Crossing Paths

"So, what is this really about here?"

Winter and his battalion were staring at a big package that was to be delivered to him today. He had been told what it was and that he was supposed to test it out, he wasn't so sure if he should be testing something out while actively protecting someone but from what the contents are, there was no harm in it.

"It's face paint and masks." Winter walked over and untied the drop at the top and opened it to see a bag which he grabbed and removed the contents.

The first item was just as he said, black face paint that is supposed to be applied around the eyes to break up their faces in the darkness and to apply more Scramble Magic to them.

The second item was something they could pretty much have on at all times. It was half a cloth mask for even more recognition protection but was actually in use for emergency action when they didn't have their cloaks.

It scrambles recognition and paired with the paint, it should be a good substitute for the hoods, nowhere near as great as the hoods but good enough for emergencies.

There was a pair for everyone there so they were all equipped properly. The paint perfectly fit within their belts so there was no hindrance from that at all.

"...Now, I think it would be nice if you all got acquainted with each other. We're in the same building and I told the Inquisitors to take a large shift for the morning. Just be ready for my call at any moment."

Winter started walking away from the courtyard but Akari, Sachiel, and Chisai all ran over to him before he could take more than ten steps. He was wondering why his main three enforcers were so fast to stop him so he didn't run but instead turned around more confused than he's ever been with them.

"Commander, where are you going?" The soft voice of Sachiel was a change of pace from everyone else.

"Flynt, you simply cannot miss out on something like this!" Akari didn't know what he was doing but more importantly, she didn't want to mingle with everyone else more than she was required to. Her anti-social nature is apparent to him but not to everyone around them.

"Commander Flynt, I think it would be best if you stayed to lead us in case of emergency. What if the protection target is attacked while you're gone?"

"That's the thing, I've been called directly to her chamber for a chat. I can't ignore her, as The Order Lead, and as a Prince..." He would love to stay and bully his new soldiers but that wasn't possible here.

If she calls him, he has to come. He already had his cloak on and it was public knowledge that the Pope was under special protection as this time of year, everyone who is important thinks someone might have it out for them. The public didn't know it was the Executioners Order but most people could probably guess it was them.

With him saying that they let him go, Akari is the saddest to see him go as now she is forced to stand by herself or actually try to make friends with people. Which one will it be? She has no clue...

Winter escorted himself to the room with his hood on just so no one would see his face. Primarily all the other guards and cathedral personnel that were allowed past the checkpoint.

He also couldn't believe how massive this place is, do cathedrals usually have rooms for people to sleep?

So many questions he would never be able to ask as he walked into a room.

It was a pretty standard size but of course, the bed was meant for someone of the Pope's stature... average. Everything here was meant for a normal person, largely because that's how Clare wanted it to be, the material was excellent but nothing outside of what the slightly above-average citizen was using.

That didn't mean the room didn't look good. There was only a singular window that was designed with one of the gods in mind, a very large symbol of the Six was on the wall with the walls decorated with some things that Clare had.

Weirdly enough, some stuffed animals, pieces of worship, and probably the most off-putting one, a golden sword that Winter has no idea what it was doing here.

"Winter?" Clare asked as the Executioner took off his hood.

"Yeah, it's me. What did you call me for?"

"Well, it may be silly but with the festival right around the corner and the culprit who wanted to take my life nowhere near found, I'm feeling a bit nervous..." Clare took a small sigh as Winter walked closer to her.

She was sitting on her bed with her cell on the nightstand and a book close to her. There must have been some sort of dilemma or boredom that caused her to call him, or as she said, the nervousness.

This wouldn't be the first time she would call him or Akari throughout their time protecting her so both of them were quite used to it. She considered Winter a friend at the moment and was still primarily looking at Akari with the hearts in her eyes. That gaze was the same for Winter as she attempted to put the moves on him multiple times but every time fell mostly flat.

It was hard trying to resist someone of Clare's stature and personality. It didn't help that she was also a lonely person so anytime they were leaving her, she would have the most heartbroken face. It was easy to tell how little she gets to talk to people in such a casual way and it hurts to have to leave her side but they still had a job to do here.

"Being nervous is fine but you have the best protection you could have. To hurt you, someone would have to go over my dead body and the additional forty with me. Trust me, we're hard to kill."

"Forty? Oh, you got more soldiers?"

"Yeah, they just arrived here not long ago. I'd love to introduce them to you. We can go if you want?"

As long as he was close, no magic could get to her. Just being in the same building as her, he was running passive magic protection on her.

"Hm, no. It's alright. I'd like to meet them at a later time, is that okay?"

Winter nodded and could tell there was something Clare really wanted to ask him.

"...You can ask me anything, you know?" Winter had nothing to hide from her, he didn't think personal things were that big of a deal either, so he would really tell her anything she would want to know.

As long as it doesn't reveal anything to do with the more secret parts of his job.

"I've never thought about this before but, after being around so many Executioners... I wondered what it is like for you? How does it feel to take a life? Have you ever been forced to do something you didn't want to do? I hate to say it but... I'm a pretty sheltered girl, I only can really know what's going on outside through what people want to tell me and with my cell."

Winter did ponder her question, he walked in front of her and took a seat in the air, and put one leg over the other while thinking about it.

"Huh... I think that's the first time I've seen you use your magic..." She was obviously talking to herself here so Winter didn't bother replying to that when he knows what she really wants to hear.

