I finally got Hope back on her feet, and she was actually looking a lot better.

Well she did look better, until she saw what state the town was in.

The taint had gone from the statue to the town too quickly. Martha decided on her own that we needed to get Andor back even faster.

She completely swept away the idea of using the ethereal blooms without even asking us. Even though I was a little bitter, I just went along. More the reason to get people working to get Andor back, the better.

Steve had set off to the Inertia a few days ago after Sonja had reported back the information. Information that I wasn't sure how she got to.

I don't want to know how people like Sonja get information. She scares me sometimes.

"How do you feel", I asked.

Hope glanced over to me. Her eyes didn't have as dark as circles around them as she had. She seemed less tired, but more tense. Instead of crying she would punch your nose off.

"Not as pitiful", she paused shrugging, "I guess."

I predicted that as she looked less pitiful. More strong and powerful. Her normal glow was giving off instead of the white ashen complexion she had.

"That's good." I left the topic at that because it was good. I finally had her mood balanced and I didn't want to tip anything.

"Hope."

Her breath hitched and I heard a voice that I didn't think would be greeting me for a long time.

We both turned at the same time, like we were on the same axis.

"Oh shit", I basically breathed out. I couldn't believe my fucking eyes.

There standing right in front of me was Andor himself.

He didn't have a scratch on him. He looked unharmed and a lot stronger. Not in a built up muscle sorta stronger, in a disfigured sorta way.

Andor looked at Hope and a slight smile formed on his face. "I'm here."

"How", She asked. Her hands were tapered at her sides. Not a muscle in her was moving. She looked like she saw a ghost.

"Steve he broke me out." Andor moved forward to Hope, and she tensed up more. "We need to stop the taint to get him out."

"Why", she continued asking questions with the same monotone.

"The ships won't move without the taint gone", Andor started to stammer, which didn't even sound realistic. It sounded like a stopped record, "and w-we need the ships to save him. To get to the Inertia. He told me everything before he got captured."

What was the point of me making the R.V then? The hell Steve!?

Andor was now only a few inches away from Hope, who still had her hands to her sides, but now they were clenched in fists.

Then before I could blink again Hope had swung a punch into Andor's cheek. At least what I thought was Andor.

"Cheap, fucking, spell", Hope spoke with gritted teeth.

It was no longer Andor. The Lieutenant laid to the ground in the same spot Andor should have been.

The Lieutenant rubbed his cheek, not determined to get up anytime soon. "I guess love isn't that blind."

Hope started back to Tom's island and I almost followed until the Lieutenant caught my wrist.

I stepped back, taking myself from his grasp. "What", I growled. I was not in the mood for the pit stop.

"I have a request", The Lieutenant let out, hunching over from trying to stand back up. Hope clunked him pretty hard in the jaw. "Since I haven't been able to appeal to your kindness-"

"-Impersonating a eighteen year old's lover isn't appealing to kindness. It's creepy."

The Lieutenant sighed and reached through a bag he had on him.

He then brought out a sword. A different looking sword that had a thin blade, but a sharp one. The tip was coated with a purple sort of aluminum, which looked like it could sit in water and float.

It looked sharp, paper thin sharp, and I immediately wanted to know what it felt like to fight with. How light it actually was in your grasp. How easy it was to maneuver with.

Damn my curiosity.

The Lieutenant held the weapon so easily in his hand, even though it wasn't his. You could tell. He didn't look patient enough to fight with something that took thought and precision.

"I'll give you it." The Lieutenant held the weapon so close to me, even though he was just sitting on the ground. I mean it wasn't even like I just wanted the weapon. The weapon wanted me. It was pulsing to me. "If you get rid of the taint."

I internally groaned in my head. I didn't know how to get rid of the damn taint. Even if I did know Martha probably wouldn't let me anyway. We have to use wisdom and all that.

"You drive a hard bargain sir." I said.

"I'll give you a day to think on it," The Lieutenant took the weapon and put it back into the brown bag, "the rapier seems to fit you anyway."

