Fall From Grace [Epic Quest - Garret]

Takahashi Sato sat behind the desk, the stacks of paperwork never ending for the Spymaster from Kou. He had to read reports from around the Empire to keep updated on events in Reim and then he had to go over reports coming in from Kou about the troops entering from both the port town and via the magic transfer circles. It seemed security was increasing massively with rumors of an impending visit from the Emperor of Kou himself. To complicate matters further, Iatsu had utterly disappear months ago and Sato frowned at the idea of the man being a wild-card. After their last… disagreement, Sato was not entirely sure how to handle the situation. He had spent years grooming the boy to take over Kou and Iatsu had thrown it back in his face and refused, instead claiming he wanted to follow the intentions of the Niraj boy. Signing his name to another document, he put those thoughts to the back of his head, he had more pressing matters to catch up on right now, as there was nothing he could do until someone located the missing Iatsu.

Garret approached the Villa upon horseback. Besides him was Yua, riding on back of her own horse. The magician was planning on hiring her directly into operations, claiming her as a security consultant. He knew it would not give her as full access to their operations as, say, a Kou Operative being transferred over, but it was the most likely position he could convince Aulus Ovidius to hire her on as. As the two approached the outer wall, the guards tightened up their watch.

"Hey, chief, it looks like they have archers now." Yua whispered over to him, pointing out the archers on the tops of the walls. He recalled that he hadn't any archers on the last attack, and had requested some be trained and sent. It looked like they had covered those deficiencies while he was gone. He fought down a chuckle, recalling that Yua had slipped by the defenses in the past when there were no archers. Now, it would be much more difficult to get away without worrying about return fire.

After stifling his smile, Garret simply grunted in response. When the two had approached the door, the magician showed the exterior of his signet ring. He kept the interior from sight by wearing the ring, as the item was now the household object of Azix's Djinn. "I have returned from a long journey. Open the gates." They looked at him, pausing at first, before verifying his identity by asking for an old pass-code that had been in use from before he had disappeared. Garret provided it, and the two entered the villa's inner sanctum. He took a look around and noted that not many changes took place in his time away. He lead the way to the horse stalls within the Villa, tying their horses up and leaving the rest behind for the stable-hand and stable master to take care of.

His first stop would be to visit Acius Maximus, no doubt hard at work at his desk, processing paperwork. As he walked through the hallway of the main building, Yua followed closely behind him. She did her best to not look particularly noteworthy, yet those who passed by watched as the two walked by nonetheless. One such passerby, the Head of Communications, Lucanus Albinus, simply nodded Garret's way. At first the magician didn't think anything of it, but as he approached the door to his old office he began to think it strange that Lucanus had not greeted him more formally after such a long absence. The sense of 'offness' only grew stronger as his hand reached for the handle and opened the door.

Several fears were confirmed with the sight that greeted the Spymaster. Takahashi Sato, diligently sitting behind the desk of the head of office for Reim, working on paperwork. Garret was frozen in place, his thoughts scrambling to make sense of the situation.

Sato looked up as the door was opened, his shock as Iatsu entered did not show in his expression in the slightest. At spotting the woman with him, he promptly closed all open ledgers on the desk, stacking them neatly. Sato would rise from his seat with only the slightest raise of his brow.

“Iatsu, you have finally returned. Good. We have matters to discuss, however…” Sato gave Yua a pointed look, “I will have to ask that you have your concubine remain outside, if you would. I am sure Frederick can make her comfortable in the library.”

Sato would tilt his head up as the butler seemed to appear out of thin air with a tray of tea. The butler would place the tray on the desk, arranging the cups and kettle perfectly before bowing before Yua, a hand extended to show her out of the room. Sato’s gaze remained on Iatsu, hard as flint and revealing nothing.

At the words of Sato, a swirl of emotions flowed through Garret. He narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth in thinly veiled anger; their fallout, though months ago, was still fresh in Garret's mind. Yua took a step forward, as if to say something, but Garret held his hand up. Bowing to Sato, he acknowledged the request. "Yua. Wait outside." The Kou spymaster's will was not to be crossed in the middle of the base of operations. Underlying his anger was a healthy degree of fear; Garret knew that a majority of the loyalties of those here were directly tied to Sato himself.

Once she had left, Garret bowed to Sato in order to show his respect to the man who held a higher station than he. As he did so, he caught sight of Maximus Cypriatus, the organization's Inquisitor. Another shot of fear ran through him, which he stifled immediately. Maximus was skilled at cold reading. Even that short moment of time may have been enough to give away some sort of inner workings of Garret's situation. If there was anything in particular which the blue magician gained while gone, that helped Garret out in this situation, it was the refocusing on the trainings he had received so long ago. He began to sink into himself, putting up several layers of mental barriers while extinguishing as many of his emotions as possible.

Garret returned to a standing position and, with a voice that held few emotions, he spoke to Sato. "What do you wish to discuss?"

Sato waited for Yua to retreat, almost showing amusement at her disgruntled glared though his face remained a stony mask as his gaze stayed on Iatsu.

“Due to your absence, your position has been revoked and your funds have been appropriated to increasing security. I would like a full report on the reason for your absence as soon as possible, of course. While you were indisposed, a great many things have happened in this country that are cause for concern. Including an influx of Kou troops. The timing seems… suspicious, I am sure you will agree.”

Sato would pause before glancing at the interrogator out of the corner of his eye and then returning his dark eyes to Iatsu.

“There was also an assassination while you were gone, on one of our own. Shang Finu, the Portsmouth director was found with his throat slit about two weeks ago. Do you have any knowledge of this, Iatsu?”

His eyes would remain on Iatsu’s face, checking for even the slightest flinch or twitch that might give a sign of deception.

Up to this point, Garret's worries were simply intuition and imagination. He never truly took a moment to think on what he may actually encounter, having instead taken his time checking the Coliseum to ensure Azix did not fight opponents outside of his league. Now those worries manifested, solidifying while out-performing his expectations. The though had crossed his mind that Sato would take over operations, but he never believed for a moment that he would be demoted. To go even further and confiscate his funds was a blow that Garret wasn't expecting, though he was prepared for it with the latest capturing of Cimeies. While Azix had given a large portion of his gains from the dungeon to Asisiak, Garret had held onto his. The Spymaster ended his speech with an implication that Garret disappeared in order to speak to the emperor and tell him of the plot to overthrow him. The magician maintained a face as dead of emotion as possible, though his thoughts of siding with Azix caused a minor feeling of guilt flow through him. He cleared his throat. "I will be sure to detail everything in my report." That was a lie; there was no way Garret was going to tell Sato what Azix and himself had been up to. He would have to think of something to put into the report in the meantime.

The guilt struck slightly deeper when Sato explained that a man, in charge of the Portsmouth area, had been killed. Garret paused before answering, mentally berating himself for having been away for so long; it was one thing for him to side with Azix, but it was another for a member of the organization to die when Garret had the opportunity to simply check in on the man as he passed the city. "... No, nothing." He kept an impassive face up, though the simple act of that alone was suspicious.

