"We were fleeing because of the mob." Cyrdic said, his face hard set and grim, just begging for the Justicar to try and harm Camilla or Eloise in his presence. The two men matched stares for many moments, before Cyrdic realized the Justicar's ego would add weight to his paranoia, and he wouldn't back down. With a force of will, the Ostlander calmed himself. 

"You were right." he admitted, standing down and lowering his weapon. Thaddeus seemed a bit surprised at such a proclamation, his brow narrowed and his visage suspicious. "What do you mean? Explain." 

"My friend, Karl. I came to see him. He..." Cyrdic had a hard time admitting such a thing. To admit something so heinous was against his Imperial sensibilities. "He has been touched by Chaos. He's received a vision in daylight, as you know. He fled to the North, close to Nordland. I served with him in the Nordland campaigns and I know the area where he goes. We are to find him and save him if we could. If we can't..." 

Eloise shivered, unable to bear the thought. The Justicar leveled his gaze at Cyrdic, trying to find an ulterior motive to his confession.

"But Eloise is guilty of nothing but a love for her brother. We're taking her to the next town so she isn't harmed. If you don't get out of our way, we'll kill you and everyone else that dare's try to stop us." 

The wolfish, bestial stare Cyrdic portrayed was brutal, but to the Justicar's credit, he did not flinch. In fact, after a moment he let out a light chuckle, as if the thought he could be killed by them was absurd. He saw the wisdom in not pushing his luck, however. "I could hang you for simply uttering those words." Thaddeus declared, though he sheathed his firearm as well. "But surprisingly, I believe you." 

The room didn't seem to relax, but the air had a marked drop in danger. "But I can't allow you to leave here without supervision." he said, giving all three of them a level stare. "And so I am going with you. To see his Majesty Karl Franz's will is done." 

[hr] 
[i]2 days later[/i]

The snow lazily drifted out of the sky, catching every fold of clothing or stray hair. Cyrdic's breath was visible, billowing out like an Imperial steam tank. Pulling his cloak around him tighter, he gazed at the wooded hills that led eastward. Thaddeus and Camilla stood next to him, having finished taking a small meal. It was this very morning they had dropped off Eloise in Velkanburg. The woman had given Cyrdic a necklace of Karl's, and she had given Camilla her hankerchief for good luck. 

"Lead the way." The Justicar ordered, questioning yet again why he chose to go on this venture out in the cold, where the beastmen roamed. For all of his bravado and steeled looks, Justicars were not in their element in such wilds. He had a hidden look of fear in his eyes. 

"It won't be long." Cyrdic said as they moved forward down the hillock. "If we keep moving, we'll be there before nightfall."