A Knight's Lilies

“Report 12B-34SC

Title: Border Overview

Report: Preliminary analysis suggests Traxian forces are conducting a multi-pronged test of Arterian defenses. Border guards and rangers have repelled light raiding parties as well as responded to incidents suspected to connect to a strategy of indirect warfare. Casualty counts remain relatively light so far at six wounded guardsmen and an estimated ten wounded Traxians across the front. However, it is suspected that these probes will increase in ferocity now that the Traxians have breached the Abenstatdian cordon. ”

- Captain Delias, Arterian Rangers, “Report on Border Incidents”

Sophie felt a sense of disquiet welling up inside of her. Each step getting heavier as she shuffled along beside the mermaid. In front of them, the water elemental wreaked havoc upon the lizardfolk. Lances of bioluminescent cave water shot forth, spears of pinpoint precision, unwavering, deadly. But what unnerved Sophie was not the elemental itself. Rather, the cold, unknowable, emotionless being that delivered death without hesitation. The way it methodically annihilated any who stood before them under the mermaid’s direction. A primal force of nature, the will of seas made manifest. And how she felt a pang of excitement at being witness to it all.

What frighted her was how her mind had, at first, jumped from awe and terror, to admiring the ruthless efficiency of the elemental. Only when it mercilessly felled another half dozen lizards after they tried futilely to stab water, did Sophie finally get a better grasp of the situation. In her attempt to reunite with her comrades and escape, she had participated in the destruction of an entire shipwrecked colony, survivors who had hidden here for stars know how long. Not only that, her heart skipped a beat in horror as she remembered what she had done. Together with the mermaid, they had stumbled across a hatchery or birthing ground, and destroyed everything in sight. Stars above...

It had felt like simply wiping away a pest, nothing to concern oneself over. That was until they began demolishing homes and the desperate defenders trying to protect what little they could. It showed a level of sentience and thought, however feral the lizards were acting. What terrified her even more, disturbed her even, was the brief flicker of joy she felt when they saw the elemental advancing upon them. The fear in their eyes, and for her to be by the mermaid’s side, standing in a position of power.

A part of her tried to brush it off. Yet the discomfort did not leave her. And she wondered if something had changed. If she had grown another step closer to finding comfort in strength.

The mermaid clicked its tongue in alarm and Sophie snapped out of her thoughts, scimitar raised at the ready. She turned to find the mermaid pointing towards the barricade.

There, the unmistakeable sight of one of the saints clad in full armor pummeled one of the lizards. Beside them, spears and swords kept foes from harassing their flanks.

Noticing the question in the mermaid’s eyes, Sophie responded with a firm, “Yeah, those are the ones.”

The mermaid paused, a hint of reluctance escaping from her. She crossed her arms, eyes narrowed, practically glaring at Sophie. Sophie could only wince a little, managing to garner a sigh from the mermaid as it relaxed.

It let out a conciliatory click and turned the elemental towards the barricades. Sophie could already tell that the others would be less than amused at the appearance of the elemental and hurried forward to head off a potential problem.

“Over there!” Someone shouted.

“Friendlies! Friendly! It’s friendly! Water guy with me! Sophie!” Sophie cried out, scratching her throat from how loud she tried to scream.

An arrow zipped by the elemental, merely grazing it instead of impacting. Flecks of cold cave water plopped onto Sophie’s skin. She shivered but let out a relieved sigh before taking a battle ready stance. We got acknowledged, safe.

With their connection established, the fate of the few surviving lizards were sealed. Pressed on one end by the saints and the other by the elemental, they were no match for a coordinated push. The few that remained fought a desperate and futile struggle. The merciful ones died through the unrelenting eradication of their kind by the mermaid and Sophie. Ended by swift piercing blows from the elemental, or torn apart by the mermaid and Sophie’s rusty blade. The unfortunate ones died to the maddened axe wielding saint, hacked apart while still alive and battered until they were no more.

Their dying squeals and shrieks were only drowned out when the mermaid raised her hand for one final dance and water elemental unleashed a brillant glowing wave. The bioluminescent life forms causing an odd contrast to the few wounded survivors now being suffocated by the waters as the elemental returned to nature in its whole. A gruesome if final ending to this terrible commission, at least, for the lizards. It did demonstrate part of the elemental’s tide calling power and was perhaps why the saints and saintesses stood arrayed opposite Sophie’s trio, with their weapons half raised and still standing in battle formation even after the elemental dissipated.

Only Hanabi looked more confused than anything as she inched closer. There was a hint of disbelief and bewilderment in the girl’s eye as she glanced between Sophie, the mermaid and the elemental. It was also perhaps her temperament and looser adherence to norms that allowed her to be the one to ease tensions.

“Why are you both basically naked? Do we have an extra cloak or something” Hanabi called out.

