"Of course, I promise. We're together until we sort this all out," Ethan spoke with a smile, patting Amuné's head as she wiped her eyes dry. "Just remember you have us here to help, so you don't have to be brave all by yourself, okay? We're in this together." How would any of them have made it this far on their own? Never mind just the battles they'd been through but everything else, they would have probably broken a while ago if not for the support they gave each other. With one of their own down for the count it was more important now than ever to remain together too and work through this, because Saints only knew what else they'd endure before their journey was over. After returning the hug to Amuné he took her hand and guided the Ydran to the door, smiling when she relented and agreed to eat.

"Good, and we'll save something for Wyth after he gets patched up. Let's go find where Nymira and Asta went okay?" Now that they had some time to themselves they should try and talk, figure out exactly what was going on. They all had their own goals and many were still vague to Ethan himself, and Asta was completely unknown to any of them. It would probably bring some peace of mind if everything was out on the table right? Making certain Wyth was able to keep up they headed back down to the main floor of the building, being greeted by the same older woman that had shown them to their quarters. Returning her smile he glanced down at Amuné, giving her handle a gentle squeeze before clearing his throat. "Um... Would it be too much to ask to have someone look after Wyth here? He's hurt," Ethan asked, "Do you have anyone who knows how to work with animals? Or a healer even? We'll pay if you want money."

"Oh dear, of course we can get him help. And don't you even worry about payment, we wouldn't accept it from new refugees like yourselves," the elderly woman answered with a kind smile, kneeling before Amuné and Wyth, "Is he yours young lady? Would you like to come with me to see the doctors? I bet he'd be a lot more comfortable if you were with him."

Ethan had planned on getting them food first but the woman was probably right in Wyth could use the company. Best not to risk having a giant moorcat get angry and snap at one of the people helping them. "If you want to go I'll bring the food to you, and that way I can get something for Wyth too. Why don't you go and I'll meet you there?" He'd be quick as he could and then they could eat together while Wyth was seen to.

"Actually, it seems that Ms. Taliya wants to speak with you young man. She asked that you were sent to the meeting hall," the woman interjected, smiling apologetically, "She wanted to speak with you and your friends, but I can help the young lady to the doctor's while you meet with her." Poor children, they were all so young and had gone through hell to get here. Looking at Amuné with a tender smile she extended a hand out to her, hoping she'd be comfortable enough to leave the side of her friend. "How about we go get you some help sweetheart? Would you like to see how healers work?"

----------

The nerve of Kensen turning his back on her like that. Did he not want to rejoin the clan? A Dimuran without a clan was nothing, a rogue without a true name or a home. Why would anyone wish for an existence like that? She was offering him a chance few like him ever got, the chance to return home and to reclaim his brethren. Nymira didn't know if his disregard of her offer or his disregard of her clan was more annoying to her and she couldn't let him simply walk away, not after insulting her like that. If he was trying to anger her then it was working, and the comment about her father again made her blood boil. How dare Kensen suggest something like that! Her father would never knowingly send anyone to their deaths, he valued every member of the clan and their contributions, no one was worthless. Everyone had their place, even those who abandoned the clan and returned, and the fact Kensen was so callous about it was infuriating.

"Do you not wish to reclaim your honor?! I'm giving you the chance to do that!" Nymira declared angrily as she threw her hands to the side in frustration, "If you will not return to the clan then... Aid me in my journey! Father would have nothing but praise for you if you helped I'm certain, you'd have more than you could ever dream when you return. Show you are still loyal to the clan and I'll personally vouch for you." Again he turned away and dismissed her without a thought, leaving her staring a hole through his back. How could any Dimuran be so blind to this? Did he care nothing for his kin? She was trying to help better all of their people and he was ignoring that entirely, focused instead on instead of what was happening here. Gritting her teeth she moved to storm after him, halting when a firm hand grabbed her arm. Throwing back an angry glance she saw the man called Gage behind her, wrenching her arm free and giving him an accusatory look. "What is it?"

"Easy there runt, just because you're Taliya's guests doesn't mean you're getting special treatment," Gage explained as he peered down at Nymira beneath his thick brow. Behind them the last of the contents of the cart had been unloaded and he paused briefly to wave the men off towards storage, turning back to Nymira with a testy look upon his face. "I hear you're a princess or something, good for you. Dimuran royalty means nothing out here though, you're in the kingdom of Adelon and there's only one royal family here, useless as the lot might be. So tout your position all you want but you're as worthwhile as a common beggar far as I'm concerned. Got that? Learn your position here real quick girl or you're going to end up in a lot of trouble."

The nerve of this man, did he have no idea who she was? Saying that her royalty meant nothing, that her clan and her title was meaningless out here. How badly she wished she could set this man alight right now just out of spite. "I am the daughter of Hákon Rumia, leader of the Rumia clan. I will not be spoken to as-"

"I don't give a shite if you're the leader of your bloody clan. Like I said, out here there's only one royal family. So, your Highness, shut your trap and listen." The look of indignation and fury were plain across Nymira's face now and Gage almost wanted her to lash out, just to give him a reason to give her haughty self a good smack. She relented though and he folded his arms across his chest to resist the urge, turning and spitting on the ground before continuing. "Taliya's inside and she'll be wanting to speak with you, so get going. You wanted answers and she'll give them, so get moving. And remember you're our guest here, she saved you and we don't owe you nothing."

"Thank you sir, I'll be on my way then." She had to leave now or she was liable to tear out Gage's throat. Turning swiftly on her heel she stormed towards the building, keeping her eyes off of anyone who looked her way. He was an utter moron to think her clan could be written off like that, and Kensen was a fool to think no one would want to ally themselves with her father either. They had capable warriors, they were famed blacksmiths, they could give anyone who agreed to an alliance plenty in exchange for cooperation. This Taliya would be more welcome of her offer if she only explained her position, and so would whoever was in charge of Mutebo. Balling her hands into tight fists she threw open the door of the building, glancing around briefly until someone pointed her in the right direction. They'd see, her father's plans were not foolish, these people and the other elders were wrong. The Rumia clan would find allies here in Adelon and they would thrive.

It wasn't that Ethan didn't want to take Amuné along with him, certainly given all she'd gone through today. But something about bringing a child to meet with a woman who cussed like the dockworkers didn't quite sit well with him. Yet if she was adamant about tagging along foul language included then he couldn't quite turn her away. Hearing that Wyth might have to wait a bit longer to be tended to was disheartening but then Amuné knew him best and if he was doing okay then they couldn't force him to go along either.

"Oh, well if that's what you want dear. We'll be waiting for you after your meeting then," the woman said as she turned, pointing past the front door to a long hallway besides, "Just take that to the end, we're the last door on the left. We'll have a bed prepared for your friend there when you do come." Taliya wanted them to look at the children as well but none of them had nearly as serious wounds as the moorcat did, they could wait a little longer then. On her way to the medical ward she passed by a rather angry Dimuran woman, looking at her quizzically before giving Kensen and equally puzzling look. Neither of them looked terribly happy, did they know each other?

"These people are insufferable. Speaking to me like that, who do they think they are..." Nymira grumbled irritably as she approached Ethan and Amuné.

"Hey Nymira, just in time! We're going to talk to the lady who saved us!" Ethan said as he waved in greeting, promptly yelping then as his arm was grabbed and he was all but dragged along by the Dimuran, "H-Hey, what's the hurry?"

"It seems I need to teach the people here respect. Come on, she's waiting for us." They were guests here and Nymira understood as much but that did not diminish who she was or where she had come from. She was here as an ambassador to the most powerful Dimuran clan and she'd be damned if she were treated like anything less. Releasing Ethan's wrist once they had reached a wide set of doors she looked testily to the two men stood at either side, her foot tapping against the ground impatiently until they opened the door. As soon as they were parted enough for her to enter she slipped past the guards and into the room, marching right to where Taliya stood by a window, several other men around her.

"You asked to see us so here we are. Let's get some answers," Nymira interrupted, frowning as several of the men gave her dirty looks, folding her arms across her chest, "Don't be angry with me, we're simply doing as we were told. Do you want to speak with us or not?"

"You're a sassy little bitch aren't you? I like you kiddo, you've got spunk! Come on in, I was getting bored of this anyways," Taliya laughed, leaning against the wall and gesturing for the men to leave the room, "Go on, get going! Finish up your duties and you're done for the day, get some chow. And tell the two outside not to let anyone else in will ya?" If these brats were wanting answers she'd give them some, she'd tell them everything and then some if they really wanted to know. Of course they would probably regret knowing it all once they were informed, most people did, the situation was a lot more dire for Magi than most realized. Waiting for the other men to leave she smiled when the doors were closed and locked, tilting her head and giving the group a curious look. "Since you stormed in here I'm guessing you already know what you're going to ask don't you? Out with it then, ask away."

