The group was able to reach Drakon's Nest carrying a wounded and unconscious Onyx along the way. The armor was able to sustain most of the damage, but his body still ached.
"So remind me who's bright idea it was to bring the Fog Warrior along?" Said Tykal as she helped carry Onyx.
"I knew she was lying. I never expected her to be a Fog Warrior." Answered Maxwell as she and all the rest kept their eyes on Seo.
"I never thought they would be able to catch up to us." Explained Seo.
"In any case… Let's put him down here for now." Embry and Tykal laid Onyx on the bench. "Lyo, Tykal find us a ferry."
"On it Tykal let's go."
"Tigris watch the perimeter for any other Fog Warriors." Ordered Embry.
"Yes ma'am."
"As for the two of you…" Embry put a hand on the shoulders of both Maxwell and Seo. "If he doesn't make it I'll make it my personal mission to kill you both. You for lying to us, and you for bringing her along. Am I understood?" Embry glared at both girls.
Both stuttered and quaked in fear. "Y-yes ma'am."
"Good. Seo help out Tigris with the perimeter check. Maxwell you stay here and help me treat his wounds."
"On it." Answered Maxwell.
Embry removed Onyx's armor and shirt. His skin was purple and red from the beating he took from Sloane earlier. Embry ran her hand across Onyx's ribs to see if any of them were broken.
"Looks like it's mostly internal bleeding if that is the case then let me…" Maxwell opened her bag and reached out for a jar containing some kind of clear green fluid.
"What is that?"
"It's a type of poultice, except you drink it, helps with internal injuries. Open his mouth."
Embry did as the girl ordered and opened Onyx's mouth. Maxwell poured some of the liquid into Onyx's mouth. Onyx's face seemed to cringe at the taste, but other than that he didn't wake up. All Embry could do for now was hope that Onyx would wake up by the time they were halfway to Midir's Pass.
"So are you his second in command?" Asked Maxwell.
"No that would be Tigris." Answered Embry.
"Then why wasn't she the one barking orders and threatening me?"
"She cares more about who she's going to sleep with than leading a squad."
"Yeah I've seen the way she looks at you."
"She's more focused on my ass, chest, and legs most of the time."
"She is an animal after all."
Embry slapped Maxwell for that comment. "She's also saved my life more times than I can count. I will not have you insult my comrades in any way."
"Tch."
"Bitch." Embry whispered.
Lyo and Tykal looked at the fishermen dragging the large net across the mud. They definitely caught a big one as it took seven men to carry the fish out of the boat. When the men stepped aside and pulled the net out of the fish Lyo and Tykal saw that it wasn't a fish it was a…
"Naga." Said Tykal.
"Naga?" Asked Lyo.
"Snake like creatures with two arms and a giant fin at the back. They have a large bottle like snout with razor sharp teeth. They wrap themselves around their victims and drown them. I've never seen one quite that big though." Explained Tykal.
"Think there are more of them in the river?"
"Yeah where there's one there's a dozen."
Lyo looked at the naga again. It was at least eight or nine meters long. She spotted the hands Tykal was talking about and could see sharp claws. She made a mental note to stay away of the edges of the boat.
"Any of you own a ferry that can take us near Midir's Pass?" Asked Tykal as she neared the fishermen.
"Yeah Old Ben can take you there." Answered one of the fishermen.
"And where is he?" Asked Lyo.
"Sun's still out so he'll be out fishing a ways up the river. He won't be back until sunset maybe sundown at the latest."
"Thank you."
"Looks like we're still waiting." Said Tykal.
"Where have you seen naga before Tykal?"
"In the shores of Lake Almarra long before I met you guys. I saw them come up and drag the bodies of the dead from the shore into the water." Tykal paused for a moment. The memories she had of that place still haunted her. "Let's go we have to tell Embry the news."
Tigris kept sniffing around the perimeter, but could smell nothing but the scent of water, fish, and sweat. She didn't find anything out of the ordinary. If there were more Fog Warriors around they were probably waiting, keeping their distance until the sun set just like last time. It didn't look like the Dolsurians sent them so maybe they really were after Seo all along.
"Story of my life." She sighed as she saw Seo coming up.
"Anything?" Seo asked.
"No… Or should I say I didn't find anything at all that they wanted me to see."
"Hmm…" Seo hummed as she kept thinking of the possibilities of Corin bringing reinforcements to take her back.
"Why are they after you anyway?" She asked.
"I… I was born different."
Tigris looked at Seo's crotch. "Now when you say different do you mean…"
"No… I just… It's hard for me to… Kill."
"That's it!? That's the easiest fucking thing to do! You just did it not too long ago."
"That was different! When a child comes of age they undergo a ritual to prove their worth. They use children for us to kill. I escaped before it was my time to take it."
"Even so it's a waste of resources for just one girl."
"No it isn't." Whispered Seo she then proceeded to probe Tigris on the legionnaires. "I've heard the stories surrounding the legionnaires."
"Like?"
"I've heard that you are all orphans raised to take up arms."
"Something like that Lyo and Tykal don't have any last names. Onyx does, but he won't say why it's Albion. As for Embry she'd rather not talk about her family. I can't blame her reminds me of me."
"What's your last name?"
"Euphrat, Tigris Euphrat. I left my family a long time ago. They're probably still alive, maybe."
"Why leave them?"
"They're a lousy bunch always going on about claiming the land that was given to us by the Divines and such. They always end up getting slaughtered by the Zulamarians. Land doesn't feed your people."
"But it is a place you can call home." Answered Seo.
"So? I can rebuild elsewhere Aephon, Dol-Sur, Karash, Ulammar all of them great places to build a home. Besides you left your so called home remember?"