"Well, the life of someone like me is a pretty strenuous one. My battalion is pretty high profile, Grand Master Athena and Grand General Lumina have us on a ring at all times, we get sent on the craziest missions possible, and the chances of dying are always right around the corner. Just with the tiniest slip-up and all of a sudden, there's a sword in your chest or a spell blasting you to bits."

He examined her expression, for her to be sheltered, she sure didn't mind what he was saying. Though that may just be the basic Ardent reaction to violence, most people didn't see it as anything major since fighting is a pretty big part of their culture.

"Why do you do it then?"

"...Well, our culture isn't so different. I love the thrill of fighting big opponents and love being able to crush smaller ones. Big opponents prove that there is someone out there who can put me in a pinch and small enemies just prove that I've grown and gotten stronger. Still, even I get tired of my passion. I recently only just joined The Order after going on a pretty long break while back in my home country."

"I see... I can relate to that. I sometimes feel like I'm not enough for my position, after all, I was born into it. I always put in my maximum effort but until recently, I felt like I was nothing but a liability for my Cardinals... they taught me well enough so that I could understand my role. I'm thankful to them and I can really feel like I am the Pope. Saying it out loud is still pretty embarrassing..."

Winter let out a small exhale with a smile, "Well, you sure seem like a great leader to me. I wouldn't want to see another person in that position besides you." He nodded his head as he really couldn't see anyone else doing it besides her.

Not as if he knew many people, within his circle, and from the people outside that he knew, she was the best.

"Well, I wouldn't want anyone besides you protecting me. Winter... thank you for talking to me. You're pretty busy, right? I'll let you go for now."

"I'd love to say I'm not but I am. There are a few things I have to finalize so I'm sorry I can't stay longer." Winter stood up and put his hood back on.

"No, it's fine. That was more than enough for me. I'll be seeing you around. May the Six guide your way."

Winter didn't exactly believe in the Six or anything of the sort. He and his people had no being to believe in, the only thing they could have some sort of faith in was the founder of their country but it was more of a myth that they still lived. Winter didn't believe it but anything is possible.

Which is exactly why he didn't deny her or her gods. Still, he wasn't going to play along.

"I'll be back before you know it, stay safe. Well, I'll be making sure of that." Winter gave a smile that Clare couldn't exactly see and then made his way out of the room, waving her goodbye.

Winter didn't even walk for thirty seconds before encountering his battalion resting around the area he left them.

"...Wow, Akari is just sitting there by herself."

Everyone spotted Winter coming back, Akari didn't bother moving as she knew he had to get to know the new members of their battalion. She would have to sit alone for a while longer, not that she exactly had anything against the silence, it was oddly calming.

But, the silence wasn't for everyone there as the main killers of both companies were coming together.

Chisai, Amiya, Sakura, and Selen were talking with Sachiel, Rena, Marika, and one final girl who was momentarily mistaken for a boy at a distance.

Boyish in her nature, and short-cut hair, she was a handsome tomboy. In her style and approach, she was a sight that everyone could appreciate.

Her name was Lisa Farley and her lineage came from a more western country but she was born in Ardent and raised here too. Her past sure did move around a lot as she also was brown-skinned with silver hair meaning someone in her family was from Rali.

From there to the Northern continent, from a western country then to Ardent.

And somewhere along that train, they met with someone from the Eastern continent because of the silver hair.

She was the tallest of them all standing at 5'11.

Amiya almost wanted to ask her how many races were flowing through her blood but Chisai picked up her partner's eagerness and covered her mouth before she could blurt out something stupid.

This leads us to where they are right now.

"Is she okay?" Sachiel was wondering as Chisai transitioned to a choke and was looking like she was about to put Amiya to bed.

"Hm? Oh, she's fine. I just felt like she was about to say something stupid so I stopped her." Chisai let go of her friend and Amiya fell to her knees gasping for air.

"Is that usual? Oh, Sachiel, maybe you could put me in a choke! Come on, do it! I bet I can get out!" Rena was almost bashing her head against Sachiel who looked more confused than anything else.

"Wh- why would you want that?!"

"Oh, if you wanna get hurt, I could help you out with that?" Sakura opened her eyes and stared down at Rena like she was prey.

The short girl was curious about what she could mean, Rena made the mistake of nodding to Sakura and was instantly speared to the ground where the girls started wrestling for supremacy.

"...Well... it's at least nice they're getting along with each other already." Selen sighed right on the spot, she couldn't believe this was happening just a few feet away from Winter who was busy and people were blocking Akari's view.

"Should I stop it? They seem to be having some sort of fun?" Marika was questioning the whole situation, though the unchanging smile on her face was some sign that she didn't mind what was happening either.

"Leave them be. I almost want to join them. It's been a while since I've had a friendly wrestling match. Actually, I call one on the winner!!" Lisa stepped forward away from the group and was basically refereeing the spar now.

"What- what-?! How did this happen?!" Sachiel was star-struck, just moments ago they were talking now she was watching this.

"I think it's a strong case of idiots being idiots. Amiya isn't a part of it, so we're missing a block in the chain." Chisai crossed her arms looking at the scene even though she was a precursor to it happening.

"Yeah, idiots being... I'm sorry, did you just call me an idiot again?" Amiya's smiling face fell flat as she glared at Chisai who didn't bother looking or answering back.

"I think Rena is going to lose this match."

"No, I think she can reverse it! ...No, that armbar looks deadly! Rena loses!" Lisa pulled the two apart and then hopped in herself while Rena was thrown to the side like a dead body.

This group was already getting along perfectly...