“So, wanna explain how you’re walking around right now?” Asked Ark, the man from earlier with that mysterious ability.

“I don’t know how.” I replied staring straight into Ark’s eyes.

Ark raised his eyebrows for a second as if he noticed something and moved his blade away from my throat while taking a step back.

“You’re not the same person from before.” Said Ark. “Who the fuck are you?”

“I’m sorry I’m not sure what you’re getting at.” I replied confused at his remarks.

“Hmpf, never mind then.” Said Ark. “Well you guys seem to have Vince under control thanks to you.”

“And you’re going to fight me over it?” I cut in quickly before Ark could continue.

“Hah!” Laughed Ark. “God no, that guy isn’t hardly worth it. Plus, I haven’t been ordered to protect him, he is just a minor pawn that can be disregarded.” Said Ark.

“I see. Then what do you want from me?” I asked.

“I was told to spectate your fight with Vince but it seems its already over, as soon as Vince wakes up his pawns won’t automatically protect him anymore and will wait on a command from Vince but he will be too shaken up after just coming to, to make an order so he is finished.” Said Ark. “Once it was over, I was told to check on you-“

“Who by?” I cut in once again.

Ark let out a long sigh before continuing. “Anzu, you met him already at those traitors base.”

My eyes shot up in shock before turning into a stern gaze.

“Yeah, I figured you would react that way.” Replied Ark.

“Is Anzu your boss?” I asked.

“Hm, no. He just turned up a few months ago, about when the first higher level demon was sighted. He has been giving orders in our boss’s steed who is away on business.”

“I see…” I replied.

“Anyway, you can ask all the questions you like next time we meet. But your friends will get worried if you don’t return to them soon. See ya kid.” Said Ark turning and walking off into the fog.

I stood and watched his silhouette fade for a second until it completely disappeared into the thick mist surrounding the village.

I let out a sigh and went off to collect the food for Jace and Anthony. Making my way back I gave them their food.

After another hour of waiting Vince suddenly started moving. Jace shot up and readied himself to charge, I stood up and watched intently as Vince slowly sat up from the ground with half closed eyes and peered around. Before he could even comprehend what was going on Jace and I were running towards him. I reached him first since Jace was still injured and pulled out my knife from my pocket then placing it against his neck.

“Release your ability or I’ll kill you now.” I said without any hesitation. Jace stopped and looked rather shocked before Vince yelled okay repeatedly and the people surrounding us dropped to the ground.

“Uh, cover his eyes with this.” Said Jace ripping some cloth from the sleeve of one of the previous hypnotized people.

I placed it over his eyes and tied it tightly. I stood up with Vince and took him towards the Inn we were staying at. Once we made it there, we took him upstairs into the VIP lounge and sat him down on the sofa in there.

“Alright let’s take turns sleeping and keeping watch over him.” Said Jace. I nodded in agreement. “Shay and Anthony can sleep first, you guys done a lot today, I’ll wake you up in an hour or so. Oh, and Anthony, thanks for healing Zane, I know how stressful using healing Magic is.” Anthony nodded too, completely exhausted from fully healing Zane’s wound. Anthony went to sleep in the bedroom, and I stayed in the VIP lounge sleeping on a sofa in the corner of the room.

After a few minutes I quickly drifted off…

------------------------

Rien Village Inn, 11:23 PM

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I woke to Jace shaking me up. He told me to keep watch on Vince while he slept. Hours passed as I watched Vince until Diablo arrived at 1 AM.

He walked in with a slightly confused face, only showing half an emotion as usual.

“What happened?” He asked in his deep voice.

When I heard him speak, I honestly felt at ease. I sank back into my chair and let out a sigh.

“This is a long story.” I said as Diablo walked in and sat down on a wooden chair that sat against the wall to the left of me.

“Well go ahead, I already showed the people who came with me to their rooms, so I have all night.” Said Diablo.

I explained everything that happened in order to him and who the man blindfolded was in the sofa and what happened to all the village people.

Diablo nodded along and told me to go get some rest and that he would handle everything. I thanked him and made my way to my room. I sat down on my bed and thought about everything that had happened. I felt calmer than I should, and I knew that. I didn’t feel the cold nor was I scared when Ark held a sword to my throat. Nor was I as upset as I was earlier about what I had done to the villagers. I also had no idea how my wounds healed like they did, maybe someone healed them for me I thought…

Either way, what a strange day. I felt like a completely different person but also not at the same time.

