Chapter 25: Her vow
"Zero?" Leo asked, unsure if he was dreaming or she really sat there, right before him.
The person he had a feud with, as she let him behind, amid the horde of Goblins.
'If the Shaman haven't send his forces after her, I would not stand here.'
Cold, as he didn't want to be next to this person, he said:
"I see you escaped. Great for you."
Zero said nothing, only letting her head hanging, constructing her words into a sentence.
"I'm... my intention was..., nevermind. It's true, I left you in this dangerous moment."
She glanced at him, her inner conflict reflecting in her eyes.
"But I paid the price!"
She stood up, positioned herself before Leo and took of her mantle.
His mind went blank, not realizing the surreal sight in front of him.
He stammered, not believing what he saw.
"What happened to your-"
"My face?" she finished his sentence. Her voice cracked, tears welling up. But instead of crying, she just stood there, the salty drops of sadness and anger rolling down her cheeks.
Her eye on the right looking milky, as if she is blind. A big scar reached down from her ear, over the cheek down the jaw till her collarbone. The ear on that side was missing a piece, caving in on the top.
"How?" Leo pressed out. His anger dissipated, replaced by the shock.
'What was going on her side?'
Zero used her sleeve, brushing off the tears, but her eyes remained red. She began to tell her story, after she escaped and how the incident occurred.
"After I ran, that Bastard send his lackeys after me, nearly all leftover ones. The wound on my arm bled like crazy, attracting the horde wherever I hid.
Forgot to tell you their strong trait to track pray by smell.
I bandaged myself up, but the Goblins where on my tail, cutting of my escape route.
I manage to take out some of them with simple traps or distant attacks, but in the end they surrounded me.
I fought at the brink to death, defending myself. But in the end one of them managed to hit my face. The weapon was coated in a weak poison, normally that wouldn't work that well against me."
She clicked her tongue, a mocking smile adorned her scarred face. The reminder of that situation still making her twitch.
"You don't need to recount anymore! I see what happened, so I... I get it, you went through hell."
He tried to stop her, as the reminder was obviously painful.
She shook her head.
"I tell you this, as you have the right to feel anger, and I deserved punishment due to me breaking a unspoken rule among us. Do not abandoned your party."
She hold her waist, arms slung around it.
"After the poison took effect, my movements became slower and more uncontrolled. I escaped their encirclement, but many wounds gathered on my body, and my face got partly corroded by the poison. I managed to get treated in Sidida, but the potions there weren't enough to restore my damaged face."
She sniffed, holding back the urge to cry.
"But at least my other wounds are healed, and I can continue my work as an adventurer.
I have to," she said now, more to herself as to Leo," the debt from using the potions is high. The guys obviously used much more than needed, could have ignored the smaller cuts and concentrate on the lethal ones..."
She took a deep breather, looking deep into Leo's eyes. He returned it with a face full of astonishment and pity.
'Her consequences from that time seem much worse than mine. And when I think about it, her escape lured away all the lackeys, leaving only the Shaman. So without her, I may not have survived as I am now.", he realized.
He still felt conflicted, as a betrayal was still something major.
Zero fell to the floor, kneeling. Leo was surprised, and also flustered. Other adventurers already turned their head in their direction, interested in the story. Zero spoke not quiet about the events, earning many gazes of judgment.
"Stand up, or do you need a chair?" he asked her, nervous about what to do.
"No, I want to apologize."
"If you have still a deep grudge, I am willing to repay you, be it selling myself or using my body to redeem."
Her head lowered, she offered herself, making Leo feel out of place.
He froze, unsure what to do now. He heard her story, her regret and understood.
While not forgiving her, he did not hold a grudge as before. And now offered her everything, he got confused.
Zero waited, still on the ground. Other people around them followed the conversation, expecting Leo's decision.
"Can you stand up at least?" he requested.
She stood up slowly, focusing on the ground awaiting his solution.
He sighed, coming up with an idea.
"How about this: you continue with your live, doing missions or so. But when I request it, be it doing a mission, help me with something or just anything, you come with me, no questions asked."
"That's it? No punishment or punishing orders?" She inquired.
"Should I? You are of more use to me when helping me when I need it, and if I would restrain your freedom your mood would only fall and turn into hate."
Zero agreed, bowing her head and getting down on one knee. She recited his conditions, making it sound like a vow:
"I hereby pledge on my life to fulfill your every request, to every time on every day, till the day you release me from my vow."
Leo sat their perplexed, not knowing how to respond to that.
A seasoned looking adventurer with defined muscles and equipment that told a story came over to him, silently saying to him:
"You have to accept her vow, and tell her how long you intend to uphold it. Like the day you die or so. Don't be nervous, your solution is a good one, for both of you."
That guy hit Leo's back, leaving and letting behind his advice.
