Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Another beautiful Spring Zephyr day, the ever-flowering Sakura trees radiant with pink blossoms as the gentle breeze scattered the floral payload throughout Nemea Town. It was always Spring here in the town overshadowed by the Spring Seaslight. An eternal blooming of new life and awakening possibilities.
The residents hurried up and down the white marble steps, moving about their business. There was a heavier guard presence than usual, but everyone had been on edge since the unnatural glow from the Seaslight a few weeks prior. The members of the Argus Brigade were patrolling with measure caution, the volunteer town security detail keeping a watch for the presence of more monster invasions from the Spring Seaslight. Ever since that unsettling light and the appearance of Heaven’s Egg, strange draconic creatures had invaded the perimeter at least eight times. Fortunately, the guard had managed to repel all invasion attempts with minimal casualties and rescue most of the abductees, all young women. The constant presence of the watcher up on the observation platform to monitor for incoming waves was just another reminder of the tense stalemate between the residents and the monsters.
So chalk up another rule for the town: Seek shelter from monsters when you hear the bells ring. Just another piece of common sense, it seemed; just like Do not go outside during Quietus. The only sound echoing through the air right now was the quiet hiss of the wind and the chirping of birds. And the Season of Death was still a few weeks away. No immediate need to concern oneself with things which could not be changed.
At least the monolite structures were still functional, those eerily glowing crystalline formations around town which sustained the town and were necessary for their way of life. So long as the monolite still worked, most of the townsfolk just chalked the strange events up as a new normal, an occupational hazard to accept and move on with life. Eerie natural phenomenon or monster invasions, life went on as it had for many generations. The local news bulletins from the castle assured everyone that there was no cause for alarm. And who were they to question the wisdom of the royal family and the Intelligence Division down in Castle Lewis?
Only a few Nemeans even noticed the new arrivals, the man and the red-haired woman, from the direction of Njord Steppe. The man wore a white tunic, black leather cuisses, a silver vambrace over the left arm and blond hair tied up in a side tail. The woman was dressed in form-fitting black top and shorts partly covered with a cropped white jacket, black leggings, her loosely braided long hair swaying past her waist. Her crimson eyes scanned their surroundings, taking in the town and distant tree-like structure.
“Ein, are you sure that this ‘Asyl’ person can be trusted? That he can get us close to this ‘Spring Seaslight’?”
The man continued through the entrance, nodding a quick greeting to the guard on duty, “Cres says he is dependable. And investigating the various Seaslights is our best lead to get you home, Aria. Besides, Juno said that we should start with the Spring Seaslight, so we can kill two birds with one stone.”
Aria rolled her eyes at the mention of the self-proclaimed “Great Fire Faerie”, “Oh yes, trust the words of that overgrown moth. Excuse me if I don’t jump for joy.” Ever since that glowing orange bug had shown up on the farm at Bird’s Eye Brae, Ein had been far too trusting of its words.
In fact, he just seemed too gullible for his own good in general, like a child in an adult’s body. But knowing that the Lethe Village doctor had added her endorsement to this wild goose chase was a little more comforting. Despite her primitive technology and simple understanding of medicine compared to Earth science, Cres was sharp and a good judge of character, well respected by the community and even sought after for consulting work on patients in other distant settlements. Aria snorted in resignation and followed her companion into town. The sooner she could get off this backwater planet and back to her own time, the better.
Ein gave a small chuckle. Aria’s first meeting with the faerie had been less than ideal, with both human and fey loudly trading angry words and insults before deciding to ignore each other. Still, Juno had kept her word after forming a pact, dutifully tending to the farm in exchange for a few daily snacks. She had even supplied him with blueprints for a few production machines; those Fermenting Barrels had already paid for themselves. Nothing to take the edge off monster hunting and farm work like a refreshing veggie juice. And for all her complaining about the faerie’s untrustworthy demeanor, Aria had certainly made no complaints about the tasty benefits of the fey’s handiwork.
Ein’s thoughts were interrupted by an older woman who approached with an air of mild concern, “I’m sorry, you two must be new here. Normally I would tell you to enjoy the sights and the cherry trees here in Nemea, but you couldn’t have picked a worse time to visit.” The lady’s eyes darted back and forth between the pair and at the empty plains beyond the gate from whence they had come.
Aria furrowed her brow, “Why? What’s going on here that has you all worked up?”
The woman sighed, “It’s those monsters. Ever since the Seaslight lit up, we’ve been under attack. And the oddest thing: they always try to kidnap younger women. Everyone else gets attacked like normal, but the women are herded away.”
Ein and Aria did a double take. Monsters acting like sentient creatures? Even deliberately targeting a specific type of human for non-aggression? What’s that all about? Aria recalled certain experiments and research data where animals could be trained to act according to certain guidelines, but such behavior was never observed in nature. And especially not with wild animals. They could almost always be neatly classified as either carnivore or herbivore, aggressive hunters or timid prey.
