“The waters of Arteria have always held untold mysteries. A vast, blue, well charted expanse to the horizon. Yet when we delve deeper downwards, all we find is a murky, ancient place, grand beyond our understanding. A realm yet untouched by the machinations of men or demons. A realm ruled by Euthymia, the lady of the oceans, unchallenged and supreme. Is she waiting for us to explore? Or keeping it sealed from our corrupting influence? Only the Goddess can answer that.”


    - Oceanographer Silva Chartel, Pathfinders Guild, “Explorations Into the Deep Blue Abyss”


    <hr><hr>


    There was a sense of amusement that flashed between the two of them and an exasperated looking Aryana who had come to send them off. Sophie had originally intended to have Ary pick her outfit for the day. Yet seeing how exhausted her partner was when she returned from the library, they instead elected to have a shower together before relaxing in a nice cozy embrace for bedtime.


    So it was, then when she arrived at the Academy gates ready for the carriage into Larusport for the day. That she had chosen her own outfit. A simple long-sleeved green tunic, her academy issue jacket, brown woolen pants, and her boots. Unfortunately for her, Sophia had her own matching outfit, making the two of them nearly indistinguishable aside from the way they did their hair.


    Sophie knew that Ary could tell who was who. Though the poor girl found herself tongue-tied multiple times mid sentence trying to figure them out.


    “It’s fine. I’ll keep her safe.” Sophia boasted.


    “That’s not the point. I just want to make sure you’re both back in one piece. That includes you, Sophie.” The redhead grumbled as she rounded on her.


    Sophie held up her hands in surrender, before reaching out for a hearty embrace. To which the girl tenderly returned. Their scents intermingling amongst the cold autumn winds. They traded a quick kiss before separating, much to Sophia’s annoyance as her twin rolled her eyes and feigned disgust.


    “Take care of yourselves, alright?” Ary asked.


    “I will, and you too, Ary. You need to watch out for yourself.”


    “Pfft, I’ll be fine. I just study and laze around all day.”


    “C’mon lovebirds, we’ll miss the carriage, let’s go.” Sophia interrupted, making a mock gagging noise.


    It was Sophie’s turn to roll her eyes, but she smiled nonetheless.


    “Go on now, see you two soon.” Ary waved goodbye.


    The two returned her gesture before boarding the carriage bound for Larusport.


    With a jolt, the carriage began moving as the last of its passengers entered. The two found themselves face to face with two well dressed noble children. The duo opposite them were unable to hide their own stares as they examined the twins before them. Perhaps finding herself in a more cheery mood than expected, it was Sophia who spoke first instead of Sophie.


    “See something interesting? Sophia asked the two.


    The nobles looked immediately flustered and tried to turn their gazes away. But even they knew, it was too late. Unable to evade any longer, the first of the two replied.


    “Uhm, sorry. You both just look, uhh, very similar.” The girl bumbled out.


    Sophie stifled a laugh, remaining relatively polite. But Sophia let out a snicker.


    “No worries. We just had a… unfortunate case of being a little too similar in our fashion tastes.”  She chuckled.


    “Pardon my sister. She’s a… bit of a jester.” Sophie reassured the two.


    “Oh, no worries. It happens to us too, though less on the fashion end and more on tastes and hobbies. This here is my brother Alvor, and I’m Aleta. Pleased to meet you two.”  The noble lady dipped her head politely.


    Sensing the shifting atmosphere to one more friendly, Sophie did the same and introduced herself.


    “My name is Sophie Kastiane. And this is Sophia, my twin.” She bowed.


    “Sophie? You’re an elf aren’t you?” The nobleman, Alvor, asked.


    “Alvor! You can’t be so direct!” Aleta protested.


    “It’s fine. These two seem the type to be direct.” He snorted.


    “We are, but a little tact wouldn’t be remiss.” Sophie joked.


    The boy let out a dry chuckle.


    “But we are half elves, to be specific.” Sophia added.


    The duo nodded together to the nobles, as if doubly certain of the fact.


    “Half elves huh? Say, do you happen to know someone called Evaline?” Alvor leaned in conspiratorially.


    Aleta’s eyes flashed in alarm, but Sophie noticed how she didn’t stop her brother. Her ears were tinted pink in embarrassment at his forthrightness, yet she too, was curious.


    Perhaps even more curious however, was Sophie herself. They had mentioned Eva’s first name, and she wondered if they were talking about the one she knew.


    “Evaline Rosengart?” Sophie queried.


    “That’s the one! Ah! So it is you! The maid!” Alvor exclaimed excitedly, proud of his own deduction skills as pointed at them, “See! I knew it!”