"Uh... Well actually we wanted to say thank you first, for helping us," Ethan chimed in as he smiled down at Amuné, "Right? Things were kind of bad there for a moment so we're lucky you came along when you did. If you hadn't shown up with your friend then Cecil might have gotten even more damaged, or one of us- OW!"

Nymira stomped back on Ethan's toes and shot him a glare, ignoring his almost comical hopping about as she looked back to Taliya. They weren't here to lick the woman's boots for goodness sake, she knew something about those attacking them and she was going to tell them everything. "You said you'd answer our questions, so do it. Who was that man that attacked us? The Varuna almost seems to be following us and we have no idea why. There was another man too, a Muran, though last time we saw him he fought the Varuna. Who are they? And why are we being targeted?"

"Well I know the fish bastard is a member of the Church, or he's one of their dogs anyways. One of their Magi they've got on a leash, running around and capturing or locking up Magi who refuse to join them. I guess you kids must have done something to piss someone off," Taliya mused with a shrug, "You brats barely seem capable enough to threaten a cow, never mind the Church. And 'another man' isn't much to go off of, but if he wasn't one of ours then who knows? Maybe another Church Magi and they just got into a fight, or maybe he's just some roamer. But seems like you kids have a target on your backs for some reason and the Church wants you dead, so they sent the Varuna after you. He'll probably show up again if you don't do something about him."

"We've done nothing to anger the Church though! We've only defended ourselves against attacks so far," Nymira argued, "I am not here to cause trouble or to wage battle against anyone, I am here acting as my father's ambassador. That can't be reason for them to attack us."

Taliya merely shrugged her shoulders at the idea, stepping away from the wall and walking closer to the group. "Who knows? Sometimes they don't need a reason, they just do whatever they want. The Church keeps a leash on them but they can't watch them all the time, sometime their pets get a little restless and do crazy shit. As long as they're not upsetting order they can get away with whatever they want to," she said with a grin as she looked to Ethan, "Sometimes they just go after someone because they don't like how they look, or because of even a minor offense," she continued as her gaze then turned to Amuné, "Or... Sometimes they do it just because. They don't always need a reason, they're cold bastards. No reason is reason enough."

"So... It might not even be the Church? He could just... Be attacking us because he wants to?" Ethan asked, perplexed as he tried to make sense of that. Brow creasing in worry he looked at his feet and rubbed at his forehead, his brow then shooting up in realization as he looked back at Taliya. "Wait! The man that attacked us, he said something about the Church wanting us dead. So there has to be a reason right? Maybe if we know what the reason is we can make it right! We could apologize, or maybe there's a fine, or maybe-"

"Are you fucking stupid? The Church doesn't care about money! The only people with more wealth than them are the companies whose dicks they're sucking!" Taliya laughed, "Maybe there is a reason then, but hell if I know what it is. None of you brats have any connections to the Church do you? You all seem like backwater sorts, especially you Dimuran. I can tell city folks from those who live in the country and none of you have the air of city dwellers about you. So beats me what you might have done, they usually don't bother with people so far from the cities."

There had to be a reason for the attacks, something they weren't seeing. Did anyone of them have a connection? Nymira couldn't given how far she had lived from everything, even if she was royalty. Amuné was just a kid from a small village so chances were she wasn't a target either. Cecil had been with them since the beginning and they didn't know much about him, but then was he the target? Those men in suits often appeared and tried to capture him but they didn't seem like the usual Church types, definitely from the inner cities. If it wasn't Cecil though then that only left him. But what connection might he have to the Church? He'd never been to a city, they were allowed to worship as they pleased back in Kinsgrove. They hadn't done anything really until meeting Cecil and even at that he'd just used a gust of wind, it didn't seem like that'd warrant their execution. So what else was there? At a loss for a moment he wracked his brains until he finally remembered something, a fact that he'd somehow overlooked until just now. He did have a connection if a loose one, one which made no sense until now. But could that really be the cause?

"Cedric..."

Taliya's brow rose in curiosity at the mention of the name 'Cedric', her lips in a thin smile as she stared at Ethan. How'd that kid know that name? Was it the same one that she was thinking of? Before they got too much into this they had best figure out where they were coming from and what they actually did know, no sense in wasting time going over redundant shit. "Hey kid... Who's this Cedric? Mind sharing with the rest of us?"

"Oh! Uh... Sure! Cedric's from Kinsgrove like me, he's one of the oldest members of the town. And like a lot of us here he's a Magi, an Earth Magi. Cedric taught me how to use my magic before he was... Taken away." Though a pang struck his heart at the mention of his mentor it almost felt distant, like his entire purpose for being so far from home was but a blurred memory. Maybe it was just the fatigue of the day weighing on him. "Uh... Why are you asking though? What's that got to do with anything?"

"So it is him! That old bastard couldn't stay out of trouble even all the way out there huh?" Taliya mused with a shake of her head.

"Wait, so you know him?" Ethan asked as his face lit up, stepping forward and gesturing excitably, "Do you know where he is? Please, if you know anything tell me!"

"Easy there kid, keep your pants on. Yeah I know him, he was my teacher too. So he went back home and then some men took him away, what are you doing out here then huh? Looking for trouble?" He wasn't thinking what Taliya was suspecting he was, was he? If he seriously thought he could do something to help then this kid was a colossal idiot.

"N-Not exactly. I just uh... Well..." Uncertain of where to begin Ethan exhaled, rubbing the back of his head before looking back at his friends. He should probably explain himself shouldn't he? This far our and he hadn't shared his own reason for traveling yet, he owed it to them at the very least. Plus Taliya clearly knew something and he had to find out what. "Cedric taught me magic, and we were trying to be discreet about it. But I guess somewhere along the way someone saw us and reported it, and Church members showed up asking around for a Magi. I... I think I was the one they were after, I used to practice in the woods alone and I probably messed up. But Cedric went with them instead and I haven't seen him since. If it's my fault he's missing then I can't just sit around, I have to try and find him," Ethan explained with a somber smile, "He's probably in one of the inner cities, that's what people have told me. So I'm trying to get there and find him."

Wow, so he really was as big an idiot as she'd thought. Just what in the hell did he even plan on doing if he did find the old man other than dying? "You're a damned fool kid, running after someone like that. But seems like you're pretty determined to find him huh?" Taliya asked, frowning when Ethan gave her a nod. Letting out a reluctant sigh she stepped back and pulled over an empty crate, sitting on it and folding her arms across her knees. "Kensen! Get in here! This brat knows about Cedric. We're gonna fill him in!"

Kensen had every much had enough of Nymira and her insistence. She didn’t know him, all she knew him for was his race and nothing else. It was always the case with people who weren’t Dimuran, but to have another Dimuran shout at him about honour and not going back to his clan was just a bit too much for him. He had done a lot to get where he was now and if Nymira wasn’t happy with it then he was just going to have to try and ignore her without deciding to punch her in the face about it. She was straight up attacking him simply because she only slightly knew his circumstances for leaving the clan and thinking it wasn’t that bad for him to return. Just who did she think she was? His mother? Well he was old enough to not need to be told what to do so sucked to be her.

While it did make him angry, he was fine with simply walking away and letting her rage on while someone else dealt with her. It was rather disrespectful to badger the one that had saved you. He was just going to get tea for now instead of having to put up with her. Maybe if she hushed down enough he would make her tea too, but that would probably have to wait until Taliya was done talking to them anyway. They all had a lot of explaining to do considering they were attacked by someone who didn’t attack at random. Whether they were going to talk to them about it or not wasn’t his concern, but rather Taliya’s since she was in charge of this area and their progress much more than him. He may have a high ranking second to hers, but she was just stronger mentally and knew how to get her point across better than him when he was considered ‘too polite’ compared to her.

As he headed in he went to the nearby tearoom instead of going off to the front room where Taliya was likely gathering the vagabonds, there was no way that group were otherwise. They had a full camping set, several horses and a combat Machina for protection, there was no way those people were just travellers going from one place to the next like they were selling something. Maybe once that Machina of theirs was fixed up they’d be able to find out more about its purpose and whether it was an illegal model. There was combat Machinas that were fine for protecting people, but then there was some that had illegal upgrades that basically made it almost superhuman in comparison to a butler Machina. It should only take a day or something to get the Machina fixed if the mechanics were on schedule, then maybe that was done they could really hammer into them how dangerous combat Machina were. Those things could kill with incredible ease and the Church hated them, so no wonder they had gotten into trouble lately.

