Neidr looked down at the pile of armor that was placed on the bed, he smiled and said,

"Did you expect me?" [Neidr] Stoneface shoo her head and said,

"No, this is my guard's armor. "[Azalea]

"Oh, where did he go?"[Neidr] stoneface pursed her lips and said,

"That is a good question. I, too, would like to know."[Azalea] Neidr shrugged his shoulders and snickered. He began to put the armor on as stoneface asked him a question,

"What is so humorous?" Neidr looked at the thick armor that covered every feature of the wearer including the face.

"Just that your soldiers are so protected. There are no identifying features left to see." [Neidr]

"It is better that way, if their identities were known, their families could be targeted. A soldier with a weakness like this is a danger to their lord." [Azalea]

"Your policy?"[Neidr]

“Yes” [Azalea]

"I misjudged you. You have a big heart." [Neidr]

"I am not any sort of saint. I want my armies to be invincible. How can they be invincible with such a weakness?" [Azalea] Neidr nodded and gestured for her to lead the way. Walking downstairs, they ran into Liam and Elizabeth.

"You have returned quickly" [Azalea]

"Yes, several people knew the girl, her name was..."[Liam}

"I don't want to know."[Azalea]

"Why are you so callous? Do you hate peasants so much? And who is this? I didn't take your last guard for someone who would come back. Sister, you should really stop clinging to old ideas. I've already told you, there isn't a single noble who can claim the worth of their name."[Elizabeth]

"Our father has a grand dream..."[Azalea]

"Had."[Elizabeth] Elizabeth shook her head and said,

"As soon as you're in a position of weakness, they all turned on the Cerns family. No honor among thieves." [Elizabeth]

"I don't have the time to lecture you anymore today. I'll take my leave, just remember the bet you made. While I'm not watching, try not to make a fool of yourself."[Azalea]

stoneface left with Neidr in toe. They walked in complete silence until they reached the end of the camp. There, a commotion broke out. A crowd was confronting a lone girl with blond hair and hazel eyes. Both sides were red in the face from screaming.

"Just let me in dammit!"[Arrieta]

"You're lucky I'm a man of honor. I oughta to beat the shit out of you, you dare treat the Goddess that way?"[Man in the crowd]

What the fuck goddess are you on about, you fucking heathens! There are only two goddesses, you Paksi faced failure of a man!"[Arrieta]

'Fuck, why did you have to be in trouble?' If it was anyone else, Neidr would not give a fuck, but he still owed his life to this little medicine lady. He tapped stoneface's shoulder and said,

"I need another favor." [Neidr]

"So fast?" [Azalea] Neidr jutted his thumb towards the commotion and said,

"I owe that girl, I'd like to take her out too. Of course, she has to pass the test." [Neidr] Stoneface nodded and said,

"Get to work then." [Azalea] Neidr made his way over to the group, without a word, he picked up Arrieta and walked away. Of course, Arrieta was struggling all along the way, beating and kicking his helmet. The group that had confronted her was honestly too shocked to say anything. They watched as an armored figure carried the belligerent woman away. Soon, though, they began to cheer. This girl didn't seem happy about the situation. This weird armored man must be a champion of their cause!

As for Arrieta, she started to curse and flail wildly as soon as she was picked up.

"What the fuck? Put me down, tinman! Are ya wearing a full body condom? You're probably hiding yer face cause you don't need it! The condom, that is! Cuz yer face is so nasty!" Neidr's mouth was contorted into a frown.

'You didn't have to explain the joke.' When he finally reached stoneface, and she saw the scene, she asked,

"She doesn't seem to like you." [Azalea]

"Apparently my face is too ugly." [Neidr]

"Yeah, that's right you ugly bastard! What the hell do you want with me, you son of a whor... Neidr?" [Arrieta] Arrieta's body relaxed, and she looked at the metal face plate in confusion.

"Good guess." [Neidr]

"Ah um uh, I s... sorry" [Arrieta]

"You should apologize to Miss Cerns, she is going to help you pass this assessment." [Neidr] Arrieta looked at Azalea, gave a little wave and then whispered next to Neidr's helmet.

"Any relation to that other Cerns?"[Arrieta]

“Sisters”[Neidr]

"Sisters!?"[Arrieta] Neidr pursed his lips and said,

"Don't scream in my ear." [Neidr]

"Isn't this really bad though, that girl just won't leave me alone!" Arrieta cast a glance towards stoneface and began to whisper again,

"She spread some weird rumor about her being a goddess and everyone is bein' do hateful. I really don't like her."[Arrieta] stoneface coughed twice and asked,

"Is this the girl you told me about? That my sister misunderstood?"[Azalea] Neidr nodded, Azalea shook her head and said,

"Then I can't consider this a favor I've given you. Her first-hand testimony is invaluable." [Azalea] Arrieta whispered into Neidr's ear,

"What is she talkin' about?" [Arrieta]

"She and her sister don't get along, if you tell her everything that happened, you'll probably get a reward." [Neidr] Arrieta's eyes shot open is surprise and excitement, she leaped out of Neidr's arms and ran up to grab Azalea's hand.

"Really?" [Arrieta}

"Uh, yes"[Azalea] Arrieta jumped around and threw her hands in the air. She said in a sing-song voice,

"Something good. something good Something good happened to me today!" [Arrieta]

"Let's get out of here first. Don't worry about passing the test Miss Cerns assured me that..." [Neidr]

'They already started walking away...' Neidr sighed, and the trio made their way into the open plains. Afterwalking for an hour, Azalea stopped in the middle of a field. She held her hand in the air and fired three blasts of fire into the sky. Soon after, the sky above them began to warp. An enormous metal ship with four magi-powered engines began to hover above them. It cast a shadow that covered mountains and plains all the same. It landed ever so slowly in front of the trio. An enormous metal pathway descended from the front of the ship smashing trees into splinters.

At the entrance of the ship, smoke billowed out. A sloppily dressed, fat, middle-aged man leaned against a side of the doorway. With one hand, he scratched his belly, with the other, he stroked his mustache.

"Damn!" he said, "This guard came back after one trip. That's a record!"