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“Are we still being stalked by our mysterious friend?” Lyra asked, taking a spoonful of rabbit stew into her mouth as she spun her gaze around.

Siv offered her a brief glimpse before turning her attention back to ladling herself a bowl of rabbit stew from the pot. Just an hour before nightfall, the three found shelter under the shade of a tree with overgrown branches and leaves, perfect for cover and deterring any sneaking gazes.

“Well, is there?” Lyra asked again, poking Siv by the shoulder with the other end of her spoon.

“Our usual stalker is still on our tail,” she answered after a sigh.

“Any new ones?”

“As far as I can tell, no.”

“As far as you can tell?”

“If you’re not satisfied with my answer, you’re free to consult Erin.”

“Oh, now it’s “Erin”?” Lyra mocked. “What happened to “mistress”?”

“She isn’t here. I will only address her as “mistress” face to face.”

“Precisely,” Lyra snapped her fingers. “She isn’t here. So how am I going to ask her?”

Siv finished ladling her potion of the stew and took a seat across Lyra, who scooted over to her side. “You have gotten high-strung. What gives?” Siv asked.

“What gives?” Lyra asked back. “After you have just told us something you’re not supposed to, you’re asking me what gives?”

“I’m starting to think I may have exaggerated my intentions.”

“If this faction is as dangerous as you made it out to be, shouldn't you be worried too?”

“Who says I’m not worried?”

“Do you need a mirror for that question? You’re literally just making stew without glancing around you.”

“That’s called being anxious.”

“Same meaning, no?”

“Close but not quite.”

“Hell if I know if that’s the case.”

Siv chuckled wryly. “You really should read more like Erin have said.”

Lyra recoiled with a frown. “She said that to you?”

Siv nodded, taking a spoon of the stew in relish.

“When?”

“Quite recently.”

“W-what else did she say about me to you?”

“I’m here. You can ask me,” Erin said.

Lyra shrieked and jumped from her seat. Her bowl of stew flew from her hands but Siv caught it before it could flip and spill everything.

Erin tittered as she strode towards the fire. “Our stalker friend is still hiding and they don’t seem to care if we knew about their presence. As for other threats, no other bandits are in the vicinity and the monsters run away the moment I flourish my tails.”

Lyra glared at Siv. “You knew?”

Siv shrugged and concentrated on eating her stew.

Lyra shifted her glare to Erin. “How long have you been listening?” she asked grumpily. She received her bowl back from Siv who handed it to her.

“Fox ears, Lyra,” Erin answered. “I can hear every word you have been saying.”

“Ah...” Lyra stuttered, red filling her cheeks. She coiled up her legs to her chest and took small sips from her bowl of stew. “Forget everything you hear, please,” she begged.

“Why? Do you think I’ll be offended?”

“No, it’s because it’s embarrassing.”

“For who?”

“For me, dammit,” Lyra cursed.

Erin giggled and took a seat beside her. “You shouldn’t be. It’s normal to talk about the ones you love, after all.”

“Do you talk about me all the time?”

“Ah— I…” Erin’s voice trailed off. “I don’t...” she admitted.

“Why not? You don’t love me?”

“It’s just… Well, it’s really petty to say.”

Lyra put down her bowl and leaned in close to Erin. “Out with it,” she demanded.

“I’m… jealous… I don’t want them knowing the things about you that only I know,” Erin laid it bare, crimson flushing her cheeks.

Lyra’s cheeks were dyed even redder and they two looked away from each other to avoid showing their reddened cheeks.

“Mistress, you are oddly innocent at times,” Siv remarked.

“I was living in celibacy before I became… me.”

“Anyways, what were you saying about our stalker? They aren’t concerned about their discretion?”

“It seems that way. I couldn’t see them but I felt our gazes met. They didn’t run. They probably don’t mean us harm.”

“Regardless, this is quite rude. If they have questions they could just ask.”

“They kinda did ask. I refused to tell them anything.”

“Then they should just live with that. Like many others do.”

“Obviously, they aren’t used to having “no” as an answer. And they didn’t run when they were found out. No guilty conscience. This boils down to fewer likely suspects on who the stalker works for.”