Once his tea was all made he flasked it up and decided to get on through into the room where the discussion was being held, waiting for it to be unlocked for him before sneaking on in. He hoped he would’ve avoided most of the discussion, but rather than coming in mid casual conversation he came in at a rather awkward point involving a Cedric. Keeping near the door he remained looking pretty calm, still in his goggles and scarf combo hiding his expression. Well this had gotten awkward real quick and it was up to the newcomers to explain themselves and whether this was just a regular Cedric, only that it definitely wasn’t. Looking to Taliya momentarily he slowly turned away to leave only to be caught out by her and asked to remain. Sighing lightly he wandered over close to her, lightly jumping up onto a storage crate himself as if the wind carried him and sat cross-legged. Maybe he should’ve brought some tea for Taliya too, but with the doors locked after he entered again it would just be too awkward asking the guards to open them once more.

“Guess I am stuck here…with them…” he sighed, “…Talking about all of this…” He really didn’t want to be here right now when it concerned Cedric. No doubt once they were told the kid was going to flip his lid then they’ll have to control him and it would just be an overall bad time for onlookers. It definitely didn’t make him happy, but knowing as much as he did it was only right for him to be here. Pulling down his scarf a little he simply sighed heavily, leaning back a little. “How much of Cedric did you know exactly? How old are you even to be wandering across the land looking for him? With a combat Machina, no less. Did Cedric give it to you? How long ago did you last see him? It’s kind of important we know too. He was a friend of Taliya’s, you see…”

Ethan had known since Cedric had been taken away that the Church had been responsible. Yet he'd never fully understood why they had taken his mentor, nor why they had taken him for as long as they had. They'd encountered some resistance to their being Magi while traveling but never anything serious, nothing that would earn them the Church's aggression. Or so he'd like to think but clearly he was mistaken as they had been attacked several times now. That was because of Cedric? Or rather because Ethan himself knew Cedric? A pit formed in his stomach when he contemplated that and came to a rather unpleasant and disheartening realization: the Church had attacked them because of him. Or if not solely because of him he had given them reason to chase and exposed everyone else to the danger. How hadn't he managed to realize that before? He was such an idiot!

"Kid, I don't know what shit you've been spoon fed but the Saints aren't exactly benevolent sorts. They're up heck knows where watching while we scurry around like rats, killing each other over trivial shit," Taliya rebutted, "Don't be getting the idea that they're your friends. Yeah us Magi get our magic from them but that's where the relationship ends, got it? No praying or offerings are going to get them on your side, they're more content to watch us flounder about." That was the cold hard truth of the matter, no childish naivete was going to change that. At the end of the day Magi were no different from a regular soldier, they were given tools to fight and made to do so, like it or not. If one died then so be it, such was the cost of wielding their power. Whether the enemy was the Void, the Church or one of the corporations they were simply used to fight, nothing more.

Hearing that the Saints were so indifferent to them didn't sit right with Ethan either. Why would they bother granting anyone power if they didn't care? Why would they give people the ability to heal or protect others if they just saw mortals as ants? It didn't add up but he couldn't find it in himself to totally rebuke it either; the Church had been trying to kill them for some time and they had never gotten any help from the Saints, chances were they weren't even being watched right now. They were just some kids out in the world struggling to make it then huh?

Even so they had gotten this far on their own and they had to keep going. They needed to find Amuné's parents, or at the very least what happened to them. They had to help Cecil discover who he truly was and find some peace of mind. Nymira had her clan's goals in mind and they could help her along the way too. Ethan himself needed to find Cedric and figure out what was going on with everything. Though his goal might not have to wait, not if there was someone right before him who had the answers. Swallowing back nerves he looked to Taliya and smiled nervously as she arched an eyebrow, uncertain how to even go about asking now that it was finally coming up.

"I'm uh... 18. And I haven't seen Cedric in... About a month, maybe a little more. He was taken away and when people started to talk I got worried and went after him." They had left in a carriage however and Ethan had been on foot, catching up to them was clearly not going to happen. With a massive head start and moving faster they were no doubt already in the inner cities while he was still out here, aimlessly wandering trying to pick up a trail.

"If you know where he's being kept please tell me. I can't just leave now that I found someone with answers," Ethan pleaded with a look between Kensen and Taliya both. Feeling a lump forming in his throat he tried to clear it, pushing a smile to his lips again as he moved forward. "If he's in one of the inner cities I'll keep going, I'll find a way to help him out. Or if he was accused of some crime then I'll help to clear him, I don't care what it is. Just let me know how I can get to him and-" The next few words made Ethan's voice catch in his throat and his heart nearly stop. He'd misheard, right?

"Cedric is dead, kid."

"D-Dead...?" Ethan repeated as though the words were utterly alien to him. Staring back at Taliya's stern expression he blinked once before letting out a nervous laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "N-No way! Cedric wouldn't be dead! They have no reason to hurt him, never mind kill him! They have to be just holding him somewhere, waiting for a trail. Don't joke like that, tell me where he is!" No response came and an inaudible sob escaped Ethan's mouth as his eyes began to shine.

"It's not a fucking joke, Cedric's gone kiddo. They executed him about two weeks ago." Taliya didn't like saying it anymore than Ethan wanted to hear it but he had to know the truth. The look on his face was a lot like her own had been when she'd heard the news, something between anguish and disbelief. It was better that he learn though than be allowed to believe a lie.

"The old man you knew wasn't exactly some homebody, some innocent old geezer who just sat on his fucking porch all day telling stories to brats like you. Before he lived in that dump you call home he was here with us. Hell he was the leader of this little group of ours." Rising to her feet Taliya approached Ethan and frowned at his emotionless expression. Growling in frustration she reached out and smacked him across the face, a look of disgust on her face as he whimpered and stumbled back. "Accept the truth kid, he's dead! He thought he'd have a comfy retirement off in the woods somewhere but they hunted his ass down and brought him back. He knew the risk when he was fighting against them but he did it anyways, and he paid the price."

"No! He's not dead! You're lying!" Ethan shouted as tears fell, shaking his head and trying to shove Taliya, only to have his arm grabbed and wrenched behind his back while he was pushed to the ground. "He's not... He's not dead! He can't be!" He just couldn't fathom it, Cedric being part of... Whatever this was, fighting against the Church. That wasn't the smiling old man he remembered, the one who cracked bad jokes and spent almost every afternoon teaching him how to use magic. The man who told stories to children in the town, the man who helped the town with is magic, no way could that person have done anything to earn his execution. Sobbing as he struggled against Taliya's grasp he groaned when his face was pushed against the floor, looking back up at the woman holding him. There was no sympathy there or understanding, only annoyance and disgust.

"If he was your teacher too then why aren't you sad? Why aren't you crying too?!" Ethan shouted, choking out a sob and finally pulling free as Taliya released him. Settling on his rear he looked up at Taliya in confusion, visibly shaking as his emotions ran wild. "I don't... He can't... He..."

"He's dead. I don't care if you believe me or not but that's the reality of it. It's why I'm here in charge now instead of him." Scoffing as Ethan continued to cry she rolled her eyes and walked back to the crate she'd sat on, easing herself down onto it and running a hand back through her hair. "I had my grieving and now life goes on, time doesn't stop when someone dies. We owe it to Cedric to keep moving and not turn into a wallowing fucking mess like you are right now. Are you just going to give up on everything now that you know that? Come on kid, show me you've got some spine." Nothing, no response other than rattled sobs and the occasional unintelligible word. Shaking her head in disbelief she looked at Nymira then, seeing the Dimuran more confused than anything by the exchange. She didn't expect Nymira to get it, their type always were funny about people dying. So long as it had honor then there was no reason to be sad or something like it.

Kensen didn’t actually care that much about the guy but him mentioning Cedric was concerning. Just what was that guy trying to do, anyway? Training random Magi like that, it bothered him greatly. Did they need more Magi? And if so then why not tell this guy he was from their group? As he sat there calmly and minding his own business he sipped his tea looking completely uninterested in Ethan’s answers, sighing lightly. This was going to be awkward and he wasn’t going to want to be a part of it, so keeping to himself was pretty essential for him to not blow up in front of everyone. He wasn’t very patient when it came to other people, they just annoyed him quite too much. Looking to Taliya when she bluntly revealed his death he turned slightly on the box, continuing with his tea and not giving a care about Ethan’s reaction.

Better Taliya giving him the news than himself, seeing how she was best for giving out such news without getting all stupidly sympathetic. Feeling pretty annoyed already as Ethan started to get all upset he let out a sigh and continued minding his own business. If the kid had no relation to Cedric other than Cedric teaching him some magic then he didn’t know Cedric at all. It was a little frustrating, like someone crying over a celebrity which Cedric essentially was in that place he was in if he really was somewhat popular. What an annoyance this was turning out to be, the kid was 18 and was bugging Taliya enough for her to lash out. Ethan was only a little bit younger and couldn’t handle the death of another Magi; he really was living in a tiny bubble if that was surprising.

