The journey west had been a quiet one. A few days of travel with Dascha hadn’t left Alisson with any more information about her from her own mouth. He had to attain more info about Sabasa and herself through the books that she had carried with her, which he had been reading.

  He finally let her keep watch one night and he slept soundly with no issues. She hadn’t even tried any of her molestations of which Alisson had grown all too familiar with while he slept.

  In reading the half-Sidonian Sabasa texts, he found answers to a number of questions. Daschtundt wasn’t actually the princess, or related by blood to the king, despite being his daughter. This was the case for all Sabasa – For every litter of pups that was born, they mixed up the children and had parents pick equally from the pile with no consideration as to who were their own blood. Hence, every parent in Sabasa was adoptive. It was certainly a strange behavior that Alisson would expect to result in societal unrest, but there was no evidence of it.

  The Sabasa for the most part lived in peace, apart from the occasional civil war which brewed whenever the monarch died. Sometimes rivals would be equally powerful in swordsmanship, and their disputes as to who became king would escalate into wars, but such conflicts were rare.

  That made the Sabasa an isolated and relatively peaceful people in the modern world. Andestine showed up and changed all of that.

  As to why Dascha had so quickly ‘imprinted’ on him, he didn’t find any specific examples illuminating her behavior. Perhaps he simply didn’t have the information with him, or maybe it was buried in the Sabasa-printed portions of the text. Alisson chose not to think too hard about it. He was sure she had her reasons.

  The books appeared to be penned in Sidonian because Sidonian was considered a higher, elegant language of rulers. Clearly, Sidonians had influenced the regions in the centuries past, and had left a biased impression of themselves.

  They approached the western tunnel late into the night. He had dismounted and tethered the horses further away and had crept closer on foot. It was exactly similar to the eastern tunnel from which Alisson had emerged onto Sabasa with. Ominously enough, there were already ropes tied to descend with to the tunnel.

  They looked recent enough, so perhaps the Andestinians had already scouted out the area. Regardless, Alisson needed to get down there and unleash the Moonlight Cannon to level the tunnel. He was glad he didn’t need to worry about firepower anymore.

  Dascha and him descended quickly. They hit the ground floor and drew their weapons, scanning the area. He decided to use this time to cast the magic needle spell well in advance. Just in case. After a minute of concentration, twin yellow prongs sprouted from his temples. He told Dascha to stay close to him, and that they would move without lights unless they became engaged. The prongs may have been emissive, but they didn’t cast light; moving in darkness like this was safer.

  They walked for a while, and it became apparent that nothing was amiss here in the tunnel. Wagering that this was a good enough distance, he let go of Dascha’s hand and began to make preparations to fire the Moonlight Cannon.

  It was then when he sensed moved ahead with his needles. He motioned forward with his hand to Dascha to indicate a threat. They both sunk into readiness. Soon after, he saw, far down the tunnel, a light source moving closer. It was people, it had to be. Alisson cancelled his needle spell to leave them in absolute darkness. He pulled Dascha by the hand to the side of the tunnel, and crouched, content with spying on the party from afar.

  As they neared, Alisson could spot a small figure with a staff and a large one wearing armor. Was it a summoner pair? Here? Alone?

  Alisson wagered that these were the scouts that had descended the ropes. Hence, they were probably in cahoots with the Monolithians, and probably weren’t keen on conversing. He held his blade at the ready, lying in wait, the ears atop his head twitching sensitively as the two humans neared. The lights that circled them were too bright to make much out about their faces, but he figured it didn’t matter. Once they were near enough, he blitzed into action. He tapped Dascha and in lieu of not being able to point, he stroked across her cheek the direction of the target for her to attack.

  She would take the mage, and Alisson would take the Hero. The hero would probably put up some resistance, but if the mage dies, then the heroes goes with them.

  The two of them broke into a lunge out of the darkness. The pair took only a second to react. Alisson aimed for the heroes head, but he managed to dodge out of the way, placing himself between Dascha and the mage.

