15. The Oasis

Yna and I entered Kenos's throne room to find Farin and the others sitting around a small fire.

Farin quickly came to greet us and Yna handed him some supplies she'd scrapped together before helping me lower the six wounded Rendaro.

I watched helplessly as Yna and the others tried their best to nurse the Rendaro, but one look from Farin is all it took to see that things weren't going well.

One of the survivors died.

Then another.

And another.

Only two remained and at this point, my vision was beyond blurry. Not because something was wrong with my eyes.

I just couldn't process anything I saw.

It was all a dark blur.

My mind sank into the shadows, but before the overwhelming dread and despair sank in, I hopped onto my feet and helped take the dead Rendaro out of the cave.

Farin and I buried the Rendaro before returning into the cave where Yna tirelessly worked to save the last two.

I watched as she manipulated light in ways that would have amazed me, but all I could see was visions from the night before.

I could still hear her almost gleeful voice as she tortured information out of that Rendaro-

"Is there something on my face?" Yna asked.

"Err… no. What exactly are you doing?" I asked as I shifted my gaze on the bright bands of light that acted as bandages. Well, I thought they did-

"These strips of light are acting as sort of bandages. They'll keep their wounds from getting infected. Also, it works on booby trapped bodies because I can simply incinerate the body in an instant. Fortunately, these guys weren't booby trapped." Yna said with a chuckle.

I chuckled lightly as well before thinking about everything.

The Ia definitely weren't coming out of Eimval again. Not any time soon, at least.

The Foph were pissed that we killed-

Wait a minute!

They attacked the Ia first.

They started this.

Why was I beating myself over the loss of one of theirs when the Ia had lost countless more?

What this world needed was a justice system.

One which prevented and punished acts of violence.

I wasn't capable of enforcing that justice, but with time and preparation, I could bring justice to this world.

That would make helping people a lot easier right?

"OK, that's all we can do for them right now." Yna said as she stood up.

"Now, I believe you said we were going to pay the Rendaro a visit."

"Do you know where they are situated?" I asked as Yna picked me up.

"Why yes. I… visited some of their villages in the past. Shouldn't be too much of a problem finding them again." Yna said as we left the cave.

We returned to the Dark Expanse and began our trip east.

.

..

Nothing was said during our journey across the dark expanse.

I didn't really want to talk either way and I'm glad Yna wasn't the type that felt the need to always engage in small talk.

Yna climbed a rather large hill with me in hand.

We quickly reached the top and my eyes widened as we both gazed upon what looked like an oasis.

It was about the size of sixteen football fields and was littered with huts that ranged in size. From normal sized huts, similar to those back on earth to gigantic domes.

I couldn't quite make out every detail as the sun was slowly setting, but fortunately for me, several lamps and lights were dotted across the Oasis.

"Wow. Things have really changed since my last visit. Back then, this place was a small watering hole with a few huts here and there. Now…"

Yna gasped before quickly taking cover behind a large boulder.

"There's a sentry headed our way. What should we do?" Yna asked and again, her eyes were wide and almost burning with excitement.

"Lets grab him and ask him where the Foph leaders are. Also, don't kill him." I instructed.

Yna nodded before gently placing me on the cool sand.

She then dashed away and I heard muffled pained sounds coming from behind the rock.

I planted my feet onto the ground and awaited Yna's return.

She dashed back with a certain Rendaro in hand and I could see the fear and terror in his eyes.

Yna shoved him onto the ground before straddling him. Her hand firmly placed over his mouth.

"Where are your elders?" I asked. My voice far too soft to be threatening.

Yna removed her hand from the Rendaro's mouth, but just as she did, he tried screaming and so she covered his mouth again.

"I think we should… prepare him for questioning first. He isn't in the mood for sharing right now, as you can see." Yna said.

I wanted to firmly shake my head and tell Yna no, but what other choice did we have?

"Fine! Just don't kill him." I said as I turned away.

"Alright, listen up. I'm going to break…"

I tried my best to drown out most of what Yna said, but it wasn't long until I heard muffled screams and the sounds of something cracking or snapping.

I then heard Yna's sweet voice.

"Ready to talk now?" She asked.

"Y- yes." The Rendaro said, even as his lips trembled.

I turned around and saw nothing particular wrong with the Rendaro, but I didn't want to know Yna had done either.

"Where are your leaders?" Yna asked.

"T- the Grand Arcusus left the Oasis a few hours a ago. She should be back any moment." The Rendaro said while glancing at his left arm.

"She? I thought all Foph warriors were male."

"T- The Grand Arcusus is different from ordinary Rendaro. She is far stronger than any Rendaro that's been born for generations-"

The sounds of someone blowing a horn then filled the air.

I looked at Rendaro to find that he was smiling nervously.

"and she's back." He said with a pained laugh.

Yna nodded before looking at my trembling self.

"So… how do we approach this?" Yna asked.