Sato was not impressed with the responses he received. The mask he had trained into Iatsu spoke as much as any facial expression would have. The fact that he felt the need for a mask told Sato that Iatsu had something to hide. He gave no indication of his suspicion, though and simply waved at the door.

“Very well. I expect your report no later than tomorrow. In the meantime, you are to be confined to the compound. You may, of course, keep your whore with you, once your report is complete. Marinus will be ensuring you do not cause further disturbances. Now go, I have business to attend to.”

With a dismissive look, he moved back to his desk, sharing a look with Maximus in the process. Having Marinus stay near Iatsu would make sure he always knew where both of the men were. Sato then sat and reopened the reports he had been working on, seemingly ignoring everyone in the room, expecting the men to follow his direction to leave.

Garret grit his teeth, fighting against the anger boiling from the center of his gut. Making no verbal acknowledgement of what Sato had said, Garret simply bowed to the man before exiting the room. His emotions, still roiling within his gut, were barely held in check when he closed the door. He looked towards Yua, who was leaning against the opposite wall waiting for him, and felt a sense of guilt. As she stood there, looking concerned, Garret thought on how he did not defend her character when Sato continually derided her. Pushing the thoughts to the side, Garret nodded to Yua. "Come."

Yua opened her mouth to speak, but Garret held his hand up, stopping her from speaking. The two walked, and as they did so Garret passed by other members of the operations. They were decidedly distant from the ex-spymaster, though the magician now knew why. Sato seemed to have suspected him of some manner of foul play. Combined with his disappearance, most people would wonder and, perhaps, also fear for their life. The fact that Marinus Nerva was to be watching his movements was proof of this fear. As both Yua and himself made their way towards the exit of the staff building, Garret ran into Lieutenant Acius.

The man stood in Garrets way. He bowed to the magician, and Garret returned the bow. There was a look of worry and concern on the veteran's face as he approached Garret. He held out his hand to Garret for an arm grasp, and Garret was partially relieved. Though much stiffer than he normally was, at the very least Acius was receptive of the man. Acius leaned forward and whispered to Garret. "Tell me, are you a friend?" The magician's heart stopped beating for a brief moment. What's going on? Even Acius is worried... Garret nodded, affirming it and saying just one word. "Yes."

Acius broke off the arm grasp with Garret, a look of relief briefly flickering across his face before turning to a more neutral emotion. "I'm sorry, but I won't be of much help for you..." With those words whispered, Acius walked a few more steps, narrowing his eyes towards Yua. In a similar manner, Acius leaned towards her and whispered to her. "I don't know who you are, but it looks like he trusts you. I hope you can be his pillar of support."

The solemn concern that Yua had held up to this point seemed to soften somewhat as she looked between her boss and Acius who was walking away, further down the hallway. She hurried to catch up to Garret. The magician opened the door, walking out beneath the clear sky. Normally, he would have gone to his quarters beneath the complex itself, yet Yua did not have the level of clearance necessary to go there. Instead, they made their way to the visitor's quarters. The colors of Autumn filled the courtyard, and Garret noted that the trainers Fusau and Akiho were hard at work, doing their individual trainings and using each other as partners during some of it. Fascinated, Yua stared at the two as Garret led her to the quarters.

Once they entered, he checked in with one of the butlers, who set the two up with a sizable room. There, in a double bed room, Garret began writing a false report. Within it, of course, he had some truths. ... and due to this report from Chuge Don, I took it upon myself to search for dungeons across the land... He continued to write about his 'travels', which areas and regions of the wilderness he had looked through while on his self-imposed mission. After writing a decent amount, Garret finished his report. Unfortunately, those efforts were fruitless and I have come back empty-handed. Once Garret finished the report he pushed the papers away and leaned back in his chair, sighing.

"So, who was the jerk, General? And the cool guy?" Yua broke the silence, seeing that Garret was finished. She recalled the words spoken by the man who was sitting in the desk, and was still flustered about them. It had seemed that her words broke some sort of inner thought process, as Garret flinched at her words.

Clearing his throat, he looked around the room. "The man we met in the meeting room, who was sitting behind the desk... His name is Takahashi Sato. He's... My boss." Garret glanced over to Yua, who frowned at the words but shrugged. "As for the man who we met while walking out of the building... The name I know him best by is Acius. He used to be my subordinate... And a good man. Since I've been gone, I'm unsure of what changes have taken place." He left it at that, knowing that they could very well be under close surveillance, and he did not want to give off information that would blow the cover on his situation.

The two spent the rest of the day talking about what would be expected from Yua, and if any job details would include. Most of it was bodyguard work, considering Sato now held his old position and Garret was being demoted... Though he did not yet know how, exactly.

The two slept in their separate beds, and when the next day came Garret turned his report in, instructing Yua to stay inside the villa unless something dire occurred. He left the visitor's building and made his way to Sato, knocking on the door and announcing himself before entering and submitting the report.

When Iatsu handed off his report, Sato skimmed it with an arched brow. ‘Took it upon himself to look for dungeons?’ After their last clashing of hopes for the future and Iatsu revealing he intended to support the Niraj boy, Sato highly doubted Iatsu had searched for dungeons for himself. So, he intended to make Azix Niraj a metal vessel holder? According to his report, he had failed, but Sato’s trust in the blue magician had already been destroyed. He looked up, his face blank.

“So you abandoned your duties, without word to anyone, to chase down a fanciful dream of a dungeon… and you failed? You find it acceptable to go searching in another country… Leaving your duties unattended at a crucial time. Had you applied for leave, I could understand, but I did not raise you to be so irresponsible as to vanish for months at a time from your duties on some self-imposed mission. I do not doubt the truth of your alleged location, Iatsu, but I do doubt your purpose and supposed lack of success. You are not one that would ever return defeated. No, you are trying to keep something from me and, rest assured, I will find out what that is. In the meantime, Marinus will be your constant shadow. You have made it abundantly clear you are not to be trusted.”

Sato drummed his fingers on the report, his face still a mask of stern neutrality.

“You have put me in an awkward position, Iatsu. On the one hand, you are a valuable member of the intelligence team. On the other hand, what good is an intelligence member that I cannot trust? Do I have you fired for your negligence? Do I just try to forget this ever happened and put you back on active status at a much lower rank than before? Or do I have you killed under suspicion of being a traitor to the throne?”

Sato’s eyes bore into Iatsu, letting the man know, without a doubt, he was equally considering all three options before waving his hand to the door.

“Consider yourself on suspension, without pay, while I decide what to do with you. If you choose to leave the compound, expect Marinus nearby. If your… companion… leaves the compound to try and play messenger for you or if she is found in a restricted area in the villa, she will be killed on suspicion of treason. I would suggest keeping her close, if you value her life and your own. Dismissed.”

Sato looked back down to the report Iatsu had given, reading it over again to see if there was anything of actual value he could glean from the papers. It was impossible to check the truth of the statement about Chuge Don, the councilor had been killed by Roark El Nagi. There was no way to verify his alleged failure of finding a dungeon. The only actual intel he had to go off of was Iatsu’s own team, which had been thoroughly questioned during his absence and had given nothing. No, for now, the only option was to watch and wait.

