The Hands Of Fate [Original]

[Naron]

Bright sunlight shone across the plains, reflected upon rocks and leaves. It was a pleasant if hot summer day, the lands were calm as gentle breezes caressed sprawling meadows. Bees buzzed around flowers, birds sang, and a lone cart rumbled across the road. The singular mule strapped to the front did his work without complaint, still young and full of energy.

A groan from the cart's back caused the driver to glance over his shoulder; his full beard faintly ran along the simple linen shirt he wore, dark eyes twinkled merrily. Felix almost laughed at his passenger's clear discomfort.

"Stop complaining back there," he quipped merrily, "we had far worse days."

The only answer he got was faint grumble, which made him roll his eyes. A petite young woman soon climbed over the sacks of produce and settled next to him in front, some strands of dark brown hair having escaped her thick braid. The colour matched Felix's, as did the simplicity of their clothes; one could tell at a glance they were related.

"Just because it can get worse doesn't mean it's good now, Uncle."

Felix chuckled and patted his niece's head. He knew it annoyed Flora when he did that and she wordlessly fended him off in a well-practiced dance. He would never embarrass her in front of strangers, but right now it was just the two of them.

"It's not even that you're wrong," he admitted once they settled down again. "I just don't see a reason to waste energy complaining. Just bear with it and cheer when it's over."

Flora just shrugged, allowing the silence to return. At least until Felix tried cheering her up a little: "But thank you for coming along. It gets boring on my own, so you're a godsend."

"You got Opus around, don't you?"

The mule snorted as if in response, prompting a faint grin from Flora and another eye roll from Felix.

"Opus can't talk, niece. As much as I'd want to hear what he thinks of us, he can't."

"He would probably complain about wanting a mare," Flora quipped back drily, causing the pair to chuckle.

Felix rubbed his niece's shoulder, grateful for her presence. "But seriously, thank you. I know it's for your apprenticeship too, but I appreciate it."

Flora tossed her hair in response, thought the playful haughtiness bled away as fast as it appeared. "It's just a week to the capital," she reasoned. "I wanted to get out and see some more anyway."

"Just don't forget that we need to sell that stuff, too."

"We better, I didn't spend so much time helping you with the harvest just to have it rot."

"Don't worry," Felix assured her without hesitation. "There's always buyers in the capital. I know the places, you get me a good price, and we should be fine. I can show you the clerical district, too."

That got his niece to shed some of her maturity, nodding intently. "Is it really true the entire district is made of churches and holy houses?"

There was the excited niece he helped raise, always curious about everything. He almost wanted to say yes, but she was a woman now and would easily tell the lie once they arrived. Thus he shook his head.

"Not really, it's the five churches, a few shrines for the other gods, and living space for the clergy. But everything is clean and beautiful there, lots of fancy statues. And Fortuna's cathedral is the largest house I've ever seen, you will love it."

"I'm looking forward to it!"

And she clearly did, even though the boredom of being on the road soon buried her excitement. Nothing of note happened over the day, quiet and eventless just as Felix liked it; he did not want trouble and thanked fate that they were spared it again. The pair chatted on occasion and toughed out the heat until it mercifully receded with the twilight.

Heaving a sigh of relief, they decided to keep going a little longer; Felix knew there were no convenient caves at this stretch of the road, but he wanted to make it to another meadow for his dutiful mule to graze.

It was not too far, though Flora pointed ahead as they neared; Felix looked too and found smoke rising. Faintly visible light by the wayside made it clear they came upon another traveller.

Slowing the cart to a stop as they approached, Felix was surprised to see a lone woman looking up from her campfire. The flickering flames drew shadows over her face even with the remaining sunlight; Felix spotted a few wrinkles before the dark blonde hair distracted him. She had a quiet beauty to herself, completely relaxed as she was.

"Hail!" he called over with a wave, taking note of the fact she wore peasant's garb just like them. "Can we join you at your fire?"

Yet something about the way she sized him up made Felix's danger sense tingle. This was not the wariness a lone woman on the road would display in front of strangers; no slight relaxation at the presence of another woman in Flora, just idle curiosity.

The woman nodded at them, her deep and firm voice carrying over the distance: "You may."

Felix ignored the gut feeling and smiled a little brighter; that the lady could look after herself did not mean she meant them harm. He got up from the seat and winced faintly as his back complained at him. Sitting there for hours got harder these days, though he did his best not to show the signs of age slowly coming for him.

Flora slid off the other side fluidly and began taking care of Opus with a vigour he was grateful for. She busied herself unlatching the harness while Felix himself secured the cart. He then climbed onto the back to grab some rations, which he then offered to the lady at the fire with a friendly smile.

"Please let me offer tonight's meal then."

She rose in response and received the package without hesitation or doubt. Standing before her made Felix realise that he had half a head on her; she was about Flora's height, though his niece may be the slightest bit taller.

"Appreciated," she answered politely. "You are quite generous, sir."

Felix laughed it off and shook his head good-naturedly. "Oh, none of that please. The name is Felix."

He then motioned to where Flora was still busy brushing the mule, who started munching on the tall grass. "This is my niece Flora, we're on our way to the capital to sell produce from my fields. Ceres was kind to me this year again, so I have no trouble sharing some."

The lady nodded with mild interest, though most of her attention was on the food. She began to prepare it at once and Felix helped along.

It was not long before an odd question made him look up: "You attribute a bountiful harvest to Ceres and not your own hard work?"

Felix's head tilted ever so faintly in confusion. "I guess so? It's true that I have to put in elbow grease myself, but it wouldn't work if Ceres didn't hold his hand over me. I haven't had a bad harvest in many summers, the last one was before Flora was born."

"And how long exactly was that?"

"Seventeen summers, at least for Flora." He paused as realisation settled in. "Has it really been that long? Time sure flies."

"So it does," the lady agreed, though there was something to her tone Felix could not identify. Silence descended between them for a time as they worked, she apparently content with the quiet and Felix uncertain how to keep a conversation going from there.

Flora saved him with her arrival, trying to act prim and proper, but too tired to do more than sit somewhat straight on a mat.

"Good evening," she greeted. "How do you do, miss?"

"Diana," she answered, just as Felix realised he did not ask her name before. "And I fare quite well, though travelling like this will never not be exhausting. I understand you and your uncle journey to sell produce?"

Now he needed a moment to actually understand what she said. Flora nodded amicably.

"We do," she confirmed while looking the older woman up and down. "The way you talk makes you sound like a noblewoman, Diana."

Felix had noticed that, but figured it was none of his business. Diana giving a non-answer of "So it appears" only made him more certain. She may be a noble who fell on hard times, or perhaps one who tried not to let her wealth show. She was surprisingly friendly with commoners if that were the case, though.

Flora let the expectant silence draw out until she was certain there would be no response. Only then did she change the subject with a mite of disappointment: "I heard there were bandit sightings along the roads recently. Are you alright on your own? Where are you going, anyway?"

"Now don't be nosy," Felix chided his niece, who puffed up to argue.

A soft huff from Diana cut off their argument before it could begin, though. "'Tis quite alright, Felix," she assured him before turning back to Flora. "I am headed for the capital to meet my granddaughter for the first time. She is but a babe."

There was more energy to her explanation, making Felix think she must have been waiting for this for a while. At the same time Flora was right about the bandits. "So we're headed the same way, I see." he led in before making his offer: "We can take you along if you want?"

It earned him an inquisitive look that made Felix feel like he had to justify himself. He nodded to the encroaching darkness beyond the fire. "It just doesn't feel right to let you go on your own when it's dangerous."

Diana considered his proposal for a moment.

"Safety in numbers," she mused out loud and nodded. "Yes, I can see your wisdom. I accept."

Flora threw him a look when Diana was not looking, but he did not react to it. She only brought it up when they went to check on Opus one last time.

"So the first pretty lady we meet immediately gets invited to join us?" she quipped sardonically. Felix rolled his eyes at her once again, then focussed. He to make sure the mule was comfortable and leashed properly.

"It's not like that," he denied. "You said it yourself with the bandits. We have enough space to take someone else."

Though he would not deny that Diana was a looker, he meant what he said. Flora was unimpressed regardless and kept needling him: "You think you will still find a wife?"

Felix shrugged at that, not rising to the bait. His brother was the only one to get a rise out of him with that one, considering he was happily married.

"If fate wills it," Felix told his uppity niece evenly, then threw her a knowing smirk. "What about you finding a husband, hm?"

Just as expected, the young woman averted her gaze. She was still uncomfortable with the subject, what with her having focussed so much on her studies growing up. No time or thought for boys, though that seemed to change now.

With their teasing done for the moment, Felix left Flora be and grabbed his lute. The women both listened to his idle tunes, having little else to do; Diana visibly perked up when he began to transition into a familiar melody. Felix was content just playing for a time, but he liked this song. Soon enough he was humming, then Flora began to sing a moment before he did. Diana joined them on the second verse.

"Stars above the skies,
Moon of Luna fair,
Greatest of the wise,
Beloved as you were.

Sol's light bring life,
Astra's stars point us home,
Husband and wife,
Guide us as we roam.

Up high, oh heavenly three,
Forever married to be,
Please hear our voices,
Support our choices

And deliver us home."

Several more verses followed. Although none of them was a trained singer, they still sang from the heart. The Ode to the Skies was one of Felix's favourites and he belted it with joy, praise to the three gods up high. For a moment he thought the stars were twinkling above and could not help but smile.

Once the final verse was sung and they settled down once more, Diana spoke up with a faint smile of her own.

"Are you adherents of the Celestial Three then?"

Felix shook his head, noting how the lady absently rubbed her wrists. They were hidden by long-sleeved gloves that vanished in the arms of her dress.

Flora shook her head as well, but she also stifled a yawn. Seeing that his niece's eyes began to droop, he explained first: "I appreciate Sol, Luna, and Astra for lighting our lives and guiding us, who doesn't? But Ceres is the one I serve most of all."

"The god of harvest, I see. Fitting for a farmer. What of you, child?"

Felix winced faintly as his niece puffed up, a little more awake now. "I am an adult, thank you very much," she groused. Which was basically the worst thing she could say to counter being called a child. Diana did not comment and Flora just shook her head, then answered the unspoken question: "But it is Aman."

For some reason, saying that made Diana's smirk grow a fraction. "An odd choice for certain," she murmured. "Why is it that you favour the deity of love?"

"I just don't think there's much of anything more important," Flora answered with a weak shrug. "Aman blesses those who find love."

"So is it that you seek love of your own?"

"Is that any of your business?"

Felix wisely kept his mouth shut for now, though Diana simply chuckled over Flora's sharp tone. She leaned back ever so faintly as she spoke, clearly at ease. "Aman, being the deity of love, should not care for the type of love, no? Why search for something you already possess, if your relationship with your uncle is any indication?"

Flora made a choked noise and Felix could not help but laugh.

"She means familial love," he corrected the younger woman before she could get things mixed up, then turned to Diana. "But it's not wrong to want romantic love too. A lot of the young men and women hope to find their destined partners, so they go pray to Aman."

The implication that Flora was one of them made her avert her gaze in embarrassment, not that either of the others was about to tease her. Diana seemed thoughtful if anything, her voice tinged with interest.

"Does a mate need to be destined to be chosen, though? And what of those who simply do not have a destined mate? Are they meant to live without something you acknowledge to be important enough to dedicate yourself to its deity over?"

Felix's brows furrowed in thought; it was a question he sometimes pondered, though never this bluntly put.

"I feel like that's hard to answer. Fortuna weaves our fates, so she must have a plan for us beyond romance alone. We can only trust that she knows best."

Diana's lips curled up in response. "Ah, fate," she said, as if it was a long-expected answer from him. "You would put your faith in the red thread?"

"Would you not?" he asked back, feeling faintly uncomfortable.

Diana merely hummed in response at first. "If I may rephrase: how dependent do you believe you are on fate?"

She made a faint motion toward Felix and Flora. "Do you follow the school of thought that our every action is dictated by Fortuna's mosaic, or rather that she gave us freedom outside of important events? Do you perhaps have a different view entirely?"

Those were hard questions in the evening; Felix rubbed his forehead in an attempt to order his thoughts. "I don't really know how to answer this," he decided. "It doesn't matter what I believe, that doesn't change how it is. So I just try to be the best person I can be."

Flora slowly nodded along before chiming in: "Maybe that's just your destiny, being a good person."

Her words earned her a soft smile. "I'd like to imagine that," Felix admitted.

Diana seemed like she wanted to say something, but decided against it upon noticing how Flora's eyes kept drooping further. "It is getting late," she declared after putting some more wood on the fire. "May I take the first watch?"

The pair agreed without hesitation and Felix volunteered for second watch, making Flora take third. She was too tired to even question it, but Felix wanted his niece to get some good sleep; she was not used to the road yet, even after several days of travel.

The two laid down and were asleep right quick; neither noticed Diana's smile grow a little bigger and more sinister.

Minutes passed with only the flickering fire and cracking wood for company. Only once she was certain they were asleep did she begin to work her hands.

An ethereal glow emanated from beneath the gloves, shining faintly even through the fabric. A number of silent motions followed, pulling and pushing something invisible to the naked eye; her gaze remained focussed on Felix all the while. After a time she squinted at Flora momentarily, arching a brow and making another motion with her pinky, as if strumming an instrument.

"You may do," she whispered once her work was done. "Only time will tell."

The glow vanished and she began her watch in earnest. Neither Felix nor Flora had any idea what happened.

The next day passed eventlessly, if one ignored Diana's continued asking the difficult questions. Felix tried to engage her in conversation, but it was mostly Flora talking. He kept an eye on the road and listened to them discussing religious canon. Diana was clearly far better educated than either of them, yet she never held it over them. If anything, she seemed happy to impart nuggets of knowledge here and there.

The day after that was when they reached the capital, just around noon. Flora made impressed noises at the sight of the walls spread around the entire city, unbreached even in a thousand years of war with the demons. There was a small queue at the gate, but they got in easy enough; Felix knew the guard captain on duty, the man was still a regular soldier when they first met and had some beers together. The tradition repeated every time they met afterward.

Not long after entering the city, Diana dismounted with an appreciative nod to them.

"It was an enjoyable journey. Thank you for taking me along, though I now need to take my leave."

Though their time together had been odd, Felix was sad to see her go. He smiled anyway. "No problem at all. Take care, Diana."

"You as well, Felix, Flora," she responded with a look that seemed almost knowing.

Flora either paid it no mind or failed to notice, she just waved. "Goodbye, and good luck with your granddaughter."

"Excuse me!"

They were distracted by a shout and turned away from Diana, to where a young man came running up with one of their bags in his arms. He carried it easily, shoulders broad and chain mail polished. He stopped in front of them, bright blue eyes full of vigour as he held out the bag. "This dropped off your cart a street away, sir."

That was a surprise. Felix looked back but could not see where one may be missing from the front. "Really?" he answered on reflex. "I didn't notice at all. Thank you very much."