Ein tried to ease the tension, “Actually, we came here to see Asyl. We brought a delivery from Doctor Cres over in Lethe. Do you know where we can find him?”
The woman’s face lit up, “Oh, dear Asyl. He’s a member of the Argus Brigade; we owe him so much for our safety. So talented and helpful for his age.” The old gossip waxed on for a bit about how Asyl had joined the town guard shortly after coming of age, and some of his exploits against the monsters during the recent attacks. “And you can probably find him at his home, over in the east side of town on the lower level.”
The two turned toward the east, but the woman quickly amended, “Oh, I almost forgot. If he’s not home, Asyl can usually be found either on patrol around town or visiting the orphanage.”
Thanking the woman, Ein and Aria headed in the indicated direction. Aria held out her hand and caught one of the drifting petals, analyzing the delicate pink specimen. So much of this had been lost to history on the Earth she remembered, a result of rampant deforestation, reckless terraforming and pollution. Scientific progress for the sake of “humanity’s future” was all well and good, but pushing for results with zero regard for future consequences had proven too costly. “Sounds like this Asyl guy is pretty popular around here. Hopefully he can give us some answers when we find him.”
Ein nodded, “Agreed. I just hope that these directions are good. The town isn’t too big, but given its split-level design, I would hate to waste too much time knocking on every door one by one and hoping we get lucky. Those stairs would be murder on my legs.”
“Says the guy who gleefully spends hours digging in the dirt and hoeing his farm.”
“Hey, that is mostly flat ground. Works an entirely different set of muscles.” Ein took a moment to survey their surroundings. He had never seen so many cherry trees before. He felt a twinge of regret that his farm wasn’t located closer; this scenery was beautiful. But he shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, the Mayor had been more than generous to allow an amnesiac stranger to have a residence for free. If he wanted to see this again, a short trek across Njord Steppe would be a small price to pay. And a little anticipation would make the experience all the more precious each time.
Ein could already make out a few potential fishing spots, trained eye noting a few tell-tale bubbles and ripples where the illusive swimmers circled just out of sight. From the silhouettes, there were a few species to be found here not available in Lethe, hopefully something which could be whipped up into something toothsome in the new kitchen back home. Yet another reason to visit when he wasn’t on a time-sensitive investigation. Ein noted a sign indicating the local watering hole, and another pointing east toward the town shop. A consistent faint echo of children’s laughter and jubilant voices drifted from somewhere north of their current position. There must be a park or gathering place for youngsters, possibly even the orphanage the woman had mention over that wa-
Danger!
Ein grabbed Aria and forced her behind him while summoning Proshades to his hand, a warning look silencing any note of protest on her part. The trusty combat tool materialized, blade unfolding into its longsword form in one smooth motion. Green eyes darted back and forth, trying to seek out the source of that hostile intent which he could swear he had just felt.
Aria had already equipped her futuristic Proton Injector gauntlets and flexed her fingers in anticipation, her head on a swivel trying to discern what had Ein so wound up, “What happened? Did you see something?”
Ein let out a breath he didn’t remember holding, heart still pounding in his chest. Prickly hairs on the back of his neck were starting to subside, but he didn’t want to let down his guard just yet. “I’m not entirely sure. I just felt something, and it wasn’t good. But it vanished as quickly as it came.” Combat reflexes and survival instinct were wonderful things which could save your life during a monster attack, but sometimes they made one paranoid.
Aria cautiously scanned the people in their vicinity, looking for shifty eyes or furtive glances which might provide a source for Ein’s concern. Everyone appeared to be acting normally, discounting a few startled or frightened glances at the strange pair with drawn weapons in the middle of town. Nothing to suggest guilt or hostility, no indication of a possible ambush. Not that Aria was scared of a fight; she had no hesitation to throw down with whatever opponent approached with malicious intent and let her fists do the talking. Still, Aria knew that she was a scientist before being a combatant, she would have to trust his expertise on the matter. None of the locals seemed to notice anything, so either Ein was suffering the effects of too many late nights working the farm or whatever he had felt had been directed at him alone.
Ein shook his head. No sense worrying about it now, since whatever it was probably had lost interest. Time to get back to their original purpose and track down Asyl.
444
The silver-haired woman remained at the rail, her magenta eyes narrowed in contemplation. The test had been inconclusive, but the results were promising. And her shoulders started to untense in relief as her black attire ruffled in the breeze.
It had been almost five years since she had fled here, a stranger running from her past. Rather than drive her out or shun her, the villagers had been nothing but kind and considerate. Far more than she deserved, considering how red her ledgers were. Not that the people of Nemea knew that, but a guilty conscience needs no accuser, and will forever dog the heels of a sinner such as herself.
“Miss Istina, are you okay?”
The woman roused herself from her morbid thoughts and affixed a practiced gentle smile on her face before turning around. The words fell from her lips with smooth familiarity.
“Ah, forgive me. I was lost in thought.”
