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The usual sting of cold water went unnoticed by Ines as she dunked yet another shirt into the steel bucket. She wove her hand through the worn garment and started slowly, yet thoroughly scrubbing it with a bar of soap. It was a recent purchase she’d made from a local town, carrying the faint scents of herbs and lavender. Even if it couldn’t eradicate the metallic smell of blood that clung to the fabric, the earthy undertones did help mask it.
When the dark stains couldn't possibly fade any further, she finally decided to wring out the shirt and hang it up for good. It fluttered in the wind alongside the rest of the clothes she’d tried to save today. Red stitches were visible on many, especially around the torsos and sleeves. The ones that couldn’t be fixed were torn up into long strips that could hopefully make for good tourniquets and bandages later. Until the squad returned and set up a fire, she would have to leave them dangling between the birch trees and hope that they didn’t turn into popsicles. In the meantime, she emptied the bucket full of copper red water onto the ground and gave the lone group of men at camp a wave to signal she was leaving.
Around two hundred paces away from their tents was a lake. Ines found herself frequenting it lately. It was one of the squad’s main lifelines whenever they had work to do out here, but what piqued her own interest was its clear, reflective surface. It made for a pretty neat mirror, despite the blindingly gray overcast sky looming above.
Ines took a small moment to check for cuts and scrapes on her cheeks, making sure there was no dirt between her teeth, pushing stray hair strands away from her face, and checking that her horns hadn’t grown too long. Despite everything the squad had been through the past week, she still seemed to hold up fairly well. Of course there was still the Oripathy. Ines gently traced the small crystals beneath her right eye. She could’ve sworn they’d been smaller at some point.
Feeling otherwise content with her appearance, Ines decided to disrupt the still surface of the lake by giving the bucket she’d brought with her a small rinse. She then filled it up with fresh water and prepared to go back to camp. The bucket weighed heavy in her arms as she lifted it up, biceps and shoulders straining to handle its sudden added weight. Ines figured that all the chores she’d done had caught up with her. Unfortunately, she couldn’t waste a drop of this water. Everyone needed it today.
It probably didn’t help that she’d never been the strongest physically to begin with, and for being a mercenary, that was quite an embarrassing admission to make. It was also a dangerous admission if made in front of just about any Sarkaz subordinates who were well known for exploiting weaknesses.
Ines did her best to stifle her struggles as she dragged the bucket away from the lake. She made it ten paces before stopping. She waited for a moment and soon heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps approaching. A small sigh escaped her lips.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?” a warm, gravelly voice asked.
Ines’s gaze fell to the ground in defeat.
She surrendered the annoying piece of scrap metal, muttering: “Hmph. Whatever, go ahead.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw a large pair of gloved hands pick the bucket up off the ground like it was weightless. It took Ines a moment before she could meet the amber eyes staring at her.
“Hey, Hoederer.”
Hoederer reciprocated her greeting with the usual small quirk of the lips, seeming to soften up slightly. The shadow beneath him wasn’t quite the same. It trembled ever so slightly.
“Did something happen?” Ines asked.
“Only a small encounter that’s been dealt with. Your suspicions were correct, there are definitely more squads in the area. We will have to confront them soon, probably tonight. I think they caught wind of the cargo we got.”
“Shit…”
The weakness she felt moments ago festered once more as heaviness in her limbs. Ines clutched her aching stomach. She wasn’t sure if she could handle another encounter in such a state.
“You didn’t happen to find any rations while you were out and about?” she questioned.
“No. We’re all running on our fumes out here it seems.”
“So it’ll just be more warm water tonight?”
Hoederer nodded. He then looked back into the forest. Ines took that as a hint to get going.
They wandered through a thin trail of trampled down grass, between the pale trunks of the birch trees and across their net of roots. Black crystal clusters consumed the bases of the trees and glittered in the pale light. They had grown bigger since Ines had been here last. Certainly bigger than they had been five years ago, when she’d stepped foot in the forest for the first time.