He took the bag and glanced inside before handing it to Flora, who put it in an empty spot. Felix swiped a pair of apples from another bag in the meantime and handed them to the younger man.

"Here, as a thank you."

"Heh, thanks a bunch, sir." The fruits were taken off his hands and he received a big grin. "I figure I gotta do my part, being the next hero and all."

"Really now?" Felix repeated himself. "That's unexpected."

First Diana, now the next hero? No way he would lie about something like that.

The young man waved him off jovially. "It happens. The name's Laurus, you can look forward to hearing about me defeating the demon king."

Then he waved again, offered a friendly nod to Flora who rolled her eyes, and strolled away while biting into an apple. His turning away revealed the kite shield and axe strapped to his back. Felix also noted the short, black hair the younger man sported.

"Odd fellow, but nice," he mused with a glance to his niece. "You don't seem impressed, though."

Flora shrugged in response. "He was so oddly cheerful. Are all city folk like that?"

"Now what's wrong with that, niece? I'm a jolly good fellow myself."

"Still."

Felix just shook off her complaints and directed them through the streets to get everything in order; setting up shop at the market was for the day after. His cart would be well guarded in the meantime, not that anyone expected thievery in the capital of all places. Their first destination was the clerical district, which had the added benefit of distracting Flora; she went back to looking around with wide eyes as architecture changed subtly and the crowds grew thicker.

As always, Felix's first stop was the grand shrine of Ceres. He offered a thick sack of corn from his harvest as tribute to his god, followed by a number of wild berries they found along the way. Flora placed a bounty of wild flowers alongside his offering, freshly plucked in the morning.

Much the same repeated at the shrine of Aman, though this time Flora offered money instead; Felix stayed with some corn, aware that the deity of love accepted all offerings. They then paid a courtesy visit to the shrine of Acies, last of the three light gods. Neither of them was drawn to the goddess of warriors, but they still spent a minute in quiet prayer. Felix thanked the lady of battle for watching over the soldiers at war with demonkind.

Moving along, they passed by the notably smaller shrines to Sol, Luna, and Astra. Felix always loved to look at their interconnected shrines, a candle burning at the highest spot of each. All three stood at the same height, symbolising their union.

Flora tapped Felix's shoulder halfway to their final stop in the district, the cathedral of Fortuna. He followed her hand to find a familiar young man seated on a stone step. Disbelief was etched into his face and an empty gaze lay on the ground, unseeing.

"Isn't that the man from earlier?" Flora asked quietly, to which Felix nodded.

"It is. Wonder what happened to his good mood?"

Laurus talked soundlessly to himself as they approached him. Felix crouched by his side with a friendly smile, uncertain what exactly turned his mood upside down. "Hey there," he called out gently, "remember us from earlier? Did something happen?"

That got him a short look before Laurus's shoulders slumped even further. "I don't get it," he muttered. "The angel told me I'm the destined hero, but the priests here said I'm not."

Felix's brow furrowed slightly, well aware that the poor boy was devastated. "Are you sure that's what they said?"

"Said the crystal didn't react, so it's not me."

It all came out in a single breath, underlined with a faint bobbing of the head that may count as a nod. Laurus went back to staring at the ground, another attempt to talk to him was met with silence. Felix felt for the younger man, but he still let Flora pull himself away.

"I told you something was off about him," she hissed as they walked along.

"He doesn't strike me as a liar," Felix answered with a shake of his head. He then pointed over his shoulder. "Does that look like someone pretending?"

Flora looked back and he could see her wince in sympathy. "I guess you have a point, but there is nothing we can do there," she reasoned. "So let's keep going."

"Sure."

They went on and only stopped upon reaching the cathedral, where some sort of parchment was attached to the massive door. Felix turned to his niece curiously.

"What does that say?"

Flora followed his pointed finger and took a step closer to read it.

"It tells the clergy to remember the celebrations held next month. They need to prepare themselves and the district," she explained, then read the rest after a little pause. "Also says they're celebrating Princess Arcadia's half-birthday."

"I see. She was born last winter, yes."

While he only thought the words, Flora actually asked them out loud: "Is celebrating a half-birthday really necessary?"

"Shush now, her highness is the crown princess. I still remember how much your parents doted on you back then, too."

Just as expected, his niece rolled her eyes at him. "Please stop with the old stories."

Felix chuckled and led her into the cathedral, but any retort he may have had was cut off by a blinding light and overjoyed shouts. When it subsided, Felix found a priest approaching them with a tablet upon which a golden crystal rested. The old man smiled benignly while the crystal's glow grew stronger the closer he came.

"What good fortune that I still had it out," he greeted them kindly. "You have come at just the right time, oh hero."

Felix and Flora could only stare in abject confusion.

 

[Naron]

Felix stared at the old priest, who waited with a patient smile.

"Me?" he asked. "The hero?"

"Why, of course. The divine crystal does not lie."

He indicated with the tablet holding said crystal while Flora looked between it and her uncle, completely flabbergasted. Other priests began to congregate around them with great cheer. They welcomed 'the hero' despite the fact he still stood thunderstruck.

Seeing that Felix remained in place, or perhaps uncaring of it, the old priest continued: "You are a little older than the last few heroes, but it shall do. Age builds experience after all."

This was surreal and he had to clear it up before the misunderstanding got worse. "There must be a mistake, your grace," Felix hurried to say, motioning for himself. "I'm a farmer, I haven't held a weapon in my life."

That gave the clergy pause at last; looks were exchanged and quiet chatter sounded, even the elder priest frowned in thought. He carefully handed the tablet to another and ran his fingers over the gleaming, golden crystal. Then he leaned closer to examine it with his eyes.

"Hm. Please take a few steps to the left, my child," he directed. Felix complied and saw the gleam change ever so slightly. The priest then addressed Flora. "Now you step forward."

She was rooted to the floor thus far, but his words had her take three quick steps toward him. This time the glow did not change at all. The priest turned back to Felix with his patient smile back in place.

"Unusual, but certainly not unique. I can assure you there is no issue with the crystal's divination. You are, in fact, the destined hero."

Someone whispered "A hero who can't fight?" and got a withering look that had them slink away. The old priest was back to smiling immediately, the picture of a kind father as he explained to them: "These things have a habit of working out. Fate wills it and so we must adhere to her will."

Another priest chimed in right after, confused and faintly annoyed: "But shouldn't the angel have foretold it? Why did you not prepare, hero?"

His question caused a few more wary looks toward Felix, who slowly shook his head at the group.

"I never met an angel in my dreams, your grace."

The admission caused further confusion, though Felix already knew the clergy would not be deterred in the important part. If this was his destiny, then they would insist he must follow. It did not matter that he just wanted back to his fields and not battle the demon king. Felix knew it too, but fear grasped his heart regardless.

He interrupted the quiet debates with calm he did not feel, asking a question of the head priest: "If it's not too much trouble, may I take some time to think this over and make preparations?"

Thankfully, the older man agreed at once. "Of course, my child. We will prepare the customary gifts and war chest in the meantime."

Felix bowed his head deeply and snatched Flora's arm to drag his perplexed niece outside. He wanted to be far away from this place, despite knowing that he would find his way back somehow.

She stopped him just a few steps out the door and pulled him aside.

"Why did you never tell me?" Flora hissed. The hurt look she sported made his chest constrict, made him quickly shake his head.

"I didn't know. Please believe me, I didn't," he almost pleaded, willing her to understand. "There was no angel, no hint, no nothing. I don't know what's happening."

Flora shivered along with his admission. She grasped his hand tighter, hurt fading in favour of worry.

"You have to go fight demons?"

"I...."

He trailed off, unable to even think of words to speak. Felix did not want to; regardless of what fate decreed, this was madness. The fear he felt was mirrored in his niece's expression, which was when Felix realised she still looked to him for guidance. Just like she did all these years. So he swallowed all those feelings and squeezed her hand with a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. We will figure this out. Come on, let's go."

She let herself be moved, but Felix could not tell if she believed his fake confidence.

They passed by the presumed hero still sitting where he was before. Felix briefly considered pushing Laurus forward as the real hero. As wild as the fantasy was, he only needed a moment to understand it would not work. But maybe the priests would take Laurus anyway if Felix just up and left? He definitely had the fitness and looks of a young hero, reliable and strong.

The thought ended up going nowhere as they left him behind.

The rest of the day passed in a blur; Felix set up at his usual inn and got a few looks about Flora's presence, though their relation was so obvious that nobody even needed to be told she was his niece. Catching up with acquaintances in the capital took his mind off the whole hero thing, to the point he could almost forget it. He even shared a beer with Flora, the first she ever had; she held it well, though he insisted it stay at one for now.

Yet his mind kept moving. He knew he was not a hero and not made for this kind of task, but something must be done. Hence why he asked some of the soldiers on leave how fighting with the demons went; according to them, the stalemate continued. Some years the human forces advanced, others they were pushed back and the demons took some land. Neither side could really get anywhere.

His thoughts were awhirl between his own worries and the guidance of fate. Felix waited until Flora turned in before stepping outside. A walk in the cool summer night sounded just right to clear his head.

The streets were neat and tidy, if notably emptier than by day. He spotted a few urchins, maybe a few more than a few years ago? They avoided the lanterns' light and the guards on patrol. Those armoured men he knew offered short nods whenever they passed by.

His feet eventually carried him back to the clerical district; Felix could not come to a decision, which left him meaning to pray for guidance and insight. At this point, only the gods could address his questions and insecurities.

Before he even reached the cathedral however, Felix spotted Laurus. The younger man was still rooted to the same spot on the same stair. He even sat in the same position, clearly crestfallen. The sight made Felix forget his own problems for the moment as worry wormed its way into his heart. Laurus made for a sorry sight, seeming dead even while alive.

Changing track, Felix approached the young man once again, quietly calling out: "Hey there. Aren't you going to sleep somewhere?"

"Doesn't matter anymore," he muttered with a hoarse voice. "Nothing does."

His response made Felix wince. Deciding that he could not leave this be in good conscience, he gently grasped the younger man's arm.

"Laurus, right? You're coming with me."

There was no response, but also no resistance. Felix still had trouble getting the bulkier man to stand, regardless of the strength a life of fieldwork gave him. Once those listless eyes were on him, he offered the best smile he could.

"We're going to get some food and drink into you, and find you a bed to sleep. Things won't look so bad tomorrow."

"'s not like you understand," Laurus retorted without any heat. He paused to move his feet when Felix pulled him along, then sighed. "But sure. Whatever."

Although he walked along from then on, Laurus did not perk up all that much over dinner. He ate quietly and thoroughly, leaving nothing on his plate. The beer Felix ordered for him at least seemed to relax the boy, but he remained downtrodden.

"I can see you got a lot on your shoulders," Felix tried at last. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Laurus looked at him in response, then back into the mostly empty tankard. He shrugged, finished the beer, and started to talk.

"It's not a long story. The angel told me I'm the hero for almost as long as I can remember. I'd only seen seven summers when they came to me. I trained and worked hard to do my part all that time. Learned to fight, practiced magic all these hours. It was my fate, you know?"

Felix nodded, pretending not to see the tears quivering in the corners of Laurus's eyes. The younger man wiped an arm over his face and sighed again.

"Then I come here and they tell me it's not me. It was all a lie. I'm not meant to fight the demon king. I'm just, just here." He wildly motioned for the taproom, despair leaking out of his voice. "And there's nothing left."

It was obviously more than just a little issue. Felix understood Laurus's feelings, though he also thought the younger man blew things out of proportion. Unfortunately, the usual 'there is more in store for you' would not be much of a comfort. So instead he latched onto what Laurus said before.

"You can cast magic?"

Laurus wordlessly moved his fingers and muttered an incantation under his breath. A glimmering ball of light appeared between them, bobbing gently as if rocked by waves. Felix could only stare at it, the third time in his life he got to see magic up close.

"I focussed on battle spells, but I have stuff like this too. Oh and that."

A snap of Laurus's fingers cleaned the grease from their plates and hands on barely visible winds; Felix felt them scrub him clean and made an impressed noise, not that Laurus seemed to hear. "And some healing magic, but I was never that good at it."

"That's impressive," Felix said anyway. He knew everyone could learn magic, but few commoners could read spell books and fewer still could afford them. He highly doubted a country boy could have gotten access to that many spells on his own, so Laurus must have been tutored.

The other man just shrugged weakly and stared into his empty mug. As the silence grew, so did Felix's need to tell him. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but he could not keep this a secret from Laurus of all people.

Suppressing a sigh, Felix spoke up again: "Listen, something odd happened when I got to the cathedral earlier."

This got him Laurus's attention, who looked up with a flicker of curiosity and faint hope; it died when Felix continued: "That crystal you spoke about reacted to me for some reason. The priests insisted I am-" "You?"

The single word cut him off. Laurus just stared in befuddlement, though his confusion quickly turned to anger.

"You're the, what? No, you can't be! You're just a farmer or something, I saw your cart!"

"That's true, I have no-"

"Why'd it be you then and not me? It makes no sense!"

Laurus glowered and stood abruptly, surprising Felix.

"Hey, wait!"

He got no response as the younger man stomped away; the few patrons left at this hour followed his exit curiously, and Felix quickly assured them this was his own fault. In truth, it was not really anyone's fault, but he would not let them blame Laurus for something he had no control over.

Despite the turn this conversation took, he was now left wondering if he really should try to get out of it; the question plagued him all the way into bed. He had his farm, but there was nobody beside his brother waiting for him. No wife or children, nobody who really depended on him. Moreover, he was given a chance to do what few others could ever do. Felix did not feel worthy, but who was he to disagree if this was fate's will?

But most of all, he felt awful after the whole debacle with Laurus. Leaving the boy miserable like this was just not right. And with this thought came an idea, just before he fell asleep. Felix remembered it perfectly when he woke the next morning.

Sitting down for breakfast with Flora meant they had to get back to the same subject, though. She brought it up about as soon as they got their food.

"Have you decided what to do yet?"

He nodded. "Yes, I think so. I'm sorry you get dragged into this for now, but we're going to pass by the village along the way. I can at least take you back home."

Even now Felix could not admit to the choice he made, though he did not need to. Flora's eyes narrowed at him.

"What do you mean? I'm coming along."

It only took that much for him to mirror her expression.

"It's dangerous."

"Yes, and? I'm not letting you go alone, especially when it's dangerous."

"And I'm not letting you just walk into danger."

"But you're allowed to do it?"

"That's different."

"How so? Explain."

Felix grimaced. The girl was always good at getting her will and taking an argument apart; his hopes waned as she continued to dig her heels in, hence why he took a moment to gather his thoughts. He needed to explain properly.

"For one, you haven't seen as many summers as I have. Your life's only just beginning and I don't want to see it cut short. For two, you're my niece. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you, much less look your father in the eyes again."

Flora shuffled a little awkwardly as he bared his heart for her. They rarely felt a need to say these things out loud; the fact Felix did clearly told her how serious he was.

Unfortunately, his words did not deter her.

