See you soon

"Lower your weapons' ' Riege commanded his soldiers, like a flicker of a switch all soldiers who were on ear distance lowered their weapons, Von looked around and seeing no one seemed to be about to attack him he proceeded to do the same.

"I didn't take you for the kind of man that would do this," Von said sternly as he looked directly and only to his superior and the man who had saved him. Riege just snorted and replied

"I didn't take you for a fool who would do what you did, yet you did try to battle someone who clearly outclassed you before"

"I hurt two little soldiers of yours and you go full blow military operation on a town?" Von asked with venom to his words

"Watch your mouth, you are still talking to your superior" Riege answered and hunched his shoulders, deflating, "Look this isn't what I like to do but welcome to the real world, this is how it works. You don't pay your taxes, you get beat"

"Maybe you are taking excessive taxes" Von suggested as he took a step forward "If you were more reasonable maybe you wouldn't waste so many men on a simple town"

"Look around you Von!" Riege said with command in his voice as he opened his arms and looked around "We are at war! Sacrifices need to be made! We go to the front lines and fight and die and suffer, all these people's only job is to pay so we can have what we need"

"And still, it's unfair" Von replied calmly as he looked around as well, "Back to the point, I'm the one you're after not this girl and her family"

"You might have been blessed by the gods because you won't get punished" Riege snorted and smiled "I've been also tasked to tell you, you need to present to the military headquarters in the Capital within a week, you've been chosen to take the pathwalker trials"

"The pathwalker trials? Me?" Von asked dumbfounded, he was at a loss for words he never believed he would be chosen for that position.

"Yes, come with me" Riege said as he patted Von's shoulder and walked outside "Men!! Report outside, don't hurt anyone else, the mission is over!!" he screamed in command as he stepped outside the house, quickly all soldiers ran to their ranks outside the houses, and in a split second silence was in place, only to be disrupted by the cries of the civilians that hadn't been so lucky.

"I know, it's inhumane" Riege said barely almost a whisper "I'm afraid is the price people pay for war"

"Then why do we keep fighting?" Von said

"That's a great question, but not for us to ask" Riege replied and continued walking Von following suit, leaving the soldiers behind by a few meters. "I'll spare the town for a few months, let's hope they can pay then" Riege offered as he looked at Von, a smile appeared on Von's face, he had suddenly lit up.

"I knew you weren't that kind of man" He said

"Don't be so sure" Riege replied but before Von could say anything else he walked back towards his soldiers "Men let's move, we're going back to base, regular speed" he shouted and began walking away. "One week" Riege mentioned as he passed by Von. The soldiers following him looked at him with disdain and anger

"You're a lucky bastard" One said

"Next time he won't save your ass" Said another

"Don't worry lads, he'll fuck up soonenough" said what seemed like a higher rank, their steps all organized and monotonous, their red-colored leather armor and the Anshass clan symbol in their backs, Von imagined that would have been what they looked like when they marched into the Imperial Plaza. He returned the same look of disgust and anger. If there was one person salvageable so far from that clan was Riege, all his other experiences made him think how weren't they taken out like the Richerz?.

Von ran back to the town and helped everyone he could, luckily no one had been killed but there were several injured, Von's fire binding allowed him to cauterize small cuts and the like however some were severely beaten and even had broken bones. While helping one of the elderly Allie stepped in and held him "I got him" she said as she took him from Von's grasp.

"I don't know how but you stopped them, thank you" Said the mother of the family that had hosted him, out of nowhere everyone started thanking him for what he had done.

"I didn't do anything, it was pure luck" Von thought "If it weren't for Riege they might be dead because of me, dammit"

A few hours later, houses had been arranged and what could be easily fixed was, however dusk was approaching and people started sharing the houses that weren't torched or broken down, despite everything, everyone worked together and helped each other, this made Von extremely happy.

As he walked down the main road he saw Allie lying down at a wooden bench with a wet cloth in her forehead, he walked really slowly as for her not to hear him. He stood next to her waiting for her to realize he was there. He hadn't noticed but the silence made him, she was soundly asleep, the wet cloth covering her eyes. Von smiled warmly and crouched, he pushed her shoulder lightly, she didn't react. Once more and Allie woke up.

"I'm up!, I didn't sleep!" Allie quickly said in her most conscious voice possible as she jolted awake and in sitting position, the cloth fell to her lap and she saw Von sat on the ground laughing.

"Ha, ha you asshole" She said with a smirk on her face, Von stood up and sat next to her on the bench.

"I admit, you might have some gut in you after all, I was quite surprised today" Von said as he looked at her, Allie smiled softly and looked at the ground

"I pissed myself" Upon hearing this, Von bursted out laughing, it was so contagious that Allie laughed as well "I mean literally" she added as she laughed.

"It happens, but you know what?" Von said

"What?"

"You didn't run away, you stood up for yourself and your family, the way I see it you were brave pissed or not"

"Thank you"

Von and Allie kept chatting for a while, they didn't realize it was already nighttime and they were still talking, Von suddenly went quiet for a second and looked at the sky.

"I'm leaving tonight"

"What? No! You can't!" Allie quickly interjected, "You need to stay at least one more day!"

"I can't, I need to go back home before going back to the Capital"

"Then take me with you! I won't bother, I'll be joining the army after all" Allie said in desperation, she was on the verge of tears.

"So you made your mind up?" Von asked

"I can't be like you otherwise" Allie replied with a sniffle

"I don't think you want to be me" Von answered with a chuckle, before she could answer he stood up "Keep your promise to me"

"I will, I promise" Allie said as she began crying

"Hey," Von said, which made her look up, she was met with a fist and a huge smile in Von's face "See you soon, remember this isn't goodbye" Allie laughed and smiled a huge smile back she raised a fist and softly bumped his,

"See you soon Von" Allie said as she looked at him walk away, a part of her wanted to run after him, he had been the first soulbinder she met and he was her favorite so far, that is why she couldn't go after him, she needed to be like him and for that she needed to join the army.

Von looked back at the town once more, for the first time in a long time he had had peace, despite the fights and the stressful situations he had peace for the first time since he came back. Now as a light rain fell upon the land it washed away said peace, and was replaced with nervousness, this feeling that couldn't and wouldn't go away, for the first time in months he would go back, and he didn't know what to expect . He knew the path that laid ahead, he knew where it would take them and the way to start was one step, and another and another.

"Mom wait for me, I'm coming back home" Von thought as he began walking