"I needed to speak with you, to ask you what you were going to do now."
"What am I going to do now?" I parroted him.
"What are you plans," he elaborated, waving his gloved hand up in the air. "From what you told me yesterday, you are not a Dark Crusader, no?"
I hurriedly cast a glance around the room, but no one was anywhere close by. And he said it soft enough that even I could barely hear him; so it was unlikely someone heard it. But I still raised a finger to my mouth and gave him a glare.
"I am not. Because of complicated reasons. What does it matter to you?"
"For the same reason I am the Plague Doctor— I want to help you like I help everyone else," the Plague Doctor stated simply.
I scowled. "And how are you going to help me? I told you last night, didn’t I? I’m never going back to the Free Lands."
That was right; before we separated last night, we had a brief conversation. The Plague Doctor told me he was heading to the Free Lands after this— to help all the people there dying from the Noxeus. He asked me to join him, and I turned him down of course. I left the Free Lands for a reason— I hated just being there. There were too many unpleasant memories, and I had suffered too much trauma.
"I am aware. Which is why I’m asking you for your plans. You’re not just planning on wandering the world aimlessly, are you? Because from what you have seemed to imply, I don’t think you’re exactly liked by a lot of very powerful groups."
"The Holy Xan Empire doesn’t even... oh thank you,"— the tavern wench plopped our orders down on the table, and I began to dig in— "they don’t even… mmm this is delicious, you sure you don’t want some?"
"I’m good," the Plague Doctor said, indicating his mask.
"More for me, I guess. But listen," I said, chewing on a piece of meat, "if they knew I was alive, they would want me dead. But they don’t even know that… yet."
"And it’ll only be a matter of time before they find out and send some Inquisitors to kill you. After all, you are not very… subtle."
"It’s not my fault I have black hair and silver eyes, and no other Human in the world but my mom had it!" I threw up my arms in protest.
"I was talking more about the fact that you’re a child traveling by yourself. But your similarities to the Fiend is quite conspicuous too."
"My mom is not— wait, how did you know she was my mom?" I asked stupidly.
"It was a guess. Since you mentioned your mother, and basically told me that she was rather famous. I listed the only woman I know of who has that appearance. Although black hair is not exactly unique, either. Everyone in your mother’s family shares that trait, as well as those with some Elf blood in them." The Plague Doctor hesitated, then he bowed his head. "I’m truly sorry for your loss. I heard the news a few months back. And the Holy Xan Empire keeps on broadcasting it— trying to distract from all the criticisms they have been receiving for keeping their war against the Abominations a secret."
"I… thanks. I was devastated when it happened, but I’m... better, now," I said it, and I meant it; even if my mom’s death still hurt me, some time had passed, and I no longer felt like breaking down at just thinking about her.
I continued eating my meal in silence for a bit, before the Plague Doctor finally spoke up again. "But that is the reason why I need to know what you’ll be doing. If they come after you—"
"They’ll kill me," I finished his sentence for him. "And I don’t want that to happen, of course."
"Right," the Plague Doctor said. Then he leaned his head forward, and whispered. "And if you can’t find protection from anyone, then your death would become an inevitability. You are going up against an empire, Melas. The greatest one the world has ever seen in its entire history. And it’s backed by the Church, an institution that has been around for thousands of years. Since the First Holy War. You can not run from them forever, nor can you fight against them alone."
"How about you?" I asked, frowning. "You’re obviously running from them too. Otherwise you’d be a..." I mouthed the word ‘Saint’.
"My situation is… complex. If the Holy Xan Empire found out about my abilities, they would not hunt me down like they would if they found out about yours. They would seek me out, yes. But they’ll do so to recruit me— by force, if necessary."
I raised an eyebrow at that. "And that’s a bad thing, because…?"
I did not see what was so bad about being made into a Saint; they were, from what I knew about them, treated incredibly well and almost even worshipped within the Church. Like celebrities. Except they slayed all evil and protected those in need. Remembering Saint Theron, I was pretty sure that depiction was a lie.
"I have my reasons. First and foremost, I would no longer be who I am if they indoctrinated me into the Church. They would force me to…" The Plague Doctor sighed, then gave me his usual response when he did not want to give me a proper answer. "More than that— no comment."
I expected that reply. In fact, I did not expect him to even tell me as much as he did; so I decided not to press him any further and let him continue.
"Regardless, I have survived thus far,