"Maybe you're right," she agreed. "But I could never forgive myself if I let you go so far away on your own. You're my uncle and I will be damned before I let you die anywhere except in your bed, after a long life."

Her loyalty was touching, especially with how grouchy she normally acted. Felix up and hugged her tightly to express his gratitude. He could not help but whisper to her with a faint smile.

"The way this goes, you will be the death of me before anything else."

"Heh. And don't you forget it."

They separated a little less downtrodden, though Felix still did not like taking Flora into danger. At the same time, knowing she would help him through this put his mind at ease and let him focus on the immediate future. And his plan.

"Alright, there is someone we need to find before we go to church."

"Who exactly?" Flora asked as they made to leave. "A friend of yours?"

Felix winced and hoped she did not notice. "Something like that," he said, effectively dodging the question.

They all but ran into Laurus as soon as he said it, just out the door.

"Or he finds us, that works too."

Flora recognised him as well and gave an exasperated look. "Him? What for?"

Felix did not get a chance to explain because Laurus reached them, grouchy and with bags under his eyes. "I need to talk to you," he said by way of greeting; Felix did not hold it against him, the boy had been through a lot.

"Sure," he agreed and motioned to the side. "Let's go over there so we don't block the way."

Laurus started about as soon as they were away from the door, one finger pointing in accusation: "How are you the hero?"

He did not bother lowering his voice and some people clearly stopped to listen at the word 'hero'. Felix could only shrug with a pained grimace.

"I honestly have no idea. Nobody ever foretold it, there was no angel like the priests say there is. They insist it's me and I can't do anything about it. I'd let you be the hero if I could, I'm sorry."

His apology seemed to calm Laurus some more, though he still grumbled under his breath. "And what are you going to do now?" he demanded to know. "Get to church and start on the journey?"

Felix nodded. "That's the plan, but there was another thing I'd like to do first." So saying, he motioned for Laurus. "Hero or no, I can see you're pretty strong and trained with a weapon. You said you know magic, too."

"Hold on, really? Can we have that confirmed first?"

Flora's interjection caused the men to turn her way. Laurus had been listening intently and curiously, but now there was a notable pause as he looked her up and down. To Felix's relief, the younger man did not start ogling, though his expression softened somewhat.

"Of course, miss."

He then closed his eyes and muttered a few words under his breath just like before. This time however, he slowly extended his hand to offer a flower made of solid light. Flora stared at it in surprise, the small crowd they attracted oohing and aahing about the feat; Laurus even earned some applause.

"That one is more of a party trick I did for practice," he deflected modestly, "but I can't really use the elements in the middle of town. I hope that's enough?"

His words quickly wiped Flora's awe away, though nobody missed her slip. She gave a curt nod and examined the flower until it dissipated into motes of light. Felix smiled.

"Well, that's good enough for me. How do you feel about coming with us?"

Laurus's head snapped back to Felix in an instant, mouth falling open. "W-Wait, for real? You'd do that?"

"Sure," he assured the younger man with a nod. "Even if it isn't you, we must have met like we did for a reason. I'd love to have you along, Laurus."

Extending his hand, Felix gave Laurus some time to gather his bearings; he was so clearly dumbfounded, staring at the proffered limb for long seconds before clasping it with considerable strength.

"Yes, of course! Thank you so much!"

Cheers from the crowd finally made them realise they had an audience. Flora just rolled her eyes at them.

"You were loud enough for everyone to hear," she quipped.

Laurus rubbed his neck sheepishly while some people bounded forward to talk to 'the hero'. It took some time to get through their well-wishes and curious questions, all the while the word continued to spread. Flora summarised sardonically as they made their way to the cathedral: "Well, now there's no stopping it anymore."

Felix could only shrug in response, somewhat uncomfortable with all the unusual attention. Laurus also fell back into a slightly less good mood, though he kept walking at Felix's other side.

They reached the cathedral around noon, far later than intended due to the many people waylaying them for a few words with Felix. The priests already awaited them, though the head priest frowned at seeing Laurus.

Felix realised why that was just in time; he spoke up before anything else could be said: "Your grace, you have your hero. I hope there's no problem with my companions?"

The older man's attention turned back to him and he became more benign in an instant. "Of course not," he assured Felix. "Perhaps the past should remain the past in this case."

He then motioned for the group as a whole. "Please step closer, oh hero. Your companions as well. As is customary, the church of Fortuna presents to you the divine armaments and an assortment of items to ensure safe travels and a successful mission." There he paused a little awkwardly, glancing between Felix and Flora. "Due to your, ahem, profession to not be trained with any weapon, we took the liberty to confer with the lord general of the royal army on how to best equip you and yours."

As if on cue, a number of spears were presented by the younger priests and priestesses. The head priest explained all the while: "According to the experts, spears are the easiest weapon to handle for a layman. You and your companions may each choose one to carry along the journey."

Receiving nods, he then glanced back at Laurus. "Though your newest companion seems trained with the axe, if I see that right?"

Laurus sketched a bow at the man in response. "Yes, your grace."

"Very well. Collect the axes and shields from the vault."

A small group of clergymen and -women not carrying anything rushed away at that. Felix noticed them go, but he was already engrossed in the various weapons offered to them. Their respective carriers each explained their properties, seeing that every single spear was silver and imbued with some divine gift.

He stopped at a weapon with nature magic, said to be gifted by Ceres. That one was far too tempting not to take it. The ability to grow plants from a simple stab into the ground sounded useful, too. Flora quickly picked a slightly shorter spear that could emit solid magical fields to serve as shields, or push back opponents.

This continued with enchanted clothes that were as strong as steel, though Felix felt a little weird in something so smooth. The golden ring he received next fit like a glove and felt just as odd; from what they were told, these were for shoring up mental fortitude and preventing panic. They allowed even untrained fighters like them to keep a cool head in battle. Laurus also belatedly got his pick of weapons, choosing an axe that always returned to the accompanying glove and an impenetrable shield.

Every single item was beautiful and thrumming with magical might that even Felix could feel. He felt faint just thinking about their value; the three of them together could work all their lives without being able to afford even a single one of them. Now he was just given them as a matter of course.

The head priest nodded in satisfaction once they were fully equipped and changed, their regular clothes bundled up nearby. "Marvelous," he declared with a glance to another priest. "Now for the final piece and the war chest."

The younger priest respectfully presented a cloak bearing the Ouroboros, the hero's mark. A serpent devouring its own tail. "Brave hero, if I may attach this piece? It will serve as your identification to any and all to recognise your station. No dirt shall ever cling to it, and it shall warm you on your travels."

His words were so full of respect that Felix felt odd once again, but he could hardly say no here and nodded.

"Alright. Please do."

Despite his awkwardness about being treated like this by people of a higher station than him, his mind slowly began to work again. An idea began to form from the realisation that while these artefacts would be a big help, facing the demon king would still be a daunting task.

He waited until the cloak was clasped around his neck before rising. The clergy bowed in respect, making Felix feel almost official. He gave it a moment of silence like he remembered the priests do during sermons, then spoke up in turn: "Your grace, is there a spell book among the artifacts that we can borrow?"

He felt ungrateful even just saying it after already getting so much, but the head priest took it in stride. A single motion to the younger bearers of the cloth had them off on another trip to the vault.

"You can read?" Laurus whispered in awe, though his words were loud enough in the quiet for all to hear.

Felix shook his head with a fond little smile. "No, but Flora can."

His niece's eyes bulged out as she connected the dots. Felix spotted an approving look on the head priest's face, though the older man said nothing. Laurus looked back at Flora with newfound respect and a soft "Wow".

The head priest broke the silence a moment later, inclining his head at Felix. "While we wait, oh hero, I implore you to be careful along your journey. Bad omens have ailed the kingdom of late, though your emergence at this exact time speaks of good to come."

His warning worried Felix, though Laurus was faster in asking about it: "What happened, your grace? I didn't hear anything bad on the way here."

His question caused a grimace by the old man and a look thrown to the clergy surrounding them.

"It has not yet become public and should remain secret until such a time that the crown reveals it. I shall have faith in him who bears the Ouroboros that all present will keep their silence."

The head priest paused to receive quick nods from all around. All of a sudden he looked his age. "Her royal highness, crown princess Arcadia, has passed away last night for no discernible reason. There were no previous signs of illness, nor any symptoms."

Everyone all around paled. Felix felt like the ground was pulled out under him and several of the men and women had to fight back tears.

"No way," Flora whispered in disbelief. "Her highness? But she was just a babe, how could Fortuna-"

"Do not question the red thread."

The head priest's sharp rebuke had Flora shut up, though his expression softened right after. "I understand your doubts, child," he soothed her gently. "Yet we are but men, infinitely the goddess' lesser. All we can do is have faith in her gaze that reaches beyond our lives, trust that she has seen this as being for the best, however cruel it may appear in the moment."

His words provided some comfort, though Felix still felt oddly forlorn about it.

Another priestess spoke into the renewed silence: "Word of the hero's arrival should alleviate the despair many will feel at such tragedy."

She received a nod from the head priest, then the initiates returned with a number of spell books.

Though spoiled for choice, Flora quickly picked one about supportive magic. "I don't feel well with war spells," she explained to Felix with a little shiver. "Doesn't matter how helpful they'd be in a fight if I can't bring myself to use them."

He accepted her wish without complaint. And just like that, they were done. The head priest nodded in satisfaction.

"And lastly," he intoned, "as promised, a humble offering of money to cover your journey's expenses and see you to your destiny, as well as back."

Now he himself stepped forward to present a sizable pouch to Felix, who took it with thanks and a bowed head. He immediately handed it to Flora, prompting a curious look from the older man; it took a moment to realise what he wanted to know, but then Felix explained a little sheepishly: "Ah, my niece apprenticed under a merchant you see. She knows best how to handle money."

"I see, a wise choice. Trusting in one's companions and their abilities is of vital importance on the road ahead."

So saying, he closed his eyes for a moment before nodding to himself.

"And now that all was said and done, go forth, noble hero. May Acies, Ceres, and Aman bless your path woven by Fortuna."

He bowed one final time and Felix returned the gesture, feeling it was only polite. Laurus and Flora mimicked them swiftly. The clergy kept their heads bowed in silence until the three of them were out the gates.

"That was intense," Laurus murmured once they were outside again. Felix could only agree.

Then a choked noise quickly drew their attention to Flora. His niece stared into the money pouch without any colour to her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked in wonder. "I can't imagine the priests skimming on that of all things."

Flora tried to produce sound and failed miserably for a short while; it took long enough for Laurus to take a step forward and peer inside the pouch, eyes growing even wider than hers. Felix followed the younger man's example and finally got what had them so upset; this pouch was not fattened with copper or iron coins, but silver and gold! He had never even seen a golden coin before!

Taking a deep breath, Felix tried to regain his bearings. Flora finally managed just that and took a shuddering breath. Then she closed the bag and buried it in her pack instead of putting it on her belt.

"How much-?" "Not here."

She cut off Felix's question sharply. He shut his mouth while feeling stupid, of course he should not ask that now. Flora sighed heavily. Lowering her voice further despite the few people around, she explained quietly; the men leaned in on instinct.

"I need to count that first to make sure, but just from looking I think we could all live off that money for the rest of our lives."

Laurus whistled in appreciation, a sentiment Felix agreed with. He could not fathom what a hero had to pay that much money for.

"Alright then," he ventured, some cheer returning. "I guess money isn't that much of an issue anymore. Let's quickly trade most of what we brought and buy some rations for the road."

The other two agreed and off they went; Laurus ran for supplies while Flora and Felix checked with the traders. Selling his crops went much faster than expected, sometimes they even got immediate agreement to Flora's first demand. Felix only realised after the second time that it happened with peeks at the Ouroboros on his cape. They still made a decent sum off what he brought despite the hurry.

Things went so fast that they were done selling everything in the afternoon, with several hours of sunlight left. Felix looked up at the sky and pondered staying until morning, but he now had a duty to fulfil.

"As much as I'd like another night in a proper bed," he decided, "we should get going as soon as we can."

Flora made a face but agreed, Laurus just nodded. It was obvious the younger man's enthusiasm began to flag again.

They readied up and got going, though traffic slowed to a crawl wherever Opus pulled their humble cart along. Small crowds formed to see them out, shouting well wishes and cheers. Nobody seemed to care how qualified or unqualified he was, some even placed flowers along their path. The display made Felix's eyes sting, his chest filled with warmth; he still did not quite know about being the hero, but he knew everyone looked up to him now.

That was why he firmed up and stood, raising his fist to the air without a word. A cheer went up in response as they passed through the main gate.

Yet despite how much had changed, even more had stayed the same. The first few hours were calm and considerably more boring than one would expect. Dusk approached before long and the group stopped to make camp; having Laurus along helped divide tasks, too.

Felix strummed his lute at the fire while Flora counted coins. Their newly found third member frowned into the flames for a time, only stopping when Flora spoke up: "Like I thought, this is so much money I have no idea how to spend it all."

"Maybe it's for if we find someone selling other enchanted items or stuff like that?" Laurus guessed, only to receive a sour look from Flora.

"And who exactly would own these outside of the churches and the kingdom? Nobody else can afford them, so any artificer good enough to make that stuff has to trade with them."

Her rebuttal prompted Laurus to scowl back at her. "It was just a guess, lady! Geez!"

"Maybe think about it yourself next time before opening your mouth."

The younger man's expression only grew tighter. Felix already worried that he had to interfere so early in, but did not get the chance to speak up.

"If you have a problem with me, say it to my face," Laurus demanded. "Leave me alone with the passive-aggressive bullshit."

This clearly surprised Flora, whom Felix knew was not used to others being this blunt with her. He almost laughed at his niece's expression, only barely holding himself back in time to not end up in the doghouse.

Flora frowned at Laurus before turning to the fire. "Why are you even here?" she asked glumly. "With us, I mean? Why do you want to go on this journey when it isn't even yours?"

The boy seemed ready to keep arguing, so Felix intervened after all; he gave him a soft kick to the foot and shook his head when Laurus looked his way. It earned him a scowl, but Laurus did maintain his calm.

"Why are you, then? Nobody's forcing you along either."

"I asked first."

Although Flora was right, her response drew a heavy sigh from Laurus. Some of the aggression melted off him in favour of a more subdued mood.

"Fair enough, I guess. What else am I supposed to do? I was meant to be the hero. It should've been me, not him," he muttered with an absent motion for Felix, who just nodded. Laurus growled to himself. "I don't have anything else. How am I supposed to go home and tell everyone I'm not the hero? That I lied to them for the last ten years? No, I'm not going anywhere else."

Flora winced as he laid it out for them, just like Felix felt bad for the boy. Laurus smirked sardonically and motioned for her.

"Your turn."

"I'm not leaving my uncle to do this alone," Flora explained. "Family has to support each other, it's as simple as that."

She said no more and returned to staring into the flames. Laurus commenting that he could respect that choice received no answer. Flora closed her eyes for a moment before finishing: "And while I understand where you're coming from, I still don't like you."

"Right back at you."

