《Shadow of Crusadia》
Prologue
Crusadia. The largest city in Reverste and the center of the Kingdom of Acronia. Atop a hill, a castle made entirely of pure white marble oversaw a sprawling and bustling metropolis. For centuries it had been a silent witness to the birth of legends, whose names shall never be forgotten. It was also a majestic symbol of the unity of Acronians or humans of various creeds, spread across the vast world of Reverste. It also represents one of three pillars of the universe, the Middle Pillar, where the powers of the juvenile prodigy, the Goddess Emilia, were the strongest.
It is here where our story starts.
Flashing red lights flooded the wrecked streets of the city. The city alarm wailed, intermixing with the low rumbles of the lumbering metal Sentinels slowly patrolling the acropolis. ¡°EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! CRUSADIA HAS BEEN BREACHED!¡± the message reverberated amidst the crackles of burning wood and distant rumbling. Screams of terrified townsfolk filled the air, their feet taking them away from danger as fast as they could. Shrieks of children and women added to the chorus of despair.
Thousands of Acronians, but with pale faces, glowing red eyes, and dark violet demonic wings sprouting from their backs converged at the single bridge separating the acropolis and the Palace of Crusadia. Some wielded staves, some wielded large broadswords, and some were armed with vicious-looking crossbows. They were the Dominias, inhabitants of the Lower Pillar, or the Realm of Darkness.
At the gates, the Royal Guard formed a phalanx against the usurpers. A seasoned knight in the front, with spear in right hand and shield in left gritted his teeth, a drop of cold sweat trickling down his neck. ¡°Hold the line, men!¡± he commanded. ¡°Whatever you do, do not let those abominations inside the Palace!¡±
Suddenly, he heard the flap of wings from above. A woman, clad in opulent aquamarine armor and carrying a spear topped with what seemed to be made of pure skystones, descended gracefully in front of him. His worries dissipated. They had a chance.
¡°Reis Sylvida, at your service, Knight Commander,¡± she said. ¡°Let me take care of things here. You should be with Her Majesty,¡±
¡°Lady Reis! You¡¯re a sight for sore eyes! But there¡¯s just too many of them! Surely, you need assistance¡¡±
Reis remained silent. Her turquoise eyes glimmered. Her white angelic wings grew larger, and her body gave off a pale blue glow. Noticing the white wings, the approaching Dominias stopped in their tracks.
¡°Sky Knight Reis!¡± a Dominia in the rear shouted. ¡°Retreat! She¡¯s too strong for us!¡±
¡°Stand your ground! Our numbers are greater¡¡± The Dominian commander leading the charge ordered. In a split second, Reis¡¯ spear¡ªthe Skypiercer¡ªhad pierced his heart. The Dominia Commander fell, bathed in his own blood. Reis did an aerial backflip and returned to her initial position.
The Dominias started looking at each other, fearful for their own survival. Their Commander had fallen in an instant. They were no match for the most powerful Knight in the Middle Pillar. They only had one option.
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¡°Retreat!¡±
¡°I won¡¯t let you,¡± Reis muttered. She focused her magical energy¡ªher Craft¡ªon her spear. A pale blue ball of light appeared on the tip of her spear, and with every second. It crackled and hissed as it grew larger. When it reached critical mass, Reis swept her spear in a vicious arc, letting out a concentrated burst of razor-sharp wind at the retreating Dominias. The Knights in the phalanx, seasoned though they may have been, shuddered at the truly gruesome sight of Dominian bodies being shredded.
The winds stopped. The battlefield was covered in dark violet blood and torn limbs of the Dominian soldiers. The Palace was safe. Or so they thought.
A loud explosion surprised the Knights and Reis. She looked back and saw a plume of purple flame erupting from the center of the palace. Her expression darkened. Without hesitating, she took to the skies.
After having stood for more than a century, the glimmering icon of Crusadia crumbled. Brick by brick, the once impregnable walls started falling. She caught a glimpse of the dozens of bodies of dedicated Knights and the Royal Guard strewn across the bloody courtyard. Reis hovered; her mind still trying to understand how this had happened on her watch. She landed in the middle of the courtyard, her teeth gritted in anger seeing the destruction in front of her. She ran to the base of the northern tower, to the Throne Room.
The opulent Golden Throne was no more. Bodies of the Royal Guard, still clad in their vermillion armor, were mixed in with the rubble. Their bodies were unusual; as if they had shrunk, their vitality drained from them.
On top of the destroyed throne, a boy with a pointy hat, a violet sleeveless tunic and large baggy pants was squatting. Reis recognized the tattoo on his arms. They were the tattoos of the Cabalists, a loose agglomeration of Domininan dark wizards. This boy, however, did not have any wings. Still, she felt a tremendous pressure in the air.
¡°Identify yourself, intruder!¡±
The boy stared at her. Reis met his bright purple eyes and felt a chill run down her spine. But what disgusted her was the golden object the boy was casually twirling in his left hand.
¡°The Queen¡¯s Crown! What have you done to the Queen?!¡± Reis bellowed, brandishing Skypiercer.
The boy remained silent, continuing to twirl the crown. He held it out to Reis with a challenging smirk on his face.
Unable to control her anger, she lunged towards the boy. The boy stood his ground. Reis closed in. Her spear came closer and closer. She was going to run this boy through.
The boy extended his left arm and opened his palm. Reis saw a Cabalist sigil form itself at a rate she had never saw before. She wanted to stop her attack, but it was too late.
¡°Stay put,¡± the boy said.
Her spear never reached the boy.
She was frozen solid, encased in transparent violet ice. Yet, she remained perfectly aware of her surroundings.
The boy smirked. He approached the frozen Reis and said, ¡°Stay there for a while, and see the new world be remade in Her image,¡±
The boy waved his arm in a slashing motion. A pulsating purple rift appeared. He stepped inside, the rift closing behind him.