He stood up and started to walk to the kingdom. I watched him go the whole way, holding a clean blunted down knife in his one hand and his bag in another. I watched him scurry under the taint and gag at the blight that had got into the town.

I still had no fucking idea what to choose.

I grabbed some ethereal blooms from the forest the next day and placed them in a few spots in the town.

"I see your only having moderate success", The Lieutenant yelled down from his perch on the castle wall. He was just watching me.

"Give it a second man, jeez." I glanced back at the ethereal blooms, not completely wanting to look at the Lieutenant. If I did I would probably try to kill him. He wanted the job done he would just have to deal with the way I was working. "This doesn't happen in a day."

I had read through my third book for the day and it was only noon.

This is so boring, I thought to myself, What's the point of breathing if you have to sit around and live with the next best thing?

I threw the book on the floor beside the couch and begun to look at the ceiling. Staring blankly up at the white ceiling was the only thing left to do. I might as well just die.

Okay well maybe I was being a bit over dramatic, but still. It was like what Jordan describes as "spending a day with grandma". Except there were no baked goods.

So Steve was gone too. He had gone to look for the Inertia. I had known that.

I can't believe the Lieutenant tried to trick me like that!

I listened to the sound of pots and pans rattling behind me. Martha was cleaning up her house, which I noticed she did a lot. Especially when she was nervous.

I wonder if Andor did that and I never noticed.

I shook my head, now slightly leaning off the couch. I had to remind myself that thinking about him left me a shattered mess. Close to killing somebody.

Hell, I was as dangerous as a lit bomb.

Maybe they have paints.

I rolled off of the couch, now laying back up on the cold floor. If I was five I would have been rolling on the ground whining that "I was bored".

I heard some footsteps and felt the rumbling of someone stomping up the stairs on my back.

"Hey Martha." It was Jordan's way to familiar voice speaking, so I didn't even look up at who was speaking. I already knew it was Jordan, probably asking for some spare part for his R.V.

"What is it?" She mumbled from the kitchen. The clatter of dishes and silverware didn't stop.

My gods. The noise never stops!

"I need to borrow a shovel", Jordan said. His voice was being quiet and spoke like having a shovel was a normal thing.

I sat up from the floor and did my sassy eyebrow raise thing at him. "What do you need a shovel for?"

He shrugged, not answering me. He wasn't acting guilty, but his face screamed guilty.

"Who did you kill?" I asked.

"Not the Lieutenant", he answered and started to pick some dirt out from under his nails, dirt that almost looked purple, "not yet, at least."

"Are you screwing with the taint", I asked another question and this one made him go white to the face.

Bingo!

He shrugged again, still picking at his purple nails, which wasn't helping his case. "Maybe."

Martha walked in with a shovel, which I have no idea where she got that.

She handed Jordan the shovel and added, "Your decisions now run deeper than choosing good. You must choose balance."

Jordan held the shovel by him with a very confident smile, and the glanced back at Martha with a very reassuring look. A look that I could never just give. Everyone on the time was such an expert on giving the right body language, unlike me.

Even Wag could make a person think he was mad or sad just by the way he leaned to one side or another, and wag doesn't care what anybody thinks!

"I pray that your right", Martha continued and that weird lilac glow came into her cheeks, "your instinct holds the lives of many."

Martha then walked back to kitchen with clacking brown boots as Jordan just continued to look down at the shovel.

"Why do women have to be so cryptic?" Jordan asked as soon as Martha was out of earshot.

"Because you never listen to us when we're blunt", I answered.

Jordan was confused. He must have not suspected my answer. "What?-"

"I just don't think it's a good idea to mess with something that is part of a god. Isn't the taint like her relationship or some crap", I spoke, but Jordan continued to shake his head, like I was saying some over protective crap that we would only hear from Tucker.

"It's also hurting her. The ethereal blooms worked the first time, why won't it work now, and the town is more united than ever. There united against the king. I think this is a good idea. There is more bad in Ianite than good right now, and you heard Martha, I need to balance that out." He sighed, "just trust me on this okay."

