New Moon's Light

“Are we there yet?” Azuloas asked Taavetti; it had been a few days since they left Viktorija in Labia and it had been three years since Azuloas set foot in Limhongia. He missed Aldona, Montgomery and Jakoba, Azuloas would admit that he missed Dvesma like a missing limb. Hell, he could count the amount of times he had ran into Viktorija without Taavetti with him, she also had information about one thing or another; sometimes it was information he needed sooner rather than later, but most of the information Viktorija told him became useful sooner or later. Thinking about it, he might have run into Montgomery more than he ran into Aldona. “Please tell me we’re almost there,” Azuloas continued, even after telling Viktorija that they couldn’t be late; Azuloas had a feeling they were late anyway. Aunt Jenica was going to pissed at them, he could only hope that she blamed Taavetti and not him. “Yes brat, we’re almost there,” Taavetti told him looking at the forest in front of him before sighing, this was the longest he had been away from Sashan since he married Jenica. He just kept finding lead after lead about Nýtt tungl. Azuloas was just glad that the three years of intense training, he didn’t know if he was ready to face Nýtt tungl by himself. He wouldn’t be facing them by himself, he’ll have Viktorija, Aldona, Jakoba and Montgomery by his side. The entire warrior force of Sashan would be helping take down Nýtt tungl, Grandfather had raisin the standards for new Kareivis members since Nestanha was attacked by Lynne. Taavetti only learnt about Viktorija in the last two years, but Azuloas had underestimated how quickly he would add her to his spy network. Grandfather had also told him about the deal with Viktorija, the moment Lynne was gone, she could join the Sashan Units and his team. It would mean that his team would be able to spilt into two for tricker missions. That one team would have two seal masters on it or two healers. “I just miss Dona, this is the longest we’ve been away from each other and I’ve sent her notes, but there’s nothing better than talking face to face,” Azuloas told Taavetti, he should know this, he was the same with his wife. Apart from being reliable at sending her messages; Azuloas felt sorry for his Aunt sometimes; the amount of worry and stress she had to go through because she married a complete airhead that didn’t remember to write. “Jenica’s going to yell at me,” Taavetti told him. “So, she should,” Azuloas told him, Aldona had told him about her, Dvesma and Jakoba’s training with Jenica. She even asked to pass along his notes to Jenica, so she knew that her husband wasn’t lying in a ditch dead. “And what about Aldona?” “She’ll only yell at me when I give Montgomery the shovel talk.” “Don’t kill him.” “Dona wouldn’t be happy if I killed her boyfriend,” Azuloas told him. “And Sashan needs him alive,” Taavetti told him. “Like you wouldn’t have killed some of Aunt Jenica’s old boyfriends,” Azuloas told him rolling his eyes. “It says on your record that you killed one of them.” “And he turned out to be a rapist,” Taavetti told him, before also rolling his eyes at the Azuloas’ words. “And a child murderer, turned out he was the one to pick of a few orphans while he was still alive.” “Never mind then,” Azuloas told him. Child murders weren’t needed, anyone who’d kill their own didn’t need to breath, he had gotten the reason why Viktorija had killed Ismay; self-defence didn’t count, and that i***t had gone after Viktorija with a knife. “I’ll only kill Montgomery if he hurts Dona or Torija.” “Or your would-be girlfriend,” Taavetti teased. “I don’t have a would-be girlfriend.” “If you say kid.” “I’m nineteen! Almost twenty.” Taavetti smiled at him, before disappearing into the trees. Azuloas was soon on his heels, it was like Team Justus’ games of Extreme Tree Tag; Azuloas wondered if he could convince Jakoba, Aldona and Montgomery, then maybe Etienne wouldn’t have a reason to no to something fun. -Sashan- Aldona giggled as she ran down the streets of Sashan, Montgomery and Jakoba jogging behind her with small smiles on their faces. Merchants just shock their heads at the three of them, but they were ignored. “Come on, Merry, Jakoba,” Aldona told them, around her hips a thick ribbon holding her sealing deck in place, on said black silk ribbon, there were seals to make it harder to but through. “It’s been three years and Dvesma said they were only a few minutes from the gates.” “So why didn’t you drag Dvesma to see the love her of life?” Jakoba asked her. “Dvesma’s team had a mission and we’re on the same team,” Aldona told them while rolling her eyes. “It has been three years,” Montgomery said as he caught up with her, Jakoba a few steps behind him before spotting the gate. Azuloas and Taavetti walking along the path, Aldona smiling as she bolted towards her twin. “Azu!” Aldona screamed