“You don’t think it could be one of the challengers?” Lyra asked.

“The more that I thought about it, the more unlikely I found it to be. If they desire a rematch, they wouldn’t use such a roundabout way. They would ask directly.”

“That… sort of makes sense,” Lyra muttered.

“Here, mistress,” Siv said, handing Erin a bowl of stew.

“Smells good,” Erin praised. She put a spoonful into her mouth. “Hmm! This is good. Whose recipe is this?”

“My clan’s. My great grandmother’s, to be precise.”

“It’s very delicious, truly.”

“I am honoured, mistress.”

“I can cook too,” Lyra grumbled faintly.

“Then I’ll be looking forward to your cooking in the evening of the morrow.”

“Eh?” Lyra uttered. “I… I don’t actually—”

“It’s alright, Lyra. I’ll eat whatever you cook,” Erin assured her.

“That was what Edmund said too,” Lyra mumbled but her low voice did not escape Erin’s ears.

“He didn’t like your cooking?” she asked.

“I forgot the salt and he treated it like I served him something from the garbage pile. Should have known what kind of person he was then but...”

“But you were in love,” Erin finished her sentence.

“...Yes,” Lyra admitted. “And we were still green to the outside world. We only have each other. I still can’t believe how low he had sunk. If only we have any information regarding his whereabouts.”

“He couldn’t have run far. The only way he could run is east. The closest town is another day from here. Considering he had nothing but a weapon and a few coins on him, he’ll settle in the town for quite some time before moving on.”

“You believe he could be in the next town?”

“I don’t but I hope he’s there. It will save us the trouble. The sooner he’s no longer an issue the better, for your health, Lyra.”

“I’m fine… I just… feel disgusted that I’m acquainted with someone like him.”

“This former lover of yours… What’s he like?” Siv asked.

“Why do you wish to know?” Lyra questioned back.

“So I can be appropriately prepared when our paths eventually cross.”

“You’re eager,” Erin said.

“Of course,” Siv answered. “My kind do not smile upon deserters. They are trialled.”

“What do they do with deserters?” Lyra asked.

“The most lenient punishment is exile.”

“Oh… what about the least lenient?”

“Decapitation and your head will be mounted on a stick for all to see.”

“That’s... severe.”

“Desertion is a severe offence.”

“So… where shall we mount his head?” Lyra asked.

“No,” Erin uttered. “We are not doing that. I don’t think we’re even allowed to do that but that’s not the point.”

“I’m just joking, Erin,” Lyra said. “Still,” she added.

“We will decide his fate in response to the degree of his cooperation. If he’s willing to give himself up, we will hand him to the guards.”

“Unlikely,” Siv said. “If he was the type to give himself up, he would have by now. He would probably run the moment he saw us.”

“He can try to run,” Lyra responded. “Let’s see how far and fast he can run.”

“Alright, enough of this. Please remember, he’s not our priority. Before our mind wanders to hunting others, they are people hunting us.”

“I thought it’s just you?”

“Do you think they will let you, an acquaintance of mine, off if they chance upon you?”

“We’re all targets now,” Siv said.

“Yeah… I’m very sorry about this,” Erin apologized. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“You did nothing wrong, Erin,” Lyra said, taking Erin’s hand into hers. “You were doing some good. These… monstrous people should be the ones feeling sorry and ashamed.”

“Thank you, Lyra. This means—” she cut her words midway and spun around to her feet.

No words were exchanged. Lyra and Siv dropped their bowls and rose to their feet with their weapons at the ready.

“How many?” Lyra asked, nocking an arrow.

“Just one,” Erin answered. “But I doubt our odds. This one is… strong. My Sixth Sense is screaming.”

“I don’t smell anything out of place,” Siv said. “But… I feel its presence. It’s overwhelming.”

“This presence is… familiar...” Erin muttered, her eyes stuck to a bush between two old trees. The bush rustled in the face of the breeze but it kept rustling after the breeze passed.

Lyra aimed her bow at the bush while Siv positioned herself towards it.

