Tread Lightly

The claw of lightning wraps its web of electricity around my throat, but just as the shock begins to course through my body, seeking to stop my heart, the tip of a bloody bowie knife emerges from the man's mouth. Blood, saliva, and necrotic Ether drip onto my forehead from the bowie knife.

Surprise, both electrical and genuine, courses through me as Virgil pulls the man of lighting from me and into the air. The man, whose name I don't even know, is lifted up as he gurgles on his own blood and then is stabbed repeatedly until he stops bubbling. Virgil shows no mercy to the Hunter and throws the limp body on the ground. He has often told me to make sure prey is dead before you move on to the next.

Then, the older Boone brother falls to the ground, landing on one knee as I hear him take incredibly deep gasps of air. His exhaustion and wounds bring him down. The blood that drips from him makes me want to check on him. Even the burns that lace his body from the sun would be a reason to worry enough.

Still a bit paralytic, I move over to him and check on him amidst the gunfire that still rings out from Johnny and Frederick's frantic battle.

"You alright, Virgil?"

The older man laughs deeply until it gradually becomes a cough that he beats out of himself by hitting his chest. Worry rises within me for him, but he quickly waves it off.

"Am I alright? What about you, you madman? What were you thinking? Fighting an entire group of people who have gone through a Metamorphosis? Maybe one on one or in ambush with a naive 4th or 5th Sigiled, you'd have a chance, but attacking a full group of these veteran Hunters? That and I would swear that I saw you die. What was that all about?"

He shakes his head as he takes a breath to calm himself.

"I'm fine, Wyatt. Just tired. You keep bringing exhausting situations to my feet. I used the last of my Ether killing Milton there. That damn man you sought out to fight for no good reason is famous for his Ether that can transform into lightning. Even his Colonel, Frederick, relies on him to charge his Claymore. Well, I guess not anymore."

Virgil stops talking momentarily to look over at Frederick, who is fighting Johnny; the two men trading blows so quickly that we can barely even see what's happening. Bullets fly everywhere without pause as dust scatters just as often from Frederick's movement.

I briefly answer his questions despite my embarrassment for jumping into a death pit. But in my defense, I didn't have much choice. Primrose has the detonator to the Deadman's Switch that's on my arm.

"I used the Sigil within Law's Light to advance. It was trippy, but it gave me enough of a boost to Ether so that I stopped turning into a puddle of flesh. The ability that it gave me is handy too. And sorry about that; I had no choice but to fight. They have the detonator to my switch, after all."

Virgil sighs at my response before he comments on the battle with a warning to me.

"See that? That right there is what we seek, Wyatt. Those two are near the pinnacle of humans. Their skills, experience, and power are unobtainable for all but the most persevering. Do not join the battle between the two. Just watch. If you try and join, I will stop you myself.

A fight between average 6th Sigileds, maybe we'd be able, but not these two, especially not in our conditions. Frederick might be much younger than Johnny, but each has their own strengths. Frederick is just as fast as he is rash, while Johnny is just as planned as he is calm. A sea of calculated bullets versus a furious flooding river. That is what we watch, not a battle between men, but between two who stand near the top for mortals."

He finishes his speech with a statement that makes me think. I thought there were Sigils above 6th, so how are these two near the top for mortals? I don't understand. Unwilling to defy Virgil, I sit beside him in the sand near Milton's dead body.

"What do you mean they are near the pinnacle of humans? That they are near the top. Are there not people above them in the Angelic stage like the Pillars?"

Virgil takes a moment to rip off some dark cloth from Milton's body that he then uses to wrap his burns and cover them from future sun damage. Only after he's done does he answer.

"There are, but I no longer see those people as mere men or women. Everything changes when you take the great leap into the 7th Sigil and go through a second Metamorphosis. The body becomes inhuman, dyed by the very Ether that you use. People who reach that far are fundamentally changed to their core.

But people like Johnny and Frederick, who are just before that great leap, are at the peak of what humans can be. People like the Prime are the peak of what we aspire to be. There is a fundamental difference.

With enough effort, luck, perseverance, and strength of mind, anyone can reach the level of the two before us. It just requires time and hardship. But a man like the Prime? A man like any of the past Primes? No. Only an extraordinary kind of person can reach that far. All others would fall to what lies beyond, far, far before they even touch upon the door to the Prime's abode."