For some reason that fact made her feel the need to glance up at the Sarkaz man keeping her company. She observed the stupid crimson mullet he had insisted on growing out, the crooked gray horns, the slightly singed cloak that always reeked of smoke, and the stubble that masked small cuts he had sustained in battle. Had it truly been that long ago since they’d met? No, that wasn’t important. The past was unnecessary to dwell on. A mercenary that intended to live needed to keep a clear mind and only think about the present, at least that’s what her friend Ulšulah back in the Scar Market would say. Perhaps Hoederer’s tendency to overthink was actually starting to rub off on her.
“Hey, Ines.”
She snapped out of her thoughts and narrowed her eyes at him.
“What?”
“You should really be careful about going off to the lake on your own. A lot of drowning accidents happen around these sorts of places.”
“Well it’s a good thing I don’t have ‘accidents’ then, isn’t it?” she replied, putting a stop to the conversation.
The rest of the walk continued in silence.
More men were present at the camp upon arrival. Nobody looked to be seriously injured, the usual scrapes and bruises littering their exposed skin. Whether it was inflicted by the enemy or by allies was unclear and not relevant for the time being. Better an injured merc that could still fight than a dead one. Although having as large of a squad as they did, it caused concern for any potential future clashes.
After every job done, there would usually be someone that did better on the mission than everyone else. The so-called “Top Merc”, usually the person who killed the most or got the most loot. Whoever ended up being the Top Merc got the biggest pay cut, and the rest would be consequently split among the squad. The more people one had on their team, the more money had to be divided. So in certain cases, some mercs might find themselves eliminating the competition in order to get a bigger share. It was honestly quite a pain in the ass. Sarkaz mercs dropped like flies already, but what could one expect from a culture where honor was considered shameful.
The water Ines had gathered was set up to be purified and a fire was soon created as well. She took the opportunity to prepare for combat while the rest of the squad gathered firewood and complained about food.
Before heading to the birch forest for the mission, Ines had bought herself a cape that could be attached to her belt. It helped keep the backside of her pants clean and the small slots sewn into the sides made for a convenient place to store weapons within arm’s reach. This was the first time she’d ever decided to use such a gadget and she found herself already enjoying how it swished around as she walked, almost like a dress. A dress lined with shining throwing spikes.
Ines pulled out one of the spikes from her cape and stared at the contrasting shadows in its shiny surface. She honed in on the darkness, imaging the long streaks that ran along the blade as snares. Red threads began emerging around the weapon. Her Arts. Ines wove her fingers through them and gave them a small tug. They still felt sturdy. What a relief.
While she continued to hone her Arts, the gray sky began to separate into large clouds and shift into pink hues. By the time their meager dinner was ready, the stars were on full display. Hoederer discussed his battle plans over the fire. He estimated there to be at least two squads on patrol in the forest, so he would split their men accordingly. His group would be scouting the area and going on the offense while Ines’s group guarded the campgrounds. She had free reign to take out any mercs that got too close, but had to keep it on the down low so as to not give their location away.
When having concluded the plan, Hoederer arose from his spot and called for his men to join him. He bid the other half of the squad farewell, hoping to be able to deal with the problem quickly. Ines saw his shadow shake only slightly as he spoke. She supposed the caliber of the enemies’ strength still remained unclear. Hoederer must’ve noticed her staring, because his eyes showed a glint of resignation before he took off into the night.
Ines never liked watching him leave.
She steered her focus towards the rest of her group and ordered them to finish up and prepare to fight. Normally, she was the one to take the lead in looking for intel at times like these, but due to having no clear shadows to work with at night, the task seemed both risky and dangerous. The closer that Ines was to a proper light source like a fire, the better. Perhaps that’s why Hoederer left her on watch duty tonight. How considerate... He’d better not get into too much trouble while he was away either.
☆
The tall Sarkaz mercenary trudged quietly through the forest while his hand rested on the handle of his sword. Hoederer monitored the spaces between the pale tree bark, waiting to catch a glimpse of any shiny equipment or movement. He occasionally glimpsed down at the ground in hopes of finding any fresh tracks. There had not been much snowfall as of late, so any traces he discovered would likely not be easily erased.