"There isn't some other motive?" I questioned. "That's making you want to do this."

He made this little breathy sound with his mouth, trying to avoid the question. "Well there was this weapon."

I sighed. "Jordan."

"But you don't understand, I felt a connection with it. Like I knew this weapon." He saw how much I wasn't buying the conversation.

"Hope I mean it", his voice was strong. I wasn't sure why he was so certain about this. "I need it Hope. I didn't even want to fight with it. I just need it."

I crossed my arms, continuing to give my sassy eyebrow raise.

"Just trust me." His words were getting lengthy and it almost sounded like he was to the point of begging. "Please."

I sighed. "Fine." He finally broke down the wall that I had built up through the years between my trust and people. "But you have to promise that if Martha blatantly goes out and tells you this is a bad idea, you stop."

He nodded his head yes. "Okay, okay", he held out his hands in front of him, starting down the stairs. "I got it."

He started down the stairs and I noticed by me the shovel still by my shoes, where Jordan had dropped it.

I picked it up and threw it down the stairwell. "Here's your shovel!"

I was then told with a reassuring "ow" from Jordan that he got it.

I took the shovel and started to dig out any of the loose blight that wouldn't leave because of the ethereal blooms. I had some unnatural urge to get the rapier.

I needed it now.

Just to hold it. Just to keep it. Just to have it.

Even if I had to scoop the purple muck out of the town with a bucket I would.

"I see you aren't taking my advice Mr. Sparkles."

I didn't even look up from my work to see Martha and her lilac hair telling me what or what not to do.

Jesus Christ just leave me alone women.

"Jesus Christ", I mumbled, "stupid last name-"

"-what do you think you're doing?" She questioned.

"I thought I was taking your advice", I answered, still not in the mood to look up at her. I could only imagine the normal monotone face she had. Even her expressions were vague.

"Your destroying the taint", she said abruptly.

"Isn't that what you said to do?" I finally glanced up to her, placing my shovel into the dirt. My predictions were correct, I couldn't tell if she was tired or annoyed.

She rolled her bright blue eyes. "Ugh men-."

I continued to dig, until I heard Martha's voice speak up again.

"Al, good to see you." She said.

The Lieutenant's beard was gruffer and the circles under his eyes were darker. Actually the darkest I have ever seen on a human, including me.

"Ah yes, bringer of horrors to this quiet city. How nice it is to see you."

"Mhm", Martha gave the Lieutenant the sweetest smile humanly possible, "I am the kindest witch you will ever meet, am I not?"

I grabbed the shovel and started to dig some more. If I was going to have to work in between both of their fighting than so be it.

Martha picked at the lace of her purple dress. "Have you decided what you are going to do when the taint is gone from the town."

The Lieutenant laughed slightly because he thought he had the perfect answer.

This son of a dick.

"Well funny you mention that, your friend here has promised to make sure it will not...."

Don't be a dick!

"What about Ianites likeness outside of the gate?" Martha interrupted. It seems that the Lieutenant was not one step ahead.

"I-" he tripped on his words. "What?"

I was hoping he wouldn't be aware of that factorization, but thanks Martha.

"What deal did you you two shovel up", Martha then flicked the side of my shovel, making a really bad joke.

"I promised him the weapon of the person we no longer talk about in Ruxomar", the Lieutenant formed a sly smirk, "your father."

My eyes grew wide.

Oh shit!

"Wait what?!" I gasped. Martha didn't even look a bit upset.

"I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A FAMILY HEIRLOOM!" I yelled out.

"Don't worry about betrayal from him Martha", the Lieutenant spoke up, stopping my words or any words that would have helped my case,"I'm sure he wants the weapon so bad so he can skewer it with me one day. You both hold so much hate for me."

"Well you did brake my best friends heart and arrested her nephew, the feeling is mutual." I took another big pile of taint from my shovel and threw it over my shoulder into the bucket.

Martha held up her hands. "All I say Jordan is if unless you build a wall impenetrable to Ianite's will or destroy the taint outside, you will not get that weapon."

