Year A.F.O. XX801, January 1st
Most of the villagers in the village are wandering around, and tending to the tainted fields, or prepping to leave after the murder of their village lord, leaving the village in disarry. The guards are standing around, watching the village to the best they can from the bandits in the Evermoon Forest.
Malachi and Lowell return from their patrol carrying a mysterious woman from the forest they found, wrapped up in Lowell's cape. They head towards the guard barracks, hoping to get her to where she can wake up and tell them who they are. The two head upstairs, placing her on one of the beds.
"Again, Malachi, I don't see any injuries on them," Lowell mutters, loud enough for Malachi to hear.
"Go get Elysia just to be sure. They seem malnourished and we don't know of any internal injuries they may have. That's an order." Malachi glances around before a cyan-haired man walks up to him to get his attention.
"Hello there, do you know where I can find a weapons store and a good restaurant here?" The man asks.
"Unfortunately not, we hired you with the lord's money and you..already saw the state the village was in. Azure Quecres will be your best bet to getting weapons, as that's where all our equipment comes from. As for food...I'd talk to one of the farmers."
"Oh, alright. I see...do you need some help in the meantime though?"
"Just guarding the village and trying to keep bandits out, since the Night of Fire, as other villages and nations call it, took a lot of our resources to defend from, even a few houses and the wall were damaged." Malachi answered, before another man walked up to the three.
"Ahem. Would any of you know where I could purchase a horse of sorts? Also, was it weapons I heard you were searching for?" The new man questioned.
Malachi thought for a moment, before answering the new man's question. "There should be horses in the stables. I believe you can ask the farmers where, and they should be able to show you."
"I see. Well, I'll get going to that now then. Its- ah, yes. I'm sure none of you guards would mind me carrying a good load of weapons in, would you? I'm a merchant, and I had an issue with that a few towns down..."
"Are you selling them here or giving them out to bandits? They have been frequenting the area after the Night of Fire."
The cyan-haired man turns to face the merchant, interrupting Malachi to say: "Oh hello there newcomer!" before extending out his hand "What brings you to this fine village, friend?"
The merchant attempts to give a smile, but fails- he adopts a neutral expression instead, as he shakes his hand in return. "Hello there, sir. Nothing more than the fine pursuit of monetary gains, as all merchants will. My wares are weapons; crossbows, arrows, and the likes. Would you take the time to have a look?"
"Weapons? Well, I don't mind taking a look at your wares. I am not a man of noble origins, however, I do have some coins to spare." The cyan-haired man mentioned with a slightly joyful yet calm tone in his voice.
Malachi interrupted in turn. "Might I ask you to show them outside the barracks then? We have a patient trying to rest here."
"Ah yes, apologies. If you'll follow me then..." The merchant said, walking out of the barracks as his metal-toed shoes clicked against floor.
The cyan-haired man also expressed his apologies before turning to leave, asking in a flirtatious tone of voice, "However, if you do have time, mind if we hang out sometime?"
Malachi declined. "I have a job to do, and no time to hang out with people."
The cyan-haired man left before Malachi turned to Lowell again.
"Elysia doesn't appear to be awake, otherwise I think she would've came in here herself when we came in. But do you think this woman could be a bandit, Malachi? What if she was with those people that killed the Lord!"
Malachi hissed out, "Don't even think about that Lowell. Our jobs as guards are based on the rules of the Guard Academy, and the rules we as Guards who graduated from there must follow, state that we help all who needs it, and she clearly needs it."
Behind Lowell's back, as they are speaking to one another, the woman behind them on the bed begins to stir, and slowly sits up, before glancing around and moving.
"But sir-" Before he can continue, the woman grabs the dagger from his hilt, pointing it at his back, causing him to run towards Malachi, screaming a very girlish scream. "See sir! She's an enemy!"
The woman is very clearly shaking while holding the dagger, before stuttering out, "W-who are you people...?"
Malachi sighs before glancing at the woman. "No, she's not an enemy, Lowell. She's just scared." He raises his hands up, to show her that he doesn't have a weapon on him. "Do you remember anything?"
The woman shakes her head, before speaking again. "Who...are you..? Where...am I..?"