Feeling rather annoyed at the guy not letting up on crying for Cedric he closed his tea flask and put it aside, scoffing. “Tch, you’re all crying over him but you barely knew him. Yeah sure, he was friendly to you and taught you a few tricks but did you seriously know him other than his name? If he didn’t even mention us by name at the very least to you or who he actually was, then you didn’t know him at all”, he spoke quickly, folding his arms, “Just really? What was he, a father figure who never told you his secrets? About us? About Mutebo? He was nice to you and told you nothing, just typical of Cedric. He might as well had been a celebrity that you were swooning over compared to a true father figure. Can we just move on to more important subjects? Your blubbering is really getting on my nerves and your disrespect to Taliya is annoying me”.

There was a large part of Taliya that wanted to slap Amuné for being such a brat and kicking her, wondering where the hell a child got off acting like that. If it weren't for the fact she had to look good for those following her she probably would have too instead of just sneering at the little Ydran. The kid wasn't worth it anyways, the idiot had kicked her in her shinguard and probably hurt herself instead. Rolling her eyes as Ethan continued to blubber and Amuné again tried to act high and mighty she shook her head, sticking a finger in her ear and cleaning it disinterestedly.

"Look her kiddo, you're our guest here so watch your fucking tongue and don't mouth off to us. Or did you forget the reason you're even alive now is because of us?" Taliya asked as she flicked wax away, looking over at Ethan annoyed, "People die in this line of work, we're criminals as far as the Church is concerned. But we're here fighting against those bastards and the mess they're making, we're the good guys here. If you're so upset about Cedric dying then honor his death and carry on what he was doing, don't sit there blubbering like a newborn who shit himself and needs a new diaper. Shit you're pathetic..."

"You still haven't explained entirely who you are, or what this place is," Nymira pointed out, ignoring Ethan's stifled whimpering and sobbing as she addressed Taliya pointedly, "So you're fighting the Church? Why? Why is it that they're after Magi the way they are, and why are you fighting against them? What exactly is going on in this kingdom?" They had many more questions than answers and she was sick and tired of being in the dark. If they were going to be making allies here in Adelon then she needed to appreciate the full situation, know who to trust and who to avoid. Taliya hardly came across as a woman she'd like to call an ally but she did seem to know a thing or two, and so far no one else had given them any real answers.

"Why? Because they're a bunch of fucking hypocrites, that's why. They use Magi like tools to kill Magi and enforce order, they say they support Magi, but only if the Magi support them, and anyone else is as good as a cockroach as far as they're concerned. We've never had to serve the Church like this before, sure some fought for them but most were let to live their lives how they wanted. We're basically being conscripted or killed for refusing and you're wondering why we're fighting against it? Shit you really aren't from around here are you?" They were going to have to cover the very basics with these kids from the looks of it, right down to how the entire mess started. Taliya hated giving long winded speeches, that had always been more Cedric's style where she would let her fists do the talking for her. But if they were going to be traveling around they should know what was going on, if only to keep them alive.

"Here's the deal, and listen good because I'm not repeating myself here. The Church isn't what it used to be, hasn't been for years. Instead of helping people they're trying to control everything, from Magi to technology, to who you can worship and when, trade, the military, they've got their grubby fucking fingers in everything nowadays. And they're using Magi to clamp down on anyone that doesn't like what they're doing, or they work through the military or one of the companies. The royal family's supposed to run most of it and there's supposed to be separate groups for everything, but its all the Church now. The royal family, the ones who ought to be running the show, are nothing more than puppets with the Church's hands up their asses. Once upon a time folks like us served the royal family if anyone, and now we're all expected to be dogs of the Church."

"I still don't understand why you're fighting. Aren't you weakening yourselves from infighting like this?" Nymira questioned as she looked to Kensen and then Taliya, confusion clear on her face. "My people have lived that way for generations and we've only become weaker for it. It's why I'm here now trying to change that on my father's behalf. You're fools if you're going to continue like this, no one will win."

"Maybe we are fools but that's not changing the way things are. Church's calling the shots now and you're either with them or against them. What happened to Cedric is what happens to a lot of us, it's a story we've heard dozens of times. Get caught, interrogated, and whether you talk or not they kill you, unless you join them. Anyone serving the Church is a spineless bastard, its not living if someone else has you by the balls."

Were things really this bad out here? Ethan had never expected that any of the rumors he had heard were true, even after Cedric had been taken away. Like Nymira he only found himself questioning the validity of what Taliya was saying and wondering why they were being allowed to do what they were. If the Church was as bad as she was saying wouldn't they do something about people like these?

"Wh-why haven't they killed any of you then, huh? Why only Cedric?" Ethan asked in a trembling voice, wiping his eyes again on his sleeve and sniffling as he turned to Taliya again, "You said he g-got caught, how? If he got caught then how come none of you have?" It didn't make any sense why all of these people here were able to stay out of the Church's sights when one man was found.

"We've been wondering that ourselves kid, and we still don't have an answer. It'd be one thing if Cedric settled in an inner city and they found him, there's Church dogs all around them. But way out in the woods? Hell if I know, doesn't make any sense. Only guess is someone sold our teacher out and they came knocking." Had Cedric gone down without a fight? From the sounds of it the old man hadn't fought back when he'd been initially taken and he probably didn't fight back even while in the capital, so what gives? He wasn't exactly the violent type but he had to have known what was going to happen to him, why wouldn't he fight back? Was it all for the sake of this little brat here? To make sure he didn't get the wrong idea of him? Why would he even care?

"So that's the deal kids. The Saints are either ignoring us or they're powerless to help us, and we're getting killed off like flies. Meanwhile the Church is drunk on power and trying to control the entire fucking kingdom, and with the royal family all but useless they're doing to be doing that before long. This 'gift' of yours is probably going to end up getting you all killed unless you do something about it. Though that pretty much means taking on the entire kingdom of Adelon at this point." With a scoff Taliya laughed and shook her head, a whimsical twinkle in her eye as she grinned. "Sounds like a fucking long shot to me but I'd rather go down fighting than tuck my tail between my legs like a bitch, waiting for them to kill me when I don't have a purpose. It isn't living if you don't have free will."

Was that the situation here then? Adelon sounded like it was the verge of imploding, like a clan whose power had stretched to thinly and their hold on other clans was poised to break. But the way Taliya talked about them, having so much control still, it didn't seem like the Church was going to lose that power any time soon. Was there any use in trying to gain allies here then? If so many were against Magi, against anyone who opposed the Church, would she be able to garner support? Her thoughts went back to Norman and she had to question his insistence she continue, his determination that she'd be successful in her journey. How was she meant to succeed when everything was so clearly stacked against her?

"Even so... My clan's survival, my people's survival may rely on finding ourselves allies among the kingdom. If we continue the way we are now we'll kill each other until there's no one left, and I will not allow that to happen," Nymira said, her hands balled into fists and her eyes fierce, locked on Taliya. "Not everyone can be against Magi, there must still be places like Mutebo that exist. I'll simply have to look there then, and my first will be here in this city. I'll ask again: will you take me to meet the leader of this place? If they support Magi then I don't see why they would refuse me."

"No, you're not meeting anyone, Dimuran. Not yet," Taliya answered sharply as she met Nymira's angry gaze with a smile, "See, around here we don't give a shit who you are, where you're from or what you can do. There's a little thing called trust that's as valuable as gold, and nothing gets done unless we know you're someone we can rely on. If you want anything then you've got to prove to us and this city that you're worth it. If you can show you're not going to stab us in the back or be a waste of our time then you've got everything you need, but until then you don't get an inch. Any other questions brats?"

"Since when does saving people mean I have to be nice, eh? I saved your asses, you should be happy I bothered to even do that much," Taliya retorted with a grin as Amuné tried to berate her. Lucky for the child her temperament was more endearing than annoying otherwise she'd gag the Ydran and stuff her in the closet, out of sigh out of mind as it were. "I don't save people like you kids because I want to be some superhero, don't get the wrong idea. I'm doing it to fuck over the Church and keep them from getting more bodies to fight for them, that's all. I don't give a shit aside from that." If they joined her cause then she might care a bit more but right now they were just brats, simple strangers who she'd helped. The fact that anyone among them thought she owed them anything was hilarious and showed just how little they truly appreciated the situation.

After some explanation it appeared that the reality of their world was finally setting in. Even with her explaining matters though there was still plenty of confusion from everyone and Amuné was the first to voice such. She absolutely hated to have to repeat herself and she'd been as clear as she possibly could so why were there even questions anyways?

