//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 - Wolf of Rage // Story: Book, Blade, and A Whole Lot of Magic // by Frustaz //------------------------------// I groaned as I emptied the fresh carcass from my inventory down in my store room. Thankfully I had emptied it before I left for Canterlot all those years ago, but that wasn't the point. My blizzard sigils had given out. One again with hammer and chisel, I re-etched the sigils much to Nyx's mirth. So you're going to chill the body? "Yes Nyx, I am. So what did Twilight find out?" the clinking of the chisel faintly echoed in the room, my voice having slowly come back after a drink and some time being quiet. Bristled Quill wrote about us, and so did Duke Legaius. She hadn't gotten far in either 'history book' before our 10-Piece combo came knocking. "I didn't think Quill actually would of done that. Nice." as I finished the array, the cooling spell reignited, as the temperature began to drop in the basement. Setting the various limbs and portions carefully up on the hooks littering the ceiling, I made sure the points didn't pierce the scaled hide more than necessary. Hm... Well, we have a promise to keep, so I'd suggest we clean up and head on out. Despite the age of the spell, my Sanctum spell kept most of my rooms intact, and still yielded to my magic touch, allowing me to restore my washroom. It wasn't long before I had cleaned the blood from my hair and refreshed my clothing, drying myself with a warm Aero spell. Climbing the stairs back up to my main room, I looked around at the sudden greyscale of the walls and decorations. A window popped up in front of me. [Connecting to a new block.... Connection Established.] [Another player has requested Assistance with the use of your Token.] [Transport now? Y/N] Quickly grabbing my essential book and blade, I pressed the confirmation button, only for a portal to open.. smack dab under my feet. "Why is it always UNDERNEATH!?" P.O.V. CHANGE   Suddenly, a portal opened up above the beast, and out dropped a woman...face first into his chest. He didn't feel it, but he still looked down in surprise nonetheless.  She was surprised at first. She didn't expect the stench of blood to be the first thing to fill her senses when she arrived, nor the strange warmth from her landing. It was furry, similarly to a wolf, but with dull, hard protrusions and silvery plates that met like armor. “Oh. Um. Hi. Let me get off of you.” She sprung off of him quickly. Which caused the cot to collapse. The beast simply stared blankly up at the tarp above, laying on the ruins of his work. “...That cot took hours to make.” His voice was like the crumbling of ruins as he sighed, sitting up. “Well, not like I wasn’t used to sleeping in the dirt.” He looked to the woman, taking in her appearance. She was wholly human, except for her stark white hair and pale skin. Traditional signs of albinism, but that really didn't suit her. Her shirt clung to her torso loosely, despite the thickness of the fabric, and her leggings were baggy up to her boots, mostly made of a thick, dark leather. The only notable accessories to her was the long Katana sheath slung along her back, and a locked grimoire, chained to the belt around her waist. Her form was notably hourglass in nature, with a full bosom and wide hips one might seek for children, but would be just as fitting on a stage or in a brothel. “...You have white hair,” he noted suddenly, still staring at her. A sniff. “And a lesser Demon bonded to you. A fragmented one, at that. Interesting.” "The fact you picked up on that is actually quite impressive. I'm Illua." The new arrival held out her hand, as if to shake it, her azure eyes unwavering from his face. “I’m Nyx.” Her voice took on an echoing tone as her eyes faintly lit up with a violet light.  The beast grunted, standing up and taking the hand carefully so he wouldn’t cut her with his long claws before shaking the offered appendage. “Horus Blackbriar. A pleasure to meet you both.” "I'm sorry about your bed… uhm.. why does everything smell like blood and carnage?" Illua’s nose scrunched up from the acrid smell, her brow furrowing as her gaze began to explore her shabby surroundings. A tent made from rough, turquoise cloth surrounded them, the ceiling arching up higher on the right and supported with small and thin wooden poles. A flap lay behind Illua, leading to whatever was outside, whilst directly in front of her and behind Horus the tent was entirely open to what seemed to be a massive oak tree with a door carved into it.  “Because I recently liberated this town. It has only been four days since,” Horus glared off to the side. “With the second day being filled with me sleeping, naturally.” Illua tilted her head at the use of the word liberation, only to scowl slightly. "Alright, who's the oppressor this time? Is it fucking Celestia again?" "Wouldn't be surprised honestly. She lacks basic leader qualities and doesn't know how to run shit…" Nyx’s own voice echoed the sentiment, a thinly veiled growl to her tone. Horus snarled. “From what I’ve been told, she has been the one getting fucked herself. Repeatedly. Every day. Every hour. Willingly. By her oppressors and conquerors.” "Oh really? That’s great news she's getting royally screwed, but that then implies we have worse enemies that we've been summoned to help with." Nyx positively purred at the news, although the expression didn't match on the human's face. “The Gods of Night, Love, Civilizations, Fire, and the Sea have also been turned into naught but slaves of pleasure. Apparently even a new Goddess has been as well, one of...Friendship, I believe,” Horus shook his head, scowling. “Thankfully only one of them is willingly obeying every perverse demand. The Goddess of Love.” "Hm.. so who exactly is the enemy again? I haven't heard of anyone being able to topple the Alicorns, the gods as you said, besides myself and maybe Discord?" She definitely came from a more peaceful Equestria, so her confusion was evident. "I guess Tirek might be able to as well, but… sex slaves? What has happened here?" Horus let out a heaving breath as he looked to her, crossing his arms over his muscled chest. “Caribou. How they managed to overthrow so many Gods and Goddesses I still do not know, but I suspect foul play by some of the more evil or neutral deities.” He shook his head, then sat down cross-legged. “Come, sit. There’s much I must explain to you, if you are to be here for any length of time.” He gestured to the ground across from him. Shrugging off the blade, she took a seat before him, tucking her legs underneath herself as she leaned on one hand, making herself as comfortable as the ground could be.  "So, to sum up.. The Caribou rushed the societies with advanced warfare and then enslaved fifty to sixty percent of all life to stroke their over inflated egos? What are they, crusaders of the lost dick?" Illua’s tone dripped with venom, her fists clenched as she felt the indignation rise within her. "And I thought the nobility was bad enough when we did our revolution. Although the murder was fun, especially when it was especially karmic.” Illua released a heated breath, releasing the building agitation. “I apologize for Nyx. She is not usually this active or disruptive.” Horus shrugged. “It’s fine. Regardless, I can only imagine my Displacer made a deal with your own, or someone in your own universe. Which means you are here for a reason, and thus we must find out what that reason is.” He got to his feet, offering her a claw up. Illua nodded in agreement, taking the offered claw, pulling lightly to get to her feet. "I'm betting it was Discord. I gave him the token, so it makes sense." She dusted herself off momentarily. "So, let's see how bad this is, shall we?" Horus nodded, before glancing out the tent. “‘Tis still night. Midnight, by the looks. Unlikely any will be awake for us to look for lodging for you.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Especially since all of them are likely exhausted from their work.” Illua smirked as she slipped out the back of the tent, approaching the great tree. “No one awake means no one to see what’s about to happen.” She swiped the air in a practiced gesture, summoning up what appeared to be panes of frosted glass, each etched with a variety of numbers and indicators, each reacting to her touch as she quickly navigated them. “Knife, knife, knife, where is my carving knife… Ah.” Reaching into the pane of glass, she withdrew a stout knife, with a well worn bone handle, only to dismiss the panels into the air.  Horus watched with rapt attention, stroking his chin. ’I haven’t seen an actual game menu like that in some time…’ He gained a small, wistful smile. ’Though I suppose it being real life makes it different. If only…’ He shook his head slowly. ’...No, now’s not the time to think of that.’ Illua began the carving of the intricate symbol into the bark of the oak tree, starting with the outer circle, and filling it with a simplified tower, surrounded by runes of varying shape and size. “Most intriguing… It reminds me of the Caribou’s Runic Magic…” Horus mused, walking up to her side and inspecting the arcane symbols for himself. Illua’s smile widened. "There are some runes used as part of this, but this is called sigilgraphy, or Sigil magic for easier terms. It’s my primary skill set, as I am a War Magus." The inscribed sigil flared to life for only a moment, but the magic was being infused into the fiber of the wood. "This one is called Sanctum, and it gives a safe place to stay, akin to a fortified tower."  