Garret, in part, feared the response from Sato. The organization was his home. Its members, his family. Or so he had thought. The day's worth of time that he had been given to reflect had sown a seed of anger. It was an undercurrent that threatened to make its way to the surface as Sato continued to speak. This... This was my operation's base. You have no right to judge my actions... He realized, on a logical level, that Sato had every right as his superior to do such a thing. Yet he refused to acknowledge that on an emotional level. A smug satisfaction rolled through him as Sato explained how he did not think Garret was one to come back with failure. You're right... More right than you suspect. Though his face was blank, Garret continued his inner struggle to maintain composure as Sato spoke of how Garret was not to be trusted. No... No, you broke my trust first! YOU'RE the reason everything is how it is right now! The thoughts of accusation continued to course through the magician, but his discipline held him in check.

As Sato continued speaking, Garret's anger grew deeper. The continued verbal lashings that Sato provided caused Garret to clench his teeth, though he kept the rest of the muscles on his face slackened. It was the abrupt dismissal that broke the dam. The magician had so much he wanted to say to Sato. Thoughts on how Sato was a traitor. That he didn't care if he was fired. How the operations on a whole was just one big farce. His threat to kill Yua reminded him of the words he had spoken the prior day, insulting his subordinate. Instead, a strange urge for violence overtook the magician. "FUCK YOUR SHIT! YOU'RE NOT EVEN LOYAL TO KOU!" With River Styx Style: Buoyant Strength Garret pulled the door out of its hinges and threw it at Sato, who was sitting behind Garret's desk. Immediately after throwing the door, he understood just what kind of a mistake he had made. Embarrassed that he chose the wrong thing to do, Garret left behind a Flash bomb in hopes that it would blind Sato and keep him from being able to follow or call for others immediately thereafter.

Garret began running, making his way through the hallways. There were some messengers in the building, some of which ran into him, but most of which he ignored; none of them were trained in combat. Garret ran through the door. Shit. Shit. Shit. Possibly the poorest decision he had ever made, Garret could only hope that he could reach Yua before the situation became a problem. No doubt those on guard felt it suspicious that Garret was running through the courtyard. By the time he made it into the visitor's building, he was panting. He gathered his composure and entered, making way to his and Yua's room. The two guards at the front of the door looked at him with confusion, noting his heavy breathing. He smiled, and nodded to both. "It's been a while since I've had a run around the Villa's walls. I hope the two of you find yourselves enjoying your day. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be taking Yua on a walk with me." Garret was well known for his cardio exercises he performed in the mornings, and the tension between the guards seemed to relax.

When he entered their room, he closed the door behind him and threw his gear on, placing a cloak over the rest of it. He "Yua, come with me on a walk. The sun is a bit bright out today, so you should put on your cloak. I wouldn't want your beautiful skin becoming blemished." Yua blushed for just a moment; Garret was playing off of the misconception that Sato seemed to have, speaking loud enough to be heard by the guards on the other side of the door. While he spoke, he made basic gestures, such as a finger to his lips, a thumb across his throat, and a pointing finger to their remaining equipment. The blush disappeared as she realized that Garret was obfuscating their true intentions. He had given her a basic warning to not talk, that there was danger, and that they needed to get their equipment and leave. The two left the room, and the guard followed after. Garret mentally sighed, tapping Yua's wrist and pointing towards the guards, using their two bodies to keep the gesture out of sight. "Remember our stay in the Imuchakk lands, when I told you not to insult the Imuchakk?" Garret planted a fist in his palm, looking at her and nodding.

She looked at him in confusion, at first, but understanding slowly dawned. Using her Magoi Manipulation, Yua sped her actions up and hit both guards in the head with a solid punch a piece, knocking them out in an efficient manner. Garret let go a breath of relief, as her quick action was able to keep them from raising the alarm. Even so, they had more troubles to get through. Garret and Yua walked towards the stables quickly. They both mounted their horses and began to ride off. Yua turned her horse towards the entrance, but Garret grabbed the reins. "No, this way, follow me." He led her towards a wall that was clear of most buildings, and a look of confusion covered Yua's face. When Garret had reached a far enough distance from the stables that he wouldn't be caught up in his spell, he cast Sink Hole. It would be an effective means of stalling enemy followers. Particularly Marinus Nerva. Garret shuddered at the thought.  Shortly thereafter, the two made it within 50 meters of the wall. He cast Ice Explosion, the resulting effects letting everyone in the compound be made aware that something wrong was happening.

The explosion caused a huge tear in the wall, clearing the way for the two once they traversed the debris. "IF THEY DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW SOMETHING WAS WRONG, THEY DO NOW! LETS GO!" The two motivated their horses into a high speed, wanting to put distance between themselves and the walls. Some of the archers were already firing at the two, and Garret instructed Yua to fan out slightly and zig-zag to avoid the missiles. The roads were going to be tough. They would have to avoid communication lines. Garret silently cursed himself for not also dealing a blow to the pigeon house, but any additional time spent in the villa was too large of a risk for him to take.

The two were silent for most of the ride, Garret thinking on what he had just done, and Yua respecting his introspection. They had slowed down, now that the villa was no longer in sight, and moving at an easy pace. After a few hours passed, Garret started laughing uncontrollably. Tears were streaming down his eyes, and Yua looked at him curiously. Noticing her gaze, he turned to her while wiping the tears from his eyes, trying to calm his laughter down. "Yua.. I've been working so hard for all this time. And then I just... All that just went down the drain, just like that. In just a single moment... Haahahaha!" Garret continued to laugh, as if it were the funniest notion that had ever crossed his mind. "You know... I actually feel incredibly light right now. As if I were free to do what I pleased." He chuckled again, although a hint of sadness escaped his voice.

"Chief, I'm sure you'll find something else you enjoy doing..." Yua bit her lip, a sense of dread creeping upon her. Should Garret no longer need her work, she would probably be thrown to the side once more. She recalled when he had praised her, and told her he needed her at his side. Yua felt a flush of heat brush against her cheeks. Realizing she was blushing, she quickly looked away and tried to think of something else.

Garret let out a sigh. "Yes, we'll see what I end up doing... But in the meantime, I'll need to tell you a little bit about what we're going to be up against. I can't have a teammate watch my back if they don't know what to look out for..." Garret began telling Yua, during their trip, about the Kou operation forces. Their general numbers. Their overall strength. Who to look out for, and locations of safe houses. Travel was going to be rough, he knew, but they would make it through. Their goal; Remano.


OOC:
Magoi/Stamina: 210/300

Abilities Used:

Sato sat and blinked in shock at Iatsu’s outburst. He had never expected the boy to be so… emotional, not over a simple reprimand. When the door came flying across the room, Sato’s eyes widened and he barely had time to move out of the way before it crashed into the desk, splintered wood flying everywhere. He raised his arm to shield his face from the shards, just in time to also block out the blinding flash from the bomb. Had he not been in so much shock from the actions of his subordinate he might have called out sooner. When he finally comprehended what Iatsu had shouted and realized someone nearby may have heard, he stormed into action.