Felix had to roll his eyes at that. "Children," he chastised both without much heat, ignoring the glares both threw him. Instead of letting them argue or draw him in, Felix began to transition his idle strumming into a proper song.

Flora sighed and dropped the subject to muse on something else: "We have to stop by at home to tell mother and father. They would be worried sick otherwise."

Laurus seemed to agree with that at least. "I'd like to see my mother too, if that's okay?" He received a nod from Felix, then looked between them. "Actually, how did you two grow up? I'm kinda curious."

"We can swap stories in a bit," Felix answered with a little smile. "For now let's sing."

He left a pause to hit the first notes and intoned: "Oh fellows and friends, I have to admit-"

Laurus joined in immediately, recognising the song about a drunkard coming clean about being broke to his drinking buddies. Flora needed another verse to catch on.

Felix's worries about being able to play his role as hero washed away for a time, just like Laurus's bad mood vanished. It was the younger man who demanded another song. They kept singing for a good long while, with only the stars and moon above for company.

 

[Naron]

The second day of their journey passed as calmly as the first. They made good progress toward home so far; six days from the capital by cart were a decent stretch of road, though they would arrive late in the day.

With only the occasional traveller coming their way on the road, Flora spent the hours reading her spell book and grudgingly taking advice from Laurus. Felix sat in the front seat, listening to their banter. He also tried to imagine himself as the hero and get used to the role, though thoughts of what his brother would say distracted him constantly.

A part of Felix worried that Rogatus might hate him for letting Flora come along; as much as she was her own woman now, she would never stop being her parents' treasure. Especially as the youngest of three and the only girl. Her father, brothers, and uncle always looked after her.

Rogatus was generally not a hothead, but just like Felix he would go to the end of the world for his family. Felix knew that since they were little, seeing that they always stayed together despite the many little fights they had. Then there was Verena, his sister-in-law; just as pigheaded as the rest of them and absolutely where Flora got her stubborn streak from. Felix felt almost physically ill at the thought of either her or his brother condemning him.

Laurus's voice tore him from those musings, loud and curious: "Hey, what's that?"

He focussed on the road once more, putting ideas on how to explain to his family aside. Felix quickly saw the log blocking the road at that point. They both stared first at it, then the hills surrounding the road. They blocked line of sight and some of them bore a few trees.

"Who blocked off the road?" Laurus wondered, peering ahead with a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun.

Flora rose next to them, one hand on Felix's shoulder for balance.

"Bandits," she drawled with narrowed eyes. "Obviously."

The stink eye Laurus threw her went ignored while Felix found entirely new worries. This was the fastest road home, not to mention how much time it would cost to turn around. Bandits this close to the capital was not a good sign at all.

"So we fight them, right?" Laurus asked with a look to Felix, confused when he and Flora both stared back in abject confusion. "What? It's what the hero does, isn't it?"

"...right. Hero."

He forgot. And now he, a simple farmer, apparently had to fight bandits.

"I had to be careful with these things for so long that it's hard to get into my head I don't need to worry so much."

Laurus nodded slowly in response, appearing contrite. "Right, sorry about that. But you really don't need to worry. The hero's fate is to face the demon king, you'll be fine."

"And what about us?" Flora chimed in, half snarky and half curious. Laurus raised his finger, then lowered it thoughtfully while rubbing his stubble.

"I think I remember something about us being included as the hero's followers. But I'm not sure. You don't need to worry either, though." He put on a smile while saying this and thumped his chest. "I'll protect you."

Felix could tell he genuinely meant to reassure Flora, though the girl herself took it less kindly and scowled.

With no scathing response coming however, Felix began to consider the situation carefully; this was not the first time he dealt with bandits, but one never knew if they gave them a choice or planned to kill everyone and take everything. He was lucky the two times it happened before, now they had enough rations to turn around if he wanted to. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead under the sun's bright glare as he tried to think of a plan, though nothing concrete presented itself.

In the end it was Laurus who made a suggestion: "How about we leave the cart here and check it out? I can burn the log away and we can just keep going, or fight without risking the horse."

It was a decent idea, so Felix accepted the younger man's counsel; he would know more about these things when he was trained to fight.

"Sure," he agreed. "Flora, you-" "Stay in the back to support you two. Yes, I will."

She threw him a look that dared to finish ordering her to watch the cart; Felix wisely shut up. Laurus shrugged faintly, unwilling to argue the point with her. "I mean, I guess it's fine. We don't really have anything valuable on the cart right now."

"I'm more worried about Opus than the cart," Felix admitted. "He's a good mule."

Said mule snorted as if in response, having stopped after a gentle sign from Felix. Laurus nodded at the older man in understanding.

"Yeah, looks pretty healthy, too."

He hopped down from the cart and offered a hand to Flora, who grudgingly let him help her down. Felix took it a little slower, his legs no longer bending as well as they used to.

The three slowly started walking the distance to that log, weapons in hand. Flora stayed true to her words and kept herself behind the men, though she still held her spear. Every single weapon glinted in the sunlight.

Felix's anxiety spiked the closer they got until eventually, just a few metres from the log, two dozen figures sprang up around them. They wore shabby, barely mended clothes and brandished weapons with clearly malicious intent, though nobody attacked just yet. He clutched his spear more tightly, heart hammering at the sight of so many swords.

One man stepped forward, dressed a tiny bit better than the rest. His nasty smirk showed off some missing teeth. The others finished surrounding them and the apparent leader raised his sword menacingly.

"Money," he growled, "or life!"

His words had barely been spoken that Laurus shouted back, not giving Felix a chance to say anything: "Come here and get what you rightly deserve, you lowlifes!"

He slammed his axe against his shield, but the bandit leader simply laughed at the attempt to intimidate him.

"Life it is!" he bellowed. "Get them!"

The bandits descended on them in an instant. Felix held his spear tightly, having gotten some instructions from Laurus over the last days. Keep a firm grip and put sharp end in enemy.

Unfortunately, these men and women did not just run into his clumsy stabs. They stayed out of reach and began circling around. A wordless shout sounded amidst this, followed by a pained scream from an unfamiliar throat; Felix did not dare try to look, only to be distracted by noise from behind him.

Flora had a trio of bandits coming at her, falling back as she had a stiff breeze carry dirt into their faces. They snarled and tried to wipe it off as they pursued.

He realised his mistake when he heard a shout from his right, turning abruptly to find a ragged man come at him with his axe raised high. He was too close already to bring up his spear.

Panic made to grip at Felix's heart despite the ring that should stop it, when suddenly the attacker stumbled. He lost his balance so bad the weapon sailed over Felix's head and his enemy impaled himself on the silver spear.

There was a lull in the fighting now, a number of people staring at the implausible thing that just happened. Then a gasp sounded behind Felix while Flora fended off two attackers with a force field. Someone screamed incoherently as they came at Felix, only for a passing cloud to finish blocking the sun; the sudden ray of light to the eyes made them snap shut and the man fell over the corpse still stuck on Felix's spear. He slammed into the ground with a sickening crunch.

"Stop!" Someone shouted over the mayhem. "Fall back! It's the hero!"

The bandits seemed to freeze in what they were doing; Laurus swung his axe in the sudden silence and the leader barely had enough of his wits to block. The ringing of steel on steel shocked them out of their stupor and they retreated as one, leaving only three behind; the two that came for Felix and effectively killed themselves, and one that Laurus took down.

Felix stood there dumbfounded, expression mirrored by his companions. All the bandits stared at them warily.

"What's this about?" Laurus demanded. "Come back and fight!"

Felix quickly held him back from pursuing, too uncertain of what this was about. At first he feared a trap, but the bandits still only seemed to watch them. Silence reigned, underlined by the tangy scent of blood hanging in the air. Felix did not dare move away, throwing quick peeks at Flora as she rejoined them; his niece seemed completely fine, bearing not even a scratch.

Some groans and curses drew his attention back to the bandits, some of which muttered about "the hero"; their leader stepped forward again, though this time with a shaky bow.

"Please forgive us, oh hero. We didn't recognise you, else this wouldn't have happened."

Now even Laurus lowered his weapon in confusion, trying to comprehend. Felix did not understand any better.

"I'm sorry, but I don't get it."

There was some more muttering, though the leader pretended not to hear it and motioned for Felix by way of explanation. "Well, you're the hero, so there's no way our lot'll do you in. Shoulda checked more carefully, but we're hard pressed on money and a lotta other stuff. Can't be picky."

Felix slowly nodded his understanding, the idea now becoming clearer; fate intervened on his behalf, so these people never had a chance no matter how many they were. He even felt a tingle of sympathy for them, considering the sorry state they were in.

"This may be the oddest waylaying I've ever heard of," Flora muttered, prompting the bandit leader to shrug.

"It happens, lass. Now you lot, get the road clear so the hero can move on!"

There were some complaints, but eight strong men started jogging over to the log. The rest milled around awkwardly, trying and failing to look unconcerned. Felix glanced between them and his group, feeling just as odd.

"I guess that's that then," he decided.

Laurus turned to him in confusion. "How do you mean? We have to finish them before they can attack other travellers!"

Some of the bandits bristled, but a harsh look from the boss had them quiet. Felix tried to find a good answer for Laurus, but was uncertain he had one; he understood his companion's desire, but fate only intervened to protect them. It was unlikely to stop the bandits from running. More than that, he felt this was not his place to do even as the hero.

"The hero's duty is to face the demon king, isn't it? These folks are the guards' and soldiers' duty to take care of, but they ran into us instead. I don't think they're fated to die here today."

"But that isn't right! They kill, pillage, and plunder their way through the kingdom instead of doing anything else with their lives!"

"Hey now, that's unfair!"

Felix and Laurus both turned back to the bandit leader, one curious and one angry; the other man raised his hands defensively and began to explain.

"Listen, it ain't as easy as you make it sound. Most of us used to be farmers or soldiers. Look at Albus over there!" he said while pointing to a man with only one arm, who waved awkwardly. "Got thrown out the army after that injury and doesn't know any other work. Or Julius and Marcia." He pointed to a man and woman who interrupted their quiet conversation to turn their way. "Got their farm burned down by some natural fire and didn't have the money to keep it going."

He made a sweeping motion for the rest of them, who all seemed downtrodden now. "It's not like we chose this, y'know? We all know we're fated to be bandits, else this shit wouldn't have happened to us. So what're we supposed to do 'bout it?"

Laurus worked his mouth silently, having no more of an answer to that question than Felix. The leader heaved a sigh and tried for a nicer smile that did not come out right. "Listen, I'm sorry this happened the way it did. We're just trying to get by the only way we got left. So how about we get outta your way and you just forget you ever saw us?"

Now Felix just felt plain unhappy with the situation; he wanted to do something to help them, but what could he do if they were meant to be bandits? A simple farmer could not help here.

He watched the log be pulled aside while lost in thought before turning back to the leader with curiosity. "What about you? How did you come into this?"

The other man shrugged, not at all hesitant to share his story: "Used to be a merc, but my old team swindled me outta my money and left me behind in the middle of nowhere. Useless assholes."

He spat out and nodded to the people around them. "Would be dead if they hadn't found me. Can't get any closer to fate than us, I reckon."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Felix's words were waved off and a more spirited grin thrown his way. "No use cryin' over spilt milk. Good to know our hero's a good man, though."

He nodded along with a little smile of his own and offered his hand, which was shaken a moment later. Now that they at least got along. he realised these people may be able to help him.

"Did any of your people fight with the demons before? Any advice?"

The leader's brow scrunched in thought before he motioned Albus forward; the one-armed soldier seemed eager to help and began explaining immediately: "It's not that different from fighting normal folks, sir hero. They just look a mite odd, like some got horns or hooves or claws. I saw one guy with gleaming eyes. And they got women in their army! I got no idea how to deal with that, first time I saw it."

"How odd," Flora agreed. "Maybe demon women are just made for fighting?"

Felix nodded to that as well as Albus. "I get how that would trip you up, yes."

Laurus chimed in next, clearly too curious to not to join despite his distrust: "Uh, quick question: doesn't the kingdom's army take women as well?"

"Aye, sir. But last I know the ladies do stuff like supplies or scouting. Never seen one on the front lines."

His boss snorted at that. "My old group had a few strong women in it," he told them. "The way they told it, the army doesn't let them take fighting positions. 'Don't wanna encourage young maidens to throw their lives away' or some horseshit."

This caused some exasperation all around. Flora in particular huffed. "And yet these same maidens can be trained enough to become mercenaries if they want it enough," she quipped, earning a nod from the leader.

"Just so, lass. Where there's a will, there's a way. And the womenfolk is mighty determined." He chuckled, but had the decency to shrink back a little from the look Flora thew him. "Heh, sorry about that."

"Not like he's wrong," Felix added, unimpressed by his niece's expression. "Didn't you just force your way into the group?"

That gave her pause and she stopped posturing. "...fair enough."

"It's done, boss!"

The call drew everyone's attention back to the road, now free of obstructions. The leader nodded at his people. "Good, good," he said before turning to Felix. "Again, sorry 'bout that. And good luck facing the demon king."

"Thank you. I hope things turn out better for you all."

Some mumbled thanks followed the three as they slowly turned back toward their cart. Opus was waiting patiently for them, not at all disturbed by the violence that transpired earlier.

They only made it a few steps before someone called out to them: "Excuse me? Miss?"

Glancing to the side, Felix found one of the men who engaged him before. He looked little older than Laurus and appeared more than a little sheepish as he approached Flora. She turned back warily, only to stare in surprise when the young man offered her a flower. Felix could tell it had been plucked at the roadside not too long ago, but said nothing.

"Just, er, you know. For good luck."

His words kept Flora quiet a moment longer, looking between the man and the offered flower. Then she turned around and walked away without a word. The young man slumped, receiving consoling shoulder claps from his compatriots; Felix winced in sympathy as well. A part of him wanted to be more protective of Flora, but she was old enough to look after herself.

Then again, he probably would have said something if she accepted the gift.

It took a bit of walking before Laurus spoke up quietly, out of hearing distance from the other group: "Did he really expect she'd take it?"

Felix could only shrug in response. "Love is such an odd thing," he answered. "It makes you do stupid things."

"Are you speaking from experience there?"

"Not really. More like seeing my brother make an ass of himself several times trying to woo the lady who'd end up becoming his wife. Verena wasn't all that impressed with him at first, either."

It was funny to watch from the sidelines, if nothing else. Though Felix dearly hoped he would never do something like this himself.

"I guess?" Laurus commented thoughtfully. "I've never been really in love or anything, so I can't tell."

"Even though you act the gentleman to Flora?"

"Ehh."

Laurus quickly realised how that may sound; he elaborated before Felix could do more than raise an eyebrow: "I don't mean to say she isn't lovely, that's just not how I feel about her. My ma made sure I was nice to girls, so it became a habit. It just doesn't sit right with me otherwise. Though Flora's trying hard to make me mad."

The last part was muttered under his breath, making Felix chuckle good-naturedly. "Don't take it personally," he advised. "Flora has always been like that."

