Aria peered out of the window. Through the frosted glass she could see scores of people out in Felix’s training yard. She recognized them as the villagers of Geldervale. In the place of their usual simple clothes, all of them were now dressed in the same black garb and overcoat that Felix wore. A few of them wore them a bit too tightly, but there was an air of professionalism to each of their now stoic faces. From the familiar way that they held their spears, she could tell that their display was not just for show.

  Pius walked in front of them, also adorned in the same black clothes and with a matching cap that had a bill casting a shadow over his eyes. Two silver diagonal stripes streaked across his shoulders, making his coat stand out amongst the different variations of chevrons that were placed on the arms of the others. The tavernkeep’s normally gentle blue eyes were furrowed into stern, fierce expression, and he was speaking loudly to the people in the field. What was being said was muffled by distance and from the walls of the house. The only thing that she did know was that had she not known it was Pius out there, she would have thought him a completely different person.

  Helbram was off to the side, sipping at a steaming cup as he observed the situation in the field. His eyes were hollow and there was a pale shade to his normally fair skin, but it was still an improvement to how he looked only a few days ago. His expression was muted, as it always was, but even from her distance Aria could tell that his mind was most likely racing with countless ideas.

  Those in the field readied their spears, demonstrating basic thrusts and other techniques in sync. Their movements were sharp, far more refined than the strikes she had been practicing over the past week. The logical part of her mind told her that was to be expected, but the larger, louder part made her look on with envy. Such a feeling made her restless, eager to draw the rapier at her waist and start her drills over again right then and there.

  That impulse was smothered by a cough.

  It was weak, echoing out from a room at the far end of the house, but the sound of it dug into Aria’s heart. She hopped down from her stool and walked towards the room, her soft footsteps stopping just outside the door. There was a pungent, herbal smell to the air; the scent of Bitterbite that wafted off the steaming cup of tea placed on the room’s night stand next to the bed. Camilla lay on top of it, wrapped in thick blankets that appeared to do nothing to still the shivers that shook her body. Her face was more gaunt than it was when Aria first met her, with the sharpness of her cheekbones standing out amongst her sunken eyes and cheeks. Her fingers, nearly only bone, were wrapped around a pair of small hands that trembled under a weak grip.

  Serena’s hand was slow to move away from her mother’s touch. She grabbed the cup of tea on the stand and gingerly offered it to Camilla. The woman struggled to move her head, but sipped from the cup before running a hand through her daughter’s hair.

  “You’re such a good girl, Serena,” she said in a weak voice. A sheen came over her eyes, but she blinked it away.

  Serena leaned into the hand. “You’ll get better, right, mother?”

  The frail woman flashed her a grin. “Of course, this is only a small chill. One more day of rest and I’ll be up and at it again.” She caressed her daughter’s cheek. “After all, we have more training to do, don’t we?”

  The girl shook her head “We don’t have to...”

  Camilla frowned. “Now now, be honest with yourself. You liked practice, didn’t you?”

  Serana gave a slow nod. “...It was fun.”

  Her mother laugh, the sound carrying a strength that did not match her appearance. “Fun is certainly one way to describe it.” She poked her daughter’s nose. “But, above all else, you must be careful, understand? Safety is the most important priority.”

  “I understand.” Serena wrapped her hands around her mother’s fingers again.

  Camilla squeezed them tight. “You are going to do so many great things, my daughter. I can see it as clear as day.” She let go and rustled Serena’s hair. “Now, be a dear and hand me my cup, would you? After all, you can’t keep your friend waiting all day.” She looked at Aria and winked.

  Her daughter wiped her eyes and looked back at Aria. She flashed her friend a smile, which appeared to lighten Serena’s spirits for a moment. The girl grabbed the cup on the stand and carefully placed it in her mother’s hands before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Camilla returned one to her forehead and let her daughter leave. Aria gave the woman a small, awkward wave, which was met with a weak laugh and a wave back. Serena moved past her, and when Aria moved to follow, the last thing she saw was Camilla staring out of the window, a distant look on her face.

  She didn’t know what to say to Serena as she walked behind her. Aria’s mother passed with her birth, and the circumstances after that did not leave her with much else in the way of experiencing these things. In truth, a small, distant corner of her was jealous of Serena; envious of the fact that she had a birth mother who cared for her, who loved her so deeply. She would never know what that was like, and in its place were only questions. What was her mother like? What did she do? How did she feel when she knew another daughter was on the way?

