The attoka saw the figure right as it emerged from the bush, and eyed it suspiciously.

Umbren didn't have anywhere else he could go. He certainly couldn't have stayed in the town. If he did he would surely have been found and gutted.

If the fight had left him exhausted and in pain, the journey to the garden had him on the verge of collapsing.

His sides were throbbing so intensely that it was almost unbearable. He clenched his teeth as every breath he took sent a jolt of pain throughout his entire body.

He didn't know what he was doing. His feet had a mind of their own and they made their way towards the attoka. However, halfway there Umbren couldn't take it anymore and fell to his knees. This in itself sent a severe pain through his whole body.

Out of frustration Umbren grunted and ripped off the cloth that was wrapped around his face. The refreshing sensation of seeing color again took his mind away from the pain, but for just a moment.

Upon seeing that the figure was Umbren the attoka's usually stalwart face, broke into panic and concern.

Umbren struggle to his feet, "Errr! Dammit."

Umbren wasn't thinking much at all at this point. Whenever he tried, pain would erupt, scattering them to the wind. Though he still limped to the attoka. Maybe it was out of stubbornness, but he at least wanted to make it that far.

He slowly made his way to the base of the tree. grunting and groaning through the pain. The attoka seemed to try to stand, but Umbren put his hand up which also brought him pain, to his surprise the beast listened.

When Umbren arrived at the base of the tree his legs gave out and he propped his body against its trunk.

The tree's trunk was wide enough for Umbren to do this while also being right next to the attoka.

"What's with that....look on your face?...You're almost making me think...that you're worried about me."

The attoka starred at Umbren, its look unchanging, "Don't be like that.... I'm fine really."

Umbren tried to laugh, but that only ended in him clutching his side. This did little to ease the attoka's look.

Umbren sighed and leaned back against the tree, "Nothing is going right for us. I don't know what happen to you before we met, but it couldn't have been good for you to be without a master. Yeah...First that attack by the luxcians, which led to us being stuck in this place. Though who's fault that is..." The attoka glared at Umbren, "...is still up for debate."

Umbren looked around them, "You know...I don't think it's as pretty as when the noctils are in bloom, but it still relaxes you. I don't know if it's the same for you, since you've been stuck here for a couple of days."

What Umbren said was true. The garden was still a sight to behold. As beautiful as the noctils were they overpowered the other flowers, so in the daylight the others had their time to shine. The garden was filled with a variety of colors, some that Umbren didn't even know existed. The sunlight shining down on the garden only made the flowers more vibrant and full of life.

Umbren grunted, and let his hand fall to his side, "Anyway after all that this happens."

Umbren paused for so long that the attoka had thought he had finished talking.

He abruptly took a knife and stabbed it into the tree. "AHHHH!"

It was unclear if the pain had caused the scream or something else.

"I haven't learned anything! Even after what happened..."

Umbren clenched his teeth. The situation was a different one, but the cause was the same.

"I was careless."

Umbren clutched the hood tightly over his own head.

Just like that night Umbren hadn't thought things through. He was rash. Just like taking off his hood, not reporting the flash of light, or even glaring at that soldier; he was as careless today as he was then. He had been too eager to uncover the secrets of his caretakers, not realizing the danger that could follow. Of course it would look suspicious!

"I really am an idiot."

Then he was as stupid as to not just leave the town when he was told to. It would have been easy, it's what he ended up doing anyway. Even if that man wasn't the mayor, it would still have been better not to cause a scene. He just had to satisfy his own curiosity…

Umbren smiled despite his frustration as the image of a young girl with golden eyes went through his head.

"Maybe she rubbed off on me a little?"

His smile faded. As he remembered the things he had heard earlier.

What he had heard about Alyze in the past, sounded completely foreign to him. To him Alyze was a kind person that had an interest in all things unknown. The past Alyze he heard about was a totally different person. He had heard the word shrewd, and from what he could tell from that older merchant's story, she was ruthless.

Did he even know her? He had only been in the village for four days (counting today), and one of those days he was unconscious,

He felt the talisman in his hand, he didn't know when he had even started holding it again. It was another mystery entirely.

He would have to confront Alyze or Jarvus with these questions eventually.

He laughed to himself. He truly hadn't learned his lesson.

He would have to be more careful when it came to that subject. He wouldn't want to be turned over to the mayor. That probably wouldn't happen, but he would still prefer that their relationship stayed the way it was.