"My name is Malachi. I'm the head guard of the village we are currently in. This," He motions to Lowell who's behind him, "This is Lowell, he is another guard here. Do you remember your name, or any clues that could point us in the right direction to figure out where you're from?"
She shakes her head again, before speaking. "You...look familiar...Are..you Iwa..?"
This caught Malachi off-guard, before he spoke again. "P-pardon...?"
The woman begins to slowly lower the dagger, before a loud noise and a blonde-haired guard walks in, loudly speaking, "Yum!" scaring the woman who grips the dagger tightly and runs downstairs, warranting a scream, causing the three to run downstairs.
"Hash!" Malachi yelled out as he ran downstairs, seeing the woman point the dagger as a young woman with blonde-orange hair and glasses.
"Eep! Please don't hurt the book!" The young woman shouts.
"B-book..?" The woman who woke up questions.
"Don't scare her Ashley! She's just scared! We got an amnesiac!" Malachi states, slowly walking up to the two, Lowell behind him.
"Or she's an enemy!" Lowell shouts.
"Which of the two is it!" Ashely yells out, scaring the woman again, causing her to grab the book out of Ashley's hands, tossing it into the fireplace nearby the two and running out the door. "MY BOOK!"
"Shit!" Malachi runs after the woman as Lowell goes to put the fire out.
As the woman runs out of the barracks and onto the path towards the farmland, Malachi sees a werewolf in the fields tilling the tainted soil before shouting at them. "VELDORA! KNOCK HER OUT!"
The werewolf known as Veldora promptly throws the shovel he is using at the woman, which hits her head, knocking her out, causing the other three farmers to look at him in horror.
"VELDORA!" One of the female farmers shouts at the werewolf.
"I was told to do it by Malachi!"
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN, YOU DO NOT HIT A YOUNG LADY WHO IS CLEARLY INJURED ALREADY!" The female farmer picks up her plow, proceeds to chase after the werewolf.
"Thanks Veldroa! Sorry!" Malachi shouts at the two, before Lowell walks out and the cyan-haired man runs up to them with his sword.
"The fuck was that for!? You want me to throw this up your ass too?!" The cyan-haired man yells out, checking on the woman's condition.
"Ah- I-i'm not sure what exactly is happening here, but you-" The merchant from before points at Veldora with a finger, and holding a crossbow, the arrow notched and aimed at the ready. "-should keep your hands up, or you'll be my next field testing target."
"Calm down. I told him too. If I didn't, I don't know what would've happened. She got scared by the loud noises after Hash walked in and Ashley was practically yelling in her ear. Seems like she is particularly sensitive to sound right now." Malachi states, glances back at the woman on the ground.
"Fuck it. I'm hitting Malachi, he's the one who told you to do it." Diana walks to the group with her plow, before glancing down at the woman. "Malnourished. Looks to be around...early twenties..I'd say. What're these markings?"
"Markings? Mind if I take a look?" The cyan-haired man asks, taking a look at the woman, before gripping his head.
Ashely walks out as the group takes a look at the markings. The markings on the woman are very much clearly seen throughout her body, like black thorns creeping up her body.
The merchant shrugs as he speaks. "Well, that's certainly an odd sight. Never seen those before. Are those tattoos or...?"
"Don't know. We found her in the Evermoon Forest after we were chasing a suspicious man in the woods. Lowell found her, and tried to kill her." Malachi stated, earning a gasp from Lowell.
"I thought she was an enemy! And she did attack Ashley!" Lowell defended himself, before earning a sigh from Malachi.
"She was scared. If Hash hadn't come in and made the loud noises, we would've had progress in calming her down further than we did."
"Don't blame me, my snack was delicious." The guard known as Hash exclaimed, as Malachi glared at him under his helmet.
The cyan-haired man spoke again, in a pained voice while holding his head, his breaths slowing down as he wrapped the bandage on her head. "...Night...that's her name...right?"
"You know her?"
"I-I'm fine, just a..throbbing migraine the moment I-" He pauses before continuing again. "I think so...? I don't know. I just know that I know her...Nothing else."
"We should probably get her inside and get her some medicine or have Elysia if she wakes up today, take a look at her." Diana begins to assist the unconscious woman up, before Ashley speaks.
"I-is she going to attack again?" She asks, before Malachi sighs again.
"No, she was just scared, Ashley." He answers.