  If she was alive, would she have even loved her?

  Aria shook her head, feeling guilt sear a brand onto her heart. Her friend was in pain, a woman was suffering, and this was all she could think about?

  “So… what do you want to do?” she asked, waving her arms about with an anxious energy she had no direction for.

  Serena shrugged, her hands hanging limply at her side. Despite her friend’s attempts to stay strong in front of her mother, the girl had been relatively mute outside of Camilla’s sight after her most recent collapse. Serena had asked -begged- to stay outside just a bit longer during marksmanship practice. Her mother obliged without a complaint, but soon after fainted into the snow. No blame was placed on the girl. None, except that which Serena placed on herself.

  Aria looked around the room, desperate to find something to take her friend’s mind off of things. Her eyes fell upon a leather bound tome that rested on the dining table, one from the collection of books that Elly picked up for her in a town they passed through before getting to Geldervale. She rushed to it and picked it up, the words Tales of Heroes True, by Jonathan Buck emblazoned on the cover in faded gold lettering.

  “W-we could read a tale about Arthur and Clyde.” Aria flipped the book open and fluttered to a page towards the middle. “This story is one where they find a potion that can cure any sickness, and they use that to cure a sick…” She stopped, realizing what she was actually doing. “I’m sorry.”

  Serena walked up to her and took the book. “A magical potion? Where did they go to find it?” She met her eyes with a smile.

  Aria bit her trembling lip to still it. “In a tall tower, some say the tallest tower in the world. There are traps and monsters and…” She kept talking even as they sat down to read the story. Even she wasn’t sure what words were coming out of her mouth. All that she knew was that her friend was strong.

  And that she needed to be strong too.

  Helbram examined the movements of the villagers as they proceeded through their drills. They were practiced, but he could tell that a few of them were rusty. He was not the only one who noticed.

  “Your movements are sloppy, Calvus.” Pius did not shout, but his words somehow cut clear across the training yard. “You’d sooner gore the dirt than any fiend coming your way.”

  A man at the back grumbled, but looked at those next to him for a moment before righting his posture and continuing his drills. His movements were sharper, and there was a clear focus to his eyes.

  “Marcia, may I ask what you are even doing?” Pius stopped in front of a woman at the front. “Are you trying to stab someone, or prod them awake?”

  “Apologies.” She stood at attention. “I haven’t practiced in sometime.”

  The tavernkeep - if he could even be considered that anymore - raised an eyebrow.

  “...Sir. Sorry, it really has been a while.”

  He nodded. “That it has. Remember, use both your arms and your legs. Learn from your sister here, you may have more Ether than she does, but odds are she’s the more effective fighter.” He motioned to another woman who thrust her spear forward with a sharp movement that added a snap to her clothes. “Paula, show her how it's done.”

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  The two women nodded at each other and walked off to the side, where Paula gave instruction that Marcia was following diligently.

  Stone faced, Pius looked towards the center of the group. “Otho, your form is sharp as always. It's a shame that your coat is fighting for its life. Did I not tell you to lay off the meat pies?”

  A heavy set man, his coat stretched around his midsection and buttons close to bursting, stood at attention. “Sir. your meat pies are very delicious, sir!”

  “I know that.” A twitch almost curled up Pius’s lip. “Learn to control yourself, or at least go for a jog, for gods’ sake…”

  A chuckle rumbled through the platoon. Pius shook his head and let them continue their drills. He walked up to Helbram, his stern expression relaxing into the one that he normally wore. At least, the one he always had nowadays.

  “So, what’re you thinking?” he asked.

  “Honestly, I am perplexed,” Helbram said. “I am not sure if I should reserve an ale for later or apologize for being out of uniform.”

  Pius snorted. “Why not both? The coat would suit you.”

  “It is rather dashing, but there is a certain elegance to plate that I am rather fond of.” He sipped his tea and clenched his jaw at the assault of bitterness. “It also helps that it protects me from my own recklessness.”

  The tavernkeep took a seat next to him. “Taking a like to Bitterbite, I see.”