After a while of these thoughts I begun drifting off until finally falling asleep.

. . .

“Shay. Wake up.” Said an imposing voice. I opened my eyes to see Diablo looking down at me.

“Are you okay?” He asked. I looked back confused and unsure of what was going on. I directed my gaze to around to room to see someone else hovering over me with his arms placed across my stomach.

“Don’t worry, this is Mr Barnard, he is a skilled Medical Magicka user. I brought him with me last night, he is tending to your wounds. Do you remember anything? Do you know what happened?”

I looked down as I saw my sheets were drenched in blood and that some of my wounds from yesterday had suddenly appeared all over my body.

“Just stay still.” Asked the spectacled man at the bottom of my bed. He had short brown hair and wore a white medical like jacket.

I looked back up at Diablo to answer his question. “These are my wounds from yesterday that I got in the fight. They must have opened back up in my sleep.”

Diablo seemed shocked. “That’s strange. You were fine last night, almost as if you hadn’t even fought at all and now so many wounds have opened up, Mr Barnard said you were on the brink of death when I brought him in. Are you sure no one attacked you in your sleep?” Asked Diablo.

“I don’t know.” I replied. “I don’t remember anything, and these are the wounds I got from fighting yesterday before they were healed randomly.”

“How strange.” Said Diablo. “Anyway, I have some good news for you. We have taken Vince into custody and is being interrogated right now. He came clean about multiple things, mainly the people you murdered were cultists that were terrorising this village and the actual villagers were tied up underground. They had all been rounded up over the past few days in an order that wouldn’t arise suspicion. Taking people who lived alone or whole families at once or people who didn’t have to work the next few days all in line with our arrival and my exit.

I let out a sigh of relief, despite not being so hung up over it as I was before I still felt guilty about murdering them. Now I felt much better.

“You done good, Shay. Thanks for all your work recently.” Said Diablo, patting me on the shoulder before walking out of the room to attend to other business.

“Don’t worry about a thing.” Said Mr Barnard. “They will get all the information out of that Vince fellow. Just relax and let me heal you. I’ll be done in an hour or so.”

It took Anthony an hour just to heal a single wound on Zane, but it would take this guy an hour to heal all of these cuts and slices across my body, there really is an insane difference in skill there. He must have been training his whole life to get to that level of skill.

I laid back and relaxed as I let Mr Barnard heal me.

I woke up after falling asleep again. Mr Barnard had left already; he must have finished healing me while I was sleeping.

I got up and made my way out of my room and to the VIP lounge where Diablo was sitting alone on the sofa with a book.

“Uh, hey Diablo.” I said sitting down on the other side of the sofa.

“Hey, I spoke with the platoon I came with. Vince fessed up to a known location where they might be holding Paul so we’re going to leave once everyone is awake and ready.” Said Diablo turning the page of his book.

“I see. I’ll go for a walk then around the village while we wait.” I replied. Diablo nodded as I spent some time walking around the village, I passed down the blood-stained streets where we fought yesterday. The bodies had been cleared but it was obvious what had gone down here. After around 30 minutes of walking I returned to the Inn where almost everyone was ready.

I met up with Zane and Richard who were chatting in the VIP lounge while another platoon sat at the dining table and Diablo and Jace sat on the sofa along with Mr Barnard.

“You guys ready?” I asked.

They both replied with resounding yes’s as they seemed eager to get back out to the fight.

“So, what are we waiting for anyway? It seems like everyone is here?” I asked the two of them.

“Apparently Diablo requested another one of the 8 Roses from the city to assist us. He didn’t feel like coming last night so he’s on his way today instead.” Said Zane.

“Huh? Really?” I replied. I was sure just Diablo would be enough, but I suppose he wouldn’t want anymore casualties like last time.

Just then we heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door to the VIP lounge.

Almost everyone apart from Diablo perked up and quieted down, watching the door in suspense.

I honestly wanted to meet another Rose, I had only met Diablo so far, I wonder if they’re all like him.

And then, the door slowly pushed open and in he came…