THE DELEGATES MEETING

Lora saw immediately once that the outpost was far too quiet to be hosting three hundred inebriated knight guards; even the stalls were deserted. She came to a strong decision deep in her thoughts minutes into her solo trip through the deserted border village. Observing the way the camp appeared to be in disorder, and she knew the soldiers had been evacuated quickly. But why would they do anything like that without informing her?

Lora went straight to her room, and as she opened the door, she was greeted.

"It took you a long time to get here; I've been waiting for almost a day."

"What are you doing here?"

"Um, I'm your boss, and I'm pretty much in charge of this hell hole. Is she your mother, by the way, in the painting? She has your eyes. Or maybe you have hers, either way, she is really pretty"

"Please show yourself out of my quarters!" she said, enraged by the intruder.

"Well, that's no way to treat a guest," Albert said as he stood from his chair and reached for his lance, which was cradled by the little room's door frame.

"I came to talk about new terms, a plan, you know, commerce between a lieutenant and his state guard."

"Albert, I have no business with you."

"... Oh, I'm sure you do. You will understand right after I tell you what I came to tell you"

Lora sensed something nefarious was brewing, and she was unwittingly a part of it.

"Recently... no, wait, let me be more specific. I received a visit from the captain himself the other day "he exclaimed, chuckling

"Don't you have anything more important to do than come here and play make-believe?"

Albert was unconcerned about her feelings. He spread the crinkled letter out on the table and began reading it aloud.

"The official report. On the second day of the third week of the sixth moon of the year, the commander of the independent states arrived at Defectors State headquarters, where honorary State guard, Lora Deryleen, provided information on the whereabouts of the fugitive, ex-commander, and traitor to the States, Slejj. In the evening, the commander gathered an army to go over to make a stand.

"What are you babbling about, is it a fantasy scenario you've been dreaming about?"

"Come on...you of all people should know the report never lies,"

"You seriously can't be considering something this low Albert!,"

"I made a deal with fugitives Lora, fugitives you wanted to protect. now it seems like their crimes have caught up to them, and there is no way I can delay the inevitable,"

"You're not going to be able to accomplish it, Albert. We struck a deal!"

"Lora...dear Lora, I mean, come on, you knew what you were up to. We all knew this make-believe family you built wasn't going to last."

"Albert, you're a jerk!"

"Let's not talk about that princess. I'm aware of your darkest secrets!"

"Wait... What secret?"

He moved closer to her face, leaning in. Her stomach turned at the smell of his alcoholic breath.

"You think I don't know about your little secret, Deryleen... you're not from around here, are you?"

"You're not selling it Albert...get out of here."

Lora bumped shoulders with him as she walked into her quarters. "Get out of my quarters now!!!"

"... According to the second official report, Lora Deryleen and Alicia Iko captured the previous commander of the independent nations and were lauded as heroines. Lieutenant Albert is promoted to 2nd class lieutenant, giving him the rank of lieutenant colonel. Making him viable for the commander's role. Alternatively, we may listen to this other one, commander Alvatrone and I thought over, which is my personal favorite.

Lieutenant Albert apprehended two state guards, Lora Deryleen and Alicia Iko, who were plotting to help the former commander flee. In layman's terms, you'll be charged with treason and the kidnapping of a child named Lisa, a crime punishable by death, but wait, what's this?

Execution in public is a possible punishment! The outcome solely depends on you."

he rolled the letter and threw it back into his pocket.

"Well, I guess I'd best be going; the entire outpost is waiting for me to issue the arrest warrant, and I encourage you to join in the fun."

Albert walked away, squeezing the paper back into his pocket. He disappeared inside the outbuilding, releasing one of the two horses who had been left behind. He turned around and yelled at Lora after straightening the saddle. "I've been a sweetheart and left you a horse if you want to join in the fun, I believe you know the route. We'll meet up... I really advise you to attend. It wouldn't be any fun without you," he said.

Whistling a loud clamorous irritating melody, he galloped away.

Lora arrived a day late. She wasn't going to be able to stop Albert now. By that time, the knight guards would have surrounded them, and all they were waiting for were orders from Albert, who had made up his decision and there was no possibility of persuading him differently. Lora only had to hope Slejj and the others would not return to Gulley Creek.

IN GULLEY CREEK

Slejj, Daito, Lisa, and Alicia entered the abandoned property, the route to the home covered in overgrown grass.

"AT LAST! Home is where the heart is!" Slejj took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, lowering his luggage on the ground and inhaling deeply. Daito yawned, his blank expression not revealing whether he was happy to be back home or fatigued from the voyage; in any case, they were used to his blank gaze.

Slejj's consciousness was taken over by a smooth sense of belonging as they stepped onto the porch. However, something was missing, and the void was filled with uncertainty. In his own house, Slejj felt unsafe. He scanned his surroundings swiftly.

"Something is off..."

"What exactly is it now? Please let us in; I'm exhausted and need to sleep." Daito was the one who responded. Slejj halted him in his tracks as he approached the door.

"Look... the door frame has always been fractured, so when the door is closed, the handle faces downwards, and now it faces upwards."

"Perhaps someone came seeking for you while you were gone," Daito grumbled. "Probably those farmers you left behind with unfixed plows."

"And there are no noises of the typical birds chirping in the forest around us, which suggests they were disturbed and flew away... they are on the trees, watching us!"

"Wait, what?" Daito began to cast looks around him, scrutinizing every nook and cranny of his surroundings, until Slejj returned his whisper.

" Don't make it obvious kid. This is an approach that I am familiar with. The observers encircle the target from a high vantage point in order to preserve maximum eyesight and avoid losing sight. The assailants are far behind, deep in the forest, waiting for the observers' signal. The trailers are behind the attackers, most of whom are earth-gifted magicians, forming barriers to prevent our escape routes, which they have most likely done."

"How do you know all of this?" Alicia enquired.

"Because I, together with someone else, devised this method. This strategy is only known by the two of us, which indicates he's here!"

" Who?" Alicia asked, but the stare she got as a response from Slejj gave her the answer. Commander Alvatrone was somewhere close by, and they had run out of time.