, Doctor." She said, her eyes subtly glistening with moisture as Lorraine stood and took her hand, offering her a warm smile.

"Oscar. Xander."

Both of them stood and walked up, offering their assistance to Lorraine as she gave them both a bow at the waist. Gloria and Mari waited outside the clinic watching the locals go about their business while the boys helped Lorraine pack. As they exited the building Oscar had a large duffle bag over his shoulder and seemed to be exerting himself carrying it while Xander held a few closed-top baskets in either hand. Lorraine came out last, giving her friends in the clinic and the patients waiting in the lobby a bow and farewell, and also had a fairly good sized duffle bag over her shoulder as well.

"Everyone ready?"

Everyone gave the nod of approval, but Lorraine raised her hand.

"Actually, Gloria. Before we depart I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes, Doctor?"

"You said you'd be willing to take anyone who was willing to assist you, right?"

Gloria arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, I did say that. Mostly with regards to medical help. But if you know anyone willing to help bolster our ranks as well we won't say 'no'."

"I believe I know someone. Potentially two people, actually. One of them lives nearby. And the other lives along the way to the South Gate. So, neither would take long to visit and ask, if you think we have the time."

"Sure. Lead the way, Doctor. You can load all your stuff into the back of the cart."

Lorraine and the boys happily obliged by loading the duffle bags and baskets into the cart while everyone piled in. Lorraine sat beside Mari while Gloria and Oscar sat opposite them, and Xander driving. The cart moved at a slow and even pace while Lorraine helped guide Xander to the home of the first potential addition to their group. Lorraine told him to stop the cart as they neared a small collection of modest dwellings, and she hopped out, assuring them she'd only be a moment, but Gloria insisted on going with her. So, the pair of women approached one of the houses and Lorraine knocked on the door. A moment later, a young woman with platinum blonde, almost silver looking hair, answered the door.

"Oh, Lorraine! Hi! What brings you here?"

"Hi Taira. It's great to see you again. Do you mind if we come in for just a minute? We'd like to ask you something important."

"Um, sure. I guess there's no harm in it. Come on in."

Inside, Taira offered them both some tea to which both declined with gratitude.

"So, Taira. I know this is extremely sudden. But Gloria and her friends are all from Veilbrand, and they asked me to become the doctor for the Revolution which is taking place there."

Taira nearly spit out and choked on her tea. Coughing and pounding her chest until she could speak clearly, she asked Lorraine to clarify.

"It's as I said. The Revolution needs a doctor. And I've decided to lend my services to their cause."

"Wow. Okay. Well, uh, what do you need from me then?"

Lorraine sighed softly, and took a step towards Taira while offering a calm smile. "This is incredibly unfair of me to ask, but I was wondering if you'd come with us as well and help them fight?"

Gloria arched an eyebrow at the phrase "incredibly unfair."

In response to Lorraine's question, Taira's hands began trembling.

"F-fight? As in, 'fight,' fight?"

"Yes. They're undermanned and need all the help they can get from people who are capable in combat. I was also going to ask Kyero to come with us right after this."

"I see. Well, um... Can I go with you to see him? I'd like to see what he says."

"Of course."

About ten minutes later, as they neared the South Gate, they stopped at another modest dwelling. Interestingly, it was about half the size of Taira's. And tucked away practically up against the Gate itself. As they stopped the cart Lorraine asked for everyone's attention.

"Everyone, please listen closely. This visit is going to be a bit of a delicate matter because of who lives here. I don't mean to sound cryptic, but it's very important that everyone remains calm and understands that you're not in danger."

Gloria's brow furrowed.

"Doctor? Who lives in this house?"

"We know him as Kyero. But you'd likely know him as the Red-Eyed Demon."

Gloria's back straightened, Xander's hand instinctively found its place resting on the pistol at his right hip, and both Oscar and Mari's jaws hit the floor of the cart.

"Come again, Doctor?"

"The Red-Eyed Demon."

"The Red-Eyed Demon just 'lives' at this house, and nobody's got a problem with it?"

"Correct. It's a long story, but to make it incredibly short he turned his back on Te'i Sai and assisted Valkyom with dismantling the organization. For that, he received amnesty, and now lives as a citizen in the city."

Gloria's lips turned up in a smile.

"Amnesty."

"Bullshit."

"Gloria, Xander. I understand how skeptical you must be. But you put your trust in me to lend you my medical assistance to your cause. So, I'd like to ask that you put your faith in me that this isn't some kind of joke, or a dangerous stunt that could bring harm to you or anyone else here. I trust Kyero with my life."

"Taira? Do you trust him?"

"Yes. He was my mentor. And he-"

"Mentor?"

"Y-yes. I was part of Te'i Sai, too."

"Oh, fucking great! Two of them!"

"Holy shit..."

Gloria looked at Lorraine incredulously.

"It's true. She's a former assassin of Te'i Sai."

Gloria smiled and shook her head.

"I don't mean to sound short, but do you have time to be like this right now, Gloria?"

