Anna glanced hard at Raze and reached out to try and grab his arm. Before she could even touch him though, he had pulled away.
The others watching had made note of this.
'It seems like the two of them aren't that close if she doesn't let her touch him,' Rayna thought.
Seeing another woman by Raze's side traveling with him, several questions had come up in her head. Thankfully though, they had all experienced Raze's distrust of touching others, and it seemed like there was no exclusive favor with this particular individual.
"I just wanted to warn you that this might not be the best time or the best place to bring up the matter that you are talking about," Anna suggested.
The group was on the side of a general walkway. The city was full of people as well. Who knew how Alba would react to certain news.
Then again, it might be better to tell her out in the open because she would be less inclined to act.
"Let's take a seat," Raze said, pointing to one of the shops where people could drink and eat outside.
When getting to the table, Alba had gone to buy everyone a few drinks and had returned and noticed that the seating arrangement was a little strange.
They were at a regular rectangular table, and often in cases, they would have two people sitting on either side. Yet, Anna and Rayna were sitting on either side of Raze, to the point where there was no more space for Alba to even squeeze in if she wanted to.
"Why am I being the one left out?" Alba took her seat on the other side. And felt a little bad for Raze at this point, and was wondering if there was some type of contest going on between the girls.
"I am to stay by Raze's side during this journey as I have promised him. I also do not know the two of you well, which is why I have chosen to sit on this side," Anna explained.
"As for Rayna, she is now Raze's wife. It wouldn't make sense for the two of them to be apart, which is why the seating arrangements are like so. It would be impossible to have a conversation now with you joining us side by side; it is what it is."
Alba's eyebrow was twitching; she was finding it hard to converse with this Anna, and she was receiving no respect considering who she was, which was something she wasn't used to.
The truth was, Anna had picked these seats in case Alba decided to attack Raze after revealing all of the information.
With Rayna as well being Raze's husband, she thought she could protect him.
"It's okay," Tilon said. "I'm a big guy anyway, so it's good that I have more space on this side."
Alba, ignoring everything else, then looked at Raze, as she was waiting for him to speak. He hadn't even taken a sip of the drink she had brought him.
"I will be blunt so we get to the point, but I wish for you to allow me to explain everything as well," Raze stated.
Alba gave a nod in response.
"You said you were looking for Elvlin, and she was last in this city. That is correct, she was in this city, and she's dead," Raze said.
"What!" Tilon stood up from his seat, but before he fully extended his legs, Alba placed her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down.
"Stay down!" Alba shouted.
It was a forceful push. The anger already in her body, she was holding in reacting because she feared something else; how would Raze know of this fact.
"I know because I was the one that killed her," Raze said again.
Alba's facial expression didn't change; instead, she was just staring right into Raze's eyes, not looking away for a moment.
While Tilon tried to stand up again from his anger, but could feel the pressure from Alba still pushing him down at that moment.
"You dog!" Tilon shouted. "We helped you so much, all members of the Crimson Crane including her, how could you do such a thing, and tell us straight to our face, what kind of sick person are you!"
"If you are going to speak like this and not listen to what I have to say, then I will leave. And we can continue with you just knowing that, and the two of us being enemies with each other.
"I already told you to hear me out before you react."
Raze had both hands on the table ready to leave.
"Just shut your mouth right now Tilon," Alba said. "We need to hear him out like he said."
Placing his hands back down, Raze went on from there. He explained to Alba what had occurred during their time here.
Even about taking on the Lethal Bite Clan. And lastly, how Elvlin with a bunch of other wanderers had taken on a quest to steal a sword from him.
At the time, Raze had given them a chance to all go away from this. Yet Elvlin had still decided to attack once recognizing him, wishing to take the sword.
Anna confirmed what Raze had said as truth, not sure how much that would help since she was on Raze's side in the first place.
From there, it was silence. Tilon not daring to open up his mouth and thinking about all the times Elvlin and him had spent together and Alba just staring at the table, her chin leaning on her hands.
"Elvlin, she was such a fool. Why did she have to push for greed? Weren't we meant to climb together in the first place?" Alba mumbled to herself.
She looked up at Raze at that point and was ready to say something, but Raze was the first one to speak.
"Whatever had occurred, it doesn't change the fact that I killed one of your close teammates. Nothing will ever change that."
"If you wish for us to become enemies or you want to get your vengeance for what happened then so be it. I no longer have to be part of the Crimson Crane Clan.
"If you also want to get rid of the relationship we have through other means, then that is fine as well," Raze was talking about the selling of the pills as the Dark Magus.
"I just wanted you to know the whole truth at least."
Alba let out a big sigh.
"It is a sad day indeed for the Crimson Crane, but I completely understand what had occurred. No matter what, Elvlin will be treated as a respected member of the Crimson Crane."
"We shall hold an appropriate funeral for her and inform the others… but I will not hold you accountable for what had occurred."
"In a lot of ways, I blame myself. The Crimson Crane didn't see you as a full member of our group. If they did, they wouldn't have dared to attack you for their gain."
"If you can continue to be in the Crimson Crane as you have done, with what has happened, then I will be happy to continue our relationship."
Death, a common occurrence within the Pagna warriors, but just because it was common didn't mean it didn't hurt.
More than anything though, it was important to keep a calm mind. Raze knew this, so many times how he wished he could do things a certain way to get his revenge, but it would have only made it worse.
"I would like to continue the relationship," Raze answered. "As well as a token, I see that Tilon has been holding onto some items; if there is something that he needs made, then I will be happy to do that as well."
The bridge between the two groups, part of it had been cut, and now he was trying to mend it. The Crimson Crane had helped him a lot, and they could still help him more as time went on.
"Tilon will give you all the items you need; we don't plan to return to the Demonic Faction for now. So when the time is right, we will meet again and you can supply us with the new shield at that time," Alba explained as she stood up.
Alba then turned around ready to part ways, but she still had one more thing to say.
"In the future, if something like this happens again, could you try not to kill them and leave the punishment to me? If you do, I will be forever grateful," Alba asked.
Raze looked at her arm, and she could see it shaking. The relationship between the two now would never be the same as it was before, but Raze had to live with that.
"I will try," Raze answered, and turned around.
He, Anna, and Rayna, would now head back to the Neverfall Clan, as there was a big event that they needed to deal with.