He immediately called for Maximus, demanding Marinus’ presence immediately. Maximus wasted no time in retrieving the Troubleshooter, who simply arched a brow at Sato.

“You will find him and you will bring him back. If he will not come willingly, kill him. Either way, I want his head in my office and I want it now!”

Marinus gave a small bow before immediately moving out to follow orders. It seemed off that Sato had this overwhelming suspicion of Iatsu, but it worked in his own favor so he did not question it. By now, reports were filing in about Iatsu blowing a hole in the wall of the compound to escape. Marinus too his sweet time saddling a horse and chasing after the operative. He was in no hurry and the more destruction Iatsu caused, the better for Marinus. He made it seem like he was following the trail left by Iatsu’s horses until he was out of sight of the compound before making a detour. He may as well continue his other work as he ‘searched’ for the operative. If all else failed, he could simply blame the deaths on Iatsu before killing Sato.

The day had given way to night, and Garret felt exhausted. He had no doubts that Yua felt the same way, though by the manner she was acting he wouldn't have truly been able to tell. They had been taking side roads and detours to their destination, working on throwing off any pursuant. At this time, they found themselves in a forest. "Yua, we're going to make camp once we find an appropriate clearing." They did not have a lot of traveling equipment with them, sadly. Nor did they have much food to speak of. Yet, with the help of Garret's spell Fill, they did not have any need to worry about water.

The both of them shortly found a decent clearing, and Garret told Yua to gather some small twigs and the like so they may create a small campfire. As she did so Garret made a clearing beneath the one of the trees. Hmm. It's unfortunate it is fall. There will only be a minimal breaking up of any smoke from the fire, due to there being less overhead coverage... Shrugging, he cleared the area around the tree and dug a small, shallow pit to keep the fire separated from the surroundings while simultaneously digging a small 'ravine' that would flow beneath the starter wood to give the fire an appropriate air flow.

When Yua came back, Garret motioned her over to his side to set down the wood. He picked up some of the small wood she had brought over, and began snapping it in half. He threw a decent portion to the side and away from him as he did so. "You must not camp often, huh?" She winced, and Garret realized that his words hit the mark. Smiling, he chuckled. "Come on, sit, sit." Patting the ground next to him, he held out a stick to her. "Listen, when you're on the run and you're resting, you want to make fires without smoke, right? So you want to gather the driest wood you can find. Wet firewood will make more smoke. But that's not the only thing. Take this, and break it."

Yua looked towards Garret, embarrassed, but took a spot beside him as he explained that they needed dry wood. She recalled that most of what she had gathered was dry, but some of it had been a little wet. She figured once the fire was started, they could use even the slightly wet stuff, not having even known that it would cause a lot of smoke. She bent the wood, which was fairly supple, but eventually broke under her focus. Looking back up to Garret, she saw a hint of a smile. On the face of a normally stern man, it was fairly surprising.

"You felt some resistance there, correct? That is another thing you must look out for. Still-living plants, anything green, these things will also create a lot of smoke when burned. So you want to aim for dry and dead wood. Hardwoods are generally the best, as well, as pines cause a terribly large amount of smoke." He stood up, offering his hand up to Yua. "This time, let's look around and gather some together, okay?"

Nodding, Yua took Garret's hand and helped herself up, dusting off the dirt that was now on her clothing. The two began searching in the woods, and Yua broached a subject nervously. "So, uh, chief. Originally you were going to hire me as a member of security for the Villa... Are you still going to... You know, need me to help with anything?" She had a difficult time broaching the subject, but was unsure as to what she would be doing for the man from then on. Her purpose had simply disappeared.

Garret frowned, looking back over to her. "What? Are you no longer interested in working for me?" He was concerned. Perhaps she did not want to do work outside that of the expected 'security' work. It was true that with how things currently were he was unsure on what kind of money he would be able to pay her.

Yua shook her head profusely and waved her hands. "No, no that's not it! I... I still want to work for you, but..." Her words caught in her throat as Garret rested a hand on her shoulder. The magician now understood; she thought he was going to be fired because he had no need for her in the Villa, due to it being beyond his control.

"If nothing else, I need somebody I can trust to watch my back during my travels. You know this, Yua. I'll have you along for as long as you're willing to work for me." He gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before they began collecting firewood.

The rest of the evening passed along uneventfully, and they had set up a small fire, building it into a larger one slowly in order to keep the smoke from being smothered and gathering to large degrees. Yua would take first watch, and Garret would sleep, his head rested on a log they had brought near the fire.

OOC:

Abilities Used:

Sato was not in a pleasant mood, though no one would be able to tell by looking at him. He still had an emotionless mask on his face as he scribbled out a note. It was simple, detailing only the target and his possible path. The outpost he was sending it to would know where to direct the message. He had no hope of them actually killing Iatsu, but perhaps they could slow him down or make his trail easier for Marinus to follow.

He continued to scribble on the parchment, this message, like the last, coded. This one would give vague details of Kou troop movements that would hopefully find its way to the head of the rebellion. At the bottom of the notes, he wrote an uncoded message discussing the demotion and suspension of Iatsu so that it would appear to be a standard communication. He sealed the note before writing out several more, all a repeat of the bottom of the first, ensuring all of the relevant outposts would be made aware of Iatsu’s suspension. By burying the important communication in a stack of mundane, the chances of discovery were much lower. Calling in a servant, he handed off the stack of messages to be sent by pigeon to the outposts.

It was now in Marinus’ hands to retrieve Iatsu, unless the Brotherhood of Ash got to the operative first.

---

Marinus carefully stepped over a body, snagging the note from the fingers of the deceased operative. It was becoming more than a suspicion that Sato was not loyal and if there was one thing Marinus was good at, it was killing traitors. Scanning the message, it was not hard to decipher the code and Marinus arched a brow at the first part. Sato was calling out a hit on Iatsu? That was even more unusual than Sato demoting the operative. It was widely known that Sato had personally trained Iatsu to take his place as Spymaster, so the sudden call for Iatsu’s death was another indicator that Sato was not loyal. When he saw the second part of the note, it was all the confirmation he needed. Troop movements, being reported to an unknown location.

He sighed, crumpling the paper and using it to start a fire that would begin to lick the oil from the lamps as he walked out of the building. He had no way of knowing how long the outpost had the notes in possession or if they had a chance to pass on the information. This would mean confronting Sato directly. His suspicions seemed more than valid, so he felt no remorse for killing the operatives at the outpost. If one was loyal to Sato, they were not loyal to the throne. Iatsu would have to wait, in the meantime, he still made an excellent person to blame for the deaths.

Marinus went to the outpost stables, freeing all of the horses but one, choosing to saddle this one and let his former mount wander free. The horses would begin to head for one of the other outposts soon enough, once the fire spread. Climbing atop his fresh mount, Marinus clicked his tongue and nudged the horse back towards headquarters, staying off of the main roads. He had no desire to announce himself early.