"You really don't know shit do you girl? The Church is the reason people hate us, and the Church is the reason we're fighting against each other. If you haven't noticed the world is changing and the Church is selling us off as relics of the past. We're trying to keep the kingdom from growing or some bullshit like that and only the ones who swear loyalty to the Church can be trusted. Any Magi not with them is against them, and against the whole kingdom. And the King? He's a pawn, him and his whole family. Sure they're powerful but they're being held by the balls, they can't do shit. Hell I hear the King is even siding with them willingly and the rest of his family is being dragged along. No one knows what goes on in the palace, all we know is we sure as shit don't seem to have many friends there, in the palace or in the Church." Sure, probably not all of the people in either place were there enemy but Taliya had never seen any proof of that. Anyone from the Church she'd ever met had been an enemy, plain and simple. She only knew of one person from the palace, or the royal family for that matter, but they were an exception. It was easier to think of everyone as an enemy, better to be careful rather than take risks with so many lives in her hands.

So what was he supposed to do now? If Cedric really was dead then he had no reason to keep traveling, did he? Plus even trying to accomplish his goal now... Whatever it might be, it was tantamount to suicide wasn't it? What about Nymira's goal? Or Amuné, or even whatever Asta wanted to accomplish? If Magi were being attacked so harshly then maybe they should just all go home. There was no positive spin on the news he'd just been told, no degree of optimism that would make any of what they had learned be okay. His body shook with a sob as he tried desperately to bring himself down and not scare Amuné any more, or give Taliya any reason to hit him again. Closing his eyes and wiping at them fervently with his hands before dropping them in his lap when Amuné tugged on his shirt. She then tugged on his heart strings, asking questions that he had so desperately hoped she'd never ask. After learning about Cedric what was he supposed to say to her? The girl's face pleaded for some reassurance but he couldn't lie to her, not now.

"I do-don't know Amuné, I'm sorry..." Ethan said, his voice breaking when Amuné hid herself in his chest and buried her face into his shirt. With a trembling lip he wrapped his arms around the Ydran girl and slumped down once more, fighting back tears and trying instead to focus on consoling his young companion. There was just a good a chance of her parents being dead as there was alive now, perhaps even greater. At least before not knowing how bad things were he could ignorantly say the Church wouldn't do anything but now he wasn't so sure.

"Your story has been told before kids, probably a few hundred times at least. You think you're the first ones to ever lose someone to the Church?" Taliya asked with a roll of her eyes. Lifting herself from the crate she brushed it aside with her foot before going over to a shelf and taking from it a tattered shirt, bound with twine. "People die all the time because of them, whether they're guilty of anything or not. That's why we're fighting them. Those bastards think they're in charge and they decide who lives and who dies but we say that's a load of shit, everyone's life is their own. No one can force you to fight and we're going to remind them what happens when they try." Sooner or later, they needed more people and more strength before they could even begin to consider going on the offensive. Public opinion of the Church would have to change too somehow, they would need more than just fighters to help them win. It was a lot more tactical than what Taliya was used to but that's what she had other people here for too, to help plan out the best way to handle this fight of theirs.

"If you don't want to end up like them then you could join us and fight. Make their deaths mean something instead of just hiding like a fucking rodent," Taliya continued, clearing her throat as she tried to make Ethan and Amuné stop crying. Slamming her foot on the ground and cracking the foundation beneath them slightly she waited for silence before continuing. "Or you can just go home after this and live like nothing happened, and die in shame knowing you didn't do anything. I'm not forcing you to do anything but I think its obvious what you should do now. Think on it kids, whether you want to be useful or not. In the meantime go get some food and get cleaned up, you all smell like shit and it's giving me a headache. Kensen?" she added with a look to the Dimuran, "Help them find the mess hall, then you're relieved of duty for the day. Good work today."

So that was what Taliya was playing at then was it? Trying to spark a fire inside of them and use their emotions to spur them into action? Well she was certainly a leader if she could make people act on emotion so easily, it wasn't dissimilar to what many Dimuran commanders did. But unlike most commanders Nymira found she couldn't be wholly certain of what it was Taliya was after. She sounded like she wanted to bring down the Church and regardless of whether it was possible or not what happened next? If you took something from power then something else had to fill that void, that was just how it worked. When the Rumia clan took another clan into itself their ruling class was removed and Rumia's took its place, sometimes even including some of the former ruling clansmen to appease the new members. If the Church were to fall though what would take its place? Or rather, who would take its place?

All of that aside Nymira didn't see herself ever joining someone else's fight. She was already spending too much time trying to aid the others and she only did so because their goals may help with her own. But with this Cedric dead, and possibly even Amuné's parents what reason was there for her to continue? It was a lot to think on and she'd no doubt have a restless night despite the fatigue that plagued her. Hearing their dismissal she gave Ethan and Amuné another glance before sighing beneath her breath and moving for the door herself, waiting for them to collect themselves. Only once they were all together again and outside of the room did she speak, and bluntly at that.

"Loss is a fact of life, you both need to accept that," Nymira spoke as Kensen joined them, "The worst thing you can do for someone who has died is nothing. Doing nothing is an insult to their memory." Its why warriors fought on even when their brothers and sisters died on the battlefield. Its why chieftains continued to lead their people even when war ravaged their country, or why commanders forged ahead despite so many lives on their shoulders. It was why she too continued, because giving up now even with the threat of the Church would mean her people had died for nothing to help her get out this far. Not only was there no honor in turning back but she'd doom the Rumia clan, and potentially Dimurans everywhere. Her own goal wasn't in question here, but the others she couldn't be so certain.

"I know that..." A pitiful reply but all Ethan could muster right now as his throat felt raw from crying. He knew he had to do something now, that going back to Kinsgrove wouldn't cut it. He just didn't know what that something was. Could he really fight the Church? He hated fighting, he hated the idea of taking lives, and yet if he were to fight the Church he'd clearly have to do both. Today though had proved what inaction would do though and it'd always serve as a reminder of how his silly ideals put other people in danger. If they'd killed the Varuna before Cecil wouldn't have had to risk himself like that, or none of them would be in the state they were in. Then again if they had killed the Varuna what might the Church have done? The very thought sent a chill down his spine and his grasp on Amuné tightened slightly as he considered it. As if they needed more reason to come after him and his friends.

Dumb kids don’t know what’s good for them and when to shut up, it seemed. The girl was especially annoying and all the more reason why he hated children. They were nothing but a nuisance and didn’t know their place, always needy and pretty useless overall. Maybe if the girl could fight, sure, but she couldn’t so that made her completely useless to them. The guy having a cry about someone he barely knew was certainly annoying too, he barely knew Cedric enough to act like he was something akin to family. Just what an overall annoying bunch this lot turned out to be, but hopefully something akin to possible potential might show through. Nymira was no better, all she was to everyone was some diplomat who didn’t know whether anything she did would actually work for her, she was just following her father’s orders. It was quite pathetic really, none of them had a mind of their own or could see the truth.

Ignoring the girl as if she didn’t exist he just continued his tea, letting Taliya sort everything out. She was typically tougher when it came to annoying people so it definitely relieved him of some pressure to speak up when she was in control of the situation. Oh well, once things calmed down this group should get somewhat more competent than they were currently being because right now they were a complete mess and acting like idiots. Keeping to himself he cared little about the conversation, it was all things he knew about and was just grinding in the truth at this point. It was the typical blind devotion they were suffering from without knowing why they followed the Saints, only that they were told they were good and that they were to be followed. It was certainly annoying when they came across such people, especially when all they could do is tell them that they’re wrong with very little evidence they could present immediately.

Frowning when he realised there wasn’t any tea left for him he looked to Taliya as she mentioned his name, staring at her before he closed his flask and slid off his box with little effort. “Thanks, I try”, he spoke before walking to the door, barely giving the others a glance as he gave the door a few knocks, “If you don’t want food then don’t come crying to me because I do and I’m not going to accommodate your ‘special needs’…” When the doors were open he made his way off along the hall, not exactly going fast as he fiddled with the flask. He was pretty hungry and wanted some more tea. Whether they were hungry or just wanting some comfort food he didn’t really care, they got food through pretty regularly so there was never really a supply problem, just so long as they didn’t go through all of their food.

Looking back to see them actually following he soon sighed, looking forward again. “You know, she ain’t always angry. The Church have just hardly been kind to Magi like her and I. You’ll eventually learn that they don’t want people like you existing. Why else would they kill Cedric and try to kill you lot?” Opening a fair sized door that was part of a pair he entered the mess hall. It was rather cosy with a gentle light and wooden tables and chairs all over the place yet looking rather neat and tidy. It was of a generous size, but hardly looked like it barely got used at all, especially when there were several small groups chatting amongst themselves all while having food and drinks, mostly lunches and a refresher. When the people noticed Kensen they gave him a way to which he gave a wave back as he headed off to the front of the mess hall where a warm glow originated from. There was a few staff members there who were busy washing up, but otherwise the food was in a kind of buffet bar style set up kept warm in lids. There was a fair variety of food but not too much that it would go to waste, just enough to keep everyone going for the day with some containers sporting more food than some others which seemed to had been expressed through the demand they had for certain food in the past.