"I don't, but sometimes it's hard not to."

"Yeah, I get that."

The woman in question had already given Opus some pets and climbed onto the cart on her own. Laurus and Felix each followed her example, then they got moving again.

It still felt odd to have something of an honour guard of bandits giving them tentative waves as they passed by. Felix wondered if there was anything else they could have done, but in the end he could only offer a quiet prayer to Fortuna and wish for improvement in their lives.

 

[Naron]

After that harrowing and subsequently odd encounter with the bandits, their journey remained calm for the next four days. Beyond heavy rain on the fourth. It thankfully only started pouring once they were in an area Felix knew well, so he had enough time to get them into a nearby cave.

Laurus and Flora kneeled with their hands clasped, offering thanks to Fortuna for having them near a safe place. Felix just looked out into the rain, still pondering his situation; seven days passed since he became the hero and he wondered if he should feel different. He was still himself, though the many magical artefacts were a confidence booster.

He found no real answer this time, either.

"So, what's your village like?" Laurus ended up asking after a while. "Anything interesting there?"

The question pulled Felix from his thoughts, though he did not quite know what to tell the younger man.

"I guess we have the new townhouse, it was just built last year. Otherwise, there isn't anything important about it. The farmsteads and fields are pretty large, even if some of them got abandoned lately. Bad harvests and a few deaths, the usual."

"How many?"

Flora joined the conversation there: "Five, I think. But four of them were already getting on in years, nothing happened to them. The fifth was Julius, right?"

Felix nodded back, heaving a sigh at the reminder. "Right. Poor boy ran off to play in the woods in spring, got mauled by a horned bear."

Laurus grimaced as well, head bent slightly. "May the gods have mercy on his soul."

The other two agreed wordlessly and remained in silence.

Once their moment of remembrance had passed, Laurus picked the conversation back up: "So there are horned bears in the area? This close to the capital?"

"Not exactly," Felix answered with a shake of the head. "As best as we could figure out, that one came from further north and tried to mark a new territory. The worst we usually see is water walking goats."

He paused there to dig an old memory back up. "I saw a phoenix once, too. But I was just a boy at the time."

He had their undivided attention with that, especially Laurus seemed excited. "A phoenix, really? I heard they're rare and friendly."

"Yeah, most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I'm still sad it didn't leave a feather or something, a little keepsake would've been nice."

"You're strangely melancholic today," Flora quipped. "Is it the rain?"

She was right and she knew it; rain always put a bit of a damper on Felix's mood, regardless of how necessary it was for the crops. He settled down on a rock to watch and the other two sat by his side while he answered his niece: "A little bit. I'm still thinking about the whole hero thing. Should I feel any different from before?"

"No idea. Laurus?"

A glance to him received only a shrug. "Still a little miffed it's him and not me, but I don't know how it's supposed to feel like. Doesn't really seem like something you can explain in words."

He had a point there, or rather several. Felix deflated a little, once again feeling bad for having put the boy through this, even if he could not have done anything about it.

"I guess not. And I'm sorry. If I could make you the hero, I would."

"Yeah, I think you said that before. It's fine."

The edge to his tone said the opposite, but Felix understood why he kept stewing on this. So he kept going instead of dwelling on the subject: "Either way, I don't feel much like a hero. Maybe it comes once we leave the roads I know so well?"

There was no response from either of them, not that he expected one.

Then, out of nowhere, something wet mussed up his hair. Felix leaned forward to escape with a surprised chuckle.

"Come on Opus, that's not funny!"

His words failed to deter the mule, who kept getting up close and personal. Flora grinned and pet his head while Laurus ran a hand over his flank, all of them taking some comfort and warmth from his presence.

Once his hair was not in any more immediate danger, Felix shook his head with a fond smile. "Some days I really feel like he understands us."

"Does it really change anything if he does?" Laurus asked. "Not like he can talk."

"True that. It really doesn't matter, eh, buddy?"

Opus snorted warm air into his face and laid down nearby while they waited out the rain.

Soon enough it was Laurus who leaned back with a sigh, prompting Felix to talk to him: "Something on your mind, too?"

"Kinda," he admitted absently. "I'm just worried about my village. It's further away, halfway between the capital and the border. I'd like to go there along the way, let my ma know I'm safe."

"Sure, just point it out on the map and we can drop by."

"Thanks," Laurus said with a weak smile, though it dropped right after that one word. "But I'm a little worried what everyone will say. I'm not the hero after all."

There was a soft growl to his comment, but no anger came Felix's way. The older man rubbed his beard in thought at the new problem, but he had a decent idea of Laurus by now. "I think you're an honest man and that everything will turn out fine. Don't worry about it too much."

"If all else fails, Uncle can say something."

Felix turned to Flora with a faintly arched brow at that. "Say what?"

"How should I know," she quipped back with a shrug. "You're the hero."

Then she played innocent while Felix glowered at her in mock offence.

Their banter was interrupted by Laurus, who had taken a deeper breath before speaking up: "I guess. I miss my ma, too. Haven't been gone from home for that long before."

"I get that. My first time travelling to the capital with my old man was like that, too. How do you feel, Flora?"

"Fine, I think?"

She closed her eyes for a moment before nodding. "I look forward to seeing Mother and Father again, but I don't think I'm homesick."

"Huh. I guess you're made for travelling."

His quip drew a curious look from her. "You don't seem that bothered either."

While she was right and Laurus seemed to agree with her, Felix could only make a vague motion and explain. "Yes and no, really. I'm twice your age. And I've been traveling since before you were born. It gets easier the more you do it, experience and all that. Not that you seem to need it for this one."

"If it's okay to ask," Laurus interjected curiously, "why is it you two travelling together to sell produce?"

He had turned to Flora despite the way her eyes narrowed for a moment. Yet for once there was no sour quip, she simply went and explained: "I'm an apprentice merchant. Uncle offered to take me along so I can get some experience selling wares, and for travelling I guess."

"A merchant?" Laurus repeated with some surprise, though he smiled a little brighter. "That's pretty nice, the merchants I know make good money whenever they come by."

"In part, yes. The money is good, but the risks are greater too. If prices for whatever wares you bring are low in the next place you visit, you can end up losing a lot of money too."

This got her an understanding noise from Laurus. "I guess everyone has their own worries," he mused.

Felix decided then that this was enough real talk. "But that isn't the amazing part about my darling niece," he chimed in while throwing an arm over the annoyed girl's shoulder. "No, Flora can read!"

Laurus stared dumbly at them before brightening up with enthusiasm. "Right, I almost forgot! That's amazing!"

Flora's weakly pawing at Felix's shoulder in embarrassment only made it funnier. He chuckled and let go after another moment, his daily quota of teasing the niece complete. Once she was free and composed once more, Flora decided to quip back at Laurus: "You really didn't notice after I had my nose in that spell book for most of the last week?"

"I mean, it's a spell book. Maybe it can teach you magic even if you don't know how to read?"

Laurus shrugged a little awkwardly as he said it. Flora made to argue, but her brow scrunched in thought before a single word came out. "That's a weak reason," she decided, "but I let it count this once."

"Will wonders ever cease?" Felix teased, completely ignoring his niece's glower. Then he pointed outside with a smile. "Speaking of, the rain's letting up. Let's get Opus strapped back in and home. Maybe two hours or so until we're there."

Flora leaned outside to watch the brightened sky critically.

"Looks like we'll have a decent chunk of sunlight left today."

"We will," Felix agreed. "Come on Opus, up you go."

He animated the mule, who seemed willing enough to keep pulling their cart. Their journey resumed just like that and everyone looked forward to their arrival. Felix was glad to be back, despite the upcoming talks looming over him.

It took a bit over an hour before the first farmsteads came into a view. Soon after a gaggle of youths broke through the nearby bushes and called out with bright smiles.

"Hey there! Mr. Felix, Flora! Welcome back!"

Felix called back to them with a wave of his own: "Glad to be back. Are you lot making trouble again?"

"Nope, just exploring! You want us to run ahead and tell everyone you're back?"

"That'd be pretty nice, thank you!"

"No problem!"

And just like that, the lot of them ran off after the boy he talked to; Felix's own group kept going at the same pace as before, though similar encounters repeated along the way. Farmers greeted him with waves and smiles, the children beamed.

Laurus curiously leaned over to Flora after the fourth time it happened, a question on his lips: "Is he the mayor or something?"

"How did you get that idea?" she asked back in confusion, to which he motioned toward the cheerful townsfolk in response.

"There's got to be a reason everyone looks so happy you're back, right?"

Flora's first response was a little huff and the snap of her spell book being closed. "Uncle is just the sort of neighbour everybody likes," she explained. "He lets the children pluck some fruits and helps out around the village if someone needs it. My father says he has been mediating a lot, too. So no, not the mayor."

Of course Felix heard every word in front. It felt nice to be appreciated, though he could not help but banter a little more: "The way you talk about it makes old man Regulus sound incompetent."

"He isn't, but he definitely feels his age lately."

"That's fair, but his head's still there," Felix agreed, even if it felt unkind to speak of the man that way. He then turned to Laurus to explain: "Old man Regulus has been mayor for fifty summers. No one can still remember a time when he wasn't."

The younger man's expression became one of understanding. "Oh, I see. Ma told me our last mayor was like that too, but she passed away before I was born."

"Pity, that."

"Speaking of him," Flora interjected, "there he is."

Laurus followed her pointed finger to a figure Felix had already spotted; a man bent by age stood at the road just in front of the first building to their small village. His silver hair started to thin and he clutched a walking stick, his grandson supporting him. The younger man waved at the sight of them, much like the few others milling around.

Regulus himself smiled, though he waited for the cart to stop in front of him before he spoke: "Ah, Felix and Flora. Welcome back, you two. Who is the young man with you?"

Felix motioned with an easy smile of his own. "This is Laurus, he is travelling with us at the moment."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir."

His greeting earned a soft chuckle. "Oh, none of that, my boy. Just Regulus is fine, everyone calls me that."

The old man then lost all his levity, a focussed gaze resting on the three of them. "Now Felix, would you care to explain why you wear the Ouroboros?"

This dampened the cheerful mood as people began to really notice their neighbours' odd state of dress for the first time. Felix felt a little awkward under their surprised looks, though he knew this had been coming. He ran a hand through his beard and began: "Well, that's a bit of an odd story. It turns out that I'm the next hero, so I can't really stay around yet."

Regulus looked up at him, the thoughts behind his wrinkled face an enigma. Others whispered with each other and smaller children gaped at him in awe, making Felix struggle to suppress a sigh. "Can we talk about this later?" he tried. "I need to talk to my brother first of all."

Thankfully, this snapped Regulus out of whatever he thought and earned Felix a nod. "Of course, of course. Off you go, and please tell Rogatus to come by more often."

"I will let him know."

His lips twitched up a little despite it all. Felix maneuvered them through the village and onto another road to his and his brother's fields; they were basically next-door neighbours.

"Everyone will know by nightfall," Flora said after a while. Felix nodded, more to himself than her.

"That's why I want to get home before the gossip does. Your parents should hear it from us."

He could tell even without seeing her that his niece began to get worried now. She had done well keeping herself distracted, but the tension slowly grew. He felt similarly, though he could spend some time watching his own farm pass by; his crops had blossomed earlier and were already mostly harvested, so one could tell immediately when the neighbouring one appeared. Then again, this was quite intentional: his brother and he tried to alternate harvest so they could help each other out.

Flora's brothers were the first to spot them and waved from the fields. Neither came over because they were at work. She waved back with a smile, but Felix already looked ahead to the farmstead and the distant figure visible just outside of it. It took a minute longer to recognise Verena, but her blonde hair made it easy; everyone on his side of the family had brown tresses. Flora, also brunet, recognised her just as fast.

"And there is Mother."

Verena finished taking off the laundry just as their cart pulled up. She quickly put the basket aside to greet them with a smile: "There you two are. But with company and new clothes? Did something happen?"

She glanced to Laurus, who waved a little shily, then back to Felix.

He did not really have the chance to explain yet. The rumble of footsteps announced Rogatus, even before he came out the door. His brother was with them in moments, almost pulling his daughter from the cart in his exuberance.

"Finally," he called, "it feels like you've neen gone a whole season! How's the journey?"

"Just fine, Father," she answered and let him help her down. "We made it just fine."

"But we didn't expect you back this soon," Verena said. "Did you sell everything?"

Felix nodded, though the reminder made him feel odd, like he scammed the folks who bought his produce this time. They may have offered those good prices on their own, but that did not change his feelings.

"We did, but something came up."

And then there was his family, where he felt the children should not be involved yet. "And I need to talk to you both."

Rogatus looked back from where he was excitedly shaking Laurus's hand with new curiosity. "Sure. How about you go talk to your brothers, Flora? They're out in the fields."

"I saw them earlier," she quipped, already walking away.

Felix then turned to Laurus. "And could you take care of Opus?"

"Sure, leave it to me."

"Thank you."

Now bereft of youths, the brothers and Verena went inside to talk.

"He seems like an earnest young man," his sister-in-law mused idly. "Could it be our Flora found her match?"

The thought had Felix snort in amusement and he shook his head. "I don't see those two getting along anytime soon."

Rogatus laughed at that. "Ha, our Flora isn't an easy girl to please! So what's his deal? And what's with the getup? Did you rob a noble or something?"

Felix quickly shook his head again, although the question made him think back to that encounter with the bandits. He shook it off and hoped his brother's good cheer would keep through this.

"Nothing like that. It's honestly a lot more baffling."

He then told them the whole story of getting to the capital, meeting Laurus, and suddenly being declared the hero. He also made sure to mention how devastated Laurus was and that he could not just leave the boy there.

"So yeah, here I am," he ended with a motion to himself. "The next hero."

Both of them had listened intently from start to finish, surprised and awed. Once Felix fell silent, Rogatus up and embraced his little brother. "You of all people," he crowed, "who would've thought!"

Verena joined in with a little chuckle of her own: "Congratulations."

Felix managed to accept their reaction with some grace, though his worry still remained; he could tell Verena noticed, but she waited until the brothers separated and settled down again before asking.

"So what's on your mind?"

He had to sigh in response, finally able to show what he kept mostly quiet from Laurus and Flora. "I'm not sure I can do it," Felix admitted. "You know I was never trained to fight, I don't know magic or any lore. I'm just a farmer and now I've got to face the demon king."

Wariness replaced their initial exuberance at that. Rogatus nodded. "That's a good point, but Fortuna must have some kind of plan for you, right?"

"I hope so. Might as well be that I'm fated to lose."

And that was his real worry here, that his defeat was already decided and he could only march toward it like a lamb to the slaughter. The thought made him shiver despite the warm day, though he would do as fate decreed.

Verena rubbed his shoulder soothingly. "Ceres has always smiled on you, Felix," she encouraged. "I want to believe that even if you're going to be in danger, He will continue to protect you. Even from a terrible fate such as this."

Rogatus frowned at that, shaking his head. "Yeah, no. I don't feel like the gods are gonna fight each other over one of us, no matter the favour."

