We left the library.

With our battle plans uncertain, but our blades at the ready to go on the warpath.

I had never killed a man before, but I remember Conrad when the night was pitch black, the wind didn’t dare make a sound, and he had just one too many. He would stare into the corner of the room with those eyes that say he never left those central highlands near Dak To.

And all he would say was…

"Jonny… I’m sorry."

I guess that had nothing to do with me, or killing it just entered my mind like an old song… I should have visited their grave one more time.

I may never be able to again…

None of that matters now; it's long past time to shift gears back to something that does. Celeste had made up her mind and decided to become a part of the Devils.

She told us the lord of this land wanted to speak to the band.

I didn’t much care; Lord, Fool, Devil, or Gods mattered none in the face of a madman.

But the band of Devil is a democracy, not a dictatorship, so I ask others for their opinion.

“You two okay with this?”

“Sure.”

The kid nodded.

“Then let's start walking.”

The man who was the lord was called Sir Albert the Third. The people held joy in their voices when talking about him.

Caesar would have been impressed at their loyalty.

Well, it looks like he doesn’t discriminate against people based on their class level. The huddled masses we brought in were being cared for by anyone with an open hand.

Caring for your fellow man shows empathy instead of saying anything about discrimination. I'm not even sure why it matters whether this man was ethical or moral; I don’t care about this world, I just have to answer John Brown's quest… his call for man to be unbound from the bonds of cages.

We were in front of this man’s gate when a man dressed in a grey suit jacket, white undershirt, pocket watch hanging out, and black top hat lying upon his head appeared.

He walked toward us with a cane, tapping with every step.

He couldn’t be older than twenty-nine.

Interesting.

This Sir Albert, whom everyone had such high praise for, he must be one of the reasons thinking all the youth are fools is a fool's idea.

“Hello, my friends, you must be the Band of the Devils; the adventurer's guide told me about you. I am truly thankful for the actions that you all took and for saving so many of my people.

You see, in the last few months, more and more residents have been disappearing, and we’ve been panicking, running everywhere trying to find them. These things would happen every few years, but I guess we were too incompetent to protect my own people.

So, I am truly grateful for you great heroes. Please, allow me to welcome you into my home, and if you need anything, never be shy to ask.”

“We aren’t heroes. We were looking for treasure and found these people. I didn’t even want to go into the encampment; the girl beside us, the one called Celeste, strong-armed us into it.”

“Oh, say what you want, good sir. But I see a man who risks his life and limb to save these people, and from my eyes I see no treasure falling out of your pockets, so it seems like you have goodwill, whatever you yourself may believe. I tell you something, and that is I can see within your future, and it seems like you will tear apart this world, but in the end, you'll make these wretched land better.”

“You're saying rather a lot; why not tell me how I die?”

“You may not believe me, but I can read people rather well, and you, my good man…”

This Albert man pointed his cane at my chest.

“You are a good man, but you dare not believe in this belief, so you try to rot away your beliefs, but you can never rot away your baseline ideals.”

He went over to an oak table and poured three drinks into three glasses.

One for himself.

One for me.

And one for Miyamoto.

“Young lady, how old are you?”

“I’m sixteen, sir.”

“Then she doesn’t drink.”

“V, I can drink if I want to.”

“Not if you want to be part of the Devil. You have to be eighteen; then you can do whatever you damn well please, but until then, no booze.”

“V, I have known you for less than a day, but for that whole time you have been drunk.”

“If you’re using me as an example for anything, then you're screwed.”

“Please, Mr. V, Miss Celeste, stop fighting. It's only a single celebratory drink; let the young lady join us just once.”

“Fine, do whatever the hell you want.”

Albert poured Celeste a drink.

I’m not her dad; why should I give a shit what she does?

“Cheers to the heroes who saved the lives of many.”

I didn’t live; all those poor bastards will never feel saved; they will be hunted till their dying days, tortured by the horror of reality.

Albert raised his glass.

I just throw it into my throat.

The booze went down without a fight.

I’m thankful for that.

I don’t think I have any fight left in me right now.

While Albert poured Miyamoto, himself, and me another round, leaving Celeste out this time, I took a look around the room.

The study we stood in was lined with bookcases. And a desk in front of us was made of ironwood and was around fifty inches wide and twenty-nine inches high.

A small portrait laid on the table of two young men.

One looks like Albert.

The other had a crown upon their head.

“I have a question for you, Sir Albert: do you know any craftsman who can make something like this?”

I threw one of my bullets at him. May as well get some that isn’t booze and compliments out of this.

He studied the bullet, infatuated with the design, and then passed the round back.

“I do believe that a dwarf named Thorin would be able to successfully reproduce something like this. His place of work is in the royal capital.”

I take a drink from my cup and ask him one last question.

“What is your opinion about the slave trade in this country?”

The tension in the room grew rather tense.

Sir Albert took a long drink.

His eyes looked around, he walked over to the open door and closed it.

And came right next to my ear.

“I find it fucking disgusting and disgraceful that this country still has such a thing.”

I guess this guy isn’t half bad.

He walked back from my ear and smiled.

“Well, I don’t want to waste any more of your time. I hope you luck on your adventure, and before you leave, I would never forgive myself if I didn’t reward you, brave heroes, with rewards.

He gave me three things.

The first was a bag dense with coins.

The second was a map (the paper was old and had that ancient smell).

And the third item was three Oni-looking masks.

There was a magic surrounding the Oni masks. It wasn’t the blue that surrounded Celeste, more of a deep red, and a note was tucked into each of them.

“I hope you understand what these are for, my good man.”

I shook Albert's hand, and I told the Devils it was time to leave.

Now, our mission was as clear as the glasses we drink out of.

“Safe journey, my friends,” Albert said to us as we left.

When we made it to the gates of Albert's house, I looked back and saw Albert looking at us.

Raising a glass to us.

“V, I know you will reveal the evil of this country; I just hope that we will not curse you for doing the job that we should have done long ago.

Cheers to you, Band of the Devils.”

"Here's to you, Nicola and Bart

Rest forever here in our hearts

The last and final moment is yours

That agony is your triumph." — Here's To You by Ennio Morricone and Joan Baez.