《A Creed of Grief》 TERMINOLOGY & MAP TERMINOLOGY THE VEIL / The name given to the current realm. The world is made up of six continents, four of which are United Tribe Lands. The other two, named The Outlands and Sanctuary, are outliers. GREAT SETTLEMENT / Each continent¡¯s largest and most well-known stronghold. SERVANT OF THE WORLD / People who can wield magic. Often shortened to just Servant. They follow one of five Paths: earth-turning, water-weaving, fire-shaping, wind-waving, and metal-making. There are also two ways of using said magic: conduits, who channel magic through weapons, or naturalists who channel magic through themselves. COLOSSI / Powerful creatures that roam the world. Not much is known about them, attempts to study them usually met with swift deaths. They come in all shapes and sizes and have magic flowing through them, which heavily depends on where they come from.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. COLOSSI SLAYERS / Magic-users that take up the mantle and protect the world from the threat of Colossi. They go through years of training under a Slayer called a Guide and then take an extensive exam to earn their Slayer Coils. GUARDIANS / Grand statues imbued with protection magic that ward against Colossi. TARIN / The common currency used in The Veil. Comes in denominations of coppers, steels, golds, and plats. ???????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? ONE ? The Giants Tether ???????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? Few things unnerved one Bellona Creed, but the closer her journey brought her back to the Metal City, the harder it became to pretend that that place wasn¡¯t one of them. The cold climate of the mountainous region, while not the most preferable, was generally tolerable. The treacherous journey up to the city from the bottom of the mountain was nothing she couldn¡¯t handle. The thousand-foot drop just before the gates was child¡¯s play. But the memories paved in every cobblestone? Each worse than the last. The rest of the world enjoyed warm climates in the depths of the summer months, but the higher she ascended up the mountain, the colder the air became, and the peak was certainly colder still. Her fur-laden boots sank in the soft snow, but despite her shiver in the harsh winds, she wore plenty of layers of hide and fur to protect herself from the elements. At first, the change from green grass to snow was met with hardly a trail to follow, but after trekking for a day, the snow hardened and a treaded path of stone began. Lit by teal-flame lanterns on each side, the path was well maintained by monks who had built a temple in the area. Bellona was thankful none of them were around to take notice of her. They wouldn¡¯t take kindly to her return to the region. While using her bo staff¡ªwhich had been aptly named Ironbark many years prior¡ªas a walking stick while navigating the uneven terrain, a sudden gust of wind blew the hood of her red cloak back, her dark cropped waves billowing against her cheeks until they looked like extensions of the bloody black markings painted throughout her wolf skull mask. This is the easy part, she reminded herself, if you can¡¯t brave the mountain, you certainly can¡¯t brave the city at its peak. While the wind howled a fierce song of harsh snow and bitter cold, Bellona had traveled the same way many times and knew its ins and outs well. A way¡¯s up brought her to a small cave that held naught but a firepit and a small shrine¡ªit was mostly unmanned, but she knew there were those who traversed the path often that provided firewood and a small box of dried meat for those less fortunate making their way to the city. She took shelter in the cave as the winds howled with thick snow until nothing was visible but white. As she sat cross-legged at the glowing fire pit, she stared deeply into its warmth until her eyelids felt too heavy to bear. When she awoke the storm had passed and she could see clear as day off the side of the mountain, so Bellona took advantage of the stillness and continued on her way, minding to leave behind a token of appreciation for the shelter. It wasn¡¯t much, but she left what little tarin she had left on her person wrapped in a piece of cloth, tucking it into the charred remains of her fire for those who came to mend it. She stopped at a freshwater pond near the cave to fill her canteen, noting a family of goats also sipping from the pond and a snow rabbit running through the trees. The wildlife here still thrives, she thought. A good sign. The goats bleated at her before returning to the forest, the baby lingering behind a little longer out of curiosity. Bellona watched it for a moment, but as she moved to lift her mask, the baby goat joined the rest of its family. She continued along the teal-lit trail that led further up the mountainside, until the snow on the ground began to thin and harden from longevity and the air grew much