This earned him an unamused look from his wife, though Felix appreciated both of them equally; her attempt to reassure him and his being honest with his thoughts. He preferred the hard truth over a gentle lie.

Feeling that it was time to change the subject, he brought up the other difficult part: "There is something else. Flora insists on coming with me."

A moment passed in silence, then Rogatus heaved the sigh Felix did not allow himself; Verena nodded in sad understanding, having guessed the problem: "And knowing her, she won't take no for an answer."

The men grinned at her mirthlessly. "What do you expect," Rogatus quipped back, "she's our daughter. Stubborn as a mule, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

While Felix agreed, he could not help but speak his own thoughts: "This once I'd like her to be different, that would make it easier to stop her from walking into what might be certain death."

"Now don't be like that," his brother shot back genially. "What happened to that sunny mood of yours?"

"I need to face the facts and they don't look good. I'm not going to run from my fate, whatever it is. But I don't want to drag Flora into something bad."

His words brought a smile onto Verena's face and she gave his shoulder a soft pat. "I appreciate that. I couldn't bear losing my daughter like this."

Rogatus nodded, though his brows were furrowed. "Point still stands, we don't know you're headed for something bad and Flora won't budge anyway. What do you wanna do, tie her down in her room until you're far away?"

He had a point there, not that Felix liked it overly much. The sudden lull in conversation gave them the opportunity to glance outside; Flora was busy impressing her brothers with some glittering magical lights. He could tell the moment the other two noticed, going by Verena's surprised gasp.

"That... is new. Where did she learn that, Felix?"

He shrugged faintly. "The church gave us some enchanted items, so I asked for a spell book for her. She's been reading it front to back since we left the capital, spent every free minute practising."

He noticed how uncomfortable his sister-in-law had become now. "She really is serious about this, isn't she?" Verena asked as if to convince herself. Felix had no comfort to offer and held his silence.

"Felix," Rogatus said, his usual bluster around family gone. Both looked to him and saw a serious look directed at his little brother. "I know you want to protect her. I want to do it too. But Flora is of age, it isn't our choice. It's hers."

"You can't be serious!" Verena shouted, startling Felix. Though Rogatus met his wife's gaze without hesitation.

"I am. As much as I want to tell her she can't, she'd ever forgive us if we keep her and something happens to Felix. Besides, like I said, positive thinking. We don't know that he's headed for a bad fate. And he's going to keep her safe as best as he can, you know that."

"I know, but still...."

Seeing his wife distraught, Rogatus took her hand and shooed Felix outside with the other. "Go talk to the boys or something, we need to talk this out one-on-one."

"Sure."

He did as told, touched by his brother's trust yet also worried.

His nephews soon greeted him with cheer and they got to work in the field. His dirt-repelling clothes made the ordeal a lot nicer than normal, though. The boys needed some reassuring to get over their wariness when Laurus joined in, though he helped the whole thing along with a neat display of water magic; he had them won over the moment they realised they did not need to go and refill their buckets by hand.

Flora took to helping out as well; this gave her older brothers time to ask more questions about Laurus's magic with almost childlike curiosity. At some point she and Felix were watering plants next to each other on their own.

"Are you really sure you want to come on this journey?" Felix tried again. "This is the last good chance to back out."

He got no response at first, but then Flora nodded lightly.

"I thought about it the last few days. It's kind of scary. But yes. I'm not going to leave you and the other airhead alone, just because I'm a little scared."

Glancing to his niece again, Felix found determination written all over her face. And as if on cue, Laurus ran past in pursuit of a rabbit, the brothers hot on his heels. Felix chuckled at the sight of them before smiling at his niece.

"I still appreciate it a lot."

He knew full well that she would insist more if he said he expected to die. So he just left it at that until Rogatus and Verena joined them sometime later. While his sister-in-law seemed resigned, his brother was firm. He handed Felix a little pouch.

"It's not much, but every coin should help you on the road."

That lifted his confusion and Felix quickly shook his head while handing the pouch back. "I appreciate it, but there's no need. The priests gave us enough to make do."

This may be the greatest lie he ever told, if just by way of an understatement.

Rogatus frowned at him, then looked to his daughter. "Is he telling the truth?"

"Oh come on!"

Verena and Flora giggled, but Flora quickly confirmed his words with a simple "Yes".

Then she looked around to make sure nobody saw them.

"In fact," Flora added while searching for the comparably massive coin pouch in her pack; she left the sentence unfinished until after handing each of her parents several silver coins, which made their eyes bug out. "Here. Keep those somewhere safe for bad times."

Verena closely peered at the coins she had been given before handing them to Rogatus, who let them all vanish into his pocket. His grin was plastered on, clearly trying to hide his shock with cheer.

"Heh. Looks like being the hero pays pretty well," he teased to play over it.

Flora rolled her eyes at her father, though Felix was unsure if she missed his state or played along. "Travel expenses, room and board, equipment, treatment, it does not do for the hero to be in bad shape on arrival. I feel like they also try to spread money around via the hero."

Seeing that the last part drew interested if confused looks, Flora took to explaining her thoughts: "Most heroes would probably go and live in luxury along the way. That guy certainly would," she quipped with a nod to Laurus, who victoriously carried the unharmed rabbit raised above his head. "So I think this is the church's way of getting some more money among the people."

"Doesn't that mean we should spend it?" Felix asked of his niece, who tossed her hair smugly.

"They already send a farmer to fight the demon king. They don't get to decide what we do with the money they give us."

Rogatus laughed uproariously in response to his daughter's declaration. Even Felix had to crack a smile, though Verena could only shake her head at Flora's antics. Suffice it to say, the girl's demand to accompany Felix was accepted with little fuss after that; on the other hand, her brothers tried to convince them to come as well. They received a firm no and pouted about it for a while.

The rest of the village came by in the evening with food and drink for an impromptu celebration; both for Felix being the hero and as a going-away party. He had to turn down more gifts of money for the road with assurances that he had enough.

He also carefully left several gold coins with old Regulus, the sight of which nearly gave the elder a stroke.

"For the village," Felix simply told him. The older man nodded with teary eyes.

As song and dance stretched into the night, Laurus joined Felix at the bonfire. Their mugs clacked together before Laurus spoke: "I'm starting to understand why you're the hero and not me."

Even though it seemed like progress, Felix had to suppress a sigh; he doubted this would stop being an issue anytime soon.

"But you still have trouble accepting it."

The younger man laughed, cheeks a little flushed from the alcohol. "I guess so, yeah. I still think it should've been me, but I guess you aren't so bad. You got, uh, something about you that makes people like you. Dunno how to call it."

He shrugged in response. "I'm just being a decent person."

"Still. You help out wherever, you don't rub anything in peoples' faces, and you even listen to me run my mouth without getting mad. That can't be easy."

"It's true I never had much of a temper. Maybe working the farm day in and day out helped me be more patient. But I appreciate you saying it either way," he answered, then paused to study his companion. "Aren't you like that, too?"

Laurus made a dismissive motion before emptying his mug. "Nah. I try to be, but its harder recently. Hard to not be angry when things don't go your way."

"I think even trying makes you a better person than most," Felix told him. "You keep on going despite the setbacks and do your best not to lose your cheer. That's an admirable trait."

"Heh. Appreciate it. Like I said, you're a good guy. Now I kinda feel like dancing, are any of the ladies free?"

"You mean beside Flora?"

His niece was sitting at a table talking to her master, the middle-aged merchant listening intently to whatever she was saying. Laurus just snorted in response to make his opinion clear.

"Fair enough," Felix answered with a grin and pointed out some of the girls he knew did not see anyone. Laurus went off to talk to them and was twirling a giggling young woman around soon after.

Felix just shook his head good-naturedly and took another drag. Maybe being the hero was not so bad?

 

[Naron]

A full week passed quietly after they left Felix's and Flora's village. They made good time, although the roads quickly became unfamiliar. Felix spent a lot of time checking map and compass. Once they actually had a tree fall right into their path to close off one side of a forked road; re-checking the map revealed that to have been the wrong way.

Laurus incinerated the wood with fire magic to keep the road open and they thanked the gods for guiding them.

At times they met other travellers going the opposite direction; some even shared the fire and supplies with them. Flora made sure to buy some more from any merchants they met.

They mostly talked to each other over this week, learning about how the other side grew up; Laurus sometimes worked as a farmhand too, but he was always more of an errand boy. Sometimes he also acted as something akin to a squire for the more seasoned soldiers in his town. He told them about it in more detail that particular day.

"Everyone said I don't need to help out, what with me being the next hero and all. But I didn't want that. I put my training first and learned a lot, but I tried my best to pull my weight too."

"That's impressive," Felix praised. "A lot of kids would love the chance to just goof off."

Laurus shrugged in response. "Never been one to just sit around. I-"

He was cut off by a familiar howling. All three of them stiffened as seven wolves broke over a nearby hill and dashed toward them; fog followed them like a trail and ice crystals poked out from their fur.

"Frost Wolves!" Felix shouted in alarm.

Opus made scared noises while Laurus already leapt from the cart; Flora climbed to the front while Felix got down as well.

He tapped his spear to the ground and snapped it forward, making a couple of thick vines shoot from the ground. They lashed out at the approaching pack, which dispersed to dodge; one wolf clawed the vines, which swiftly stiffened and cracked before splintering.

Laurus reared back and threw a lance of fire that impaled another wolf, quite literally melting parts of the beast. Its yelp was cut off by the near-instant death. Yet the rest kept coming.

Felix tried to grow more plants, but the first wolf in reach clawed the cactus before it was fully grown. The next one leapt over its pack mate to tear him limb from limb... except it misjudged the distance and impaled itself on a half-raised spear.

A strong wind rushed past and carried the other wolf backward while Felix tried his best to dislodge the first. Even just being close to one sapped the warmth from his body.

Laurus was surrounded by several more and busy just fending them off; his shield did well keeping them off while they tried to nip at his heels and the gaps in his enchanted clothes. One managed to get in his back, but Laurus could dodge most of it; only a single claw nicked his foot in passing.

By that time Felix finally got his kill off the spear and rushed forward to help, though his attempt to stab a wolf was still clumsy. The tip barely penetrated its thick hide, but it was enough to make the wolf yelp and take distance.

The beast took in the situation before letting out a howl. The rest of the pack disengaged and fled in response, leaving behind two dead.

Felix's spear dropped from the slick blood on it, fingers numb with the cold that travelled up its length. He tried to calm his shaky hands, still not much of a fighter. Then he noticed Laurus materialise flame over his palms, almost blue in the face. His shivers were clearly not from nerves.

The sight snapped Felix out of his own fugue state and he called to Flora: "Get some blankets, he got hit!"

This time she did as asked without any backtalk. They quickly bundled up their friend to no protest, then put the cart off the road and started a fire. Flora arranged wood and starters, Laurus quickly set it ablaze.

Felix took a moment to warm his hands as well. His niece used the cleaning jinx Laurus taught her earlier to remove bloodstains. "This may be the most useful spell I heard about so far," she mused as each crimson stain simply vanished.

Laurus agreed with clattering teeth: "I-It's g-g-great, i-isn't i-it?"

Flora only rolled her eyes in response, but said nothing and let Felix bind the younger man's wound. This was still necessary, even if just until he could put in the focus to heal himself.

Then Felix glanced to the two wolf corpses, one intact and one burned. A tap of his spear to the ground created vines that pulled both away from the road. All the while he hoped for the clouds to drift away and make this mild day a little warmer with proper sunlight. This time they sadly did not agree with his wishes.

Looking at the bodies again, he could not help but study the intact one.

"Is it just me, or does that one look thin?"

Laurus was too busy being cold, but Flora took a look of her own before squinting at the cooked wolf.

"I think I see it too. That would explain why they attacked a small group like ours."

"Yeah. If I were a wolf and had the choice between a few humans and whatever, let's say a Mastodon, I wouldn't pick the humans unless I'm too hungry to wait for anything else."

Flora arched a brow at him then. "Does it really matter why they came at us?"

"You brought it up," Felix shot back.

"You started it."

"Fair enough, I guess."

Looking back at the wolf, he could not help but feel a little sympathetic. "It's just kind of sad."

"Only you would say that after they just tried to make you their lunch."

She was clearly exasperated with him and Felix felt a little uncomfortable because she was right. But at the same time, he could not stop himself from shooting back: "Everyone needs to eat."

"They aren't the only ones who have to go hungry either," Flora answered him with a shrug. Felix had to agree, though he also knew his niece was spared any bad harvest thus far; he and Rogatus did not have any bad years since she was born.

The two stared at the body a little longer, then Felix stood despite his desire to keep sitting at the fire. "Let's at least take what we can get from them," he said and animated the vines to pull both carcasses closer. Then he pulled out a few knives. "I try getting the crystals out, you get the pelt?"

"Fine with me."

"H-Hold up! I can help!"

"Not with those shaking hands you can't."

Laurus glowered at Flora, but Felix took her side on that one: "She's right. You focus on warming up, we can deal with this."

He huffed in response and spent the next few minutes pouting at the fire. Neither of the other two paid him any mind and got to work; Flora slowly skinned the beast that easily reached up to her belly in life, Felix took his time working around the crystals to get them out intact.

"Any idea what those go for?" he asked in-between while placing one on a piece of cloth to keep them clean. Flora hummed in thought.

"I need to check what alchemists pay, but whole and clear crystals should be worth at least some silver per piece."

Felix whistled at that and went even slower with the next to make sure it was intact. Flora nodded along, though she did not actually look at him. "Yes. That's why some people take the risk to become adventurers or monster hunters. It pays well if you want to stake your life on it."

Neither of them needed to say it, but they both had the highest respect of whoever wanted to fight these things for a living. At the same time, Felix could tell after even this single occurrence that such a job was not for him.

They finished their work without issue and pushed what was left of the frost wolves further from the road, then rested by the fire for another hour. Laurus stopped shivering by then and they could keep going. No less than four intact ice wolf crystals were now bundled up in a decently cut pelt by Flora's side.

Much to his personal relief, no more violence happened the next few days. It was nice and boring until one day Laurus perked up as their road merged into another one. He pointed forward happily.

"I know that mountain over there!" the younger man called out, indicating a distant hill. "We're almost home!"

Another check with the map told them that they made good time, though it was still only halfway to the border; they would need another two weeks to get there, then the better part of a month for the demon kingdom's capital. Running the time through his head, Felix felt a little weird.

"It will be almost winter by the time we get back," he mused while tapping the road with his finger. "And that's if we don't get held up somewhere."

He never thought he would ever go on a journey this long, especially not so easily. At the same time, he tried not to think about whether he would come back at all.

Flora may have noticed his momentary grimace, though her answer gave him something else to focus on either way: "Well, Mother and Father are looking after your fields in the meantime. It should be fine."

She did not quite manage to hold back her excitement, which easily surpassed his dread. Felix only huffed and shook his head at her, putting the matter aside for now.

