Alistair: “Yo.”

As Roy awoke, the first thing to greet him was Alistair’s voice. He found himself on the floor, slumped against the wall; Alistair was seated on a slab of rock in front of him, elbow resting on his sword, its blade jabbed into the ground. Loid and Jacqueline flanked him on either side, the former holding his spear at the ready, the latter holding a soundly-sleeping Jackie in one arm, her other hand resting on the hilt of her dagger.

Alistair: “Welcome back to the land of the living, jackass. Ya mind answerin’ a few things for us?”

Roy narrowed his eyes, glaring up at Alistair and eyeing the bloodsoaked bandages that now coiled around his legs, shoulders, and torso. At that, Alistair waved his free hand with a flourish and spoke with a snide smile,

Alistair: “Were ya hopin’ I’d died? Or maybe just that I’d gotten it a little worse?” He paused momentarily, then threw his hand out to the side as if discarding the idea, swiftly returning to the previous topic. “No distractions, now. If ya don’t wanna cooperate, I could always leave ya outside with your friend as Carrion chow.”

After grumbling for a moment, Roy spat to the side. “You think I’m dumb?” Jacqueline made a show of visibly snickering at that remark, but Roy ignored her. “Why would I tell you anything just for you to kill me after?”

Alistair: “Because you’re one very lucky man, Roy.” Alistair leaned forward, “I happen to have a lot of respect for Roche, and I’d hate to make him and the others wake up to find you missing and dead. I’d hate even more if they came looking for ya and figured out we did it. So, I’m considerin’ letting ya go, so long as ya can prove y’ain’t as much of a danger to them as y’are to us. Understand?”

Roy grit his teeth, but nodded. “Fine, damn it.”

Alistair: “Good. Now, I’m guessin’ it’s no coincidence that monster showed up right as you were attackin’ us? Not like ya denied it bein’ your friend.”

Roy grumbled, and Alistair continued without even receiving a reply, “I gotta know, just what possibly drove you to betray your own kind for a damned Feracule? Y’ain’t really that dumb, are ya?”

Roy: “Of course not!” Roy snapped, growling at Alistair. “It… put me in a difficult spot. This was the only way to protect my family!”

Jacqueline: “So that thing’s what you actually saw earlier, huh?”

Roy shot a sidelong glare, but Alistair interfered before he could snap at her,

Alistair: “Guess I’ll skip past the fact ya don’t consider us part of that family. So, what? You agreed to feed us to it thinkin’ it’d spare ya?” Roy paused in momentary silence, at which Alistair slapped a hand over his own face, rubbing his temple. “Ya damn fool. It would’ve killed ya right after.”

Roy: “Well, what was I meant to do!? Let it—“

Alistair: “Ya were meant to tell all of us about it, dumbass!” He stood, lifting his sword with him and pointing it down at Roy, causing the red-haired man to jump. “We would’ve killed it before we split up! D’ya honestly think this was the best option!?”

Roy stammered, and it was Jacqueline who responded in his place, closing one eye and holding out an open palm as she spoke matter-of-factly,

Jacqueline: “Of course not. He just wanted a convenient excuse to come get us killed. You should’ve heard the way he rambled on earlier, Al.”

Roy: “Shut it!”

Jacqueline: “Yeah, it was just like that, but less coherent and with more swearing.”

Alistair sat back down with a sigh as the two bickered, Jacqueline standing and turning to walk away from the group.

Roy: “Tch, how’s your back, woman?”

Jacqueline: “Perfectly fine, actually.” Taunting him further with a smirk, she twirled around slowly, showing she had no wound at all, merely a torn shirt. “Oh, what’s this? Is little Roy upset his attack didn’t land? Gonna ask how I did it?” She then turned to face him, scoffing with a hand covering her mouth.

Alistair: “Don’t go and instigate him again.” Alistair replied dryly, keeping his gaze focused on Roy. “Alright, get up. I want ya out of my sight.”

Roy: “Th-then, that means..?”