    “Alvor! Don’t just point! That’s rude!” Aleta chided.


    “Sorry. Sorry.” He groaned.


    “You two know Eva?” Sophie pressed.


    “That’s right. Aleta and Alvor Gossliger, at your service. Friends of Lady Rosengart as well. Well, currently former Lady Rosengart.” Alvor dropped his voice.


    “Ah… so she’s told you two. That means you know her well right? I… I apologize if I don’t remember you two well. A lot’s happened since I got here.” Sophie admitted.


    “Hah. No worries as my sister likes to say.” Alvor chortled.


    “Hey!” Aleta punched his shoulder.


    “Ow! Hey! But we have heard of your name. Be hard not to. You’ve turned Arteria upside down! Practically a living legend.” Alvor ignored his sister.


    Sophia nudged Sophie in the side, a look of unsubtle amusement tinted with a hint of pride.


    “Nothing of the sort.” Sophie shook her head, “Just played my part in things. It was through everyone’s efforts, including that of my sisters, that actually changed anything. But about Eva…”


    “Ah, right.” Alvor suddenly looked away, his sister doing much the same.


    “We were there when… the whole fiasco went down back in Neun Carad.” Aleta took over, “Watched the Meltonian king call… well, call you out.” Her eyes widened as she just seemed to connect the dots.


    Even Alvor was a bit taken aback, his mouth shaped like an ‘o’ as realization dawned upon him as well.


    “That’s you then… wow.”


    “Please. My sister’s not that special. She’s just a bit hardier than you’d give her credit for.” Sophia teased.


    Sophie shook her head in disbelief at the girl’s attempt to ruin the moment. Yet found herself strangely smiling. Sophia was trying, that much was clear. Hopefully it also meant she was healing, and for that, Sophie would support her all the way.


    “Perhaps.” Aleta chuckled, “But she did cause Lady Rosengart to be ousted, however temporary the suspension.”


    “Aye. What a mess that was. At least she went out with style though.” Alvor whistled.


    “How so?” Sophie asked.


    “Let everyone know at the last moment that she was an outlander. Always knew she was different, but uh to clarify, rather, had Prince Frederick deliver the news at a convention of nobles. Apparently, the Grand Dukes were fuming that they had a saint under their noses and it didn’t help that Frederick emphasized how she was also the teacher for this generation of saints and saintesses.” He chortled.


    “Goddess above, that was a mess, wasn’t it?”


    “How’d they react?” Sophie leaned in. This was about Eva and home, she was completely enraptured in trying to learn more.


    The Gossliger siblings looked at each other, hints of amusement and disbelief on their faces


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    “Grand Duke Allrick was beyond himself. He has always been the most religious of the four Grand Dukes, this was like a personal affront to him. He even threatened the Rosengarts with charges of sedition for concealing a saint. That set the whole council ablaze with anger and dissension at having banished one of their diplomatic trump cards for a year. Grand Duke Platts was perhaps the most understanding of the big four and helped Frederick step in to remind everyone that Lady Evaline basically held all the cards. She could leave her family, and the kingdom, and turn the entire generation of outlander saints against them. That quieted the room quickly enough.” Aleta recounted the story, the girl going through a series of emotions as she did so.


    Sophie allowed herself a small, proud, smile. She didn’t know how Eva could stir up so much trouble, but she was happy her mistress took charge and stood her ground. Even defended her when the Meltonian had gone calling. Eva definitely left out a few details when telling me, heh.


    “For a solid week, it was like the court had gone into depression. The mood was so bleak.” Alvor added.


    “Hah. Serves you and Kiran right for doubting well… you.” Aleta gestured at Sophie.


    Alvor cringed a little and sighed, “My bad uhh, Miss Kastiane. A few of us talked about how it was bad to be so focused on a servant, an elf one at that. But we got proven wrong in the end, huh?”


    “That’s right you did. Turns out Lady Rosengart was just out cultivating exceptional talent all around.” Aleta huffed triumphantly.


    The group shared a few more stories and laughs until the carriage came to a halt in Larusport. Though they had gotten ready to bid their farewells, upon learning that everyone was city bound, they decided to spend a little more time getting to know each other on the ferry ride across. Sophie was happy, Sophia seemed to genuinely enjoy the little interaction they were having with the Gossliger siblings, the girl seemingly finally letting her guard down. It was a small win in Sophie’s eyes, but it was a win.