The three waited in trepidation but not one of them had fear written on their faces. The bush rustled some more and eventually, a paw of a small animal stuck out of the bush.

“A rabbit?” Lyra muttered. “Or a squirrel?”

The leaves parted as a ball of fur rolled out of the bush. Nay, it was a rodent-like animal that possessed overgrown fur, giving the appearance of a literal furball. It had the peculiar ears of a rabbit. Its limbs were similar but it was hard to be sure with all the fur covering its body. It could have passed as a normal animal had it not been for its ephemeral appearance.

“This is… curious,” Siv muttered. “Are those fur? Is it a rabbit?”

“What the— Where have I seen this before?” Lyra asked no one in particular.

“A Guardian?” Erin mused out loud.

“What’s a Guardian?” Siv asked.

“I am a Guardian.”

Erin drew her sword. “What do you want?” She brandished her sabre.

Lyra pulled the string of her bow. “Now I remember,” she said. “Met your ilk some time ago. Not a friendly fellow.”

“Understandable,” the Guardian said. “He did show a great deal of hostility.”

“He tried to kill me,” Erin corrected.

“On valid grounds,” the guardian retorted. “Outworlders are known for their lust for power and using any means to obtain it.”

“But I am not like them.”

“And I concur.”

Erin lowered her sword. “You do?”

“Though there are a few who share my sentiment, it’s only the minority. A few of us believe you are different from the other Outworlders. I am here to let you know there are some of us rooting for you.”

“Rooting for me? Rooting for what?”

“Which is also why I’m here. To tell you. The other Guardians deemed you too dangerous to be left alive but since you have the protection of the True Dragon, they can’t intervene directly.”

“True Dragon? You meant Aedan?” Lyra blurted.

“I believe that’s his mortal name. So yes, it’s Aedan.”

“What?” Siv gasped. “Aedan is a True Dragon?”

“You’re saying they will intervene indirectly?” Erin questioned.

“Precisely what I am saying. Ever since you killed an Apostle of another Divine, you have started a war between all Apostles of different Divines. The Guardians are exploiting this war.”

Erin raised her brow as realization crossed. “They are spurring the Apostles to come after me?”

“Not just you, there are other Outworlders who are Divine Apostles too.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because we don’t want you to think you were being wronged by my so-called ilk and risk pushing you to the dark edges. And also, we wish to employ your assistance in curbing the Outworlders who lust for power.”

“And there’s the catch,” Erin said. “I should have known. There’s always an ulterior motive to a seemingly charitable action.”

“The actions of these greedy Outworlders would destroy the world as a whole. It’s not just the concern of us Guardians.”

“Aren’t you lot supposed to be doing what you’re asking her to do?” Siv asked.

“The powers of Outworlders are not to be underestimated. In the past, there were Outworlders who managed to kill a Guardian despite the difference in levels. Outworlders are an enigma. It’s only right to put an enigma against another enigma.”

Erin sighed. “It’s just one problem after another.”

“I have said what I came here to say. I implore you once again, Erynthea. Consider our request. Farewell,” the Guardian said and vanished into glitters.

“So… are we going to take up his request?” Lyra asked.

Erin sheathed her sword and slumped to the ground. “It doesn’t matter. This concerns everyone in this world. Whether we like it or not, we are all involved.”

“Mistress, if I may be so bold to say, you sound and look exasperated but I don’t feel those feelings from you.”

“As tedious as these things are, it’s a fact that there is an opportunity for growth in the face of conflict. After all, civilization advanced this far because of the many problems we faced. We grow to overcome these problems. I have no doubt solving these problems will get me one step closer to my former strength when I was the Sword Saint.”

Siv’s eyes widened. “You were a Sword Saint?”

“Oh right, I haven’t told you that either. Well, we have the rest of the night ahead of us. Maybe it’s time I lay it all out to you two.”

“Me?” Lyra pointed at herself.

“Yes, you too. I still have yet to tell you what is likely my biggest secret.”

“What secret…?”

“Well, before I was Erynthea, I was actually a—”