Garret awoke with a start, feeling something flop onto his chest. He looked down and saw an arm. Following the sight of the arm, Garret looked to his left and saw Yua curled up beside him, sleeping. Damnit, you need to keep an eye out on things... It was the first thought that came to mind, though the absurdity of the situation nearly caused him to laugh. He lifted her arm off his chest and took a look at the fire, noting that it had died out. A gentle breeze flowed through the clearing, and Garret shivered.

... Ah. I should have been awake a few hours ago. Did she... Let me sleep in longer? And then fell asleep while trying to stay up? Shaking his head, he moved over to her sleeping form and took off his cloak, resting it over her figure. Adding more wood to the fire, Garret stoked it up in order to bring some heat back to their camp.

The hours passed by and Yua eventually awoke, with a start of her own, and saw that the flames of the fire and Garret's cloak were keeping her warm. She cursed herself under her breath for falling asleep on her lookout, and immediately scanned the area for Garret or any potential threat. When she noted that neither were present, she tightly brought the cloak close to her chest, a portion of her content to simply lay there and let the hours draw on. A mixture of fear for embarrassing herself if Garret showed up, and of being unprepared if somebody else showed up, gave her the motivation to get up shortly thereafter. She brushed herself off, and put out the fire with the surrounding dirt.

When Garret returned, she bowed to him shortly, rubbing the back of her head with a hand and holding his cloak out with the other. "Heheh... Looks like I kind of messed up, Captain." While happy that he had given her his cloak to stay warm, she was still embarrassed that she had fallen asleep on watch. She kept her head down, not wanting Garret to see the embarrassment on her face. The cloak was taken from her hands and she felt a warm hand rest on top of her head. The expected reprimand never came, and her hair was instead ruffled. "..." She looked up to see the same partial smile that she had seen the other day.

"Relax. You've acknowledged your mistake. Don't do it again. Just wake me up when it's time to change shifts or if you're tired." Leaving it at that, the two hid the traces of their camp and began to make their way towards Remano.

---

The days passed, and Garret was surprised that nobody had yet to appear to stop him. He looked up to the sky and noted how the clouds overhead were dark, and the air damp. "It's going to rain today." It was a simple statement that was not meant to invite conversation, which Yua picked up upon. They were closing in on Remano, and Garret was intending to get inside the city sooner rather than later.

They began to make small talk and, before long, the dripping of rain made its appearance. Guiding his horse over to Yua's, the two were close together. He brought out Marux, his umbrella, and unfolded it. "Lets try to stay dry, eh? It's pretty late in the year, and we're likely to get a cold if we stay out too long... Like the sniffles you had, that time we stole from the Coliseum." Garret laughed, and Yua looked away in embarrassment.

Her heart was pounding. She had rarely been so close to Garret, and she watched him as he continued speaking. Not hearing what was said, she simply listened to his voice and recalled the time she was out sick from her work. He had brought her dinner in bed... Sighing, Yua looking forward and smiled. She felt that things were looking good, as far as she was concerned. She had a place she felt that she could belong. I wish.. I were bold enough to rest my head on his shoulder... Oh gods, what am I thinking?! She refocused on the road, trying to clear her mind of those thoughts. Occasionally she glanced over to Garret, though it was just for some time. She stopped her horse, looking down to the ground, fighting an inner battle; had she fallen for her employer? How would she deal with it? He... He probably wouldn't approve...

Garret quickly slowed his horse down to a halt as he realized that Yua stopped moving alongside him. Looking back at her, now in the rain, Garret furrowed his brow. "What's goi-" Before he could say anything further the ground from beneath him burst open and a man wearing black cloth struck a spear through Garret's horse and causing the Magician's Borg to flare up and shatter.

Partially shocked, but not a stranger to combat, Garret jumped from the back of his horse while folding up his umbrella and placing it into its holster on his back. Pulling Desceld from his hip, the Magician lunged forward to strike the would-be assassin in the chest with his blade. Yua jumped from her horse as well, running towards Garret as the Brotherhood of Ash assassin pulled a blade of his own out to intercept.

Before she could reach him, though, several more brotherhood warriors stood up from a buried position underground; it looked as if they had prepared themselves for this ahead of time, and were ready for combat. Gritting her teeth, Yua had no other choice than to leave Garret to his own devices while she took on some of the other members of the group. She slid her hands into the steel claw gloves that were her standard weapon and began to work her way through the dregs that were keeping her from Garret's side.

Yet try as she might, they were persistent. They worked well in a team and though there were levels beneath her in individual skill fighting multiple people was quite difficult. Slowly but surely she made progress, catching glimpses of Garret fighting against the assassin that had struck at him from before. I... I'm not a killer... But I can't stand aside and watch them kill him! She blew through a man, thinning out another of the minions. There were only three left, and she could clearly see Garret now. The man had pulled out his wand, preparing himself for... Something. Smiling to herself, she knew it would only be a matter of time before this ambush was over, and the both of them were in town and safe. Yua turned to the opponent on her left, striking her claw into his heart while lifting her other claw up to deflect an attack aimed at her head. She quickly spun and took out the third man, leaving only the second alive and blocking her from her path. It was just then that she caught a glimpse from her eye; the assassin that Garret was attacking had just destroyed Garret's wand. It seemed as if Garret had taken that opportunity to drive a blade into the man, taking his life. Yua screamed, cutting the throat of the last Brotherhood of Ash member who was blocking her way. Magoi pumped through her legs, and she rushed towards Garret as the Blue Magician's opponent fell to the ground, a corpse.

Time seemed to stop. Garret's face looked up towards hers. When their eyes met, Garret's brow furrowed in confusion before widening in surprise and shock...

---

The Brotherhood of Ash assassin had pulled a blade from a sheathe just in time to struggle against Garret's martial prowess. The man was obviously no stranger to combat; that much Garret understood as soon as he had crossed blades with the assassin. Grunting, the Magician looked towards Yua who had screamed out. It seemed she was surrounded by several underlings, but was holding her own fairly well. Focusing back on his fight, Garret began running through a variety of combat attacks, attacking from the left, feinting, stabbing, and bringing his blade down.

His opponent was skilled. Garret had fought similarly skilled opponents in some of his matches during the Coliseum, though not under these conditions. I suppose I have no other choice but to involve my magic in this, as well. Pulling out Kuroi Shimo, the magician made way to cast a spell. Yet the Assassin managed to use that brief moment of inattention to bring his blade across from Garret's right to left. It looked to the magician like the man was going to cut his face off, and so he leaned back in order to avoid.

His hand felt a strange resistance before a release, and Garret looked over to see that his wand had been cut clear in half. Garret had no time to be shocked, and he lunged forward with his blade now that the Assassin had made such a wide attack and was open to the strike. His blade sunk through the man's body and up into his heart. Garret was satisfied as the man fell to the ground, dead.

