To Badina

"What are you doing?" Cael asked Hades who was dangling his head from the wagon's side.

"This is more amazing than I thought, the wood is spinning fast," Hades replied starting at the wheels.

"Well, Raptor is pretty powerful," Eva said with a smile.

Hades stared at her, "Who is Raptor?" There were only three of them there.

Cael pointed at the black horse dragging the carriage, "This old one."

Eva smiled, "Father's warhorse, he gave him to me once he retired."

NeighAA! Raptor roared.

"Is that so?" Hades leaped to the driver seat beside Cael and patted the horse's back. "You will fall, get back here!" Eva pulled him.

"He might be dragon the wagon now, but if the need arises he can fight. Last time we weren't able to get him off the wagon's lead." Cael patted the horse.

"He looks strong, dragging this thing alone." Hades touched the wagon he was sitting on.

"The cat's name is Mei, she isn't much of a fighter but she likes to cuddle a lot." Mei leaped into Eva's lap and meowed as if getting to sleep.

Hades patted Mei with a smile, "You like cats?" Eva asked.

"Yeah…I had one, but he died a few days ago." Hades looked down at Mei, "Need to get him back no matter what…"

"What do you mean? He's…"

"Cael…Focus on driving." Eva poked him.

… "We've gotten pretty far from the city, where are we heading?" Hades asked. "Does it have humans and monsters to kill?"

"If you're so keen on killing, one day you will be at the blade's edge," Cael said with a serious face.

"To Badina, the city we live in," Eva replied with a smile as she watched the trees pass by under the sunlight.

"And we were in?" Hades stared at her.

"Makola, a city famous for importing wood." She replied with a smile.

"Is the next city on another island? We already traveled pretty far." Hades asked.

Cael stared at him. "This island isn't small, it's about ten times as big as the one at the edge there, Raiba."

When hades looked, it was in the same direction he came from. "So it was named Raiba?" He sighed.

"Was?" Eva stared at him with a confused.

"I came from there. The island fell." Hades said nonchalantly and with a straight face.

Both Eva and Cael's faces paled, "Hold up, what? Raiba fell, when?!" Cael turned toward him in an instant.

"The same night I met you, I barely leaped over the bridge before it collapses," Hades replied looking behind.

"Oh, goddess…the news must be just spreading like wildfire. Wonder if the news would have reached Badina by the time we get there." Eva pulled a map from a small bag and inspected the road map.

"I drove pretty fast yesterday so we must have gotten before the news, I bet the refugees reached Makola after we left. Will's see a messenger rushing soon?" Eva looked behind them, there was no one but she was keeping an eye.

About an hour later, as Eva was still watching their back she spotted the messenger rushing on his white steed.

As the messenger ran past them he yelled, "Raiba fell, spread the news!" and kept pushing forward at top speed.

"It wouldn't hurt him to slow a bit." Cael stared at the messenger with an exhausted face.

"He needs to get to Badina quickly, each moment he wastes is precious time to merchants and travelers. If Makola is going to host refugees, merchants would take that chance to sell food and goods." Eva explained with a sad face.

'Someone's sorrow is another's profit, this how this world works…' Eva thought staring at the passing clouds.

"Lady Evangeline, you worry too much. They will be fine, look at this idiot here. If the rest were half as sturdy as him they will be fine." Cael giggled staring a Hades following each three with his eyes like a dog.

After half a few hours, they finally reached Badina.

A massive walled city ruled by a single duke (Leon Gamorian) who has multiple noble families working for him and those controls the commoners. Eva's family (Ginis) was one of the noble families working for the duke, whose daughter is the high priest of Badina, Gabriella Gamorian.

Hades stared at the walls, they were no less impressive than the previous city and this time the guards didn't stop them at all. They recognized Cael from a distance and opened the gate for him.

"Hey Cael, care for a drink tonight?" One of the guards called.

"Yeah, it's been a while since we had a sitting!" Another guard yelled.

"Maybe another day, as you can see I have an idiot to teach!" Cael yelled smacking Hades on the back. "Want me to turn you into favor?" Hades growled at him.

"Did you get a squire? You move up the ladders quickly, how are just standing here at the gate?" One of the guards asked smiling.

"Since you bunch are lazy as hell, go hunt some monsters in your free time and make a name." Cael smiled as they passed them.

"After thinking about it, the life of a guard isn't that bad. Not much danger and good pay." One of the guards puffed his chest.

"Yeah, keep puffing that fat stomach of yours. In a few days, you won't be able to pass through the gate." Cael mocked him.

"What did you say?" The guard shouted in anger. He bent down and grabbed a sizeable stone and threw it at Cael.

Cael was armored and such a thing shouldn't pose harm to him, he even didn't bother to move.

But, the guard missed, and the stone was heading directly toward Hades.

Just before the stone could hit him, Hades swung his arm [Repulsion] The stone got sent back toward the guard and grazed his right shoulder pad. BANG! Smashing at the wall, it turned into dust.

Hades' glare met the guards…The poor man felt as if he was being stared at by a monster. He knew that feeling, the one you get when faced with an unbeatable force.

Eva smacked Hades on the head with an angry face, "Don't act rashly, they are just messing around."

Hades looked at her and then back at the guard, "Told you to sit down." She warned him again and Hades sat. 100 favor wasn't worth losing bread for a night.

They finally reached Eva's mansion. Cael and Hades went into the guard quarter to change and rest a bit while Eva headed to report back to her father.

"Eva, did you get the book?" Eva's father, William Ginis asked while looking at her from behind his desk. He was a tall man with a bulky build and grey hair due to age. His eyes were coal black, a majestic beard adorned his chiseled face.

"Here it is, I should go check the church." Eva put the book on the desk and left immediately.

William lifted the book and read the title. "Tales of the great lift."

It was the book he ordered her to get but…she didn't even greet him.

William sighed, 'It's the book I asked for but…no progress' he thought making a sad face.