Julie stops dragging the man once they get to another market area in the large city of Arrinrar. The Malenterian glances at the traveler as she panted. His chest really popped from his white form fit top, as did his arms. He had some leather armor on his chest and his shoulder, though he's so big they may have been custom made. His pants were slightly loose. His black boots were nicely designed with a white streak detail going around the top of the toe stopping at the front of the leg section and reaching to the top of the boot. On his hip was not one, but who sheathes. He looked at Julie as she looked at him to study his face. His silver eyes were bright and innocent looking. They twinkled, as if to have stars in a gray sky. Julie was somewhat awestruck at the inhuman beauty in his eyes. The man gave Julie a strange sense of familiarity, a sense of longing that she can't quite place. The pink haired traveler had some small look of concern, gently bushing. His cheeks were a slight shade of blue.

“Usually I’m terrified of men. Why am I not scared of him?” The Malenterian racked her brain,

His short pink hair was swept to the left. It naturally fell over his left eye but he didn't mind. He looked back to make sure they weren't being followed, luckily they weren’t. The traveler looks at his new Malenterian friend and smiles. It’s a rather light and charming smile.

"So you know the Black Widow personally too?" He asked excitedly.

Despite the running they had just done, he didn't seem fatigued or tired at all. Julie remembered that, in an attempt to rile up the people against Dolland she had said that little half lie. She nods, going along with it.

"Yeah. She-"
"Isn't she amazing!?" He asked, interrupting Julie and smiling widely.

Julie looks at him, raising an eyebrow. “Amazing?” Julie thought. “He thinks I'm amazing?”

"'Ah mean… she’s alright." Julie shrugged.
"Alright?" The man said surprised as he turned to look at the dark woman. “She's wonderful.”

"Y’all see this right, readers? Is this man fanboying over me?" She thought.

"Ya really look up ta her?” Julie asks, curious. Her ice blue eyes looked Eli up and down, studying him. She couldn't place why he was so familiar.
"I… guess you could say that."

She looks at the young man as he speaks but can't help but to constantly look at his two swords, for something so odd if felt significant, almost memorable yet so blurry.

"Two swords. Both on one hip, too. That's.... Odd. What's with all that?”
“Oh, I studied two types of sword fighting, Arming sword and Rapier. I also know how to fight with a Spear and Glave but those are too big to be carried around on travels so they stay on my horse.”

“A spear user? Not many of those around. Big pokey stick. And a big slashy stick for glaives” Julie thinks to herself, analyzing the traveler.

The man popped up slightly and looked at Julie.

"Oh!. My name’s Eli by the way. Eli Alester Barris." He said with a wide, charming smile.
“‘Ah’m Julie.”
“It’s a pleasure Julie. Would you like to take a look at my swords? You seem rather interested in them." 

The constant look of joy Eli had nagged at Julie's mind, yet it made her feel at ease around someone new for the first time in a long while. The Malenterian nods, intrigued. The Pink haired man pulls out one with a thick blade like Ingenium, the arming sword. The Blade is a bright silver and has brown leather as its grip. The pommel is circular too.

"This beauty, I call Ligono. It means “Killer” in Valerian, the Goxian language." Eli explained.

"He's Goxian. I thought so." Julie Thought to herself. “At least this one ain't like Shane. But he seems a little dumb, I wonder if he even knows what a Malenterian looks like.”

Eli sheathes Ligono and unsheathes his other sword. This one is more elegant, a Rapier, with a Gouldvag basket-guard. Gouldvag, a golden metal 10 times stronger than that of normal Gold.

"This one I named Ligona. It’s the same as Ligono but the feminine version of the word. This one I use the most because I'm naturally better with rapiers." Eli said with a wide smile.
"That guard…" The large woman said in shock looking at it.
"It’s an exotic sword. I had it made somewhere else in the world and delivered to me."
"Really?" Julie crosses her arms and looks at Eli with interest.

The pink haired man sheathes Ligona and nods. Julie whistles for Sarron, who trots over and Julie pats. The black haired woman grabs his reins and starts to walk, Eli following.

"'Ah’ve heard travelers make a lot of money,’" the Malenterian mother says, trying to confirm or deny the statement.
"Normally yes, but you have to remember the costs for food and staying at inns, not to mention medical attention if you need it, blacksmiths to fix your swords and armor if metal, leather workers if your armor is leather, your traveling license, Sign language lessons, your license to use high grade magic. The list goes on and on." He explained.
“Wow. 'Ah’ve never really thought ‘bout all that."

Eli chuckled. It was deep and normally would be seen as attractive, however it has no effect on Julie

"No one ever does, really.." Eli said, looking at Julie.

Despite not wearing her guild outfit She always wears a red band on her left arm, It had a Green cross on it. And Eli took notice of this important band.