thinner. At the very end of her hours-long journey sat a pair of old stone dogs, each topped with a hat of snow, framing the only path across the harrowing, echoing drop below. Bellona eyed the clinking bridge between each peak through her mask, watching as what was known prominently as The Giant¡¯s Tether moved with the winds rising from the drop below. The bridge was unlike any other throughout The Veil¡ªthe commonly told story was that a giant was so angry he split the mountain in two, but the gods weaved a chain to keep it together so the mountain wouldn¡¯t fall¡ªand this metal chain served as the bridge between both peaks. Bellona wasn¡¯t sure if the story was true, but she didn¡¯t stop to question its validity. Each link of the bridge was bigger than any one person, but like any other metal chain, it was malleable. She approached the chain bridge and peered over the edge, and even though her vision was encumbered by her mask, she still managed to see every terrifying inch of the drop below. She raised a brow and sighed, backing up to have just enough room in front of her to slam the end of Ironbark onto the edge. Spreading from the staff¡¯s circumference, a large magic circle twice her size encircled her, with runes and symbols of her element forming throughout. It glowed with a bright white light, illuminating the drop and making the snow on the ground look gray and dull in comparison. From this circle her magic spread, weaving along the chain bridge and tracing its links, until every part of it basked in a soft white light. Metal spread to fill in the gaps, the links stiffened, and when the light finally dimmed a fully-formed metal bridge was left in its place. ¡°And now to cross.¡± ¡®Oh, if only it were that easy, Bell.¡¯ She was halfway across the bridge when she sensed it, but it was so sudden and there was no time to retreat to either side. Bellona slammed Ironbark into the bridge and as its metal fused with the bridge link under her feet she braced herself, just as a piercing howl bellowed from the depths below. A clawed paw dug into the mountainside from deep within the canyon, a white glow emanating from the tips of its fur. It pulled itself out of the pass so fast Bellona didn¡¯t get to see anything but a blur, the harsh wind blowing her cloak up and over her head. A loud crash preceded a strong gust of wind and snow, and as Bellona righted herself and fixed her cape, she came face-to-face with a massive gray wolf that had taken a stance on the other side of the bridge. It stood as tall as the trees surrounding it, each long claw close to Bellona¡¯s own height, while its breath billowing from the gaps in its teeth spread a thick fog over the bridge. Its eyes, like every Colossi before it and every after, glowed a bright blue hue that almost looked like they burned the hottest of flames. She sighed in annoyance and clicked her tongue against her teeth. ¡°My journey''s been relatively quiet until now. You just had to ruin it.¡± She spoke very softly, mostly to herself, separating Ironbark and the bridge and flipping it around in one hand. She pulled her Slayer Coil off of her belt and held it up to peer the Colossi through the small lens in the middle. The device scanned it over and searched it for buffs and weaknesses, taking notice of the patches of metal plating over parts of its body. Its head, back, and legs looked invulnerable from its protective barrier, but the stomach was clear. Bellona blew a long breath from her cheeks as she clipped the Coil back onto her belt. Metal class. Tier 3. Annoying. The Colossi roared and slammed its paw down on the bridge, undoing her magic in one fell swoop and making the bridge malleable once more. It swung violently under the wolf''s force and Bellona used the timing to launch herself into the air, aiming the end of her staff for the wolf¡¯s nose. She smacked it hard and metal began to spread from the plate on its forehead to cover the area she¡¯d hit, but the Colossi was able to stop the spread from encasing its mouth and snout entirely. The beast being able to cancel out her magic so easily could potentially be a problem, but she was confident that there wasn¡¯t a Colossi in the world too strong for her. Bellona grabbed hold of the Colossi¡¯s fur to keep from falling and swung up onto its back, landing on one of its metal plates. She fused Ironbark with the metal below as the Colossi shook its body to be rid of her, leaping from one side of the mountain to the other, barely making the jump as some of the mountainside crumbled under its back paws. Its tail swung furiously and smacked her once or twice, but she held onto her staff with her entire body to keep from falling. Within the beating from the wolf''s tail and its violent shaking, she started to twist Ironbark and pull at the metal plating, which made the Colossi howl in pain and start to run to try and shake her off. However, she managed to hold on and