"What did you mean by 'she's not lying?"

Upon getting far enough away, Cressida asked Sophia in a worried voice. 

"I mean that she wasn't lying. Cressida, you KNOW I would tell if she was. She just wasn't."

Sophia replied, frustration evident in her voice as she slumped onto her coils in hers and Cressida's sleep tent. 

"Thirteen suns as an Imperial interrogator, and I'd never seen such outlandish claims from someone sane... That aside, their survival from an encounter like that. Gods... I can't think about what could have happened otherwise."

Sophia groaned as she took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"We need to talk to Lorn... I can't worry about anything else without consulting her first..."

"We will; she should be back this afternoon or close to the evening. She supposedly won't stay outside the walls past sundown, so we can expect to see her. As for the Bulette, a number of the lumber workers are clearing a path at the moment, and coupled with guild workers, they've already started pulling the corpse to the roadside."

Cressida herself was busy holding her own composure, maintaining her levelheadedness. 

"The question right now is how they even managed to kill it. The lightning arc clearly hit the Bulette, but lightning magic would usually ground through them. For such a thing to be burned as it was, there must have been another cause."

The two of them were quiet for some time before Sophia spoke out. 

"Grounded... a grounding rod... They could have used something that bypassed the armor. We'd used the cart-mounted Javelins to pin down Bulettes and other large monsters for magic users in the imperial forces... maybe they bypassed the armor for Beryl's strike to be effective. Supposedly Lightning arc was used twice. Maybe they bypassed the armor somehow..."

Sophia pondered as she laid across herself. Stuck with her own thoughts, Cressida opted to continue her initial work for now. 

"I'll go sit with Beyl for now. I honestly can't even relax without being near her."

Sophia expressed her worry for their daughter.

"While we wait, I'll make my rounds... I want to see what I can figure out myself. Love you."

"Love you too."

Kissing the top of her wife's head, Cressida left their tent to settle to her own method's. Rather than wait, she'd go to look for herself. 

 

---

 

It was roughly two hours since Lorn and Avery had slain the pair of Bulettes uncovered in the center of the quarry. The Elf and Arachne were walking back to Brenton together after they'd finished checking up on the total kills and each team that was hired for the subjugation. With the transportation of the spoils organized and the wounded tended to, Lorn and Avery needed only to make it back by nightfall. They were making good time as they were only an hour's walk from the wall. With nothing else to do, the two decided to discuss their next move as they walked in order to kill time and keep their progress steady.

"The Bulette's were pups, any idea where the den-mother may have been?"

Avery asked Lorn for her thoughts on their primary targets. 

"We have nothing to go on. For now, all we can do is set patrol quests for the area. At the least, one Bulette is still easier to deal with than what we ended up culling today. I'd say we did good enough... not great... but good enough."

"Something that large, I'm surprised it didn't have a larger effect on the ecosystem. Even for Stalkers to still be active in the area. It's weird.."

"Did nothing show up on the carving counters? Any loose-lipped adventurers?"

"Not a one, besides, you see and hear everything that happens in the Guildhall. Wouldnt you know before I ever would?"

Avery responded, raising a brow to Lorn's question. 

"Avery, there are things you do not look into. I've peered into your... ventures... with other women on accident one too many times... I'd like not to have an experience equivalent to that."

Lorn made a sickened expression, sticking her tongue out to exaggerate her feelings on the subject. 

"So you're saying you only pay attention part of the time?"

"To select individuals. If I did nothing but eavesdrop all day, then I would also get nothing done."

Lorn sighed in response to the repeated off-topic questions.

"The only other thing we can assume is that something forced it into the area; that's the best lead we have. All that aside, there is, unfortunately, nothing else we can do. We can only hope no one else gets hurt by the time it's found."

Lorn pulled out a cigarette and a vial as she spoke, lighting the cigarette and placing it to her lips as she finished.

"I'm surprised those things haven't killed you by now. You're up there in age Lorn, the fact that you even smoke as an ELF is abnormal."

Avery rolled her eyes, moving further away from Lorn to keep her own air clean.

"Say's the alcoholic 'Booby-spider.'"

Lorn chuckled as she exhaled, a small trace of smoke escaping her lips before downing the vial.

"Who the hell called me 'Booby-spider?"

Avery scoffed at the small jab, feigning offense. 

"Avery, who else would talk like that around us."

Lorn gave Avery a sidelong glance, smirking at the Arachne. 

"That little brat, hahah-haaah... Is she doing alright with Hatsumi gone for so long? I haven't seen her at the carving counter in some time."

"She appears to be doing fine; she's been spelunking for the past couple of days with her two friends."

Lorn prattled on, her cigarette bouncing as she helps onto it with her lips. 

"The Lamia and the Human boy?"

"Mhmm, It was probably about time they got the time to fool around at that. Kiyomi doesn't have any memories past meeting us, so the free time would do her good- Hahah, I just remembered. The other day she actually went and dropped herself into a slime. Lost all of her clothes. Hatsumi's gonna have a fit when she needs to-"

Lorn's speech ground to a halt as a familiar smell wafted into her nostrils.

"That can't be."

Lorn cut her own story short as her mind hyperfocused on her next thought. 

"I smell it too, now."

Avery looked further down the trail alongside Lorn, towards the town of tents and carts that was just out of sight. Obstructed by trees and the occasional boulder.

"Seared flesh- it smells rancid... that isn't someone cooking..."

With her thought laid out, Lorn continued walking, Avery keeping pace with her. 

