Kline's point of view

“There it is! There it is!”

Finally, weeks of travel with no cities or villages in between. It will be nice to speak with someone besides Silky or Leon. Wiping the sweat from my face, it seems to be getting hotter as we travel south. We heard rumors… Rumors of an amazing healer who might be able to cure Leon and Tough. Swift approached us and told us about his brother. He has him locked up in a cave on their island but he isn't responsive to anything. We need to find a cure to save him... To save both of them.

After trying to convince Swift to tell Kite, he refused outright stating that Kite has enough problems already. I know that but 1 more thing isn't going to drive Kite crazy… Honestly, Kite would like the chance to cure his brother more than anything else… But no one knows how to cure the ghoulification of someone. Not even Kite... I do see where Swift is coming from though, Kite is the leader but even so people continue to bring problems to him. We've seen him break already, we've all seen him cry when he couldn't defeat Gold the first time… Even so it has left the mission to find a cure to us.

We enter the city and I can't contain my happiness to be in a city. Silky is shy, hiding herself as wind for now. She isn't a big fan of crowds or villages. I'll have to tease her a little bit once we find an inn to stay at… I hope Leon doesn't get us thrown out of this city as well. The last we passed through someone said something about his eyes and it was all I could do to stop him from killing that person. He didn't get away injury free… Having 2 broken hands isn't something I would ever want to deal with. After the incident I told him to wear a hood to cover his eyes while we're in villages.

We look around the city. Finding a secluded inn near a run down bar, we decide to stay there. Paying for our room we leave towards the bar. Leaving Silky inside while we head to the bar to discuss rumors we've been following about a potential healer. We've heard rumors of him already. That he can do all sorts of crazy things like bring the dead back to life or heal any wound instantly by just passing by the person. We're hopeful but the rumors seem too unbelievable.

We enter the bar, it stinks somewhat but considering the patrons it is to be expected. 2 burly men sit at the bar counter while another group of 4 sit at a table. A couple sitting at another table, finally the bartender cleaning a glass behind the counter. He is the only 1 who looks at us when we enter. Leon sits and orders a whiskey, I sit down beside him and order a beer then ask the bartender about the rumors.

“Not much to talk about really, I've heard the rumors myself but he didn't pass through the village or anything. That's the thing with these rumors, you can't really tell what kind of truth there is to them. I do know someone with some merit to the rumors though. Someone who actually met the healer, goes by the name Shady. He comes to the bar after work so if you visit again in a few hours you might see him.”

Alright! Finally a lead! We can get to the bottom of this mystery healer and we might find a cure for Leon. We still have hours to wait now, I leave while Leon stays and continues to drink. Making him promise not to start anything while I'm gone. I head back to my room and tell Silky what's happened. Giving her a little kiss that she giggles at once I do it. I try to convince her to have sex to pass the time but she doesn't want to since Leon could come back at any minute. I tease her a little more before we decide to look around the city to pass the time.

Most of my time is spent showing Silky new things. She has only lived in the elemental plane of air until now. Peaking through the cracks to see snippets of what our reality is. So almost everything is new and interesting to her. I… I'm starting to get close to her, I've never been emotionally attached to another person before. My job as a spy wouldn't let me… It feels nice at the same time it is terrifying… She could die at a moments notice and I would feel terrible… Many people could try to capture her and use her as a source of power if they had the chance… It twists my stomach up just thinking that… I guess that is what it means to be in love.

The sylph race can merge with other races. Me and Silky have before. We've only done it once by accident but it was something I thought I'd never experience in my life. A feeling that is better than sex, I could read her emotions for only a few seconds before we split apart. Most sylph's are the opposite of Silky with outgoing personalities that often get them captured or lead them into trouble. The 1 thing that Silky has in common with other sylph's is her need to spy on people. It makes me and her somewhat similar in a way.