  “It is vile,” Helbram said in a dull tone, “But it fills me with a warmth and vigor that is quite needed at the moment… which makes the taste all the more bitter, really.” He took another sip and sighed. “To answer your question seriously, everyone appears to be well trained, overall. I think they would be able to adapt to new tactics quite quickly.”

  Pius crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. “A bit more rust needs to be shaken off, but I would agree. Regarding tactics, what have you come up with?”

  Helbram unfolded a piece of paper and held it up. “Pardon the crude drawing, but this is the general idea.” He tapped on three lines that made an incomplete square. “We have three people, preferably those that possess larger quantities of Ether, hold up shields.” He pointed to the dot that was in the middle of the unfinished shape. “Then we have someone in the center wielding a spear to lash out at any Gauths that try to strike.”

  Pius examined the drawing and rubbed his beard. “I assume that you want Awoken of higher Layers manning the shields so the Gaunths try to strike at the one wielding the spear?”

  “Yes.”

  “According to what I have been told, would we not have the same result if all four held spears?”

  “Based on what we first learned, yes.” Helbram stood up and grabbed a shield from a rack against the wall. He held it up like he was maintaining a guard and motioned with his free hand towards his back and flanks. “However, further encounters with the creatures have shown us that they are capable of recognizing obstacles to their goals. Like their tactics, it is not a sense that is developed as ours, but they do react to it.” He dropped his arm. “With that in mind, the shields serve more as a funnel.”

  “Exploiting their behavior rather than trying to negate it… good, because I was about to say that it was a very shallow tactic in any other situation.”

  Helbram laughed. “Oh I am well aware of that. I make no illusions of tactical mastery, but since our foe is far more behavioral in this instance, simplicity would be the best option.” The smile on his face fell. “But, there are a few sour notes to this plan.”

  Pius waited for him to elaborate.

  “Gaunth behavior is easy to predict if we operate based on what we know they are aware of. The moment that an unknown factor, say an individual that the creatures have had no prior encounter with, their behavior towards it is also indiscernible.”

  “So, the more that we let them know of us, the easier it will be to deal with them…” Pius pressed his lips thin. “That would mean exposing the men to the Gaunths prior to making any large-scale assault.”

  “Yes.” Helbram placed the shield back on the rack. “There is more, however. This tactic is effective against Crawlers, but we must also account for Brutes and Shriekers as well.”

  “A hardy enough Awoken behind a shield would be enough to keep a Brute occupied for someone to slip a spear in the right place,” Pius pointed out. “The Shriekers… aside from Felix, Merida, and perhaps Kiki and I, there are not many that would be able withstand the effects of their corrupted energy. From what I have been told, at least.”

  Helbram sat back down with a frown. “Elly and Jahora are out today to experience what is happening themselves. I have no doubt those two will be able to develop some sort of countermeasure, but in the chance that does not happen…”

  “Then we would be screwed.”

  Helbram flicked his hands up and sighed.

  Pius adjusted his hat. “Do we know the range of their effects?”

  “An approximation, but nothing definitive.”

  “Then that is all we need.” Pius pointed to a group of people that were gathered around a table that faced towards the training yard’s distant target. They were cleaning their rifles after a recent round of practice. “We will keep out marksmen at a distance, so when the shieldbearers and spearmen are subjected to the effects they can spot the Shrieker and eliminate it. Felix informed me that during its scream the center of its mouth emits a sickly green color, is this correct?”

  “Yes, though in the mess of things that might be difficult to spot.”

  “And that is why we will have to practice, as unpleasant as it will be.” Pius crossed his arms. “That is what you were going to suggest next, right?”

  Helbram nodded. “I was. Not only to ensure the Gaunths would behave predictably, but so that your men would know what to prepare for… I just wish that the experience were not so unpleasant.”

  “They have been to war, Helbram,” Pius reminded. “They may act soft, but when it comes to conflict, they will do what needs to be done. Isn’t that right, you oafs?!”

  Cheers surged through those in the training yard.

  Helbram snorted. “You are right. How do you propose that we go about our practice then?”

  “A squad at a time,” Pius said. “Three shieldbearers, one spearman, one marksman. The shieldbearers will of course be carrying weapons of their own, but we will need to make sure they are practiced in their role.”

  “You will be taking them to an area that is not so dense in the creatures, then?”