Sophie couldn’t stop a small grin from appearing on her face, “Long story,” She sighed with a chuckle, “Short version? She’s the one the villagers are praying to and she’s been helping them with catches out at sea. Saved me and helped fight the lizards.” She nodded respectfully at the mermaid.

“Well uhh, thanks for helping.” Hanabi addressed the mermaid.

The creature clicked her tongue and slithered up to the girl, the ex-saintess casting a glance over at Sophie. All she could do was offer a half hearted shrug.

“She means well.” Sophie informed her comrade.

“Huh, uhhh, great." Hanabi eyed the mermaid before addressing Sophie, "You alright though?”

“More or less.”

As the mermaid busied itself with examining Hanabi, Sophie turned her attention to the other saints. Noticing her, Aoi quickly stepped forward.

“We are pleased to find you well.” Aoi bowed.

“Thank you for the timely assist.” Sophie bowed back, though a little less elegantly.

“Sensei Eva and your friend Mila are currently also searching for you.” Aoi paused, frowning a little, “We uhh, we don’t know how far they’ve gone down the other path.”

“That’s…” Sophie frowned. That’s not good. Who knows how far this damned cave goes on for? The mermaid had its own hideaway!

“She pulled us out last time though. Worried about high tide. With any luck she’ll be just as conscious this time.” Aoi quickly tried to reassure her.

“Hah,” Sophie grunted, “Let’s hope so.”

Around her, she could see the other saints trying their best to not draw too much attention to themselves. To her mild embarrassment and titillation, she found both the saints and Aoi’s second in command occasionally ogling up and down her body and the mermaid’s. The one she recognised as Tsugumi seemed more focused on the interaction between Hanabi and the mermaid, a tight barely noticeable frown on her forehead.

Sophie shuffled over and ignored the gazes she received and rested a hand on the mermaid’s shoulder.

“She can’t talk like we can, but she understands.” Sophie motioned to Hanabi before shooting the mermaid a smile, “Don’t worry, they’re friends.”

The mermaid bristled a little but opted to click out a few words before motioning towards the saints. Sensing her doubts, Sophie guided the mermaid’s hand to Hanabi. The girl stiffened, but relaxed as the mermaid offered a few gentle pats as she tried to examine the new human arrivals.

“She’s like a cat.” Hanabi giggled.

“Ahem, right. Now if we’re all done reminiscing here. What do we do now?” Tsugumi coughed before looking between Sophie and Aoi, though her ire was directed at the hapless Hanabi who returned an exasperated expression.

The two in question cast quizzical looks at each other. Before collectively turning to the mermaid and back. The situation had clearly changed a little but the main objectives had been accomplished. Aoi conveyed as much with her crossed arms and anxiously tapping her foot..

“What was the plan?” Sophie spoke up.

Startled, Aoi almost jumped before politely clasping her hands together.

“Split up, find you, potentially wipe out the lizards as a group. Skipped little bit of that. Then return back outside.”

“I don’t see a problem with that.” Sophie added.

“But your friend…” Aoi hesitated.

“Ah, right.” Sophie then accidentally let out a click of her tongue in contemplation, eliciting a soft trill from the mermaid.

As if having penetrated her brain to uncover the doubts in her mind, the mermaid let out a series of melodic, almost soothing chirps and clicks. There was a note of fear running discordant with the rest of the melody, but Sophie attributed it to nervousness more than anything. Judging by the tale she had been told and the way the mermaid seemed so overly conscious of both her and the new arrivals, she suspected that the creature had not had such direct interactions with peoples for a long enough time.

“Come with us.” Sophie spoke softly to the mermaid, “If only for a brief while. I’m sure no one would mind.”

The mermaid let out a series of more alarmed but curious clicks. Aoi shrugged as if to say, whatever you want. The other saints seemed mostly apathetic to the situation at hand beyond Tsugumi who was busy animatedly gesturing about something while whispering to Hanabi, who listened along with a sheepish grin.

Noting no noteworthy objectors, Sophie maintained a resolute gaze to lend credence to her suggestion. Her expression was matched by the worry etched onto the mermaid’s face. But whether from loneliness or enjoying the discovery of so many whom it could interact with, the mermaid finally clicked out a quiet affirmation.

“Then it’s settled.” Sophie grunted.

Taking that as her cue, Aoi whistled and snapped her fingers. “Alright, fourth squad. Listen up. Let’s head back out in five minutes.” She motioned to her pocket watch, one engraved with church decals and the star of Astralis, “Rest up. Take a breather. Loot what you want but don’t get yourself in trouble.”

Loot? Huh, doesn’t sound very saintly. But then again, Sophie mused, I suppose they are outlanders. Eva did say something about outlanders liking ‘loot’ and ‘rewards’. How odd.

“Finally.” The axe wielding saint, “C’mon Natsuki, let’s go look around. Unless you want to argue with your girlfriend.” He scoffed.

