Demon(#Wattys2017 Entry)

Chapter 38:Forward

"Look, we've discussed this before. Jus' imagine people's reaction if they found out, eh? They'd be angry, and....I get what yer saying, but we shouldn't tell them. Think of our position, eh? You said that Rasca was thinkin' we didn't care much for the lower men. You think this news'll hurt or help the case, huh? A higher-up member keeping a big secret like that for so long......But that....Sorry, go ahead......Well, it makes more sense when you put it like that, but still....We can talk more, eh? We don't have to settle this now. We've waited a long time, we c'n wait longer, eh? I mean-"

"Giles? You in there?"

The commander swore and stood, walking to the door of the tent as Narra walked over. He opened the door before her and smiled, kissing her cheek."Heya sweetie. Doing good?"

Narra nodded."Yeah, uh...You talking to someone? I thought I heard-"

"Nah, nothing. Jus' T'inkin out loud, eh? Promise."

Narra smiled."Oh, c'mon. You ever need to talk, you know I can listen, or your mom even!" He chuckled."Yeah, I know...T'anks, eh? 'Preciate it."

They walked off, still speaking. Thanks to his quick thinking, Narra never entered the tent, never saw the scythe perched against a chair as his speaking companion.
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Guiltare walked to a small hut, built only from charred wood. It was the home of Vaussten, and was built this way for repelling his powers. If he were to toss and turn in his sleep, normal wood would break and splinter apart, but as this was burned already, it was, in a sense, already 'destroyed'. Granted, if he focused long enough, he could make it begin to smoke, but for the most part, his home was safe. She knocked politely.

"I had a lovely time too, but I'm a bit busy. I'll be sure to find you later, 'Kay dear?"

She sighed."....Vaussten, it's me."

He opened the door."Phew! Thank goodness! Been this one girl lately, knocks and checks here all damn day. Honestly, wasn't worth it."

Guiltare made a face, thankfully hidden as she had chosen to wear her mask today."That's....fascinating, really. May I come in? There is something we must discuss."

He nodded."Yeah, of course, anytime!" He stepped out of her way as she walked in, did one last check of the outside perimeter, then shut the door.

The inside of the house seemed in desperate need of a woman's touch. Or, perhaps, less women's touch, she noted, stepping over a garment obviously left behind by one of Vaussten's trysts. The rest of the home as strewn with dishes, clothes, and various pieces of scrap metal.

"...Not to be condescending, but perhaps you should take a day for organizing, hmm?" He sighed."Tried. Cleaning makes me stressed. When I get stressed, stuff gets destroyed, usually with fire. I'd rather have it all on the floor than in an ashtray."

He cleared off a spot for her."Mind if I work while we talk?" He asked. After receiving a nod of confirmation, he picked up an odd shaped piece of metal.

She sighed, used to his odd habit by now. Vaussten enjoyed crafting medals for himself out of refuse from the blacksmith. 'Only when I've earned them', he claimed, though debatable. Once, he had crafted a medal for every enemy he had slain on a battlefield, but found there was usually not enough metal for this habit.

Today, he seemed to be working on a simple one, a copper disk with a stripe of iron down the middle, symbolizing his recent border exploits.

He noticed her gaze and chuckled."Well, you know...It always feels nice to make things for a change, and..." Unable to read her expression under the mask, he took the silence for annoyance."Anyways...what can I do for you?" He replied with a grin, eager to move on.

She sighed."...What can you tell me about Reba?" She asked."I've never heard very much about her past, and....Friendship aside, it's only occurred to me recently that I should know what kind of person my healer is. Granted, my father obviously trusted her, but....well, given his tendencies, that doesn't say much."

Vaussten sighed."Ah...and you thought it more appropriate to ask me then her? Why would I know anything about it?"

She crossed her arms."Playing dumb is unbecoming of you. You're both founding members, you've known each other longer than I've been alive. You have to know something."

He sighed."And...assuming that's true, why would I betray her trust on something she would wish to keep secret?"

Guiltare frowned."...And how can you be sure she wants it kept secret?" She asked calmly.

Vaussten used a finger to trim and smooth the edge of his medal."You don't know it, do you?"

She sighed."Exactly why I have to ask others, or-"

"Or she'd lie her ass off." He finished.

Guiltare nodded."For the best, really...if she lies now, I'll doubt her word later, and I'll always have some doubts about if it's the whole truth. A soldier can be loyal, but...that won't do much good if the leader has doubts."

And doubts led to paranoia and slayingof servants, a habit her father had picked up and she wished to avoid, though she obviously did not mention this to him.

Vaussten held up his medal to the light, then nodded in approval be set it to the side."Well...you have a lovely way of thinking, just like your mother." He observed her for a moment, as though envisioning Säel before him, not Guiltare, then sighed."Even so...can't tell you anything."

She glared, walking out."And Morz won't either."He called after her, as though invisioning her next move.

"But...I will say this. This job of ours makes it hard to stay sane. The acts we commit from time to time, the friends we lose along the way...The best one can hope to do is grieve, accept, and move on. But Reba....she's just stuck grieving....or maybe stuck accepting. Either way, she's...never quite gotten over her issues, though she makes a brave face about it. She clings to lost, happier times, and never goes forward."

She looked back at him and, sensing that she would get no more, walked out.
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Late at night, Giles returned to his tent. He had spent a long day chatting with Narra, about various things on his mind. Whether or not he was a worthy commander, the stress he had built up, unable to give commands in battle and heal his soldiers at the same time, and...though it had been difficult, he had revealed his heritage.

He had expected anger, annoyance, possible yelling and throwing of blunt objects, but had received only kindness and understanding. She had even asked questions, seen the spot where his tail had been...better than anything he would have envisioned. He smiled at his luck, then frowned just as suddenly.

There was blood on the ground of his tent, and signs of a struggle, as though something unwilling had been carted off. And, foremost in his mind, the fact that his scythe was gone."...Ah no....Ah, no, no, no, no, no!" He swore loudly and ran out of the tent, praying they were close, that it was not too late.
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The bandit grinned, opening a case and looking inside, observing the long scythe inside, sharp and menacing. At least...menacing in another's hands.

He chuckled, running his hand along the blade."I can only imagine how many people have fallen to you." He said, voice gritty, with the slightest trace of anger in his voice. He had a shaven head, and a badly broken nose, set flat against his face. He removed his hand and wiped it on his jacket, as though the blade were some vile, filthy thing."You certainly are a fine weapon....Rebanada the Willow." At these words, the metal of the blade quivered slightly, and the man's grin widened.

(And now you have a cliffhanger to go with your plot twist! Gosh I'm mean. Anywho, any reactions to what just happened? See it coming? Tell me what hints I gave you! And if you're at home saying 'He just made this up on the spot, there's no way this was planned....Well, I have a challenge for you. Look back through the story. Every time Giles has his scythe, Reba is nowhere to be found. And whenever Giles is with Reba, he's unarmed. Anywho, with that thought, I hope you enjoyed this part, don't forget to leave a  vote if you did, and I'll see you all next time!)