[[Day 9 in Palaugrim :: Port Rieds ]]<br/>The Royal Palaugrimian forces crept into place, edging around the Pure Sinner.  They had split the forces into five different groups and would each appear from a different hidden entrance.  Each squadron had at least one Pure Sinners and quite a few Sinners as well.  All they needed to do was keep the Knights occupied enough for the Tethelian Wyervias to come in.  They burst out of the ground and swept through the unprepared Knight forces.  It was still a bloody battle, but these oppressors could not extinguish their wills.  Every drop of Palaugrimian blood spilled was another resource these heartless Glessians stole from them.  Their spirits could not be extinguished.<br/><br/>“FOR SOVEREIGN PALAUGRIM!!”  The roar echoed through the docks and with one last push, they forced the raiders out.  Every Knight they captured was tied up and given to the just-landed Tethelian Wyervias.  The shipment of new Sin Crystals was unloaded, each etched with an unknown symbol.  A perimeter of Sin Crystals and Pure Sinners were established around the docks.  Up above, the Sovereign Palaugrimian banner snapped in the wind.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~</div><br/>[[Day 9 in Palaugrim :: Luciano ]]<br/><br/>Victorie frowned at the missives scattering her desk.  The re-capture of Port Reids had been successful.  However, there had been no good news from Port Ereck.  Where was Raim?!  Her right hand curled into a fist.  The demon had just vanished without a trace.  All she knew was that he had gone missing somewhere between Acier Terres and Ereck; the troops at Ereck claimed he’d never arrived.  If only Lillith… Her turquoise eyes narrowed in anger at the thought of her foolish younger sister.  Lillith should have never engaged the Seraph; she was a<span style="font-style: italic">spymaster</span>for Sin’s sake!  Not a powerhouse!  Foolish sister must have let her obsession overrule her good judgment.  If Syndra ever got her hands on that redhead…  A sudden flare of pain in her hand broke her from her murderous thoughts.  Victorie stared at her now leaking hand apathetically.  Her nails must have pierced her skin.  She focused on the Sin leaking from the wounds and sealed them closed.  There wasn’t even a blemish left over.  Good, she had an image to maintain.<br/><br/>She lifted her pen and reluctantly wrote out a missive ordering the withdrawal of troops from Port Ereck.  Let the scum keep that port.  They had no idea about the newly constructed ones in Mandya or Yima; that left three in their command and only two to the oppressors.  Instead, she diverted another troop to Reids and moved the Ereck forces to augment some of their offenses.<br/><br/>Next came the propaganda campaign.  She scanned over the reports her spies had gotten back to her.  He was going to run a “well being” campaign was he?  She smirked at his audacity.  They had one taste of the rape they forced upon Palaugrim and suddenly were worried about their people’s well being?  She signed off on the newest publications in support of their war and added a note to start a rally.  She’d have to visit the boundaries herself to make sure the townspeople stayed with Sovereign Palaugrim.<br/><br/>And if that didn’t work… Her gaze slid to the innocent looking bottle on her desk.  Some powdered Sin would always help ensure their cooperation.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~</div><br/>[[Day 9 in Palaugrim (Night) :: between Puerta Ciel and Zairyon]]<br/><br/>Sleep was something she dreaded these days.  Her body and mind cried for rest, but though her body was still, she gained no peace.  Whenever she closed her eyes, the phantoms of the past came back to haunt her.  With the sigh of a soldier doomed to a losing battle, Lethe reluctantly laid out in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>She tried her best not to open her eyes but she knew it was futile.  Someone hummed patiently in front of her.  After what felt like an eternity, Lethe grudgingly opened her eyes, wondering who or what it would be this time.  The Sin version of herself smiled at her with unnatural cheer.  <span style="color: red">“Hello!~”</span>  The increasingly familiar ritual began once more.  Lethe said nothing in response, merely glaring from exhaustion-rimmed eyes.  Red lips pulled down in a frown.  A red-tipped finger shook disapprovingly, <span style="color: red">“You know it’s rude not to respond!  Mommy certainly taught us manners!”</span>  Triumph gleamed in its eyes when Lethe flinched.  <br/><br/><span style="color: red">“You know, you should just give up.”</span>  It declared, taking a seat next to its original.  It swung its legs back and forth childishly.  (They were on a ledge now?)  One foot knocked a rope and the body it was attached to banged against the wall.  (Santa Olivia?)  <span style="color: red"> “They say the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”</span>  A finger poked her face in a faux friendly manner, forcing her to re-open her eyes once more.  <br/><br/><span style="color: red">“You keep running and running… you’ll never escape.  Sin is within you.  All you’ll do is take those you love down with you.”</span>  The rest of ransacked Santa Olivia unfolded below them, but this time it was those she loved impaled on the ground.  The run through woman was now Marielle.  An arrow stuck out from sweet, gentle Roland’s forehead.  Bright blond hair could be seen underneath Roland’s fallen body: Grisia.  Corpses dangling from the ramparts: Adair, Leon, Kanna.  Lethe squeezed her eyes shut before she could recognize the rest of them.<br/><br/><span style="color: red"> “Little little Lethe~ Always hiding! Always denying!  Always closing her eyes to the truth!~”</span>  Her nightmare sing-songed childishly.  It leaned its head on her bowed one, ignoring the shudder of disgust that wracked the Knight’s body.  <span style="color: red"> “The light has already forsaken you.  One by one, each of your friends will as well.  After all…</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #0080FF">I feel like the Light betrayed me.  The Divine Light doesn’t understand.  It keeps asking for more and more.</span></span></div><br/><span style="color: red">Guilford already has, hasn’t he?”</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #0080FF">Why did you kill Bryn?</span></span></div></div></blockquote><br/><br/>The sensation of something slapping her face roused her from sleep’s grasp.  Blue eyes shot open and she heaved for breath, her limbs stuck in the bedding.  The slapping stopped but her head was still held immobile even as she gasped.  Adair was leaning over her, concern evident in his green eyes.  She opened her mouth but he frowned before she could lie.  “<span style="font-style: italic">No</span>, Captain, you are not okay.”  He cut off her unformed words off, peeling away her blankets.  The night was still fairly warm, with it being the cusp of summer and all.  His hand finally left her face and scooped her up bridal style instead.  She barely managed to keep her yelp from waking up the entire squad.  “Come on Captain, let’s go for a walk.”  By which he appeared to mean he would walk and she would get carted around as he hadn’t let her down.<br/><br/>Adair paused to nod in acknowledgment at another of the sentries before continuing his trek towards the lake.  The thump of boots informed him he’d probably have a watch guarding him and Lethe for their conversation.  The latter had finally stopped struggling and just laid there, eyes wandering unseeingly around her.  He knew the sight of Santa Olivia, and the mysterious scene she’d seen right before, had bothered her.  He should have spoken with her earlier, but she had seemed so deadened, as if a touch would shatter her into a thousand pieces.<br/><br/>Taking a seat on one of the boulders by the lake, he placed the white-haired girl in his lap since she didn’t seem desirous of leaving.  He used his free hand to comb out her hair, fluffing up the sweat-drenched strands.  The two sat in silence for a long time, him simply humming a wordless tune and playing with her hair as she contemplated whatever was on her mind.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Sorry.”</span>Her voice was barely audible over the lapping of the lake.<br/>“It’s nothing.”<br/><span style="color: silver">“Thank you.”</span><br/>“Any time.”<br/><span style="color: silver">“Do you think we can do this?  Beat Sin?”</span><span style="font-style: italic">Again?</span><br/>“It’s not like you to doubt the Light.”<br/>She sighed in his grasp, her entire chest heaving with the motion.<span style="color: silver">“I had forgotten.. how terrible these were..”</span>She trailed off but then rallied,<span style="color: silver"> “And it’s just something Gil said.”</span>She finally admitted, eyes staring at the serene lake and the reflection of the moon that played on it.<span style="color: silver"> “I fear… we’re losing hope.”</span><br/><br/>We were?  Or Master Guilford was?  Adair tightened his grip around her comfortingly.  