Gloria's jaw flexed and her lips peeled back revealing her teeth for a few seconds, but she took a deep breath and heaved a sigh to help calm herself.

"Do I have your guarantee he's not going to try attacking or killing anyone if we go in there?"

"Yes. Kyero's past is his past, and he's been a law-abiding citizen for the past four months or so with no issues."

Gloria huffed through her nose and gave Xander a look, to which he nodded once in response.

"Fine. Let's go."

Lorraine nodded, and the group all got out of the cart and approached the door. Mari huddled behind Oscar while Xander stood a little closer to Gloria than usual with his hand hovering over his holstered pistol. Lorraine knocked three times, and a few moments later the doorknob turned.

Everyone swallowed lumps in their throat, save Lorraine who waited patiently with a smile, as the door opened revealing the one known as the Red-Eyed Demon in all his glory.

Standing roughly 6' 2", he towered over most of the group. The only one close was Xander, who was a healthy 5' 11". Hailing from Triveila, his skin was pale and his face was naturally devoid of facial hair. Speaking of hair, his was raven black and spiky, somehow looking both unkempt yet remarkably styled at the same time. His broad shoulders contrasted his trim waist, along with well-muscled arms and legs which showed even through the relatively loose-fit tunic and pants he was wearing, both of which, naturally, were black. His face was contorted into a permanent deep frown with a furrowed brow and, of course, the literally glowing red irises which made him infamous throughout the continent.

Just seeing him emerge slowly from behind the door as it opened was enough to send an ice-cold shiver down Gloria's spine. And as those glowing red eyes landed on her emerald green eyes, it was a near perfect antithesis of the warmth Lorraine's smile brought her. Every second she stared into his eyes felt like she was being smothered by an avalanche. It was something about the depth of his eyes, rather than the red glow itself or even the furrowed brow. Something deep within those eyes just chilled her to the bone and made her feel uneasy.

Oscar's jaw lay on the ground, but instead of fear or despair his eyes were filled with excitement. He was looking at the Red-Eyed Demon. The most dangerous man on the planet. The most successful assassin the world had ever known. A literal demon made flesh (right?). A nightmare come to life. The boogieman of boogiemen. Holy shit!!

Mari was frozen behind Oscar, physically unable to move save for the trembling which she couldn't control.

Xander glared at the Demon seemingly without fear. But the sinking feeling in his stomach, along with the bead of sweat dripping from his temple, had something else to say.

"Good afternoon, Kyero. May we come in for a few minutes? We'd like to ask you something. And it's important."

Kyero's eyes slid to Lorraine's, and following a moment of silence he simply turned and walked inside. But not before giving Gloria one last moment of eye contact which sent a fresh shiver down her spine.

Walking inside at Lorraine and Taira's urging, the group found themselves in a rather modest and simple dwelling. Bare walls. Simple wooden floors. A single table and chair in the kitchen area. A small living room area. And a hallway at the end leading to what was presumably the bedroom. Though, it looked mostly empty from what little they could see.

Kyero walked to the kitchen area and seemingly had just finished brewing some tea. He poured some into a cup and held it up for Lorraine, who gratefully accepted it and took a sip, giving a satisfied sigh and contentment as Kyero poured another cup and held it up while looking at Gloria who hesitated before taking a cautious step forward and accepting the cup.

"Thanks."

Kyero gave a subtle nod of his head and poured another cup, holding it up and looking at Oscar.

"Oh, I'm good. Thanks though."

Kyero looked at Mari.

"Oh, no, thank you very much." She stammered.

He looked at Xander, who only glared at him. The two had a bit of a staring contest before Kyero brought the cup up to his own lips and took a sip, then moving his eyes back to Lorraine. Seeing Kyero sip the tea, Gloria took her own first sip while Lorraine set her cup down.

"Your sense of hospitality's getting a bit better, I see." She giggled. "Anyway, Kyero. These people are from Veilbrand."

The red light in his eyes flickered.

"By chance do you know what's happening over there?"

Kyero's grip on the cup tightened, and the furrow in his brow deepened.

"Eagon."

"Yes. Evidently he-"

"He's fucking over his nation and people while hoarding wealth and power."

Gloria's eyebrows went up slightly, while Oscar and Mari both looked at each other in amazement. Even Xander raised an eyebrow.

"A bit crude. But yes. In essence, that's what's happening. Only it's worse than that simplification could ever dare to suggest."

"I know."

"Oh? How much do you know about it, if I may inquire?"

"Te'i Sai infiltrated the previous monarchy and was almost ready to take full control of the place."

Gloria's eyebrows went all the way up, and her mouth hung partially open.

"Eagon taking the throne fucked that up. So, Te'i Sai started monitoring him and his followers' activities. We know what they were doing. And I doubt it's gotten any better since last I heard about them."

"No, they haven't. Gloria? Do you mind updating him?"

"Sure. But, before that, I need to ask you to clarify what you meant by Te'i Sai almost being ready to take over."

"Take full control means take full control. The previous king and queen would have been Te'i Sai's puppets."

"Holy shit."

"But how could they do that?"

"They had people living there who worked their way in."