They kept on travelling and reached Laurus's village the next day, around noon. It was similar to their own home, though people seemed more excited than happy to see Laurus back. Some ran ahead to call about his return, a small crowd already formed by the time they arrived.

Unlike Felix's village however, the local priesthood was present as well. They smiled for about as long as it took to spot the Ouroboros, not on Laurus but on Felix.

"What is the meaning of this?" one of them asked at once. His stern look made Laurus's enthusiasm die a swift death. The man appeared about Felix's age and sported a moustache instead of a full beard, brows furrowed. "Why is it that another returns bearing the Ouroboros instead of yourself, Laurus?"

His words gave the crowd pause as well.

"Maybe a deception to hide the real hero?" someone tried hesitantly, only for another voice to follow right after: "Look how shameful he looks! It's not him!"

The moment he heard the word 'charlatan' from somewhere, Felix knew he needed to do something. So he stood, a loud "Oi!" silencing the crowd. Standing on his cart, he could see them all. He had no time to think this through, so he just started talking: "I've barely known Laurus for a month, but I can already tell he's no liar. You all should know that too!"

While some seemed to agree, the same priest as earlier shook his head. "And yet it is you who bears the hero's mark instead of him, sir," he responded warily.

Felix nodded severely, he could only be honest and hope for the best. "I was just as surprised when it happened," he told them. "The tales always speak of an angel coming to prepare the hero, but I've never met them." He left a short pause to point at Laurus under surprised mutters. "And he certainly met someone, else he wouldn't know so much magic."

Only in saying it did Felix realise he had an important point there; now he saw a way out of this situation and pounced on it: "I won't pretend to know what the gods want with me or him. But I think the boy was tricked into believing he is the hero by someone else. It's not his fault to believe whoever invaded his dreams. Any of us would've."

There was some contemplative muttering while Felix tried not to let his discomfort show. He only dared to cast a glance back at his companions; Laurus seemed shocked and pale while Flora's expression was tight, basically unreadable beyond a quirked brow.

Then the priest stepped forward with a contrite expression, head bowed. "You are correct, oh hero," he declared before turning to Felix's companion. "I have to apologise to you, young Laurus. Emotion blinded me to reality."

The younger man quickly hopped from the cart with a faint smile. "It's okay, I know how it looks, father. Thank you for believing in me."

"Always," the priest assured him.

Others came forward to apologise as well and Felix heaved a relieved sigh.

He only had the moment of rest before the clergy dragged him into conversation; people wanted to know who he was, how he and Laurus met, and so on. Introductions were made and even the mayor made an appearance.

In a moment where the focus switched to Flora for a minute, Laurus sidled up next to Felix. "Do you really think I was tricked?" he asked quietly. "Were those ten years really a lie?"

Of course he would ask sooner or later. Felix sighed softly and shrugged. "I don't know, but it's the best explanation I found so far."

His words made Laurus slump a little.

"The Angel was always so kind to me, and patient," he said sadly, heaved a sigh, and kept musing out loud: "But it's true I didn't hear from them since a day or two before I reached the capital. Maybe they knew the ruse was up soon."

Felix clasped his shoulder and decided to distract him with a little humour. "Look at it this way," he tried conspiratorially, "the girls seem to have some sympathy for you. Or a little more," he added upon spotting some throwing Laurus coy smiles. "Could it be you are the bane of fathers everywhere?"

He did not get a laugh, but at least a good-natured scoff. "Please, my ma taught me better. It's just easier to be friends with girls."

"Ah, I'm not so sure they feel the same."

Laurus shrugged, seemingly more at ease with this subject than the last one. "I never really thought about it before. Being the hero was what I had in mind the most."

"How about you go say hello while I save Flora?"

"Sure, good luck."

They went their separate ways for a few minutes; Felix felt his niece needed the help as she was fielding questions by a number of people, including some young men who seemed interested in her personally. And going by the light frown already visible on her face, she was close to losing her cool. Felix interjected to prevent issues and took Flora away to see Opus situated; a friend of Laurus's family owned the stables and easily agreed to look after the mule.

Once that was taken care of, Laurus directed them to a particular house and knocked a few times. Then he waited for some reason.

The door opened moments later to reveal a modestly dressed woman, somewhat older than Felix; she still looked beautiful, no less so than any woman ten years younger. Laurus obviously got the black hair from her, but she also shared the same dimples that spoke of frequent smiles.

It only took her one look at Laurus to sweep forward and hug him tightly.

"My boy! Welcome home! I already heard you got back, but felt everyone would mob you enough. Come in, lunch is almost ready. Your friends as well."

She favoured Felix and Flora with a kind smile, though her gaze stopped momentarily on Felix's cloak. Laurus did not notice, nodding with more vigour than before.

"Yes, ma. This here is Felix and his niece Flora."

"A pleasure, both of you," she greeted them as they entered. "I'm Laetitia, Laurus's mother."

Felix shook her hand with a smile of his own. "I can tell you're very proud of him, madam."

"Oh, I am. What mother would not be proud of her boy growing into such a fine young man?"

She coyly slapped Laurus's broad bicep, which made her son shy away in embarrassment. Felix watched with a little grin, though it was short-lived; after shaking hands with Flora as well, Laetitia motioned for his cape.

"But why is it that you wear that and not he?"

The mood dropped a little with her question. Felix glanced to Laurus for direction, who shuffled awkwardly before readying himself and speaking up: "Ma, I've got to tell you something."

This time it was him to retell the story, though he stayed with the facts. Laetitia took it with some shock, mostly for her poor baby boy being tricked; by the end she held his hand tightly, tears brimming in her eyes. Once Laurus finished his recounting, she favoured Felix with a smile.

"It's awful to hear this, but I'm so glad my boy found such a good friend in you, Felix. Thank you for helping him."

Her open gratitude embarrassed him more than he expected. Felix quickly waved it off. "Oh, it's nothing. He's more than pulling his weight. You raised him well."

Now it was for the younger man to get embarrassed while his mother cooed in agreement. "Yes, he turned into a good and strong man, just like his father."

"Is he around?" Flora asked curiously, though the way mother and son turned somewhat sullen already answered her question before Laetitia even spoke.

"We lost him many winters ago. He went out with the guards to kill a crimson boar that came to live nearby, but never returned. From what they told me, my dear husband was the one to strike the killing blow. He died a hero."

Laurus's gaze rested on the floor throughout the short retelling. Flora winced faintly.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," she muttered.

Laetitia shook her head, though. "Don't be," she reassured the younger woman. "I like to talk about him from time to time, it keeps his memory alive in my heart."

"You'd do that for so long? I can't imagine that, except for my parents and Uncle Felix."

"That just shows you were never truly in love," Laetitia teased gently. "It's as wonderful as it is awful, but I won't have it any other way."

Flora, being still young, did not quite understand. "How do you mean?"

Felix interjected here, feeling he got what Laetitia meant: "Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Right?"

She nodded and continued almost sagely: "We're all shaped by our experiences, every single one. I wouldn't be the me I am today without them. But more than that, I wouldn't have Laurus by my side."

Seeing that she seemed fine talking about it, Felix decided to indulge his curiosity as well: "Were you fated?"

He received another nod and dropped the subject there, seeing that lunch was about ready. Laetitia bustled around and filled bowls of a hearty stew with generous amounts of meat and vegetables. There was little conversation over the meal, though he and Flora both thanked her for the hospitality and complimented her cooking.

After that, Laetitia dragged Laurus off to do the dishes and left their guests to sit alone for a time. It felt a little awkward to be in someone else's house without them present, though Felix bore with it. He turned to Flora instead, curious about her behaviour.

"Is there any reason you're so docile?"

Her response was succinct: "I'm not going to make a fuss in front of his mother of all people."

"That's surprisingly mature of you."

The way she swatted at him and glowered made Felix chuckle; another jab well landed.

When Laetitia returned with her son in tow, she was carrying a small bag; Felix knew where this was going even before he heard the metal clinking inside. Laetitia offered it as his brother had before, but he shook his head.

"There is no need, please keep it. The priests gave us more than we know how to spend."

He gently closed her hands around the bag and pushed it back to her. Laetitia seemed as if she wanted to insist, but Laurus spoke up and distracted her: "Right, that. Can we, uh, leave some of the money here?" He then turned to his mother. "You won't have to work anymore, y'know?"

Taken aback, the woman raised both hands defensively. "Oh, I couldn't dare to take the hero's money for myself!"

Felix let the two argue and threw a glance to Flora, who immediately went digging into her pack. Laetitia was cut off mid-sentence when the younger woman stacked ten silver coins in front of her.

"Oh my!"

Felix used the surprised silence to explain: "Like I said, they gave us more than we know what to do with. I left some with my brother and his wife, too."

"Wait, really? I didn't even notice!"

"Then pay attention," Flora quipped toward Laurus, who threw her a sour look that she ignored. Laetitia giggled, though she was still almost breathless over their generosity.

As she gently took up the coins, Flora apparently became curious as well: "What work do you do?"

Laetitia hesitated at that, brow ticking up a notch. She glanced from Flora to the money and back, then to her mortified son.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" she asked of Laurus, who wordlessly shook his head. Much to the confusion of both visitors. Laetitia chuckled warmly and threw Flora a wink.

"Because if you did know, that would have been the most subtle request I ever got. Though I guess it would also be a mark of pride to be desired by a woman so much younger."

Seeing Flora still confused, Laetitia did say it outright: "I'm a prostitute."

It only took the moment of understanding for Flora to flush crimson, quickly shaking her head and waving her arms while spluttering. "N-No, no! I didn't mean it like that, I swear!"

Laetitia laughed, bright like a bell. "I know you didn't, but it's still funny."

Laurus, also embarrassed, muttered a quiet "No it isn't".

Now Felix also understood why he wanted his mother to not have to work anymore, though he admittedly expected a seamstress or something like that. Laetitia for her part chuckled some more before calming down with a pleased sigh.

"Oh, I think I needed that. Please don't worry, Flora. I'm just poking fun at you," she reassured the younger woman.

Then she faced the group as a whole more than any one of them, more serious now. "But I still want to help however I can. I wouldn't be much good coming with you, but I learned a lot of useful things over the years. Knowledge that might help you."

Though still flushed, Flora was clearly intrigued by her words. "You can read?"

Laetitia shook her head with a mischievous grin. "I can't, but the clergy can."

"When did you have the time to talk to- oh."

Laurus fell quiet as realisation settled; the other two understood just as well while Laetitia simply nodded. "Yes. Whenever one of the priests or priestesses came to me, I asked them to tell me stories about the hero afterward. It was the best I could think of to help."

Laurus looked down with a wild mix of expressions on his face; Felix thought he was touched by his mother's desire to help. Then, remembering that he was the leader, Felix nodded to Laetitita. "Please tell us everything," he asked of her.

She smiled in return and put a finger to her chin as she considered. "Well, there is a number of stories. I heard most of them enough times to remember them well, so how about...."

From there she seamlessly transitioned into tales of past heroes, people from all walks of life chosen by Fortuna to battle the demon king; their names were remembered to this day. The three learned stories of divine artefacts used in past battles, some of those they carried among them. Everyone hung on Laetitia's lips, the woman clearly a great storyteller.

The first time she took a break was when candles cast long shadows over her, making her look more like an oracle than a peasant woman. Laetitia sipped water to soothe her hoarse throat, though she seemed troubled.

"There is one more," she explained warily. "I didn't think of telling it before today, but hearing how Laurus got tricked made me remember it. I was only told this story once and asked to never repeat it."

Flora and Laurus leaned forward with renewed interest, though Felix felt a sense of foreboding.

Laetitia began without further ado: "This is the opposite of a tale because it was forgotten by all but the church. Some generations ago, a chosen hero betrayed Fortuna."

The gasps from both youths were almost echoed by Felix. Laetitia nodded gravely.

"Yes," she said. "Nobody knows how it happened or why, the records were purged and the hero's name has been cast away to be forgotten. Even the priests never learn more ,so that such a betrayal will never repeat. Today we don't even know how one could betray the goddess, but it must have been a grave sin to be punished like this."

She fell silent and let her words sink in. Felix shuddered at the mere thought of someone betraying the goddess of fate. For just a moment he tried to imagine how one would go about that, but he quickly suppressed his curiosity; that question was better left well alone.

"Is there anything else known about this heretic?" he asked instead, carefully weighing each word. Laetitia shook her head, though.

"If there is, I wasn't told. Please be careful along the way, a trick like with Laurus may be how it all began back then."

"We will, Ma. Promise."

She smiled at her son, though the shadows made it look rather sinister to Felix. He tried not to think of the tale after, but it did not leave his mind until he fell asleep that night.

They stayed another day to calm down before heading out in the border's direction. Farewells were short and cheerful, though Laetitia's composure was for show; only Felix could tell, so he offered her a faint nod and a smile to ease her worries.

The final story told that night was slowly forgotten as the days passed, just as the faith and the gods decreed.

 

[Naron]

The road to the border became more perilous over the course of another two weeks; more than once they were attacked by monsters. Yet no matter how powerful the beast, some circumstance always saw Felix's group come out unscathed beyond some scrapes and bruises. Even a dragon circled overhead once, though a second one drew it away in a mating display. Felix offered a long prayer to Fortuna that day.

They almost took a wrong path once more, but realised the error on their own before another tree could fall onto the road. Villages along their route received them warmly, too; there were a lot of celebrations in their honour if they stayed the night.

Then, a month after the journey began, they finally reached the frontier.

It was immediately apparent as they came down a slope and got a good look at the desolation; war spells ravaged the area for generations, ethereal blue structures rising into the sky from ambient mana. They were constantly in flux, fragile and fickle, rising from a desert of ash where no plants grew anymore.

Felix felt more than a little intimidated at the sight. His companions had no words for it either. They all stared for long minutes while Opus pulled them forward, a strong sense of desolation weighing down their spirits. It was almost as if the gloom became a physical force.

"I don't like it here," Flora murmured, voice painfully loud in the absence of life's general buzz of noise.

"Same," Laurus agreed.

"That makes three of us," Felix added with a little shiver. "I heard the no-man's land is haunted, too. Ghost lights and restless spirits, I kinda get it now."

This definitely looked like a place where the dead would rise once more in their misery.

They still went down the slope as if it went on forever, the proper cobblestone roads near the capital long since replaced with packed dirt.

"I heard the border used to be a mountain range, but the war ground it down."

Laurus's voice was tinged with wariness as he said it. Neither Felix nor Flora had anything to add, both perfectly willing to believe it. They all heard about the place before, yet no description did it justice. Now Felix finally understood why the soldiers he talked to did not like describing it.

All that stood out against the ash was a small township, to which the road led directly. Felix's eyes were glued to it as he debated just passing through and leaving as fast as possible. The need for speed reminded him of something else though, a spell Flora talked about.

"Hey, can you cast that travel spell yet?"

He did not see his niece's reaction, but imagined that she frowned ever so faintly. "Worth a try," she finally decided. "I think I got it by now."