He was being unfair; after Santa Olivia, anyone could lose heart, even Lethe.  “I.. think that is a foolish fear.”  He vocalized, his gaze also fixated on the serenity around them.  “How can we despair?  The Divine Light is always with us, even when the darkness presses around us.”  He nodded towards the moon’s reflection that shined silver on the water.  “We have you to guide us.  You… represent everything we Pristine Knights fight for: a naturally good person who strives to do her best in spite of any obstacles that are placed in her path.  Maybe the masses stare at you as an idol, a personification of the Light.”  Lethe flinched at his words but he continued on, “But not for us,” the ‘us’ was clearly their squad, “not for the Knights you’ve worked with, the people you’ve helped.  We know you’re not perfect,” A smile grew on the lips at the words, “But we follow you because we believe in you, we trust you.  You will always do what is right, even if it is hard.  You will always do your best, even if it seems impossible.  And you are always working with us and all the innocents in the world in mind, even if circumstances seem against you.  That’s why we follow you, Lethe, not because six old men named you ‘Seraph.’”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “But… Santa Olivia…”</span>His poor Captain.  His poor Lethe.<span style="color: silver"> “I couldn’t.. help them.  All those--those innocent people.”</span>Her voice fell into a whisper by the end,<span style="color: silver"> “murdered…”</span><br/><br/>“You can’t shoulder the burdens of the world alone, Lethe.  That’s why we’re here for you.  That’s why you have a Team Blonde.  We were too late to save them, but there are countless more we can still save.  You can’t give up.”<br/><br/>Finally, she turned towards him and hugged him close, burying her face in his chest.  A slow patch of dampness grew on his shirt, but he said nothing about it or the way her shoulders were shaking.  Eventually, the sobs, so quiet he barely heard them, died down.  She relaxed in his grip, whisked away into the land of sleep once more, this time apparently not plagued by nightmares.  With a soft sigh, Adair dropped a kiss on her forehead and then stood up.  The walk back to the campsite was quiet except for the rustling of the trees, their watcher letting him know of its presence.  He laid Lethe back in her sleeping roll and tucked her in, stepping back to admire the sight of his now peaceful Captain.  Whatever fears surrounded her weren’t gone yet, but at least tonight she’d get a restful night.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~</div><br/>[[Day 10 in Palaugrim (Afternoon) :: Zairyon ]]<br/><br/>Wary yellow eyes scanned the bustling streets around him.  The taint of Sin was strong here and it curled lazily through the air.  However, the people walking around seemed oblivious its presence.  It was almost surprising how normal everyone seemed despite the fact they were deep in Sin-Controlled territories.  None of them seemed especially unhappy; none of them seemed to be in agony.  This could have easily been a scene in Lindela, albeit everyone there was more restrained.  The people here seemed freer with their emotions: happier, sadder, angrier.  It was all just more extreme.  It was unusual given the dire picture the High Council always painted of the Sin lands.<br/><br/>It made him wonder what other lies they were spouting.<br/><br/>He frowned at the uncharitable thought.  While he’d never blindly followed the High Council’s words, he’d never been quite so contrary either.  He’d have to speak with one of the others and check if taint had slipped into him.  It wasn’t impossible with how much they’d been exposed to recently.  His gaze moved to another group of his teammates.  Ethera and Mei had ended up joining them for unknown reasons, bulking their group size up to eleven.  Eleven people in cloaks hanging around was too conspicuous, so everyone had split up into smaller groups.  He was hiding in this alley with Valiar, Ethera, and Mei as Ethera had refused to leave Mei alone.  Kanna, Leon, and Cricket were loitering in another alleyway while Seraphim and YunQiao hid in yet another nook.  Captain and Vice Captain were off to speak with one of Lesus’s contacts to secure housing and more information.<br/><br/>He frowned at the fact that the two were walking around by themselves.  He had wanted to shadow them, but Adair had pulled him and Cricket aside and said in no uncertain terms that they had to stay behind and watch Kanna, Ethera, and Mei.  