As the edge of town came into sight, Lorn and Avery were surprised to see a significant absence of anyone at all. Worker, traveler, adventurer, or otherwise. Not a soul was present in what should have been a relatively lively location, considering the sudden population boom the city accrued. They could just barely make out people still present at the wall from their location, the far-off people appearing as small dots. It was maybe another twenty minutes or so before Lorn and Avery caught a glimpse of anyone within the tent city as they walked. When they finally met someone, it was the very boy that Gregor had been speaking to just as their efforts to hunt the Bulettes began. 

"Ah, Lawrence!"

Lorn called out to Lawrence, prompting him to turn around.

"Miss Lorn! It's a surprise to see you back so early! The Halkias were wanting to speak to you, Gregors been breathing down my neck to wait at the edge of the town for you but I couldn't wait. I had to see this thing though! I didn't want to miss it. The guards were talking about-"

Lawrence began speaking at a pace just barely understandable in the common tongue, causing Lorn to start shaking her head in frustration as she tried parsing his words together. 

"Boy-boy- BOY! Slow down, will you? What is IT?"

Lorn emphasized the subject of Lawrence's rambling. 

"Sorry, sorry. Just never expected this. A Bulette. An absolutely huge one at that. I'd seen them on the plains, but nothing like this."

Lorn looked to Avery, then back to Lawrence who was appearing to calm down from his excitement.

"Where is it? Is anyone hurt?"

Lorn started trying to get her wits about her in regards to the situation. It was unfortunate, but at the least, the issue of finding their final target was already done. Lawrence righted himself, changing his stance as he answered. 

"About two miles up the road! They started pulling it up the side trails of the crops. They should be along the road close to the Halkias residence."

Lawrence's excitement managed to die down as he calmly answered Lorn. 

"Pulling? The Guards managed to kill it? Or was it Cressida and Sophia?"

Lorn raised a brow as she asked, truthfully thinking it would have been a feat if it were by the pair or the city Guards. At least with not a warning to speak of or any support. Answering her Question, Lawrence began walking back towards the city.

"Some kids killed it supposedly; it was maybe two hours ago. I didn't hear who exactly, though. Is that everything?"

Lawrence asked as he continued backward. 

"We'll head up as fast as we can."

Lorn prompted Lawrence to go on his way, unable to get much further from him in the first place. 

Kids... Some younger team killed the Bulette? Unless- No, no, they couldn't have done that.

Lorn thought back on Lawrences answers for a moment before waving to Avery. 

"Let's go; we're going to have to get an answer from Cressida or the Guards. The boy's a dead end."

After speaking to Lawrence, the two continued. True to his word, not far from the main gate, a crowd was forming. Looking to the side as they traveled downhill, one could see a trail of rolled logs leading from the woodline all the way to the road. As they approached, the Vague outline of what looked like a crumpled monster became more apparent until they could clearly distinguish it. An Apex Bulette, charred and seared by what must have been lighting magic. As they approached, Lorn found a familiar face in Gregor, who stood at the foot of the crowd as he attempted to disperse them and make way for his workers. 

"Clear out, for the last damned time! Go back about your business!"

Gregor was yelling over the crowd that was begrudgingly heading his commands, taking their time whilst doing as told. Just as Gregor locked eyes with Lorn, someone called out to him. Turning the corner around the beast's head, Cressida was asking him something that managed to grab his attention before he pointed out in Lorn and Avery's direction. With the crowd dispersing, Lorn and Avery managed to finally meet with Gregor and Cressida. With an up-close look at the beast, the kill was sloppy. It was battered and lacerated in numerous locations, and its skull appeared to be nearly caved in along one of its eyes. The use of lightning magic was evident at this distance, the telltale marks and burn patterns were hints enough if it weren't for the smell. 

"Gregor."

"Lorn." 

The two greeted each other, clearly tired in their own ways and foregoing any formalities. Gregor pointed to the tail of Cressida that could be seen poking around the corner. Occasional grunting noises and the sound of a knife cutting flesh could be heard As they came around the corpse, revealing the snake to be cutting at a section of plating to reveal the flesh underneath. 

"Busy work, Cressida. You're already cutting at it?"

Lorn spoke, prodding at the Lamia she expected least of all to be carving a monster.

"Ugh- Someone had to start- Couldnt wait all day. Figured any perspective was better than waiting."

Cressida grunted as she pulled her knife away one last time as an armor plate fell free from the beast's side, revealing seared flesh on its inside. 

"Gods, to penetrate this deep..."

Cressida slumped back onto her coils and took a moment to breathe. 

"You've got back just in time to help with our little object of interest, Lorn."

Cressida pointed upward towards a familiar yet oddly discolored object. 

"Kiyomi chose one hell of a grounding rod; we couldn't pull it free."

Lorn squinted as she looked up to a blued piece of steel lined in charred leather. The hilt looked just like that of the claymore that Kiyomi touted along with her wherever she went. 

"By Tyr... I apologize. Did I mishear? Kiyomi?"

Lorn looked back to Cressida, asking for clarification as she attempted to discount the sword located along the Bulettes back. 

"It's-... it's mine... ma'am." 

Of all people to speak up, it was non from the group gathered at the Bulettes side. Instead, Lorn, Avery, and Gregor Found themselves turning to meet the gaze of the same person Cressida was now looking at. 

"...I came back to get my sword-I... I forgot it."

Kiyomi stood there, averting her gaze as she stared at the ground to her side, partially covered in dust still from the supposed fight. 

"Of all the things-"

Lorn pinched the bridge of her nose, placing a hand on her hip as she clamped her eyes shut. 

If I can't see it, I won't have to explain it... Gods damn it... Tyr, How do I explain this to Hatsumi?

Lorn's thoughts went in circles, besides herself with how she'd mitigate Hatsumi's reaction upon her return for the moment.