His men remained vigilant by his side, yet it was hard to ignore their increasingly sluggish steps. It took Hoederer a moment to realize it was likely due to the cold. Sometimes he forgot that not everyone’s Oripathy made their body temperature rise. He was quite grateful for his Arts at times like these. In combat was a different story. Many days Hoederer wished he could read people just as easily as Ines could, or travel several meters within a second by simply following the shadows. The best he could do with his Arts was create fiery bursts that inevitably made something he wore catch fire, an ability that came with the special bonus of getting scolded by the aforementioned woman for the rest of the day.
Hoederer slowed down his pace. He had nearly missed a pointed tail slinking behind the bushes twenty paces away. Could that be a scout? A small hand gesture was made to his men. They all nodded and headed in the stranger’s direction.
It was hard to stifle their heavy footsteps as they snuck closer. Hoederer searched for tracks on the ground and came up empty. The soil must’ve been too cold to get imprinted on. One thing he did know, and that was that nobody in their right mind would go out in the forest alone.
“Boss!”
Hoederer whipped his head around, a harsh wind following. He watched a crossbow bolt lodge into one of his men’s shoulders. The victim fell to the ground hissing in pain. Hoederer ducked behind a tree and gave the man a quick look over. The wound was deep, likely not survivable unless given immediate medical attention. He wondered if they even had the right supplies on hand for a puncture like that. Sepsis was likely no matter how he sliced it.
“Head back to camp if you’re feeling lucky, or would you like me to finish the job?” Hoederer offered.
“Make it quick, and pray that I join the myriad souls.”
Hoederer gave him a nod and pulled out his dagger. He aimed right between the ribs and struck only once. The merc went limp. Blood flowed out over the soil, filling the air with a potent, metallic musk. He withdrew his dagger and glanced over at his men.
“The rest of you, keep your heads low and stay quiet. We will have to find a way to surround them.”
☆
Ines straightened her back and squared her shoulders as she addressed her men. Much like Hoederer’s plan, they were to be split up into two teams, one of which would remain close to base to stand guard while the other would be deployed fifty, to twenty-five paces away from camp. Ines herself would be weaving in and out of the teams to make sure everything was operating smoothly.
She decided to join the squad further away first. If changes were to occur in the scenery down the line, she would have to know what to compare it to. Ines dove between the shadows of the birch trees alongside her squadmates. Many were not as smooth and silent as to her liking, but much of it could be compensated for with sheer physical strength. Nearly all mercs had a sword on their person. She would too, if she could find one suitable enough to channel her Arts. Otherwise, it would be like slugging around a useless piece of junk.
The scenery was starting to look identical. Originium infested, shivering in the frigid winds. Ines could feel the struggle of the birch trees trying to survive echo within her mind. They yearned for fresh spring breezes, nutrients, and precious sunlight. It was nice to know that she wasn’t alone in those desires. On nights like these, the thoughts of a roof above her head, some warm food, and a bed were very distracting.
Perhaps the comparison was a little unfair. The trees’ struggle reached far beyond five measly years, and unlike them, her life had somewhat improved since then. Case and point: she had a warmer pair of clothes to run around in compared to last time. Of course, that didn’t mean she still wasn’t prone to withering away the moment she let her guard down.
As the shadows around Ines faded into the night, she slowed down. Her men continued forward a few more paces before drawing still. For a few moments, all they could hear was the faint whistle of the wind. The silence was soon broken by the sound of shuffling as her men initiated patrol. On one hand, Ines hoped that nobody would show up tonight so that everyone could save their energy, but the thought of eliminating the enemies as soon as possible and getting some sleep felt far more appealing.
She squinted into the darkness, hoping to be able to detect any abnormalities. Her gaze travelled along the faint shadows as if beckoning them to speak. What she got in response was a sudden sharp pain in her eye that blurred her vision. Ines sighed in annoyance. There had to be another way she could utilize her Arts and not by mere sight. She was bound to go blind at this rate if she kept on trying.