Reis¡¯s vision started blurring. The ice weakened her body. She tried to move her limbs to no avail. As her breathing became heavier, her consciousness began to slip. Encased in a block of ice, she fainted.
Outside, darkness had blanketed Crusadia. Creatures of darkness, initially content in the Lower Pillar, had ascended from the depths¡ªthe condemned Acronians, the fallen Seraphs, and Dominias¡ªand started to lay waste to the grand capital of the Acronian Kingdom. Over the sky of Crusadia, dense dark clouds gathered. Below, the Fallen rejoiced. Atop a lone spire atop the Grand Church of Crusadia, the Cabalist stood in silence, witnessing the day Crusadia fell into the hands of darkness.
Chapter 1: Skirmish in the East
Six months have passed since the fall of Crusadia.
In the sprawling green plains near the reinforced iron gates of the town, barks and snarls from tame wolves mixed with the chirps of birds and critters of the grasslands. A tall, tanned girl wearing a green girl scout uniform held a basket full of meat in her hands. She was a Breeder, specialists in the art of taming and breeding beasts. At the kennel, she took pieces of meat and threw it into circular pen. Presented with food, the wolves barked happily and devoured their meal.
This was the small border town of Aftergale, in the territory of the Eastern Alliance, an ally of the Kingdom of Acronia to the far east. Within two months after the fall of Crusadia, the small town had adapted to being a hub for refugees on their way to the capital city of Hakuroa. Day by day, their numbers grew. Being a simple farming village, the town tried its best to cater to the refugees. Abandoned barns were refitted as living quarters and the local community center was turned into a field hospital where the Priests toiled day and night to provide care for the wounded. At the fountain in the town center, there was a soup kitchen, initiated by the Farmer¡¯s Guild, which provided meals for the hungry.
From the word of travelers and the messengers of the Guild Network, survivors of the carnage sought refuge in the four major cities: Hakuroa in the Eastern Alliance, Vestox in the Northern Kingdom, Naikura in the Southern Iron Federation, and the autonomous artisans¡¯ city of Morg off the western coast. There were also rumors of a covert Liberation Front, a group of veterans seeking to reclaim the Golden Throne. What was certain was the independent Guilds and the armies of the four major Acronian nations were preparing for war.
In a small tavern, a young man with messy silver hair wearing a black jacket was chatting with an older man, this one a spiky red-head and clad in maroon plate armor.
The silver-haired man yawned. He reached for his mug of freshly brewed coffee and took a big gulp. ¡°How was your shift last night, Zerona?¡± he asked.
The older man took a bite out of his bacon sandwich. ¡°Tough. Family of four came in at midnight. They were in bad shape. Said they were ambushed by the feral wolves on the way,¡±
The young man sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t do much about the patrols. Guild¡¯s already stretched thin as is. Old man¡¯s already said we might not be getting paid this week,¡±
¡°Is money all you think about, Xnoa?¡±
¡°Not at all, but would be nice to have some to get a better sword or gear, don¡¯t you think?¡±
Zerona took another bite of his sandwich. ¡°Stop thinking about yourself for a while. Paid work¡¯s hard to come by these days. If you really want money, then try heading west. I hear Morgia¡¯s guilds pay decently for security. We¡¯re still lucky to have time to have a decent lunch. I heard the mayor¡¯s going to start rationing food from now on,¡±
A waitress approached their booth and asked if they wanted a refill. ¡°The Master says it¡¯s on the house since you¡¯ve been working so hard for the town,¡±
¡°Much obliged,¡± said Xnoa, pointing to the almost empty coffee mug on the table. Rumi filled it to the brim with piping hot coffee.
¡°None for me, Rumi, but tell the Master I appreciate his hospitality,¡± said Zerona. Rumi offered him another sandwich, but Zerona politely refused it too.
¡°Is Miss May not back yet?¡± she asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her around in a while,¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t seen her around as well. She¡¯s probably still in Morgia,¡± Zerona said.
Rumi sighed. ¡°And just when we have her favorite oranges in stock again¡¡± She bowed slightly and returned behind the counter to prepare another order.
Xnoa blew on his coffee. ¡°She¡¯s still on with her tin cans, huh,¡± Xnoa said. ¡°Wish I could¡¯ve joined the Artisans, but couldn¡¯t even make it through their entrance exams,¡±
¡°You make a far better Swordsman than you would an Artisan,¡± Zerona replied, finishing his sandwich.
Xnoa threw him an irritated look. ¡°Anyways, is the Guild joining in the war effort? I¡¯ve heard from the Lieutenants some were being sent to Naikura,¡±
Zerona shook his head. ¡°Sounds unlikely. We¡¯re too small a guild. Boss seems content with putting us on guard duty. Besides, you¡¯re far too inexperienced to be in the front lines,¡±
Xnoa wanted to argue, but deep down, he knew Zerona was right. He had only been a proper Swordsman for five years after graduating from Basic Training. He barely passed his exams, excelling only in the practical tests. His mediocre grades locked him out of the more prestigious Academy, essentially setting him up for a long and arduous road towards being a Blademaster through sheer experience. Besides, all he could do was exterminate mutated monsters deep in the eastern forests. But what he lacked the most was the ability to kill another human being.
¡°I thought so,¡± Zerona said. ¡°You¡¯ve never had to be forced to kill to survive. But you shouldn¡¯t let that drag you down,¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°It just means you have a good heart,¡±
The tavern door swung open. ¡°Hell Divers!¡± an armed guard exclaimed. A deafening roar shook the tavern. The guard fell off balance, falling face-first onto the tavern floor. Bottles of liquor fell from the shelves. Patrons started panicking, but Zerona quickly calmed them down with his commanding voice. He ordered them to stay put. Rumi told them to exit through the back door in the kitchen. Xnoa helped the guard to his feet. The guard told them to follow.
