"Keep it up, boys!" Decus shouted at the men sparring in front of him.Unlike them, Decus had a pleasant time alone, away from the scorching sun above. He lay down without care under his griffin's wing, with one hand lazily supporting his head.His droopy eyes, seconds away from finding sleep, would awaken when a familiar figure approached from a tree not too far from the camp."Spes!"The approaching young man turned his head towards Decus upon hearing the familiar voice."Come over! I've got enough shade for two here!"Spes headed towards his older companion, accepting the welcoming offer, but his steps would halt so soon."You good?" Decus raised an eyebrow curiously. What would keep someone away from such luxurious shade?"N-nothing. It's just this heat." Spes took a seat next to Decus as he awkwardly crossed and uncrossed his legs—movements that did not go unnoticed by Decus's eyes."So… I heard you got quite the beating from the captain. How are you faring so far?" Decus slightly wrinkled his brows."I feel fine..." Spes said as he instinctively touched his chest, right where Crystal had given her last attack."Huh?" Decus's eyes widened in surprise. He moved those same eyes towards Spes and analyzed him from head to toe."Not a single bruise…" he whispered with the same enthusiasm as earlier."W-what's wrong?" Spes asked as he fidgeted under Decus's stare."You should be totally in pain, recovering in your tent right now! Yet here you are, sitting as if nothing happened!" Decus kept on staring at him with disbelief, especially after noticing Spes's physical condition."The captain surely held back, and there were the Medicus's ointments." Spes awkwardly scratched his hair while wondering what the big fuss was."The captain holding back?" Decus chuckled at the thought of it. In his mind, never in a hundred years would that ice-cold girl hold back."So she always goes all out?" he asked, deciding to inquire about whatever was troubling Decus."No mercy! Even for the weak!" Decus puffed his chest while speaking in a deep voice."The general would always take out that one sentence as he tossed Crystal around during their training." Decus chuckled as something similar was occurring at the side of his eyes. One of his men was sent flying from a kick from Crystal—another easy spar on her part."Literally what happened to me…" Spes silently offered the fallen knight his best wishes, as he knew well how it felt to get thrown like that."Vice Captain Decus!" Crystal coldly gazed in their direction after finishing off her sparring partner.She gave them a look that was as cold as ice and as sharp as a needle—one that literally sent shivers down Spes's spine."I'm just resting a bit, Captain! Will join you guys soon!" Decus just waved at her with a smile on his face.Crystal sneered in response before turning towards another inquisitor. Screams of pain would soon follow as another man easily met defeat."Unfortunately, duty calls." Decus reluctantly stood up from his comfort zone. He didn't want to anger his captain any further."I definitely won't miss your next training session. Later then!" Decus gave Spes a pat on the shoulder before running towards his men.With his owner gone, the griffin grunted and also left the area, heading towards the griffin's resting zone.Spes was left there, sitting alone with his eyes squinted from the glare of the sun. He turned his head towards the tree offering the perfect shade, pondering whether he should just return there. The temptation to do so was stronger when he could hear Vota's snores from where he stood."Going back there would make me look like a quitter…" Spes put the sweet thoughts of comfort aside as he decided to continue on his side-quest."The only information I got on the Captain was that it was her dad that was training her…"Spes wished he could inquire more on the matter of Crystal's weaknesses, but alas, the conversation was more focused on him. He couldn't find the right moment to ask Decus about it.With Decus gone, he now had the choice to either find another person to question or just downright stalk the captain's every movement. Spes immediately shook his head, removing any ideas of the latter when he pictured himself getting caught tailing the captain.That left him with the only option of searching for someone acquainted well enough to know something about Crystal. Spes tapped his foot constantly while trying to think of the right possible person.After a while, his eyes brightened, quickly rushing towards the person he had in mind. Once he arrived in front of the tent, he was greeted by the smell of heavy alcohol upon entry."Scram, you're disturbing my peace!" an old man shouted as he waved a bottle around, spilling some of its contents in the process.Spes slightly took a step back upon being yelled at."Don't back off now, Spes. You can't keep being so weak!" Spes quickly took over his flight instincts by mustering his courage and kept that one leg from going back any further."I-I just have a few questions, Sir Medicus." He spoke quickly, not wanting to stay too long in the alcohol-reeking tent."This brat!" As the old man stood up from his chair to kick Spes out, he slightly paused when he saw the face Spes was giving him.The Medicus sighed before slowly going back to his seat. He let go of his drink and instead slightly caressed a silver bracelet on his arm while staring at Spes with a weird light in his eyes."What do you want, brat? You're obviously not hurt," the Medicus asked as he removed his hand from the bracelet, instead going for the bottle.A bright smile immediately bloomed on Spes's face once the Medicus considered him."I want to beat the captain!"The young man would soon regret his choice of wording, as the Medicus hysterically laughed at Spes, spilling his drink all over the floor.