He looked up in time to see Yua finish dispatching the last opponent that she was up against. Hah. I may have been able to handle them all by myself, but it's nice to not have to exert that kind of effort... Why does she seem to be in such a hu- His thoughts were cut short as he felt something strange. His mind dully heard Yua's cry of anguish, and Garret looked down to his stomach. Protruding from his gut was a well-placed blade. He dropped his own, his hand moving towards it in disbelief and his face slackening. His mouth made an 'o' shape, realizing what had gotten Yua so worked up.

---

Yua watched as Garret fell to the puddle-infested ground, face first. The splash was almost comical, yet the feelings Yua held at that moment were far from amusement. Anger, hatred, desire for revenge, regret, sadness and longing. Her speed boost from the Magoi Manipulation allowed her to cover the rest of the distance in the blink of an eye, and she ripped the last assassin apart.

With all targets of her anger no longer among the living, the feelings that had kept her adrenaline pumping died down. She rushed over to Garret's body, pulling the blade out and grabbing him in her arms. It was difficult to tell, due to the rain, but tears were running down her face. Garret was bleeding. He weakly brought his arm up, resting his hand on Yua's shoulder. "L..isten. Yua. The tre..asure. That was stash..ed. Take it. Lea...ve... This line of work. It'..ll on..ly get you ki..lled. In the en..d... I fa...iled. As you..r.... Emp...loyer." He wanted to squeeze her shoulder. To impart on her his final wish. Yet there was no strength left for him to squeeze her shoulder with. Not much more than an ethereal touch to impart. Garret closed his eyes, preparing himself for the deep sleep of death.

Yua cried out, pulling Garret closer to her. "No! You can't die! I... I think I love you!" Her emotions were roilling. Confusion, desperation and desire all bundled together. Garret's eyes fluttered back open, an ironic smile trying to grace his face but failing to do so. His hand moved from her shoulder with great effort, caressing her cheek and brushing a tear away. The hand moved its way to the top of her head; almost as if it were resting there.

"C..los..er." He did not have the strength to fight against her resistance, but once she stopped resisting his hand guided her forehead to his lips. His arm went limp, the exertion being the last of his efforts. She raised her head away from his, her tears still streaming while being washed away by the rain. "I'm s...ure you...ll fi..nd some...one el...se...." He coughed up blood again, not quite able to finish what he had wanted to say. He recalled the words she had spoken to him, the other day, and wanted to give her reassurance as she did for him. Those words echoed in his thoughts as everything went black. Chief, I'm sure you'll find something else you enjoy doing...

---

Yua let out another scream as Garret's body went limp in her arms. Her mind was numb for a moment before she recalled that one of the blue magician's friends could provide first aid. She quickly checked  his breathing, checked his pulse, checked for any signs of life. It was faint... But most certainly there. She tore at his clothes, opening the part where his wound was at. Tearing strips off, she made make-shift bandages to keep him from bleeding out. There was going to be no easy way to get him to where she needed to go. Securing his blade, she threw Garret over her shoulder and began using the speed boost from her Magoi Manipulation to move forward. Scaling the walls of Remano was no easy feat for a normal burglar, but she was Yua; the renown burglar from Balbadd. Even so, the difficulties of carrying another for the ride was immense, and the woman had what seemed to be endless trials to face before she finally reached her destination.

Azix's house.

She knew the location from the time she had followed Garret during his drunken meeting with Ariella. She knocked on the door once with her free hand, but did not bother waiting for an answer she kicked the door in with a great deal of force. "HELP! YOUR FRIEND..! HE'S WOUNDED!" Yua called out in desperation, hoping against all odds that the man could be found there.

Azix sat around the long wooden table that served as a partial border between his kitchen and dining room. Miss Viri, Janus, and Gillus sat around the other sides of the table as they ate breakfast together. Gillus idly spoke about how the various families from Kios were doing and where they had been sent. Azix tried to pay attention to the details, but his thoughts were scattered in a million different directions. While he was concerned about the people of Kios and how they fared, Azix was also concerned with the rebellion, the Opportunity Initiative, and the Education reform. He wondered how the coming invasion from Kou would affect everything and was contemplating ways to avoid serious losses where he could.

Janus, who had been strangely quiet up till that point, turned her icy blue gaze towards Azix. "Have you seen Diego?" Her voice roused Azix from his thoughts and he shook his head with a confused look on his face. Janus sighed and looked at the barely eaten plate of food. "No one has seen him since we evacuated Kios. Leo was the first to notice... he is worried sick. Twice now, we've had to send out people to search for Leo, only to find him wandering the city looking for Diego."

A concerned look settled on Azix's face and he tried to remember the last time he had seen Diego. He remembered seeing Diego when he met up with the group after rescuing Leo's horse, but that was it. "He's been missing that long?" Azix cursed himself under his breath, was he really that busy to not notice that someone he looked after was missing? He felt pulled in a dozen different directions and no matter where he turned, Azix was overlooking a small detail somewhere.

There was a knock on the door and Miss Viri stood up, setting her napkin on the table, before going to answer it. She opened the door and was shocked to see a panicking young woman with a bloody body in her arms. Viri gasped, "Xenos! Come quick!"

Azix sensed the urgency in her tone and came running to see who was at the door. At first glance, he noticed Yua's vaguely familiar face, but didn't recognize her. Who she was didn't matter though when he looked at the person she carried in her arms. Azix's eyes went wide to see a pale-faced, bloody Garret and shot forward. He grabbed Garret from her arms and hurried inside to the table. With an awkward motion, Azix swept most everything off the table before quickly setting Garret down. Unfortunately, he laid Garret down on top of a dull knife that would dig into the man's back when his weight was settled down. Oblivious to this, Azix reached for the God's Necklace under his shirt and used Blessing of the Gods. The room was filled with a bright light that centered over Garret's body, healing his wounds with a soothing warmth.

Azix leaned over Garret and lightly slapped the man's face as Janus and the others watching with concern. "Dammit, Garret! Wake up!" Once again, Azix felt the weight of responsibility come crashing down around himself. Not only had he overlooked Diego, but Azix had overlooked his best friend, his right hand man. Even though deep down Azix knew that Garret had probably gotten into trouble by himself, not wanting to concern Azix with the details, the orange magician felt responsible.

Meanwhile, Miss Viri had found a wet rag and placed it on Garret's forehead to cool the man off. A woman of action, she had also grabbed a sewing needle, some yarn, and other rags to clean the man's wounds. From the bright flash of light that filled the room, it was clear that she wouldn't require those items, Azix had beaten her to it.

[260/300]

Spoiler:

Yua watched in concern as Azix took Garret from her arms. Once more the Blue Magician had brought a flood of water with him as both of them were dripping wet from the rain outside. Yua watched where Azix was taking the magician, and moved ahead to assist the light magician with clearing off the table; her diligence due in part to her concern. She removed a knife that Azix had managed to somehow miss, keeping Garret from being stabbed in the back. She watched as the healing spell settled upon Garret.

The blood that had been lost was rejuvenating as the healing spell coursed through Garret's body. The exterior of the wound that had been sustained began to close up as the skin's healing process began to progress quickly. The muscles were next, made anew from their torn state. The damage dealt to his internal organs patched up before healing completely. In a manner of speaking, the damage that had been dealt his body was reversed.

