It had been a long day, after clearing the bandit outpost Leona and Phoebe managed to drag Krieg inside and after acquiring the necessary materials for a campfire, they found a measure of peace, though by just breathing slightly deeper, it was possible to feel the smell of rotten flesh from across the spacious stone room. The place wasn’t comfortable, but at least it was out of the incoming storm. The other two newly met acquaintances slowly began to open up to Leona after brief introductions.

The younger brother, Arthur was afflicted with a disease known as silver decay, it was a very rare occurrence after the end of the war, but it was extensively seen in knights that donned equipment made of frostburnt silver for long periods of time.

While the older sister Athena was an inventor responsible for the creation of the bolt action rifle prototype seen in Akrapocalis. Albeit she didn’t want to divulge any more than she needed to as it clearly made her uncomfortable in doing so.

Phoebe was arranging the fire by tossing pieces of wooden furniture used by the former residents of that rotten den. Meanwhile Leona was inspecting the lever action rifle with a nigh endless curiosity as it was a much different type of weapon than the bolt action one she saw back in Akrapocalis.

“So this is called a lever action rifle.”

She muttered with the weapon in her slender hands it seemed much bigger than it actually was. She moved the lever down and back to the original position, looking at each moving part of the gun.

“That is a design stolen from my family. Damn swindlers, they used my father’s death as an excuse to take everything he worked so hard to create.” Athena was clearly upset from remembering her father’s fate. The light blue eyes had a hint of hate which was more clearly seen by Phoebe who also knew what was to have everything taken away from her. “While he created a concept using a lever, the people who he worked with conspired his death to take credit for his hard work.”

“Such is the shallowness of men.” Phoebe bitterly chuckled. “At one point everyone is working together against a greater foe, the second the threat is gone they are back to pointing their swords to one another.”

The high elf sighed whilst shaking her head.

“Then…” Leona began to speak as she handed the rifle back to Athena. “Why exactly are you heading back to Londria? Wouldn’t you find an easier job at Akrapocalis instead of heading all the way up north to where your father died above all things?”

Her brow frowned slightly.

“My family is on the brink of poverty, us Kaisers were a prominent family in Akrapocalis but with my father’s investments on his own research, it left little for us to live from. At the same time that I acquire the coin my family needs to survive, I will also be looking for the backstabber who planned his death.” She clenched her hand in a tight fist before turning to her brother. “And supposedly, there are a few chirurgeons who know much about silver decay there. I wish to find a way to cure him from it.”

Leona glanced at Arthur, his pale complexion showed how much it had affected him, comparing his older sister’s skin, it was clear that it wasn’t the normal tone of his body and instead an effect of the disease.

“I read about it, though it was mostly known to affect knights who wore frostburnt silver for long periods of time. Was he a knight by any chance?”

Athena shook her head, she began staring at the uneven stone floor while twisting her mouth slightly to the side.

“No, it was my fault.” Her voice was filled with regret as she looked at her brother sleeping tucked against a pile of gold coins. “I’ve made bullets with frostburnt silver as propellant, though not known to me at the time and contrary to popular belief, the magic in the silver dust doesn’t dissipate entirely.”

Leona’s eyes went wide as she came to a realization.

“Which means he inhaled frostburnt silver…!”

Athena nodded shortly. Frustration could be easily seen throughout her arms as both hands clenched into tight fists. The burden of taking care of someone she held dear, though not a familiar concept to Leona, she could feel the pain and suffering it had caused on the young woman in front of her.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Phoebe said. “I know it all too well, when the life of someone you hold dear is on the line.”

The young inventor glanced around the room, as if searching for something she might have lost. Such a story weighed heavily on the tactician's mind, the downfall of a loved one from her own personal mistakes.

She couldn’t help but look at the knight leaned against a pile of fur coats. It was much like what happened to her, albeit Leona couldn’t have any way of knowing how long Krieg would remain unconscious or if he would ever wake up at all. But whatever was the result of his own sacrifice, she wasn’t planning to be for nothing.

“But even so…” She began talking earnestly with Athena, which promptly caught the inventor’s attention. “You are still seeking a way to cure him, so don’t blame yourself for what already happened and instead you should look for a brighter future.”

Athena chuckled sourly.

“I wish I could be this positive. No, my purpose is sorely driven by hatred of both the people who took my father’s life and myself from letting fame and profit blind me from the dangers I put my brother in.” She stared at her own open palm before closing it tightly. “If I can bring even a semblance of normalcy for him, that is all that I ask for. It is the least I can do after I robbed him of his life.”