    <hr><hr>


    Alighting from the ferry had seen Sophia leave with a kind smile on her face. It was one that Sophie found amusing, for it seemed so familiar yet so alien at the same time. Is that what I look like when I smile? She wondered,


    The two had bid their goodbyes with the Gossliger siblings who had their own arrangements to attend to within the city. That left the two of them with the two different tasks at hand. To inquire after Sir Taurox, and of Arnold. With little discussion necessary, they settled on the more pleasant of options and opted to head towards Castle Clover.


    Amidst the chaos that had swallowed the southern sections of Arteria that fateful day. Castle Clover and most of the dwarven districts had been spared, as had the museum and much of the more well off areas. Only the portside closest to the Braveskull company offices were most affected by the mana bomb. Even now, many houses remained flattened and reconstruction had only just begun in earnest.


    It was sobering to walk past the countless discarded husks of buildings as they got closer to Castle Clover. For Sophie, it was a reminder of the failures of that day. Judging by Sophia’s expression, for her, it was likely a warning to the scars of the past. Either way, despite the hustle and bustle having returned the streets to some form of normalcy, neither of them wished to remain for long.


    So they pushed on ahead, past the remnants of Saint Emeline Plaza, and onto the main thoroughfare where Castle Clover dominated the skyline. Rising above the townhouses and mansions around it, the fortified keep had countless battlements and towers guarding the approaches. Either made with blackstone or dyed a deep black, the imposing fortress also kept Arteria safe, its intimidating presence juxtaposed with the liveliness around it. The security that the locals found in its existence.


    Sophie cast a questioning look towards her sister, but Sophia just shook her head. It might be awkward but it was too late for them to back out now. She wasn’t the only one questioning her intentions, they had already attracted the attention of some of the legion standing on guard. Men and women on the walls, making small gestures at their approach. Down below at the portcullis, two watchmen stood at the ready, holding their weapons just that much closer to themselves in anticipation of their approach.


    “Halt! You are approaching territory administered by the Clover Legion. Please remain at a distance and state your name and your purpose.” One of the guards called out.


    This seemed to be a rallying cry of sorts. As the lackadaisical watchers on the walls stood a little more attentively, their eyes casting a net over the surrounding area as they examined it for threats.


    “My name is Sophie Kastiane and this is my sister. We’re here to visit Captain Urden. Is he around?” Sophie answered.


    This seemed to stir the guards as they all began examining her with more care. A few breaking off into whispers. Her name had evidently been passed around and did not go unnoticed. She only hoped that it was sympathy and support that she elicited rather than infamy.


    “And why are you here for the good captain?” The guard asked.


    “We just want to check up on him as well as to ask a few questions about what happened.” Sophie informed them.


    It was both the truth and a lie. There was an element of truth to the fact that she was curious about how the captain fared. But she was mostly here for Sir Taurox’s whereabouts.


    This kicked up a frenzy of discussion amongst the soldiers. The legionnaires trying to find some sort of unspoken consensus about her, only to fail.


    “Please wait there.” The guard called out to her.


    She nodded, hoping he had seen the gesture.


    The soldiers whispered amongst themselves until one of the legion troopers ran off in the direction of the rest of the castle.


    Sophie did not know if it was for security reasons or if she was just that much of a concern, but the guards have opted to settle on the middle option. To neither drive them away, nor allow them entry. Rather, they seemed to have gone to fetch the captain themselves and let him sort it out.


    A few of the legion soldiers did shoot her some encouraging nods. Giving their silent support of the actions she had taken in the name of saving lives and keeping the city safe. A few others look vaguely concerned by her, though none made a move to voice any sense of displeasure. Most however, remained bound to their duty, and stared on without showing their judgement of her.


    “Quite the frosty reception.” Sophia let out a dry chuckle.


    “The council must’ve sent word to be wary of us.


    “You, specifically.” Sophia corrected.


    “Us, considering we’re twins and you look practically indistinguishable.”


    Sophia muttered something under her breath yet still looked somewhat pleased. The longer she spent with her sister, the less Sophie felt that she knew her. Conversely, she still felt their bond deepening despite the teasing and jabs they had taken at each other. And that brought her a modicum of comfort.


    There was a small lull as neither side made any moves. Sophie and Sophia kept staring at the area around them, both wary of potential ambushes and unwelcome eyes. The legion meanwhile, was staffed by more full time professional soldiers similar to the Trinity guards rather than half duty Redcloaks. This meant that while they were clearly somewhat curious about the duo that appeared before them, none of them broke the silence or moved even an inch from their posts. Simply keeping an eye on them like a hawk.


    They waited for a few minutes longer until a soldier emerged from a side door and whispered to the gate guard. The man who had originally addressed them now tapping his polearm on the ground to regain their attention.