"Well then", the Lieutenant cleared his throat, "I guess that is what he will have to do then."

My breath hitched in my throat. I almost coughed up a lung at how unbelievably annoyed I was at Martha. My feelings for the Lieutenant wasn't even describable. I wanted him dead, so dead.

This dick!!

"THE LIEUTENANT IS THROWING ME UNDER THE BUS!" I screamed as Martha started to walk back to her house across the bridge. She really just wanted away from the town.

"I believe you have thrown yourself 'under the bus' as you speak." Martha then was gone with a flip of her hair.

God dammit!

"Hey Wag, do you know how to make nukes?"

Wag slammed down a potion that he was working on on the table. "Why do Ianites always beg for my help?" He sighed leaving the murky black potion to distill on the table. "If it isn't you it's Hope-"

"Please", I begged.

He rolled his eyes. "-and you always get what you want. What with your sad eyes and heroism. You all have such good pouty faces. Is that a requirement to be an Ianite. To be able to get whatever you want with a grand speech-"

"So is that a yes, because I don't have a lot of time to get rid of this thing", I interrupted.

Wag shuffled around his tower and grabbed a few bottles from behind him. They were all dusty from sitting in that chest so long and I swear there was mold growing on atleast a few of the bottles holding green liquid.

"What thing are we getting rid off", Wag motioned to the variety of potions he laid out on the table, "shrubbery, a monster, bloodthirsty machine that you built and is going berserk, maybe even the king", Wags eyes lit up, "oh that would be so much fun."

"It's the taint creature thing outside of the town actually", I said.

Wags excitement left as fast as I was hoping the taint would be gone. "Oh, well that's boring."

I shrugged, "it needs to happen."

"Are you sure", and Wag was giving me the same look Hope did when she learned my plan, "what did the magic women say about this", Wag paused on his words, "what was her name, Martha."

Okay like you didn't remember her name. With your bright eyes and how you practically fell face forward when you first saw her.

"She said to follow my instinct, and I am", I answered surely.

Wag wasn't a person who liked to argue, so he left it at that.

"Well I need gunpowder then", Wag answered and threw his dusty spell book on the table.

I fanned the cloud of dust away from my face. "Okay okay", I tried to fight the coughing from the dust that was flying into my throat, "I'll get that."

I started to head to the door until-

"Oh and if the purple hair girl asks", he spoke, "I wasn't involved."

"I hope that you have everything prepared", the Lieutenant said.

"I'm just waiting for Wag." I sat down on the grass, which was cut really short. It was a lot shorter than when we got here, which made the landscape dusty and look less green.

I stared up at the taint statue and was starting to wonder why it didn't disgust me anymore. What had possibly made the maggots and puss oozing out from it so much more appealing. What exactly had made it less grotesque to me, at least.

"You asked the creepy wizard", the Lieutenant lengthened on his words, "for help."

"This things is a lot more creepy than Wag." I continued to stare up at the monster, in awe more than anything else. To bad I had to blow it up in a little.

"Hey Jordan", Hope greeted as she walked up to me. She patted down her pink bangs trying to make them more side swept.

She then greeted the Lieutenant with a very mean glare and went back to give her attention to me. "Are you finally getting rid of it?"

"It?" I was still staring up at the things, whatever it was. The taint was weird to say and blight was an understatement, maybe it was good. The thing was just an it. "That's what we should call it Hopers."

"Hopers?" She questioned. "What are you, Tom?"

"Sorry." I apologized, and I basked in the sun sitting just far enough away where the shadow didn't ingulf me.

"Oh by the way", Hope gave the Lieutenant a bright smile, "go fuck yourself."

The Lieutenant gave her an even more disgusted look than he was already giving it.

Hope slung her pack pack over her shoulder. "I'm going to try to find Shepard so I never have to step a foot in this crummy town ever again-" She then glanced back at the Lieutenant before she made a step on the bridge, "don't try to stop me unless you want to get your ass kicked."

"Have fun", I let out with no monotone.

"Where is she heading?" Wag asked.