"Luna sat beside Zera as a white robed healer treated her wound."

"Inside the hut it was only them three, Yule had been out for a long time now and the sound of rain and thunder could be heard from outside."

"Luna kept glancing at the door through which Yule had left, she was concerned about him."

"Was Yule okay?"

-----

"Hey Zera."

Zera who was laying down on the bed had her eyes closed as the healing took place.

"Mmm?"

"Do you think he's okay?"

Zera paused before responding weakly opening her eyes to observe me before closing them again.

"Probably not. He seemed to care a lot about that girl, he seemed pretty out of it."

I nodded as I frowned, I got up a bit walking towards the door.

"Yes he was! Maybe I should go talk to him, he's been out there a while."

The white robbed healer who had been silently treating Zera finally spoke up in curiosity. 

"Are you speaking about the gravedigger?"

"Yes, you know him?"

"No, but we all saw him going through the streets collecting bodies, he seemed fine to us, a bit unfriendly is all."

My eyes widened a bit hearing that.

He just lost someone and instead of mourning went out to help with recovery?

Maybe he was okay?

I slowly sat down again.

"I-Is that so. I guess he bounces back quickly."

The white robed healer nodded their head before removing their hands from Zera's wound. Looking through I saw the wound had closed and only a small scar remained. Zera touched the scar as she gently sat up.

"Wow, it's only a little tender. Thanks."

The white robed leader laughed, a hint of pride could be heard in their voice.

"Of course! Something like this is nothing. You should be all better now but I've still got a few lesser heal casts left for today so I will go out to help the townsfolk."

Zera and I walked the white robed healer to the door.

"The rest of these townsfolk can be saved because of you healers, thank you for coming so quickly."

The white robed healer smiled warmly at us, clasping his hands and bowing towards us.

"Saving is what we do best, may Hema protect you."

As the healer left I caught a glimpse of the graveyard, I could tell there was a new grave recently added, the girl Julie's grave. I remembered when Yule had left before I tried decided to try and go talk to him after.

But during that time when Yule was burying Julie my hand froze when I tried to open the door. It felt as if behind that door an extremely cold pressure was emanating. In the end I had retracted my hand.

Something about that pressure had been familiar, it reminded me of Pravus.

I shook my head forgetting about it.

Just my imagination.

As me and Zera sat down at the table I asked her a question that had been on my mind for a while.

"Do you think we could have saved that girl if we'd been healers?"

"Yes."

I nodded pulling out my swords and looking into the blade to see my reflection. A silver haired girl with cold eyes stared back.

In that reflection I could see a protector.

But I could also see a murderer.

"Maybe taking up the sword isn't the best way to save people."

I felt a soft hand gently push down my blade and looked to see Zera softly smiling at me.

"Maybe it's not, I don't know. But what I do know is the wars at the border threaten the safety of over a million innocent citizens, who would protect them if not you, we need fighters to protect us, we need you Luna." 

I smiled back to her but my mind drifted to something else.

War Quotas.

I nodded. There was something that only I could do, I had to get to the bottom of the wars, the wars where thousands die everyday.

Maybe I could save them?

"Luna?"

Looking up I saw Zera staring at me confused, I shook my head and laughed.

"Sorry, I was thinking about the poison artifact." 

Zera nodded in realization as she pulled out the magical compass, it was pointing in a certain direction towards the South East.

"He's had a head start but I'm not sure where he's heading, there are no more towns in that direction and if he keeps going he will reach the mountains of the Gerf kingdom."

I shook my head.

"Who knows what's going through that guy's crazy head, he poisoned this entire town for what seems like nothing, he defies reason."

Zera scoffed.

"Seems to be a common trend these days."

"Indeed."

I tapped the table with my finger while in thought.

"But I'm also concerned about man in rags who attacked us, he wasn't mentioned by Yule so that means no one saw him in town the past three weeks which means he might have showed up the same time as us."

"Maybe he was a helper of the Baron?"

Pulling out the bloody dagger I put it on the table slowly unwrapping it.

"Maybe, but we should find out what we can."

Looking at the knife it was intricate with a swirled silver handle, tilting it to the hilt the initials G.H could be seen.

"Initials of the man in rags maybe?"

Zera shook her head.

"No, these are blacksmith initials, all blacksmiths in the capital mark their work. If we were in the capital we could definitely ask around to find the blacksmith who made this and-"

"And maybe they would remember who they sold it too. I just so happen to have three Holy Knight trainee's in the capital who owe me a favor."

Zera and I smiled at each other.

"How will you send it?"

"I will use the package transit system in the town, it's the same way I was able to call for the healers so quickly, most Empire towns have them."

"Great, lets go send it-"

The sound of the door opening cut Zera off as the sounds of rain poured in. A cloaked figure with a shovel walked in.

It was Yule.

Yule who put down his shovel removed his hood to reveal an emotionless face.

I flinched a bit.

"Yule! A-Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine."

Something about the way he said it made me frown with concern.

He didn't seem fine.

I reached out to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you sure?"

Yule looked at me for a moment and I looked back into his eyes and saw a deepness I couldn't comprehend, Yule shifted his gaze to the knife and compass on the table.

W-what was this feeling?

"There was something I didn't ask when you came because I didn't care, but now I do."

He removed gently removed my hand from his shoulder and looked down at us. 

Instantly the room went cold and I saw Zera freeze up a bit as an immense pressure filled the room.

A deathly cold voice rang out, it was a furious cold, I took a step back flinching, gripping my hand I realized it was shaking.

W-what was this feeling?!?

"This disease wasn't natural was it, who were you two chasing, tell me."

I saw Yule's cold eyes analyzing us.

I glanced towards Zera and saw her staring back, her eyes conveyed a simple message.

Should we tell him?

Looking back and forth between Yule and Zera I eventually I nodded.

His friend was dead because of this, we had to tell him.

I sighed as I sat down taking a deep breath.

I told him about my challenge mission. I told him about the poison artifact and the man in rags who stabbed Zera. I told him about how we could track the artifact with the compass and were planning to go after him. 

But there was more I told him, I told him about the Baron's connection to Pravus. I told him about Pravus and what happened at the Border, I told him about Itzes and even mentioned the survivors.

I was going to keep going to apologize for not telling him but once I mentioned the survivors I felt the cold pressure in the room disappear. Looking up my eyes widened as I saw him smiling at me, it was a genuine smile.

His eyes were filled with relief and gratitude.

Towards me?

My heart skipped a beat and I felt myself blush warmly, I opened and closed my mouth trying to speak out some words but he cut me off before I could as he gently tapped the magical compass and a mischievous smile formed on Yule's face.

He winked at me before saying something that caused me to frown.

"When do we leave?"

Excuse me?