A dark-haired woman walks out of the library, towards the group. "I heard noises outside and saw a woman getting knocked out by a shovel by Veldora...What happened? Is everyone okay?"
"I don't recognize these markings either- Oh Rinoa! It was terrible! We lost a book!" Ashley shouts, running up to the dark-haired woman.
"What! How terrible! What should we do Miss Ashley?"
"Yeah, no shit she needs to be in a house. I bandaged and disinfected her wound, but that's not going to do much if she's continuing to lay on the dirty ground like this." The cyan-haired man interjects as he stands up, Diana assisting the knocked-out woman before feeling her back for any more injuries, before her face goes [=pale with horror.
"Wait...is this...I'm taking her to my house. Malachi, you get your ass over there too. I need to talk to you. Now." Diana growls out as she begins to trek over to her house with the injured woman.
"A-alright. Sorry for the inconvenience everyone!" Malachi shouts as the cyan-haired man also follows the two.
When the three enter her house, they set Ashen onto the couch, and Diana pushes her to the side, the woman's back pointing towards the trio.
"This is...certainly an...interesting job." The cyan-haired man glanced around after walking in, the migraine from earlier still raging on as he sways and looks a bit weak.
"Why don't you take a rest...whoever you are? I have a few words that I need to have with Malachi here, I'd rather not anyone to hear." Diana glances at the cyan-haired man.
Malachi speaks, "It is alright. I'll find you later to apologize again, go back to what you were doing." He glances at Diana. "Sorry Diana, what did you feel that made you want to take her here instead of the barracks or Elysia's house?"
"S-sean...my name is Sean Terasaki..and sure..I feel like.." The man, now known as Sean, goes limp as he falls to the floor, becoming unconscious.
"Oh dear...Malachi, help him onto the couch please." Diana says as Malachi is seen assisting Sean to the couch. "I'm going to have to take the top half of her clothing, her toga, shirt? I have to check something, hence why I have her faced away from us but to where I can see her back. Her clothes are too damaged anyways, so I'm going to have to have Uncle Sebastian get her some new clothes from his shop until we get her something else."
"I'll look away then," Malachi says as he turns around, Diana nodding before lifting the back of the woman's top half of her clothing, her face slowly delving into more horror.
"O-oh...well, I certainly didn't want to be right in...this...Malachi. She had wings. They're...no longer there. All that's left is nubs where they are...and I think I know what the black markings were...they are all scars...but the black stuff in them? I don't know..." Diana puts the clothing back to how it was before, before pushing her back to her back and checking her face as she makes her comfortable, seeing more scarring. "O-oh this poor girl...my goodness. Malachi, I think she's from the Valkryie race."
"A Valkryie here? But aren't they from the Cloud Empire?"
"I don't know, but-" Diana grabs the nearby coffee table and throws it at Malachi, who lets it hit in. "You're sure as hell LUCKY that there are patients here! ACTUALLY NO! OUTSIDE. NOW!"
Malachi nods as he heads outside with Diana, who proceeds to scream at him.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! SHE COULD'VE BEEN KILLED! I SAW THE SCARRING! WHAT IF SHE WAS ABUSED, A SLAVE, OR WORSE! YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, MALACHI! TELLING MY COUSIN TO HARM SOMEONE WHO WAS CLEARLY SCARED FOR HER LIFE IN AN UNKNOWN PLACE?! YOU'RE THE HEAD GUARD FOR FUCKS SAKE!" Diana screams out angrily.
"I panicked!" Malachi shouted.
"When I fought in the Night of Fire with you guards, there was no time to panic, because that meant lives were lost if we did, Malachi! What if she had lost her family like a lot of us did that day or was running from something? You're the head guard, you need to act like it now that the lord is gone."
As Diana finished her sentence, Lowell walked up to the two, before stating: "You are so loud that we can hear you all the way from the marketplace, Diana. Malachi gets it-."
Diana cuts him off before she continues, ""And you! You clearly saw the state that she was in, yet you thought of her as an enemy? I'm ashamed of you Lowell. We took you in after you faced a similar situation."
"Hey! I'm on guard because of the prior incidents! That, and she managed to grab my dagger without me sensing until the last moment! It's like she had no aura to sense, and everyone has an aura to sense!" Defending himself, Lowell looked to Malachi who sighed.
