Flames Light Up The Dark

The Shadow Fold

"So let me get this straight. We are trying to go through a wall of shadows filled with monsters to reach the other side so that we can kidnap a woman who has the power to destroy said wall?" Jean was utterly baffled by the mission of the Dregs.
"We are aware that it sounds...counter productive, but in this world, one must do all they can to survive and 1 million Kruge could help us immensely." Inej answered the ginger.
"I understand that, but wouldn't you feel bad? You don't know what this...Dreesen will do to the Sun Summoner if you hand her over. Won't that just gnaw at your mind? That you may have sent someone to their death?" Jean voiced her concerns, trying to calm her nerves down but also in hopes that her new friends would reconsider the offer.
"Fighting in the 2nd Army is already a death sentence, it makes no difference if we were to speed it up." Kaz spoke coldly, making Jean flinch as their seemingly indifference to the crime bothered her greatly. Kaz noticed this and tried to reassure her.
"Okay, we'll have a compromise. We will get the Sun Summoner out of the Little Palace and decide from there how to proceed. If we go ahead with the deal, you can leave us Jean but if we don't, we could use your help."
"...Alright, I accept those terms."

With the ethics of the situation sorted with, the gang started their journey to Alina Starkov.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jean was paired with Inej to gather a peck of majdaloun jurda to help get the train through the shadows. The 2 women did have a slightly closer bond due to them being just that, so Inej didn't have a problem with the clueless red head following her around Novokribirsk, making her unfamiliarity with the area known as curiosity and wonder and evident on her face as her wide eyes made sure to set itself upon everything. However, after they had collected the jurda, Inej led the out of place woman to a memorial, which caused the mood to dampen.

Jean stood silently behind Inej as she read through the names on the slabs of stones, looking for someone dear to her. When she was done, she let out a sad sigh causing Jean to try and comfort the woman by placing her hand on her shoulder. Inej looked back, a small smile on her lips as her eyes filled with sorrow met Jean's.

"I think I...also lost someone. I'm not sure who they were to me nor can I remember their face, but I feel an innate sadness within myself whenever I see people happy with another. It's torture. To not know why I feel sad and not knowing who I am, but I know that someday, hopefully soon, I'll remember them and what they did for me and I to them. And on that day, I'll be the happiest. You'll find them Inej." Jean's words rang through the spy. If a woman with amnesia was able to stand tall, so could she. So when Kaz found them, Inej gave him a steely gaze and walked past him, Jean hot on her trail. Kaz initially had a dazed look, but proudness soon replaced it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were waiting with the Conductor by the Fold for Jesper, who was running late with the alabaster coal that was needed to move the damn train.

The Conductor was beginning to get impatient, suggesting for Kaz to drop the journey through the Fold, but was met by a firm no.

After almost 30 minutes of waiting for the sharpshooter, he could finally be spotted running down the road, a mob of men chasing after him with torches and weapons.

Kaz let out an annoyed sigh as he realised what his right hand man had done.

Jesper shouted at the gang to not leave him behind as he ran through the field unknowingly filled with landmines, leaving his enemies behind as they adhered to the sign.

As soon as Jesper got into the train, Inej slammed the door shut to protect them from the armed men outside.

"Please tell me you have 20 pounds of alabaster coal." The Conductor hoped he was wrong about the man, but clearly not as Jesper gave him bag of only 16 pounds.