I wasn’t expecting this. A downed Arc Systems HAT lay in a canyon, smoking and sputtering while its life slowly drained away. I recognized it from the list of transport options offered back at the place I rented my Jackrabbit. Turrets across the Hova tried to defend it, shooting up and down the canyon’s walls in a bid to ward off attackers. It wasn’t working.

  The Heavy Aerial Transport itself had no hope of escaping. It looked like a missile had hit its side, tearing apart the ‘limbs’ that Hovas used to fly. The heavy armor of the HAT seemed to have kept some of the passengers alive based on the active defense. They had no hope of escaping, though.

  On the attacking side was a cluster of scrap trucks, firing away with reckless abandon toward the corporate transport. They were technicals cobbled together with what looked like rust, bark, and hope. Manning the technicals? A species I didn’t recognize, though there was no doubt they were of the sapient side from how they operated the LMGs.

  I circled a bit more to get a better look at the odd species. Each of them were small- about the size of a dwarf? Their skin was a deep gray like ashen wood. It peeled like rotting birch, stretched across their bodies and hiding under weird leather armor. Eyes glowed with a deep, fungal green.

  Or, at least, I thought they did. It was hard to tell through the masks they wore. Some wore simple simple wooden masks. Some of them opted for stretched leather masks, appearing like skinned faces. Crooked and sharp teeth poked out from manic grins illuminated by the flashing LMGs firing away.

  The wisp’s silver trail descended into the downed HAT. My goal was in there, whatever it was. I couldn't very well just sit back and let these creatures attack and pick the transport clean, now could I?

  With an enemy in sight, I hopped off the Jackrabbit and stretched out lightly, feeling the usual comfort of battlelust. There were about ten or so of the buggers, one driver and one gunner per each of the-

  Boom!

  A fireball erupted from one of the scrap vehicles. The HAT’s turrets finally locked onto it, cutting down the numbers to eight across four vehicles. Way more manageable, though I wasn’t too worried in the first place. I had a positional advantage at the top of the canyon, and it seemed their LMGs would get angle locked if they tried to point. Shouldn’t be too big of an issue even if they noticed me.

  Hmm… I summoned out my Ebonshroud, forming it into a bow and arrow. I had one, maybe two shots until they noticed I was here. Maybe not a bow then? It shifted in my hand, forming into a crossbow. Generally, I liked bows better. The tactile response of an arrow launching from a bow felt better than a crossbow’s trigger system.

  Crossbows weren’t that complex when I got down to it. I formed two of them, one dangling from a dark tendril by my side. Eight bolts of Ebonshroud flowed out of my body, likewise dangling from their own tendrils of the dark ooze.

  I loaded the crossbows, one by hand and the other simply by controlling the Ebonshroud. I flicked the crossbow toward the gunner in the furthest back technical. Instinct and vast experience guided my aim. Wind was… negligible. Especially with the distance between me and the target. A perfect shot at the creatures head.

  Would Basic Ether Arrow work here? It was for arrows, and crossbows used bolts, but they were kinda the same thing? I distantly activated the skill. Dark blue ether flowed out, shrouding the bolt in a deadly layer. Primo.

  Twang!

  Before the first shot even landed, the other crossbow traded with the first. While I aimed it, the first reloaded all by itself, bolt snapping to the string and pulling back. I fired just as quickly, alternating to get two more bolts out just before the first hit. The first bolt, clad in ether, easily pierced through the creature’s head. A weird liquid that looked closer to sap than blood sprayed out and its LMG fell silent.

  A weird language consisting of clicks and whistles rose into the air when the driver noticed his dead gunner. All-Speech translated it into a broken voice that sounded like bark grinding against metal. “Flesh-bag archer! Top of the-“

  My arrow splintered the creature’s mask, killing the driver immediately. Its hand built rifle, loosely pointed in my direction, dropped uselessly to the canyon floor. Its disgusting body followed a moment later. My third bolt executed another gunner. I swapped to the freshly loaded crossbow again-

  Rat-tat-tat!

  I ducked down, bullets whizzing over my head. The other drivers figured out my location and fired in my direction with reckless abandon. Maniacal cackles leaked from their lips. There was a pause amongst the gunners, though brief. It ended when something on the HAT exploded, disabling the turret that’d been defending. Sensing victory was close, the remaining two gunners ignored me and continued firing into the HAT.

  I moved around the top of the canyon, repositioning out of sight and away from my old position. The idiotic little creatures continued firing away without a care. At my new angle, I got two quick shots off before they shifted their aim back toward me, killing one more gunner and injuring a driver.

  I continued the game of cat and mouse, attacking from off angles while I whittled down their numbers with my crossbows. Down in the canyon—and with the technical in the back blocking the way out—they couldn’t do anything except keep shooting at me and hope for the best.

