Haze glanced at them, particularly focused on Ghent and Kade which to him, seemed as though they were yet to say what they were thinking.
"Killing, huh?" Ewald finally muttered staring at the rippling water.
Saying that forced everyone into some sort of pensive silence. It wasn't something they could avoid even if they wanted to. Thinking about something like that would put them in a much more greater agony knowing how little control they had over their own lives.
Not being one to sulk for long, Mark leaned forward. "Not like they're good people anyway. There are kids... families in Heichi, innocent ones!" He exhaled sharply. "People like this Möglich dude and his crew? They've probably done worse than we can imagine."
"Certainly, they might have," Kade added. "If we aren't careful enough, we might become victims of theirs. I have heard about Fushens from the Dunkelheim. Wouldn't say they're normal. A lot of messed up shit goes on there. That's why I'd say we need to know our strengths, what we're really good at. Might help us come up with a better plan."
Haze turned to Kade with a subtle smile. [He's better at this than I am. What great pep talk.]
Taking a moment to gauge their reactions. No one seemed opposed to Kade's suggestion. They had thoughts, sure, but none of them spoke against it. He held back his own words, waiting for someone to object, maybe.
"Aside from being quick, I'm not too bad at noticing things," Jingo admitted reluctantly. "But I wouldn't call it a specialty or anything."
"It would be a pain if everyone relied on me for detection, especially over long distances. But hey, I'll do my best." Mark said smiling with a bit of confidence.
"I hate being sneaky," Ghent muttered, clearly holding something back. "But if I have to, I will."
"If things get too rough, I'll take over. Is that good with you, Haze?" Ewald asked.
Haze gave a small nod, taking mental note of their responses.
"Long-range attacks," Kade added. "If we need to take them down fast, I'll cover that."
"Okay, we will pair up with that in mind," Kade added. "If it gets too much for any group, retreat and regroup. I think we've got this."
"Oh, and one more thing," Mark adjusted his position slightly. "If anyone gets any funny ideas out there, like deciding this ain't worth it, I'd like to remind you that we're all dead if even one of us backs out. And if that happens.." he discontinued letting it sink in a bit.
×××
"That was a really nice bath. Nice of them to show us that level of kindness," Jingo said trailing behind the group.
Reaching the door, Haze twisted the knob, and a low creak followed as it swung open. Stepping inside, he couldn't help but smile.
"Woahhh," Mark exhaled as he stepped in.
"All this for what exactly? They trying to mock us?" Ghent barked, clearly irritated.
Jingo, on the other hand, didn't waste a second. He walked straight to the table where bread and meat were laid out and started eating without hesitation.
"Jingo! What do you think you're doing?" Ghent asked, his tone sharp with concern.
"What? I'm hungry. Aren't you?" Jingo said through a mouthful of food. "We haven't had anything this good in a long while. Come on, join me."
Mark sighed. "I don't see why not," he said, stepping forward, already reaching for some bread.
"It's been two days… we finally get some food," Ewald muttered, his voice low but relieved.
As Mark, Jingo, Ewald, and even Ghent, despite his earlier irritation dug into the food, Jingo glanced up with food in his mouth.
"You two not hungry?" he asked, eyeing Kade and Haze.
Kade barely acknowledged the question, running his fingers over the weapons laid out before him, testing their weight and balance. Haze, on the other hand, had wandered toward the folded clothes stacked neatly on a nearby table.
Six sets. Black trousers, ash-colored shirts. He picked one up, feeling the fabric between his fingers. His eyes flickered to the small but distinct emblem stitched onto the shoulder, the White Kingdom insignia.
For a moment, he simply stared at it. Then, with a quiet scoff, he let the fabric slip from his grasp and turned away.
He hadn't thought about food. Not really. Not with everything that had happened. But now, with the smell of freshly baked bread and roasted meat filling the room, something in his body reminded him, he needed this.
Without another word, he joined them at the table, picking up a piece of bread and finally taking a bite. [Nice, not bad, not bad at all.] He thought to himself taking yet another bite. Kade didn't look particularly thrilled about the food but he ate anyway.
By the time Ghent snagged the last piece, they were done.
And it was time to prepare against tomorrow.
Ewald stood, stretching before grabbing one of the shirts. "Are these for us?" he asked, turning it over.
"Seems like it," Haze said, leaning back. "Checked them out earlier. They look about our size, so I guess this is what we'll be wearing."
"Neat!" Jingo grinned, grabbing another set.
Mark eyed the clothes before nodding toward the one in Jingo's hands. "So, are we changing into these now, or…?"
"If they're meant for us, which I'm pretty sure they are, then we probably should," Kade replied. "Weapons too, though I doubt I'll be needing any."
Haze gave a small nod. "Checked them earlier. They look about our size. I guess this is what we'll be using."
Ghent walked over to the weapons, picking up a small dagger. Its design was plain, bland, nothing flashy, but there was something about its weight, solid, balanced. His fingers ran along the blade, testing its sharpness. A deceiving smirk pulled at his lips, one that didn't quite give the slightest hint at what was on his mind.
"I'll be taking this," he said, spinning the dagger between his fingers before flashing it in the air for the others to see. No objections.
Mark and Jingo followed suit. Mark went first, picking up a mini chakram, tossing it in the air with a grin.
"Sweet," he muttered, catching it smoothly before twisting it apart. A faint click sounded as it detached, followed by another as he reattached it.
Jingo grabbed a set of throwing knives, three in total. A slick design with worn, chirp rusted edges. They were way past their prime. He unsheathed one, giving it a quick glance before sliding it back into place without a word. With his weapons chosen, he moved to sit down.
Ewald sluggishly stepped forward next, scanning what remained. He picked up a pair of kunai, weighing them in his hands. After a moment, he set them back down and turned away.
"You're not taking anything?" Haze asked, watching him.
Ewald, already making his way to sit, answered flatly, "When it's time."