“This place is… old.” Feanias said simply as they explored the abandoned village. Aye, Reiner thought simply. They walked amongst old stone and wood buildings reminiscent of depictions of the Pre-Empyrean period, a dark age before the unifying conquests of Raedon. Though, of course, what still stood was thoroughly reclaimed by nature, with houses having had their rotten wooden roofs brought down by trees growing straight through them. There was not a stone from which moss did not hang, nor was there any sign of anything living being here recently - at least, not that they’ve yet found.

  Are you here, brother? Reiner thought to himself. Condemned to hide away in this forgotten place? What in all the hells did you find? He wondered. Worry ate at him, his very soul seemed to degrade as the minutes passed as he worried for his brother. Every twig that snapped in the distance was a disappointment when they found an animal and not his brother, and every discovery they made had driven Reiner to devastation and back thinking it may be Lance.

  “Protect your brother, always.” That was what his mother had said to him before she breathed her last breath, it is what she said now, repeating without end in his tired mind. If you can hear my prayer, mother, lead me to him. He thought, feeling hopeless as they continued their search.

  “Oh gods!” They heard David shout from the distance, from inside one of the abandoned buildings. Reiner ran to the hut, dreading what he would find. No, please no. He thought to himself. When he entered the hut, he was more shocked than he could’ve ever imagined being.

  On the ground knelt David, already fiddling with his satchel to retrieve a Channeller, and before him laid the very much still alive but very nearly dead Reman Kyn alongside the destroyed corpse of what once might have been called Luka Charim. He knew he should be sad about Luka, or worried about saving Reman, and yet thank the gods it’s not Lance was all he thought.

  “Please, send me! Don’t send Lance! He’s not ready!” Reiner had yelled and begged, only earning himself a back handed slap from the large figure he stood before. He fell to the ground. The figure only looked down in disgust.

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  “It’s a blessing that your mother couldn’t get her hooks into Lance as well, which is precisely why he is going in your stead. Now get your ass up and out of my tent before I have you sent to the brig.” The towering figure commanded. Reiner hauled himself back to his feet and weakly saluted.

  “Yes fath… Colonel.” He corrected mid sentence. He left the Colonel’s tent and met his brother outside, waiting to enter. His brother looked at him sympathetically.

  Lance opened his mouth but Reiner put his hand up, “Don’t bother.” Reiner said, preempting what his brother would say. Lance looked like he wanted to say something, he looked sad, apologetic even, but only nodded.

  A moment passed awkwardly before Lance spoke. “So… I’ll be going then?” He had said, trying to mask his excitement, “to find the Princes?”

  Reiner nodded sadly, but shushed him. Lance and Reiner both looked around quickly, ensuring they were alone. “Or what’s left of him.” He had said. He grabbed his brother by the back of the head and brought their foreheads together in an affectionate manner, “Come back to us.” He said softly, ordering his brother not to die.

  Lance nodded and returned the gesture, “I’ll be back before you even notice I’m gone.” He said, his icy blue eyes sparkling with confidence and mirth. The words should’ve been relieving, and yet… part of him could not help but dread the future.

  Reiner left the building as he heard David beginning to command Simmeon and Feanias around. “Bandages! In my bag!” Reiner faintly heard the mousey medic shout as he walked away. He strolled into what must have been the town center, a wide open clearing with an old stone water fountain in the center. The ground was paved, but the stones making the foundation were old with moss. The most attention grabbing structure was a large church, probably dedicated to the same Gods Reiner’s people held today. He considered going in, perhaps to say a prayer for his brother… and so he walked to the church. His hand rested on the old wooden door as he met it. What good will it do? He thought to himself, before retracting his hand and walking away from the church.

  He wasn’t surprised to see his cohort in the distance, lifting the barely living Reman onto a horse to transport him somewhere. They seemed to be moving up the hill the village was clearly built on, where at the top laid a manse that once likely belonged to some lord or lady. But it mattered little. Where are you? Reiner thought to himself.

  Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that a familiar presence was near. “Come back to me, brother.” He said under his breath, a silent command to one that couldn’t hear him.

  Or so seemed the case.