"You survived Crowlen’s Disease?" He said, very impressed.
"Yeah. 'Ah had it around 18 Years old. No nerve damage either, believe it or not."

Eli nodded, commending Julie on her physical fortitude. Surviving Crowlen’s Disease was no easy feat.

"How'd you catch it... if you don't mind me asking" Eli asked.
“Just did. Woke up one day and it was hard ta breathe.” She explained.
"Out of nowhere. Family ever catch it?”
“‘Ah think so.” The blue eyed woman responds.

There was a bit of silence as Julie thought about how Eli would know that her family may have had it. She watched the kids of Arrinar run around carefree. She’d remember the time she was their age with her friends and hoped Rose would have that too sometime. Ei looks at the children too and smiles sweetly, liking the idea of having kids of his own one day.

"So you and GeoTax." Julie speaks up.
“How'd you know?” The muscular traveler asks, shocked
“Woman's intuition,” The dark haired woman answered with a slight grin.
"Not anymore. A friend of mine quit and I did so after.” The silver eyed man explained.
"’Ah see.” Julie answered, intrigue in her tone.
“I wonder how she’s doing."

It’s silent as the two walk around for a bit more. Then Julie starts thinking.

“He seems a little dumb yet he was in GeoTax. The world renowned science guild. Interesting. Alright onto the next thing” Julie thinks to herself.

"'Ah can tell ya Goxian." Julie said.

Eli looks at Julie and chuckles. His voice gives off a vibe that he really is innocent and young at heart. Almost as if there’d be no way for him to harm a thing.

"Yes. And you are Malenterian." Eli said happily.

Julie looks at Eli with discontent. Then Eli’s expression changes vastly, from joking and happy to concerned and worried, afraid that he's done something wrong.

“I didn’t. I mean. That's fine! I don't really mind! I mean. Malenterians are neat. The culture is interesting. I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it.

Julie chuckles. Her voice being the somewhat deep tone it has makes Eli blush, finding the sound of her laugh slightly attractive.
“He’s easy to fluster too? Just a laugh. Fun” Julie thought to herself.

“Relax, don't worry. ‘Ah get it.”
“I hate what the Goxians did, because of it me and a close friend I liked had to be split apart 15 years ago.”
“‘Ah’m sorry that happened”
“I… loved her really. I was going to give her a promise ring to swear I'd marry her. I was too late though.”

“This man is adorable. That’s cute and sad all at the same time.” the curly haired woman thought. “Maybe one day you’ll find her again.”

Eli is silent for a moment before nodding and moving on.

“I think the Night Witches have it right, trying to take Dolland down after what he's done”
"Ya believe that Dolland set up the Malenterians too?" Julie looked excited.

Eli looks at Julie shocked. 

"What do you mean?" Eli asked intrigued.
"My legs are hurtin’, let's sit down." Julie said as she pointed at a bench not too far from them. She'd much rather keep this kind of conversation secret, or at the very least in one place.

Eli and Julie sit on the bench. It's here that Julie realizes her new pink haired friend lets off cool air. She found it rather strange but disregarded it. She assumes he just has a Froststone somewhere.

"So what’s this about Dolland setting up the Malenterians?" Eli asked curiously. He looks at the Malenterian with interest. Julie can tell he will listen well to her.
"So 'Ah think that Dolland planted the idea of enslaving Malenterians into King Tarmerus’s head." Julie began explaining.
"Makes sense, that Goxian King did think his people were better than many other races. Though, I believe he never attacked Trenekians because they helped Bronok in many ways at the time." Eli pieced together. “That would stop them from helping and make another enemy”
"My belief is that Dolland sent his Malenterian soldiers to Western Bronok," Julie said adjusting her glasses
"And that was the Bronok Purge! Skavir's Hand that fits so well together.”
"So ya believe it?" Julie asked Eli, leaning over to him.

Eli is silent for a bit. He thinks about it for a small bit. It matches up all too well in his mind.

"I think I know how to deal with Dolland." Eli said determined.

Julie was rather surprised by Eli's quick thinking already, but played along. Some help is better than no help.

"'Ah have it but…"

Eli looks at Julie, shocked that she'd have such proof already of the things Dolland has done..

"What?" Eli asked.
"'Ah don’t think he’ll help us. He believes that my people did it themselves." Julie said.
“He's Goxian? Of course he'd think that. The Goxians have been blinded by the propaganda spread by Tamerus.
“Clearly they have been.”.
"Maybe sometime I can meet this friend of yours." The pink haired large traveler says with a charming smile.
"Well he didn’t see much, he just knows what happened. Now two of his sisters… they… well yeah."
"I feel bad for him. If it was me… I'd be devastated.” 

The two are silent to think on their own for a short time. Eli planning how to kick start taking Dolland down, Julie thinking about killing Tamerus as well.