“Hey!” The other saint, likely Natsuki, protested.

“I wouldn’t date him if he was the last man alive.” Hanabi added. Oh?

“Hey! That’s also pretty rude.” Natsuki growled at her.

“Go off maybe you guys can pe-urk.” Hanabi tried to speak only for Tsugumi to drag her away.

“Must you both always fight? Let’s take a break Ms. I punch everything.” The other saintess chided.

I wonder. Hanabi did say they were friends. How close are they?

“Izumi, you alright?” Aoi’s far softer voice echoed as the others dispersed.

A quiet grunt from the final saintess in response.

“Let’s see what arrows and bolts are reusable.” The squad leader announced before pausing and turning to Sophie, “You two and uhhh, the water thing can sort out what you need to, yeah?”

“We will.” Sophie answered for the duo.

The mermaid trilled excitedly for a moment before resuming its more neutral clicks of the tongue. Smiling at her new compatriots delight, Sophie gave her a nudge that seemed to startle the being that had been almost fearless and relentless just minutes before.

“Since we have a few minutes, want me to tell you a little about the world?” Sophie asked.

Delighted by the attention given to her, the mermaid ecstatically adopted a familiar position as it coiled itself around Sophie once more, ignoring the surprised stares from those who noticed the gesture. Oh dear. But without any reason to push it away and not wanting to hurt the poor thing, Sophie just let her shoulders sag a little before leaning into the creature once more.

“Well, there’s two more people you haven’t met here yet. And they’re both close friends of mine…” Sophie began.

The rally point was set on the path leading to the cave. Two templars stood guard as another, likely the squadron’s captain, stood beside Inquisitor Janos. They and the party stood under a hastily erected bell tent that now served to shelter them from a sudden downpour that casted a grey shroud over Oakbeach.

Sophie was, much to her own relief, no longer naked. An oversized linen tunic and baggy trousers donated by the villagers now covered her. Whereas in a misjudgment, the Inquisitor had lain down his church cloak to dry, which was then mistakenly and now permanently acquired by the mermaid, though it didn’t hide much.

“Blessed be the Goddess, who in our time of need grants us her messengers. May we be blessed by the stars.” Inquisitor Janos muttered as Sophie finished recounting her side of events with the mermaid.

“Blessed by the stars.” The templars echoed with reverence, the saints and saintesses with a hint of boredom.

Hanabi muttered the words as did Sophie, though the two found each other’s more quiet tones intriguing enough to spare each other a glance.

“Seems you’ve earned favor with quite a few of the pantheon.” Janos rounded on Sophie.

“Huh? Pardon?” Sophie looked over, his words not quite making sense to her.

“I said, ‘seems you’ve earned favor with quite a few of the pantheon’.” Janos repeated, making about as much sense as before.

Sophie tried to maintain a neutral expression, the edge of her mouth twitching at the urge to furrow her brow and frown in an attempt at deciphering his words. Is it rude to ask? He is an inquisitor. But what does he mean?

“Uhh, pardon me, sir inquisitor. But what do you mean, exactly?” Sophie murmured the question.

A flash of disdain crossed his visage before he let out a soft breath and smiled, though without a hint of mirth or joy in his eye. “You believe in the faith, yes?” He queried.

Sophie’s eyes darted to Hanabi who just shrugged. “Of course. Why?”

“You know of the pantheon, the High Pantheon?”

“Of course…?” Sophie narrowed her eyes a little, wondering where he was going with this.

“Well, I’ve read your reports. You have a twin who is skilled in the magic of the Lady of Shadows. Spoken and befriended some dwarves. Even known to some as ‘stonefriend’, a high honor for an outsider or those not of Tessadus’s faith. And not you’re here. With a mermaid, creatures of the sea and purported rumored messengers of Euthymia, true or not.” He looked at her as a professor at the Academy might a troublesome student, “Most pray to all of the pantheon of course, but only dedicate themselves to one or ask for boons from one. Few do multiple, and fewer still actually receive blessings nowadays.”

There was a tinge of a warning in his words. His voice and prying eyes making her feel uneasy as she shivered a little. They were like someone had seen something unpleasant and had finally decided to deal with it. And the object of his attention was her.

Unsure of how to reply, she just grunted.

Amused or annoyed by her reaction, his false smile receeded a little, “I merely want you to pray even more. For you are… lucky… yes, lucky to gain favour from the Heavens.” He finished, his words leaving an acrid taste in her mouth. Just as much as his now disinterest in her relieved her.

The tent was quiet. Saints and saintesses shuffled awkwardly as they tried to distance themselves from this conversation. Sophie got the sense that perhaps Hanabi leaving the church to join an adventuring band might’ve been a more reasonable action than she first thought. Without Eva’s presence, the others certainly seemed a little more reluctant to engage in conversation with the Inquisitor.

