The information Lucía provided about the Authority was quite impressive. Lucía was almost a savior for Argus.
She was telling everything Argus was curious about regarding the Authority, and declared full support for Argus's plans to destroy the Authority.
Argus laughed for the first time in years. He had made a new friend, a friend who shared the same path...
After a few months spent in Fort Merit, the promotion day came. After days of long and tough training and quests. One of the Authority Captains Otto, started explaining the things you need to do to get promoted.
-We have a shortage of resources. Today all of you low ranked soldiers will be putten into an exam. The winners will be promoted to higher ranks while losers will be exiled from the Authority's army. To pass the exam, all you need to do is to win against your opponents, which will be other Authority Soldiers. Check the list given on the board and get to your places. The exam will start in a while.
After the announcement made by Otto, Lucía and Argus went to check the board. What they saw was truly shocking.
-WAIT A MINUTE HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?!
-...
-What are we going to do now?
-Simple, I will let you win. As I said before, Lucía. I can't stay here for a long time, and this is where it all ends i guess…
-Argus… I- I don't even know how to act at this point… I'm just so grateful that I met you at one point of my life. You mean a lot to me, but are you sure you want to let me win?
-I don't have my eyes on any higher rank, all i want to do is burn this place
and kill every single fucking Authority member here, but before i do that,
I have to do something else.
-What is i-
Just as Lucía asked the question, Otto made another announcement.
-EVERYONE, GET TO YOUR PLACE. THE EXAM STARTS RIGHT NOW!
Argus surrendered and allowed Lucía to pass her exam while he himself would be exiled from the Authority, which he never really was accepted at all… Lucía got promoted directly to Authority Lieutenant.
After the promotion day, Lucía and Argus returned to their room in the Merit Inn. Lucía slept immediately after they reached their room because of how tired she was with the promotion stuffs, while Argus was getting ready for something else.
He had no more questions in his mind. He would miss the good times with Lucía,but he needed to act now.
During his time in Fort Merit, he had been trying to map out the area. There was one last place he needed to go to complete the map. This place, known as Merit Valley, was where the auxiliary base of the Knives of Eylis, rented by the Authority, was located.
If Argus wanted to burn down Fort Merit, he shouldn't forget about this place either, because the Knives of Eylis were also an organization working for the Authority.
At night, he decided to set out for Merit Valley. Normally, he never took off his helmet. However, this time, he took it off to kiss Lucía's forehead while she was asleep.
Lucía had never seen Argus's face all this time because Argus was ashamed to take off his helmet due to the mask stuck to his face. Lucía was among the people he didn't want to scare. He was afraid of the reaction he would give when he saw his face. After kissing Lucía, he set out for Merit Valley. He couldn't forget his beautiful smile. As dawn broke, he had managed to reach the valley. While trying to map out the mercenary base and its surroundings, something caught his attention.
On the wall of the base, there was a bounty poster for bounty hunters, and the name written on it seemed quite familiar. Blake, Rapier Master Blake. He immediately asked the bounty hunter there, why there was such a high bounty on this man's head.
-Hey. Why is the bounty for this man so high?
-Huh? Who are you asking about?
-Blake, Rapier Master Blake.
-Oh, him? He's one of the prisoners taken from an Etrean ship bombed by the Authority. He was being worked to death in Fort Merit. I heard that he started making swords for the Authority soldiers at some point. But one day, he used a rapier he had forged himself to kill tons of Authority officers and soldiers. After that, before the Authority commanders arrived on the island, he escaped from this place with a stolen warship.
-...