  I crushed that hope with every bolt fired, injuring or outright killing the odd creatures. Their paltry armor thrown together from scrap pieces meant nothing before the penetrative combo of my Ebonshroud and Basic Ether Arrows.

  When the last one fell, bolt sprouting from its eye, relative silence reigned. I watched carefully for anything else… nothing. At least, nothing for now. The gunfire might’ve attracted something’s attention.

  [Nighteye claps her paws softly together. Your prize awaits!]

  Yep… thanks? Still had no idea what it could be. Maybe some magic item? A piece of my armor? Could be anything. I doubled back to my Jackrabbit and made my way down into the canyon floor. The turret on the HAT was already down, leaving me to freely approach through the wrecked technicals.

  I paused at each of them, retrieving my Ebonshroud bolts. They flowed back into my skin like they were never even there. While I moved around, I kicked lightly at their shoddy hand-crafted assault rifles.

  Should I get a gun? I wasn’t nearly as skilled with them as every other weapon, but it might be a good idea. For situations like this, at least. I might’ve been able to take care of this a bit cleaner. Hmm… maybe having one or two wouldn’t be a bad idea at some point. Or I could just carry ammo around and form an Ebonshroud gun?

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  I hopped off the Jackrabbit, its high beams illuminating the wrecked HAT. I hesitated a moment before approaching. “Hello?”

  After a few moments, a ragged voice called out. “Identify yourself!”

  ”Warden. Moon.” I flashed my white SIGIL toward one of the cameras watching me. It seemed like the easiest way to get in there and find whatever Guiding Moonlight led me too.

  At times like these, I really hated my voice. Even shouting at max volume was barely enough to get over the ambient crackles of fire. Not to mention I sounded closer to a monster imitating a human than anything… I guess that wasn’t technically incorrect.

  “Warden?” A sharp hiss came from a door on the side of the HAT. The door started to crack open, though got stuck halfway. “Quick.”

  I entered the transport to find it in total disrepair. Corpses lay in their seats, most looking like guards or corpa drones. Not all of their injuries came from the wreck either. Some suffered several gunshot wounds. The cabin wasn’t breached by the technicals though… betrayal?

  Half the cabin had been blown off, and what remained was just a step above destroyed. Turrets dangled from the ceiling, completely disabled. They sparked with whatever was left in the HAT’s power bank.

  A few robots stood around the back half, shoulder mounted launchers and guns at the ready. They were broken though, leaning against the walls and incapable of moving. They looked barely capable of fighting, let alone putting up a serious threat

  A middle-aged man sat against the wall in the back, defensively posturing as he held a rifle tightly in his grip. A corporate bodyguard? Seriously chromed up. Likewise, seriously injured. He should’ve survived the wreck just fine, but not all of his injuries came from the wreck. Part of his body was charred, and a dozen bullet wounds riddled his body. He still had a fierce look in his blood-shot eyes though, glaring at me like a guard dog.

  He had shaggy blonde hair, matted with ash and grease. Blood dripped from a long cut along the top half of his head, dripping down into glaring blue eyes. His rifle was up and pointed at me, though it shook constantly in his grip. “Who sent you?”

  ”Passing. By.” The wisp led behind him, in the back. The bots blocked whatever it was from view.

  He tried to keep up the glare, but he’d already held out for a long time. The life was slowly draining from his eyes. He blinked rapidly, determination holding firm. “I- Cernobog Industries thanks you for- ugh- the assist.”

  Cernobog, yep? Never heard of them. Must be a minor corp. “Bastion?”

  He blinked a few more times, leaning against the wall. He pressed a hand to the gaping wounds in his stomach to slow the bleeding. “Yes… are you- you for hire?”

  ”…?”

  “Escort.” He winced, rifle flopping from his hands. “Haah- n-not for me. I-I’m not making it out of this. For the boss. Get her back- ugh- to Bastion safe and sound, and w-we’ll pay you handsomely.”

  The guard was beyond help. Even if I could get him somewhere, we were in the middle of the Ashlands. I doubt he’d last even another minute, let alone the drive back to Ashton. His boss though… and handsome pay? “Yep.”

  He nodded, a look of relief crossing his face. He shakily reached up to a port on the side of his neck, pulling out a shard from it. He held it up to me with his blood soaked hand. “Give th-this to h-h-her w-when she w-wakes.”

  I took the blood-soaked shard, looking it over. I didn’t have any fancy chrome like him, so I couldn’t slot it in and look through it. Didn’t really matter though. I slid it into my pocket and nodded at the man. “…”

  ”G-good.” The man waved a hand limply toward the robots. His breathing turned more and more ragged. I stayed by his side until he breathed his last. Once he went still, I bowed my head in a moment of silence for the fallen guard. I could always respect someone going down to protect their master.