"You're just saying that because you screamed like a little girl." Malachi sighed again.
"I'm serious!"
"Right."
Diana sighs before glancing through the window and back to the duo. "What is the plan so far? The villagers are leaving, and those who are staying either have nowhere to go or are too scared to even leave."
"Well, so far there is no plan other than try and fix up the village as much as we can, and fix the walls. Fixing the walls is our main priority, but the problem is finding a merchant who can sell us the materials to FIX the wall and make it stronger than last time, and one that would be able to get through the bandits in the forest. There is also the issue with the fields, none of the priests or magic users in the general nation wish to or can remove whatever is tainting the soil." Malachi states, placing a hand on his rusted sword hilt.
"What about the woman?" Lowell questions.
"When she gets up, we need to find out what she remembers and assist her from there-" Malachi begins his statement before Diana cuts him off.
"Clearly you didn't have the situation handled. I'll take care of her." Diana states, crossing her arms.
"But isn't your house a brothel?-"
"Who the fuck told you my house is a brothel!"
"Ashley did!"
"That bitch! My house is not a brothel! I am not a sex worker, I just have two female roommates as my old house is under construction and my fiancee is out on merchant business! It does not constitute my house as a brothel!"
Hash pops into the conversation, asking: "Did someone say brothel?"
"We do NOT have a brothel in the village, Hash." Diana coldly states.
"Someone told me there is a brothel."
"Oh that bitch- Just because I live in a house with two other women, does not constitute it as a brothel!" Diana screams in annoyance and anger.
"So there is no brothel in town?"
"No!"
"Damn, I do my best thinking in one. Do you guys serve food at least?"
"There should be a restaurant? I don't know, but we can't even grow crops!" Diana groans.
"You guys should let me move in."
Diana stares at him and then says, " I have no room and am not interested in having another roommate."
"What if somebody moves out?" He questions Diana before she states: "That would probably be me once mine and Henry's house gets fixed up."
"Okay. Can I live there when you're out?"
"Aren't all the guards supposed to live in the guard barracks unless they are married?" Diana questions.
"Sadly."
Diana sighs before she turns back to Malachi. "Anyways, I'll take care of the girl, you guards clearly don't have any clue how to deal with an amnesic patient."
Before Malachi can say anything in response, Hash asks; "Can I get a katana please, Dad?"
"I am not your father, you can submit a request regularly."
"You act like it."
"I am the head guard, I act like how my job is supposed to."
"Sure," Hash whistles, "I'm gonna go request that sword."
"There should be a form in the barracks at my office that you can sign. I'll have Qrow send the message over to Azure Quecres for the order. It's coming out of your paycheck." Malachi states, crossing his arms.
Hash yells out, "I get fucking paid? If only I could get women or men."
Malachi sighs before speaking to Lowell and Diana again. "That sounds alright. I don't know when Elysia will be up and about, and we got a lot on our plate with trying to prevent bandits from coming in and ransacking the place more than it already is."
"We need to get the walls fixed, but we also need to fix our docks, houses and the problem with the fields. And you know how the priests of the nearby churches feel about insignificant little villages like ours. They are corrupted. Sucks that there isn't a Church to Virtuo here anymore as that got destroyed in the Night of Fire, and the priests that were there were all killed." Diana begins to ramble the list on.
Nearby where the group is at, Veldora walks from the nearby fields and states, "I am trying here, nothing growing on this land. Doesn't help the people in the brothel attack me." Diana coldly stares at Veldora.
"I want more tasty snacks." Hash complains out loud, before Veldora states: "Then go buy some."
"I don't have any money."
"HOW THE FUCK YOU GOT NO MONEY YOU FUCKING IMBECILE?" Veldora shouts, causing Hash to whisper under his breath and walk to the fields with the dead crops, earning a sigh from Diana.
"Veldora, you know this isn't a brothel. And the fields isn't anyone's fault but the bastards that attacked us on the Night of Fire. I still can't believe this was a large scale event that affected other nations..." Diana states, glancing at the otherside of the fields.
"We need it fixed cuz!"
"I know! We can't do anything about it because the priests here are dead, and all the other priests from the churches nearby are corrupt as hell!"