They ran to the city center. Five lumbering brutes, two meters tall, clad in grisly black armor were wreaking havoc. A Hell Diver took its massive cleaver, held it high in the air, and cleanly cleaved a fruit stand in half. Another, covered in blood, lugged a corpse of a guard encased in stone. The others were fighting off the guards. There were corpses of guards strewn around the place. Some were petrified, others were cleaved gruesomely in half.
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Xnoa gulped. ¡°The-they¡¯re not supposed to be here, right?¡±
¡°Losing your nerve now?¡± Zerona said. He took a short metal rod hanging from his waist and brandished it. Reacting to his touch, the metal rod expanded into a 2-meter-long blood-colored bardiche. The tip was adorned with an intricate carving of a dragon¡¯s head¡ªthe Dragon Whisker. He ran into the fray, lunging at the nearest Hell Diver alone.
Xnoa reminded himself these Hell Divers were not human; they are just reanimated corpses in armor. Still, he could not fathom how they suddenly appeared in the middle of the town like this. But this was not the time to think. He held his right arm high. A dazzling light engulfed his hand, turning into the shape of a sword. After the light disappeared, he held a blue-tinted nodachi. In the Swordsman tradition, he named his sword ¡°Sky Zero¡± after its unique tint. With weapon in hand, Xnoa took on another lone Hell Diver.
Zerona swung with all his might. A loud clang reverberated when cleaver met axe. The two weapons were locked. It was now a matter of strength. Zerona shouted. The Hell Diver staggered, causing it to lose its grip on the cleaver. The cleaver flew out of its hands and the Hell Diver stepped back, dazed. Zerona closed his distance. Another mighty swing to the head. A loud cracking sound, followed by a roar of anguish. The Hell Diver¡¯s helmet was destroyed! The Hell Diver kneeled, its hands covering its exposed rotting head. Zerona twirled. He delivered another crushing blow to the Hell Diver¡¯s head. Another roar of pain, followed by the loud thud of armor falling on solid concrete. The Hell Diver was dead, its head rolling off a few meters away.
Xnoa intercepted a lone Hell Diver that seemed intent on destroying the food crates by the soup kitchen. He slashed from behind, aiming at the exposed seam in the Hell Diver¡¯s leg armor. He missed. Sparks flew as the metals collided with a sharp screech. The Hell Diver slowly turned. Xnoa jumped backwards. He was not as strong as Zerona, and he knew his weapon could not pierce the Hell Diver¡¯s armor. He had to find an opening.
He saw a yellowish glint appear in the eye socket of the Hell Diver¡¯s helmet. A tingle ran down his spine. ¡®This could not be good,¡¯, he thought. He dove for cover behind a table to break the monster¡¯s line of vision. After a split second, a yellow line of light shot out of the monster¡¯s eye, turning all living beings in its path into stone. After letting out the beam of light, the Hell Diver stopped moving, its head dropping.
It was his chance. Xnoa leapt out of cover and charged towards the immobile Hell Diver. He aimed for the exposed eye socket and drove his sword through the monster¡¯s skull. It let out a bloodcurdling scream. Black blood gushed out from the helm. Soon, the scream subsided, and the Hell Diver fell to the ground. It looked dead, but Xnoa did not want to take any risks. He sliced its head off.
¡°One down, three to go,¡± he said. He saw Zerona already helping the guards with the remaining Hell Divers, and quickly made his way to the other side of the square to help. The Hell Divers made quick work of the guards, disemboweling them with their large cleavers and petrifying the rest. It was just them against the remaining three. They put some distance between themselves and the monsters.
A beam of yellow light whizzed past them, forcing them to dodge sideways. The beam, however, was a feint. Two Hell Divers were already charging towards them at full speed. As Xnoa prepared to dodge again, an ear-splitting screech stunned him.
¡°My head!¡±
He suddenly felt faint. His sword dropped from his hands.
Zerona was also on his knees, his hands covering his ears. His bardiche laid on the ground beside him.
The two Hell Divers lowered their shoulders, preparing to ram the two. They accelerated.
Xnoa closed his eyes, praying to the Goddess, waiting for his end.
¡°Salvation Aura!¡±
Upon hearing the cry, Xnoa opened his eyes. The Hell Diver was on its back, repelled by an invisible force. He turned to Zerona. He was safe.
Without stopping to think, the two recovered their weapons and made quick work of the staggered Hell Divers. Two down, one more to go. The lone Hell Diver was still recovering after using its petrification beam. Xnoa ran his sword through the monster¡¯s heart through an exposed crack in the armor. With a resolute swing, Zerona decapitated the monster.
¡°Good work,¡± Zerona said, catching his breath. ¡°But you flinched when the battle started. Not good at all, Ex,¡±
Xnoa took a knee beside the corpse of the Hell Diver they just slain. He did not reply to Zerona¡¯s criticism; he knew full well that he should have done better.
A brown-haired bespectacled man in white robes approached them. ¡°Are you two okay?¡±
¡°Without that Salvation Aura, we would have been dead, Father. You have our gratitude,¡± Zerona said.
The Father ignored Zerona. He muttered a few words in Seraphic. A gentle blue light engulfed both Zerona and Xnoa. Their pain was lifted, their stamina returned, and small wounds instantly healed. Father Alma seemed drained, however. He clung to his staff for support.
¡°Father¡ you shouldn¡¯t!¡± Zerona said, trying to support the Father, but he pushed him away.
¡°Get away from here, you two! There¡¯s a larger threat¡ they¡ they have¡ª¡±
Xnoa heard three gunshots.
The Father collapsed onto Zerona¡¯s arms. Fresh blood oozed from three holes in his back, staining his brilliant white robes. Zerona was horrified. He dropped the Father¡¯s body to the ground.
¡°Take cover!¡± he shouted at Xnoa.
They ran towards an intact vegetable stand and hid behind it. A gunshot ricocheted off the metal cart. They heard metallic footsteps approaching, with the occasional whizzing of servos and gears.
