Bodanen: Cobalt War

Chapter 27: Building Bridges

Blake looked up from his book as he heard footsteps approaching him. His armour is now abandoned on the car's roof next to him. "What took you lot so long? I've been stuck watching the car by myself since we found that farmer that collapsed. This place is deserted, so can we move on already?" Blake slid off the top of the car where he had taken roost and began to collect his things. Seeing Garele for the first time, Blake stopped walking and grabbed his watch in his pocket, cautious of the new face. "I take it that this is the life force I detected before?"

"Relax, coward; this here is Miss Garele Zima, Sarnai's older twin sister. She was attacked by artificial mortals and was rescued by the villagers here. She'll be travelling with us until we get to Alssahra. That okay with you?" Siegfried stepped up to Blake and got into his face, Blake quickly backing down from Siegfried's challenge.

"Fine, do whatever you want; it doesn't matter to me." Blake began to walk back to the car when Siegfried called out again.

"Oh, thanks; I guess you don't mind Arthur joining us as well then? He's the villager we found half-dead on the battlefield. He'll possibly be joining us on our missions in the coming days; after we explain the situation to him. And for future reference, his name is Arthur Castian. Get along with him, will you?" Siegfried innocently smiled as Blake turned around to face him with fury in his eyes.

"Why do you always do this? You've only known this man for half a day, at most, and you've already told him of our mission and what we are doing? Are you really this stupid, or do you not even have a brain?" Blake returned to Siegfried, getting face to face with him and refusing to back down this time.

"Blake, please calm down. It is not as bad as you think. We have-"

Before Boris could finish his thought, Blake turned to him with equal fury. "And you, Boris, and Talib, and Sayen. What were you doing, letting this idiot do as he pleased again? We are on a mission that requires the utmost secrecy; we won't make it far if he keeps telling every other person we meet the nature of our travelling." Blake had to hold himself back from shouting at the others with anger in his voice.

"Relax, coward, he doesn't know anything yet. All he knows is that what we're doing is important, that the king is involved, and that we will all most likely die. Oh, and I guess he also knows that you're a jackass after that outburst and all. You think I don't know the gravity of our mission, that I'm incompetent, that we all are? I know you're a coward, but I didn't think you a moron as well." Siegfried stood over Blake with a sly grin, looking down on the man with scorn in his eyes.

Blake stared at Siegfried for a moment before backing down a bit as his rage subsided. "...Is...is that so? ...Well then...I...ap...apol...apolog..." Blake began to struggle with his words.

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'apologize'; didn't think something so simple would be physically impossible for you to do." Sayen just shook her head at Blake in disbelief, unsure what to make of him.

"It's not something I am happy to admit, but...I may have been...a tad...hasty in evaluating you all...I...I apologize." To everyone's surprise, Blake lowered his head to the others, one after another; his head fell the lowest in front of Siegfried, taking him aback. "I have been shown a few times that I may have misjudged you and...I'm sorry."

"That was...unexpected......apology...accepted...?" Siegfried took a few steps back from Blake to look him over, unsure whether this indeed was the Blake he knew.

"However, if I may ask our possible new compatriot, I'd like to at least see if he is capable enough to join us." Blake raised his head, turning to address Arthur. "I just want to know what you're capable of, what you would bring to our group, as it were."