Alistair: “Aye, we’ll let ya go. Your weapons are a ways down the road, but…”

As Roy shakily stood, bracing against the wall behind him, Alistair trailed off, tapping his chin in thought. “Well, I was thinkin’ while ya were out. I don’t want ya turnin’ right around an’ attackin’ us again. Can’t say I trust ya not to be a danger to the others, either.”

As Alistair narrowed his eyes to a sharp glare, Roy’s own eyes widened as he began to stutter. “I-I won’t, damn it! I’m heading right back, so—“

Alistair: “Hold it just a second. I need insurance ya won’t cause trouble again, and for that matter, I really don’t think you’ve suffered enough for what ya tried to pull.”

Roy: “F-fine, I’ll give you your damn insurance! Just—wh-what is it!? Take it and—“

Alistair slowly stood as Roy stumbled through his words. He eyed the man for another moment before drawing his sword, holding it out in front of Roy.

Roy: “O-oi! The hell do you think you’re—“

Alistair: “Your hand.”

As Roy stumbled back against the wall in alarm, Alistair replied calmly, gesturing with his sword. “That’s my insurance. I want one of your hands.”

Roy: “Wha—You—Y-you think I’d agree to that!?”

Alistair: “What’s this? Ya think I’m bein’ unreasonable?” Alistair began to scratch his chin with his free hand, “I mean, ya did try to kill all four of us, so I think lettin’ ya live at all’s already a huge favor. I’m also doin’ ya the kindness of not telling your dear brother what you did tonight…”

Speaking with a dramatic flair, he pretended to ponder the issue, giving Roy a sidelong glare as he shifted to the side. “Man, I really did think it was a good deal. But, if ya refuse… guess we gotta go with Carrion chow.”

Roy: “W-wait, damn it! Wait!”

Alistair: “Oh? Ya willin’ to reconsider?”

Roy: “I am! I am, so…”

Roy returned Alistair’s glare with gritted teeth, furiously glancing to either side. Finally making his decision, he gulped and took a deep breath.

He leapt to the side, sprinting towards the destroyed wall of the ruin.

Pain shot up his legs and throughout his body, but he didn’t care. With thunderous step after step, he surged forward into the night, into freedom, into—the ground. His legs gave out beneath him, and he crashed into the mud with a pained grunt.

Alistair: “Ya really ain’t a good negotiator, huh?”

Hearing Alistair’s snide voice behind him, Roy forced his body forward, reaching out a hand to claw at the mud and lift his head. As he did, a looming shadow entered his view—no, a great corpse. As his eyes adjusted, he came to realize he was right in front of the massive, deflated corpse of the Feracule, already abuzz with the fist-sized beetles that consumed everything that died in the wasteland.

He couldn’t help but let out a startled yelp, throwing his body backwards and into a sitting position. As he did, the back of his head struck a pair of legs behind him.

Alistair: “Ya done running?”

Roy’s voice trembled, rising from a croak to a wail. Mustering all the strength he could, he suddenly surged up to his feet, twisting his body around to swing at Alistair with a furious punch.

As if it were the most natural motion he’d ever taken, Alistair simply stepped back, flicking his sword in front of him. Roy’s vision momentarily turned white with searing pain, and he heard a soft thud as his own hand fell to the ground in front of him.

A moment passed in silence except for Roy’s pounding heartbeat, and then he erupted into a cry of pain.

Alistair: “Whoops. Sorry, buddy—ya startled me.” With a dry, almost humorous tone, he looked down upon Roy without remorse. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew an old cloth and suddenly shoved it into Roy’s mouth, forcefully muting him. “Now, quiet down, will ya? I’m a man of my word, and ya did pay your dues. If ya come inside, I’ll have Loid stop the bleedin’, and then ya can get the hell away from us.”

With that, he turned, taking a few steps back toward the ruin before stopping to glance back at Roy with a grim smile, “’Course, it’s up to ya to think of a convincing lie. I’m sure Roche’ll be very interested to hear how ya lost an arm tonight.”