Now knowing what to do, he spoke:
"I accept your vow, to serve me when I need you, until the day I decide you redeemed yourself."
Surrounding People began to avert their eyes, some nodded and others let out voices of approval.
His demand seemed plausible and fair, considering the consequences they faced.
Finished, Zero stood back up, her lips straight but suppressing a smile.
Putting back on her mantle, she hid her face under the hood.
She took some fast steps, appeared besides Leo and whispered:
"My name is Aria, If you need me, I stay around an camping place, the right street from the east gate."
"Got it. I go to sleep here for a while, until I can afford a place to stay."
Then, Zero proposed to Leo something unexpected.
"How about staying at my place if you can't find a affordable shelter? It may only be a camping tent, but with your own sleeping bag there would be enough room for two."
Leo wanted to reject her first, as he felt that this is odd, two people with their relationship under one roof.
But he started soon to consider it.
'A house, Inn or even the right stuff to camp can be expensive, and saving up some money to buy essential items is a priority right now. Setting aside our sex, she is my comrade of sorts.'
What he did not think of, but knew inwardly was even if she was scarred, her body and proportions are still voluptuous, and her face has some beautiful features left, such as her remaining eye, full lips or fair skin.
"If the need ever arises, I will come and accept your offer." he said.
"My name is Leonardo, if we around ourselves please call me that."
She nodded, leaving the guild hurried.
Now left alone, Leo felt somehow lonely.
'Not being around people you're acquainted with is strange.' he felt.
He thought how to get to meet new people here and how to approach them.
As if answering him, a bit older guy went over. He said:
"Hi, my alias is Lanter, we overheard your discussion with the lady."
"We?" Leo raised an eyebrow, trying to spot his companions.
"My friends over there." he pointed towards an table, close to the center of the Guild.
"We are a party for a rather long time now, and went on some missions together.
Recently on of our Vanguards left us, and we need someone to fill that position."
'Again, someone completely foreign wants me in his group'
He swore himself to not make similar mistakes as last time with Zero. More questions, investigation and time.
"Why me?" Leo asked suspicious.
He observed that guy, not missing a detail. He had black hair, narrow chin and looked nimble, wearing armor that allowed him to move fast and on reflex. The green pupils shining, and the smile reliable.
"Before we disperse your suspicion, how about joining us. We came from a mission, about to treat us. You in?"
Feeling still somewhat hungry, Leo nodded. In a room full of people, with a meal cooked by the staff there should be barely a reason to refuse. He has to meet new people, even if just to find reliable partners for the future.
Following Lanter, he sat down on a empty chair. Two other people eyed him up, one covered in a dark brow hood, hiding her features, but not her well developed body. The other guy had longer, light brown hair, bound to a pony-tail, a scar over his nose and a strong jaw, his mouth seeming like he rarely smiled.
"That sinister looking guy is Bowe, our archer and tracker. Don't let his face confuse you, he is a nice person. Our beau-"
"I can introduce myself, Lanter." The sole girl interrupted him.
She looked at Leo, her now visible dark red eyes and blood red lips showing itself to Leo.
"Hello, I'm Angelica, or Angel if you want. My fighting style is blood magic."
As if waiting for a reaction, she stared at Leo.
'Is blood magic something special' he thought. From the name alone it sounded bad, but he had no idea, so he had no special reaction.
"No reaction? Nice, someone without prejudgment against dark arcane magic." Lanter commented.
"I use mainly a shortsword and by chance a shield, but are more of a jack-of-all. Our silent buddy uses a bow."
supporting him, Bowe lifted up his bow, a hunting bow to judge by its size.
They were shortly interrupted by a waitress, taking their orders. Having recently eaten, Leo only took a sandwich and water, the other three ordered more hearty stuff.
"Your turn to introduce you." said Angel, expectant looking at Leo.
"Before I do," Leo began, not convinced of their intentions," I would like to know why me. I now you search for a Vanguard, Lanter mentioned that. I never saw any of you, nor heard about your party."
Angel puffed her cheek, leaning back on her chair.
"Your suspicion coming from that girl before. But with an attitude like that you won't get far. To get betrayed, you first have to trust. Just be careful most of the time, and keep eyes on your back.
Not everyone is like that backstabber, some value comradeship."
"Why you," Lanter took over," you ask. For once, your handling of the situation back there was good, showing your humanly side. You could have sold her, and many would have done worse, for the other we are acquainted with Swift, and he told us how you supported the staff member Mary.
Summed up we know more about you as a person as from many other adventurers here, and in our party that is more important than experience. We need to trust each other."
"Just for that?" Leo probed.
Bowe answered by nodding, not fitting to his serious exterior.
Leo thought about it, and found some convincing points in their explanation.
But he learned, and honored Holo's advice to investigate people.
"I need some time."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone