Retrieval [Task-Ayero/Bianca Lenti]

Spoiler:

Shortly after the incident on the western front, Ayero made her way towards the clinic where Bianca Lenti was said to work. She had gotten the location of the building from Octavius after several days of rest, wanting to give her body enough time to heal before this next task but also not wanting to delay it any further. War hung over their heads and could rage into the city at any day. Besides, she didn’t think that escorting this healing mage would prove to be a difficult task. She likely wasn’t that high profile, and Octavius was probably just being cautious about securing his loved ones. The man had suffered a great loss, and Ayero understood the drive to protect family in times like these.

Still, the Fanalis woman was unsure of how to approach the situation. Would she try to coerce this Bianca into coming with her? Would she have to resort to using force? Either way, she was hesitant to tell Bianca her reasons for trying to remove her from what she assumed to be her home. Figuring she’d play it by ear, the Fanalis woman steps into the building marked with medical symbology. She found herself in a lobby, the young woman seated behind a desk in the front greeting her with a smile and waving her over.

”Can I help you, miss?” She asked sweetly, sweeping her gaze subtly over the Fanalis woman, taking note of the fresh scar that ran along the length of the right side of her face an down her neck. The true wound extended down to her hip in one clean slash, but that and the numerous bruises were hidden by the cloak draped around her body. ”Yes, I am here to see a healer. Bianca Lenti, if possible.” Ayero clears her throat and adds her last statement in quickly, hoping that it wasn’t unusual that she requested to see a specific healer. She supposed that those who frequented the clinic preferred to choose who they would be tended by. The receptionist raised a brow slightly and nodded, disappearing behind a curtain into the back. ”Please wait here, miss. I’ll check to see if Bianca is available.” Ayero nodded, satisfied. The young woman probably thought it was at least a bit strange for her to request the novice healer by name, considering she’d never seen Ayero before.


The young woman returns a few minutes later, motioning for Ayero to follow her behind the curtain. ”Bianca is busy with another patient right now, but she should be finished shortly if you’re willing to wait. If not, I’d be happy to set you up with another healer.” Frowning slightly, Ayero shook her head. ”No need. I will wait.” Nodding in affirmation, the young woman led her through another curtain, into one of the side examination rooms. Seating herself on the examination table, Ayero took in a deep breath before letting it out. Her specialty was fighting, not trying to convince people through her words. How on earth was she going to sway this girl into coming with her without revealing that Octavius was the one who had sent her?


Ayero’s head dips at the thought, feeling rather useless in this situation. Her gaze lands on her right hand and she flexes the appendage, focusing on the light scars that danced along her skin. Most were faded and could only be seen if one looked closely, but Ayero remembered how she got them all. She had worked hard to ensure that she would not repeat the same mistake in battle twice, knowing that the repercussions could be severe. It was due to this in part that she was able to hone her skills with a blade as well as her fists. But was this all that she was good for? Her brow furrowed in frustration as she realized that she didn’t want to have fighting as her only strength. She had relied on her own power for so long that she had forgotten that she was once a clumsy novice, fumbling with a blade and tripping over her own feet.


The curtain moves suddenly, a gentle movement from the corner. It was enough to catch Ayero’s eye, her head raising upwards and her mind snapping from its musings. This must be her…


[719/1500]

Bianca smiled as she helped the little girl down from the examination table, glad to see that the child’s tears had dried. The young girl had fallen from a tree while playing and gotten rather bruised up. She’d been very upset when entering the clinic, scared and in pain. It took a lot of patience and gentle words, but Bianca was finally able to calm the child enough to keep her still and heal her bruises. She led the young girl from the room out in to the hall where she bounded into her mother’s arms, giggling in joy.

”Bianca? Ah, there’s someone here who requested you. A young woman. Fanalis, I think. Can you see her?” Patting the wrinkles from her robe, Bianca gave the receptionist a mildly surprised look. It was usually the older more experienced healers who were requested by name, so this was certainly a bit odd to her. ”Of course. What room is she in?” As the receptionist pointed down the hall, Bianca nodded and waved to the small child she had just healed, giving the girl a bright smile.

Pushing back the curtain to the next examination room, Bianca ducked her head gently through the door way and smiled at the young woman seated on the table. Her automatic smile faltered for a moment when the woman looked up sharply, her naturally stern gaze startling the blonde healer somewhat. But the gentle look quickly returned to her face and she stepped closer. Though this woman looked intimidating, Bianca could see that she was not dangerous. Well, that she didn’t intend to be dangerous. She was well aware of the racial strengths afforded to Fanalis, and from the looks of the woman’s build and the visible scars on her body, she must be a fighter. Undeterred, the young mage moved closer to the red headed woman and gave her a smile. ”Hello miss, I’m Bianca. May I ask what is troubling you today?”


[328/1500]

Ayero’s breath involuntarily hitched in her throat in anticipation. When a young blonde woman slipped into the room, she exhaled slowly, examining this Bianca closely. She…certainly wasn’t what she had expected, then again Ayero didn’t know what she had expected. Bianca looked…delicate and fragile, not a day over 16 or 17. It made sense though, magicians were known to have weaker constitutions than non-magical beings. Then again, she’d seen some rather toned mages. Brushing her thoughts aside, Ayero tried to muster up a smile, though it looked a bit awkward and forced.

”Bianca, yes…nice to meet you. I’m Ayero.” She introduces herself, gears turning in her mind as she tried to figure out how to sway this young woman to come with her. Unfastening her cloak, Ayero let the fabric fall from her shoulders, revealing the extent of her wound and bruises. ”It’s mainly this that’s bothering me. The bruises will go away on their own, don’t bother exerting yourself trying to heal them. Please focus on the wound.” Ayero swept a hand along her torso, gesturing to the slice that ran along her flesh. In truth she would much rather have the young woman heal her bruises as well, but she was trying to think ahead. If they left and were intercepted, she didn’t want the girl to be weak from exhaustion. That would only create more trouble.


[948/1500]

Bianca had already begun to size the other woman up, reflexively examining what she could see of her body. The wounds on her face and neck seemed to have been cared for well and would recover on their own, but a touch of life magic was needed to avoid scarring. She took note of the woman’s odd demeanor as she introduced herself, chalking it up to Ayero simply being a bit nervous. Quite a few people were wary of medical personnel, whether it be from bad experiences or stories they’ve heard. She moves to rest her staff against the table, getting a closer look at the woman’s wound. As she sheds her cloak, Bianca’s eyes widen a notch at the bruises littering the woman’s flesh. She could tell almost immediately that these marks didn’t not come from the blunt force of trauma caused by battle. They had been made by another person, and she could tell by the shape and the formation of the dark marks.

A frown unconsciously settled onto her lips as she stared at the woman’s body in disapproval, earning a raised brow from the Fanalis woman. She didn’t want her to heal the bruises? While the blade wound took prescient over them, she was certainly capable of healing both. Nevertheless, the life magician put on a reassuring smile. ”Rest assured, your wounds will be no trouble to heal, Miss Ayero. Please relax.” Picking her staff back up, Bianca sizes up the red headed woman once more with a careful eye before moving in slowly as if to not startle her. She brings the ball of her staff to hover over the wounded flesh of the woman’s hip whispering commands to the rukh as she did so. The life mage cast Gentle Light over Ayero, encasing the woman in a gentle glow as she healed her wound.


[635/1500]

[Stamina: 130/150]

Spoiler:

”I…see…” Were the only words Ayero could muster in response, unable to come up with something to deter the blonde from healing her completely. She chewed at her lower lip, trying to figure out how to approach the situation. She had to say something soon, or else her wounds would be healed and she’d have no excuse to hang around Bianca without looking suspicious. She remains quiet as the healer casts her spell, her silence partially due to awe. Ayero couldn’t understand those who scorned magic. To her, it was something incredible. There were those who used their magical abilities with ill intent, but many of the mages she had met were descent people.

As the light encasing her faded, so did Ayero’s wounds. Taking a moment to marvel at the job well done, the Fanalis woman twists and flexes her body, pleased to find that the pain once associated with those movements was completely gone. A genuine yet nervous smile played at her lips as she addressed the healer. ”You did an excellent job, Miss Bianca. If you would, I have a favor to ask of you…” Trailing off, Ayero fixed her gaze to the younger woman’s face to get a read on her feelings before looking away. Taking in a breath, she continues. ”I…have a younger brother who is ill. I would have brought him to your clinic, but he is terrified of hospitals, you see…” She shifted her gaze back to Bianca, hoping that maintaining eye contact would help her lie seem more convincing.

”Seeing the wonderful work you could do in such a short time, surely you could help him. Would you be willing to come to our home and examine him? I would be eternally grateful, if you could.”