They heard a soulless electronic male voice. ¡°Recalibrating targets. Scanning environment,¡±
¡°That¡¯s a Machina,¡± Zerona said in a hushed voice.
¡°I thought they were just rumors!¡±
¡°Apparently, they¡¯re real. The question now whether they can be killed,¡±
The footsteps came closer and closer.
¡°It¡¯ll find us,¡± Xnoa whispered. ¡°We need to distract it,¡±
¡°I guess I can take some hits,¡± Zerona said. ¡°You run and wait for an opening,¡±
¡°What¡ª¡±
Before he could finish, Zerona leapt out of cover. With a roar, he charged towards the gun-wielding artificial lifeform. The Machina reacted with inhuman speed. It swerved its arms. Before Zerona could finish his sweep, the Machina had already shot him thrice. He ignored the pain. With a heavy grunt, he tried to cleave the Machina¡¯s head. It activated its boosters and stepped backwards, causing Zerona to miss.
He recovered and jumped backwards. He grunted loudly, trying to keep the pain at bay. His armor was pierced; blood was oozing out of the three holes in his stomach. He grinned.
¡°Target acquired. Target identification: Dark Stalker. Threat level: high,¡± the Machina droned. It started to reload its pistol.
Behind the vegetable stand, Xnoa was hesitating. He knew he had to help Zerona, but he did not know what to do. Cursing his ineptitude, he let out a hushed cry of frustration. He knew what Zerona was going to do, and he started blaming himself for forcing him into this situation.
Zerona became shrouded in a dark violet mist. Blood stopped flowing from the holes in his armor. His bardiche gave off a brilliant red sheen. He let out a ferocious roar. He leapt towards the Machina, delivering three precise jabs at terrifying speed, followed with a finishing slash straight across the Machina¡¯s torso. Electricity crackled.
¡°Criti--cal¡ Shut¡ªshutting d-d-own,¡± the garbled electronic voice said. With a dull clunk, it fell face-first at Zerona¡¯s feet. The red in its eyes flickered¡ and disappeared.
Zerona fell to his knees, breathing heavily. The mist shrouding him dissipated. Blood started gushing through his armor again. Before his vision went to black, he heard Xnoa¡¯s frantic footsteps¡
Chapter 2: Journeys Beginning
The united forces of the Eastern Alliance and the Guild Networks managed to repel the sudden attack from the Army of Darkness, but with substantial casualties. The town square was in ruins, and so were other parts of town. Xnoa could not remember when he had a proper break. Every day, there were always requests from the townsfolk: repairing houses, finding lost relatives, and search-and-rescue.
With every request completed, more came. With every request completed, his contempt for the Army of Darkness grew.
The sun had set over the hills in the west. Xnoa had just finished a search request. A mother lost her son in the attack. He found the son cowering in the hollowed trunk of a large meranti in the dense forest on the eastern outskirts of town. He received a basket of fresh oranges from the mother in lieu of payment, though he tried to reject them. With basket in hand, he returned to the Guild headquarters in the town center. After putting the oranges in the common area and reporting his work to dispatch, he visited Zerona in the sick bay.
Zerona had been bedridden for a week now. His wounds have healed, thanks to the help of the Priests and Alchemists at the Guild but moving around still put him in pain. Deep down, Xnoa felt pangs of guilt. If only he were stronger, Zerona would not have had to bail him out like that. Every time he used that power of his, his lifespan grew shorter. To this day, he still could not understand why Zerona chose the cursed path of the Dark Stalker, a profession condemned even by the Dominians.
¡°How¡¯re you doing?¡± Xnoa asked, sitting down on a stool next to him.
¡°I¡¯ve seen better days,¡± he said, wincing. ¡°There¡¯s still some lingering pain in my stomach. Priests can¡¯t patch up bullet holes, apparently, so the Alchemists had to whip up some mending salve,¡± He opened his gown to reveal a murky yellow ointment smothered over his stomach.
Xnoa simply nodded.
¡°Look, don¡¯t worry about what happened. Nobody expected a Machina to appear in this backwater town. I did what I had to do, so stop feeling guilty,¡±
¡°But¡¡± Xnoa stammered.
¡°I chose this path. I choose when to use my powers. It¡¯s my responsibility alone. I thought we already talked about this?¡± Zerona said sternly.
Xnoa hesitantly nodded. ¡°Yeah, but¡¡±
¡°Before you say anything else, stop. Can¡¯t focus on the past¡ª¡±
The door to the sick bay swung open. A bespectacled man in a navy blue hakama entered. Xnoa rose and bowed. ¡°Boss!¡±
¡°Ah, Xnoa, I didn¡¯t know you would be here. Good work helping the citizens today,¡±
Xnoa bowed again. ¡°All in a day¡¯s work, Boss,¡±
¡°Apologies if I interrupted something important, but I would like to speak to Zerona alone. Would you mind, Xnoa?¡±
¡°Not at all, Boss. Please excuse me,¡±
After Xnoa exited the sick bay, the Guild Master gazed intently at Zerona while stroking his long silver beard. ¡°You unleashed that cursed power again, didn¡¯t you? What was this, the fourth time?¡±
After a long silence, Zerona said. ¡°Fifth time,¡±
¡°I would scold you, but considering the circumstances, it was warranted. To think a Machina would be deployed to a small farming town¡ a vile tactic, but excessive,¡±
Zerona snorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Army of Darkness all about excess?¡±
¡°True, but this was particularly peculiar. We won¡¯t know anything about its mission parameters unless we crack it open,¡±
¡°The Machinists can¡¯t handle it?¡±
The Guild Master shook his head. ¡°The Artisan Guild says they¡¯re stretched out thin as is. None have had time to study that bucket of bolts. We could, but our only Machinist still hasn¡¯t returned yet,¡±
¡°Boss, maybe it¡¯s time to tell me your plan?¡±
The Guild Master sighed. ¡°Yes, yes, it is finally time,¡±
A girl of medium build sat at the counter. She was drinking a fizzy, orange-colored drink and chatting with the bartender. Amidst the other Guild members in grey armor or plain robes, her canary yellow sleeveless top that matched her yellow-colored wolf cut made her stick out like a sore thumb. A large utility belt covered her waist, where two silver pistols were holstered.