"…" Seo couldn't answer.
"Besides being a legionnaire isn't all bad. I fight, I kill, I get paid, I get laid, and best of all I know here being an animalist and a Gaist is tolerated. It's mostly the Gaist part that bothers them. But between you and me I think it's just the fact that I once slept with my drill sergeant's daughters."
"You what?"
"Best night of my life. Remind me to tell you about it when this is all over."
"Right… We should probably go."
"Yeah."
The group reconvened and discussed their options and findings.
"This Old Ben still hasn't returned it seems. The fishermen say he'll be back by sunset or sundown." Explained Tykal.
"Well on the bright side there are no signs of any Fog Warriors. At least none that they left behind." Said Tigris.
"Then that doesn't really leave us with much choice. Any chance we could follow the river to where this Old Ben is?" Asked Embry.
"Not in his condition. Besides if what your friend with the crossbow says is true then naga and Fog Warriors will make things complicated." Explained Maxwell.
"No other option then. Alright I want the four of you to scatter and watch the approaches for any other Fog Warriors. Maxwell and I will remain here looking over Onyx."
"What if the Fog Warriors use the civilians as leverage?" Asked Lyo.
Embry looked at Onyx who still lay unconscious. If it was him he would try to save the hostages, but it wasn't up to him. That decision would be up to her, and they had bigger priorities than a few civilians.
"They can certainly try, but they are looking for you Seo. So unless they want payback or know that we are bringing Maxwell with us I won't hesitate to give you up. If they are looking for payback…"
"Expendable losses?" Asked Tigris.
"It's war."
"Damn Embry! If he finds out…" Lyo began.
"Hopefully he won't have to. Now scatter."
Embry looked at the sky turning orange as it began to set. There was still no sign of the one the fishermen called Old Ben. It seemed like they would still be waiting his return for a while. Embry looked at Onyx's wounds that already seemed to heal. Embry had the entire group scatter and watch the various approaches save for Maxwell who remained with her watching over Onyx. As much as she loved Onyx she knew better than to hope. To dream that the war that both countries have been fighting for over one hundred and twenty years could be won his way. But she took some comfort in knowing that Onyx still remained true to his ideals, however stupid and foolish they were.
"Ugh…" Onyx began to groan.
"Embry he's coming to." Said Maxwell as she examined Onyx.
"Let me see." Embry saw Onyx slowly open his eyes.
"Where am I?" He said weakly as he slowly started to get up.
"Hey now your wounds are still…" Embry placed a hand on Onyx's chest and shoulder trying to keep him down.
Onyx groaned from the pain. "Damn it."
"I told you."
"And the others?" Asked Onyx.
"They're fine. We're waiting for a ferry to come and take us up the river near Midir's Pass."
"Good. That's good." Onyx laid back down and tried to get some more rest.
"AH!" Embry and Maxwell heard screams coming from outside.
"Maxwell stay here." Ordered Embry.
"What was…"
"I got this Onyx."
"Okay."
Embry rushed outside to see a large dark figure crouched over a body. She heard sounds of crunching and growling along with sounds of whimpering. As she neared the figure she saw that it was Sloane. Except he resembled a monster his teeth were sharp and jagged, patches of his skin were blackened, his eyes were bleeding, his nails looked sharp like claws, and he also carried a feral and wild look in his face.
"What the fuck? How did…" Embry couldn't believe that the man was still alive, especially after Seo slit his throat.
Sloane rushed at Embry all the while he tried to get a hold of her. Embry dodged to the side and stabbed Sloane with her sword. Sloane got a hold of the sword and pushed it deeper inside his body closing the distance between him and Embry.
"Hey asshole!" Yelled Tykal as she fired a round from her Sybaris rifle the round hit Sloane's head, but he was still somehow moving.
"What the fuck? How is he…" Lyo began trying to make sense of the situation.
"Later Lyo let's kill this asshole." Said Tigris as she began transforming. "Get away from her!"
Sloane threw Embry at Tigris and both fell down. Tykal pulled out her crossbow and began firing aiming at Sloane's head. Lyo and Seo both rushed at him together hoping to overpower him. Lyo attempted to impale Sloane, but Sloane grabbed her spear and threw her at Seo. Sloane still held onto the spear and threw it at Tykal who was busy firing arrow volleys at him. Tykal barely dodged the incoming spear. Sloane felt something penetrate his stomach. He looked down and saw a javelin spear lodged in him. He turned around and saw a young blonde girl holding up the spear. Sloane punched the girl throwing her several meters away. As soon as he turned one of Tykal's arrow bolts hit one of his eyes. Sloane howled from the pain.
Onyx heard the screaming coming from outside the hut. He had already put on his armor, and he tried to pick up his sword. His body still ached from the beating, but he had no choice but to go out there and help his comrades. He saw Sloane pull out an arrow bolt from his eye.
"How the…" Onyx began he saw Maxwell approach him.
"Can you fight?" She asked.
"Yeah… How is he still…?"
"Doesn't matter right now what does matter is how we kill him."
"Any ideas?"
"Fire. The locals must have plenty of oil barrels here we can use to burn him."
"Will it work?"
"It's better than nothing."
"Okay then. Ask the locals where they store the stuff. Take Seo, Tykal, and Lyo with you to set the trap we'll hold him off."
"On it."
Tykal, Maxwell, Seo, and Lyo went from hut to hut trying to get one of the fishermen to help them out, but none of them would. Tykal began to kick open one of the doors.
"What the fuck do you want?" Yelled one of the fishermen from inside the hut.
"Where the fuck's your oil? The stuff you use to burn your shit with?" Tykal was getting frustrated having to go door to door.