"I know cuz, sometimes I wish I could do something."
Malachi interrupts the two's conversation, asking Veldora, "Is there a possibility you can work with Sebastian to fix the docks again? If we can't grow food, we might as well use the dock to try and fish and get more supplies. You'll be paid like everyone else who does the contracts and their jobs. Hopefully the old lord's money can cover the supplies needed."
Before Veldora can hear his answer, they can hear shouting from Diana's house, seeming to be Sean waking up.
"Well, it seems one of them is up." Diana states, looking abck at her house.
Lowell begins to state, "I wonder if I should spar with that one lady-" he then gets interrupted by Diana, who states "No! She's a patient! You're just using that as an excuse to vent your frustrations on someone who didn't even do anything to you!"
"She scared me!"
"Well boo fucking who, cry me a river!"
"Well, I try my best. I'll even go out to get some resources, if paid right." Veldora answers Malachi's question.
"We should, here in a few days, have a merchant coming by to drop off some resources to help fix up the docks."
"That sounds great! We got enough to pay for it and survive the winter?" Veldora asks, and it is apparent from his face that he is thinking of robbing them.
"Yes, after all it's coming out of the old Lord's coffers." Malachi states. As he finishes his sentence, Hash walks back up to the group.
"Did you see my request yet?" He asks Malachi, who sighs.
"And there is my cue to go and leave and get back on patrol. Let me know if anything changes, Diana." Malachi states, before beginning to walk away.
"Bye Jack!" Hash yells out, before walking away himself.
"Very well then. I'm checking on the girl." She walks back into her house.
"Is there anything I can help anybody with?" Hash asks, before Malachi stops walking.
"Just go on patrol in the marketplace, I'm going to go on patrol by what's left of the wall with Lowell." Malachi states, before the two walk away, towards the south-west direction where the walls of the village once stood.
----
Inside Diana's home, Sean is seen taking a look at the mysterious woman's bandages.
"... A shoddy job. More bandages doesn't mean better. I wonder if I can conduct a proper checkup on her..." He states, not hearing Diana enter.
"I've already disinfected and replaced the bandages with new ones, after all, it's only been a couple of hours since all that." Diana says as she walks in.
"I am a doctor so it isnt my first time handling patients, however I will need to conduct a proper checkup to make an accurate diagnosis."
"She's just sleeping, I've already done all the necessary checkups. I used to be a doctor myself. I can't say for sure if that head injury will cause any problems for her until she wakes up though."
"I see... Saves me the trouble then." Sean backs away from the unconscious woman and turns to Diana. He then rubs his temples before placing his hand on the inside of his coat. He takes out glasses and puts them on. "You used to be a doctor? Mind if you teach me a thing or two? Been practicing medicine since I was young, but I have yet to know all there is to know."
"I was a doctor for women, namely humans and werewolves. However, whatever she-" she points her head to the woman on the couch. "Is, Elysia would have a better chance of helping her. I just helped out with surgeries, births and mental health. Her anatomy is extremely similar to a human, with a few extra parts that are gone. Don't know what happened to her but it'll be a while before she wakes up."
"I see. Well those are things i am familliar with to some extent. So-" A sudden pain hits Sean again as he raises his hand to cover his forehead. Though it does not last for long and he tries to brush it off, even if it doesn't look like your normal headache. "Do you know a place or someone I can talk to for some advice on medicine?"
"I'd say Elysia, but she's asleep right now I believe. I'd probably see what you find at that bitch's- I mean at the Library of Ashley and her assistant's and see what you can find there. We don't have a lot, after all, we're recovering after an attack a week ago."
"Hmm... Well if you have any other sick patients that need treatment. Do contact me. I may have been hired as a bodyguard, but I have other skills that can be useful. As for the library... Id head there right now but I still feel dazed and kind of dizzy." He then sits down afterward, rubbing his temples again. "Mind if I stay for abit longer to get my bearings?"
"Not at all, although I am going to have to change her into some temporary clothes here in about twenty minutes, so I do ask that you leave by then."
"Yeah sure. I just don't feel all too good lately. Had a dream about some pervert and a strange book. Those late night shifts have probably been putting a toll on me."
