Chapter 144 - Signs Of Disaster

At the base of the Outlanders within the embrace of the Grandfather Tree, preparations are made to set out for a certain location…

The usually boisterous base housing the otherworlders designated by the great sage, Beatrice, had fallen quiet as of late. Besides the brief interactions between the few Outlanders not currently on missions, the only utterances were that of invasive winds that breathed through open windows.

"She really wants to talk to us three specifically? Give me a break..."

Running the prongs of a comb through his silky, black hair, Sirius asked without looking towards the other two with him. If there was a single thing he took pride in besides his own strength, it was his looks.

"Are you going to say that to her face?"

Holding a teasing smile, Sora leaned against the sturdy hallway wall, propping his leg up as he left his muscular arms crossed over his chest. It was the standard way of being briefed in the base, something they had all grown used to, but never quite acclimated to the anxiety it always produced. Awaiting for Beatrice to welcome them into her chilly, mystical chambers to disclose whatever peculiar task she had for them was always a feat for their beating hearts.

"Must you two always squabble so much? Such a headache…"

Pressing his finger against his forehead, Lucas gently shook his head as the words between the other two men were exchanged with him in the crossfire.

"That's rich coming from you, Lucas. You're always messing with Ren."

Sirius quickly countered with a slight smile, adjusting the pristine white gloves that covered his hands. A subtle smile came over Lucas' expression for a moment before he quickly did away with it, responding in kind with a scoff.

"...Someone has to humble him, no?"

The words caught both Sora and Sirius' attention, who both ended up raising an eyebrow at this odd remark.

"Look, when I found that kid, he believed he was scum, useless, and frankly, he didn't believe he deserved to be saved."

As he calmly spoke, Sora seemed to remember the events of that day as a glimmer glided over his sky-like pupils.

"As he said, Ren will be fine. He's a good guy, Lucas."

Sirius agreed with the crimson-haired man, giving him a slight nod as they looked back at Lucas, who held a reclusive sadness in his emerald eyes, keeping his arms crossed against his chest as he tried to hide his expression behind his hazel fringes.

"He can't replace Sebastian."

Leaving his lips almost in a choke, Lucas' quiet, pained words hit both of the other Outlanders like a pile of bricks.

"...Come on, Lucas. That's not what Ren is."

Attempting to console Lucas, Sora had his sympathetic hand rejected by a swift slap to it by the androgynous young man, being confronted by his passionate verdant gaze as tears lined his eyelids.

"Then what is he, huh?! He only came after we lost Sebastian--that's all Beatrice sees him as! That's his role, no?!"

The words he released were sharp, brimming with a plethora of emotion that were seldom seen expressed from the tight-mouthed boy.

"Knock that off!"

"Sirius!"

As Sirius stepped towards Lucas with unknown intentions, both of his arms were grabbed by Sora to withhold him. There wasn't but a single flinch or movement from the regally-dressed boy, who simply watched Sirius' cobalt eyes wash over with contempt for his words.

"...All we have is each other right now! That's how it's always been here! The second you start doubting the validity--the existence of your own comrades, your brothers and sisters--you'll find yourself alone and miserable."

Even if they came out wrapped in anger, the words Sirius sent to Lucas' ears felt more of guidance rather than something to put him down.

The hall fell to silence between the three, Sirius pulling his arms away from the tight grasp put on them by Sora's bulky hands. Before the awkwardness could stew to a greater proportion, a click met their ears as all of their heads turned in unison to watch the door to Beatrice's quarters open.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

Standing in the doorway, the unmistakable, ethereal gaze of Beatrice landed upon them like the iridescence of a full moon, holding the same gentle smile she was nearly always seen with.

"Nothing."

Agreeing with Sora's quick assurance, the other two Outlanders were fast to fervently nod their head in agreement with his answer. Although, the wary exchange of glances between the three was telling of their obvious lie, though Beatrice brushed it off.

"Come."

Beatrice gave them a simple invite in the form of a command, slowly waving her finger to usher them inside of her chambers before she returned to the depths of her somber yet regal bedroom herself. Following their leader's call, Lucas pushed past Sirius with an abrasive brush of his shoulder against the man's arm, keeping his gaze down before entering the gloomy chambers.

"...He's such a child sometimes, I swear…"

Shaking his head a bit out of disapproval, Sirius muttered his low-key insult before fixing his hair by running his glove-clad fingers through his forest of smooth, black locks.

"Give him a break. He's been through it; we all have."

Sora placed his hand on Sirius' shoulder, giving him his best attempt at a reassuring smile, earning no change in expression from the lightning mage.

"That isn't any reason to talk like that about one of our own. Putting Ren in that position when he didn't have a choice to come here...That type of stuff really gets under my skin, you know?"

"Yeah, I know, I know. Still, though, I think Lucas cares about Ren...Just in his own distant…"Lucas" way. I mean, how long did it take for that kid to open up to us anyway?"

Sora laughed, patting his hand against Sirius' shoulder with unintentional force, causing the military-like uniformed Outlander to gasp quietly as it felt like his bone marrow had been attacked.

"...He's opened up to us?"

"Well, in comparison to how he acted when he first got here…"

Looking at Sora's radiant smile, Sirius couldn't hold onto his temporary contempt, releasing it by giving Sora a smirk of his own--also getting payback by slapping the man on the back with a sharp impact resounding through the narrow hall.