Ines thought back to her encounter at the lake. Hoederer had been there. Before he formally arrived she knew he was on his way. Yes, his footsteps were somewhat distinct and familiar, but she had a feeling she’d known it was him sometime before she could actually hear him. The only explanation that came to mind was their history. After five years they were bound to develop a few habits and expectations. However, Ines wasn’t satisfied with that corny conclusion. There had to be something else to it, if only she could figure out what…
In a split second, her mind cleared. Ines pulled out a throwing spike from her cloak and hurled it as hard as she could through the gap between two trees. A second passed, then another. A pained hiss echoed farther away. Relief and horror consumed her at once.
“Enemy located east! Prepare to defend,” she called out to her subordinates.
Ines slunk into the shadows and hurried southward. She relayed the information briefly to as many mercs in the group she could reach. The loud sound of clanging swords filled her ears.
Ripples ran through the ground and resonated with the shadow beneath her feet. It felt like something was forcefully being torn away from her. As Ines rallied more men to the battle, she realized that what she felt was the souls of her squad departing one by one.
Everything around her was growing so unbelievably cold.
That had to be it, how she had known he was on his way.
The warmth that rhythmically pulsated in the air, she could feel it within everyone around her. It was subtle before, but painfully obvious in the unforgiving cold. Ines drew another spike from her cloak. She followed the heat with hurried, silent steps. This method wouldn’t be as precise as her usual Arts, but it could be enough. The pointed, metallic weapon she grasped was an extension of her arm, reaching far into the darkness and piercing the enemy flesh that got in her way.
Gurgles and whimpers followed her strikes. Bodies fell to the ground one by one. Ines took cover after every kill before choosing a new point to assault from. Her breaths grew airy, creating puffs of mist. A throbbing, burning sensation had overtaken her body. Just a little longer. Hopefully she could buy her men just a little more time to fight back. The next spike she threw missed by a hairstrand. Suddenly, a shiny blade flashed in front of her eyes. Ines jumped aside before it could cleave her, but not without her cloak getting caught in the crossfire. She watched with wide eyes as the black fabric was pinned down to the ground. Thousands of small, delicate fibers split apart as she tore herself away.
“Why you little…!” she growled.
Ines swung her leg into the back of the merc’s knee. He lost his balance and collapsed to the ground. Another premonition struck Ines. She leaped into the darkness before a crossbow bolt could pierce her heart.
Ines once again created distance between herself and the fight. The Sarkaz men she’d called on had finally started dealing some damage. There were at least a dozen enemies left, but her men lacked the strength and energy needed to put them to rest quickly enough. Even worse, Ines only had a few spikes left at her disposal. Her next attacks couldn’t miss. She wished that she had a stronger light source to work with. Perhaps then she could give everyone a proper fighting chance…
A gasp escaped her lips.
Ines called out to her men, screaming, “Everyone, after me! Move southward!”
At first they looked shocked, but realizing they had no better options, they disengaged from the fight in a hurry. Profanities echoed into the night. Everyone followed Ines as she took the lead through the forest.
Originium crunched beneath their feet as they barrelled across the tree roots. Pressure turned into desperation as the enemy team grew louder in their approach. Ines held her head high, because in the distance shimmered a brilliant lake.
The twin moons over Terra glowed in the sky. Their reflection over the still surface was vividly clear. Ines managed to reach the edge of it before turning around to face the enemy. Her men were slowing down as well, likely thinking that they had reached a dead end. She cocked her head to the side, and they took it as a sign to make way for the enemy.
Ines took a deep breath. The slither of moonlight that bounced off the white bark created shadows just sufficient enough to weave. Threads manifested between the trees, invisible to the untrained eye. They joined together in a large web like that of a spider. As the enemy mercs came rushing towards her squad, it seemed they had no time to even question what was about to happen. Their bodies collided with the elaborate Arts and folded over them like laundry hung out to dry.
“Now!” Ines shouted.
She watched her men lunge toward the trapped enemies like savages. A splitting headache filled her head the next moment, obscuring her vision.
