The Hero's Ensemble

Sodifery woke up from the loud sounds outside his tent.

"Lopal, you're so heavy! Get off of me, there's nothing delicate about you!"

He didn't need a rooster when he got Yowan's high-pitched screams to wake him in the morning.

"I don't know. Who told you to run your mouth?" The deep voice of Lopal sounded like she didn't care.

"Reas, please stop Lopal from crushing him," Yofiel said in a sleepy voice. Perhaps Yofiel had Yowan as an alarm clock these past few weeks.

Ever since Sodifery made the vow to persecute evil on behalf of the kingdom, the first thing he did apart from his usual knight training, was to choose the members who would join him on this the journey.

The king had offered several men and women who were skilled, but the man knew from experience as a mercenary that if he wanted to reduce the number of casualties, he needed reliable people who wouldn't stab him in the back and weren't just qualified by a questionable screening process. Royally recommended or not.

When Sodifery emerged from the tent, he sat down with everyone to have bread and soup together, made by Yofiel.

"Will you really not be joining us, Yofiel?" Reas asked, staring into his empty bowl.

Sodifery looked up, remembering his decision to leave today. He looked towards Reas, who had similar thoughts as he did. Just having Yofiel as part of the party made this rigorous survival trek into a luxury touring trip inclusive of a local tour guide.

"I'm sorry, I have commitments here. I am the village doctor here after all." Yofiel took his bowl and refilled it for him. "Although I hate fighting the most, if you saw me, I would barely hold my ground against one minion, much less two."

Reas dropped his head in silence before taking sips of his soup. His black hair with flaming brown edges looks more softened with traces of bed hair.

"Oh, but I will see you off!" Yofiel chimed as if to reassure Reas from getting sadder. He told Yofiel in advance about their departure.

Sodifery couldn't help but laugh. Yofiel hasn't seen Reas in action yet, his spearmanship was frighteningly remorseless. His heart may be soft with the people he likes but when he is angry… well, there's no need to elaborate. A looming shadow covered the three of them. Was it going to rain?

"Hey, I see you, Captain."

Lopal gave a light punch to Sodifery who held up a palm and looked up at the sky. Her jagged black hair was dripping wet and her tan skin looked fresh from taking a bath from the nearby creek.

A towel provided by Yofiel's lodge draped loosely over her muscular collarbones.

She was a woman Sodifery knew from his days as a mercenary.

"It's yer turn," she said with a smirk, "Ya smelly b*stards."

When they left, Yofiel gave a mug of fresh water to the tall woman. The sun casted a harsh shadow over her shaped form. Of course, Yofiel felt uncomfortable under her stare. "Is there something on my face?"

A small flash of light instantly gathered some wind around them. The two of them stood casually still. A curly dagger came close to the jaw of the Doctor.

"The boys may have let their guard down with you," Lopal said, leaning close.

"But not once have I liked you."

Indeed, this person who looked quite frail and delicate on the outside, eyes always curled in a smile, wasn't that suspicious in the beginning.

They had met strange people from various parts of the land, so they knew how things go.

But Yofiel was an exception, Lopal mused. They had been hospitable from the beginning, tolerable with Yowan (which is an impossible feat in her eyes) and had exceptional skills which benefitted all but themselves.

It was as if Yofiel was letting her know that she shouldn't be trusting such a person.

"Lopal, honestly you are so much brighter than your group." Yofiel raised their arms in surrender, but merely felt discomfort by the blade piercing them. "But there's one thing you're wrong about."

"What is it?"

As if to prove their point, the wrist gripping the blade was jabbed, nicking skin, and Lopal found the same hand being dipped in a pot of water.

Lopal gritted her teeth in preparation but realised that there was no scalding hot water in the pot, contrary to her expectations.

A blade flew past them, and Yofiel flicked it away with their forearm, the fabric torn but the sparks indicated that she came unscratched.

"There's nobody here who trusts me."

Below the hill, indeed, were two men in towels and Yowan himself with outstretched hands, aiming towards one person.

"Lopal, are you okay?!"

"Yofiel! Were you trying to get rid of our Tanker?!"

"!!!"

Only after assessing their hostility, the person in question released Lopal.

Yowan, of course, was still charging to attack.

"You idiot!" Lopal could bear the brunt of Yowan's explosive spells, but she wasn't exactly sure if Yofiel could.

Once again, Yofiel flicks a stone to his forehead with ease and Yowan gets knocked unconscious.

Sodifery looked towards Lopal's wet arm, finding to his relief, no burnt marks or signs of extreme pain on Lopal.

he brushed his wet hair back, sighing as he sat on the grass, Reas sitting beside him.

"Did she try to attack you too, Reas?"

Reas nodded slowly.

The leader of the party expected so. It was the same for him as well. Were they trying to gain their trust or let their guard down? These were the thoughts that he had been thinking throughout their time with this Doctor.

It was like a game of tug between his party members and this strange outlier of a person.

Yowan, he supposes, would be next in trying to get a sneak attack on Yofiel. He was a beloved member, and even Reas voiced out the concern for Yowan's survival ability rate.

He glanced towards Lopal carrying Yowan's stupor form to the tents, and on the other side, Yofiel was cleaning up and assessing the damages done.

"Why did you ask Yofiel to join us, Reas?" Sodifery turned to his comrade once more. "Knowing that they tried to attack you is a bit…"

"Yofiel actually…" Reas bit his lip as if the words he wanted to say were difficult. "I'm sorry, Sodi."

Sodi was a name that Reas used when they were still children. Using it now meant he was asking their leader to trust his words.

"I understand, Reas."

"…"

"You don't have to say more. I believe in your words."