Only a subtle clicking from the mermaid drew her attention back from her analysis. The creature pointed down towards the cave.

As everyone strained to try and get a better look, they all caught sight of a weary figure plodding her way out of it. Before a more energetic if somewhat angry looking one followed. With an orc coming out after them. They made it, thank the stars, they’re alive.

“That’s them!” Aoi was the first to call out.

She was also the first one to wave in an attempt to catch the attention of those on the beach. Her actions were then followed by Tsugumi and Natsuki, the other two saints simply continuing to rest.

Inquisitor Janos gestured at one of the templars and the man saluted before jogging down the path to meet the others.

The mermaid clicked curiously at Sophie and she nodded, “They’re my friends. They’re nice people, I think you’ll like ‘em. Well, maybe after a bit.” She added.

The mermaid trilled politely, or at least that’s what it sounded like.

“Hmm, before the last of our procession gets here, I’ve been wondering." Janos addressed the mermaid, starling both her and Sophie, "You can clearly understand our words and what we say, or at least get the meaning we're trying to convey with a decent degree of fluency.” Janos stood beside them, glancing at the mermaid with a somewhat accusatory gaze and another polite but empty smile.

Sophie shuffled a little closer to the mermaid, her body instinctively sensing potential conflict and readying itself once more.

“What happened? Why can’t you speak, hmm?” The inquisitor prodded.

Sophie saw the mermaid tense a little, her tail curling a little as it’s expression grew more hostile. A low growl escaping from its lips before she turned to look at Sophie, as if asking for aid. Sophie nodded, her own worried smile answered the mermaid in return.

The mermaid pointed at her vocal box before clicking its tongue with a modicum of distress. Emotions flowed at Sophie as the energy around the mermaid changed and shifted alongside it. A chaotic dance that sketched out a scene of loneliness and loss. And now her story was known to Sophie in full. She had embarked on a search for a home not because of wanderlust or curiosity. But precisely because she couldn’t speak. Neither in whatever her home tongue might’ve been or the common that the others spoke. She had been cast aside and ended up here.

“She can’t talk.” A different voiced answered instead of Sophie’s own. Hanabi?

Both the mermaid and her immediately spun to find Hanabi staring defiantly at the inquisitor. Janos for his part, put on an amused expression, though how genuine he truly felt was anyone’s guess. Hanabi ignored the inquisitor’s gaze and allowed her eyes to drift over to Sophie’s, meeting them and conveying her support. Sophie found herself strangely appreciative of the gesture and lowered her own eyes before clearing her throat.

“The mermaid can’t speak at all. Neither in our language or her own. It’s why she’s out here by herself.” Sophie drew the attention off of Hanabi.

The mermaid trilled as if to confirm Sophie’s narrative.

“How fascinating.” Janos mused, “Appears even the Goddess Euthymia’s chosen folk can experience such… problems.”

Before Sophie could reply, he had already diverted his attention away from them. For the familiar footsteps of comrade and kin reached her ears.

“We couldn’t find… Sophie? Is that you?” Eva sulked before letting out a gasp.

“Eva.” Sophie smiled.

“You idiot! Ugh!” Eva growled as she rushed forward to embrace her, “Thought you were still lost in there, fucking hell.”

“Eheheh, would’ve been too. If not for our new friend here.” Sophie giggled at the overwhelming affection she felt emanating from her mistress.

“New friend…? Ah? Ah! What the… that’s a fish tail?! A siren? Mermaid?!” Eva pulled back a little, looking the mermaid up and down, “That’s a mermaid? Right?”

Sophie nodded.

“Woah.” Eva stared at it.

The mermaid stared back curiously, intrigued by the far more curious human that had appeared.

A different set of hands tapped Sophie’s shoulder and she turned to find Mila merely gesturing to the creature with her eyes, demanding an explanation from the half elf before also taking the time to glare at Aoi for disobeying the plan. Sophie grinned, there was something enjoyable in being able to be the one people turned to for answers. Even if some inquisitors are a little less pleasant than others.

“Why don’t you two get settled down first and then we’ll catch you up to speed.” Janos’s dispassionate but oddly smug voice cut through the silence.

Sophie could tell that Mila was not entirely too pleased with the notion but only through an extra furrow of the brow in addition to her usual scowl.

“Fine.” The inquisitor grunted before pausing in front of Sophie, “I’m glad you made it back.” She spoke, a little kinder and softer.

“Me too.” Sophie beamed at her.

The two nodded knowingly at each other, both growing more tired as a reflection of the past two day’s events slowly caught up to them.

“It’s been a long day, huh?” Mila asked, the girl's guard falling as a hint of exhaustion snuck into her voice.

“Heh.” Sophie chuckled and let out a sigh, her eyes flicking up to the grey, rainy skies above. It always is.