<div style="margin:20px; margin-top:5px"><div class="quotetitle"><input class="button2 btnlite" onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = '';      this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Hide'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Show'; }" style="text-align:center;width:100px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" type="button" value="Show"/></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Dear Seraphim,<br/><br/>I need you to lead the others during this trip on Palaugrim.  You have worked with me the longest and I trust your skills the most.  If you’ve checked your itineraries by now, I’m sure you’ve noticed that after today, all of you are splitting up.  Especially in light of Master Guilford’s death, there are too many places that need to be visited for you to travel as one group.  Leon will be visiting the smaller towns and villages to bolster support there.  Cricket will visit the major Knight fortresses in Light control.  You, I’m afraid, have been given the hardest task.  I’m sending you to the major towns and cities that sit on the precipice between Light and Sin.  I need you to guide them into the Light.<br/><br/>I know you may doubt yourself. Don’t. We are all only human; we all make mistakes.  That’s why we absolve Sinners: to give them a second chance.  And you have done miraculously with yours.  Palaugrim has been given a second chance as well.  Just as you walked out of the shadows, bring Palaugrim back into the Light as well.  If you cannot take comfort in your own achievements, take comfort in my belief in you.  I believe in you, my dear older sister.  I know you can do this.<br/><br/>When at the Southeastern Docks, please requisition two Knights and one scout for each of you.  After what’s happened there and with Guilford, I don’t want to take any chances.  Please absolve each of them before you head off.  There is no such thing as being too cautious right now.  Seraphim, there’s too much going on right now for me to bury another of my squad mates.  Don’t you dare die on me.  May the Light guide you and keep you safe.<br/><br/>With love,<br/>Lethe</div></div></div><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~</div><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Councilor Mihai.”</span>The old man looked up from his desk, scowl firmly planted on his face.  It was an unusual look, one that was normally only present when Guilford was around.  Unfortunately, there was no Guilford but the scowl was still present.<br/><br/>“Master Lethe, Knight Adair.”  The displeasure eased a notch as he waved the two Knights in.  “What do you want?”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“How may we help?”</span><br/><br/>The Councilor stared down at his papers, shuffling them about irritably.  “We need to update our defenses in light of what’s just happened.  Somehow an enemy that strong was able to get on the island, covertly travel to Gielo, and then utterly destroy four towns and take down a Seraph.  I want to secure our borders.  Find a way to detect these Sinners before they get into Gless!  Also, I need those three tanks from Guil—”  The old man broke off at the reminder that there was no more Guilford.  The two had never gotten along, but it didn’t mean he wanted the Seraph<span style="font-style: italic">dead</span>, just more complacent.  With a noisy cough, he continued speaking, “From your new squad.  I want them to teach the other Knight garrisons how to perform their delta spells, specifically any barriers they know.  Maybe we can get it expanded so all the Knights at a garrison could feed a barrier together.  Knight Adair, I want you to go with them and teach the Knights some of your defensive spells as well.  Before we attack, we must know Gless and Lindela remain safe.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Of course.  We will see to it immediately.  And the others?”</span><br/><br/>“Have your Valiar and whoever heals on the other squad meet with the clerics.  I believe they learned some new spells on Palaugrim that may be of use.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Valiar is currently busy elsewhere, but I will send him over once he’s free.”</span><br/><br/>“Check with Aurel and Laith to see if they need you for anything else.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Understood, thank you for your time Councilor.”</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>They walked out of the room and were headed for Councilor Aurel’s office when they came across an unexpected presence.  Vlad sat outside the closed Council Chambers looking dejected.  The two Knights shared a confused look before the shorter motioned for her Vice Captain to go first to the Councilor’s office.  She traced the runes for privacy into the air and then walked up to the oblivious man.  Lethe knelt on the ground and sat down seiza-style so she could catch the other man’s downward looking gaze.<span style="color: silver"> “Vlad? What brings you to the Council Chamber?”</span><br/><br/>The man’s head shot up at the voice even as despair and self-recrimination flashed through his face.  “Master Lethe!”  He tried to get to his feet but then realized he was towering over the kneeling woman and tried to sit back down.  It was another embarrassing display of his incompetence.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Please, just Lethe is fine.  We are to be squadmates now.”</span>Looking up, he caught a glimpse of sorrow that had been absent earlier.  So even Master Lethe was affected by Guilford’s de-dea-absence.   He remembered the anguished faces he’d left behind and he straightened up.  Those were all his fault.  “No,” he whispered under his breath.