A few words were murmured and the winds around them became animated. Felix felt the gale flow around their cart, lifting it up ever so slightly. Opus snorted and shook his head, then his slow trot became notably faster.

"I still don't think this is what the spell's for," Laurus commented, which Felix knew earned him an eye roll from Flora.

"It's supposed to slow your fall so it becomes safe, but this is the same principle."

The mule kept going as she spoke, now far faster than before with the burden mostly removed from his shoulders. Felix smiled and turned around to ruffle Flora's hair, which earned him an indignant squawk. Laurus just shook his head slowly.

"But using it to make the cart and us on it weigh little to nothing, that doesn't feel like just a clever trick, you know? There's probably another spell that does it too."

"Well, I have this spell and it works."

"Alright, fair enough. Just saying."

"Yes, you said."

"Children."

He knew neither of them liked being called that, but it did its job interrupting their banter before things got heated. Felix turned back to directing Opus and they reached the village in half an hour. The cheers started before they even arrived at the gates, guards beaming at the sight of them.

"Come on through, sir hero!" one of them called out and waved them forward. "Glad to have you!"

If there was one thing Felix had to admit he liked about the role, it had to be that they got in and out of places so much faster than normal; no checks or tolls, nothing. He thanked the guards while passing through and finally got a better look at the place.

The village itself could barely be called that. A set of palisades surrounded it, guarded by fully armed soldiers. Now that he was inside, he saw that most buildings were barracks with some shops strewn in-between. A decently-sized marketplace housed various traders and merchants, but most people Felix saw were warriors. Only a handful of civilians made themselves known, just enough to keep the village going. The rest were here for war.

Things proceeded the same way they did along the way; the garrison commander came out to greet Felix personally, held a rousing speech about driving back the demons now that the hero was there, and then held a small feast in his honour. This one was indeed small, seeing how the soldiers could not waste too much food.

Felix felt exceptionally weird this time, still not comfortable with anyone bringing up his facing the demon king as some great feat of battle. He did not quite understand either, so he turned to the commander at his right while they ate.

"You put a lot of faith in me there. Beating the demon king won't really do anything about their army, right?"

The other man nodded with a little grin. "Sure won't, but the way I got told is that the demon armies retreat when the king bites it. We get a decade or two of peace before they come back. This campaign's been going for four years now, so I'm pretty happy it'll be over soon."

That explained a few things and brought up a lot more questions. Laurus leaned over from Felix's other side to ask one of them: "So aren't you going to attack them when they're weak? End the war for good?"

"Standing orders are not to pursue," the commander answered easily. "Something else always comes up in the aftermath. A flood somewhere, a bad harvest that stretches supplies too far, the like. It's so common that we figure fate doesn't want us to wage a war of retribution, so we accept her wish and make the most of the time we get."

Felix's brow furrowed at the thought and he briefly wondered why Fortuna would want for this. It must be her kindness to demand one side do not inflict atrocities on the other, even if they were demons.

"What happens if the demon king ends up winning?" he asked next, prompting the commander to frown. Then the other man chuckled and clapped his shoulder jovially.

"Don't worry about it, our heroes win most of the time. The few times they don't, we do the retreating instead and get the area back later."

Flora kept suspiciously quiet, though her brows were knitted together in thought. She ate more measured than most, too. Their gazes met and he offered her a faint nod, understanding what she did not want to say out loud; he still worried.

Then he got back to enjoying the food and engaged the commander about less dark subjects; he happily indulged Felix on the joys and woes of being a soldier. It turned out that the kingdom paid its soldiers well for their service, although the obvious downside was that they had to put their lives on the line. Felix could still not imagine ever risking his own constantly, even if the pay was good; it was little different from the monster hunters.

The festivities ended as the sky began to turn orange; people packed up and a number of unhappy soldiers on penal duty started cleaning. Felix sent Flora off to trade for what supplies they needed, with Laurus coming along to help. Flora accepted his presence grudgingly, but Felix could tell the boy was starting to grow on her after a month of travelling together.

For his part, Felix went to talk to the villagers some more. He wanted to know more about previous heroes. Unfortunately, the first man he asked who did not seem busy was barely older than Laurus; he only had a shrug to offer.

"Can't really help you there, sir. Was still a babe the last time a hero came through."

"Do they all come through here?" Felix asked, hoping to at least learn something. The man shrugged again.

"I don't rightly know, but I think so? 's not like there's any other village. Or road. I guess some heroes may have some fancy flying way or ride a dragon or somethin'? Do you got some o' that?"

"Afraid not," he said, then chuckled faintly. "Though it sounds like an amazing way to travel."

The younger man nodded sagely before snapping his fingers in realisation. "Actually, ya can ask old Nona, she's been here forever. Probably your best bet if you wanna know about other heroes."

"I see, thank you kindly. Where does she live?"

"Oh, she's the apothecary. No way you'll miss her."

That was at least something. Felix thanked the man again and said goodbye before moving on; it really only took a few minutes to find the place too, clearly aged but well-kept and neat.

Walking inside of the pharmacy, the pleasant scent of herbs immediately filled Felix's nose. A little sweet and fragrant, almost like the wildflowers at home. An old crone watched him from what was more pillows than chair, her hair pure white and her back bent somewhat; even the deep wrinkles all over her face could not hide the attentive look in her eyes, though.

"Now what do we have here? Another hero, eh?"

She grinned, revealing several missing teeth. Felix immediately respected her, both for her old age and the fact she was not at all ruffled by his presence.

"Are you Nona?"

"That I am, sweetie. Come in, come in. What will it be?"

Felix approached with a curious look at the wares on display; the prices were clearly labelled, but he knew too little about herbs to tell what most of them or the powders did.

"Well, I was curious about the heroes before me and someone said you could help."

Nona's expression changed somewhat at that; for a moment he thought he saw disappointment, but then she started cackling. "Oh my, so not a customer at all. Sit down over there, dear, you came to the right place."

Now he felt a little bad, realising the old lady must not get many customers.

"My niece should be by later to buy some things," he quickly backpedalled; Flora may not consider needing medicine or the like, but she would probably find something useful here.

Nona nodded slowly as she made to stand, so Felix quickly helped her up and steadied her. The old lady favoured him with something closer to a smile than a grin. "Such a sweet boy you are. You really came to the right place, you know? There aren't many even half my age here, most move away for nicer places."

"But you didn't?"

He slowly guided her to a little table near the magical fire burning merrily in a little pot. Nona then shooed him to sit and set up a kettle, a snap of her fingers filling it with water as she answered his question: "My family had this shop for a while, I didn't leave it behind then and won't do it now. I've said it for fourty summers, the day I leave is the day they carry me out of here."

"That's admirable," Felix said, carefully stamping down on the temptation to point out the dangers of the front line. She must know that well enough.

Nona huffed in response, though. "Admirable, ha! Stubborn is what everyone calls me, dear."

"That too," he agreed with a little grin, "but pulling through on it is what impresses me. I think you'll like Flora, that's my niece."

"Heh, I look forward to seeing her then."

The elder settled in a chair opposite of him and the quiet enveloped them for a little while. Only the faint crackle of flame could be heard.

"Out of curiosity, is it just you here?"

Nona tilted her head at that. "Most times, yeah. Some of my grandchildren come by to stock up the herbs and help me clean, but it's still just me."

Glancing at the neat and tidy shop once more, Felix could not help but feel inadequate; he tried to keep his house tidy, but this was something else. Looking back to Nona, he found her watching him with a cheshire smirk.

"You just thought how this old crone can keep the place so tidy on her own, didn't ya?"

She was spot-on. Felix had to stop himself from denying it like a little boy and nodded. "Kind of, yes."

Nona's grin remained in place while she made a few gestures; glittering lines of light followed her finger's pointing. "There's heroes, some scholars, and battle mages coming through here. I picked up a bit of magic here and there over time."

"...that explains a lot and I feel stupid now."

She cackled again. "It's normal to overlook the obvious, dear."

He accepted her reassurance silently and let Nona pull the kettle off to add tea leaves; once she was done and let it sit to steep, the elder studied Felix once more with interest.

"To think I meet another hero before I meet my maker, who would've thought? I've seen four others pass by before you, dear. The first when I was but a lass, had not even seen twenty summers."

Felix leaned in curiously while Nona showed a melancholic smile. "They're always different," she explained, "the first I saw was a noblewoman through and through, went straight down the road without a care for the army in her way. The second was a knight who rode into battle with the soldiers, the third an enchantress who rather snuck through no-man's land. And the last before you a bard who rode a mighty griffin he tamed along the way. It's curious how different the heroes are."

He soaked up every word she spoke, though he was not quite sure what to make of this knowledge. "And they all made it through? Even that noblewoman?"

Nona shrugged in response. "The demons fell back each time, so they must've won. But only the knight and the bard came through here again to celebrate their victory. The enchantress died along the way and... hm." She made a pause and rubbed her forehead, "I can't quite remember what happened with that noble, it's been so long ago. But I still remember how mesmerised little me was when she rode in on a beautiful horse. All on her own too, not like all the others who came with allies and friends."

"There are heroes who go it alone?"

"Oh, some do. Here you go, dear."

She poured the tea and Felix took a cautious sip to not burn his mouth. "Thank you. I like the taste, it's tart but not too bitter."

"Just as it should be," she agreed sagely. Felix could not help but smile back and took another sip.

"Any chance you remember that noblewoman's name?"

Nona hem'd and hah'd as she tried to remember, but ultimately shook her head. "I'm sorry, dear. I remember that it was a short name, but not what." She then grinned mirthlessly. "But you won't find her either way, she was already middle-aged when I was barely a woman. Even magic can't keep you hale and healthy for that long."

"I guess."

Felix did not quite mean it that way, though he could see how it came across as such. "I was more curious if others heard about her. I'm not alone, but if she went on her own and won...."

He did not know how to finish the sentence and trailed off, receiving a sage nod in response.

"So you're worried about your fate?" she asked, taking his hand after a hesitant nod. "Don't be, dear. Fortuna will watch over you till the end."

"Yeah, I guess she will."

They remained like this for a moment. Felix wanted to ask more, but felt he should not put decisions he had to make on her. On the other hand, she was far older and wiser than him; not asking for her wisdom may cost him later. Which was why he ended up asking after all: "Do you have any advice on how we should get past the front lines?"

Nona squinted at him then, tapping her chin in thought. It was difficult to even guess at what went on behind those sharp eyes of hers.

"I heard you came by cart?" she asked, to which he nodded. "Then you either need to leave it behind or take the road. No-man's land is mostly dirt and turns to mud whenever it rains."

Felix winced at the thought of leaving Opus behind. He did not want to risk the mule's life in demon lands either, but his presence was comforting. A shred of normalcy in all this weirdness.

But at the same time... "Right at the demon army?"

"Nothing to it," Nona answered with an idle shrug, sipping from her own tea. "You need to get through somehow. Unless you can make like a bird and fly over them, you only have the one way."

The mention of flying sparked an idea, reminding him of Flora's magic. "So if I had a spell that makes our cart and the people on it weigh nothing, we could go through no-man's land?"

She hummed thoughtfully but kept quiet while refilling Felix's cup. The silence lasted a while as she mulled over his idea, though Nona nodded in the end. "It can work, but you will be in trouble if it rains. Whatever pulls your cart can still sink into the mud."

"So it's a risk either way."

"Aye. But I reckon you'll be fine either way, too. You're the hero after all."

He nodded, though still conflicted; the reminder of Fortuna's blessing was a bit of a consolation. In light of that, he also realised that between fighting the demon army and sinking into mud, the army was actually the lesser threat.

"I have to talk it over with the others," he led in slowly. "But so far I think we will take the road."

"Oh? Care to share why?"

He put down his cup, feeling slightly self-conscious under her honest curiosity. "The thing is, I like my mule. And if we make it through either way, I feel the demons are less likely to hurt him than the mud."

Nona looked at him for a moment... and began to cackle. She kept on laughing so long that Felix got a little worried, as if he just told her the best joke in the world.

She thankfully calmed down eventually, sipping tea again before looking at him more fondly. "Ah, you heroes really are all different. Were you anyone else, I'd call you right mad for going right at the demon lines for a mule."

He had to huff at that. "Yeah, me too. It sounds insane, but you're right that fate protects us. So maybe it will work for him, too."

"Then I wish you good luck with that. More tea, dear?"

Felix considered for a moment; the evening was getting on, but he liked Nona's company and wanted to hear more of what she had to say. So he nodded in the end. "Yes, please. Could you tell me more about the past heroes?"

The elder was clearly delighted and regaled him about the various personalities coming through for a good hour longer. Felix listened with great interest, even though he could use little of what he learned; all the others were trained to fight and used vastly different equipment.

He also made good on his promise to send Flora over to buy medicine and tea leaves; his niece's mood had improved some as well when she returned, which just proved his gut right on them getting along.

He then sat both her and Laurus down to discuss the 'plan' of going straight at the front lines. That one took a bit of explanation, though neither of them disagreed in the end.

Night had fallen by the time they were done and the trio decided to turn in early. The beds were uncomfortable, but Felix did not complain; the innkeeper was clearly doing their best. And they were not responsible for a night cut short either.

Sometime before dawn, whistles and shouts from outside woke Felix. He sat up groggily and looked out the window, where colourful lights shone. It took his sleep-addled mind a few moments to recognise that every single one was a spell, but then he was wide awake.

He and Laurus rushed to the window to see what was going on; stomping and shouts were audible outside, as well as screams. Neither could see past the palisades where they were, but the lockstep of soldiers marching out the gates could not be mistaken for anything else. He could see more of them milling in the streets, preparing to rush out.

The door behind them swung open and Flora joined them at the window in just her nightgown; she unconsciously held onto Felix's arm and he placed a hand over hers for comfort.

They could only watch and listen to the shouts of an attack and the sounds of battle in the distance. Horses neighed as their riders mounted, cavalry following the infantry that they would soon overtake. Battlemages were rushed by, the air around them glittering with sparks of arcane power. Loud bangs sounded in the distance, the rumble of thunder and a cacophony of screams.

Lightning came down, fire flared high, and the clashing of steel could be heard all the way to here.

Felix shuddered violently. He knew about the war, but having it this close gave him goosebumps even though they could not even see anything. He wanted to be gone as soon as possible and never hear anything like this ever again.

Laurus made to speak, but he had no words to say. Felix just put his free hand on the younger man's shoulder.

They watched like this until the break of dawn, when weary men returned carrying their wounded. The dead, Felix knew, were left in the fields to be collected later. Laurus was the first to turn away from the mauled, cut, or charred bodies that somehow still lived.

The young man made two steps before realising something. "I'm helping with the healing!" he shouted over his shoulder before quickly throwing on his clothes and running outside.

That left only Felix and Flora to look at each other; they both thought the same thing, that they wanted nothing to do with this.

"We leave today, right?"

Felix nodded at his niece, decision already made. "Yeah. Right after breakfast. Do you want a hug?"

Flora slammed into his chest before the question was fully asked. So Felix held her, needing the comfort just as much as she did.