her long black skirt flowing around her legs as she put her arms around his shoulders, they weren’t the same height anymore. He was a head taller than her now, Aldona didn’t want to know how he towered over Viktorija now. “Done, glad to see you as well sister,” Azuloas told her as he put his arm under her armpits. Twirling her around, before putting her down and smiling at two behind her. “Montgomery, Jakoba, I hear I’m about to have a new brother-in-law.” “We’re only nineteen,” Montgomery and Aldona told him. “Have you had to beat anyone away from my beautiful twin?” Azuloas asked Montgomery with a grin on his face. “Azu… Azu, Dvesma and I are the ones that’ll have to carry around a stick,” Aldona told him while rolling her eyes, letting go of Azuloas neck to stand next to Montgomery. “And Montgomery has a nickname, it’s Merry.” “Merry, I like it,” Azuloas told her. “He won’t let anyone else use it,” Jakoba warned him. “You’ll need a stick when we get Torija to come home,” Azuloas told her, a giant smile on his face as he looked at Jakoba. “She’s not so short anymore, might come up to Jakoba’s shoulder now and her eyes shines like gems.” “Her eyes have always been eye-catching,” Jakoba told them. “You’ll need to keep an eye on others,” Aldona teased her. “And you don’t need to keep an eye on Montgomery?” Jakoba asked her. “A lot of things have changed Azu, not just in appearance or height,” Aldona told Azuloas with a smile on her face. “Montgomery and I have become Rank B- Kareivis members and Jakoba is a now a C-rank Kareivis member.” “Aldona and Jakoba are now medic members,” Montgomery told Azuloas and Taavetti. “Dvesma is almost there.” “I got awesome training,” Azuloas told them. “So, did we,” Aldona and Jakoba told them. “How is everyone else?” Azuloas asked them. “Everyone else is fine,” Aldona told him, Azuloas was the only one who was D-rank Kareivis member and she was sure that he wouldn’t stay there for long. Nor would Viktorija once she entered the village, she only hoped that nothing too bad happened to Viktorija before that happened. “Most of them are mission,” Jakoba told him. “Dvesma and her team have just left a few hours ago,” Montgomery told him. “I trust Apoloniusz and Bellerophon,” Azuloas informed Montgomery. “And how is Etienne? I see he isn’t here.” “Etienne’s fine, happy to be away from Group training sessions,” Jakoba told him. Aldona nodded her head, she had been pissed when she found out what Emilek was like when he was still alive. She thought Justus was bad, but at least he never stood back and watched two members of his team go at each other’s throats. In front of a client no less. No wonder he had failed to make his teamwork, no wonder he had failed and now two of his students weren’t in the village and the third was dead. Emilek didn’t work out the root of the problem. That being one Ismay Martin. Etienne had told them that he would be fine working with Viktorija, and Viktorija had told them the same thing about Etienne. It didn’t matter anymore, Aldona told herself, both were dead and weren’t coming back. Of course, Grandfather had asked Etienne why he had admitting to killing Emilek. Etienne just looked him in the eye, before telling him that they would have blamed Viktorija if he had stayed silent on the matter. Viktorija was good enough to rack up her own kill count without Etienne’s help. He even admitted that Ismay had been muttering about demons in human skin and that she would put a dagger into the snake’s heart. “You know if Dvesma was here, she’d greet you herself,” Jakoba told Azuloas, while Jenica walked up to them with serious look on her lip. Her lips were drawn into a tight line and that made Azuloas glad that he wasn’t Taavetti in that moment. “Aunt Jenica,” Azuloas and Aldona greeted. “How did my husband treat you?” Jenica asked as she walked over to them, Justus was late, or he was waiting with Heikkinen in his office. “Torija was right,” Azuloas said as he looked at his aunt and then at his uncle. “You really should have sent her letters.” “He did well in training,” Taavetti told Jenica, colour going from his face as he looked at the glare that his wife was sending him. “One of my best students.” “You’ve said the same thing about the brat’s father,” Jenica told him. “Good genes, my love,” Taavetti told her. “Let’s go to Grandpa’s office,” Aldona told Azuloas, while linking her arm through his and walking towards the middle of the village. Montgomery and Jakoba a step behind them, Aldona’s hair was a slight mess, but she had thought her brother was more important than looking completely put together. “I’m sure Aunt Jenica and Uncle Taavetti will join us once they’re done with their conversation.” “You don’t think she’ll kill him?” Montgomery asked them. “Too much work, and we’ll lose one of our best spy masters,” Jakoba answered. “And she loves him, so, that helps him.”