They mounted up, Livia summoning Danu, the other three swinging their legs across the backs of three of the arietes. Pippy rode the arietes of ruby, Emilie the arietes of emerald, and Krey the arietes of sapphire. The pace they set certainly lived up to their words, but Danu was able to keep up just fine, and now that she was relieved of most of her material burden, Livia would be able to maintain the divine mare’s form even with such exertion. This was good, as Livia rode the hardest, and though the arietes didn’t struggle to keep up, those upon their backs were not exactly comfortable.

“Livia! Hey! Livia!” Pippy’s voice managed to cut through the rumble of hooves.

Livia pulled back to ride alongside her. “Yeah?”

“You said Krey and Emilie told you about the thing we’re going to investigate. What’s the deal here?”

“All I know is that it’s powerful, ancient, and evil.”

And that is all thou needst know, for that is all there is to the hirquus.

Apart from Fyren the Executioner, no greater evil has ever plagued us.

“You know of Fyren’s betrayal?” Livia asked.

Long have we understood the need to keep a watchful eye on those who reign.

The peoples of Berodyl are infatuated with their makers, so an impartial gaze do we maintain.

“Ah, I get it!” Pippy burst. “‘Who watches the watchers?’, eh?” She looked back at Livia. “So… that’s all it takes to get you going, huh? A folk legend here, an omen there, and you’re ready to leap into the fray?”

“What the hell are you talking about, Pippy?” Livia’s face scrunched up, her back straightening.

“Red magic gives me an insight into the minds and emotions of those around me. You got way more riled up about this than anyone else here… even more so than Emilie. Why?”

“I think you know why,” Livia enunciated stiffly.

“I think I do,” Pippy nodded, “but… don’t you think it might be good to get it off your chest?”

“Right now, I’d just rather you get off my back.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s just something I’d rather not discuss right now, and… well, I just don’t see the point. You were there, you already know… you fought harder and for longer than I did. You know how I feel. Maybe another time, okay?”

Pippy put a lilt in her voice, and put on a smile. “I understand. Say, it’s getting pretty breezy, huh? I’m just gonna put up a wind shield, ‘cause, y’know, I can do that too~” Pippy produced Doom, held it to her chest, and closed her eyes.

Krey caught the brewing of red light in the head of the mace in the corner of his vision, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. “No, Pippy! DON’T!” Before anyone could react, the arietes carrying Pippy slid to a halt and bucked its rider to the ground. Doom went flying from her hand, and the arietes’ antlers flared. The others had also stopped and gathered round as Pippy’s mount reared up and threatened to trample her.

“NO!” Livia screamed, leaping from Danu’s back and drawing her sword mid-air, landing crouched with the tip of her blade pointed up at the mighty stag’s belly. She gritted her teeth and braced, waiting for the full weight of the arietes to fall upon her… but it remained on its hind legs, and peered down with inscrutable eyes.

Hast thou forgotten the warnings we gave to thine kind?

In the arts of magic, no salvation shall thee find.

Thou art a fool, and would normally now be dead…

But in this dark hour, just this once… you shall be spared instead.

The arietes threw itself into a backflip, landing on all fours. Livia was petrified until she felt a pair of small, delicate hands on her shoulders, and a spasm rocked her entire body so hard she nearly threw Veridis out of her hands. Her grip had stopped that from happening.

“Livia, it’s okay,” Pippy crooned in her ear. “Come on, you can relax now.”

Livia sheathed Veridis, and let herself be guided up to her feet. Pippy retrieved her weapon and re-mounted the thing that had almost just killed her, giving an affectionate rub on the side for good measure. Without urging it, it began trotting further up the road, the others following… except for one. The onyx arietes stayed with Livia for a moment.

Thine loyalty and zeal are commendable, if misguided.

Thou either needs telling of our commandments, or needs to be reminded.

“I don’t care if you’re some sacred defender of the realm, I’m not about to let you kill my friend. I’d sooner see this world burn down before I let another of my own die.”

I sense thou art not being honest, not with I or with thyself.

“Are you saying I’d let my friends die?”

I am saying thou would not let this world burn down.

The arietes rejoined the others. Livia climbed back up onto Danu, and they rode on.

Despite moving fast, and the Ijiak Open not being the biggest region, they would still not make it to their target in a single day. Night fell, and the herd moved off the beaten path and into the wild grass, settling in a circle. Phyrn’s chosen dismounted and gathered in the circle, lying on the cold, hard earth. Pippy rolled over to Krey’s side and whispered: “I’m guessing, since they hate us using magic, we can’t use a traveller tonight?”

“I’m afraid so,” Krey nodded. “We’re going to have to rough it this once.”

“That’s fine, I can live with that.”

“Yes,” Krey smiled, “you can.”

Pippy then rolled all the way over to Livia’s side. “Hello~”

“Hey Pippy.” Livia’s eyebrows may have been lowered, but the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curl up. “You’re awfully chipper for someone who was nearly trampled by a magic deer today.”

“That’s because I was saved by a daring, dashing heroine!”

“That… don’t mention it.”

“How can I not?! You leapt from horseback and stuck the landing with a sword held out at the ready! You were like a hero from the old stories!”

Livia rolled her eyes. “Hardly. Come on… I just did what anyone would’ve done in that situation.”

“I don’t know… I didn’t see Krey or Emilie leap to my aid. I saw you.”

“I just got to you first— no big deal.”

“Okay, sure… if you say so.” Pippy leaned in and gave Livia a peck on the cheek.

Livia bolted upright, her face turning a shade of red even starlight alone could illuminate.

Pippy half sat up, her hand hovering close to her chest, not quite daring to reach out. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!”

“Are you two alright?” Emilie had noticed the sudden commotion, and called out to them from where she lay.

“Uh… yeah, we’re fine,” Livia hollered back. She stared back down at Pippy, who couldn’t bare to maintain eye contact, and turned her head away. “Hey, Pippy, it’s… it’s fine. I was just surprised.”

“Are you sure?” Pippy’s posture dipped with gravity a bit as her body relaxed.

Livia smiled and scooted closer, lightly bumping a fist against Pippy’s shoulder. “Absolutely. Come on; let’s get some sleep.”

Pippy returned the smile, and her voice cleared up, sounding more like her usual self. “Okay. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t oversleep.” She winked and rolled down onto her side, curling her legs up.

Livia laid back, her fingers locked over her stomach, but after staring up at the sky for a time, she found that sleep wouldn’t weigh hey eyelids down. A dull sensation shifted through her body, not quite sickly, but the kind of writhing heat that is spawned from an occupied mind. She looked over at Pippy; the poor girl was shivering in her pencil dress. Livia slipped out of her jacket and placed it on her like a blanket. The sleeping Pippy immediately grabbed onto it in her sleep, and made a faint peep in response to the warmth Livia had already imbued it with from wearing it. Livia shivered only briefly when lying back down, enjoying the coolness of the earth. Sleep finally came.