Her becoming wind doesn't make her invincible or anything. A strong wind or even a person rushing through her abruptly would remove her from her air form. We have to be careful that doesn't happen, so she has to stay behind me while we go through crowded parts. We look at a few vendors out in the streets. I don't see anything really valuable… I buy a necklace with a green gem in it for Silky but otherwise we just walked around and looked over the goods of everyone. It starts to get late, with the sun setting we head back to the inn.

Making sure Silky gets into the room safely, I head back to the bar. Entering it is nothing like it was before. The bar is completely packed now. Over 20 people are packed into the small bar like sardines. Leon hasn't budged at all from his position. A half finished bottle is in front of him… His ghoul form can still become drunk, it just takes more than a normal human to get drunk. I ask the bartender if the man we're looking for has come in.

“Yea, he's over there with a group of his friends from work. They're a pretty nice bunch, shouldn't cause any problems to go over and start a chat… You should buy them a round first before you start asking questions though, just as a courtesy of course.”

I do just that, ordering a round of drinks that each of the group likes. They see me approaching and I get a few cheers as I bring them free drinks. Asking which 1 of them is Shady, 1 grabs a beer off the tray and says.

“Who's asking?”

“Just someone following a rumor. Word around town is that you've met the healer that everyone is talking about.”

He doesn't say a word. Only rolling up his pant leg, a huge scar is now visible. He finally speaks after he shows proof of his meeting with the healer.

“This might sound unbelievable but I didn't always have this leg. I lost it in a construction accident a few years ago… Forcing me to live with my parents back in Shienta until a healer came along. It was a tiny boy with red hair. He didn't speak a single word, only had a line formed and healed the injured. He made a miracle happen! I know it is-.”

SLAM! From behind me, I hear the sound of the counter being slammed extremely hard. I turn to look, the counter is destroyed now, smashed into splinters by Leon's bare hands. I hear Leon speak now.

“DAMN! DAMN IT! THIS ENTIRE TIME WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR KITE!”

I knew as well… During the conversation I had realized he was talking about Kite… While it had only been a small deterrent to me it crushed the hopes of Leon. I can see how upset he is now visibly. The rowdy bar had become completely quiet from Leon's abrupt action. I apologize for him and pay for the damages. I'm surprised we weren't thrown out… I honestly don't know if I could have stopped Leon from killing everyone in there if they tried to throw him out.

Leon was looking out the window of the room when I went to sleep… When I woke up he was still looking out the window still... He hasn't budged since we've found out who the real healer was. We're going to have to start looking elsewhere for a cure… The rumors of the healer will only lead us back to Kite.

Lance's point of view

“Any other challengers!?”

Dozens of challengers for leadership are now breathing heavily on the ground. I'm the only one who remains standing, I defeated them without even breaking a sweat... This isn't even fair, no one stands a chance against me now… It is honestly boring to not have any competition. I can hear the cheers of my men. Trice approaches me and speaks for the group.

“No, I doubt anyone wants to fight a monster like you. Let's just get back to training since you've beaten all the challengers for leadership of the group… All at once.”

Me and Trice joined the main army forces at Merideth. Slowly the army is expanding. War is coming and both continents know this. With the expansion of the army, more generals are needed. This brings me to my current position as a general in the army. Right now I'm only leading 500 troops but as long as I keep winning the skirmishes, my numbers will keep expanding. I started as a member of a squad of troops only numbering 12. Being pitted against a group of 50. I smashed the group apart almost by myself with the leader of the army watching this. My position moved up quickly after that.

Most leaders would never offer their position as the leader to anyone who could beat them in a fight but I have chosen to do this. If anyone is strong enough to beat me, they deserve to be leader is how I think of it. My right hand man handles all the strategy, I sometimes offer my help but she doesn't need my help in that category.

Some of my men didn't think she could handle being my right hand man… Some have challenged her for her position. While I know how to hold punches… She does not, fighting unarmed and disarming some people while thoroughly embarrassing them by giving them no chance to win. Sometimes defeating them in mere seconds… That is why she is my right hand man… And also why I fell in love with her.