  Dascha’s sword bounced off the Heroes armor, and she moved to strike again when Alisson realized who exactly they’d ambushed. They were a summoner pair he’d seen before, they were apart of the knight battalion that had chased them into Freigat, but they weren’t present for the final battle.

  “Wait, stop!”

  He ordered Dascha. The hero had time to draw his sword and strike at Alisson, to which Alisson was barely able to hold in a blade for a second before he had to jump back. The strength of a hero is unmatched. Well, maybe Lady Salchyon could still win.

  “Wait!” Alisson spat in Andestinian. Dascha had backed off to his side.

  The hero scowled at him. “I don’t think we have anything to talk about, killer.”

  “I don’t want to engage in conflict if I don’t have to.” Alisson said quickly. “Let’s just say I’ve turned a new leaf since we last met.”

  The hero frowned.

  “Are you apart of the forces on the mainland, back there, on Sabasa?”

  Alisson asked.

  “What’s it matter to you?”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The summoner girl behind him said.

  Alisson clenched his teeth in anger at their supposed obliviousness. “There is a detachment of your people back there on Sabasa – ” He pointed back down the tunnel, “They have killed everyone, men, women, children, all of them – Butchered like animals! Are you with them, or not?”

  Alisson stepped closer, scowling whilst gripping his sword tighter.

  The hero gave an Alisson an ugly look. “How do you expect us to believe that at face value?”

  Alisson sighed, taking a deep breath. It looks like they truly were oblivious. “You can see the truth with your own eyes,”

  Alisson was about to continue when he saw something out of the corner of his vision, at the edges of the shadows. A red hand.

  Alisson’s eyes widened and the world seemed to slow as he saw a red creature lunging at the four of them out of the darkness.

  Moving purely out of instinct, Alisson rushed forward and impaled the beast, to find Dascha had done the same. The Andestinians recoiled in momentary shock before they too readied themselves.

  “Back! They will swarm us!” Alisson spat.

  Without thinking, he assumed the four of them would be allied against this threat.

  Before the Andestinians could object, dozens of red fleshed creatures leapt out of the shadows at them. They were quickly cut down by Alisson, Dascha, and the hero.

  “Kill the lights! I believe they are attracted to them!”

  Alisson ordered the mage girl.

  “Are you crazy!?”

  She shouted, before firing off an attack spell down the tunnel which fried several scores of beasts, giving them a brief respite.

  “If you won’t then fall back and collapse the tunnel! I know you have the firepower to do so!”

  Alisson continued to suggest options as he felt the innumerable bodies of beasts crawling toward them along the walls and the ceiling. They continued to fight and hold their ground for a few seconds longer, Alisson quickly on the verge of abandoning the two Andestinians and making a run for the exit with Dascha.

  “Arciel, I think we should do as he says!” The hero shouted.

  Music to Alisson’s ears.

  “F-fine! J-just shut up I can’t concentrate!”

  “Grab her and get some distance to prepare a barrage! We will hold your rear.”

  Alisson quickly ordered the hero. The hero nodded. He turned and scooped up the mage girl, Arciel, like she was a bag of potatoes before sprinting down the tunnel. Being given some distance and not having to worry about fighting and the mental pressure of having enemies all around you, an expert mage should be able to cast a good sized barrage. They just needed to hold.

  The pressure was intense, but Dascha was certainly pulling her weight. The threats he needed to face were reduced in half thanks to her ferocity by his side. He didn’t need to run like a maniac through the enemy to survive like last time. He could take up a more traditional strategy against beasts. That was, standing your ground. The use of his few precious remaining imbued throwing knives was unnecessary.

  He wasn’t sure if this beast was self replicating, and was rather some sort of phenomena instead of an actual animal. Perhaps it was all a mental illusion. Both times Alisson had seen the that hand, the image that was burned into his mind.

  The pressure after about a minute became too intense.

  “Dascha, let’s go!”

  He flicked his head and the dog followed. They turned and ran like hell. The beasts were hot on their tail, and he was expecting to have to slow down for Dascha to keep pace, but to his surprise, she was quick on her feet.

  When Alisson looked, he saw her bounding on all fours, like an animal, her sword swung around her back thanks to a strap. She may have been the one slowing down for him, he realized.

