"The Matriarch! Matriarch Kal'tsit has returned!"
As Kal'tsit and Gilgamesh led the forces into the village hidden deep within the mountain ridges, the children of the village dashed from their homes to welcome their leader. However, the moment they laid eyes on the armored giants of the Immortal Battalion, their expressions twisted in terror.
"Wh—Why are there humans attacking us?!"
"Run! Run away!"
One of the children shrieked, paralyzed by the sight of the Golden King. In an instant, the village fell into total chaos. Mothers rushed to scoop their children into their arms, while the able-bodied men grabbed farm tools and rusted spears, charging out to fight a life-and-death struggle against what they assumed was an Imperial raiding party.
At the sight of the charging Faunus, the Immortal Battalion guards instinctively reached for their power-swords. Tension spiked; a bloody clash born of misunderstanding seemed inevitable.
"Lower your weapons! They've mistaken us for government troops!" Gilgamesh barked, his voice booming like thunder to signal his men. "We must show them our goodwill!"
Despite their lingering caution, the veterans of the Battalion obeyed without a second's delay, stowing their weapons as a sign of peace.
"Lower your steel! Though they are humans, they are rebels fighting against the tyrannical Court! They are our allies!" Kal'tsit shouted, her voice cutting through the din. She signaled her own people to stand down, desperate to prevent this hard-won alliance from shattering before it could even begin.
Recognizing their Matriarch's command, the Faunus villagers lowered their weapons, though their eyes remained filled with doubt and resentment.
"Matriarch, how do you know these humans are rebels?" one of the elder villagers called out. "What if they are infiltrators sent by the High Prefect?"
Kal'tsit addressed her people firmly. "I led our warriors to stop them earlier. After speaking with Gilgamesh, the leader of this army, I learned that they are also enemies of the throne. To prove his sincerity, he helped us seize the city where our people were being held. He rescued every single one of them!"
The villagers stared, still skeptical, until Gilgamesh turned toward the rear of his column.
"Come forward," he called out. "Reunite with your families!"
At his command, a long line of shivering Faunus girls walked out from among the rebel ranks. These were the captives the army had liberated. Under the rebels' protection, they had finally come home.
In an instant, the air was filled with the cries of a hundred reunions. Parents and brothers recognized their kin and rushed forward to embrace them. The suspicion toward the human rebels vanished, replaced by the overwhelming joy of the moment.
"It seems my plan worked," Gilgamesh said softly, watching the emotional scenes. "They have begun to accept us."
"True," Kal'tsit replied, her voice remaining cold. "But you have a long road ahead before you earn our full recognition. Your kind owes a heavy debt of blood."
"Of course," Gilgamesh nodded. "It is difficult to ask a people who have been so brutally victimized to believe in the goodwill of outsiders."
"Matriarch, you're back," a soft voice interrupted. "And this human beside you...?"
A young girl with long, delicate rabbit ears walked up tentatively.
"Ah, Amiya," Kal'tsit said, her voice softening slightly. "This is Gilgamesh, the leader of the Auric Reclamation. From today, he and his army are our allies. Treat him well."
Amiya looked up at the Primarch and offered a polite bow. "I see. Welcome, Lord Gilgamesh. I am Amiya, Matriarch Kal'tsit's assistant."
"Amiya... a fine name. And she is quite polite," Gilgamesh noted with a nod.
"She is an orphan of the Rabbit-kin, raised by me," Kal'tsit added. "She is my right hand."
"I see. Perhaps she and Siduri could become friends," Gilgamesh mused, thinking of his daughter.
"Master Enkidu-Sa, what are you sketching?"
Siduri leaned over the scholar's shoulder as he sat by the village street, writing and drawing as the Faunus went about their business.
"Lady Siduri, I intend to write a book," Enkidu-Sa answered without looking up. "A book to introduce the people of Babylonia to the culture and knowledge of the Faunus. I am collecting data and drafting notes for the future."
"Hah! My father just announces an alliance and you're already sucking up by writing their history?" Siduri teased.
"Hardly, my Lady," Enkidu-Sa replied coolly. "I have wanted to write a book on these tribes for years, but I never had the opportunity. Now that I do, I must see it through. Perhaps my mentor would even be proud of me for it."