Yua continued to watch in fascination. When she saw the wound upon Garret's body close up, she placed her head over his chest to listen for a heartbeat. It was dull, just as she had recalled before she brought him in, and seemed to be on the verge of failing. As the magic pumped through the Magician it coursed through his veins until reaching his heart. Supercharging the organ's cardiac muscles, a sudden noise became apparent to Yua. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump. The rhythmic sound made a show of strength as a flush of color returned to Garret's pale body.

The man began coughing as Azix yelled at him to wake up. He groaned. "Am... I dead?" The magician made a move to get up, but felt incredibly weak from the experience. His eyes flickered open and he looked towards Azix and Yua, groaning once more. "How... How did you two also die?"

Marinus was cautious when he re-entered Headquarters. Announcing his arrival would give too much of a chance for evidence to be destroyed. He was good at slipping in and out unnoticed. His first target was the messengers Sato most often used, a quick dart from the shadows dropping them. Next came Lucanus Albinus, the head of communications. If the messengers were suspect, their leader was responsible for them. He did not dally and was not careless, moving the bodies to someplace they were not likely to be discovered quickly. With the lines of communication cut, he went directly to Sato’s office, slipping past guards unnoticed. When he entered Sato’s office, the Spymaster was dragging a quill across papers. Sato looked up with an arched brow at Marinus.

“Is the problem dealt with?”

Marinus shook his head.

“No, I have not yet found him. Though I did find information that was more interesting to me…”

He tossed the scrolled messages on the desk and Sato glanced at them with a shrug.

“General orders being dispersed to outposts. What of it?”

Marinus would unravel the top one, revealing the coded message and his translation under it.

“You have some explaining to do, Spymaster Sato.”

Azix smiled when Garret started coughing and winked at Yua. Miss Viri approached with a cup of water and offered it to the blue magician. When his friend asked if they were dead, Azix's face grew dead serious and slowly nodded. "Yes. We are all dead. Li Cao is in the other room if you want to see him." Azix cracked a grin at the end of his attempt to interject humor in a tense situation.

Once Garret had sometime to catch his breath, Azix would offer a chair so the man could sit down. He looked between Garret and Yua, "Would you guys like anything to eat or drink?" If either accepted his offer, Miss Viri would head to the kitchen to provide their request. Otherwise, she would dismiss herself with Janus and Gillus, not wanting to intrude in the affairs of Azix or his friends.

Once they had left the room, Azix sat down in a chair and shook his head. "So, how did you end up half-dead at my doorstep in your girlfriend's arms?"

Garret groaned as his hand came to his face. Li Cao... But why is Azix so calm... Garret's mind worked at a snail's pace, not seeming to connect the dots of the mans joke until he smiled. He looked over to Yua who was watching him closely and recalled the kiss to her forehead from earlier. Oh. Well, I try to give her something for a farewell and it comes back at me like this... He figured it only made sense, considering how everything else had fallen into place up until this point. When the smile showed on Azix's face he sighed in relief. It seemed he had somehow made it.

Garret sat up, and when the cup of water was offered to him he grabbed it and drank it greedily; his body seemed extremely dehydrated. As Azix asked if they wanted something else to drink Garret shook his head. Though he was dehydrated, with a simple spell he would be able to refill his water as much as he wanted to. Patting his body down, Garret couldn't find his wand for the life of him. Frowning, he looked up to Azix. "Yes, please," he croaked, "I feel like I'm dehydrated. Water. Please." He threw that last request to the woman who seemed to be ready to head off. It was only a moment later when Azix asked him a strange question that caused a memory to resurface; the last memory he had before everything faded to black. His farewell peck on Yua's forehead.

Garret was not an easy man to fluster, yet the circumstances conspired against him and his face was slightly red. A crimson flush that Yua shared with the blue magician. The woman looked away shyly, but Garret attempted a serious facade. He sighed, Azix up to his normal activities. A strange thought managed to wiggle its way into Garret's mind; he was no longer, in any capacity, a member of the Kou intelligence group. He had no official title that required professionalism from him any longer. He cleared his throat, face still red, and looked towards Azix. "You see, we were in the bedroom when she decided to get a little rough, and before I knew it I found myself impaled on a blade... OUCH!" Yua slapped him on the back, her face several shades of deeper red than before, and Garret winced in pain before laughing and scratching the back of his head. It was extremely rare for Garret to make any sort of joke, and a joke like this would likely tip the other person off that something was incredibly wrong.

"The honcho and I were ambushed outside the gates of Remano. The chief had a tough opponent, and he was... And I took out my opponents, but he took out his and there was this other guy... And... And he was stabbed, and... And I took that guy's life." She spoke fast, as well as disjointed. She seemed to be having a difficult time recalling the memory, not due to a poor memory but due to the emotions that were involved in the memory itself.

Garret cleared his voice. "Let me explain, from the beginning." From there Garret explained how he had been greeted by Sato, how things had progressed the next day, and how the Spymaster from Kou had seemed to harbor clear doubts and distrust towards the blue magician. Garret had left out the details of his outburst with Sato, explaining only that the situation had escalated to a point where it was no longer beneficial to retain a relationship with the spy group. "And now... Now I believe he has sent assassins after me. It looks like the Brotherhood of Ash... How about yourself? What have you been involving yourself in? Perhaps I can help, lay low a bit while we figure things out?"

Sato entered the office in his Frederick disguise just as Marinus drove a blade into his double’s throat, making him pause for just a moment before continuing about his ‘butler’ duties and clearing the tea service from the desk, seeming to ignore the dead body bleeding across the wooden surface. When Marinus turned to him, he picked up the tray and arched a brow at the man.

“Can I be of service, sir?”

Marinus simply stared at Frederick for several moments, seeming to try and judge something before speaking.

“You. No one pays attention to the help. Who would you say he was frequently seen with?”

‘Frederick’ froze for a moment before speaking, knowing better than to show hesitation in front of such a dangerous man. So it seemed his indiscretions had been discovered. At least it was the double that was killed. The best lies were masked in truth, so he listed off two or three of his actual supporters, burying the names in a pile of other random operatives. If Marinus had suspicions about the names listed off, he would find that some were easily confirmed as Sato’s supporters, though low ranking. The others were names of people that would prove problematic to his plans. It was as good a way to get rid of his enemies as any.

Marinus listened, committing the names to memory before dismissing Frederick with a nod and a warning not to vanish in case he had more questions. At least one of the names sounded familiar, based on his current investigations. His next target would be Iulius Valentinus, an information analyst. He had no reason to doubt Frederick’s word, but he would look into suspicious activity on the analyst before striking. Cleaning house would be a time-consuming venture. Perhaps he should also check in with the other housekeeping and grounds keeping staff. No one ever paid attention to those that cut the grass and made the bed, assuming they did not have eyes or ears. A foolish mistake that he planned to capitalize on.