persisted, until the plating was peeling off its back and exposing the raw skin underneath, blue blood seeping out of its pores and dripping down its fur. She twisted and pulled until the majority of the plating¡¯s worth of metal was spiraled into a point at the end of Ironbark, and then as the wolf tried to shake her off one more time, she thrust it all down through its body. The metal spire pierced the Colossi all the way to the ground, its underbelly splattering blood and guts from the wound. With the spire lodged into the mountain, it almost looked like it had simply landed wrong and pierced itself on a sharp peak. The wolf twitched and howled for a moment, until its body went limp and slid down the rest of the metal. Bellona sighed in relief and dislodged Ironbark from the spire, sliding down the side of the wolf''s body and landing next to it. The Colossi had died quite close to the edge, and its tail knocked the ears off of one of the stone dogs guarding the bridge. I''ll probably get some flack for that from the monks. Just what I needed. She placed a hand on the wolf''s body and tried to feel for its breath, but her hand remained still. Still, therefore, dead. Reaching into one of the pouches on her belt, Bellona pulled out a small empty vial and uncorked the lid, pressing it up to the metal spike as the Colossi¡¯s blood trickled down it. The liquid, glowing the same blue hue as its eyes, would certainly come in handy later. ¡°Hey! You! Get away from there!¡± Bellona turned to the bridge and watched the three that crossed it¡ªone of them a Water-weaver, who solidified the bridge by freezing the chain links. All three were of different size and armament, but they all wore a similar cloak and they all had their Slayer coils either hanging from their necks or clipped to their own belts. Colossi Slayers. Also annoying. As they reached her side of the mountain, she quickly slipped the vial of Colossi blood into her pouch before they noticed it. Resting Ironbark on her shoulder, she relaxed her stance and waited, her eyes fluttering between the man and woman who stood up front. Both had brown skin, but that¡¯s where their similarities ended, the woman¡¯s more of a pine bark tone than the man¡¯s olive. Judging by the fabric underneath their cloaks, Bellona guessed the man was of the Earth and the woman was of the Water. Most Slayers tended to gravitate to clothing or accessories in the colors of their element, so it was easy to make assumptions. The man up front reached for his short sword slowly. ¡°What happened here?¡± he asked, in a more accusatory tone than Bellona cared for. She sighed. ¡°I slayed the beast.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. All three Slayers had looks of surprise on their faces, though the man in the back was mostly hidden by his hood. Bellona tried to get a better look at him, but most of him was shrouded and too far away to get any detail¡ªall she could really see was his gaping jaw. "You¡­by yourself?" the woman questioned, lifting her Slayer coil to the corpse and scanning it. "It''s the Canin Austreus, Tier 3." "That was our bounty," the Earth-turner hissed. Bellona shrugged. "It attacked me. Was I supposed to ignore it?" "Where''s your backup?" The untrusting nature of the Earth-turner was starting to piss her off. "Don''t believe that I could take it down myself, do you?" "It''s a Tier 3 Colossi. I¡¯d be an idiot to believe that." Tired of the disbelief, Bellona reached up to her mask, but she paused when she noticed the Earth-turner''s hand tighten on the hilt of his sword. She removed the mask slowly and pushed her hood back, revealing her face to them. She watched as their faces contorted in knowing¡ªand in fear¡ªunderstanding exactly why. The symmetrical scars on her face were the most conspicuous, and the most traumatic tell-tale sign of who she was, after all. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± the Earth-turner muttered, still unsure. The woman smacked him in his exposed, muscular arm. ¡°You dolt! You were seriously about to arrest and question The Arjblinka?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know who she was!¡± "Arrest?" Bellona said softly, "for killing a Colossi before you lot showed up? Like that would hold." She walked through the gap between the man and woman in front, but the third man stood in her way for a moment too long. He looked down at her with a smile, soft, hardly noticeable by anyone who wasn¡¯t breaching his personal space. His blue eyes were striking and some blond curls fell on his forehead, his facial hair a similar golden tone. The way this man looked at Bellona made her feel uneasy, but when he stepped aside and joined his comrades¡¯ sides, she set aside judgment and continued onto the chain bridge. "The corpse is all yours!" she called back to them as she crossed. A single tap from Ironbark shattered part of the ice closest to her, but Bellona was quick to react and made sure that part of the bridge remained unmoving with her own magic. The woman who¡¯d frozen it was a novice with her magic, perhaps a recent graduate of whatever training she¡¯d had. She didn¡¯t have the stamina to make her magic more resistant yet¡ªbut the rest of the bridge held up just fine, so she showed promise. "Wait!" the woman shouted, "You''re not taking claim over the kill?" Bellona paused and looked over her shoulder to them. "Oh, no. I will be claiming the kill. But I have no use for the remains, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be looking to sell whatever you can to make up for the bounty you¡¯ve lost. Consider it¡­a gesture of good will, for not arresting and interrogating me.