“Now see here. You be nice to the people here and don’t get greedy. Grab a plate and take what you want…or don’t, I don’t really care”. He didn’t really care much, he was hungry and wanted to eat and didn’t much care about what they were wanting to do. Grabbing mostly meat with some metal tongs he soon retreated to a nearby table, relaxing for a moment as he rubbed his head. What a noise those guys were and not very grateful either, especially when they were fixing their Machina and having saved them from certain death. He probably would be better in temperament if they hadn’t acted like a bunch of ungrateful kids, but it didn’t appear as if any of them respected others who gave them aid.

Ethan wasn't too sure if he was grateful or not right now. Grateful that he was alive, sure, but grateful for what he had learned? Grateful to know that his entire reason for traveling so far from home was moot now? He'd felt out of place before in his journey and there were plenty of times he'd been without direction but now he was lost, a wholly new, crushing sort of lost. Knowing there was a good chance Amuné's parents may be dead as well, that Nymira's goal may be unattainable, the feeling that they had no purpose or chance was devastatingly depressing. If not for the little girl holding his hand he'd probably have slinked back to their quarters and spent the evening miserable and alone, but Amuné needed food and he did too. Managing a hollow smile as the Ydran expressed her thanks again to Kensen he nodded silently before the Dimuran wandered off, leaving their group alone in an unfamiliar place. Though very few people if any paid them mind here Ethan felt increasingly unsettled and scrutinized, shifting uncomfortably until Nymira spoke and pulled him from his mulling.

"We'd do best to get some food in us otherwise we'll be useless tomorrow," Nymira spoke as she scanned the room for any signs of where to find food. It wasn't terribly different from the halls where her people usually dined, where warriors gathered to build morale before a battle or returned upon victory to celebrate. Certainly a bit more refined than the halls she was used to though, even if she was certain many of the occupants were drunk on mead. At last spotting a long row of tables along the edge of the room she made a straight line for them, eyebrows raising at the display of foods before her.

"Impressive..." They spared no expense to feed their people and had a wide variety of foods on display for them to enjoy, many of which she didn't recognize whatsoever. Beef she was plenty familiar with, a few white fish seemed to be similar to what she was used to, but multi-colored meets, odd looking vegetables, foods she was positive weren't food at all, it was a lot to take in. Looking back around the room she got a good idea why there was so much variety in the meals: Varuna, Dimuran, Muran, Ydran, and if she wasn't mistaken even a Divined or two, members of nearly every race sat at a table here. It was the first time in her travels she'd ever seen so many races together at once, perhaps this group wouldn't be such a poor ally after all.

Though his motions were mechanical and halfhearted Ethan wanted to be certain Amuné and Wyth were fed after today. His own appetite had since escaped him but knowing he'd be chastised for not eating he grabbed a plate for himself as well, filling it sparingly compared to his companions. One look at the moorcat and he was reminded that Wyth desperately needed to see a healer before too long as well even if his wounds had since begun to scab over. But first things first they had to eat before they fainted from hunger, the healer and that old woman from before should be there when they were done. Having to carefully balance two plates in one hand Ethan waited for Nymira to finish getting her food as well and stared in amazement at the sizable portions she'd taken, quickly closing his mouth when she shot him a curious glance for his gawking. If she was that hungry then fine, he'd never known she would eat so much.

---

Having food in one's stomach was comforting in of itself and Ethan managed to calm down a little after eating. Now all that was left to do was be examined by the healers and perhaps wash up before turning in for the day. With the sun now slowly descending behind the mountains surrounding Mutebo long shadows were cast along the front of the buildings, the halls illuminated by lights hanging from the ceiling above. Electricity flowed through the building though only came on around dusk, and it was something both Ethan and Nymira were largely unaccustomed to. What a luxury to have light even after the sun had set and not need a fire or half a dozen braziers to light the way. As a result of there being light everywhere the building was plenty alive even at such a late hour and reaching the medical ward meant crossing paths with quite a few of the buildings inhabitants. Most simply ignored the group and went on their way while a few exchanged brief but pleasant greetings with them; a few of Taliya's group were less than welcoming of the group but they only took a quick jab and left it at that, no one really saw fit to trail along and bother them. Upon reaching the ward they were greeted by the same older woman from before who seemed tired but still wore the same friendly smile as last time.

"We were wondering if you'd be coming or not, come in, come in!" she ushered gently, stepping back and giving ample room for everyone to come in. Two beds were already vacant and waiting for them, and a male healer greeted them with a warm smile as well.

"You must be the children Gertrude was talking about. Come on in and get comfortable kids, we'll be with you in just a second." Behind the smile there was a slight look of concern plaguing the healer, not for those before him but for another matter. As his brow furrowed slightly he looked to Gertrude with a questioning glance, leaning in and whispering something in her ear as he gestured back vaguely towards a table.

"I don't know where he is either, he was supposed to be here half an hour ago," Gertrude admitted with a tired sigh, shrugging her thin shoulders before smiling, "But we'll make do until he gets here. Can you see to the moorcat first? His wounds seemed to be the worst of the bunch."

Appraising the group on his own the healer nodded in agreement, lowering himself to one knee and showing Wyth a friendly smile. "Hey there big guy, how about I take a look at those wounds and clean them for you?" Poor animal's wounds were at least bandaged and from the looks of it someone with at least basic knowledge had handled doing so. Still it was a good idea to unravel the wraps and make certain nothing was in the wounds, and cleaning them may not hurt either to be safe. Slightly concerned how the operation might go the healer turned to Amuné for help in the matter. "Young lady would you mind giving me a hand helping your pet?" he asked as he motioned to a table, turning a screw beneath it to lower it slightly. "If you could just sit with him and keep him calm while I work everything will go much more smoothly."

Abrasions and minor cuts aside Nymira didn't believe she needed any medical attention, an opinion clearly not shared by those practicing here. As she attempted to turn and leave the room Gertrude took her by the hand to stop her, raising an eyebrow as she was given a wag of the finger and coy smile. Letting out a resigned sigh she followed the woman then to the other open bed and looked at it a bit cross as it was nearly chest height with her. Having to wait for the bed to be lowered so she could easily climb atop it she sat on the edge and watched as another woman approached her, tilting her head as she was asked to remove her shirt. Thinking nothing of it she peeled off the dirty garment and laid it beside her on the bed, narrowing her eyes when she heard Ethan let out a stifled gasp. Turning her head to look at him and noticing the brilliant red coating his face she rolled her eyes in disbelief and focused on doing as the healer asked.

Having to wait his turn for the time being, and feeling rather flustered with Nymira in a slight state of undress, Ethan moved to an open chair along the wall and sat himself down. Near as soon as his rear met the cushioned seat his body felt heavy again as the same issue when eating: fatigue set in and all he wanted to do was sleep. Sighing as he fidgeted to keep himself from simply dozing off Ethan had to resort to slapping himself in the face a few times, probably looking absurd while doing so before leaning back in his seat. His own wounds were largely trivial and he probably didn't even need to be here if it weren't for supporting Amuné with Wyth. But the healers would probably want to take a look at him regardless just to be sure which meant waiting even longer to sleep, much to his chagrin. Stifling a yawn behind his hand he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, humming a tune beneath his breath dreamily as he awaited his turn.

The girl gave Kensen a small smile and repeated his name to herself as he walked off. Then she followed Nymira to where dinner was laid out. It reminded her a bit of when she's gone with her daddy to join his tribe and a bunch of others for Festival, except there the food was spread out more, and people ended up clustered around different pots or platters and talking to old friends or making new ones. Here everyone sat at long tables, and Amuné was glad she'd come with company, because she didn't really want to have to find a spot alone. The fare was different, with things she'd never even seen before. She managed to find out what a lot of it was by asking. If Nymira or Ethan didn't know, she tried to attract the attention of someone else nearby. She let Ethan help her with the food, since in many cases she could see but not reach far enough to serve herself.

She did her best not to stare openly at anyone. Sure, she'd been to the big market a few times, and they got all sorts, but there were far more people here that weren't Muran. She'd never even been so close to a Divined before, and their large bug-like eyes were both creepy and fascinating. And they were all mixed together. It was like what she'd imagined the big cities might be, where everyone came together. The food was good too, and she tried to remember what she liked best, in case they had any of it next time.

