Wayfarer - Yaena the corrupted guardian

Chapter XXVII - A Deal of Good Will

Chapter XXVII

A Deal of Good Will

 I sat down in the shade of a terrace, on a window sill. Keyn joined me, a big glass of water in his hand. I downed the contents in one gulp, before exhaling heavily, making my joints play.

"How is your shoulder?" he worried, taking the glass back.

"You had noticed?" I said, stretching.

"Of course, how could it be otherwise?"

His reply drew an amused smile from me. He could be so attentive.

"She could be better..."

"Let me see," he said as he sat down beside me.

He forced me to turn on my side, so that he was facing my back. He slid my top down my arm and massaged my shoulder. It was a nice moment, just the two of us, but he stopped far too soon for my liking.

"It can't be much, I don't feel anything in particular. If you're not in pain, it should go away by itself."

"Good," I answered, relieved. "It would have bothered me otherwise."

A little girl shyly approached me with both hands behind her back. She looked hesitant. I took the opportunity to put my clothes back on properly, before facing her. She suddenly came forward and gave me a small bouquet of flowers, handmade. I hesitated a little about what to do, but Keyn urged me to accept her gift.

"Thank you," I said, trying to smile.

"My daddy says you are bad people. But I love you very, very much! Because thanks to you, the doctors said they were able to treat his wound in time. Mom doesn't want to admit it, but she is also grateful to you."

She wanted to give me a hug. Keyn nodded and encouraged me to give her a hug. She grinned from ear to ear, revealing her baby teeth. Some were missing, but that didn't take away from her charm. She placed a kiss on my cheek, before twirling away and laughing.

"What was that look?" Keyn teased me.

"Nothing at all. Shut up."

"If someone had told me that..."

"Shut up, I said."

I was going to settle down a little further, near a flowerpot. I put the bouquet inside, bringing some color to this dull landscape. Keyn stared at the humans who were walking around, arms crossed.

"What do you think?" he finally asked. "You seem to have changed a bit, lately. For the better."

"What do you mean, for the better?"

"The pain in your wounded heart seems to have lightened. I've never seen you speak to a human in such a peaceful tone before. Is it your passage to the other side that has brought you back to us in a strange way?" he quipped.

He laughed and grabbed me by the shoulder to pull me closer. I was about to retaliate, ready to send him over the edge. A man then came to interrupt our moment of respite, by coughing.

"Our commander Finn is asking for you," he announced. "Follow me, please."

He turned back, without even checking if we had heard his request. After a quick exchange of glances, Keyn shrugged and climbed down from his perch. I went after him, a little annoyed. I hated to be disturbed like that.

Finn was in the middle of a discussion with a woman, with ebony skin. Her long white hair was braided in a ponytail in a golden ring at the back of her head. She looked into my green eyes, giving off a very unfriendly aura.

"This is Triss," Finn said, watching her out of the corner of his eye. "She's a member of my sniper corps, and one of the best."

"What are these people doing here?" she asked, in an annoyed tone. "Are these your new Hybrids?"

"I sent for them," he explained, sitting down on the desk. "They should be able to help you to eliminate the Behemoth."

She glared at her commander.

"I don't need anyone to carry out my mission. Least of all, them."

"The problem is that you need time. By the time your equipment reaches us, the target will have already ravaged the city. We can't send our men out there, it's far too dangerous. We have to rely on the strength of our new allies."

Triss chuckled in displeasure, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

"Well, I see you're being reasonable," Finn commented. "Get into position and let me know when you're ready."

"Agreed, Commander," she replied, in a voice tinged with irony.

She stomped out of the room, avoiding our approach.

"Sorry about her," he apologized. "She's talented, but she hates having to rely on others. Once you've proven yourself to her, she'll be less aloof with you."

I walked around the room, and my eyes fell on a wooden horse sculpture. In the palm of my hand, it looked almost insignificant.

"Why did you call us?" I asked, fearing his answer. "You're not going to send us against this Behemoth, are you?"

"I wish I could do differently, but I can't. Our men can't reach him while avoiding his horde. I am not asking you to eliminate him, only to slow down his progress a little. Your intervention could save the infrastructure of the city and many lives. Keep him busy long enough and Triss will finish the job, as soon as she gets her gear."

"What do we have to gain, in exchange?" Keyn interjected.

"Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer but my gratitude, and that of our Emperor."

"So it is not in our interest to intervene."

"Sometimes, what is free reveals most costly. An act has repercussions. Not being rewarded does not mean that I will forget your contribution to the war effort. I will be sure to mention it to our Emperor, when the opportunity arises. Besides, the Behemoth could advance as far as here, and put your comrades in danger," he argued.

I wasn't thrilled with Finn's proposal. It was hard for me to tell the truth from the falsehood in his words. Still, this Behemoth made me curious. What kind of adversary was he, to cause such panic? From the silhouette I had seen in the mist, he was truly gigantic. Could it rival the legendary creature told in the book of Job?

"What should we do?" I said, putting the statue down.

"According to our information, he should reach the bridge in front of the propylaeum in a good half hour. Once Triss gets her equipment, she'll only need a few minutes to finish the job. I can't give you a time frame, but be prepared for a confrontation. Get his attention, but be very careful not to get too close."

"Is that it? What good is that?" I replied. "I don't think our presence alone is enough to fool him. This kind of abomination usually serves a purpose of much greater ambition."

"Think again. The infected are not as intelligent as you think. You'll understand when you see it: its goal is not to raze the city to the ground. They simply roam the land until one day civilization has the misfortune to stand in their way."

I took the time to think about his proposal a little longer before accepting. Finn was convincing and I trusted him, despite recent events. I knew he wasn't the type to break his word.

"It's okay," I finally said. "We'll keep your... Behemoth at bay, as you call it."

"I'm glad we've reached an agreement," he replied, shaking my hand. "You have free rein to carry out your mission. Good luck."

Finn dismissed us with these words, relaxed. I thought of taking Eliza with us. Her help could be vital, and her presence reassured me. Keyn took care of talking to her and finally convinced her, after a long negotiation. She recovered her bag, not without repeating how stupid it was.

Deep down, I hoped I wouldn't have to deal with the Behemoth. Just the sight of it, outlined in the mist, gave me the shivers. Its silhouette had become more and more imposing as it advanced. The confidence of this monstrosity was suspicious. We had to be prepared for any eventuality.