She finished her drink in a single gulp and let out a long sigh of satisfaction. ¡°More please!¡± She held her glass up to the bartender.
¡°Coming up!¡± The bartender took her glass and poured another serving from a pitcher. ¡°It¡¯s on the house. Someone left behind a big basket of oranges earlier. Enjoy!¡±
¡°Thanks!¡± she said, taking another big gulp.
¡°Where have you been the last six months? Everyone around town has been asking about you!¡± the bartender asked.
¡°That¡¯s classified,¡± she replied. ¡°Just been out and about,¡±
¡°May? You¡¯re back?¡±
Upon hearing her name, she turned. Xnoa was standing behind her in disbelief.
¡°You-you¡¯re back already? Since when?¡± he stammered.
May let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Well, I just got back today¡ How¡¯s it going?¡±
Xnoa sat next to her at the counter and asked for a draft beer and fried chicken. While waiting for the bartender to fulfill his order, he began interrogating May.
¡°We haven¡¯t heard from you in six months, and suddenly, you appear right after the town was attacked. Explain yourself,¡±
She let out another nervous chuckle and clasped her hands in front of her face. ¡°I can¡¯t really tell you everything, but I spent some time in Morgia and Tonka Island in the south. Been working on something really important that the Boss wanted,¡±
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Xnoa groaned. Every time, he felt everyone was intentionally keeping him out of the loop. The Boss, Zerona, even May, his childhood friend. It was because he was nowhere near capable as the two. Zerona was a seasoned veteran, a former Knight of Crusadia before he was dismissed for becoming a Dark Stalker. May, an accomplished Machinist, a peerless prodigy even when she was young. Meanwhile, all he was good for was swinging his sword around¡
The bartender came around with his beer and fried chicken. He chugged the pint and shoved the still-hot chicken into his mouth, wincing as it seared his tongue.
¡°Hard day, huh?¡± May asked, returning to her orange drink. ¡°Heard you¡¯ve been helping a lot around town. Just like the old days,¡±
Xnoa asked for a refill, to which the bartender obliged after telling him it was going to come out of his next paycheck. ¡°A full week, helping people rebuild their houses, reuniting families, and cleaning up after the Dark Army attacked. Wish I could do something more than just clean up,¡±
May did not reply. She smiled, silently. After finishing her drink, she asked him about the Machina that Zerona defeated. Xnoa had no idea where it was, and he told her about their battle. She grimaced when hearing Zerona had to use his Dark powers. ¡°Where is he now?¡±
¡°Sick bay. Been there for a week. He¡¯s fine but the Alchemist¡¯s ointment doesn¡¯t seem to be working as fast as it should,¡±
May frowned. ¡°I should¡¯ve left behind some of my fast-acting healing salves¡¡±
¡°Hey, it¡¯s not your fault! Nobody would¡¯ve expected a Machina to show up here,¡±
The bartender brought around Xnoa¡¯s second pint. ¡°Take it easy there, would you? They don¡¯t pay me enough to clean after you,¡±
¡°So, why are you back all of a sudden? I reckon Tonka and Morgia¡¯d far more interesting than this backwater town,¡±
¡°Boss wanted me back,¡± she said. ¡°I gave him my report earlier today, then I went over to the Artisan Guild to get my stuff. These¡¡± She pointed to the two silver pistols in her holsters. ¡°¡I call them the ¡®Harmonic Sisters¡¯,¡±
Xnoa broke into a sudden laugh.
May frowned at him. ¡°It¡¯s a good name!¡±
¡°Sorry, sorry. But I thought they were standard-issue Gunner pistols¡ Wait, since when did you have a firearms license?¡±
A big smile appeared on her face. ¡°These aren¡¯t standard-issue pistols. I made them myself,¡±
¡°You¡¯re lying,¡±
She shook her head profusely. ¡°Absolutely not! I made these babies myself. Don¡¯t compare them to the antiques those Gunners use!¡±
¡°What¡¯s so different about them, then?¡±
¡°They don¡¯t shoot bullets, that¡¯s for sure,¡±
Xnoa looked flabbergasted. ¡°How? All pistols must shoot something right?¡±
May grinned. ¡°That¡¯s my secret: they shoot magic. I found a way to compress magical energy, feed through an accelerator, and unleash it on command¡ just like how Spellusers cast their elemental missiles!¡±
He still thought she was joking. But, as he recalled his basic counter-magi training at the Fighter¡¯s Guild, it started to make sense. Most Spellusers do not really need their scepters, staves, or tomes to do magic. He remembered the late Father could cast his Seraphic magic with his bare hands, but he chose to use his staff to prevent his mana from leaking and causing his spells to destabilize. May¡¯s pistols just acted a more potent focus, just like Spellusers¡¯ scepters, staves, and tomes.
He looked at her grinning face. She was amazing.
¡°Neat, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Yeah¡¡± Xnoa said.
¡°Hey, sorry to butt in your conversation¡¡± the bartender said. ¡°But I got a message from the Boss¡¯ assistant. Says he wants to see both of you in the sick bay. Like, right now. You gonna finish that beer?¡± he said, pointing to Xnoa¡¯s half-finished mug. ¡°I¡¯m still charging you for the full pint, just saying,¡±
¡°I hate you,¡± Xnoa said casually as he finished his beer.
After exchanging several heartfelt greetings and applying May¡¯s handmade healing salve to Zerona¡¯s gunshot wounds, the Boss began to explain what he had in store. He first explained the situation of the town, and rumors of a looming attack on all major cities surrounding Crusadia.