After Virgil's explanation, we stay silent for a minute or so as we watch the battle between Johnny and Frederick evolve, the two 6th Sigiled fighting with everything they have. But after a minute of not really being able to understand what I'm seeing, I grow bored. I grow bored of just holding myself together and ask some more questions.

"How far away is Vernon? It's growing increasingly more difficult to hold myself together. My new skill from my Sigil imbued my will with Ether, and it allowed me to bolster my internals to keep me together. Keep me struggling. And what's a Metamorphosis do? I know it's the jump between 3rd and 4th and 6th and 7th Sigils, but I don't know what it does."

Virgil glances at me, then looks me up and down. He laughs again with a shake of his head as he turns his attention back to the great battle in front of us. Often we have to slightly move in case of bullets that come nearby. At this point, Johnny has had to of fired at least a thousand rounds throughout the whole battle, which has at most lasted ten minutes.

"Haha… Even as injured and fucked up as you are, you still ask simple questions. Well, I guess the Vernon one isn't, but anyway. My brother should be here soon; I actually don't know why he's not here already, in fact. He must have gotten distracted. He'll be here soon.

A Metamorphosis, though. That's hard to describe. It occurs when you're inside The Cabin. The three Sigils you have gained will condense into a new one, no longer being a three-sided Sigil but a single Sigil with all three attributes. They do so under the pressure of the fourth, the newest Sigil. And during this process of condensation or Metamorphosis, all the previous Sigil skills are enhanced, at least a little bit, and so is your person.

During mine, my skill that enhances me in the dark, similar to Adrenaline Surge, but more restrictive in its usage, was empowered, taking both less Ether to activate and putting less of a burden on me. The other skills weren't too affected except for Flicker, which let me fade into another realm faster and further than before.

The central part of the first Metamorphosis, though, is becoming Wonderous– Oh, get down!"

In the middle of his explanation, Virgil tackles me to the ground as a shower of bullets passes by us, and the boots of Frederick stomp near us. Sand, debris, and ricochet wash over us.

I consider using Adrenaline Surge for a second, but I quickly wipe it away and follow Virgil's lead. And what I follow in doing is staying absolutely still, being as unthreatening as possible. Luckily, Frederick doesn't care for us and returns to Johnny's side with a spurt of sand that flies into the air.

I look Virgil in the eyes, and I ask him a simple question that, in hindsight, I should have asked earlier.

"Do we leave the square?"

Virgil shakes his head no.

"We can't. This is where we said we'd meet up with Vernon, so we need to be here waiting for him. We can back up a bit to escape the fight, though."

Together, both of us incredibly wounded, we scoot backward until our backs hit the wall of a building. A building covered in bullet holes, but a building nonetheless. The damage to it, however, does the opposite of reassuring me of our positioning. Virgil doesn't seem to care much, however, as he continues his explanation from earlier.

"So, as I was saying. The central part of the first Metamorphosis, though, is becoming Wonderous. This means imbuing a part of your body with Ether. Whether it's your eyes, hands, or legs. It always depends on the Sigil someone possesses. Mine was my feet. The Ether within them made every step of mine silent."

Virgil points at Johnny as he continues his examples.

"Johnny's was likely his hands, given his Sigil being Unalloyed Deadeye, and Frederick's is likely his legs, his speed pointing out the obvious. What surprises me is that your 3rd Sigil gave you this effect. It makes me wonder if it's because it's an unconfirmed Sigil, because of your early Absolution, or simply an odd boon. After all, it's not affecting a material thing but instead a metaphysical one.

Because typically, it's said that each step through the Wonderous stage just enhances the Metamorphosed organ, limb, or part until you reach the 7th Sigil in some way. So, maybe after you Metamorphosize, you'll have two things imbued with Ether, or you'll just have one. Either way, it's abnormal. But being abnormal is usually a good thing. "

Virgil ends his explanation as a figure approaches us, moving slowly and unsteadily. We both turn to look at who it is with alarm, but I quickly put down Virgil's caution with my arm as the man sits beside us.

A disheveled young man with glasses, covered in blood, dirt, mud, and grime, plops beside me against the wall. He exhales a deep breath while Virgil and I just look at him.

Several awkward moments of silence pass as all three of us just sit watching the battle before near its conclusion, both fighters slowing down in both speed and ferocity. I don't know what to say, nor does the young man, so instead, we just stay quiet, waiting for someone to break the ice.