---

Adamus had passed the magic shop several times during his stay in Remano, but had never had the time to stop in. Curious as to what type of magical goods were offered in the city compared to Magnostadt, he dipped through the door and began scanning over the shelves and tables. They had many varieties of wands and staffs, “magical” crystal balls that only a decent clairvoyant would ever be able to pull an image from, fortune cards, along with numerous volumes on magical theories. He looked through the titles to see if anything drew his attention, waving off the shopkeeper that asked if he needed any help. Chances were best he knew more than she would, anyhow.

The reactions that played on Garret's face from Azix's question struck the orange magician as unusual. It was odd to see the blue magician embarrassed. Between that, and the fact that Yua was blushing as well? Azix came to the conclusion that the two were dating and arched a brow. He watched their interactions with a confused expression on his face, surprised to hear Garret speak so openly about their intimate affairs.

Half-way into Yua's explanation, Azix finally realized that Garret had been joking. The man who had failed to find Azix's antics with the recruits at the villa humorous, had making a sex joke. The orange magician shook his head and listened to Garret explain what had let both Yua and himself to his doorsteps. When the blue magician had finished his tale, Azix leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against the table, as he tried to process what he had learned. With Sato sending assassins and in charge of Reim operations, they especially had to be careful now. Azix wondered how much information Sato had on him and if his participation with the rebellion had been noticed.  

After a few moments, Azix let out a slow breath and looked at Yua. If Garret trusted the woman enough to show her the villa, then Azix wouldn't question his judgement. "Well, I could use your help, but it would be counterproductive if you want to lay low. It's a long story." Azix shifted in his seat and told Garret about joining the rebellion. With a hushed tone, he explained how he had been assisting Octavius and the remainder of the Fanalis Corp with a few missions. He grimaced when he explained the trap he had laid at the Trusty Steed, still uncomfortable with the grotesque power of plague magic. His tone grew sadder as his story led into the events of Kios with the loss of two Grumptoes and the inevitable evacuation.

"There is actually going to be a meeting in a few hours, if you'd like to come. From what I've heard, Octavius has plans to assault a few commanders." Azix glanced at Garret with a look of concern, "So, how are you holding up? Sato sending assassins after you? That's...crazy." He remembered that Sato had adopted Garret and felt a pang of sympathy for losing a father figure.

Garret slowly flexed his muscles in his body, standing up after having gathered his senses. Looking around the room, the magician let his sights fall back on Azix. Garret did not quite understand Azix's concerns for losing a father figure, as the blue magician already had an emotional strain on his relationship with Sato in the first place. "Everything's fine, I think. But this meeting you mention. An assault on a group of enemies should be therapeutic for this stiffness and soreness I'm feeling. I'm in." It didn't take long for the magician to make his decision. Turning to Yua, he gave her a simple order. "Yua, stick here and help out where you can, okay?"

He gathered his equipment and made his way to the door, intending to wait outside with Azix if he weren't already prepared. Garret hesitated to open the door, turning to Yua just as he reached his hand outward. "Good job getting me here. It must have been tough. I didn't think I would be able to make it." With his praise being said, he left the building and prepared for their trip to the meeting and, unbeknownst to him, to Ostia.

-To Ostia-

---

-Some time later-

Garret was back in town and upset; he had forgotten the loss of his wand, and had been bereft of any spellcraft for the duration of the mission they had been on. It had considerably weakened his effectiveness as a member of Azix's household. And it was a situation he would need to remedy. He knew only one place he could do such a thing; a magic shop in Reim, which he heard held various curiosities for sale including wands, staves and staffs. Some were imported from Magnostadt, others were done from magicians within Reim. Yet Garret had never been to the place himself, truth be told; his equipment was always supplied by Kou.

Garret entered the building and immediately broke off to the left, towards his destination; the magic conduits. Staring at them, he felt the various materials. A portion of worry needled its way to the back of his mind as he questioned the craftsmanship of the various objects on the shelves. These don't really feel... Right. Too different. How can I tell which would be a good purchase..? It was at that point that he was approached by a female shopkeeper, who had asked him if there was anything he could assist with.

Giving her a somewhat blank look as he wondered if she could provide the assistance he was looking for, Garret decided to ask her regardless. "Yes, actually. I'm having a hard time deciding on what to get. Is there a particular one that you would suggest?"

Adamus glanced up as he heard a familiar voice drifting through the shop, arching a brow when he turned and saw Garret standing there. The man and his network had been invaluable to finding Ariella and he still felt he owed the man his daughter’s life. He approached the man as he asked the shopkeeper about the conduits available and Adamus cleared his throat softly. None of the conduits here were of a quality he assumed the man would be looking for. An experienced battle magician would need something a bit better crafted than the basic tools here. He briefly wondered why the man was seeking out a new conduit, perhaps he just felt the need for a change?

“Garret? It seems Fate has deemed it necessary to cross out paths this day. You are looking for a new wand?”

The shopkeeper looked at Adamus with an irritated look before allowing the two men to speak, it would be rude to interrupt two customers.

Garret was surprised to hear a familiar voice and turned to see the Negri Patriarch approach him. Immediately dismissing the shopkeeper from his thoughts, the blue magician looked at the red magician and took quick note of his condition; it was leagues better than what he had last seen. The man was a nervous wreck at the time, but that much was understandable; his daughter was in trouble, and he had turned on her. Garret felt he understood that the man had caved, that it was a moment of weakness; but some may have just seen that as excuses. Ariella certainly had.

But another man's psychological problems were not his own, and the blue magician had never truly dwelled on the morality of the whole matter. He only knew that Ariella was a fellow supporter of Azix, and an ally to be supported herself. Smiling, Garret nodded to Adamus. "Well, I can't help but imagine you're right. Sometimes I find myself meeting people in the strangest circumstances. Just now I was wondering how I would determine the best tool for the job..." The blue magician looked over the current selection, curiosity briefly touching his face before he looked back up to Adamus. "My prior wand broke, unfortunately, to a single strike of a skillful swordsman's blade. Would you have any suggestions for something available?"

Adamus chuckled at the mention of finding people under odd circumstances, unable to deny the ways Fate had to guide one in the best direction. When Garret mentioned his wand breaking, he arched a brow.

“A magician without a conduit is a sad thing.”

He looked at the selection before lower his voice, not wanting to insult the shopkeeper.

“Honestly, what you are seeking cannot be found in this shop. These are fine for basic magicians using magic in more… common ways. You tend to be in more unusual situations.”

He pondered on where to direct the man. Magnostadt would be the best place, but perhaps he would be able to assist the man, since he doubted Garret would be up for a casual jaunt across the ocean. His mind fell to the chest of magical tools he had brought with, a good magician was always prepared, after all.

“I think I can help you out, until find something more suitable, which is not likely in this country. If you need a sword, Reim is the place to go. If you need a magical conduit, Magnostadt has you covered. But, since I am guessing that is out of the question, I may have something to fit your needs until then. Would you like to see what I have available?”

If Garret agreed, Adamus would lead the blue magician back to his room at the inn before waving him towards a large chest in the corner of the room. When he threw the lid back, Garret would find no end of magical conduits, tools and books.