Day 4 - The Gunsmith's Gamble

[Corporal Light]

Roughly twenty minutes later

It was still pouring by the time they made it back to camp.

The thunderstorm was still going strong, battering the forest and the inhabitants within it with unrelenting drops of rain. Both of them were surprised the camp hadn't flooded when they got back to it and went within it. They had taken a long time to get over there, though it wasn't due to the mud. Both of them had been walking slowly, not feeling the need or want to move faster than a typical snail's pace. But Ballad didn't mind that.

Hell, he didn't mind... anything at that moment, really. He didn't mind the fact that Immy was tugging on his right arm when she led the way forward, something he also didn't mind. Didn't mind the fact that she had also taken the picture and placed it near her breast (her excuse, evidently, was that she wanted to keep it “close to her heart.” He thought that was overly sentimental.) For what felt like ages, he couldn't help but feel.... better. Maybe not happy, but he felt better than he had been for a while. Like a weight had been lifted off of his chest or something similar to that.

He had been thinking about that while he was sitting down on the carpet they had laid out on the ground within the camp. His arms were crossed against his chest, resting his head against the tree behind him. His eyes drooped as he began taking deep breathes, taking a single glance to his right to see Immy laying her head on his shoulder, smiling. He let out a soft chuckle before looking up towards the sky, though it was blocked off by the wrap. It was flapping back and forth as the wind blew through the camp, rain dripping onto the duo. Instead, he smiled under his scarf, allowing himself a moment to observe the area around him. Take in the peace while it lasted.

“Oh...” the hiker groaned, her smile disappearing as she lifted her face off of the green man's shoulder. She leaned back against the tree, placing her hands behind her head.

“Hm?” the gunsmith replied, cocking an eyebrow as the woman moved away from him.

“Nothing, just.... was thinking about the bandits..”

“Ah, they're nothing. Been only minor trouble since they started hounding me.”

“No, it's not that. It's just... I think I know who they are.”

The gunner frowned, leaning off of the tree. He placed his right knee on the fabric beneath him, sliding his hands on top of his knee as he stared at the mountain-climber. His eyes were dim, and despite his glare, he did not appear to be angry.

“The bandits? Who are they?” He questioned, trying his best not to sound like he was pressuring her too hard.

“I... I might be wrong, so don't judge me if I'm wrong, but I think they are the... Disciples of Camelot?”

“Disciples of...Camelot..” He repeated, perplexed.

“Yeah. They're a bandit group that started out small, but I think it's been just recently that they've started actively hunting people like you. I don't know too much about them, but I have heard stuff about them. Rumors from villages, you know? They've said they've taken to.. hunting and banishing primes that have bounties on them.”

“Shit...” he muttered to himself, looking down towards the ground. “Yeah, uh... about that..”

“No need. I... kinda figured that out once I recognized them.”

“Oh... alright..”

“Anyways... they banish primes to collect their bounties. I'm not exactly sure what they do about them, but I heard that they then use the Omnillium they get to hire new members and get new weapons.”

“Why are they called the 'Disciples of Camelot?'”

“They say that they then pawn the remaining Omnillium off to the Camelot military as donations. Doesn't seem... very likely, though.” She replied, reaching up to her hair to twirl her finger around the wet curls.

“Hmm..” The gunner replied, his ears perking a bit as he notices a new detail; the rain had stopped during their conversation, with only the aroma of lakes and sea hanging in the air to signify the storm's absence.

“Well...” Ballad said, pushing down onto his knee before turning around, proceeding to walk out of the area covered by the green cloth, “Looks like the rain's stopped. Seems to be a good time as any to start moving again. Once I drop you off at the village, I'll leave this place.”

“I wish it was that easy...” Immy whispered to herself, solemnly looking down towards the ground as she crawled out of the campsite.

“What do you mean?” he replied, causing the lady to flinch in surprise. He stared at her, giving her time to compose an answer.

“I've... also heard they have a tendency to be... relentless. Like, REALLY relentless. The fact they stopped hunting you is probably for a good reason.”

“Which means...”

“Once their numbers are back up, they'll keep hunting you. They won't ever stop... they didn't with mom and dad...” She said, bringing her hand up to her eyes to wipe away a tear.

Ballad blinked once, then twice. He let in a deep breath, moving his arms to his sides before looking down towards the ground. He slid his hands up to his hips, poking his elbows out as he strutted a bit forward, moving next to the tree they had set camp near. His eyes closed as he leaned forward a bit, reopening them to stare at the ground. It was one of the white flowers again, only this time it was almost certainly dead or dying. It looked dry, and its petals were clamped together as it bent forward towards the ground. It was right underneath the gigantic tree. The selfish, bastard tree had stole all its water. Prevented it from living.

Just then, an idea ignited in the back of his mind. An idea he displayed vocally and immediately.

“Then I'll make them stop.” He said, whirling around to meet Immy again. Her eyes had widened in surprise as she noticed the glow in his eyes reignite. She started stuttering as she spoke.

“I-I.. what?”

“I said, I'll make them stop.” He repeated, glaring at her in the hopes that she'd get his point.

“You.. you're not saying that-”

“Immy, it's the only chance I got. You said it yourself. They stopped hunting me, for now, for a reason. My guess is their numbers are much lower since the beginning of this nonsense. So, the only logical step forward is to slam it in. Put the final nail in the coffin of those crazy bastards, once and for all.”

His tone was dead serious and cold as his stance grew tall and brutish. He penetrated the small girl in front of him with his bisque ovals, who at that point could do nothing but remain frozen in place. Eventually, the glow dissipated, which gave her enough courage to speak.

“I...I don't know... what to-”

“Don't need to. I just need to find a place where I can ambush them. A place where I'll be at a constant advantage..” He said, pacing back and forth between the tree and a tree a few feet away. He began speaking about the need for a height advantage, maybe a barrier. Yes, a barrier was needed. Most definitely flammable substances.

“Uh, excuse me... Ballad?” Immy interrupted, her index finger bent towards the sky.

“What?”

“I.... I think I know of a place.. like that.”

“.......Show me.”