Neither of us does. However, both of us not being the best in social situations and unsure of what to do. But the other man with us does, Virgil getting annoyed at the awkwardness and speaking up to both of us.

"Say something, you nimwits. Don't just sit there awkwardly. We all know we'll be safe over here; Johnny is too good to fire strays. Hey, there, kid, I'm Virgil. Seems like you know this guy here, but in case you don't, this is Wyatt."

Another period of silence ensues as I peek at Earl, the young man beside me. I see that he has dried tears in his eyes, and he looks tired. Far too tired for a guy just a year or so older than me. But Earl surprises me by speaking up despite his tired looks and his typical unwillingness to speak. Not just that, but he says quite a lot, more than I think he ever has.

"Hey… I'm Earl. One of Wyatt's.. umm, old companions. Helped him make it here. Uh... Where have you been, Wyatt? How have you been?"

I look at Earl after he asks me the question, and I can't help but feel anger rise. He's the one that left me; how dare he ask where I've been? Couldn't he say sorry or something? And why is he even here? I open my mouth to retort, but as I do, I catch a glance from Virgil. A side-eye glimpse that makes me pause my anger.

I take a deep breath; only then do I reply to Earl. As I respond to him, I focus on the battle, not wanting to meet his gaze. At this point, blood seeps from both combatants, and neither really seems to have an advantage.

"I've been... places. Fought a bunch of monsters, ghosts, and other crazy shit. Almost died multiple times, as usual. Even now, I'm on the verge, just waiting for a Concoction to be delivered before my will runs out that's keeping me together. Oh, and I freed Lonnie. Virgil, his brother Vernon, and I killed all the Bakwas within Harmony Town. What about you?"

Earl coughs to clear his throat as he answers me.

"I was planning on leaving Rustbank as soon as possible, but my plans were forced to change. Elizabeth took too long to wake up, so we missed the last caravan out. The next won't be until after the break if we even survive. So, I went and found Johnny, hoping to gain favor with the man who runs the town."

Earl's eyes lower as he speaks, his gaze unwilling to meet mine.

"And I did; he found my Sigil interesting. He said that a Gambler can be helpful in any situation. That luck is always beneficial. So, he wanted me to stay beside him and that he'll not only pay me but he'll also try and find me my second Sigil during the break. So, I decided to stay."

Another moment of silence passes as we all see Frederick get kicked to the ground by Johnny. The two are now fighting hand to hand, no longer using any kind of weapons. They also speak while fighting, but we are too far to hear what they say.

A question comes to mind as I think about Earl, multiple in fact, but I only ask the one I find most pressing.

"How are Elizabeth, Leonard, and Esther? Are they fine? What happened to you? Why are you so bloody?"

I hear Earl gulp and straighten his back. His voice wavers as he speaks, which worries me greatly.

"Elizabeth is fine… so is Esther, but Leonard… He was killed by one of the Hunters when they came into town. They entered and asked where the Gunfighter was, full of bravado and confidence. Over twenty Hunters entered Harmony Town, and Leonard was helping me buy food for Esther and Elizabeth, who just woke up yesterday."

Earl doesn't look up, focusing on the sand below us as his tone trembles.

"When no one answered where Johnny was, the leading three Hunters opened fire into the crowd, stating that all rebels must die. I used my skill to bend luck as they fired into the crowd that was unwilling to give up their leader."

The young man sucks in a feeble gasp of air, his words rattling me.

"My skill saved me, but not Leonard, who was beside me. That's why I'm so covered in blood. I did all I could to save him, but he was just a normal man. Leonard died a pointless death, and that is the reason why I stuck by Johnny as he fought the Hunters. In the short time I've spent with the man, he's opened my eyes to the cruelty of the Hunters."

Earl now looks up, his eyes meeting mine and his words gaining some form of stability.

"After the Hunters showed that they meant business, what survived of the crowd split into random directions, panicking. Most of the Sigiled were killed in the initial spray of gunfire, and whatever was left was unwilling to fight against the Vengeance squad for Johnny."

The Gambler doesn't speak much more, just ending with a quick recap of what happened to him as he falls silent.

"Only Levi, Primrose, and I stayed to help the Gunfighter. Actually, there were a few others, but they were either quickly killed or left my sight fighting Hunters. Levi and Primrose ambushed the squad as they approached Johnny in his office. Each of them took out two or three Hunters before the vice leaders met them in a fight, distracting them. Then, the rest of the team made their way to Johnny. Uninteresting and weak, I was left alone as I ran to Johnny to help him. And eventually, you arrived with Primrose, which led us here."

