7th interlude: The Last Memory

9:21 AM, early October, 207 A.F.
Aboard the Happy Frog, near Rugiherort, Lorinth

It has been nearly a year since the wedding of Nick and Anne, and the squad members have used this time to gather information and forge new alliances that will allow them to remove Arthur Hammerfist from power and hopefully put an end to this war.

Ever since he assassinated his father, Arthur Hammerfist has only made the situation worse in the Archipelago, and now all the nations are at each other's throat. Some of his previously staunchest allies are beginning to see that, and with some subterfuge and bribes, Edward has successfully gathered enough allies to pull off his coup.

All that remains is to return to their headquarters and prepare the last phase of their plan.

But as the Happy Frog approaches the village of Rugiherort, the small settlement where the squad members have settled since last year, they notice smoke rising in the distance. A lot of smoke.

Then they see the buildings on fire.

All members of the crew have gathered on the deck to watch the village burn. And they all know that in the forest, near the settlement, is the manor where the squad members' families reside.

"Going as fast as I can!" the burly man replies. He then barks orders at the sailors who all work as fast as possible.

Sam's eyes fixate on the smoke. Dread threatens to raise the hairs on the back of her neck, and when she sees the burning buildings, her stomach lurches. "No! Oh, bells! Edward, the safehouse!"

Edward stares at the burning village, as white as a sheet. It's the first time Samantha has seen this expression of horror on his face.

Two emotions are at war within May as she watches the smoke: horror and anger. And it's anger that is slowly pulling ahead. It takes everything she has not to jump into the water and swim in, but she isn't a skilled enough seaman yet to really be of help to Teddy and the crew so she's left with a feeling of helpless uselessness, which makes her even more angry. She begins pacing the railing back and forth, like a hunting cat impatient to chase after its prey.

The next fifteen minutes are dreadfully long as the squad members can do nothing but wait for the ship to approach the dock. Anne holds tightly onto Nick's hand, shaking as she contemplates the fates of their parents. Marcus Riddle watches with a solemn expression, his chin lowered to his chest. And Jacob, having fallen completely silent ever since he first saw the fires, clutches tightly onto Samantha's neck as he sits on her shoulder.

Once the ship is within fifty feet of the dock, May leaps into the air and with the help of her magic, lands onto the dock. Just as several of the party members consider swimming after her, they finally see the full scope of the carnage that was wrought here: dead bodies lying in the streets with pools of blood forming under them.

Except for the crackling of the fire and the splashing of the water against the beach, they cannot hear anything else.

Jacob immediately spreads his wings and flies into the air and toward the manor.

May runs through the carnage towards the mansion looking for enemies to destroy.

The smoke is so thick in the village, it's difficult to breathe, and it's even more difficult to watch for enemies potentially lying in ambush for the party. May scouts ahead, eager to vent her anger on the people who committed this atrocity, but she sees no enemy. Only corpses. The only thing she sees that's still alive is a dog nudging the head of a young child.

The instant the distance between the ship and the dock allows it, the rest of the squad jumps across and runs through the village. They are greeted with the same sight that welcomed May here.

The group runs as fast as they can to the manor.

Located in the forest next to the village, the manor was supposed to be a refuge where the squad members could rest between missions. Ingeburg Springer and her subordinates Edvard Lavoie and Rémi Cormier had taken all the precautions necessary to ensure the safety of the people living there.

When May gets there ahead of the rest of the party, all she sees that remains of their home is a burning ruin. But lying on the ground near the front of the manor is someone she recognizes: Ingeburg Springer. She's not moving.

May will run over to her colleague and friend and check for a pulse or any other signs of life.

Heal 18

Samantha heaves. It isn't the taste of vomit that twists her face. "How can any of this be real?" she says, staring at the vision of Hell around her for a moment, before spurring herself on towards their haven.

Ingeburg is still alive, albeit heavily injured. The left side of her face and shoulder is burned, her gut is bloody, and her breathing is very faint, but she's alive. If she doesn't get immediate medical attention, she will die soon.

May is proficient enough to know that she shouldn't try anything without magic, or else she'll only worsen Ingeburg's condition.

In the distance, she can hear Jacob's voice.

"Gab! Max! Maci! It's me, Jacob! Where are you?!"

May surmises that the rest of the party should arrive soon.

May will run back to Anne, bodily pick her up, and run her to Ingeburg.

Anne and Marcus are alarmed to see May running back toward them. When the monk picks up the white mage however, Anne can't help but yelp. "W-what's happening?!"

"Ingeburg needs your help! She will die without treatment!" yells May back to Anne, as she runs them both back to their injured friend.

Anne falls quiet when she hears about their injured comrade, and she lets her friend carry her to the manor. The moment May drops her next to the spy, she kneels and casts the strongest Cure spell she can muster. Jacob then appears next to her and begins casting his cantrip of Life to help with the healing process.

By the time the rest of the party arrives, Ingeburg is fully healed and now waking up. She blinks wearily at Anne, confused about what's happening.

At the sight of their burning home, Samantha's knees buckle. She reaches out to the nearest person to steady herself.

Nobody responds to Smirk.

Edward immediately pulls Samantha into an embrace and holds her tight. His whole body is shaking.

When Ingeburg hears Smirk cry, her eyes fly open and she attempts to sit up, only for Anne to hold her down. "Don't move," she tells her, barely hanging on herself. "Your body needs time to recover."

"The...the ISA!" Ingeburg croaks out. "Th-they stormed the manor. Attacked us by surprise."

Marcus and Anne become stiff at the mention of their former colleagues, and Edward's gaze hardens.

"It was Finlay Howe," Ingeburg continues. "He...he tracked down the fairies, somehow."

Samantha hugs back, her fingers clutching tightly, getting misty-eyed, but pulls away after a few seconds. "No, I won't do this. Not yet. Not until I see them. Oh bells."

She turns and goes to Ingeburg. "Did anyone get out? Where did they go?"

The manor continues to burn, the roof now starting to crumble on itself.

Ingeburg licks her cracked lips before she takes a deep breath and says, "Me and the men did our best to hold back the attackers, but we were not ready. Rémi and Evrard knew that to do: They went and took Triston to the secret escape tunnel." She pauses and looks at Nick, Anne and Samantha, all of whom had their parents here. "I told them to take the civilians with them as well, but I don't know if they managed to gather everyone..." She slowly begins to stand up with Anne's help. Once she's at eye level with everyone, she looks at Jacob and says, "I'm sorry, Jacob. The ISA agents captured your brothers and sisters. Howe called everyone else expandable."

The fairy's mouth falls open and his whole body seems to go limp. He tries to speak but is unable to find the words. He can only stare in shock at Ingeburg.

"Okay. Jacob, I'm sorry." Samantha reaches up to lay a comforting finger on Jacob. Each of the faces of the fairies who stayed with them run through her mind. She breathes and turns to Edward. "To the tunnel, then."