[1242/1500]

Bianca grinned as the red headed woman looked as if she were about to crack a smile. Though she seemed to have a cold exterior, there was likely warmth within her. At Ayero’s request, Bianca’s attention perked and she focused intently on the Fanalis woman, her brow creasing with worry when she mentioned a sick brother. It was certainly distressing news, and Ayero seemed to be a bit upset talking about it. Bianca didn’t think that the request was very strange, seeing as how she and the other healers occasionally tended to patients who were too ill to leave their own homes. Her healer’s instinct kicking in, the blonde woman reached out to touch Ayero’s shoulder in comfort but withdrew her hand, thinking better of the gesture. With the way the Fanalis carried herself, it might not be well received and it would probably be best to let the woman have her space.

”Of course, Ayero. Let me just prepare an escort, and we will leave at once.” Ever since the incident at the docks, Bianca’s superiors were wary of her traveling to unknown locations unguarded. Luckily Bahir had been nearby during the incident to save her. The Fanalis woman seemed strong, the blade at her side and the faded scars along her body speaking of man past battles, but Bianca knew that her uncle would be wary to let her leave with someone he didn’t have complete trust in. ”That won’t be a problem, will it? On the way, you can tell me about what sort of symptoms your brother is having.” Bianca smiled sweetly at the Fanalis woman, trying to be upbeat about the situation.


[912/1500]

Ayero visibly relaxed when Bianca seemingly bought her lie and even agreed to come and tend to her “sick brother”. But her shoulders became rigid once more and her teeth clenched when the young woman insisted on bringing an escort. That…wouldn’t do. Ayero was supposed to deliver Bianca to Octavius, and that was that. Involving other people could compromise the General’s plans, seeing as how he was supposed to be dead. That was part of the reason why Ayero decided against trying to coerce Bianca with the promise of seeing her dead father figure; it would likely only lead to more suspicion and an eventual resistance from her.

But Ayero had hit a wall. As hard as she thought, she couldn’t find a way around Bianca taking an escort that wouldn’t raise suspicion. She disliked tricking people, but she saw it as a good cause in this case. She teetered back and forth between pressing the young woman to come alone and trying a different method. She glanced around the room, her eyes resting on an open window with the curtains pulled back. Her eyes lit up as she realized that it would be big enough to fit both of them through it.

Closing her eyes, Ayero exhaled fully before slipping off of the examination table. ”I’m sorry, Miss Bianca…I can’t allow you to do that. I have no intent to harm you, but war is hanging over this country and there is someone who wants you safe.” Reopening her eyes, the Fanalis woman lashes out suddenly and wraps an arm around the healer’s wait, the other hand snaking around to clamp over her mouth and muffle any protests.


[Job word count: 1500+/1500]


Hauling the blonde girl up into her arms, the Fanalis woman makes a mad dash for the window, trying to shush her captive as she peeks out the window. Night was beginning to settle upon the city, and the alley which the window was facing was deserted. ”I’m not going to hurt you, please, just come quietly.” The redheaded woman hisses in an attempt to try and get her to stop squirming, but her voice came out in its usual unforgiving tone. After mentally calculating where she was in relation to Octavius’ location, the Fanalis woman sucked in a deep breath and urged Bianca to hold on tight.

Leaping from the window, Ayero absorbed as much of the shock from falling as she could by planting her feet firmly on the ground with a wide stance as she landed. Her shins ached slightly from the landing, but luckily the fall wasn’t as high as she had imagined. Normally she would have used at least one hand to help steady herself from the fall, but she didn’t want to loosen her grip on the gentle healer. After checking Bianca over to ensure that she hadn’t been somehow harmed during their descent, Ayero took off down the alley way, figuring that the hard part was over.

Little did the Fanalis woman know, but a shadowed figure had been watching them since the healing had taken place. Perched on the roof of the building opposite to the clinic, the Assassin narrowed her eyes as the pair took off deeper into the network of alleyways. She had been scouting out the area for several weeks, learning Bianca’s routines and trying to find an opportune moment to get the girl alone and slay her. But she rarely left the clinic, and was never alone when she did. Although the Assassin was wary of dealing with the Fanalis woman, she could not allow her prey to get away. Her employer was putting pressure on her to take out the blonde healer, threatening to find someone else who would be able to do the job. Waiting until Ayero and Bianca had gotten a few hundred yards away, the Assassin began to sprint along the rooftops, gliding over the tile and clay like a shadow. If she had to slay both the mage and the Fanalis, then so be it.