Her eyes drifted over the short door, frowning. “This was someone’s home at one point. Do you have any idea whose it might have been?” Horus nodded slowly. “Supposedly it was the Goddess of Friendship’s home before the crystalline tree showed up.” He frowned, placing a claw on its surface. “I decided that I would at least honor the memories this home had of hosting others by sleeping near it, if only to give it a fleeting feeling of old memories.” Illua smiled at the sentiment, before pushing the door inward. The inside, while scuffed and dirty, seemed empty. Empty shelves formed the wall, while broken ladders denied access to raised reading nooks. It was all lined with a thin veneer of dust. "Abandoned, huh. We could rest inside for the night." Horus blinked, ducking under the far too short door frame before walking in. “I would have expected this home to be filled with far too much rot to be livable, but it is surprisingly intact…” He looked to the stairs nearby. “Hopefully there is more than one bedroom in this home.” He mused as he made his way up them. The doorway slowly expanded to accommodate her companions unusual height, as bookshelves along one wall collapsed and retreated, forming a new room. "I'm already ensuring that is not a problem. It seems well set up for a living quarters already.” She directed the shifted fibers to reinforce the outer walls and bark, weaving in a hardy defensive layer of mana into it. As Horus arrived on the upper floor, he noticed the observatory on the balcony to the right, and the relatively Queen-size bed on the left, with a small basket near it that read ‘Spike’ on the side. The sheets on both were burned to a crisp, though the mattress of the bed seemed relatively untouched, if covered in soot. “Hm,” he looked out the window next to the bed, then slowly walked back down to Illua. “You may take the more scenic room. From what I observed, it had an observatory near it.” She looked up as he spoke, and nodded. "Alright, let me do this then." A slight shift in her fingers, and the new room grew taller, and a bed shelf formed within, sufficiently large enough for two of her canine summoner before she released her control of the spell. "Tell me how that is." She pointed to the freshly made room. He looked to it, then walked over and began to inspect it. Unfurnished, one could consider it similar to a dormitory. A set of shelves, a desk, and the base for a bed, with room for chairs and a table. All of it seamless, as if it had been carved from the wood itself. “Hm. It will do nicely. Thank you.” He nodded to her, then closed the door behind him gently. Illua beamed with a bit of pride, and began her own ascent up to the singed room. “Hrm. Definitely going to need new sheets when I get the chance.” She undressed with a few careful motions, setting her clothing off to the side before she climbed in bed for the night, pulling only a fur from her inventory for cover. ”AAAAAAAASSSSSSGGGEEEEEEERRRRR!!!” Illua shot awake at the reverberating roar from below, jumping for her blade and ready for battle. It took her a few seconds to realize she was in the library, but her adrenaline was still high. Throwing her shirt on, she leapt down the stairs to check on Horus. She opened the door just in time to find a set of claws stopped inches from her throat. The magus held her ground, carefully watching her acquaintance with the gaze of a hardened warrior. Horus paused, eyes losing their glow as his nose twitched. “You...are not...him…” That was when she noticed something dripping from his eyes. A black fluid. And it was dripping copiously. He lowered his claw, stepping back as he relaxed ever so slowly. “...I...suggest you wait outside.” He said, his voice losing the power and confidence it once held, before slamming the door closed with his tail. Illua relaxed as he did, releasing her grip on her blade. “Take your time. I’ll be here.” Her head swam as the adrenaline faded, leaving specks of shadow on her vision. She leaned heavily on the wall while she took her time to breathe, slowly steadying her pounding heart. A ripple of light engulfed her temporarily, easing the sensations enough for her to ascend the stairs to dress.  A few minutes later, roughly fifteen by her account, she heard clawed feet pad up the steps to her bedroom. When she looked behind her, she found Horus there. He rubbed his mangy, white furry neck as he looked anywhere but at her. “I apologize for earlier, it was...it was wrong of me. Sinful. I did not mean to-” He stopped himself and cleared his throat. “-could we...put it behind us?” “Sinful? I’m not so sure of that, but yes, we can.” Illua, now fully dressed and ready for the day, attached her grimoire to her belt, and slung the katana over her shoulders. “So, all of the Caribou in the area are pretty much dead, and I’m guessing some escaped to report to other outposts. What do you have in mind for preparations?” Horus let out a breath, seeming relieved for the change in conversation. “We don’t know if anyone escaped. I’m certain I butchered them all, but what has the remaining residents concerned is the fact that we received a letter the day I awoke from my exhaustion, asking Ingvar for clarification on the date of ‘the deal’.” He shook his head. “It was signed with the signature of the Council of Dainn. Based on the calendar I was shown previously, whoever it is will be coming tomorrow, early in the morning.” Illua chuckled. “So, do we have any sympathizers? Anyone who might rally under us as it stands? I led a revolution against the monarch at the time, so I’m used to starting fights like this. If