Advanced Squads
I go outside with Ravenna and head towards the city gate. We sat on a bench under the full moon. No one was outside, and there are few guards patrolling the area.
"You're not feeling down are you?" she asks me
"Why would I feel down? I wasn't that close to Naxel anyway" I respond
"But you have a habit of wanting to protect people"
"Since when?"
"You didn't say it directly, but it was you who initiated stopping this Cilan Mamoru" she responds
I just realized that none of them ever had the idea of stopping him in the beginning. It was just me, I made it clear to them that I wanted to stop him from causing chaos without even having to tell them.
"Also, you did say you can see the auras. Seph said it also one time. We never had a discussion time about it" she says
"Oh right, I've been seeing them more. From others like the King" I say
"What's his aura like?" she asks
"Similar to Cilan's but I have a feeling that it's greater than his" I respond back
"What was his name again? I remember hearing it, but wasn't that clear"
"His name is King Xian. Honestly, he's the one who proposed to help us stop Cilan Mamoru in exchange we stop the Gem of Rider" I answer
"About the aura, what are they exactly?" she asks
"I don't know how to explain it really. By the way, do you remember the time we went to the village for the job request?"
"Yeah, I remember it clearly why?" she replies
"The daughter of the village elder is actually alive. I've seen her twice already, she has magic.." I say
"You're kidding right? It might just be some weird being that allows you to see who you want to see or something. Don't tell me you want to see that girl" she replies back
"I- it's not what you think. But I couldn't find her body when I checked their house" I say
"Great, so two dead people are out loose. Cilan Mamoru and Mary"
"Mary has the dark aura. I think something was done to her" I say
"Alright, since you don't know exactly what this aura thing is, why don't you just tell me everything you know about it?" she says
"The first time I saw this dark aura was in the cave when we first encountered Cilan. Even the berserker villager had it as well. Probably that's why he was so strong and powered up. Then the king had a similar aura. During the party in the mansion with nobles, there was one noble that had the aura as well. Said noble was able to transmit it through contact, and many other nobles have this aura" I explain to her
"No wonder they say that some nobles have fallen" she comments
"Right, and during the party I met Mary there. She had the same aura. Just like the king, they were both able to activate it at will. Though, I'm thinking that the king's a separate issue. While Mary's related to the Cilan issue" I continue on
"Seph can see all this as well. I wonder what's her reaction to it. She doesn't open much to us" she says
"No one really opens up much in the team honestly, yet our teamwork is somehow good"
"Blind trust" she responds
"Right..." I anxiously say
I get this sensation that Domotraus and Seph have information they're keeping to themselves. For a team that have been working together for quite a time, we're pretty secretive. I never knew of Domotraus' rage state until the fight in the rooftop. Razz had magic, and I thought his movements were just because he was skilled. There must be some more things that I don't know about them, and if we're going to be a strong team. We need to be able to understand each other's strengths, weaknesses, and know each other's limits.
Time passes by, with silence under the moonlight. None of us said anything after talking about how we had trusted each other. After hours of silence, I hadn't noticed that Ravenna's head was resting on my shoulder. She must've fought a lot of those gems to become this tired. I forced myself to stay awake, and watch over her as she rests. I move her head on to my lap so she could rest comfortably. Carefully, I reach my hand into my pocket where I kept the feather from Gottlich. I brought it out and started examining it a bit more. The feather glowed, but it wasn't bright enough to get anyone's attention. Strange glowing feather, how intriguing. The feather's light slowly started to extend and reach out to me. The light entered my body, and I felt a new power emerging from the feather. The feather enters my hand as if it was absorbed. My hand glows for a while and its light slowly fades. Seems like I got myself a flash light, no need to be carrying torches now.
Ravenna slowly wakes up, and rises immediately with her face looking flushed.
"Aaah I'm sorry... I didn't mean to" she shyly says
"No worries, I don't mind assisting a team mate" I reply back
After that had happened. I started seeing the rest of the group from a distance. Ravenna noticed it as well, and we both stood up to approach them.
"So this is where you guys have been" Razz says
"We were just discussing about some combo techniques that we can do" I say
"Ah so just the both of you. No need to explain yourselves, I understand. Everything's cool. I got you" Razz teases
"It's nothing like that" I exclaim
"Anyways, you guys were looking for us. Something came up?" I ask
"We're going to be part of the advancing squad for this attack. So we're heading in to scout the area right now" Seph says
"Few more hours before the main attack, you think we can clutch this scout?" I ask
"Of course! We're the Assassins of Dusk after all. We can even lower their guard just by breaking in making it easier for the main army to enter" Razz suggests
"Alright, let's get going then. Where are the others?" I ask
"A squad from Hollow Arthas should arrive shortly, along with Lucas and his squad as well" Seph says
We waited for a while in silence. The others felt awkward being with us as they saw both Ravenna and I together. If I'm thinking what they're thinking, then I think I should pull a prank on them. I'd still need Ravenna's consent on this though before it can pull through.
The squad from Hollow Arthas arrived first. Having three in the group. Two men, and a girl. The first guy wearing breastplate armor, having a helmet covering his whole face. He wields a lance with a silver blade at the end of the lance. The two others are also wearing the same armor, the man having a long sword sheathed on his back, and the girl wearing a helmet different from the others. Her helmet have falcon wings stretching out and her long black hair reaching out of the helmet. She had her sword sheathed to the side of her waist.
"You guys must be the Assassins of Dusk, we are an elite group of Hollow Arthas. We specialize in infiltration and information gathering. Much like rogue work really" the girl says
She takes off her helmet revealing her black hair and cat ears.
"My name is Anglea" she introduces herself.
The two men take their helmets off as well. One revealing tousled brown hair, and gray eyes. The other guy showing a scarred cheek, with bangs long enough to reach under the eyes. His left eye being covered by his black hair with white end tips.
"My name is Raemo, pleasure to work alongside the Assassins of Dusk" the guy with the scarred cheek says
"You can call me Leo. I don't remember much of my past, but these two have given me the name Leo" the man with the tousled hair says
Both of the guys are humans, while Anglea is what others would consider a Tabaxi. Cat like people.
"Pleasure to work with you as well" Ravenna replies
Razz smirks at them, trying to make himself look arrogant. He's most likely trying to intimidate them since we're pretty well known. Making us look like professionals in the art of assassination and alike. Domotraus and Seph just smiles back at them introducing themselves to the elite squad of Hollow Arthas.
"Any new of Lucas? Isn't he taking a bit long?" I ask
"Right, we should be on our way now. Lucas is the one who is acquainted with drow named Edengeld right? If that's the case. He said he'll meet us there" Leo says
"Well if that's what he says, then I guess we should get going" I reply back
The eight of us left the city gates with the elite squad leading the way. We may be pretty famous, but we don't want to get lost during a mission.