Her calm, cool and collected attitude instantly breaks when I get affectionate with her. Having Trice beside me feels right, she makes up for all my mistakes. Where I would just have my men charge in and fight head on, she knows how to win big fights like this. While I make a good figurehead to the troops, she makes the actual decisions for fighting.

The men who join my squad know they will be put through harder training than others. We've sort of become the linchpin of the army. I have no doubt that my troops will be called on for more daunting tasks… It just doesn't feel right to me… I miss it already, I miss being part of an army that would constantly challenge me. I can feel myself becoming weaker, less focused on getting stronger without any competition. I miss that the most…

We finish the training for that day, everyday more of my men drop out from the intensity of the training… I don't see it, the training is nothing special to me... I could do the training another 20 times before I start to feel any effects. I'm starting to realize I don't belong in this training, everything just seems so weak compared to me. I have to be especially careful when I fight against others. I've accidentally broken more bones than I would like to admit to. Constantly worrying about fighting too intensely isn't good for me. I feel the mental strain of holding back. I breath a heavy sigh as we walk home from training. Trice notices this and gives me a little push.

“Why do you have to be so gloomy Lance…”

“I just miss the competition… I know it sounds weird but… I want someone to beat me for leadership, someone strong enough for me to challenge, to be forced to get stronger to beat.”

“You're right, that does sound weird. It would if it was anyone else besides you that is. You know what, we can visit the old fortress if you want… I know that will inspire you again. Seeing how much stronger everyone there is getting will help motivate you again.”

“Yea but… What if they're too much stronger? What if I get left behind because I'm not there?”

She lets out a little laugh before she pushes me again. Speaking with a sarcastic tone.

“Knowing you, you'll work twice as hard to catch up.”

We make it home. Opening the door, Trice yells into the house.

“We're home!”

A little girl comes running down the steps and jumps towards Trice. Trice catches her but almost falls over in the process. The little girl happily yells.

“You're back! You're back!”

Trice now rubs Duchess's head. I think Trice see's Duchess as a daughter now and Duchess see's Trice as a mother figure… We're only a few years older than Duchess but this is just how it's become. She puts her down and they continue to speak. Duchess going first.

“I read through that book you gave me. It has even more tactics than what Gold had taught me!”

“Yea, I've been working on battle tactics for troops for awhile. I'm glad you liked it.”

“I really liked reading the side notes, each gave several unique spins on all of your original strategies. The main question I have is, who is smart enough to understand let alone add to your ideas and formations?”

“Ahh, that would be Kite.”

Duchess just looks at her shocked for a few seconds before she finally responds.

“No seriously, you don't have to joke. I was just asking a question.”

“I'm being serious.”

Trice returns her stare now. Duchess can't respond, she is honestly shocked by what Trice said. Finally responding.

“I can't believe red head is such a smart tactician… I just thought you outsmarted Gold but it seems that he might have helped with the strategy as well.”

“Well, it wasn't just Kite. It was all of his smart generals adding to the tactics. One thing he is good at is seeing the value of everyone. A unique perspective on a situation could give better results then just assuming that no one has anything they could add to the plan. Even dumb people might have a straight forward idea that is just better than a well laid out, highly intricate plan.”

“I guess… So, I finished reading your book. Is there anything else you can teach me?”

“Sure, do you want to continue our unarmed training or I can teach you more about class combination tactics for war.”

“Teach me about tactics please!”

Duchess is an eager learner while Trice is an eager teacher. They really compliment each other… I feel that Trice is also becoming more sluggish without Kite around to challenge her ideas… I just agree with her on almost everything, Kite had the ability to see holes in her brilliant strategies… If we fight an enemy who can also find those holes, we'll be in big trouble… Perhaps becoming stronger isn't what I should be focused on right now… Maybe learning would suit me better as a leader than just being a muscle head. I stop them before they head upstairs.

“Can you teach me as well?”