not… might I suggest traps?” She looked out over the town from her window, her eyes flicking across different angles. “This tree is in the middle of a plaza, and depending on where the broker or middle man is going, we might be able to intercept him for information…” Her mind began to wander, her mouth speaking of her plans as they came to the forefront. Horus smiled at this. “A revolution leader indeed.” Horus followed her gaze, walking up behind her. “It’s almost a novel idea to me. I only ever fought against armies, instead of leading them. But, considering where I was before this, I did have to learn how to make traps.” He pointed with a claw - which easily went past her shoulder - to a building with a slightly collapsed thatched roof. “I had the residents set up traps starting from there, and then there’s…” He started to ramble on himself, explaining the various traps himself and the residents had made and designed. As he did, his fairly thick tail gently swished behind him. Illua hummed and flipped through her grimoire as he spoke. “So we do have some allies here, good. The Sanctum spell will make this place pretty hard to take down, so if they need refuge, we can move them down the basement. I could feel it being relatively expansive down there, so it’d be a fine place to bring allies, or to hide for possible ambushes... Do you have any ‘barrel behind the door’ traps set?” She pondered, Nyx interrupting only to provide an additional thought. Horus nodded. “Something like that. We also have a number of picket fences set up there-” He pointed to a corner that led to their current location. “-and there,” he pointed to another corner beyond the last one. “Do you see the odd patch of grass over there, by the town square’s fountain?” He asked, pointing to said patch, which stretched in a line between the cobbles of the main street and that of the square. “There’s a covering of green adhesive there, which should keep them grounded long enough for us to pick them off if a few manage to step in it.” His strong chin was just a bit above her head. She nodded, a grin on her face. “So traps are set, we do have allies, and we have a home base effectively… How soon can we arrange a meet up with some of the local- Hold on, they’re humanoid?” Illua’s face pressed to the glass at the sight of a few of them, with physiology similar to her own. “Holy fuck. I thought these were actual ponies and dragons and such.” Horus chuckled. “I almost wish they were. But, only dragons have that honor, and only when fully grown. There are very few exceptions.” “God, I have supplies, I can make some clothing for them, and not have to worry about stitching for 4 legs.”  rolls of leather and bolts of cloth came out of her inventory, along with a small tool bag. “Old supplies from my revolution I just never got rid of. If we’re doing this, I’m armoring them up.” Horus smiled down at her. “That would be greatly appreciated, but most here are not prepared nor trained for a fight with battle-hardened warriors. Only light armor would be of any use to us with their level of training. Any member of the Council, even a representative, is always accompanied by a platoon of veterans from the front lines.” He looked back out the window. “We are not planning to win this fight. Or, at least, they aren’t.” “So they have a walking graveyard with them, and we have the two of us and a whole load of traps. I wonder if that Starlight Glimmer is anywhere, The Princess of Friendship from our world said she had an amazing spell she used for binding.” Nyx chuckled darkly. “You really need reel back the bloodlust for now Nyx. We are not in combat.” Illua chided her other half, rolling her eyes. Horus growled. “Unfortunately, we will not have magic to help us in this fight. Caribou file the horns of Unicorns down to a point they cannot be used, and on some occasions even place jackets on Pegasi to bind their wings. They are nothing if not ruthless.” “So what you’re telling me is that they just need a new focus? That… Okay, honestly, that would probably be difficult for them to learn in a short manner. So… Based on what you told me, it may be a better situation to attempt a pincer attack, and lure the guards into the traps, and eliminate any that pass through, unless you might have another option?” She began pushing the supplies back into her floating panes of glass, cleaning up the mess she had made already. “The Unicorn’s horns can regrow, but it takes years. My plan, however…” He glanced towards the plains beyond the hamlet. “...I will be engaging the main force. Unlike most here, who have been in slavery and service for years, I know the tactics these scum use. They’ll try and make it seem like the platoon with the representative is all they’re sending, but there will be at least two other platoons waiting somewhere in case the Council member or representative is in trouble.” Illua rested her chin in her hand, her gaze breaking away from the town in thought. “With how different things are, it’d be best to walk the town. This way I can develop a mental map for the coming battle.” Carefully stepping around her looming partner, she took to the stairs. “By the way, do you have any questions for me before we get too busy?” Horus shook his head as he followed after her. “None at the moment. Whilst I did before, after observing you, they vanished.” He strode past her. “Your strength and cunning should serve you well.” Her face flushed slightly at the verbose compliment. “I appreciate that. Shall we?” The magus queried, the clicks of her boot heels faintly echoing in the empty home to be.  