"Let's hurry, I'd rather not have her send me on a quest to clear a noble's basement of swamp goblins."

"That's the spirit!"

Arriving within the personal abode of the exiled sage, the two men sat at the woman's frequently used table, experiencing the comfort of the plump cushions embedded onto their seats. Silence temporarily made itself primarily between the four; the three Outlanders watching as Beatrice leisurely allowed a stream of freshly brewed tea to fill her favorite teacup, watching as the liquid of obsidian shade emitted subtle steam from its form.

"Would you like some?"

Beatrice offered, pointing with her eyes towards the extra cups that occupied the center of the table. In response to the offer, Sirius accepted with a tiny nod, Sora declined the tea by raising his hand up with a smile, and Lucas let out a soft sigh before nodding.

Instead of accepting the tea, the vermillion-hair jock reached into his trousers to retrieve a small vial, holding it above his pried open eyelids as he released a few droplets of the liquid inside the minuscule, plastic container onto his ocular orb, blinking a few times. It was a common sight for the others, but it was an odd thing to witness at first--Sora had a case of dry eyes, having to water them twice a day.

If there was anything Beatrice seemed to take joy in, it was the concept of tea itself. Whether it was brewing, drinking, or serving it--a subtle radiance came off of her pale skin whenever it came to the serene beverage.

They watched with quietness holding back their tongues as the platinum-haired woman slowly moved the nozzle of the teapot from her cup, pouring the heated liquid into two similar cups formed of porcelain before placing the filled containers in front of Sirius and Lucas respectively.

"Now, do you have any guesses as to why I brought you three here?"

Beatrice brought the brim of the cup near her nose, taking in the refreshing fragrance before taking a sip following her calmly asked question.

"You want us to do something?"

Giving his half-baked answer to the question, Sora kept his arms tucked across his chest.

"I think she meant a bit more specific than that, man…"

Sirius chuckled at his comrade's answer, bringing the cup to his lips before allowing the liquid to run over his tongue, neglecting to realize the scalding nature of it. Like a dog, he let his tongue hang from his open mouth to allow it to cool down.

"How the hell are you drinking this? It's like lava right now!"

"I have a calloused tongue, dear."

Beatrice answered his question with a slight smirk to her lips, taking another sip as if confirming her statement.

"Continuing on, you're half correct, Sora. I don't want you to do something, I need you to do something."

"...Sounds like whatever you're about to tell us is quite significant."

Running his finger along the brim of the cup, Lucas kept his gaze low as his verdant eyes watched the steam rise from the porcelain.

Beatrice nodded before resting her chin against her hands, "Indeed. Quite some time ago, I sent Noah away on a...diplomatic mission of sorts."

"Really? Noah?"

The raised eyebrow from Sirius made him seem shocked to hear of this, almost holding a surprised smile at this information.

"I agree with him...Noah of all people for a diplomatic request? You've had to request him to be whitelisted after the Hollow Order blacklisted him...three times."

Sora held a hint of concern in his voice when speaking of Noah, scratching his cheek before brushing his crimson locks.

"I understand your concerns but this mission required haste and the bulk of you were away on quests of your own."

"What was this mission of his anyway? Trying to hire some adventurers? Could be risky, might work though."

Pondering his own guess, Sirius tapped his chin a few times with a wrinkled expression as if straining his brain.

Waiting for the man to finish his guessing, Beatrice only watched him with her nebulous mirrors, sparkling as if they were the innards of a kaleidoscope.

"The mission I entrusted Noah with was one that could decide the tides of the war to come. A war that will decide the eventual fate of this world."

"...Sounds like a bit of pressure on the guy's shoulders."

Sora could only force a nervous smirk as the gravity of the sage's words were clearly felt to those whose ears heard her.

"Indeed. From the report...It seems he did his mission, or rather the mission did itself for him...However, luck would have it. The task given to Noah was to make contact with Lady Getrude Aerosyndale."

Hearing the nature of this alluded-to mission, the three were visibly taken aback at the name dropped by the silver-haired, tea-loving woman.

"Getrude? The first daughter of the King--that Getrude? Right?"

Sirius was already standing from his seat with his hands pressed against the table in clear shock, a droplet of sweat running down the side of his face. The small, subtle nod from Beatrice confirmed it, sending a reaction into both Sirius and Sora that looked as if they were going to succumb to heart attacks.

"That sounds like you sent him on a suicide mission...Not only would that be in the belly of the beast itself, but to contact someone so close to King Held? Yet, you say it was a success…"

Even Lucas was shaken by this information, releasing his words in a mutter as if trying to arrange his thoughts in a concise manner.

"What are you hoping to achieve by contacting someone of her status? I mean, she is a captain of one of the most powerful knight squadrons--it doesn't get much more "Mastorn" than her."

Hearing these words from Sora, Beatrice finally reprimanded their unknowing thoughts, "You three seem to be mistaken as to the type of person Getrude is. She is a knight; through and through. More than anything, she wants the prosperity of Mastorn, primarily through the happiness of its people. That seems to directly conflict with her father's own philosophy of war though…"

Allowing her eloquent words to linger on as she brought the fine porcelain to her lips for another drink, Beatrice rested her gaze on the three before her.

"You don't mean…"

Sora began to put it together, while Sirius had finished the thought for him.

"Getrude wants to rebel against the King? Her own blood?"