  “The area that you and Felix have been to, most likely. Given your activities in the area, that is most likely the thinnest source of the corruption. I, of course, will go with them, but we will need Merida with us.” Pius looked over at Felix’s house with a dour expression. “We should let Felix be with his family, for the time being.”

  Helbram steepled his fingers. “Her condition is getting worse.”

  “Which is why we need to be training as fast as possible. Should the platoon be involved, that will allow enough room for the stag to do what it needs to do.”

  “Merida will be bringing him by tomorrow, as well,” Helbram said. “Leaf is going to do some scouting, but my other companions and I will be working with Romina to keep the Gaunths contained while he and Geroth try to find their hive… that is if Elly and Jahora are well enough by tomorrow.”

  “They will be, and I know that you know that.” Pius gave him a knowing look. “But, I suspect that even if you were Thalamar himself you’d still find cause to worry.”

  “...perhaps.”

  “Placing those under your wing in danger is something that no leader worth his salt enjoys. Yet, we must do it all the same.”

  “And prepare them the best we can for what lays ahead. Felix said something similar, yet...” Helbram sighed and said nothing further.

  Pius leaned forward. “Otho has two children, a boy and a girl.”

  Helbram said nothing, but listened.

  “Paula gave birth to a son just not too long before you arrived. Calvus married Marcia a few months ago and they have been planning to start a family. To see each of them here sets a stone upon my chest that makes standing from this chair nearly impossible. In any other scenario, in any other place where there were more to take their place, I would do so in a heartbeat, yet that option is not on the table. To stand against what we are faced against will require each and every single one of us, and it is my duty to make sure they come back, to bear the weight of those that do not.”

  He pushed himself from his seat. “Felix has borne more of that weight than anyone here… and he may bear more of it yet. He will do so without complaint, for he is the finest man I have ever known. So, I will do my best to keep that weight to a minimum, to shoulder the burden where I may. Perhaps your friends are not in the exact same situation, but I know they think the same.” He placed a hand on Helbram’s shoulder. “In return, do they not deserve your faith, to follow the man they think you to be?”

  He didn’t wait for an answer and walked in front of the platoon. “Attention!”

  Everyone snapped into position, standing straight and looking ahead.

  “We have a lot of work ahead of us, our enemies are numerous, they fouled the forests around our home, and have done so while also having the indignity of smelling like absolute shite.” He smirked. “So, we’ll just have to do a bit of cleaning, won’t we?”

  “Sir! We’ll kick their godsdammed arses! Sir!”

  “You’re damned right, Otho!” Pius slammed his fist against his chest. Thunder followed as the platoon did the same. He threw his hand down and off to the side. “Glory be to Humanity!”

  Everyone mimicked the motion. “Glory be to Humanity!”

  A power surged through the platoon, not of Ether, nor of Aether, but one that filled the eyes of everyone in that training yard. All, except Helbram, but it was this that told him what he needed to know. He had been so focused on readying his friends for anything to come, yet had not readied himself for what he now must do.

  The screams from a cavern long distant tore through his mind again, but rather than flinch from it, he let it set over his shoulders. He thought of his companions, recognizing their belief in him, one that he told himself that he was returning. The doubts that he held now proved that to be false. There was a final step that he needed to make, one that he did not allow for the longest time.

  To have faith in them, and himself.

  Author’s Note: Bit of an emotional chapter this go around. I was considering showcasing Elly and Jahora's first reactions to the Gaunths, but honestly it would have been extremely repetitive at this point to keep showing that, so I thought a slower, more character focused chapter was the better change of pace. Helbram is really getting tested in this arc, emotionally, and while Pius and Felix have essentially the same message, I think having Helbram hearing from Felix's "right hand man" is a different enough perspective to give him the complete image of what he needs to do. Also, had to showcase some of Aria and Serena's troubles as well since I don't think I've spent a lot of time on them in this arc, and this is an attempt to remedy that.

  As always, let me know what you think! Till next update, have a wonderful time ^_^

  As always, if you have any suggestions of what you'd like to see or what resonates with you the most, please let me know in the comments and please drop a rating or review to let me know how I'm doing. I'm always aiming to improve and your feedback goes a long way to helping me with that.

  If you want early access to chapters as well as an Audiobook version of this story, consider supporting me on . Also, if you don't want to subscribe but wish to support me in other ways, please consider picking up