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Excuse me?”</span><br/><br/>“No.  We’re not.  I.  I would like to resign from the squad.”<br/><br/>Lethe sat back in shock, eyes trying to catch any hints that would explain this sudden request.  Had she read the squad wrong in requesting they stay under her command?  Councilor Livius had floated the idea of splitting Squad Eight up and using them to plug various openings in other squads, but she had thought they’d want to stay together.  Was this another sign of her blindness?<span style="color: silver">“If that’s what you want.”</span>She finally managed to say.<span style="color: silver"> “I hadn’t realized you were unhappy on Squad Eight.”</span>There was a flinch and she focused on the involuntary response.<span style="color: silver">“May I ask why you wish to be reassigned?”</span><br/><br/>There was a long silence as Vlad struggled with what to say.  Having been in a similar situation far too many times, Lethe simply waited patiently.  Although time was a precious commodity right now, Squad Eight, Guilford’s remaining Knights, were more important.  She owed it to him to take care of his Knights.  “I’m not good enough.”  The confession finally emerged.  “I’m just.. mediocre.  The others are all the best available and I’m just.. me.”  Vlad’s voice dropped lower in shame, mere whispers in the already silent room.  “I don’t deserve to be on the team after failing them.”<br/><br/>Lethe’s arms ached with the urge to draw the other Knight in a hug.  These doubts were so familiar.  This story, a repeat of what her own squadmate had gone through.<span style="color: silver">“Vlad..”</span>She reached out and covered his clenched hands with her own.<span style="color: silver">“I don’t think you’re mediocre.  And I don’t think Gil thought you were either.  If you cannot trust yourself, trust Gil.  He kept you on his team for a reason, because he thought you were good enough.  Seraph teams: we have the hardest missions, face the most difficulties.  We would never keep someone on the team if we didn’t think they were good enough, for we’d be condemning them to death otherwise.  If you really want to be re-assigned, I will see to it.  But I would appreciate it if you would speak with Valiar first about this decision.  He also had his doubts.  I think it may help you to hear his story.”</span><br/><br/>Vlad lowered his head shamefully, trying to hide the tears that now welled up in his eyes.  His head bobbed shakily.  Fulfilling Master Lethe’s request was the least he could do after adding his problems to hers.  He doubted it would change his mind, but he’d do it.  The sound of someone approaching had him turning away in a futile attempt to hide.  The hands that covered his left and he felt magic gather in the air: a privacy rune.  The presence in front of him stood and then left with a final pat on the head.<span style="color: silver">“May the Divine Light guide you and keep you safe.”</span><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Lethe reviewed Adair’s notes of what Councilor Aurel wanted.  It had apparently been a short conversation.  She’d have to rearrange some of the requests, but she’d be able to fulfill most of them.  The door to Guilford’s squad quarters opened and she looked up from her place on the messenger’s bench.  Georg and Joaquim paused at the sight of Master Lethe and Vice Captain Adair sitting like naughty schoolchildren outside a classroom.  Valiar poked his head out when the other two refused to move and greeted his squadmates with a wave.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Perfect timing you three.  If we could have a moment?”</span>She nodded to the door and all three got the hint, as expected.  The two rear guards stepped out of the doorway and Valiar followed, closing the door behind him.<span style="color: silver">“Georg, Joaquim, the Council has requested that you go to the garrisons in Gless and Lindela and teach the Knights there how to use your delta spells.  Unfortunately, Vlad can’t join you for this mission, but perhaps Adair can substitute in?  They hope to be able to expand the spells so that it’s not limited to three Knights anyways.”</span>All three men nodded though each sported frowns for their own reasons.  Georg and Joaquim wondered about Vlad’s absence while Adair was displeased at having to leave Lethe’s side.<span style="color: silver"> “I leave Adair in charge then.  Joaquim, Georg, please speak up at any time if you have something to add.”</span>A pointed nod had the three walking away as she turned her attention to the remaining Knight.<span style="color: silver"> “How are they doing?”</span><br/><br/>Valiar shrugged noncommittally.  “They’re the youngest three and this is undoubtedly their first, ah, second death.  Do you want to rush them?  I know we don’t have much time..”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Not so little that I can’t give them more time to mourn.  Thankfully situations are not so dire yet.”</span>Back during the war, they’d been expected to go to battle just moments after learning of friends’ deaths.  With an average life expectancy of two weeks, it was inevitable that friends died.  But there had been no time to grieve; there were still countless Sinners to defeat.  Thank the Lights they weren’t at that stage yet.<span style="color: silver"> “However, I need you to speak with Vlad when you have a chance.  I’ll take watch; you go to him in the room outside the Council Chambers.  I left a privacy rune over him on the messenger bench.”</span><br/><br/>“Alright.  I’ll see you soon.”  With a quick hug, the older Knight was off to do as bid.  Lethe slipped into the room and took up watch in the corner.