A melancholy calm falls over me while Earl tells the story of Leonard's death. The story is just as short and abrupt as the man's death was. Most of what Earl said focused on him and not Leonard, but I shouldn't hold that against him.

He almost died too. I'm sure he's still under a monumental amount of stress and adrenaline and forced aside grief, keeping him from feeling the loss of his longtime friend. After all, they have known each other for years; Leonard used to help Earl scavenge herbs to practice being an Alchemist.

Memories that I had with Leonard pass through my brain in a rapid flash, something that seems to happen whenever someone I know dies. It happened with Ma, it happened with Butter, and it happened with Edmund.

I see pieces where we laughed, cried, and even bled together, although the one time we both bled, it was because he accidentally shot me with the shotgun. I see memories of us riding the carriage through plains, playing card games in Harmony Town before the ghosts arrived, and walking in the dunes to Rustbank.

Weeks pass in a flash, and the last memory that flits past is how we met.

Him pointing his shotgun at me while I lay catatonic and dying from the effects of the Bloody Palm merely being in my presence. Elizabeth saw I was a person, but Leonard was careful anyway; the young man wanted to protect his friends and himself.

A kind and protective man. That's who he was. That's who he should still be.

Internally I curse as I remember the familiar body that I only saw for a glimpse when I entered Rustbank. It was undoubtedly Leonard. Angry at these monsters sent here to ruin this town just before a break, I ask Earl who killed Leonard.

"So. Who did it? Which one of the Hunters killed Leonard?"

Earl wipes a tear from his eyes as I notice he's been crying ever since he started recollecting Leonard's death. A pang of guilt for not being observant enough to see it runs through me.

"Ha, see, that's the thing. You guys already killed him. It was the man with foresight and the shotgun. He blew out Leonard's right side along with four other people. I just so happened to be behind the correct number of people to not die. Lucky, huh…"

Rage instantly reaches a crescendo within me at being unable to sate my vengeance for Leonard, but I guess we already did. The man's corpse sits not too far away, dead by Virgil's bowie knife.

Pensive melancholy fills me as I ask Earl one last question.

"Why are you talking to me? I thought you hated me? I thought I was a monster?"

Earl has a small but sad laugh as he flicks the sand beneath us, still watching the battle beyond us that is nearing its conclusion.

"I–I overreacted—"

"You think?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. After I spent a few days with Johnny, bits and pieces slowly leaked to me about who you are. That you might be a tough son of a bitch, but you wouldn't kill your teacher like that. That he believed the only way you do so is if you were taken over by the Bloody Palm. Which was never attached to you until long after you met me."

Earl keeps his eyes on me, even as he stammers in his apology.

"At first, I still didn't fully believe it, though. In the back of my mind, the authority of the Hunters remained. Only after a slap from Elizabeth after she woke up and this attack from the Hunters am I sure. Sure that you're not who they say you are. You're not the Wendigo. So, again, I-I'm sorry. Sorry for leaving you stranded. Sorry for taking your money. Sorry for betraying your trust."

Earl's apology tugs on my heartstrings and makes me feel sorry for him. He was just trying to do what was right, but he spent his whole life surrounded by a retired Hunter. Of course, he would be more willing to believe their bounty posters over some guy he met just a few weeks prior.

I go to offer him an apology in turn, but just as I do so, an abrupt ending occurs in the fight between Frederick and Johnny.

Frederick kicks up his spear from his ground, no longer charged by electricity because of his team members' death, and tries to trip Johnny with it. Johnny leans into the trip attack and fakes being knocked over, but he catches himself with his mighty left hand.

Then, as he flips over on the one hand, Johnny flicks a bullet he had picked up into Frederick's kneecap from this odd and unexpected angle, the shot moving at speeds capable of shattering a kneecap from the boost of Johnny's Ether. This disables the man's principal asset as the lead enters the man's knee with a loud crunch. His speed is now gone with only one good leg. Once he loses his mobility, Frederick seems to give up, crying out in pain. Johnny then appears to give him a glare that momentarily paralyzes him.

Johnny takes advantage of this paralysis to get his gun back. He reaches over and grabs his Colt, which was knocked out of his hand earlier. The Colt was left in the dirt from a previous exchange. Then he saunters over to Frederick, limping the whole way, and positions the Colt against his forehead.