Alaric's Bargain

The dancing flames of the fire cast a golden, glowing sheen in the mirror of Alaric's eyes. He stood at the periphery of the party, his usual confidence replaced by something peculiar for him—self-doubt. As Leona approached, her steps almost timorous, she could not prevent a feeling of unease from overcoming her: It was rarely that Alaric ever showed he might be hesitating to act, and that simple thing alone set her on notice.

You've sat moping for hours," Leona said, crossing her arms as she stopped a few paces away from him. "If you have any idea, now's the time to share it. We really do not have the luxury of sitting around waiting for you to gather your thoughts."

Alaric glanced at her; a tiniest smirk pulled the corner of his lips up. "Always so straightforward, Leona. I admire that about you."

"Flattery won't make me trust you," she retorted. "You said you had an idea to counter the shadow entity. What is it?"

Alaric's smile vanished, and he wore a grim expression. "It is with the fragmented characters," he said. "They were discarded, forgotten by the original story, yet they hold pieces of knowledge that we can't even begin to comprehend. If we can forge an alliance with them, we might stand a chance."

Leona stared at him, her mind racing. The fragmented characters had already proved to be a volatile presence: unclear motivations and questionable loyalties. Dahlia's eventual redemption had been the exception, not the rule.

"You want to ally with them?" she asked in incredulous tone. "The same characters that have been destabilizing the kingdom, causing chaos since their arrival?"

Alaric nodded. "Yes. Just think about it, Leona-they come from abandoned drafts, stories that were never finished. They have seen things we have not. They know the origins of this shadow entity better than we could. Provided we can get them on our side, their insight could give us an edge in the battle."

"And if they turn on us?" Leona countered. "What then? We're already fighting a war on multiple fronts. We can't afford to open another one."

"That's where I come in," Alaric said, his voice steady. "I know how to speak their language. I was one of them, remember? A discarded lead, cast aside like they were. If anyone can earn their trust, it's me."

Leona turned away, staring into the crackling fire. The warmth did little to ease the chill settling over her. Alaric's logic was sound, but the risks were monumental. The fragmented characters were unpredictable at best and outright dangerous at worst.

"Even if I agreed to this," she said slowly, "how do you plan to reach them? They've scattered across the kingdom. Some of them are probably already under the shadow entity's influence."

Alaric stepped closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "I've already found a few of them. They're hiding in the ruins beyond the eastern mountains. They've been gathering there, waiting for something. I think it's an opportunity to reclaim their purpose."

"And you think you can give them that?" Leona asked, her tone skeptical.

"I can try," Alaric said. "But I'll need your support. They'll be wary, and rightly so. If they see you with me, it might convince them that we're serious."

Leona closed her eyes, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. Alaric's plan was a gamble, but with the kingdom teetering on the brink of collapse, they were running out of options.

Next morning, the eastern mountains greeted Leona, Alaric, and their chosen people. The trip was tough: the roads were harsh, and so was their uneven skin. With the ascendance in height, the temperature turned cool; at the same time, there was an overtone of tension in that small company.

Cedric rode abreast with Leona; his features reflected uneasiness. "Do you feel sure of what you do?".

"No," Leona admitted. "But Alaric's right about one thing: we need more than brute force to win this fight. If the fragmented characters can help us, it's worth the risk."

Cedric nodded, though his unease was clear. "Just promise me you'll be careful. Alaric's loyalty is. complicated."

Leona glanced at Alaric, who was leading the group with a determined stride. "I know," she said. "That's what makes this so dangerous."

It was indeed an astonishing yet uncomfortable view that confronted them: Fractured Character had used the decaying ruins of some very old city to fashion makeshift fortifications, as if one had attempted a camp of tents and barriers here and there among the shattered structure; and everywhere were flickering, watchful lights and forms, shifting within the dark shadows with uneasy eyes and ever ready at their weapons.

As Alaric stepped forward, the fragmented characters turned to face him. Their expressions ranged from suspicion to curiosity, but none of them moved to attack.

"Friends," Alaric called out, his voice echoing through the ruins. "I come to you not as an enemy, but as one of your own. I was cast aside, just as you were. But now, we have a chance to reclaim our purpose. To take back what was stolen from us."

The crowd murmured, their voices a mix of agreement and doubt.

A woman stepped forward, her presence commanding. She was tall and regal, her armor battered but still gleaming. Her eyes burned with a mix of anger and defiance.

"Why should we trust you?" she demanded. "We've survived this long on our own. What can you possibly offer us that the shadow entity hasn't already promised?

Alaric met her gaze without flinching. "Freedom," he said simply. "The shadow entity doesn't care about you. It's using you as pawns in its game. But we can write a new story together, one where you do have a place, not as tools but as heroes."

The woman hesitated, her eyes flicking to Leona. "And who is she?

Leona stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension. "I'm Leona, the current weaver of this world's threads. Alaric's right-this isn't about fighting for one side or the other. It's about survival. The shadow entity wants to erase all of us. If we don't stand together, we'll all be forgotten."

Finally, after hours of negotiation, these fractional characters agreed to amalgamate, though their confidence was far from whole. A woman, who seemed rather interesting and introduced herself as Seraphine, took to Leona as soon as she could get to her.

"You spoke about weaving threads," Seraphine said later that night around a crackling fire. "Really-can you believe in the restoration of something shattered?"

"I have to believe it," Leona replied. "It's the only way any of us will survive."

Seraphine studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "Then I'll fight with you. But if you betray us." She left the threat unspoken, but the firelight reflected the steel in her eyes.

As night began to fall and the camp settled, Leona found herself standing alone at the edge of the ruins. Alaric appeared at her side, his face unreadable in the dying light.

"You handled that well," he said.

"I'm not sure I did," Leona admitted. "This alliance feels like balancing on a knife's edge. One wrong move, and it could all fall apart.

That's the nature of war," Alaric said. "But you're stronger than you think, Leona. You'll find a way to make this work."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of their choices weighing down upon them.

"We're in this together," Alaric said finally. "No matter what happens.

Leona nodded, though her heart remained heavy. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the fight against the shadow entity was far from over. And now, with the fragmented characters by their side, the stakes had never been higher.