Zarco together with Caelum stares with a blank expression at the fallen soldier on the ground.
.
Zarco
-So... we won, my stone's charge is gone… what now?
.
Caelum
-We're in serious trouble, I figured you'd be able to buy time.
.
Zarco
-Enough time for you to run away, huh.
.
Caelum
-I was going to come back for you, idiot.
.
Zarco
-Ok then, so no problem! I will just run away with you.
.
Caelum
-I doubt Libertatem can carry both of us.
.
Zarco
-Libertatem?
.
Caelum
-My pegasus.
.
Zarco
-Jeez, what a bad name...
.
Caelum
-Quiet, I need to think of a plan.
.
Zarco thought
-She deviated from the subject, because the horse's name is so terrible...
.
Caelum thinks out loud
-We have no time to waste! I will immediately go to my pegasus, before a soldier finds it, or worse, they reach Sapere before me…
.
Caelum right after saying that starts running away.
.
Zarco
-Hey! What do I do?!
.
Caelum
-Leave the capital and reach some village of the inferior people!
.
Zarco
-What?! How do I get to one of those?!
.
Caelum
-Just get off the flying island!
.
Caelum soon was too far away from Zarco.
.
Zarco
-...
.
Zarco
-Wait… flying island? Is this thing flying?! HOW I AM SUPPOSED TO GET DOWN IF THIS SHIT IS FLYING?!!
.
Caelum was already too far away to hear, he knew that, but he yelled anyway.
.
Zarco
-Screw this! I'm just gonna kill everybody then...
.
Zarco then just leaves the place, but in a very different direction than Caelum did.
.
Near Basilius castle, inside the royal stables, Leo was talking to a soldier.
.
Leo
-Is my mount ready?
.
Soldier
-Y-yes General Leo.
.
Leo
-Excellent.
.
Leo then prepares to ride his pegasus, but gets interrupted by a familiar voice.
.
Salus
-Leaving already Leo?
.
Leo just suddenly stops.
.
Salus
-I was surprised that you weren't able to capture that, aberration. Now, don't tell me that becoming a general made you lose practice...
.
Salus after a brief pause completes his phrase with a smug smile.
-Or was it your blood that stopped you?
.
Leo remains silent with an expression of pure hatred, without turning to Salus.
.
Salus
-I'm worried about you, you know? It's important to not involve personal issues in your mission.
.
Salus
-If you want, I can go in your place instead, I'll do a great job and…
.
Leo
-SHUT UP!!! Don't think I've forgiven your actions! I have not forgiven even your existence! I just tolerate it out of obligation.
.
Salus
-Oh, I didn't expect so much hate and bitterness, you know I had no choice, it was my job, my mission, your brother was just one more.
.
Leo turns and advances against Salus, clearly out of control.
.
The soldier stands between the two
.
Soldier
-C-c-calm down!
.
Leo lifts the soldier with one hand and hurls him away.
.
Salus quickly draws two daggers from his waist. All while he remained calm and with his cocky smile intact at all times.
.
Leo, blinded by rage, advanced, fists raised, completely unarmed against Salus.
.
Suddenly, the two are startled, and separated, by the attack of a halberd, hitting the ground between them, the two spread their wings and jumped back out of sheer reflex.
.
It was Luscinia, halberd in hand in full attack. Clearly annoyed by the situation, she says firmly and loud.
-STOP!
.
Leo
-Stay out of this Luscinia! This is a matter of men! Women shouldn't meddle...
.
Luscinia quickly places the tip of the halberd towards Leo's throat, almost hitting him.
-I advise you to calm down and not complete your sentence, for your own good.
.
Salus speaks while letting out a mocking laugh.
-Oh, I never expected to see the guardian of life going around making death threats.
.
Luscinia takes the halberd out of Leo's throat and regains her composure.
-And I never expected to see the guardian of health, seeking unnecessary fights that undermine the well-being of him and others.
.
Salus hides his smile and mocking attitude as he kneels before Luscinia and says.
-A thousand pardons, I lost my temper for a moment.
.
Leo, seeing the scene, with blood in his eyes and hatred in his whole being, turns away and goes towards the pegasus.
.
Luscinia
-Leo! Wait!
.
Leo
-What?!
.
Luscinia
-Are you so blinded by anger that you even forgot your equipment?! Do you intend to go on the mission unarmed?
.
Leo speaks raising an arm
-I'm never unarmed.
.
Luscinia picks up a huge sword written "PAX", which she carried along with a very rudimentary version of a pistol with a cast blade to compensate for the fact of it only being capable of firing a single shot.
.
Leo reluctantly picks up the weapons.
.
Leo
-Thanks…
.
And then, quickly goes out of the stables, riding his pegasus.
.
Luscinia
-Honestly, in a moment of crisis like this, you waste time teasing Leo, don't you think he has too many things on his mind right now Salus?!
.
She soon realizes her words had not reached anybody, because Salus had already left the stables.
.
Luscinia still proceeds to glance around the place, looking for him.
-Salus?
.
Luscinia thought
-Why did you choose someone like him, Basilius? I don't understand...
.
Salus walked alone in a hallway, scraping his dagger against the wall while biting the tip of his thumb and whispering to himself.
-So close… So close, So close! Just one more cut… Just one cut! Damn Leo… Damn it, so close… Just one cut…
.
He takes the dagger and opens a small compartment showing a vial of poison.
.
Salus puts the bottle extremely and uncomfortably close to the eye, almost touching it.
.
Salus
-So close... Just a cut... Just a drop... Just a corpse... Just a moment of pleasure.
.
END OF THE FIFTH CHAPTER