Ines could hardly reel from the extreme effort that had gone into conjuring Arts strong enough to withstand such force. Heavy, labored breaths escaped her throat and her ears filled with white noise. It was like being trapped inside a crushed radio. Ines wanted to plug her ears, curl up in her warm tent back at camp, and sleep for weeks on end, but she kept her balance steady despite the assault on her senses. Something inside her brain was still yelling at her not to give into exhaustion so easily.
As she tried to regain her composure, faint muttering in Sarkaz emerged from the static in her mind. Were those her men? Ines could’ve sworn she heard her name whispered somewhere within the mix. That was never a good sign. She tried to step away from the noise, but there was no time to hide before a hard force knocked her into the lake.
Ines shivered as the icy water licked up her neck and crept into the fabric of her clothes. Her lungs turned to stone, causing her body to involuntarily jerk as her head was pushed beneath the surface. Blurry, horned silhouettes stood idly by as her nails clawed at the sleeve of her attacker. She wanted to scream, but her jaw was locked shut from the searing cold. All Ines could do was stare. Stare at the dwindling bubbles rising to the surface.
☆
Hoederer had hardly heard the bloodcurdling cries over the sound of his sword claiming yet another life. As the dead Sarkaz merc fell to the ground, he raised his head. It sounded like a large altercation was going on. He could’ve sworn he’d heard a voice yelling to head south just a few moments ago. That would definitely require his attention.
“Are we all done here?” he asked his men.
“Yes, boss! Well, we still have some men searching for the scouts and deserters.”
“Let them continue their pursuit in that case. The rest of you are free to assist in the search. I will be heading to check on Ines’s squad.” Hoederer pointed at three of his remaining men. “You will join me.”
They nodded in compliance and started following their crimson-haired leader.
The earthy, metallic stench of death clung to their gloves, swords and footsteps. When Hoederer had first started working as a mercenary seven years ago, people’s lives had weighed a lot heavier on his shoulders. Some of that burden still lingered even now, and he had accepted it would never truly go away. Unfortunately, killing was just another part of a Sarkaz's life. At one point in his career, it had felt truly senseless and unnecessary, but nowadays it was the only way to buy himself another sunrise.
Speaking of killing, it would be unfortunate if Ines had bit the dust today. Not that he expected it, but the thought always seemed to linger when they weren’t on the same battlefield. He would like to think that the concerns stemmed from her having survived longer than most other mercs he knew. Not to mention, she was a valuable right-hand woman and second squad leader. Business would surely be thrown off balance in her absence. Of course, her worth wasn’t solely based on her position of power or Arts, but her blunt, straightforward thinking and dedication to everything that she did. If Ines actually got into trouble and he hadn’t been there to at least try to put a stop to it, Hoederer wasn’t sure if he could ever forgive himself.
A fatigued grunt escaped his lips. He would have to push those thoughts out of his head immediately before he risked losing it. Death was a likelihood that came with the job. Ines knew that just as well as he did. He had to keep moving forward, no matter what state he found her in.
His group stopped in their tracks.
A slew of dead mercs lay scattered around the trees. Throwing spikes were lodged into their necks or eyes. The ones that weren’t impaled were the familiar faces from his squad, having been hacked to death instead. Hoederer carefully unsheathed the sharp weapons that were left behind while calculating every head’s worth. Ines obviously wasn’t here, so her squad must’ve left in a hurry. The snapped tree branches and crushed crystals indicated as much. Most of the damage looked to be continuing southward, just like he had overheard. Hoederer furrowed his brow. That was the direction of the lake.
“Let's move on,” he said sternly to his men. “Before these corpses turn to dust.”
“Yes, boss.”
They picked up their pace. Hoederer’s hand clutched the handle of his sword.
The maze of trees grew sparse. He saw frosty grass in the distance, then another row of corpses. They looked to be a part of the dead enemy squad he had seen earlier. Their wounds consisted of only hackmarks and gashes. Hoederer felt his shoulders lighten.