"Does it even matter?"

Umbren was planning on leaving when the attoka had recovered, and after that they would probably never see each other again.

"Hey, can you stand."

The attoka nodded its head, and easily stood up to prove a point.

Umbren smiled, "So you weren't over exerting yourself before. That kind of ruins the moment looking back on it."

If that was the case they both could probably get away from Lucel. Even if the attoka wasn't strong enough to run or carry Umbren, it could probably walk a good distance away.

It would end most of their problems. Umbren wouldn't have to endanger Alyze or Jarvus anymore. They probably wouldn't care if he left. From what he learned today, they didn't know each other very well. It really would be the right course of action.

Umbren's gaze drifted towards the sky, clouds had drifted in. Though it didn't look as if it was going to rain.

What would he and the attoka do? They would most likely make their way to Sangai to reunite with Lord Mortis. How would he be greeted though? If they left now, he would go there without the cloak that was given to him. To add to that, he would look like a coward for avoiding the fight. By the time he reaches Sangai the mission would be over. He would have missed everything, and there was sure to be those who would think that he had done it intentionally. That he had run away in the confusion, and came back after everything was settled.

He would be branded a coward by his comrades. Most likely by Mortis himself. His life might even be forfeit.

He could just imagine it now: Mortis pushing his sword through Umbren's chest, "We have no use for cowards in this war."

Umbren shuddered, shaking his head to get the thoughts out of his head.

He again clutched the talisman. There were also other things that compelled him to stay.

All these thoughts flew around in Umbren's head. He was so absorbed in them that he didn't notice the presence of a new arrival.

He was quickly shocked back to reality at the sound of laughter. uncontrollable laughter.

Umbren jerked his head back to the entrance of the garden. Alyze was there hurled over in a fit of laughter.

Every time she regained control herself she would look back up at Umbren, and be sent back to her previous state.

Umbren called out, "What's taken a hold of you!"

Alyze wiped tears from her eyes, and Umbren caught a glimpse of green fabric in her hand.

"So it was you. Ya know you really shouldn't scare people like that. When I heard the news from the mayor, I didn't think I had been more afraid in my entire life.

Umbren looked at her in confusion

"When the mayor told me that a member of the Ceartas order was in town, I didn't know what I was going to do, especially when I didn't know where you were."

Umbren's look didn't change, "I still don't know what you're talking about."

Alyze started laughing again, "members of Ceartas hunt down anything associated with Tenebrage, but since it was you the whole time..."

With Alyze a little distance away, the attoka walked up to her, "You can walk again, that's great!"

She started petting the beast, and he seemed very prideful for some reason.

Umbren tightened his group on the talisman, "Associated with Tenebrage, huh?"

Umbren tossed the thing at her feet. Immediately regretting it as the pain ran through his body.

Alyze's eyes lit up, "What's this?! Some kind of pennant. Looks to be a symbol of Tenebrage Something that reminds you of home? Ya know it very intricate."

"I found it in your house."

Alyze's surprise took over her expression and her voice grew unsteady, "Is that so. I thought the mayor had taken all of them."

"It was hard to find. Care to explain why it was there?"

Umbren had a guess as to why it was there based on what he had heard from the villagers.

Alyzes face hardened and a rigid atmosphere replaced her gentle one, "It's simple really. It was my mothers."

Umbren raised his eyebrow, "Was your mother..."

Alyze shook her head, as sadness filled her voice, but also a chill, "I don't know what you're thinking, but that's probably not it. Towards the end of her life she caught some type of illness. There was no cure, so we all knew the end was near. She just chose to start to put faith in the god of death early, since the one of life wasn't doing her any favors."

Umbren put his head down, he didn't know if he had overstepped his boundaries, he hoped to Tenebrage he did not. Alyze took the attoka's old spot next to him.

"She was really a great woman. A warrior and a leader, but...some just seem to remember this." She held out the talisman, "More than everything else. It's tragic really."

"I'm sorry."

The chill conquered Alyzes voice and atmosphere, “Sorry? You're sorry? What makes you think that you can make demands of me? Especially like that! What makes you think that you can go behind my back and dig up my past mistakes? IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT ME YOU COULD HAVE JUST ASKED,” She went on frantically as if hundreds of emotions were bursting forth all at once, “Well here I am. Are you happy? The smile is gone! If there aren’t any more boundaries, then I’ll go ahead and ask the questions I’ve been holding back. And I’ll demand an answer just like you just did. Who are you? How did you end up here? Why do you wear a black cloak?”