The Assassin had quickly caught up to her target, observing them every step of the way. When the Fanalis woman paused as the alleys forked off, she made her move. Taking advantage of the red head’s hesitance, the Assassin fished a small satchel from her robes and tossed it over the roof. The pouch would land on the ground in front of Ayero and immediately explode into a cloud of Smoke roughly five meters across. Startled, the Fanalis woman dropped Bianca, coughing as the smoke assaulted her lungs. Someone’s after us! Mind racing, Ayero’s first thought was to clear the smoke. She didn’t want to risk running and potentially leaving Bianca behind. Using one arm to reach for the blonde, Ayero’s other arm began to swing in a windmill motion at a rapid speed. The spinning action of her arm pushed the thick smoke to one side, the Veer clearing the immediate area of its obscuring effects.

As soon as the pouch had exploded into smoke, the Assassin leapt from her rooftop hiding place and began to descend onto the Fanalis and healer in a Deadly Flip. Once the smoke began to clear, the approaching form of the Assassin became visible. Spying the familiar glint of metal from the attacker’s blades as she drew them, Ayero drew her own weapon in time to Parry away the Assassin’s blades before they could reach Bianca. So she’s not going for me…it’s the girl she wants! Ayero’s heart beat with a sense of urgency and she grabbed Bianca’s arm, hauling her up. ”We need to go, now!” She began running, dragging the blonde alongside her until she fell into step.

Undeterred, the Assassin quickly leapt back atop the building, melting into the dark tiles and shadow as she raced to catch up. Skilled as she was, her footsteps made no sound despite the rapid speed she was moving at.

[Training Veer: 706/750 w/ amulet reduction]

Stamina: 190/250]

Spoiler:

Bianca stared at Ayero with a questioning look, wondering what the woman was talking about. Someone who wants her safe? Who was she speaking of? Whatever this was about, she could tell from Ayero’s tone that it was weighing heavily on her. Before she had a chance to open her mouth and question the woman, she had lurched forward and snatched her up in her arms, wrapping one arm around her waist securely and another over her mouth. Understandably startled, Bianca began to struggle and cry out, her blue eyes widening in fear and confusion. When Ayero headed for the window, Bianca’s struggles only increased, trying to escape from this woman’s grasp. It was clear that Ayero intended on taking her somewhere, and she didn’t think that it was to her sick brother. Feeling a bit flustered and embarrassed at having been tricked, the young woman quieted for a moment in contemplation. That was, until the Fanalis actually jumped from the open window.

Bianca screamed against Ayero’s hand as her stomach dropped from the sensation of falling, kicking and flailing to the best of her ability despite being airborne. Still, the Fanalis woman’s grip did not loosen in the slightest and they landed without harm and immediately took off down the alley. Bianca’s mind was running a mile a minute, trying to process this situation. Ayero seemed conflicted when speaking to her, and she did believe that the woman had a good heart. But it was hard to think so when her questions went left unanswered while being hauled down a dark alley to an unknown location.

Bianca’s panic furthered when an explosion of smoke suddenly occurred, not having seen the small satchel land in front of them before it had erupted into a thick smog. This seemed to cause Ayero worry as well, as the Fanalis woman released her from the iron grip. Bianca collapsed to the ground, coughing and hacking as the smoke made its way to her lungs. It began to burn her eyes as well, but she didn’t notice that the smoke had dissipated until she looked up upon hearing the clash of blades. Her mouth dropped open to see a figure dressed in all black standing above her, twin blades locked with Ayero’s own weapon. The Fanalis pushed away the attacker’s blades and grabbed Bianca, urging her to run in an attempt to escape this threat. Before she even had a chance to pick herself up, Ayero had grasped her by the arm and began pulling her along at a rather quick pace.

”W-wait! Why are you doing this? And who is that?!” They had only made it about 20 meters before Bianca dug her heels into the ground and wrenched her arm from Ayero. Her voice was demanding but overshadowed with notes of fear and confusion.

Not a moment after the words left her lips, the Assassin leapt from the rooftop once more, twisting her body in a Whirlwind Slice with her blades outstretched. This time, the woman aimed for the Fanalis, hoping that taking Ayero out would leave the healer largely defenseless.

[1431/1500]

Ayero growled and gritted her teeth as dragging Bianca suddenly felt like a lead weight. She whipped around, finding the young woman’s defiance and questioning to be quite out of place for the moment. While she understood Bianca’s concern, couldn’t she see that now was not the time?! Ayero opened her mouth to tell her that everything would be explained soon and that they really needed to leave right now, but the sudden reappearance of the Assassin halted the words in her throat. Great, she caught up to us… Noting with slight relief that the Assassin seemed to be focusing on her, Ayero raised a gloved arm to clash with her blades in a Simple Block. If it was her against this Assassin, then she likely had a good chance to neutralize this threat or at least give Bianca a chance to run to safety.