“Hey, boss! Look, her squad’s leaving!”
He looked to the left side of the lake. It was true. A group of Sarkaz were leaving in the direction of camp.
“Let’s brief them,” he said.
Hoederer stepped out of the shadows of the trees and raised his voice to catch their attention.
“Hey, are you all finished here?”
They turned around to face him with unexpected reluctance.
As Hoederer and his men approached, he noticed there were a few more faces missing in the group, including Ines. Perhaps she’d taken a shortcut back through the shadows already.
“You’ve shrunk in numbers,” he noted aloud regardless.
It was hard to tell in the moonlight, but they seemed to pale at his words. A merc with a chipped ear spoke up first.
“Listen, boss. We ran into some trouble. First we got wrecked by the enemy squad and then Miss Ines got caught up in some trouble with some guys and…” he was cut off by another squad member.
“We think she downed, boss. She took them all down with her.”
Suffocating silence filled the cold air. The grip on Hoederer’s sword grew numb. He glanced down at their feet. If only he could tell if they were lying or not.
“Hold on,” he said, glaring at the remaining faces. “Did she kill the enemy or some of you?”
“It wasn’t our idea!”
“You planned this?” he sneered. “Why didn’t you report to me? Are your paychecks really so measly that you go after our second squad leader? She’s the only reason you’re still standing here.”
Hoederer's venomous words hung heavy over his men. He turned his attention toward the lake. It was perfectly still. He felt his breath catch in his throat. Was she really down there somewhere? No, that couldn’t be right. He’d warned her.
“Walk me through how it unfolded,” he ordered.
“Why? She’s already gone.”
Right. He had almost forgotten that he was surrounded by the last sorts of people who could give a shit.
“We can’t run around saying she’s dead unless we know it for sure. Imagine how much trouble we’ll be in if we make a false report to the Scar Market?”
Ines already had a good dime to her name. People would be scraping to get their money back if they knew she wasn’t dead for sure, which would ultimately paint an even bigger target on his squad’s back. Hoederer’s reasoning seemed to persuade some of the men, or perhaps they were too tired to object. A younger merc with stubby horns stepped forward.
“I… think ‘Rot’ was the one who made the first move. He started strangling her in the water after we finished off the enemy mercs. She was kicking up a storm and water was flying everywhere. Next thing we knew, she flipped the situation on him and was holding him down instead! That’s when Slam and Hunch came and tried to finish her off. Those damn idiots chased her out into the water and at a certain point we couldn’t see her anymore. Next thing we knew, Rot, Slam, and Hunch were pulled underwater. It must’ve been those fucked up Arts she uses.”
Hoederer’s mouth twitched for a split second.
“She could use her Arts?” he asked.
“Yeah. She used them against the mercs that were coming after us too. You’re all a bunch of idiots letting her die like that!” the young Sarkaz yelled.
Hoederer let go of his weapon and crossed his arms.
“Save that energy for tomorrow. Everyone, get back to camp and rest up.”
Nobody objected this time. The squad turned around and began slowly dragging their feet back toward the camp. One of the men from Hoederer’s team stopped next to him.
“Are we joining them, boss?”
“Yeah, but I’ve got more bounties to calculate now. Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you before you know it.”
They nodded and left.
As soon as everyone was out of sight, Hoederer turned his attention towards the lake. There were still no signs of movement. Then, his eyes scanned over the nearby birches. He found nothing. Hoederer began briskly wandering around the lake.
He searched for traces of fresh water surrounding the coast. Footprints or claw marks, even hairstrands weren't out of the question. Hoederer tried to check if there were any changes in the shadows around him, but his lack of expertise made it near impossible. Ines may not have been the strongest physically between the two of them, but she had survival instincts to boot. She likely wouldn’t show herself until she knew it was safe to do so. He wondered if there was an easy way he could catch her attention while simultaneously making it clear that they would be good to go.
Hoederer decided to place his palm over his chest, feeling the Originium scars start to react to his touch. For a moment he lost his footing, head growing feverishly hot. The stench of burning wafted through the air. Sparks popped and glittered around him, starting to travel along the wind and singing his cloak. The embers cast long shadows over the tall trees. Hoederer watched his Arts flicker for a moment before hearing a voice.