¡°They won¡¯t leak it to the public yet, but the higher-ups at the Guild Network are all preparing defensive plans in all major cities. Most of it has been discreet; fortifying defenses, recruiting militias, and intelligence operations. But, there¡¯s a second part to those plans¡¡±
Xnoa felt like he knew what was coming. ¡°A counterattack on Crusadia?¡± he said.
Zerona and the Boss nodded. May¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°A counterattack? With what army?¡±
¡°The Liberators. They¡¯ve been gathering intelligence from within Crusadia since the Fall. They¡¯re confident this time, they¡¯ll be able to gain control of the capital,¡±
Xnoa felt uneasy. He had heard that the Liberators were among the best of the best warriors Reverste had to offer, but he was skeptical they had the power to fight back the dark powers in Crusadia. The capital fell overnight; whatever took it in the first place must have unimaginable power. ¡°How are they planning on doing it?¡± he asked.
The Boss stroked his silver beard and stared right at him. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you, boy. You¡¯d have to find out yourself. After Zerona¡¯s healed up, you three make your way to the Liberators,¡±
Xnoa and May looked at each other, puzzled. Meanwhile, Zerona stared pensively at the ceiling.
¡°How do you expect us to find the Liberators? They aren¡¯t exactly the easiest group to find, Boss,¡± May said.
The Boss glanced at Zerona. ¡°Care to say something, boy?¡±
Zerona sighed. ¡°I know where their headquarters are. I¡¯m actually part of the Liberators,¡±
Xnoa stared at him, stunned. ¡°How?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a long story, and it¡¯s irrelevant for now,¡± he replied in a tone that told Xnoa to stop with any further questions. ¡°What matters is you two are now also part of the Liberation, since the Boss said so,¡±
¡°Wait, so Boss¡¡± May said. ¡°You¡¯re also¡¡±
The Boss nodded. ¡°Since the day Crusadia fell. We¡¯re part of the Eastern chapter liaison,¡±
Xnoa struggled to process all this new information. The town he grew up in was attacked out of the blue by the forces of darkness. May had invented a new revolutionary piece of technology. Zerona and the Boss were Liberators, and now, he, for some unthinkable reason, was now part of this. He glanced at May. It seemed she was also experiencing the same thing.
¡°Why us?¡± May asked the Boss. ¡°I¡¯m not even a Fighter! I just tinker with machines in ancient ruins¡¡±
¡°The Liberation is not as shallow as that, girl. The rear guard and supporters are as important as the front line. Gunners need Machinists to maintain their weapons. Knights need Blacksmiths to forge their armor and blades. And someone needs to take care of the Liberation¡¯s airships,¡±
May¡¯s eyes grew wider at the mention of airships. She tried to hide her enthusiasm, but her hands were clenched at her waist, gripping the tools on her utility belt.
The Boss chuckled. ¡°What about you, boy?¡± the Boss turned to Xnoa. ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to play a bigger role in the world, haven¡¯t you? Now¡¯s your chance, boy,¡±
¡°But why me, Boss? I¡¯m nowhere near the Fighter Zerona is. I can¡¯t even support the rear guard like the Artisans or Spellusers,¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, boy. You¡¯re still a greenhorn with a good heart. Probably won¡¯t even last a single day in an actual battle,¡± the Boss chuckled. ¡°But, you have potential, boy. Probably not as a great Blademaster or Bounty Hunter. But you have something in you, something I sensed when you first applied to join the Guild. And you¡¯d be a fool to not live up to it,¡±
Xnoa asked for some time to think outside.
¡°Don¡¯t dilly-dally, boy. You only have five minutes,¡±
Xnoa excused himself from the sick bay. He leaned against the wooden wall of the corridor and weighed his options.
He thought about himself. Was this the chance he was looking for, to prove himself that he could achieve greatness? Or was it a dumb idea, in which he was likely to get killed in the process, his name lost in the sea of other warriors with misplaced optimism?
He thought about the town. If a Machina could appear here, then nowhere was safe. When the Dark Army arrives, all he could do was defend the town with all his might, but what comes after? He knew the Dark Army would not stop until all Reverste was under their dominion. Was he going to just stay on the defensive forever? Or was it finally the time to strike back and reclaim their peace?
He thought about his friends, and felt a pang of jealousy, which morphed into a sense of loneliness. They were moving on, again, without him, to do great things. As usual, he would be stuck on guard duty, holding down the fort, awaiting their return ¨C if they ever did. Enough, he thought to himself. This time, he was going along for the ride.
He exhaled, and then entered the sick bay again. To the Boss, he said. ¡°I¡¯m in,¡±
Chapter 3: The Road West
Three days later, Zerona was out of the sick bay. Though he would often complain about his core being stiff sometimes, he was in fighting shape. May and Xnoa had finished their preparations for the journey ahead: salves, rations, and repair kits for their equipment. Since none of them could use supportive or offensive magic, Xnoa purchased a few single-use magic scrolls inscribed with basic elemental spells and curative magic. They would do in a pinch, he reasoned.
On the morning of their departure, they gathered at the town gate. It was still being rebuilt after the attack. The Blacksmiths had reinforced the ramparts with extra plating, and there were more Gunner nests. Xnoa felt uneasy; the attack was coming, and he wondered how the town would survive. But, he had far more important things to worry about. The Boss and the Guild could take care of the city¡¯s defenses.
The Boss was there to see them off. He was tense, his gaze shifting every now and then. He whispered something to Zerona. For a split second, Xnoa noticed Zerona¡¯s eyes widen. The Boss patted Zerona¡¯s shoulder once and said a few parting words to the others. With the goodbyes out of the way, they started their three-day trek along the Eastern Highway, the main throughfare connecting the Eastern Alliance to Crusadia. Their destination was the vast network of forests on the eastern outskirts of Crusadia. Once they were there, Zerona would lead them to the Liberators. Their plan was to follow the Highway until the halfway point. Then, they would take the winding path through the foothills of the eastern plains under Crusadia¡¯s jurisdiction.