"A- any suggestions?"

"Mmm… the Foph are a very straightforward bunch. We could walk down there and demand a meeting with whoever the Grand Arcusus or we could send this guy back and have him act as a messenger. That'll undoubtedly enrage the Foph, making them leave their compound in an attempt to capture us, but even then, we'd have the upper hand." Yna said as she flexed her right arm.

"If only I had your confidence. Or is it pride?" I muttered before cautiously hopping up the hill.

Once at the top, I peered into the Oasis and saw the Rendaro below going about living their normal lives.

Was I going to be responsible for the destruction of their way of life?

No.

I just wanted to talk.

"Let him go. We'll wait for them here." I instructed.

"Alright. You heard him. Go back to your people. Tell them we're here." Yna said.

I could've sworn she giggled, but I chose to ignore it.

The Rendaro stood up and I realized that he wasn't able to move his right arm.

He made his way towards the compound while tightly holding his arm, but my attention quickly returned to Yna who's eyes were glowing again.

"Remember, Yna. Don't kill anyone." I said firmly, but Yna raised an curious eyebrow in response.

"What if my life is on the line?"

"How often is that the case?"

"Rarely." Yna admitted.

"Then only in those times will you be allowed to kill."

Yna nodded before walking up the hill to where I was.

"Those are acceptable terms." She said while looking at the compound, but where I looked at it with a sense of curiosity, Yna glared at it. With widened eyes that burnt brightly.

"Ah… here they come." Yna said as horns sounded off all over the Oasis.

I watched as countless armed Rendaro left the Oasis.

They all stormed up the hill while screaming various things.

I hid behind Yna, who at this point was glowing.

Massive flares of light came in and out of existence around her and her fists were tightened.

"I thought you said you released some of your pent up energy!" I cried as the Foph got ever closer.

"Don't you remember, I couldn't finish." Yna said before taking a single step forward, resulting in a shockwave so powerful, I could literally see the faraway hills and dunes trembling.

I managed to stay on my feet as the world shook and I glanced at the Foph army to find that they had completely stopped moving.

Their weapons were still raised and their eyes were burning with animosity, but they stood still as Yna and I approached them.

One of the Rendaro, however, walked out of formation before approaching Yna and I.

He looked very familiar.

Oh yeah. It was Gid.

"Hey! What's the meaning of this?" Gid asked.

"Hey, do you know that knight?"

Someone in the horde of Rendaro asked.

"Shut up!" Gid snapped before looking straight into Yna's eyes.

"Is this about the Ia? I thought we'd come to an agreement." Gid said, but Yna simply crossed her arms.

"We want to talk to the Grand Arcusus."

"Oh?"

A deep and rather feminine voice sounded.

I looked around in search of where the voice came from and I quickly got my answer as the Rendaro horde split in two, revealing a tall Rendaro warrior at its center.

She walked up the hill while Gid ran up to greet her.

"Arcusus Calëb, you shouldn't be-"

Gid stopped as the large woman, referred to as Calëb, gently placed her hand on his head.

"Shh. Get back in formation." She gently said.

Gid slowly nodded before running back to the horde.

Calëb eventually reached Yna and I gasped internally as I realized that the two women were around the same height.

"What brings you here, Golden Knight? Do you plan on slaughtering us all?" Calëb asked. I couldn't tell, but it seemed as though her pitch black eyes weren't trembling, even as she stood in front of Yna.

Calëb's ash white skin was also lined with many scars, like Yna, only unlike Yna, the Rendaro was far less dressed.

A leather loincloth covered her crotch and thick leather straps covered her arms and legs with a single piece of cloth covering her breasts.

Her hair was messily cut short, although I could see small pins and shells that decorated what little hair she had.

Her body, much like Yna's, was tall and packed with muscle. Although Yna was slightly smaller in the muscle department.

"I don't want to kill you. We just want to talk." Yna said.

Calëb nodded before looking back at the Rendaro horde.

"I want to believe that, I do. But… I don't." She said.

"What can I do to change your mind?" Yna asked.

"Mmm… I have a simple request. If you end up killing anyone, make me your only one you kill… please." Calëb asked with a strange expression.

It looked like she was far more determined than afraid.

"Ok." Yna said as her flares slowly disappeared.

Calëb sighed before turning around.

"Gid!" She barked, prompting Gid to run up the hill.

He then came to a quick stop by her side before standing attentively.

"Yes?"

"Tell everyone to go back inside. Oh- but bring us some food and something to sit on." Calëb instructed.

Gid nodded frantically before dashing down the hill.

He then yelled something at the horde and all the Rendaro slowly returned into the compound.

A few minutes passed and Gid returned only he brought with him scantily dressed female Rendaro who carried with them various things.

They placed a rather beautiful black carpet on the dark sand before placing various foods down.

"Why does it seem like you've done this before." Yna droned.

"Many knights have come before you. Some more demanding than others."