“You damn idiot, stop that…”
He looked around. Was he becoming delirious from exhaustion?
He took a few steps forward, searching the fallen logs and tree trunks surrounding him.
“Getting colder…”
He twisted around. Right on the downward slope toward the lake, shrouded in tall grass, sat a figure with long, black hair and two pointed horns. A pair of brilliant yellow eyes caught in his embers and they squinted at its brightness. Hoederer couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his lips.
“We can’t keep meeting like this,” he spoke softly.
He approached the figure and extended a gloved hand towards her. Ines looked up at him, not a hint of urgency on her features. She seemed to be looking for something in his eyes, and Hoederer couldn’t help but be reminded of how she had done the exact same thing the first time they had met five years ago. Only now, she knew who he was. That she could count on him, despite the charred clothes and multitude of scars.
Ines accepted his hand, placing her soggy glove against the dry, worn fabric of his. Hoederer’s grip closed around hers firmly and he pulled her up off the ground. Ines wobbled as she got back on her two feet. Her hands hurriedly clung onto his shoulders, as if trying to stop herself from falling flat on her face. Hoederer opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when she began patting away the glowing edges on the hood of his cloak.
Once the last of the fire had fizzled out, she made an attempt to stand on her own again. An attempt that would’ve ended badly if he hadn’t grabbed onto her arm.
“Didn’t I tell you to be careful around these parts?” Hoederer remarked.
“I’ll have you know that I was. It’s a good thing a little sheep like me can swim, don’t you think?” she quipped back.
Hoederer tensed for a moment. Ines raised a brow.
“You never told me you could swim,” he said.
“Well, it was cold so I used my Arts to cheat a little. Do you think that I am so fond of near death experiences that I would jump into the water without a plan?”
For the sake of his own safety, Hoederer decided not to respond to her question and instead wove her arm over his shoulder.
“Let’s hurry up before your hypothermia becomes untreatable,” he said.
“What do you mean? I’m not even freezing.”
“Exactly my point.”
☆
The sound of fluttering laundry could be heard from outside the tent along with the crackling campfire. Ines wished she could sit in front of it and not shiver alone in her sleeping bag. Her body was growing more and more fatigued from uncontrollable shivers. The moment she felt herself drifting away, the sudden trembling would snap her awake. Hoederer had told her it was her body’s way of trying to stay warm. He had also told her that if she got too warm then she’d have even more medical complications. Those contradictory statements, although common coming from him, didn’t make Ines feel better in the slightest.
Maybe it was a good thing he’d decided to leave her alone in the tent after they arrived back at camp. She wasn’t sure how much more rambling she could handle before the temptation of claiming his bounty grew too strong. Hoederer had bigger fin to fry after their one-sided talk anyway, that being their men. It was satisfying watching all color drain from their faces upon their arrival back at camp. No apologies were exchanged, although she could tell many were regretful. Not because of her damaged state by any means, but likely fear over the repercussions they would face.
While inside the tent, slipping on a pair of dry clothes, she had listened to Hoederer chastise them. It was hard to pick up on all of what was said, the sudden added warmth triggering her spasms in the first place. Ines did recall hearing something along the lines of the mercs having to be grateful they hadn’t been killed right then and there for ‘wasting valuable resources’. Valuable. Hah, she would not let him hear the end of that. The whole method of the confrontation had come as a surprise to her too. Hoederer normally didn’t talk that much when people in their squad killed one another. Most of the time he had no reason to. Everyone was likely to die sooner or later whether it be from Oripathy or fighting. That didn’t mean she was disappointed in him in the slightest for chewing them out. Hearing Hoederer starting to sound like her when complaining was quite amusing.
When he was finished, a few men were ordered to keep watch over the camp. He stopped by her tent to collect the wet clothes she had discarded and then promptly left. Ines wasn’t sure how long ago that was now. The exhaustion was beginning to make her memory foggy.
