Only a day after Erec saw the world end did the Master Knights call for their expedition to pack up. They began to prepare the wagons for immediate transport back to the Kingdom.
The orders came through a chain of Knights and reached him by a Knight Protector as he tested his Vallum Armor in the morning. Organized yet hectic energy took command of the camp as the bleary-eyed senior Knights and confused initiates rushed to pack up and leave at a moment's notice. The lack of clear reasoning whispered through the camp.
Erec rubbed his eyes, hunched his shoulders, and dug into the work that needed to be done.
Why?
That question rang through his mind as he packed up rooms and hauled stuff to the wagons. They’d had a few days at least before they needed to head back to the Academy within their allotted time frame.
Boldwick could’ve had more time to continue his search, so why end early? Were they headed somewhere else? Or did something change?
The shift was confusing but, ultimately, above his rank.
And much like how he’d felt the last day, it was hard to bring himself to care. The after-effects of witnessing an untold number of people die left him flinching every time he ran across one of those red-robed priests. They made his skin crawl, even if he didn’t know the Goddess’ reasoning for destroying the world.
Well, he knew what the church said. But he found it a poor justification for the mass devastation of life.
She'd also stepped into a Rift.
Not unthinkable that the Goddess would have that sort of power—but again, it left him shaken. Was she ultimately some form of monster, only on an unimaginable scale? Then again, she'd given them her Blessings and led humanity throughout the Third Era with grace.
War and confusion dwelt in his soul, so he turned to physical labor and let his mind numb and heal.
Bags of supplies flew into wagons, sweat creased his brow, and to his side, Colin grunted. The Duke's son had been given his share of work and complained plenty enough for it, still to his credit, Colin kept going.
Soon after, they took a mandatory break.
Erec pulled a long gulp from his water flask; would that it held wine instead. Perhaps he'd spent too long in Boldwick's company to start looking for the solution to his problems at the bottom of a bottle. Those sorts of natural instincts were no good.
He started at the flask for a long while with a frown.
“Awful thirsty, huh? It’s almost like we’re in a desert.” Colin said and paused for too long. “Get it. Because we are?”
By the Goddess.
Erec took a deep breath and refused to acknowledge the ‘joke.’
“Are you feeling alright, rust bucket? Since we got back, you’ve been out of it. Are you missing sulking in your room that bad? I suppose I understand; however, perhaps you should consider my example. I’ve recovered admirably, as I’m sure everyone has noted.” Colin puffed up his chest as Erec finally gave and caved in, glaring at the boy. Yeah, that one wasn’t a joke. It seemed coping with the bugs after the fact had given him an unneeded boost to the ego.
To be fair, the rebound time on that had been impressive, considering how deeply they got under his skin.
But no, fear of bugs wasn’t equal to watching that many people die at once. Not even close, really, but it wasn’t like Erec could go out and say that.
…But …Maybe Colin was a good example.
The situations might be different, but Colin pulled himself together. Erec stood a little straighter, trying to chase out some of those harrowing thoughts from his mind.
He could sulk all day. He could let the fear, disgust, and horror rule his life. Or he could find a way to coexist.
If Colin managed to climb a small hurdle, he’d have to work at surmounting that mountain. But, it took one step at a time.
Seeing him try inspired Erec to take a look at himself.
“No, things aren’t alright. But you reminded me of something.” Erec said and blew out an exaggerated puff of air.
Colin’s growing smirk and arrogant eyes already told him that admission was a mistake, but so be it. Let him win this one. It'd be fine to nurture it if he didn’t inflate that confidence too far again. “Well, glad to hear it rust bucket. Considering you’re the only one worth talking to.” He rolled his eyes, “The baron’s sons’ indiscretions with the maid are both uncouth and make me irritable.”
“So you’re jealous?”
“I most assuredly am not, I could have my pick of betrothals, if I so wished.”
“Then why don’t you?” Erec squinted.
Garin might’ve had a clue to the answer. As Erec considered it, shouldn’t someone of Colin’s age and station be used to tie his house together with another? Looking past Colin's previously awful personality, there’d be no shortage of houses willing to throw at least a second daughter at the Duke to solidify an alliance.