The sky was clear. The tall blades of grass rustled gently as the wind swept past. In the distance, wild horses galloped. Xnoa took a deep breath. He caught the faint sweet scent of Eastern Redlilies.
¡°If only we had an airship,¡± May grumbled.
¡°Those things are expensive, aren¡¯t they? It took the Black Falcon Guild in Hakuroa three years to assemble the Black Regalia,¡± Xnoa said. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the Boss having that much money from Guild contracts,¡±
¡°We don¡¯t need the Black Regalia. A medium-class airship should get us to Crusadia in a bit over two hours,¡± May retorted. ¡°Even a four-person cruiser is better than this. By Emilia, I wish I was still back in Morgia¡¡±
After an hour on the Highway, they arrived at the border checkpoint. They showed their Guild IDs and their writ of passage to the guards. The guards were puzzled.
¡°You lot? Going to walk along the Highway through the eastern plains? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous out there? The plains aren¡¯t what they used to be. Lots of dark monsters lurking about,¡±
¡°Official Guild business,¡± Zerona said. ¡°It¡¯s classified,¡±
One of the guards shrugged. ¡°Their papers are in order. Let them through. Just be mindful of the refugees along the way. Safe travels and may Emilia bless all of you,¡±
They continued past the checkpoint to the border town of East Cape. Xnoa had been there on an escort mission for a merchant caravan. He remembered it as being a bustling trade hub where Crusadian merchants sought Eastern agricultural products and sold them for a massive mark-up in the capital. The town now was not as he remembered. Tents lined the main street. The air was full of fear and sorrow. The people he passed all had hopeless blank stares. In the distance, children¡¯s cries mixed with anguished moans were heard. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
¡°This is awful,¡± May said as they walked down the main street. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they moving on past the checkpoint?¡±
Zerona sighed. ¡°The higher-ups in Hakuroa don¡¯t want to see more refugee camps outside the city¡¯s walls. So, they announced only refugees with proper documents would be allowed past the checkpoint,¡±
¡°That¡¯s horrible!¡± May exclaimed. ¡°How could they do that?¡±
Zerona shrugged. ¡°I want to know why, too. But a guard simply follows orders,¡±
Xnoa glimpsed a child sitting on a piece of dirty cardboard. The kid was a Dominian, but his black demonic wings seemed broken. His blue shirt was tattered and bloodstained, but it did not seem like his own blood. The child silently wept.
¡°That kid¡ I thought the Dominians didn¡¯t hurt their own kind?¡± Xnoa said as they passed the child.
¡°The Dominians are just like us, Ex. Some are evil, some are good, most are in-between. That kid¡¯s just a victim in all this,¡± Zerona replied. ¡°Probably lost his parents while trying to make it here, poor thing. But it¡¯s none of our business for now,¡±
Xnoa took another glance at the child and sighed. Zerona was right. There was nothing he could do right now, and even if he did, it would serve no purpose other than slowing them down.
They continued down the main street, passing through more makeshift refugee camps. At the central square, there was a large white square tent where a long line of refugees formed. The sign hung in front of it showed a red sun, the official logo of the Reverste Healers Union. Next to it was a simple open-air soup kitchen, manned by Union staff donning white armbands bearing the Union¡¯s logo.
¡°Hey, Ex, you remember Hina, right?¡± May chimed in. ¡°That Dominian girl you hung out with during basic training? Didn¡¯t she join the Healers Union? Wasn¡¯t she a Scout?¡±
¡°Hina? I remember her. She did join, right after finishing her Assassin¡¯s training,¡± Xnoa replied.
¡°An Assassin in the Healer¡¯s Union?¡± Zerona interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s¡ unorthodox,¡±
¡°She was always a bit weird,¡± Xnoa chuckled. ¡°Always nose-deep in her books on poisons. She thought she¡¯d be helpful to the Union due to her knowledge of antidotes,¡±
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¡°That sounds¡ reasonable,¡± Zerona said. ¡°Still, unorthodox. The only Assassins I know just want to be rich by working for the aristocracy,¡±
¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been in touch a lot with her,¡± May teased. ¡°What¡¯s really going on with you two?¡±
¡°Nothing really. We just send each other letters every month. She insisted. Haven¡¯t heard from her since Crusadia fell, though. Maybe she¡¯s working in one of these tents too,¡±
May jeered. ¡°C¡¯mon Ex, tell us more about your love life. Are we really childhood friends?¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell!¡±
They had reached the town¡¯s main entrance. The wide cobbled highway stretched into the distance. Xnoa¡¯s heart sank. What was once a magnificent, bustling road over a verdant landscape had been reduced to potholes and wooden wreckages of caravans strewn about. In the distance, he spotted a group of people huddled together, covering themselves with cloaks. More refugees from the capital. It seemed a miracle they had made it out here uninjured.
Zerona called for a quick meeting. ¡°Before we head out, the Boss told me of a winged Knight that¡¯s been patrolling incoming roads into Crusadia. If it¡¯s really who I think it is, then none of us would stand a chance against her,¡±
Xnoa did not like where this was headed. The image of Zerona writhing on the ground after taking three bullets to the gut was still fresh in his mind. ¡°You¡¯re not telling us to run away and leave you behind to fend her off,¡± Xnoa said. There was a slight quiver in his voice.
Zerona shook his head. ¡°No, Xnoa. I wouldn¡¯t even last a minute against her. She¡¯s the strongest person I know. We must be extra careful,¡± he said, his eyes shifting to the ground. ¡°But, if we¡¯re spotted, we have to escape by any means¡¡±
May cocked her head and put her finger on her lip. After a while, she let out a crisp ¡°aha!¡±. ¡°How about smoke bombs?¡± she said.