There they were, her reason for living, her lone hope spot when the memories of the past threatened to drown her in poison and blood. These innocent children, stripped of their families far too early in life. After inquiring about the town for some source of gainful employment, Istina had offered her services to the beleaguered employees at the orphanage. And they were grateful for an extra set of hands, whether for cooking or keeping the children entertained. Istina preferred that last part more than the former. While she was competent in the kitchen, the thought of using any form of a blade was unpleasant, even against innocent ingredients. And part of the reason why she never even considered joining the town patrol. Better to volunteer for other tasks, and the other teachers were more than happy to accommodate her selfish requests. So long as she effectively grabbed the children’s attention and kept them away from the dangerous cooking process, the others were more than content to fill in the gap for scullery detail.
Not to mention, the library here at the orphanage was more extensive than it had any right to be. So many books; picture books, history books, legends, folklore, and descriptions of far away places. One of the most enjoyable parts of her day was reading to the children, who would sit spellbound as she regaled them with yet another tale out of myth and times long past. No matter how energetic and mischievous they may be during play time or right before bed, during story time the little munchkins were perfectly behaved and listened with rapt attention.
For this reason, Istina was determined to protect this personal piece of heaven at all costs. While she was guilty many times over for her past crimes, these children were innocent. If anyone from her past tried to come and disturb this small measure of peace, tried to harm the children in order to get to her, she might just have to slip into some old habits..
“Miss Istina..?”
The child Leo gave her a look of concern. Istina glanced down and unclenched the fist she had unknowingly curled, the knuckles regaining color. She reached out and patted him on the head; Leo had always been very perceptive and mature for his age, and really took change of his juniors. Given his circumstances, Istina did not regret keeping his secret for him. Even if he was technically breaking the rules each time he went to that dangerous place.
“I’m sorry for worrying you; I felt a brief chill. Let’s go inside and get warmed up, then I’ll grab a book for today’s story.”
The magic word instantly dispelled all worry and caused all the little faces to light up like the sun. The sandbox and toys were instantly forgotten in favor of an orderly stampede for the door. Everyone wanted to get a good seat close to the podium before the reading began.
Istina gave a thin smile and shook her head at their innocent antics. Despite not having parents, so many of these children seemed happy in their current circumstances. And she had already seen several notable youths leave this place through either adoption to good homes or to strike on out their own and make a name for themselves. She had a brief recollection of the look of firm resolution on the boy Asyl’s face the day he joined the Argus Brigade. He had promised to protect her as thanks for helping to raise and mentor him the past few years before his graduation. The memory was still a source of faint warmth for her, despite all the gloom inside.
Which is why it was her duty now to protect these children using every means at her disposal. She may have decided never to kill another human ever again, but there were plenty of ways to keep everyone safe. One of the advantages of the orphanage’s location was an excellent view of the town entrance, which meant that she had a perfect vantage point to observe any newcomers. She trusted her instincts to warn her against potential troublemakers; most of the obvious problems were usually nabbed by the town guard. And any other issues could be resolved via an 'anonymous tip' to either Asyl or one of his associates; they trusted her enough that they took her warnings seriously, even if the evidence only became apparent later.
Still, when dealing with any potential members of that group, it never hurt to be careful. Anyone who had walked down that same dark path as her would recognize and react to such an obvious expression of sakki. Survival instinct usually overrode rational thought in that crucial instant where hesitation for even an instant spelled death. Such an easy way to screen out the innocent civilians, they were completely clueless and wouldn’t even notice such malevolent intent. But anyone who did react stood out to her like a venomous flower needing to be plucked.
So she was not surprised when this blond man started the way he did when she sent out her killing intent. These hired killers and thugs were always so quick to out themselves; human nature was so predictable. And the weapon he pulled out was too high quality to belong to some average mercenary. Istina knew weapons, that one was exceptional, and the way he handled it spoke to her trained eye of many hours of practice and use. Obviously more than a mere pretty toy in the hands of some young punk or rich heir. And the fact that he turned in her direction so quickly showed that his survival instincts were a cut above the usual riff raff.
But the shock came at how he treated his redheaded companion. She didn’t move, so she obviously was a normal traveler, despite being quick to belatedly arm herself. But the way he instantly shifted to protect her and put himself between her and the source of danger was interesting. All of Istina’s associates had been taught to prioritize their own safety first, and to let the weak fend for themselves. For the Dealers of Death, the chain was only as strong as its weakest link.
So he recognized the danger, and still chose to put himself in harm’s way to protect his companion.
If he was an assassin, he was either very new and soft-hearted, or very lucky. Both of which, she knew from experience, didn’t usually last long. But at the moment, his kindness towards others had granted this stranger a momentary reprieve. Istina spared one final glance after the odd pair and flexed her fingers.
I hope you finish your business here and leave quickly, foolish Traveler. For if you cause trouble for me and mine, my Coruscation will dance once again.