"A revolution.” Eli says.

Julie looks over at Eli, interested in what he means

“If there’s multiple people that say the same thing it must be true right?. My question is how could Dolland keep all this a secret?"
“He’s a king, he has many ways” Julie responds.

"'How familiar... this man is somethin' 'Ah've seen before. 'Ah know 'Ah've seen him somewhere other than cloaked in Sorncoliv." She thought.

Julie waives her thoughts off and continues the conversation, she is joyous she's found another person that has shared her views on Dolland. Not just that, someone planning on actually helping her take down the Bastard King. She rather liked how he shot for the stars.

"Maybe ‘Ah should bring the Black Widow. Yad get ta see her again." Julie said teasingly.
“The Widow,” Eli said to himself, blushing with blue in his cheeks.

The black haired woman looks at Eli and watches him as he thinks all flustered. She couldn't fathom how a large and muscular man could be so easily flustered. She found it fun to play with him. That realization was a big one for Julie. She's aware of her usual fear, but this one made her feel calm, a familiar calmness that evades her memory. She decides to have a little fun before continuing on with her day, after all she did have to do something for Shane and then play with Rose.

“Ya like her dont ya?”
"No. Definitely not. I just admire her." The pink haired man said defensively.
“Nah ya like her, it’s the ass aint it?” The woman in glasses teases. Julie knows full well what she has, and knows how to tease with it too. It was somewhat flattering to see someone that was so overly flustered over her, though they dont know it's her.
“N-No. W-What's the point of this?”

Julie chuckles and pats Eli’s back.

“‘Ah’m just teasin’ ya dont worry.”

Eli places his hands over his face, hiding his face from Julie to try and hide how he was blushing.

“That is so fucking cute.” Julie thought to herself.

“Just be sure to bring your friend tomorrow and I can start everything,” Eli said, taking his hands off his face, the blush less obvious.

Julie nodded and smiled at her new friend.

"Also… tell her to check out Sorncoliv here and there, please. I paid off the debts the village owed and requested some direct contact. I… haven't seen her in a while.”
"‘Ight. 'Ah’ll be sure ta tell ya girlfriend ya wanna see her”

Julie stands up and mounts her horse. Eli is left there, blushing about the Black Widow being called his “girlfriend”. He pulls himself together to speak once more to Julie before she rides off.

"By the way. Nice horse. Looks like the Widow’s." Eli pointed out.

Julie slightly sweats this comment but fakes a friendly smile to him.

"Thanks. His name is… Sarron." She said

Eli nods and smiles.

"See you tomorrow, Julie." He said.
"Count on it." Julie smiled and adjusted her glasses.

With that Julie rides off leaving Eli. he walks to a nearby horse that’s blue with a white mane.

"Roxanne," Eli said with a smile, He speaks as if a pressure is lifted off his shoulder. Like he no longer has to worry about something.

***

Julie makes her way back to Moonshine Run and puts Sarron away into his stable. Before leaving, she pets his neck and feeds him a carrot and grabs the bags of food. The Malenterian heads to the kitchen from the back doors of Moonshine Run. Jack, who was training with Jason, follows Julie in and begins putting food away with her.

“Thanks Jack. Ya so sweet” Julie said with a kind, motherly smile.
“Of course, Mama”

Rose hears her mothers voice and comes running into the kitchen to hug her. Julie hugs her white haired child back tightly and looks at her.

“Mama has to do one more thing Rose, then ‘Ah can play with you all day.”
“But Iz wanna pwa wiff you now.” The young child pouted.
“It's just one more thing Rose, I promise.”

Rose lets go of her mother and steps back, nodding at Julie. For a child, Rose did have her mature moments. Sometimes they'd even surprise Julie herself, or Ierra. The Witch boss pats Rose’s head and she smiles. The white haired child runs off to get her toys ready to play with her mother. Julie, however, stands and walks into the cozy looking main room. There was now a rug of sorts on the floor in front of the couch where a table was on, a new decoration. It was brown with a deep red crimson flower decal along the sides. Julie felt it brought the nice and calming looking room together, however what she was here for was not the average, slow-life feel of Moonshine Run's front room. It was a man that was sitting in said room, the blue streak, red haired Goxian. Shane. And seems he's trying something new with his hair, a sort of pony tail to keep his hair from getting in his face. He didn't look too good with it, but it was effective enough to him.

“Shane, get ready. ‘Ahm takin ya ta get ta the Alpha Faerie.” Julie said.

The Goxian gets up and heads to his room, grabs a knife and hides it in his pocket, then walks back out to Julie.