Umbren was steadily backing up against the tree, but at the last question something clicked in his head, “I never wanted it! Burn it! Throw it away! I should have never gotten it! He gave it to me because…because…” Umbren started to tremble as the vision of tents and dead tenebrage filled his mind., “I DON'T WANT ANY GLORY.”

Alyze's voice was filled with enough frost to crack boulders, “You don’t want it? Even when it's given to you? Do you have any idea what people would do to have what you have? Why you selfish…”

Umbren jumped back and shrouded himself in darkness, imbuing it with the soul in the process. He winced and grasped his side. At this point he was trembling uncontrollably. Not only from the pain, but the look in Alyze’s eyes reminded him so much of the man that ran his sword through Yorburn.

Alyze stopped and the chill left her voice, “What happened to you.”

Umbren fell to his knees, “It's nothing. Don’t worry about it,” the darkness around his head fell away.

Alyze took a deep breath, pity overtook her rage, “I’m sorry I haven’t been like that in a while. I thought I was past it, but apparently not…I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Umbren leaned against the tree. His reaction to Alyze's sudden change left him exhausted, “I know you weren’t. It’s just that…just that…just that you reminded me of something. Something I’d rather forget. I also wouldn’t be lying if it didn’t have a little to do with your eyes.”

There was a somber surprise in her voice, “My eyes?”

Umbren looked right into those golden eyes of hers, "There's a saying in Skotous: 'the golden eyes will take the will of those who come close.'"

Alyze let out a simple, but thoughtful, “Hmm.”

Umbren bit his lip and clutched his side harder, “I’m sorry that I did what I did. I had no right. I should have trusted those eyes. The eyes that didn’t quell their curiosity by looking around in my head,” Umbren weakly tapped his head, “I betrayed your trust in me. I am sorry. I understand if you send me away.”

Alyze shook her head, and went to sit next to him, “No, I won’t do that, but Umbren please answer my question. I’m putting me and my dad in danger. I can’t afford not to know anything. Please.”

The attoka decided that it had proven its strength and sat down next to them, looking at the pair thoughtfully.

Umbren sighed and looked up at the sky, “I was part of a force that was tracking a caravan on its way to Sangai. We were ambushed, and I lost my way.”

Ayze gave a small smile, “See? It’s not that hard. Your turn.”

Umbren simply blinked at her.

“Your turn to ask me a question. From your recent excursion, you seem to have a lot. So what will it be?”

Umbren thought back to what all the villagers said, and could only come up with one, “Assuming what all the people said was true, what was your goal? What was your dream?”

She gave an amused smile, “It's still there, but I don't know if it will come true. Recently though, I’ve been regaining some hope."

Umbren tilted his head, "So what is it?"

"It was nothing much. I just wanted power."

Umbren blinked a couple of times, "Huh?"

Alyze seemed to be in her own dream-like state, "I wanted to go to Fotos, the capital, and rise the ranks. I didn't want to just be some village girl. I wanted to be someone, I wanted to have actual power. Someone who could bring change." She grimaced, "Someone who could end this stupid war."

"So that's your goal. To end the war."

She smiled, "Well...that would just be a bonus."

"From what I heard you must have come close to at least being able to leave and go to Fotos."

Alyze looked as if she had eaten something sour, and her voice was bitter, "I did, but right before I was able to go, someone took that opportunity away."

Umbren could figure out who she was talking about, and didn’t want to press the subject.

After a moment of silence, Alyze spoke up once more, “About that caravan going to Sangai, it's almost Galaris isn’t it? What were you planning to do to it,” It sounded like she was afraid of the answer she would be given.

Umbren realized that he did not know the answer to that question. The original plan was to just poison the food and drink, but was that still the plan, or did Mortis have something different in mind? He was afraid of the thought.

Umbren told her what he knew, "We were just supposed to poison the supplies."

He wasn't lying, but if he said he didn't know, she definitely wouldn't believe him.

"That's awful ya know."

Umbren drooped his head. He had probably just ruined his impression of himself in Alyze's mind, if it wasn’t already.

She looked at him questioningly, "Well...when you leave here are you going to do that."

"Probably not."

It would have already been done without him.

A warm smile broke on her face, "I'm glad to hear that."