  He they quickly came upon the hero and the summoner, who were facing them down the tunnel. Arciel had her staff held out, she seemed ready.

  “Do it!” Alisson yapped at her.

  A moment thereafter, an undulating beam of blue energy sprouted from her staff, striking the tunnel ceiling above him. The tunnel began to rumble and collapse as he dashed closer, turning back toward the swarms with his sword at the ready.

  A cloud of dust was kicked up, and through it, a few stragglers had escaped the tumbling rocks, which were quickly dealt with by the three fighters. The tunnel came to a silent standstill as the dust settled, and rocks now covered the entrance.

  “That’ll do for now, I suppose…”

  Alisson muttered, lowering his sword. He looked to the two Andestinians. “I came here to collapse this tunnel to ensure that Andestine cannot funnel and army to Sabasa. Now it seems you two are stranded here.”

  “Was that your plan?”

  The hero rose his sword at Alisson. Alisson shook his head. “Come. I’ll show you what your countrymen have done to an isolated, innocent people, simply because they are of a different blood.”

  The hero looked to Arciel reluctantly, and lowered his sword, relaxing his broad shoulders.

  …

  “You are cordial, for Andestinians.”

  Alisson muttered as they made their way to the nearest village.

  “And you’re reasonable, for a Nekomata.” Arciel remarked back. “The last time we saw you, you had lead an entire swarm of beasts into a city for your own purposes. Why are you acting like you’re such a good person now?”

  “I’m still not a good person.” Alisson growled back. “At the very least I know now what I did was wrong. And I won’t do it again.”

  They came across a village in a similar state as the first one Alisson had seen. He let the Andestinians gaze across the bodies and the strung up corpses.

  “Do you see now? The rest of the island is in a similar state.”

  “This is…why? There has to a reason.”

  The hero, Shepard, clenched his fist.

  “No good reason can justify a genocide.” Alisson crossed his arms.

  Arciel was silent all the while, it looked like she was keeping something to herself. Alisson withdrew his pendant, and offered a silent vigil for the dead. Shepard caught a glimpse of this and muttered off-handedly with a hint of suspicion, “A cross…?”

  Alisson neared the hero, and withdrew the map that he had found on the dead Monolithian. “There’s a base not far from here, you two should be able to link up with those responsible and go back to your homeland. Assuming they aren’t completely rogue from Andestine, that is.”

  He handed the map to Shepard.

  “What, you want us to tell everyone what happened here?”

  “That, is your choice to make.” Alisson said sharply. “This insignia,” He withdrew the patch he had pilfered, flashing it at Arciel, “Is it familiar?”

  She shook her head, and he sighed.

  “Then go. I wish no trouble with the likes of you.”

  The hero turned and looked at Alisson for a long moment, furrowing his brow. He stuck out his hand. “It’s Shepard.”

  Alisson stared at his hand, before reluctantly shaking it with his own, feeling the hero’s firm grip. He could’ve easily broken Alisson’s hand like this with his strength, but he didn’t.

  “Alisson.”

  Alisson looked down for a long moment in silence. “Can you keep a secret? At least for a while?”

  “Depends on the secret.” Shepard replied.

  Alisson closed his eyes. “In an indeterminate amount of time, I will spring a rebellion against Sidonia.” He looked up to Shepard. “When that time comes, tell them that it was me who is responsible, and tell them that if they want a chance to destroy the Lady; attacking her from the other side in tandem with my own forces would be the wisest choice.”

  Shepard cracked a smile. “So that’s what it is. You got it.”

  Alisson bobbed his head in thanks.

  They parted ways with the Andestinians after that. Certain that they were well on their way, Alisson made another trip to the tunnel. Under Dascha’s protection, he charged and fired the Moonlight Cannon down the tunnel, collapsing it further.

  “Now then…”

  His eyes set on Dascha as they mounted on their horse. There was one last thing that he wanted to do here before he departed for home. He had been skimming Dascha’s books, and it had only confirmed his suspicions.

  “Where would one find a slime?”

  ***