Horus nodded as he stopped by the front door, opening it for her. “You first.” He urged, gesturing to the now open door.  Stepping through the now enlarged door with a spring in her step, she seemed almost giddy to explore.  The October-like chill caressed her, bringing the scents of fall into the newly renovated library as she departed. “This is wonderful weather. It’s still springtime back in my world. I’m frankly surprised the smell of blood has almost dissipated completely.” She spun around, waiting for Horus to follow. Horus smiled as he followed after her. “I quite enjoy it myself.” He agreed as they strode through his old tent and into the town proper. “Now, let’s see what plans we can devise.” The walk through Ponyville served a grim reminder for Horus. Broken doors and a few remaining blood splatters, along with the rare remainders of gore, served as a testament to his handiwork. There were a multitude of ponies around the town, with even a good few dragons and zebras and even griffons, all of them busying themselves with preparing more traps or feeding themselves with what food remained. Most of it was fruits and vegetables, but some were in containers of aluminum foil, something Horus tried to not look at for some reason. With most of the remaining population of the town being females now, it was hard not to notice the effects the Caribou had had.  Some of the traps appeared to be pitfalls, judging by the pieces of road that many were digging up. Some were just strategically placed barricades. Many were, as far as Illua could tell, traps geared towards home invasions, judging by the sounds of hammering and sawing and more coming from within most of the abodes in town. The duo could also easily see a few remaining mares and other females chasing after the remaining stallions, only to be grabbed by other mares and dragged away, kicking and shrieking for sex and pleasure. None of them ever approached Horus, or Illua. The shorter of the two observed the wreckage, her mind wandering. “I really hate to ask, but do you know how the Caribou respond to fear tactics? We could easily create an impalement field in the direction the dealer is coming from. The bodies left behind would be good for that, but I’m not sure how the women would respond to that. It’d get the remains out of town, though.” She mused, her eyes tracing the map in her mind as they passed intersections and newly planted defenses. Horus gained an almost feral looking grin as he looked to her. “I can see we will get along swimmingly, if that is your line of thinking.” He turned his view back to the path ahead as he continued. “Caribou are cowards as a general rule. Fear tactics and terrorism have always worked well against their kind. I’ve used such tactics against them many a time, in fact.” “You did a good job describing the damage they’ve done to this world..” Illua frowned as she watched the hysterical displays from select individuals. “...And the proof is right there.” Illua ran her hand through her hair. “It means I need to reflect that cruelty. Last time, I was poisoning water supplies as part of a siege. I’m…honestly not proud of that battle.” Her voice was lined with deep regrets, but she shook it off. “At least the enemy is mostly irredeemable in this case.” Horus raised his hand a moment, then lowered it. “Yes...at least.” He looked to his palm. ’At least…’ Breathing out her discourse, Nyx continued Illua’s line of thought. “Combining an impalement field with a fog spell would be great for instilling terror. Most of the species of this world are quite reactive to environmental conditions. Fog, bloody bodies, perhaps a bit of necromancy might be in the wings…” The now controlling spirit ran her hands over the upper arms, giggling. “Especially since many of them still have their death masks intact, full of fear and suffering.” Horus nodded. “It certainly would be.” He gained an almost wistful smile as he looked skyward. “The scent and taste of blood in the air and in my mouth, the screams as they were torn apart in the cold, uncaring mists…” He let out a sigh. “...there’s nothing else like it.” Several residents nearby shied away from the duo at those words. He shook his head lightly. “Regardless, that would indeed be a fine plan. However, we will have to run it by my...allies, first.” Illua seized control once more, grumbling. “God dammit Nyx… Okay, we have a plan. It’d be best to talk to them now, since we have a clear idea of what we want to do. If there’s any leftover remains after that, we can literally grind it down and turn it into mulch for planting.” Her thoughtful, less-terrifying tone had returned. “Agreed.” As they walked through the streets, Illua noticed just how far gone things were. There was a building that looked like an actual gingerbread house, with a sign near it’s front reading, ‘Creampie Corner’. More than a few pits for bodies had been dug around it.  