While Adair didn’t think the ex-Knights would do anything, they all knew how overly trusting Captain could be.  If something were to happen, the two of them were authorized to take down the three former PMS members.  Unfortunately, it still meant that Adair and Lethe were roaming the streets of Zairyon without any backup.  He turned his gaze to the two strangers in their midst and met impassive black eyes.  Ethera stared back at him.  The two of them continued watching each other cautiously.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Lethe glanced down the side street contemplatively.  No, not here either.  Adair kept moving and she followed him silently.  When he finally turned, she recognized the symbol hidden in the tavern sign.  They were in the right area.  They walked past the dingy shop and continued to where another cloaked figure was standing.  Sharp blue eyes caught her own and its owner blinked slowly in acknowledgment.  The figure opened a discreet door and slipped in; they followed.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Orphie.”</span>Lethe slipped her hood down and embraced the emaciated woman.  Wavy blue hair hung around the thin frame and her skin was as bone white as ever.  However, there was no denying the pleasure in the other woman’s eyes.<br/><br/>“Lethe, it’s been a long time.”  The two exchanged cheek kisses before drawing apart.  “Almost.. three years now since you last slipped your noose?”  The Seraph laughed self-consciously but said nothing in response.  “I assume the war brings you to Zairyon?  Though the timing is most abrupt.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “What war?”</span><br/><br/>Orphelia frowned at the other woman.  They had grown up in the same orphanage until Lethe had left for the Pristine Knights.  There weren’t many of them left now, but she and Lethe had been paired together so they’d stayed closer.  “The war between Gless and Sovereign Palaugrim.”  Sharp blue eyes narrowed on her former ‘sibling.’  “Gless has declared war on Sovereign Palaugrim and Victorie has responded in kind.  The two are at war now.”<br/><br/>The color drained from Lethe’s face, a clear indication that the other hadn’t known this bit of news.  Orphelia was indifferent between Sovereign Palaugrim and Gless; it didn’t matter to her which flag flew over her home as long as she was left in peace.  Under the Immaculate’s rule, things had been more restrained; under Sovereing Palaugrim’s, they were a bit more chaotic.  It wasn’t a big difference, as long as one was well off, which she could claim.<br/><br/>“We weren’t informed.”  Lethe’s companion finally spoke up.  The Zairyonian turned to look at Adair and nodded a head in acknowledgment.  They had met before between their common connections of Lethe and Lesus but weren’t close.<br/><br/>“Well, that’s troubling.  I’d heard Lethe’s face was being plastered all over the propaganda posters in Gless and Lindela.  Supposedly Master Guilford is leading the campaign.. ‘Liberation’ they call it.”  Orphelia’s lips quirked at the name choice but said nothing more about it.  “If not the war, what does bring you guys here?”<br/><br/>Lethe frowned but pushed aside the topic for later.  “Shipments of Sin crystal are being smuggled into Lindela.  We have reason to believe that these Sin Crystals are being mined from the Barrens.  Have you heard anything?”<br/><br/>A wry smile crossed the pale face before she lifted her wrist.  A bracelet with multiple small crystals dangled there; the faintest taint of Sin could be felt emanating from the jewelry piece.  “I thought something seemed a bit off with this.  The Faith was getting drained a lot faster than before.  I had just sent a request to Grisia for a new set of Faiths before you came.  Unfortunately for you two, this jeweler is the newest rage in Sovereign Palaugrim.  They’re pretty, elegant, and relatively cheap given the crystals.”  Orphelia shook her wrist and the crystals tinkled invitingly.<br/><br/>Lethe only sighed in response, unable to say anything else.<br/><br/>“Well, let’s go back home.  Is it just you two or did you bring your squad?  There’s a soiree tonight that we’ve been invited to; all the movers and shakers from Zairyon will be there, with a few from Luciano perhaps.  Victorie should be busy at another party, so you’ll be safe there.  We’ll come up with some excuse why you’ve never been seen before and you can see if your Team Blonde’s as good at deception as you claim.”  Lips lifted sardonically before the native flipped her hood back on.  “Come.”