“Not much I really need. Just to brace myself for tears of joy.” He said with a smile. It wasn't fake, but it wasn't genuine for Julie ethier. The witch nods and walks out the back door with Shane following. They walk for a while into the woods, the bright, vibrant green and sounds of nature of the Jenova Wods surrounds them. Crickets, birds chirping. Was that a roar? It shook Shane to his core. It didn't bother Julie, however seeing Shane was terrified of it, she reassures him.

“That's the Clyntess around here. Don't worry, don't enter her territory and ya’d be fine”

Shane wouldn't believe what was said. A clyntess. A clyntess. Don't be scared? He thought Julie to be insane for saying not to be scared of a clyntess. “That's like saying don't be scared of a dragon,” Shane thought. After a short time longer of walking,they come across a cave connected to a plateau. It was made of a gray-ish rock and was awfully mossy. The entrance was surrounded by long grass and flowers. The Malenterian leader walks in and Shane follows after, curious what the cave was about, but keen on his mission of getting his sisters back and killing Julie. Though his mind often flip flopped though their walk here. He was bothered by that. The inside of the cave was a large open space that was circular, at the back of the structure was a large pool of water and small glowing, winged, humanoid creatures, fairies. The walls were covered in moss and overgrowth alike. In small clusters were glowing orange flowers called Manhandilus which smelt like lemongrass, Julie’s favorite flower. The woman in glasses approaches the pool and smiles as a large, scantily clad woman in blue with purple hair, blue eyes, and purple lips emerges from the shallow looking pool. She laughs with a voice that trails behind itself, sounding as if two people are talkinging.

“Julie, it has been a while. Come for a wish?” The large lady spoke in a seductive-esk manner.

“Wish? This must be the Alpha Faerie,” Shane thought. He looks onto the Faerie, in shock that it would Know his boss so casually.

“Nah, not mine. This new guy with me has a wish, Shane. He works for me. He wants his Sisters brought back to life, Gaeilova.”
“A revival? Alpha Faeries cannot do that without guidance of the Lady of Death.” The Alpha Faerie, named Gaeilova, says as she floats on her back casually. Her back is arched downward to look at the small ants that would be Julie and Shane in her domain.
“Then call her,” Shane said., desperate for his sisters.

In that moment, a murder of crows fly into the cave and swirl around in a large ball of caws and coos. Their bodies begin morphing into strange impossible positions and begin melding together to make the Lady of Death, Finir Porteur.Her hair long and thin, her skin pale and dead looking. Beneath her green eyes were purple bags of restlessness. She wore a nice purple dress that was rather simple looking other than the black furs around her neck. She also wore a dark brown corset, of which around stretched 2 sets of external ribs. She was barefoot and wore a blank, apathetic expression. The deathly woman was also around 15 feet tall and hunched over to fit in, her breasts handing as does her hair, she speaks in an emotionless tone.

“I was summoned?” The Lady of Death asks.
“Lady Crow, This Goxian Wishes to have his sisters revived, Is that possible?” Gaeilova asked.

Finir looks at Shane, who feels a cold tingle up his spine, he is looking into the eyes of the new goddess of death. Death itself was before him looking at him. No, she was looking into him. It seemed as if she was viewing into his very soul. The large pale woman looks at Julie for a moment as if to recognize her, then at Gaeilova.

“This is impossible, His sisters have been long dead. 22 Years.” The pale goddess of death says. 

Shane was deeply disheartened by this. He joined the Night Witches, helped them in some missions, he was left hoping for so long for this. “Impossible” He thought. “It's impossible because they've been dead so long? She knew, she must have known! She made me wait so they wouldn’t get revived!” In his anger he pulls the knife out and glares at Julie. The Malenterian just turns around to him, unaffected by being at knife point. Julie did feel bad, seeing the hurt in Shane’s eyes. But in the time she couldn’t show weakness, she did know it would be impossible. Though she was unaware it was possible once, she feels responsible for its impossibility, even though she knows it's not her fault in the slightest.

“Do it” Julie said, challenging the armed Goxian. “Kill me. Go on”

Shane stood still, hesitating. Why? He couldn't understand why not. He can't comprehend why he can't bring himself to kill Julie. She was the source of his pain. Even though he tries his best to lunge forward and plunge the knife into the woman’s chest, something is keeping him from doing so. Julie just stares at Shane before walking next to him, and side eyeing him.

“Ya won't. Because ya don’t wanna put Rose through what happened with ya. Bein’ orphaned Ya want ta kill me is strong, but ya fear of traumatizin’ others is stronger.”

With that, the Malenterian begins walking to the cave entrance. Julie's words led Shane to realize she is right, though Malenterian, he cares about Rose as a child, and can't bring himself to orphan her as he was. He lowers the knife and looks at the ground.

“I will go with you back to your settlement” The Lady of Death said out to Julie, shrinking down to a more manageable 6’3”.
"It would be an honor, Lady Crow”