There was another building high above, though it was hard to miss thanks to the bright, neon signs at it’s entrance which gave it a Las Pegasus feel. A few signs were silhouettes of Pegasi mares in provocative positions, and one in particular depicted wings wrapped around a large phallus with a mouth above both, tongue out. The entrance’s sign was just below the symbolic one, the words, ‘Rainblow Club’ in bright, rainbow lettering.  What drew the eyes most was the hellish red sparks still rumbling and crackling around countless holes in the structure. Portions of the building were also drifting ever so slowly away from one another, the airship dock in particular being the farthest from the rest. “I’m going to take a guess and say that it was you,” said Nyx. Horus nodded. “It was. I had and still have no way to fly. So, my other abilities were what I had to rely on.” He shook his head. “I’m still surprised the Dracophage Bugs are still up there. I never knew they could like clouds so much.” Illua raised an eyebrow. “Dracophage? As in… Monster Hunter?” Her interest was piqued. She hadn’t recognized it at first, but she could see the resemblance to the Hellwolf Wyvern. “Mmh…that makes a lot more sense now.”  The Hellwolf simply smiled at her, then turned on his heel and started to walk again, off towards what looked like Town Hall. He has a cute smile, don’t you think? Oh fuck off, Nyx. A light but constant swishing of Horus’ tail, thick and lined with fur and scales drew her eyes. Next to do so was the hakama. The holes, the tears, dried bloodstains, dirt, haphazard stitches and muck gave a stark contrast to the ory sheen to his fur and scales. It had certainly earned its war-worn appearance. Illua chuckled softly, catching up to his long strides. I wonder if I can steal those long enough to get his measurements… So you want his pants off, ooooooh. Horus continued to lead them through town, passing more locals and walking around a pitfall trap. So help me GOD Nyx. Stop projecting your crushing power fantasy onto me, for like, 5 minutes. You did this with the Kirin dude way back in Hameltsburg. Hey, that isn’t exactly fair, I did use protection. They passed a building that must have once been a two-story boutique of sorts, but had been retrofitted into a makeshift sentry tower, complete with wooden parapets lining the balcony around the third floor suite. All the windows had been sealed with wooden planks, save for a set of embrasures, as well. No, but you forget that the last time, you didn’t ask! I was sore. FOR 3 DAYS. You didn’t even use any spells to prevent that! And your protection was a flimsy force spell that you let sputter for your pleasure. Besides,  I highly doubt he’s going to be even remotely receptive of that considering… All of this. You’re looking both ways too. It’s not my fault you have all the pent up needs. Just.. Just stop. I don’t need this right now. Go.. wander the mindscape or something. Illua mentally shoved Nyx into her subconscious, giving her the freedom to think alone for a while. A light sigh escaped her as the growing headache had receded with her lovable parasite.  Horus’s ears perked up, swiveling towards her direction, then the West, before he grunted and they faced forward again, continuing to march ahead. Horus then stopped. “We’re here.” Illua’s situational awareness returned in a rush, breaking her line of thought as she bumped into the back of Horus. “I’m sorry, I was dealing with Nyx… Is this Town Hall?” Her eyes began to scan her surroundings, piecing together how far they had walked in her internal discussion. The Town Hall now looked more fit to be called a ‘Towering Hall’, what with the still ongoing construction of more levels and the numerous oaken barricades and wooden walls surrounding it and closing it off from the rest of the town.  Countless locals littered the area, most of them with the signature white and gold armor of the Caribou donned, even if almost every piece was dented or had massive holes or claw-shaped gashes still. Many of them also bore sabers, longswords, warhammers, a number of crossbows, and more. None of them looked actually ready for a fight. They were constantly checking their surroundings like frightened children, constantly inspecting their equipment, or, in many cases, trying to offer prayer to whatever deities remained.  Horus began to walk forward again, towards the front doors of the Town Hall. “It is.” Many around them seemed to give the duo a wide berth, or outright glare at them. Hushed murmurs greeted them as they drew closer to the Hall’s doors. Illua recognized the stares and behaviors intimately.  These truly were civilians trying to play soldier.