  “Command. Transferred.” The robots announced. They clanked out of the way, falling to the ground when they shifted. Behind them? My heart’s deepest desire, according to Guiding Moonlight. Silver glowed all over her, casting partial illumination only I could see.

  A person- a girl lay behind them, wrapped tightly in a blanket. She looked young and fragile. Maybe… seventeen? I was bad with kid’s ages. Her features-

  I flinched backward, nearly tripping over the dead guard’s legs. My eyes squeezed shut. My heart pounded faster and harder than it had in a long, long time. My head felt light and airy like I might pass out at any moment. Memories surged, the protective fog that hid Serhymn from me lifting-

  Deep breathes. I forced myself to calm back down and double check. The girl’s hair was a golden blonde, as if solidified sunlight. Even the pervading ash and blood wasn’t able to detract from its radiance. Hauntingly familiar features, delicate and adorable, evoked a certain protective instinct I hadn’t felt in a long time.

  She was a dead ringer for Elysia in her youth. To the point that my heart gave familiar aches and my mind churned in confusion. It was like I stared into the fragments of a long forgotten past. Even just seeing her face burned, and yet I couldn’t make myself look away.

  I moved forward, crouching by the girl’s side. I reached out a shaky hand to check her over. I flinched back just before touching the girl’s cheek. Her eyes snapped open, glaring at me. Silver eyes. They glowed faintly with ether, though the glow faded as she fell back unconscious.

  I clutched my chest, my heart feeling like it was tearing all over again. My world twisted and twirled. The HAT faded away. I stood in a grand throne room, the walls cracked and worn in a way that they should’ve never been. Whispers leaked out from where the court sat, and yet there was just the two of us here. A jester’s mad cackle rang throughout the throne room.

  I clutched at a dagger, hands shaking uncontrollably. Crimson covered my hands- I squeezed my eyes shut, scared to see what I knew would be lying there, unceremoniously draped across the throne. Her mangled form, broken and distorted by Warp and Decay. I could still feel the warmth of her life-blood flowing over my hands. Tears leaked past my closed eyelids. What have I done?

  I opened my mouth to speak, but Silence had long claimed its due. Nothing came out. I twisted, bells on my armor ringing slightly as if to push them back-

  The girl groaned from the throne- no, not from the throne. I was back in the HAT. My memories turned hazy once more, lulled back underneath the fog. The sudden onslaught of agony faded under pressing anxiety. I attentively checked over her, looking for injuries. A few bumps and bruises, but she looked otherwise fine. I poured Ebonshroud over her cuts, covering them like make shift med-patches.

  Cold, familiar calm took over and emotions dulled once more. It wasn’t safe here. I could- I could think about everything else later. No telling if more of those small creatures were on the way. Or if something worse was drawn by the explosions and racket of gunfire.

  The girl appeared to be the boss the guard talked about. There was no other ‘her’ aside from the kid, anyway. Heh… I would’ve escorted her back to safety regardless. Now that I got a closer look, there were a few minor differences between her and Elysia. They were just too similar to chalk up to coincidence though. She looked like one of her daughters, may they rest in peace.

  What my heart most desired, yep? I guess Guiding Moonlight wasn’t technically wrong, but the kid wasn’t Elysia. Just looking the same didn’t mean anything to me… it meant very little, anyway. Hmm… Nighteye did warn me. Was this kid that ‘next best thing’?

  What did I even want in the first place? For her to be here, with me? To see her one last time? To die for breaking my oaths? No- dying would be a violation of the last oath I ever made to her. To find a new lord to serve under? Did I even deserve such a thing?

  I had complicated feelings about the entire situation, but they could wait. Wait until we were back in Bastion and out of the Ashlands. Until I cooled down more and could think about all of this with a more rational mind. Till we were safe.

  “Wait. Five. Minutes.” I fought my voice and stood on shaky legs. The commands came out rougher and far more hoarse than usual. “Self. Destruct.”

  “Confirmed. T minus five minutes.” The robots started to count down. Hopefully this would cover up my tracks a bit more. This whole scene reeked of corporate conspiracy. No telling if someone would come to see that the job was done.

  I grabbed the girl in a princess carry, stepping out of the HAT and moving back toward the Jackrabbit. I carefully held her in my arms, ensuring her safety as the vehicle roared to life and weaved back through the canyon.

  Five minutes later, an explosion rocked the surrounding Ashlands. A massive plume of smoke and fire shot into the sky from the downed HAT. I shifted uncomfortably when the girl groaned in my arms. My mind was plagued with thoughts and memories while I began the long drive back to Ashton.