Ruby's Battle Reactions

Ruby frowned, despite the first wave of news being positive overall. It was ingrained into her nature to be suspicious, especially when things seemed to be too easy. She was convinced that the Corrupted Court was planning something bigger than just these first launches of attack. There was something much more sinister going on behind the curtains. Ruby had volunteered to fight for the Verdant Kingdom as soon as the news about the war had reached her. Having spent her days as a bounty hunter, killing and capturing dangerous individuals was what she did anyway. It had also kept her senses keen, and right now, she was worried. Something about the events, as much as she gathered, did not line up. If the corrupt royals had had access to Verdant Castle this entire time, why had they not abducted King Nero or downright killed Queen Iola. Perhaps the stealing of the statue was some cultural thing among Dextroluma. But if Ruby had been hired to remove a certain individual, her methods would have been more effective than this play over a carved piece of stone. So naturally, she had to assume that there was more to the situation than met the eye. Especially with the forces of Verdant Kingdom celebrating the first small victories.

Ruby summoned her rifle and began to meticulously disassembling it. There was no actual necessity for doing so, but the process of dissembling and reassembling it helped her clear her mind. It was very much as if sorting the pieces and putting them together was doing the same with her thoughts, cleaning them up before neatly placing them where they made the most sense and were the most useful. With a last satisfying click, her rifle was completed. The furrow on Ruby's brow deepened. The real storm was still ahead of them, she was now certain of it. There was a trap waiting for them somewhere, and they needed to be careful to not blindly run into it.