She attempted to fall asleep a few more times to no avail. Ines stopped when she sensed something warm once again approaching the tent. As expected, it was Hoederer. He crawled inside, a metal bottle in hand.
“How are you holding up?” he asked.
“Could be better,” Ines replied behind clattering teeth. “I think I’m dying.”
“Tried to warn ya,” he said.
“Would you like it better if I had drowned?” she asked with a hint of salt.
He gave her an unamused look in response before offering her the bottle.
Ines shuffled to sit up in her sleeping bag. As she tried to push herself up from the ground, she found that her body was far heavier than anticipated. Not only that, but the trembling made it near impossible to support herself. After a few attempts to sit up, Hoederer placed his hand on her back to keep her steady.
She took the bottle he handed her and was surprised to find that it felt heavy and warm in her hands. When she unscrewed it, a slightly earthy aroma filled her senses.
“You made me tea?” she asked after having a few whiffs.
“There were some herbs in the area I’ve been holding onto. They’re not as strong as I’d like for this sort of thing.”
Ines pressed the edge of the bottle to her lips and had a small swig of the tea. In an instant, she felt her body soften, like a blanket was warming her up from the inside. Ines continued taking small sips of the tea until she’d emptied almost half the bottle.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, screwing the lid back on.
“Please, hold onto it.”
“I know.”
She left it to rest in her lap.
Ines struggled to crane her neck to face Hoederer. She ended up having to lean against his shoulder so as to not put her muscles under any more stress. His eyes widened slightly for a moment before returning to normal. They stared at one another for a moment before she narrowed her eyes at him.
“You’re smiling again,” she noted, slurring a little over her words. “Weirdo.”
“Am I?” Hoederer questioned, not offended in the slightest. “Why is that weird?”
“Because I’ve been suffering this entire time. Is this some kind of joke to you?”
“Can’t I just enjoy the fact that you’re recovering?”
Ines pouted. She could hardly tell if the warmth that crept to her face was a side effect of the hot beverage or her blood circulation returning.
“I don’t really feel that much better yet…” she mumbled.
“Yeah, I can imagine. Good thing I know one last method of treatment that might help you.”
“What’s that?”
Ines felt a pair of hands gently shift her so that her back rested against Hoederer’s chest. His fingers then wove together over her waist, as if to hold her in place.
Ines wasn’t sure where he had gotten that idea of treatment from. It felt inappropriate for a doctor to recommend, and in any other situation she probably would have killed him right then and there. However, as Ines took a moment to process what was happening, she realized that her tremors were fading. Not only that, but he was actually quite comfortable to lean against. Hoederer had always felt warm, even when separated by several layers of clothes. She melted into his touch and all the warmth surrounding her. It might just have been the next best thing besides a bubble bath and three-course meal.
“Look who’s smiling now,” Hoederer mused.
Ines mumbled something along the lines of “Shut up” under her breath.
She didn’t say anything more after that, chest beginning to rise and fall in slow motions.
Hoederer sat listening to her breathing for a while, quietly monitoring her temperature as it steadily rose. It took him a long moment to realize that there was nothing more that could be done. She was warm and her heart was still beating. He had somehow succeeded. Who knew the expensive squad leader Hoederer was capable of doing something that didn’t involve killing or making money while killing?
Perhaps now would be a good time to leave her to rest up on her own. Knowing Ines, she probably wouldn’t be as happy about his presence when she came to. Hoederer was about to unweave his hands from her waist, but a sudden chill touch made him stop. A small hand with black painted nails rested on top of his. That was… new. It seemed he would have to remain still so as to not disturb her any further. Maybe that was for the best anyway. Hoederer wasn’t sure when was the last time he had seen her this content. It would be a shame to ruin it now. Besides, she wasn’t too uncomfortable to hold like this anyway. No wonder she'd dozed off so quickly.
Without thinking, Hoederer leaned his face against the damp back of her head and savored the lingering scent of lavender. Maybe when their lives weren’t on the line, he would be able to make her even happier.