"How long did that take?"

"Decades."

"Fuck."

"Are they still watching?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

"Te'i Sai doesn't exist anymore."

The room went quiet.

"Come again?"

"I think I mentioned it earlier, but Kyero helped Valkyom dismantle the organization. So, as he said, it doesn't exist anymore. It's gone."

"Oh, right. I forgot you said that. I was so surprised about you saying we were coming to see him I guess it went right over my head."

"Bullshit. No way it was that easy that you just dismantled it just like that."

"I never said it was easy at all, Xander. But it's true. Te'i Sai is gone."

"And why should we believe th-"

"Enough."

Xander's fist clenched at his side while Gloria gave him a hard glare.

"For now, let's say I believe you, Doctor. Kyero helped Valkyom take down Te'i Sai. Great. I'd like to get back to the main reason we came here, if you don't mind."

"Oh, yes. Please, forgive me." She turned to Kyero. "Gloria and her friends came here looking for help. The Revolution needs a doctor, so I volunteered and am going back with them. I was hoping you'd be willing to join as well. Your skillset could really benefit the Revolution's cause. And-"

"I'm in."

"... Just like that?"

Kyero chugged the rest of his tea and set the cup on the counter, and as he turned around the shocked expression on everyone's faces didn't go unnoticed.

"Not that I'm ungrateful, but why did you accept so easily?"

"I've wanted Eagon dead since I first heard about him. Never had the chance to put the fear of death in him while I was in Te'i Sai. But nothing's stopping me now."

"Oh. Oh my."

Kyero looked at Gloria.

"When do we leave?"

Gloria's tongue didn't want to work. But, somehow, she managed to force it to cooperate.

"Whenever you're ready."

Kyero walked over to a wardrobe nearby and popped it open, and Lorraine couldn't help but chuckle at the monochromatic color scheme of his clothing selection. Charcoal gray or black. That was it. Figures. Either way, he removed his tunic which put a light pink blush in Lorraine's cheeks as she half turned away to not look, but it put a surprised gawk on the faces of the others for... different reasons.

Befitting his legendary status, his musculature was in perfect condition. It was almost like looking at a carved statue of a God. But with that perfection came a host of scars all across his visible body from his shoulders down. Bullet holes, whip lash marks, canine fang marks, blade slices, arrow puncture wounds, you name it, he had at least one, but usually two to three scars for it. Mari's face drained of color and she was forced to look away while Oscar couldn't take his eyes off of Kyero. Not only was the Red-Eyed Demon real, the stories all those scars told were haunting, but exciting. He wanted to hear about them if possible. Meanwhile, Xander was unimpressed.

Some Demon, getting hurt that much. Do you just suck at living, or are you a masochist?

Gloria also found the scars of particular interest. But not for the reasons Oscar or Xander did. She noticed something peculiar about many of them... They were too perfectly placed. Some of them were perfectly parallel, indicating intention rather than randomness. In fact, most of the injuries seemed that way on close inspection. Even if they were on opposite sides of his body, the parallelism and/or perfectly mirrored nature of them was anything but random. Someone hurt him on purpose. And he either let it happen, or was unable to stop it. Either way, the story of why could wait for another day.

Once finished dawning a new pitch black tunic and matching jacket, along with grabbing a small waist pouch which he checked to ensure had at least one bottle of medicinal paste and bandage wrapping, he walked over to the wall where a single red bandana was hanging from a hook. Stopping in front of it and staring at it for a long moment, he grabbed it and tied it around his forehead before facing the others.

"Ready."

Gloria noticed during Kyero's pause that Lorraine gave him a sad and sympathetic look. Clearly that bandana had significance to him. What exactly was his business. But it was good to know that there was something in there that could feel something.

Monsters didn't have emotions or feelings.

"Okay then. Xander, you're driving. As always. Everyone else, hop in the cart. Let's go home."

"Hell yeah! We got the doctor, the Red-Eyed Demon, and, uh... Tanya?"

"Taira. And, um. Kyero?"

"You're staying."

"What?"

Kyero walked over to Taira and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're still recovering. So, you're staying."

Taira's eyes welled up as she began nodding. "I'm sorry." She whimpered.

Kyero took a step forward and gently pulled her in so her head rested against the bottom of his shoulder. She sniffled back a sob and gave him a hug, and when they separated Taira turned to the others and gave a deep bow at the waist.

"I'm so sorry I can't go with you. I just..."

"Too much talking. Let's go." Kyero said as he gave her a light pat on the shoulder again.

Lorraine smiled sadly with a nod, and everyone went outside. Taira gave everyone a final goodbye, and with her departure everyone got in the cart and Xander gave the reins a flick to get them moving back along the long road to Veilbrand.

Looking at Kyero, who sat next to Lorraine on the opposite side of the cart from her, Gloria wondered what that was all about, and whether or not Kyero and the doctor would even be willing to talk about it. If Taira was part of Te'i Sai, she certainly wouldn't be one to cry easily. But she seemed pretty emotional back there for whatever reason. Regardless, they were on their way back. And not a moment too soon.