"Maybe. Sometimes dreams can be visions of the future or past though too. Or maybe just fucked up." Diana states as she walks over to her right where an amoire stands, before opening it up and taking some clothes out of it as Sean stays seated for a few moments before leaving.
----
The next day, Diana is sitting next to Ashen, who's still unconscious, and Diana is reading a really old book, one that looks to be a fairy-tale book for children. Hash enters her home.
"Hello one of the guards told me this is the special place?" Hash says awkwardly.
"This is just a house, and I'm currently treating a patient, what do you need?" Diana questions.
In a more cheerful tone, Hash replies: " "Sorry, I believe the other guards were messing with me. Who is the patient?"
"The young lady that Veldora knocked out with the shovel and that Malachi and Lowell found in the forest yesterday." Diana answers as she sets her book down on her lap.
"Oh can I check on the kid?" He asks, before DIana shakes her head.
"I don't think she's a kid, and I don't know when she'll wake up, so for right now, no."
"I never seen a human so small."
"She's not a human though. And I'd say she is pretty average height if she was a human. She looks to be around 5'5 - 5'6."
"Is she from here though?" He questions.
"Not from this village. Any other village, who knows. Clearly you guards didn't have the situation handled, considering, from what I was told, she attacked someone in fear and then was promptly thrown a shovel at her head."
Sean enters the house, stating, "Seems like this village needs someone to retrain their guards."
"All the good ones were killed. And Lowell is a trainee. I was told that they had it handled when she was first brought in, and then after she woke up the situation was not handled. But they'll probably send them back to the guard training academy, which right now we can't afford to do considering the state of the village and possibly the nation currently." Diana interjects.
Hash grabs a snack out of his pockets. "I don't need anymore training besides my techniques."
"Hm. And what brings you here, Sean?" She's still holding the book she was reading in her lap.
"Well... I'm no guard, but I do know a thing or two about awareness and combat. Some would call me a jack of all trades, but I have a long way before that." He turns to Hash. "Considering what happened earlier, its quite clear that you guards still have a long way to go." He turns back to Diana, before speaking again. "Oh, I'm here to check on the girl. I was headed to the library but I wanted to make sure she was ok."
"She still hasn't waken up, if that's what you mean. Externally, she's fine, aside from...whatever those markings are from. Internally, nothing is wrong. Now it's just determining when she wakes up. I was hoping to be able to not have an external...disturbances, like last time while I assist her. Too many people could overwhelm her, and last time it was clear that she is scared of loud noises." Diana speaks, glancing at Hash.
"Yum!" Hash yells out as he turns to Sean, before cheerfully asking "If you're so mighty, why not join?"
Diana glares at Hash after he yells 'Yum'. "If I have to tell you not to yell where there's a patient, I will kill you, and you know I can, Hash. Quiet down."
"I see. I hope she stays okay. Her illness is a strange one indeed." He turns to Hash before speaking again. "I am a hired mercenary. I assist on other things besides combat. Plus, you dont need to be a guard to have awareness or eyes. If you need an extra doctor on hand. You can call me, and if you need any loud noises to be silenced... I'm your guy."
Hash whispers, "I don't believe I yelled, Diana. Hey Sean, you got any good stories to tell?"
"I'm not arguing in front of a patient. If you don't have business here, please leave." Diana states coldly to Hash.
In a quiet and cheerful tone, Hash begins to skip out the house while saying "Sorry for bugging you Ms. Shilouf. Tell your cousin hi from me."
She sighs before turning back to Sean. "Thanks, Sean. I don't know when Elysia will be up, but she can probably help out a lot more considering what she is. Was there anything else you needed from me?"
"Oh, nothing else. I will be on my way now." Sean nods and turns around to leave the house and walk to the library.
A few moments after Sean leaves, Diana takes a seat back to the chair next to the unconscious woman, and continues reading while monitoring her condition. A few minutes pass, and Diana begins to read the book out loud. While she is reading, the woman stirs and sits up, and listens in, like a child intent on reading a bedtime story. "Like embers on an ashen night, they too will burn away and be forgotten. The nine-tailed beast that was once...damn it, the rest of it is gone!" She sighs. "Damn it, Ashley told me she kept this safe!" She looks up from the book and sees the young woman sitting there staring at her and she shifts in her chair, surprised. "Oh! You're awake!"