With her arm occupied, Ayero flicked her sword to the side and swung it upwards, cutting deeply into one of The Assassin’s wrists with Protect and Sever. Ayero heard a gasp from behind her assailant’s covered face as she suddenly lost control of her wrist, her arm falling limply to the side as her blade clattered to the ground. Hoping that she had gotten the upper hand, Ayero pulled her blade away as The Assassin did the same and took several steps back. Ayero quirked a brow at this movement before she realized that The Assassin had used the movement to loosen another small bag that was tied around her waist, the powder filled sack dropping to the ground before another eruption of Smoke was sent into the air.

[Trained Veer: 750+/750 w/ amulet reduction]

[Stamina: 130/250]

Spoiler:

Bianca was in a full state of panic, trying to figure out the situation playing out in front of her. One person had kidnapped her with a very vague explanation, and another seemed to be after her life. And now, both of them were fighting. Watching Ayero’s arm clash with The Assassin’s blades, her instincts screamed at her to run. She had an opportunity while both of them were distracted to run back to the clinic where she would be protected. But her muscles locked up and refused to budge as her eyes set on Ayero. The red head’s teeth we clenched and her face was a mask of concentration, focused entirely on the mystery assassin. Surely she could handle herself, and Bianca would be able to get away while she was kept busy.

But another thought struck her. What if The Assassin succeeded in taking Ayero’s life? Despite the redhead being the one to kidnap her, Bianca felt horrible at the suggesting of leaving her to her potential death. Ayero had defended her from the cold touch of The Assassin’s blades earlier and it wouldn’t feel right to abandon her now. In the back of her mind, she hoped that the Fanalis would defeat this strange woman and her and Bianca could settle down and talk. Swallowing thickly, the healer was caught in another conundrum. What could she do to help? Though she had a few offensive spells in her repertoire, they were rather weak and taught to her out of necessity in order to learn how to use life magic better. Her conflicting thoughts kept her rooted to her spot, unable to move until the sound of another explosion reached her ears.


No! She thought frantically as the black smoke once again enveloped her, obscuring her vision and causing her to cough so hard that she began stumbling around. During a particularly hard coughing fit, her back met some resistance as she was forced backward while hacking up her lungs. Unbeknownst to Bianca, she had accidentally stumbled into The Assassin, catching even the skilled killer by surprise. As the two women tumbled to the ground, The Assassin flailed and lost control of her remaining blade, ultimately landing on it sharp side up. The sword pierced through her chest with the aid of Bianca’s sudden weight crashing into her, causing a strangled gasp to emit from behind the dark cloth covering the killer’s face.


[1500+/1500]

Shit! Not again! Ayero held her blade tightly in her hand as she whirled both arms around in a windmill motion using Area Clear to force the smoke to dissipate. She performed the technique as quickly as possible, hoping that Bianca was unharmed. What she saw upon the smoke vanishing made her pause a gawk.

Bianca appeared dazed, sitting atop The Assassin’s legs. The other woman was laying face down, the remaining blade sticking straight up through her chest. The sight was startling in the least, as she did not expect someone as skilled as this assassin to succumb to a fall. Nonetheless, it appeared as if Bianca had unintentionally performed the killing blow. Taking in a deep breath, Ayero walked over to the blonde girl and stuck out her hand. ”Bianca, I’m…sorry for what happened. I truly have no intention to hurt you at all. But please, if you could come with me…there is someone I want you to meet. I promise that you will remain unharmed and all of your questions will be answered.” Ayero’s tone was lower, calmer than usual despite the recent excitement. But she spoke earnest words, hoping that Bianca would believe her honest.


[Stamina: 120/250]

Spoiler:

Bianca rubbed at her head, still a little stunned. Her fall had been broken so she wasn’t hurt, but she was curious as to what she had bumped in to. As she brought her hand away from her head, her eyes rested on the body of The Assassin, her own sharp blade pierced through her chest and blood pooling beneath her body. Startled, the blonde jumped in place before raising her head as Ayero approached her and spoke. She looked at the woman with wide and inquiring eyes, unsure if she could trust her at first. The tone in which Ayero spoke with reminded her of someone, a person she couldn’t place at first. An image of Octavius flashed in her mind, a man who had radiated strength and warmth and had been a father to her. She smiled at the memory, her eyes meeting Ayero’s as she reached out to accept her hand. She decided to honor her late father’s memory by hearing this woman out, subconsciously connecting the two Fanalis in her mind.