---

The electricity was another surprise. Amuné had never even seen it before, and when the lights came on she gawked at them and asked questions until it became clear that neither of her travelling companions knew much more than she did. But she kept looking back up at the artificial lights that somehow illuminated the place without a fire.

It wasn't too hard to find the medical ward, though there were so many people around, and not all of them nice. The girl smiled and said hello to the nice ones, and just tried to ignore the mean ones. It was the same old lady as earlier in the ward, and Amuné greeted her with a wave. "It's better to come to the healer, instead of making them come to you," she said, though her smile faltered towards the end. It was something her mother always said, and the thought stirred all the worries that had mostly faded over the course of dinner. She shoved them aside with a little shake, in time to bob an awkward curtsey for the healer. "I think that's us, yes." Amuné didn't understand the exchange between him and the old lady -- Gertrude, that was her name -- but she shouldn't ask, at least not until they were done.

Wyth leaned forward when the man came down to his level, sniffing at his face and shoulders. This man smelled like his man's mate, a sharp and not entirely pleasant scent, but a safe one. It meant he'd be subject to uncomfortable touching, perhaps painful, since his hip was still bothering him, but he knew he wasn't supposed to snarl or show his teeth. He made a resigned noise and watched both the helpful man and his girl for direction. When a table was motioned to, he leaped up on it and stretched out without being told.

Amuné nodded solemnly when asked if she could help. "Uh-huh, I can help. Wyth is a good boy, though, and he knows to be good while you're helping. Isn't that right?" She gave his ear a scratch and when the table was low enough she climbed up next to the giant cat. "You're going to change his bandages, right, and check to make sure everything's healing nice?" she asked the healer. "He's still not putting all his weight on his back paw, but his front one he's using again. There were a couple other scratches, but they didn't need bandaging and he's not been fussing about any of them, so they're probably fine." The girl tried to remember what else her mommy usually asked. "It's only been a couple days, so I can't really tell, but I think he's eating fine. Certainly he still wants /my/ food, silly boy." She couldn't think of anything else for healing, so she asked the less important question. "I told you Wyth's name, but I'm Amuné. Thank you for taking a look at him."

"Excellent, just be sure to keep him steady for me. We don't want our friend here moving and hurting himself," the man spoke as he began to smooth out Wyth's fur. Some of it had clumped around the wound and would probably need to be cleaned as well, if not shaven off entirely. From beneath the table he opened a draw and withdrew two rolls of bandages, some tufts of gauze and several bottles of antiseptic solutions. For a normal person this was far more than anyone needed but Wyth was not a person, clearly, and there was no knowing the severity of his wounds without looking since he couldn't speak. "That's right, whoever did this seems like they knew what they were doing, but can't hurt to make sure. Easier to fix it now than later."

Peeling back the first of the bandages the healer leaned in for a closer look, gently brushing aside fur to get a clear view. An oddly clean cut which suggested it wasn't from an animal but rather a weapon, how cruel. If this moorcat was the girl's then the immediate conclusion was she'd been attacked and he'd been injured protecting her, the poor thing. "Good, if he's eating fine then he's probably not got an infection and isn't sick. I'm guessing he ate plenty at dinner today?" With a small clump of cotton he poured out some of the cleaning solution onto it and gently placed a hand below the wound, smiling at Wyth as he held it over the injury. "Now this is going to sting a bit but just relax, we're going to clean it out for you, okay?" Nodding to Amuné he applied the cotton with the solution and wiped away a small amount of dirt, clumps of some kind of herb used and anything else that might be nestled in the wound. When that was said and done he cut up a strip of fresh bandage, applied a cream to it and then wrapped it around the wound. Nice and easy.

"My name is Quill, nice to meet you Amuné, and you too Wyth," Quill replied while throwing away the bloodied strips and gauze, "I want to take a look at those little scratches you mentioned too okay? Better to be safe than sorry, we don't want to risk anything getting infected if we can help it." The other wounds compared to the first were small and far less worrisome, though each was treated as though it were serious. When all was said and done Wyth only had a few spots that needed to be bandaged and the rest simply had been cleaned and would heal naturally enough. "And no shaving his fur either, makes everyone's lives a bit easier doesn't it?" Quill asked with a laugh, running his hand gently over Wyth's head. "Now then, Amuné, how about we take a look at you? Anything been bothering you?"

Nymira had no issue with taking off her clothes as she had nor did she have an issue with the nurse poking and prodding as she examined the Dimuran for injury. When she attempted to apply the odd solution to the wounds however she had to halt the nurse, staring at the clear liquid uncertainly. It had near no smell and though they claimed it would help her wounds she found it difficult to trust. If anything was ever used for her wounds they were herbs, they had a visible color and odor to them and she could vaguely recognize many medicines that she'd receive. Seeing something so unusual however made her uneasy about receiving it, and only after watching the nurse apply some to herself did she relent. The burning sensation as it poured over her wound on her ankle made her grit her teeth and fingers dug into the edge of the bed, and she was no more a fan of it as it was applied to the abrasions on her side and arm as well. It came as something of a relief when the nurse finished up cleaning the wounds and she held still while they were bandaged, furrowing her brow when she then tried to retrieve her shirt only to be denied.

"We'll clean it for you before you take it back, it's covered in dried blood," the nurse explained as she pointed to a pile of clothes at the bedside, "There's a whole outfit there for you, you can change in the restroom right over there and we'll get it all cleaned."

So she was supposed to wear their clothes as well? Nymira slid off of the bed tentatively and examined the garments provided with a look of curiosity before shrugging and heading to the restroom to do as directed. Immediately upon stripping and trying on the undergarments she ran into a problem: they were much too big. The underwear fit well enough aside from the fact there was no allowance for her tail, leaving a very awkward wear for her. The bra was a curiosity and not something she'd ever worn before, and after toying with it to try and discover its purpose she somewhat bashfully recognized what it was designed for. That didn't mean she knew how to wear it however and her latest fight became an attempt to put on the bra. Far cry from battling Vazra and Magi but she'd almost prefer those over this infernal device.

While still waiting his turn Ethan was presented with a minor issue of his own: he needed to use the restroom, badly. It might not have been such a problem had Nymira not been sent into the lone washroom in the medical ward and after a minute of waiting it didn't appear like she might be out any time soon. Both Quill and the nurse were tidying up their work spaces before seeing to him so surely he had time to step out right? "Uh... I'll be back in just a minute, just need to go use the bathroom," he declared before jumping to his feet and moving quickly for the door. With his hand on the doorknob he threw the door open and nearly raced out, feeling his bladder's hold slowly waning.

"Ouch! What the heck?" What in the world had he just run into? Nursing a bump on his forehead a blond man opened his eyes and glanced down at his feet, blinking at the sight before him. There was Ethan who was presumably on his way out of the room, only for them to run headfirst into each other. From the looks of the poor soul he was seeing stars now and thoroughly out of it for the moment, and what's more there was a notable damp spot slowly appearing in his pants. Oh gosh, was he...?

"There you are Lionel! We've been waiting for you!" the nurse snapped, her hands full with Nymira's soiled clothing, "You can't just run off and disappear like that, there's a lot of people who need to be seen to today. Where did you... Even..." Wasn't that one of the children they were meant to be seeing to? Why was he on the ground? And... Why had he soiled himself? Looking at Lionel the nurse narrowed her eyes accusingly when he flashed her an innocent grin, hurling a crumpled up sheet at his face before stomping her foot. "Don't just stand there, get him up and out of those clothes! We're supposed to be taking care of him and for all we know you just gave him a concussion!"

"Right! Sorry, sorry, I'm on it!" He takes one small break to town to pick up some cinnamon rolls and this is what he gets, how unfair. Dropping the sheet on a chair Lionel stepped over Ethan and grabbed him beneath the arms, awkwardly dragging him across the floor to one of the beds. "My head hurts too you know, he hurt my head," the blond complained, shirking as the nurse simply glowered at him, pursing his lips in protest. "Just saying. He's not the only one hurt..."

A few moments later and Ethan had come to, been stripped of his now dirtied garments and dressed in a simple gown instead. Gertrude had gone to fetch him a fresh change of clothes but for the time being he was left near bare on a table, his face red as Nymira's flames as he waited to be looked at. Holding a small pack of ice to the bump on his forehead he flashed Amuné a smile, giving her a thumbs up to assure her everything was okay. "Just a little bump, that's all! Once they clear me I'll be all good to go."

At the same time the bathroom door finally opened, or rather was thrown open. Emerging from the washroom was an infuriated looking Nymira garbed in a slightly-too-large blue tunic and brown pants, the legs of which had to be rolled up to not drag beneath her feet. In her hand was a now charred bra, still smoking despite her attempts to extinguish it in the sink. "I don't know what this damned thing is you gave me but I refuse to use one again," the Dimuran declared, throwing the ruined piece into the trash with a huff, "I don't even understand why anyone would wear such a thing, it seems ridiculous." A stifled laugh from both the nurse and Quill made her glance between the two curiously, frowning as they whispered something to one another, presumably about her ruined bra. "What? What is it?"