    “Please head into this annex. Keep your hands away from any weapons. Entry into the castle is not permitted but you’ll be able to meet here.” He announced.


    Sophie bowed her head, taking the chance to practice the movements she did with Lucinia.


    “Thank you.” She told him before gesturing to Sophia to follow.


    The soldier grunted in response and the duo were led into a gloomy looking watchtower. Sconces and banners of the legion decorated the walls as two small rooms were located on the first floor. Judging by the iron bar across one of them, Sophie could guess that it was a detention center with the other being a likely interrogation room.


    Her assumption was only proven half-correct as another legionnaire opened it to reveal a small administrative office, an unknown legion officer sitting down while Captain Urden stood at attention beside him. The senior looking officer, adorned with medals, rosaries and an insignia of the legion across his chestpiece, waved at the guards. The soldiers who were escorting them ushered them in as the door closed from behind.


    “You have business with the captain?” The older commander asked, his demeanor quite relaxed as he leaned back in his chair.


    “Yessir.” Sophie bobbed her head, “We’ll only take a moment of his time. Sir Urden.”


    “Miss Kastiane.” Captain Urden acknowledged before taking a proper glance at her companion, “Uhh, and this is?”


    “I’m Sophia. Her twin.” Sophia stated it as fact.


    Sophie nodded in agreement.


    “Well I’ll be damned, the girl has a double.” The commander interrupted, an amused smirk on his face, “You know, the merchants ain’t with you after the stunts you’ve pulled.” He addressed Sophie.


    She stood her ground, not reacting beyond a grunt of affirmation. She could tell that the commander was studying her, trying to determine if she would be a threat to the city or not. He motioned for the captain to continue, the soldier responding with a snappy salute before facing the duo.


    “What brings you here today, Miss Kastiane?” He asked.


    “Right. We were wondering if you guys kept track of the Arterian Rangers.” Sophie answered him.


    “The rangers?”  The captain seemed a little confused before glancing at the commander.


    The older soldier just shrugged, almost as if he was trying to see how the captain would perform in such a situation.


    “Why?” Captain Urden posed another question.


    Sophia glanced at Sophie, the look in her questioning the trustworthiness of the people in front of them. For they might’ve been Sophie’s comrades during the battle of Arteria. But as the Trinite’s have shown, the city’s orders still took precedence, and they both would assume that much was the same for the legion. Given that Sophie has had less than stellar relations with the city’s leaders, it would make sense that the legion would report back to them and cause trouble down the road.


    But it was her gamble to make, and she shot Sophia a confident smile, temporarily quelling any burning questions within her counterpart.


    “We’re looking for Sir Taurox. The minotaur that I was with a few months ago during the raid on the Kolonia. He was sent to aid the rangers as recompense for breaking the law. We haven’t kept track of where he went and I would like to ask for his help for a day.” Sophie admitted, “So I figured the group most likely to keep track of their whereabouts would be the legion.”


    This brought some pause to the two soldiers. And they made an apologetic gesture as they whispered amongst themselves for a second. Yet it was barely a discussion. A muttered word or two, then the commander looked up at the captain.


    “She has honor, at least. I don’t think she’s out to cause trouble.” Captain Urden told his superior.


    The older warrior snorted, half amused, half dismissive. But he pointed at a nearby shelf nonetheless. Taking the hint, the captain moved to grab whatever it was the captain had indicated. He then flipped through a few loose files until a sheaf of paper seemed to catch his attention.


    “As thanks for your aid during the most recent crisis. I can at least tell you this much.” Captain Urden scanned the page.


    The duo waited eagerly for a scrap of information.


    “A ranger unit was dispatched to quell some unnatural creatures near Brightfields alongside a guard detachment with legionnaires. They should be done by tomorrow if you head out today.” He told them.


    Sophie felt surprised that he had just volunteered the information so freely.


    “Like I said, despite the trouble you’ve caused and the ruckus you’re causing. You’ve done this city a great service and it''s only fitting to repay you. However, the legion will not aid you in breaking his contract. That is between you, him, and the council.”


    Amazed that they actually had some workable information. Sophie bowed first before Sophia soon followed after.


    “Thank you, really, Sir Urden.” Sophie showed her gratitude.


    “Just stay out of trouble.” The commander answered for the captain, “Now if there isn’t anything else. The good captain and myself still have our own affairs to attend to.”


    That was about as clear of a dismissal as they could get. The duo quickly turned around and bid the officers goodbye. It felt surreal that their task had been so simply accomplished and likewise so straightforwardly fulfilled given everything that had happened. Perhaps that was why, as they left, Sophie felt an uneasy tingle in her stomach.