As Ayero pulls her gently into a standing position, Bianca pats out the rumples from her robes and nods in agreement before casting a glance to the body of The Assassin. ”Should we clean that up…?”

A look of relief and a small smile crosses Ayero’s face as Bianca accepts, pleased at how the ordeal had turned out despite the bumps in the road. She mentally chided herself for not handling the situation better at first, wondering if Bianca would have been willing to follow her if she had been more open and honest from the getgo. Following Bianca’s gaze to the corpse, she shakes her head decisively. ”…No, someone else will get that.” Waving over to the girl, she leads her towards Octavius’ location. Luckily they were not far from the place where the leader of the Fanalis Corps had been hidden for the time being.

Octavius paced impatiently across the floor, worry heavy on his features. Ayero had left some time ago to retrieve Bianca for him and while he trusted the woman to handle the task, he could not stop his concern. Bianca was like a daughter to him, he had protected her for much of her life.

He worried about how the gentle woman would react to him being alive. He had hated keeping it from her for this long, but he only wanted to keep her safe. Until he knew no one else would be coming for his life, he had not wanted to put her at risk in case someone tried again. But now, the entire country was headed towards a state of conflict and he needed to know that she would be somewhere safe.

Sly kept an eye down the alley, brightening when he saw both Ayero and Bianca headed for him. He knew the General was anxious about Bianca coming, but she would be safer here than at the clinic. Maybe if he knew Bianca was safe, he would not be distracted at a crucial moment, worrying about her. He waved the two women into the warehouse, his head covered by his cloak. He kept a sharp eye out, almost missing a flicker of dark hair and a kimono slinking along the roof several buildings down. ’Hmmmm… sneaky little rat…’ Once the women were in the building, Sly did what he did best, he disappeared to hunt for the rat.

Octavius looked at the door, worried eyes brightening at the sight of first red hair and then much-missed blonde strands. He froze in place, not sure how to approach his adopted daughter.

Ayero nodded at Sly when she caught sight of the cloaked man, but Bianca flinched slightly upon seeing the covered man. She began to regret following Ayero a bit, finding the situation a bit shady but put her trust into the woman anyway. Unconsciously, she moved a bit closer to the Fanalis as she led her into the warehouse. Both women remained silent as Ayero led Bianca up to Octavius’ office, opening the door and entering before the healer. The older woman stepped to the side to show Octavius that she had retrieved the young blonde woman and brought her back unharmed. She raised a brow as the Fanalis General seemed startled, wondering what Bianca meant to him.


Bianca’s gaze shifted worriedly to the side as Ayero led her to a room, but in an instant all worry was put on the backburner as she laid eyes of Octavius. Much like the General, she remains still as stone for several moments, locked in place by her own disbelief. She was convinced that he had perished and thought that she’d never see him again. At least, alive. Tears begin to well up in her blue eyes and she lunges forward, wrapping her arms around the man who had become a father to her and sobbing into his shoulder. Looking up, she gazes at him with wide eyes, her cheeks stained with tears. ”Oct…Octavius? Is it really you? You’re alive?! But…y-you’re alive!” Crying out in joy, the life mage hugs him again.

Octavius wasted no time in wrapping his strong arms around the healer, the blonde woman nearly disappearing from sight at being so engulfed by the General.

“KLUTZ!”

He is silent as he hugs her, barely restraining his strength to keep from crushing her. He immediately covered her forehead and cheeks in kisses, overjoyed to finally be able to see her and embrace her once more.

“Thank all the gods out there that you are safe. I was so worried, even with Sly watching out for you. I missed you, my little Klutz! So much. I am so sorry I waited this long but… but you are here, and you are safe.”

He was lost in a world that had singled down to his adopted daughter before he seemed to notice Ayero again, dragging her into the hug and embracing them both, his voice gruff with emotion, tears swimming in his eyes.

“Thank you, Ayero. Thank you for bringing her to me. I love you both so much.”

He was silent again as he held the two women close, one had been his daughter since she was old enough to toddle about his barracks and the other he had slowly begun to see as a daughter as well, admiring her spirit and determination. For this moment in time, the world was right and he could forget about the looming danger of Kou and about his untimely death. For right now, he had his family in his arms, safe and sound.

---

Sly tracked the mysterious figure as it began to make its way closer to the warehouse. From a distance, he could make out a kimono and dark hair and a scowl settled on his features. No Kou rat was going to be leaving this area with their head intact.

Bianca beamed up at Octavius, giggling as he placed kisses on her face. ”Octavius, I…I missed you so much! When I heard that you…b-but you’re not and I’m so happy!” Bianca struggled to understand her emotions, a whirlwind of confusion, excitement and happiness assaulting her all at once. It was like a dream come true to see Octavius again and she thought she’d never recover from the high she got from simply seeing him.

Bianca finally tore her face away from Octavius to beam at the Fanalis woman standing to the side and out of the way from their reunion. ”Ayero, thank you so much for reuniting me with the man who raised me. Now I see why you were so insistent.” Ayero shook her head and reached to rub at the back of her neck, startled from her words as Octavius pulled her towards them. While she was indeed happy to see him happy, in truth she began to feel a little jealous. She had slowly begun to see Octavius as a father to her, and seeing him shower another “daughter” with affection made her a bit uneasy, even silly for feeling that way. But those thoughts were dispelled when he pulled her into their hug and she relented, sighing and leaning her forehead briefly against Octavius’ chest with a small smile.

Octavius chuckled and hugged both women tightly to him for a few more moments, not ready to release either one as he alternated happy kisses to both foreheads before he heard someone clearing their throat at the door. Looking up, he saw one of the Corp members looking happy but sheepish at interrupting such a private meeting. Octavius cleared his throat and untangled from Ayero and Bianca.

“Sorry, General. Just wanted to let you know Sly has went slithering off after a rat, so he might not be reporting in tonight. You know how he gets when he catches a scent…”

Octavius groaned but nodded, waving the Corp member off before propping a hip against his desk, overjoyed eyes still tracking over Bianca.

“Bianca… my sweet little Klutz… I am so sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t want to put you in danger, or you would have been my first stop after… yeah, after I…”

He could not say the word “died” in front of Bianca, wanting to keep her from knowing that he had, in fact, perished and been returned.

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Sly smirked when the Kou rat perched on the roof of the warehouse, silently approaching before intentionally making noise as he drew his dagger. The dark-haired man whirled around while drawing a katana, sharp purple eyes meeting Sly’s angry ones.

“Listen here, you rat… you won’t have the chance to report to your superi-…”

His words were cut off as the man tried to back away only to find a loose spot in the roof and crashing down below. Sly snorted and moved to look through the hole, seeing Octavius gaping up at him, the man had landed in front of Bianca and was sprawled out in an ungraceful pose on the ground.

“Sorry boss! Looks like the rat didn’t wanna talk to me!”

Kioshi had been following Bianca since the battle with the assassin. He had wanted to step in, but recognized the woman that had kidnapped her had it under control. He had simply been stopping by to see the healer about the wound to his rear end from the Coliseum when a nurse had shouted that a woman had carried the healer off.

He had caught up to the women when the assassin had attacked. After seeing the redhead’s skills, he had chosen to follow at a distance, know he would not have a chance alone to take her on and save Bianca. When they had entered the warehouse, he had made his way via rooftop over to try and spy on them. He had just spotted Bianca hugging a man when the sound of a dagger being drawn behind him had put him on full alert.

Whirling around while drawing Hana, he saw the man from the alley glaring at him and talking about a rat. Trying to put space between him and the other man, he began to step backwards, his foot catching on a loose board and causing him to fall. Unfortunately, Fate was not on his side this day and his weighed caused him to crash through the weak point in the roof. He crashed into the floor with a loud groan of pain. Everything hurt when he shook his head and opened his eyes and he was fairly certain there were splinters in his backside. Peeking an eye open, he looked up to see Bianca, her kidnapper, a dead man and several very angry-looking Fanalis, all with swords drawn as the flooded into the office. His voice was sheepish as he looked at Bianca.

“I… I’m here to save you!”

The pounding in his head was too intense and black washed over his vision as he passed out.

Bianca tilted her head at Octavius as he spoke, hanging on his every word. She was still unable to fully comprehend that fate had somehow given her her father back. Perhaps he didn’t truly die and just went in to hiding. But all signs has pointed to his demise. If so, then how was his life restored? Resurrection would only be possible through an incredibly skilled and experienced life mage, and Bianca did not know anyone with such capabilities. Her inner thoughts concerning Octavius were interrupted by the sound of cracks splintering the ceiling above. Both she and Ayero tilted their heads upwards just in time for a figure to come crashing through the roof and onto the floor, Sly’s voice calling out afterwards.