Xnoa looked at her puzzled. ¡°Smoke bombs? Where would we get smoke bombs?¡±
¡°You¡¯re not the only one who came prepared, Ex,¡± May took her custom-made brown backpack¡ªissued by the Artisan¡¯s Guild after completion of basic training¡ªand opened the outermost side pocket. There were five black reflective spheres. May took one and showed it. They saw their faces bizarrely warped in the sphere. ¡°Custom smoke bombs, used by seasoned Explorers of the Mai Mai Ruins. On impact, it creates a smokescreen that even blocks out detection magic or skills,¡±
She tucked one in a pouch hoisted on her utility belt and gave Xnoa and Zerona one each. ¡°Just throw it to the ground as hard as you can,¡±
¡°By Emilia, May, you could¡¯ve mentioned you had these things before we departed,¡± Zerona scoffed. He slid his smoke bomb into an empty pouch on his belt.
They continued along the ruins of the Highway. The group of refugees Xnoa spotted earlier passed them. Their faces were sullen, their steps weak. Mothers carried infants on their backs, and fathers held their children¡¯s hands, nudging them to keep up. Not even one was armed. A middle-aged man in tattered overalls begged Zerona for some food. He ignored the man. Xnoa and May wanted to help, but Zerona shot them a glare, silently reminding them they were on a mission. Dejected, the man cursed at him.
¡°You Knights and your pride! You take all from us, yet you can¡¯t protect us when we need you most!¡±
As they passed the group, none saw his trembling fist underneath his tattered black cloak.
The further they headed west, the more devastation they saw. What used to be green plains as far as the eye could see were now a patchy mixture of brown and ash gray. Even the sounds of wildlife had disappeared, replaced with a heavy, unnerving silence punctuated by the subtle howl of the wind. They had to make sure they did not trip over potholes. In some places, they had to circle around still-smoldering holes. The embers were purple, which May recognized as Dominian fire. She cautioned them not to get even a smidge of it on their skin, lest they suffer from unhealable burns.
The sky had already turned a blazing orange and the sun gradually descending behind the hills. In the background, there was a wispy outline of the Sky Tower, the ancient connector of the Pillars, the elevator of the Gods. From Aftergale, it was difficult to see, even on a clear day. If the Gods really did exist, Xnoa questioned why they would allow all this devastation to happen in the first place.
¡°See any scouts?¡± Zerona asked.
Xnoa scanned the horizon again. He shook his head. ¡°No scouts,¡±
¡°Good,¡±
They arrived at a seemingly abandoned barn off the Highway. From the outside, the red paint was peeling off its walls. Roof shingles littered the ground around it. The surrounding weeds had taken over one side of the barn, but they were decaying from the bottom-up. The strong scent of decay lingered. They tried to enter through the side door, but it was jammed. Zerona gave it a kick and it swung open.
Inside the barn, several sleeping bags were tucked neatly in the corner near a large chest full of farming equipment. In a small cupboard were emergency rations and medical kits and restorative potions, along with some dusty clay cookware. In the middle was a sunken hearth that added some rustic charm to the place. Zerona started a fire, while Xnoa and May went outside to draw water from the well.
Nightfall came. They sat around the hearth, satisfied after having warm soup and hard crackers. Zerona told the story about the barn, how there were many of these sites scattered across Reverste thanks to the Merchant¡¯s Association. Since Crusadia fell, these some sites had been ransacked or turned into temporary shelter for refugees.
It was getting late. Zerona had already retired for the night. May was tending to her pistols and equipment. Xnoa was on first watch. He slouched on a crate outside the barn. He sighed and stretched his arms. The night was still. Too still. Not even the chirp of crickets or the hoots of owls. The stars above seemed dimmer than usual. He felt blanketed in an unnerving darkness. Yet, for some reason, it felt somewhat calming.
He heard the side door creak open.
¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± May asked. She had a white mug, slightly chipped on the rim, in her hands. ¡°Coffee?¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Xnoa said. He took a sip. It was slightly sweet, just the way he liked it.
¡°I remember you like it just a bit sweet,¡± May said. ¡°There was some sugar in the cupboard¡¡±
Xnoa shot her a suspicious look.
¡°I made sure it was still safe!¡± she said, flustered.
Xnoa took another cautious sip and put his mug on the crate. ¡°Thanks again, May,¡±
¡°No problem,¡± she replied.
A long silence followed. They avoided eye contact. Xnoa kept scratching the back of his head and May fiddled with her thumbs.
¡°It¡¯s been a while, huh,¡± Xnoa said, breaking the awkward silence between them.
¡°Yeah,¡± May said.
¡°You could¡¯ve told us why you were sent to Morgia and Tonka, but I kind of have a hunch now,¡±
May cocked her head. ¡°You do?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an airship, isn¡¯t it? The Boss is getting the guild an airship,¡±
May let out a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s that obvious, huh?¡±
¡°You¡¯re predictable. Everyone knows how much you love airships. I just put two and two together,¡± Xnoa said. He then let out a long sigh. ¡°Just wished you could¡¯ve at least told me in secret or left a note or something instead of, you know, just suddenly leaving for six months¡ especially after Crusadia fell,¡±
¡°Were you worried?¡± May asked. Her usual cheery expression turned serious.
Xnoa looked straight at her hazel eyes. ¡°You think?¡± he said, his voice trembling. ¡°You¡¯re my closest friend, May. I was worried you were caught up in the initial attack, or even worse¡¡± He bit his lower lip. ¡°¡dead,¡±
May¡¯s head sank. ¡°¡Sorry,¡± she said timidly.
The billowing vapor from the coffee mug twisted to the west following a light breeze. Xnoa put his hand on May¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Welcome back, pal,¡± he said.
He could not see it, but there was a smile on May¡¯s face as she tried hard to hold back her tears.