“…My father said it would be a discussion once I’ve reached the rank of Knight Protector. In his words, ‘before then, it would serve only to distract you from the goals that should matter,’”
Was his father more concerned about personal power? Or did he already have something arranged and didn’t share it with his son? It was hard to tell, considering Erec already knew the Duke would make other preparations in the shadows and keep his son in the dark. Erec didn’t envy their relationship.
“You know, it hasn’t been that long since you were aggravating beyond compare.” Erec chuckled to diffuse the already growing anger on Colin’s face. “—You’ve much improved. It’s wild what a difference the last month has made. If you keep this up, who’s to say where your house will be? I think one day, maybe, you’ll outdo your father.”
Colin scowled for a split second before his features softened. It seemed that this comparison, one where Erec put him in a favorable light compared to his old man, stabbed past that gut instinct to lash out. He looked at his feet.
“It only takes a single day to change your life.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s something my mother used to say. The day she met father, the day she had me, the day my father killed the Rot Behemoth—all of those were single days. You may never know when that day will hit, but in the end, that’s all it takes.”
Erec tilted his head.
Soon, a Knight Errant came upon them and yelled for them to get back to work, and so they did. Loading one wagon, then moving to another. A few knights were still on scouting missions, but now the expedition focused outward—back towards the Academy and the wasteland.
Erec felt surprisingly better after his talk with Colin, not that it solved that existential horror in his gut, but life continued. A day at a time.
It left him wondering further why Boldwick so entirely switched to a hasty return. Had he met his goal? Had there been enough time?
Surely not if he wanted to find an Outsider. Boldwick hadn’t left the camp since Erec returned from their ‘scavenging’ mission.
It was hard to believe that the android gave up anything useful besides some interesting old-world technology, not after VAL did what it did.
A large number of the Knights stationed themselves as guards at the entrance to the building the Master Knights debated in. Any time priests or Silver Flames Knights wandered near; their hands strayed to their sword hilts.
The priests drifted closer and wandered near more often.
Until they crashed through the breaking point as the sun began to sink.
“In the name of the Goddess, we demand entry!” called a priest, his hood pulled back to reveal long black hair. The rest of the priests that came along for the journey were to either side, and the Silver Flames Knights weren’t long behind. As if they'd planned this. He amplified his voice with a prayer, loud enough to stretch out over the entire fortification.
The camp came to a pause. People dropped what they were hauling and poked their heads out of the buildings as attention went to the public drama. The priest played it up; he took stock of his audience before shifting the full brunt of his ire on the guards who remained unresponsive.
“Dare you to be blasphemers to defy the will of our Goddess? What is it you’ve been concealing from her eyes? All in this place know that the will of the church is the will of Her. We demand to witness what it is that you hide not only from Her but from all else who’ve risked their lives on this expedition!”
Dame Robin burst out of the building as the guards exchanged a look.
“You will disperse; cease this show. This is no time for bickering; you’ve heard the orders, and it’s time to return home. Once there, if you wish, you may bring your complaints to the church. They can question the King if they so wish. But I caution you that with our longstanding reputation of service, you will find little ground to raise a complaint.”
“You speak lies and deception, even to your own people! We are aware of your cause to seek out sinners; is that whom you’re harboring behind your Knights? If so, then it is our responsibility to see that they are never to reach the Kingdom!”
An expression of pure confusion and shock filtered across Robin’s face before she masked it. “…You think we intend to smuggle a person on the return trip back into the kingdom?”
“It is hardly the first time the higher-ups of your Order have crossed the laws of the Goddess and the good of the Kingdom in the name of conducting your affairs! Heed my words, noble Knights of the Verdant Oak—those at the height of your Order keep secrets and give you deceptions! As Goddess-fearing men and women, you should not tolerate such blatant manipulation and control!”
Robin shook her head. Though, there was muttering among the ranks. Whether it was general bafflement for the egregious accusations, curiosity about their validity, or some low level of agreement, it was impossible to tell.
“Harken now, noble Knights. All those wise enough to see the Goddess and her truth! Surpass this obfuscation and demand they share their secrets for all who risk their lives here to witness—“
There was a cry and shouting. But it wasn’t from near the priest; it came from beyond the wagons.
A scouting party returned from the wastes. Half of its members were bleeding out as they rushed into the encampment. The priest shut up as all eyes shifted to the wounded men.