Seeing that the man was distinctly of Kou descent, Ayero joined the other Fanalis and drew her own blade, grabbing Bianca by the wrist and pulling the smaller woman behind her. At the same time, the strange man looked over at Bianca and announced that he was here to save her before blacking out. Ayero arched a brow at this, lowering her blade. But Bianca cried out in surprise and rushed to the man’s side.

”Kioshi! What are you doing here!” She prompted the man despite his unconscious state, fretting over him. She looked around quickly for her staff, realizing she had set it against Octavius’ desk at some point. Quickly grabbing the wood, the healing mage kneels back at Kioshi’s side and casts Soft Light over Kioshi’s body while looking on with a worried expression.

”Ahh…” Ayero rubs at the back of her head, recalling the method she used to obtain Bianca. ”I may have…kidnapped her. Out a window. Kinda. I’m…not very good at being persuasive.” The Fanalis woman admits a bit sheepishly.


[Bianca’s Magoi: 120/150]

Spoiler:

Octavius looks from the unconscious man to Bianca to Ayero and back to the man. He held up a hand to keep the other Fanalis from attacking. This must be the man Sly had mentioned before that had been seen with Bianca. While he was not particularly thrilled with her choice in company, the man was currently harmless. Bianca’s spell healed his wounds, but the man remained unconscious. Arching a brow at Ayero, Octavius’ voice was filled with cautious humor.

“You…kidnapped her? Out a window? Resourceful, but… why the window? You know what, never mind. You both are here, unharmed. And apparently, I needn’t have worried too much about my dear Klutz too much, she seems to have an equally uncoordinated white knight to save her…”

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face before looking at Bianca.

“I am assuming you know this man? Is he a threat? I am supposed to be dead in Kou’s eyes, after all.”

Kioshi groaned as reality filtered back back, his ears faintly picking up the large Fanalis man’s question and statement. So his initial thought of who the man was had been correct. He had heard much about General Octavius, the man was a legend even in Kou. At the General’s words, he opened his eyes a sliver. He was not in as much pain as when he had blacked out and he assumed he had to thank Bianca for that.

“I’m… just here to… rescue someone that doesn’t need rescued, I think.”

He looked around at the Fanalis in the room. Their weapons had lowered but they all looked cautious and angry.

“I swear, I don’t know where I am or how I got here. I just wanted to make sure Bianca was safe.”

He turned a look to the blonde woman, ashamed that he had been caught in such an ungraceful position in front of her. He was not lying, though. He had been so focused on following the women that he had not paid attention to where they were, assuming he would figure it out later, after rescuing the healer.

Bianca focused her attention completely on Kioshi, gently rubbing his head with one hand until he became conscious once more. She brightened upon seeing him open his eyes and quickly withdrew her hand, a light flush coloring her cheeks. ”Kioshi…I appreciate your concern over me, I really do.” A genuine smile graces her face as she looks down at the man. ”But I was not in any danger after all. More importantly…” She looks up at Octavius. ”No, he’s not a threat. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” She smiles again as she looks down at Kioshi. ”Kioshi…this man raised me. Though we are not related by blood, I see him as a father. Until now, I thought that he had been taken from me…Please, you cannot tell anyone that he lives, as much as it pains me.” She gives the swordsman an earnest look, hope filling her eyes.

Kioshi looked from Octavius to Bianca and then back to Octavius, his face serious. His slowly pushed to his feet, cautiously retrieving Hana from the floor and sheathing her before giving a deep bow to Octavius.

“It is as she says, I would not reveal you, honored General. I do not want Kou destroying your home or culture, either. Your… daughter… has went to great lengths to educate me on your culture. I value culture and history and do not wish to see yours destroyed. I will keep your presence a secret.”

Octavius saw that Bianca trusted the man but he still held reservations. Bianca was a trusting soul and always had been. He would make sure Sly watched her any time she was away from him but gave Bianca a smile and a nod.

“Very well. It is like she has said. I realize your… apparent nationality would demand that you report my presence, but I appreciate your word that you will not. If I suspect otherwise, or that you are attempting to use Bianca in any way, I will kill you myself.”

The Kou man gave another deep bow, his face showing understanding. Octavius would wave Sly over to escort Kioshi from the room before turning to Bianca, intending to make arrangements about her living situation.