Leona couldn’t find words to console her, the young woman in front of her couldn’t be too older than her and even so she was already full of regret so early in her life.

“...I’m sorry to hear that.” She looked away towards the ground, before turning to her again. “But let us help you. We plan on heading towards Londria on the morrow if the storm agrees with our plan, we’ll see how you can accompany us with our ride.”

Athena went silent for a few seconds before looking Leona in the eyes. For some reason her piercing gaze sent chills down the tactician’s spine as she replied.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for your assistance in this matter with the bandits, but I don’t fully trust you just yet.” She glanced at Phoebe who was sharpening her daggers with a leather belt she had found. “Besides, you have one of the most infamous assassins of the continent at your disposal. It doesn’t necessarily make me comfortable.”

Leona blinked twice before glancing to the high elf to her right, who simply shrugged as she answered.

“I think my reputation with the bow and blade precedes me.” She finished sharpening the last dagger and lifted the dead woman near her from her long brown hair and sliced through a thick lock of strings with one swipe, letting the corpse’s head fall back against the ground with a dry thud. She flipped the dagger from one side to the other before turning to Leona with a faint smile on her face. “Not that it matters, no one can really tell who I really am unless they see me in action and normally even if they see me, they are not long for this world. But however you decide to help is none of my business Princess Leona. I’m just a bodyguard at the present moment so I won’t be looking for trouble if that’s your concern.”

Leona shook her head before giving a small smile as she replied to her.

“I hadn’t doubted you for even a moment Phoebe, it’s just- I didn’t know you were someone so well known, even if it is for the strangest of motives. If anything it only serves as reassurance for me.”

“Ahem.” Athena cleared her throat which prompted both of them to look at her. She didn’t seem convinced by their exchange of words but nevertheless she tried to gauge just how much faith she was willing to put in them. “But I still have to ask, what is your reason to come all the way here? Even if your household was attacked directly, as a noble of your kingdom you must have some sort of personal military at your disposal, mercenaries are also an option, you could’ve easily fought back and regained your-”

“It’s not simple like that.” Leona’s abrupt change of tone surprised both Phoebe and Athena. Her Aquamarine eyes had a faint dark red glow under the irises, leaving an eerie trace whenever her eyes moved. “My family spent most of our coin to help fund the war, my mother created the muskets that served as a foundation for the present weaponry that you yourself created, everything came from our personal funds, from food to our workers and researchers to the blades and firearms of our soldiers. After the war ended there were only a handful of knights left in our ranks and even after so much dread and suffering, we welcomed demonkind to our doorstep so we could forge a path for a future without strife. Those soldiers who once served us now despise my family from aiding those whose fate was outside of their hands.”

She took a deep breath, while Athena wanted to speak she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by her tale. A girl much younger than herself held a burden much greater than her own.

“But even so.” Leona continued with pain embedded in her voice. “My mother was a half demon herself, but even with the ‘accursed blood’ she fought on for the peace of mankind and for what? It cost her life to save a kingdom of ingrates so self absorbed with hatred that can’t even see the greater picture. Death angels are roaming these lands and without uniting to fight against this incoming threat, all life, not just ours but everything on this planet will perish. There won’t be a tomorrow for them nor us.”

“I…” Athena was lost for words, her tale was heavy, much heavier than anything she had ever heard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

As the daughter of an inventor, she wasn’t a noble, nor was interested in having the life of one. She always had an impression that those of the upper classes were sheltered individuals just idling away their lives until they were needed for some trivial paperwork here or there.

But seeing someone younger than her shouldering such a burden alone, it made the inventor feel powerless. It wasn’t a struggle against a single person or entity, it was a battle for the life of the very planet that was hanging in the balance.

“Nevertheless.” Leona wiped off some tears that began to overflow from her eyes before continuing. “We still live here and now, we must reach Londria no matter what.”

Athena took a deep breath, whilst closing her eyes. It was certainly a lot to take in, she knew about Leona and her deciding strategy to win the battle of Lugna Plains. But to hear that another war could spark at any moment while the death angel threat was at Akrapocalis’ doorstep meant that not only the dwarven citadel but all the other kingdoms could easily fall prey to the angelic menace.

“Very well.” The young inventor opened her eyes which sparked with fiery determination. “I’ll help you in what I can, so let’s head to Londria as soon as we are able.”