Titania took a step, falling from the top of the seawall onto the beach, sand flying into the air in a cloud of dust as her greaves slammed onto the coast beneath her feet.

“Titania…” Kaze cried out softly, holding Karrow’s crimson corpse within his hands. Naix and Michaelis stood away from the swordsman, still in shock as to what had happened moments before, with the beach now stained scarlet.

“Where are Fenris and Ilgar? Have they made it back yet?” The guild leader inquired, looking to Michaelis who clutched his ankle.

“We’ve seen them as recently as you have. They haven’t come back yet.” The warrior replied, attempting to stand before losing balance and falling on his rear, clutching his leg tight as he winced.

“Naix you’re with me, let’s go find them,” Titania commanded, beginning to walk in the direction the pair were launched in, despite the large wound present in her bicep, which was still engulfed in frost.

As Naix prepared himself to follow after his boss, the pair returned looking chipper than ever, grand smiles stretched across their faces, without any worry of the numerous cuts across both of their bodies, and the blood leaking from Fenris’s gauntlet.

Ilgar’s smile faded as he noticed Kaze’s distress and Karrow’s lifeless body. Fenris continued to smile, giving Titania a thumbs up with his bloodied iron fist.

“I’ll assume you both succeeded. Naix, help Fenrisolace and Michaelis back to the guild.” Titania commanded, rubbing the bridge of her nose as she released a deep sigh.

Fenrisolace marched home, beaming, as Naix and Michaelis shuffled after him, the chain blade-wielding warrior limping back to base. Titania walked over to Kaze, who continued to look up to her as she approached the pitiful samurai.

“What happened, Kaze?” Titania asked, bending her knees as she leaned down, approaching his level.

“He was killed, and I couldn’t save him in time,” Kaze stated blankly through the tears, Titania’s mouth curling.

“You tried,” She explained, before standing tall, towering over him as Ilgar watched from the sidelines with pity stretched across his face. “But something you need to understand is that people die every day, people you don’t know or the person closest to you. Being sad about Karrow’s death will do nothing and I can’t have it hindering your performance.”

Ilgar looked disgusted at Titania’s statement, beginning to approach the pair before Kaze stood up, lifting Karrow’s body in his arms. “I understand.” The young man blinked the tears from his eyes, rubbing the emerald embers into the torn sleeve of his kimono. “Is there anywhere I can bury Karrow near the guild?”

Ilgar reached out to Kaze, as he and Titania walked past the orc, ignoring him. “You can bury him in front of the guild, I’ll head to the blacksmith and have him make a gravestone,” Titania concluded, placing her hand on Kaze’s shoulder as the pair walked back towards the guildhall.

Ilgar stood alone on the beach of blood, staring out into the water, before falling on his behind and huffing, before taking another glance at his metal arm, turning it as he inspected all of the different nicks and curves that made it up.

Naix attempted to support Michaelis as they walked through the town market, only to be pushed away causing the knight embarrassment. “We were useless.” Michaelis spat, rage across his face.

“Can’t say the same.” Fenrisolace cackled as he held the back of his head with the scarlet fists. “Alongside the green man with a decisive blow, I single handedly battled a demigod.”

“That’s incredible!” Naix exclaimed, only for Mick to scoff.

“You shouldn’t talk about the quality of a fighter, Naix, unless you’re able to do more than supply opportunities to the real fighters.” The onyx eyed warrior crowed before stomping ahead of the pair, blood leaking from his pant leg.

“He’s not wrong,” The sunwolf commented, giving the knight a side-eye. “If you’re nothing more than minor support, your opinions are meaningless to me. As long as you don’t end up getting in my way though, you should be fine.” The sunwolf barked with a cocky grin as he walked ahead of the knight who stood still looking towards the pair who had spoken down to him.

“Am I really that useless?” He commented, looking to his armour covered hands.

Kaze’s eyes were foggy still as he returned to the hall alongside Titania, setting Karrow on the table next to Curam, who would be repairing the assassin’s crushed calve. Michaelis glared at Kaze, looking to his chain blade he held in his left hand, irritation flowing through him.

“Alright everyone,” Titania began, heading to the front of the guildhall, “Those two battles we just incurred were the only known God locations we had, and considering the current circumstances I’d like you all to take a week-long break while we get more information and to allow you to recover.”

Ilgar entered the hall, taking a seat on one of the stools next to Naix, the pair looking equally, mentally broken. “I need to state this again, because I don’t think you quite understood it the past couple times.” Titania began, beginning to look infuriated.

“You can and will die if you don’t look out for one another as well as not underestimate our opponents! They are Gods, with seemingly limitless energy!” Titania roared, Curam flinching as he began healing Fenris’s fists. “And now someone is dead. I know you didn’t know Karrow long, but take this as a lesson. Don’t allow the same mistake to occur next time.” The guild leader finished, rubbing her temple as she stepped towards her room.

“Curam, when you’re finished with them, come in here and heal my arm, it fucking hurts.” She spat, looking tired as she slammed the door behind her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Naix asked sympathetically to the disgruntled orc who had taken a seat next to him.

“Kaze was upset about Karrow, but Titania didn’t care how Kaze felt.” Ilgar whimpered, resting his chin on the wooden table.

“That’s just how mercenary work is, isn’t it? Don’t get attached, because this is a world of fighting. You know?” The knight commented, inexperienced in the field.

“I fought with my family, for my family. Now I fight alone, and I thought I’d have a new family here, but I really don’t.”

Naix stared at the table, before his armour shuffled, the knight turning to face his tall ally. “I’m not very strong.” He commented to the orc, who turned back to him. “But I can support you, a-as family.” He stuttered as the orc returned a soft smile, Naix extending his hand to be shaken.

The orc grabbed Naix’s hand, pulling him in and hugging him, smiling grandly. “Thank you, Naix.”

The knight hugged the orc back, as Michaelis looked on in disgust. “Everyone here is so odd.” He muttered, causing Curam to look in his direction, whilst healing the massive gash in Kaze’s side.

“You think you’re any different?” He said with a chuckle, only to have daggers shot towards him causing the doctor to flinch.

“I’m not some lunatic fighter for a God, or an idiot massive orc, or a war machine swordsman or some random fancy knight.” He commented, placing his right hand on his chest, a large black sun tattoo painted across it. “I’m still normal.”

Curam sighed as he finished up with Kaze, before picking up his bag of tools and bringing it towards Titania’s room.

“I can’t wait a whole week to engage in more combat!” Fenris shouted, hopping on a table as he began shadowboxing the air.

“Do you ever rest?” Michaelis pestered, only for Fenris to look down on him from above with a cocky grin.

“Talk down to me whenever you’re able to do something more than, what was it, support?” The beastman cackled, causing Michaelis to slam his fist on the table and stomp back to his room, slamming the door behind himself.

Ilgar looked on as Mick trampled away, looking irritated. “I wish everyone got along better.” He muttered, Naix laughing softly.

“This group is just kind of weird, Ilgar, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.” The knight commented, sighing. “It would be nice, though.”

-

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