Humorousness aside they were still trying to get work done, and Lionel's tardiness had kept Quill at work for much too long already. Having seen over a dozen patients today he was in some dire need of time away from the medical ward and Lionel's arrival meant his shift was through. As Ethan was seen to Quill went about tidying up his work space, putting away tools and throwing away any soiled garments and sheets for good measure. The remainder of patients should be far less than the load they'd had to deal with this morning and should be plenty ample for a newbie like Lionel to handle. Finally removing the coat he'd been wearing all afternoon he made certain to wash his hands once again before joining the group.

"I'm sure you'll make an excellent healer one day Amuné, if you have a passion for it then it makes it all the more rewarding," Quill noted with a proud smile, then turning to Lionel and clasping the boy's shoulder, "If you kids need anything else just ask him. He's a bit green but he knows his way around the place, so long as you don't go breaking a limb or anything he can treat it. And Lionel..." he added, speaking more firmly as he turned the boy to face him, "For the love of the Saints do not wander off until your shift is over, alright? I don't want to get called down in the middle of the night again..."

"If you do then you'll be back, but as a patient this time. We're short staffed as it is," the woman added in with a threatening finger in Lionel's face, "Don't make us put you in a bed too." Quill was always much too pleasant and polite, if they kept talking to Lionel like that and letting his antics slide they'd never get through to him. Best to set the line in the sand and make sure he didn't cross it again.

"Okay, okay, I won't go anywhere tonight, I promise!" Lionel answered, putting his hands up defensively. The woman prodded his nose and he leaned back, smiling nervously when she snapped her fingers at him before finally leaving the room, a tired Quill close behind her. Once the other two healers were gone the blond's shoulders sagged and a long winded sigh passed his lips, followed by a short laugh as he turned to address the group. "So if anyone needs anything just let me know! I guess I'll be here..." he continued as his posture slumped slightly, his expression becoming one of resignation, "Until midnight... All by myself..."

Ethan would express a bit more sympathy towards Lionel if the healer wasn't the reason his head currently had a dull throb. Not to mention he was still sat in a state of undress awaiting a proper inspection and seeing Lionel sulking he cleared his throat to grab the other boy's attention. "Um... Could you look at my wounds please? I'm the only one who hasn't been checked still." Not that his were all that bad, bumps and bruises were hardly going to be the death of him. Lionel seemed to agree on this matter and only briefly glanced over him before deciding he was ultimately fine. Unfortunately he was in the case that Nymira found herself in which his clothing had been taken off to be cleaned and he was left with only a change from these people to use. Fortunately for him they fit a bit better, even if an open vest, well worn trousers and boots whose soles were falling out hardly screamed "comfort" to him. Not that he minded, anything was better than sitting butt naked in front of your friends.

Lionel would have other patients to tend to before long which left the group to disperse to their rooms for the night. With limited space for them Ethan would share a room with Amuné and Wyth, and Nymira and Asta would be made to share the other. Fatigued as he might have been Ethan couldn't rest for a long while after learning of Cedric's death. Though the tears had since stopped falling the ache in his chest persisted and his eyes couldn't stay closed no matter how heavy they grew. He kept silent throughout the night to be sure Amuné could get her rest before stepping out of the room, wandering the halls until he found his way outside. With a reserved sigh he sat himself down on the lawn and laid back, staring up at the clear night sky overhead. What was he doing with himself now? What was he even going to do tomorrow? He'd been traveling thus far going after Cedric and now the wind had left his sails and he was left with nothing, no reason to go. He didn't want to abandon everyone and go home but what more was there? Taliya's and Nymira's words rang in his ears still but he couldn't think of any reason to go on.

---

When Taliya had told them she'd something in mind none of them had expected to do it so soon. Immediately following breakfast everyone had been rounded up and led out to the outskirts of Mutebo, Kensen acting as their guide for this task. All they had been told was they were on "pest control duty". Being out in the woods did little to shed any more light on the situation and when they finally stopped alongside a trail they were allowed a breather, and a chance to ask questions.

"So... Why are we doing this again?" Ethan posed as he settled down on a fallen log, "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind helping... But couldn't we do something less, you know... Dangerous?" Fighting wasn't something he was terribly fond of to begin with and that applied to people and animals alike. If they were just regular old 'pests' like rodents then they wouldn't be sending Magi out probably, any old farmer in Mutebo could come here with a pitchfork and deal with it. Having Kensen and Gage along didn't do a whole lot to help with his concerns that they were up to something a bit more serious than simply dealing with some mice.

"Because if you're going to be staying with us you're earning your keep runt, that's that. Taliya says you do it around here and you do it," was Gage's blunt response, narrowing his eyes as Ethan slouched and let out a sigh, "They saved your lives, least you can do is make yourselves useful. Hell for the favor we've done ya we could be asking for a lot more than this."

It wasn't so much the act of doing a favor that was disheartening but the favor itself. Why did they have to kill something? Death was already weighing heavily on his mind and the last thing he wanted to do was go and kill something. Having tried to subtly hint that he wasn't in favor of the job yet Nymira and Asta alike had voted to carry it out and majority ruled it seemed. Simple labor would be fine by him, or something like fishing that didn't mind heavily on his mind, anything that was mundane and simple. At least Amuné hadn't been made to come out with them, she'd be spared whatever job they were being given.

"What I don't understand is why we need as many people as we have," Nymira voiced as she looked at the faces of those around her. "My clan never sends out a group larger than two unless its to kill a notorious beast in the area, and we rarely ever sent out more than one Magi. Just what are you having us fight that requires so many warriors?" Like Ethan she had been somewhat skeptical when Taliya had told them it was simply pest control and then sent them on their way with Kensen and Gage. Were it just a simple test of their ability and loyalty then just one would suffice, unless two were sent to insure they didn't try anything. But given Kensen's prowess fighting the Varuna he could likely take on both herself and Ethan easily in their tired states, so why send Gage as well? Something seemed off and the Dimuran wanted answers.

Kensen wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about having to help these guys, especially when they had shown nothing but arrogance and annoying him with it. He was supposed to be a warrior, not a babysitter. At least it was only the two of them along on this run, otherwise he might’ve complained that it was only him and Gage who were going out on this run. He wasn’t going to be watching them all the time at least, he was just there to make sure they could get the job done and see if they were worth anything to any of them. He had done this all before, but to this type of group he had not, especially with another Dimuran like her. He wondered if she was going to be completely on his case the whole time or if she was going to lay off him which would be nice if a bit relieving. He really didn’t like to be reminded of the past, especially when it was essentially only a few years ago now.

With his own arsenal ready just in case things got out of hand he was about ready for this, except the others appeared not at all ready. Ethan was already complaining about the danger element of the mission and Gage was telling him off for it. So much for the easy start but who cared really, they were here to protect others and the complaining part was just an incredibly childish thing to do. He was old enough to fight and a Magi so he shouldn’t be complaining about anything. All this had become routine for him so he was used to it and eventually they would become used to it too, that was so long as they wanted to help them in the end. This whole thing was to test them and if they were capable of helping them and willing to then they could be trusted.

When Nymira decided to speak out about it and compare it to the clan he frowned, hardly seeing that as a fair comparison. “You never thought that maybe that’s why my party died when we were sent out to kill them? That maybe you sent out too little? I was too young to see such horrors…” he spoke, sounding awfully bitter, “Your clan is too used to fighting the small ones, but when a big one comes along you think you can aide the problem by sending warriors along with the Magi. ‘What’s the fuss? It’s only a bigger beast’ they all say, but you could hardly handle a sludge monster and still ask about the capacity of a group like ours. You haven’t seen what we have to deal with all the time. Strength in numbers is incredibly important when fighting these things and there can be no underestimation”.

At least he had grown in strength since the attack those few years ago. He had learned a lot since being expelled from the clan, he was used to these creatures. Rolling his shoulders he spread his wings, sighing lightly. “There will be a struggle if you don’t know how to use your magic, so howabout you do some protecting and show what you can do for Mutebo?” With one quick flap of his wings he was jumping high into the tree tops, grabbing onto one by the trunk and holding onto it with one hand and only one foot pressing against it. He appeared to be as light as a feather with no struggle to remain stationary on the tree as he used his goggles to scout the forest, his ability to get to a fair vantage point being used well. “Don’t think of these things as simple animals. They’re much more than that and much more dangerous. Maybe then you’ll see how important it is to control these beasts”.