¡± She drew her hood back over her head and continued to the end of the bridge, the sense of dread from memories of the Metal City growing in the pit of her stomach. ???????????????????????????? ? ???????????????????????????? The grand city of Jinshi, known throughout The Veil as the Metal City, was a surprisingly deceptive place. Being so treacherously high in the mountains, one would expect it to be just as desolate and unwavering, but it was in fact quite the opposite. Every building was alight with the warmth of teal-flame lanterns, the metal rooftops reflecting this light and brightening the streets, and the wooden frames of each building were all painted in beautifully vibrant colors. Not to mention the people, who were always so welcoming and kind. Perhaps it was the treacherous life they lived, located so close to Colossi territory with only the city¡¯s guards and a lowly few Slayers to protect them, that made them cherish every moment and treat others so well. Bellona really couldn¡¯t say for certain¡ªall she knew was that she was the outlier, and their kindness was stifling and dismissive. Much to Bellona¡¯s dismay, she had arrived at the city in the height of the week-long celebration of Ara Imosi: the festival they held annually to give thanks and ask for protection from the Guardian that stood tall in the center of the city¡¯s main square. This meant obnoxiously loud, drunken people and even louder festivities. The only saving grace was the crowd, which made Bellona more at ease¡ªeasier to blend in. The streets darkened by the night were lit with wooden stalls that had candle jars on string, tall blue-green flame lanterns, and magic users showing off their powers for entertainment. The smell of delicious foods like the city¡¯s signature goat dumplings, dal overloaded with herbs and spices, and fried bannock bread filled the air. Children laughed as they played games for small prizes, and the chatter of the people was boisterous, somehow louder than the music being played by the drum and flute groups. She made her way through the crowds with relative ease, no one paying her any mind as she brushed past like a gust of wind. Bellona had returned her mask to her face so as she drifted through, she felt hidden enough¡ªbut her guard remained on high alert. People were more concerned with the festivities than with other patrons, but as the sun had begun to set over the mountain peaks she knew she had to hurry to make it to her destination. All she had to do was continue, and not look around at anything for too long, lest memories best forgotten resurface. Bellona stopped at a flight of tall stairs at the corner of a crossroad, completely empty save for a drunken haggard nearly passed out halfway up. Bellona began to ascend the stone stairway, at first convinced she¡¯d made it through unscathed, but as she neared the top, she suddenly felt like she was being watched. She turned and scanned the crowd below, but it was damn near impossible to find one particular pair of eyes amidst a thousand. Trying her best anyway, the culprit was well hidden, if there even was one. She waited for a moment, forcibly quelling the uneasiness and rising hairs on the back of her neck, before she rushed the rest of the way up. She quickly pushed open and entered through the large iron-cast doors at the very top of the steps, into the warmth and homeliness of the Slayer¡¯s Hearth. A home to all Colossi Slayers, a Hearth acted as a waypoint for any and all¡ªSlayer and Apprentice alike. It served as a rest stop for the traveling Slayer, a meeting place for hunting parties to decide on job listings, and a bar for those wishing to drink their days away. It was unfortunately common to find Slayers wasting their days away on the establishment¡¯s unending stores of alcohol, trying to blur the horrors they¡¯ve seen and friends they¡¯ve lost. It was a coping mechanism Bellona understood. Upon entry, she immediately noticed that the inside was decorated for the festival with lights on strings and colorful ribbons covering the wooden support beams. However, despite the fact that the Hearth generally had an open door policy, like usual the one in Jinshi was rather scarce of company. Two men sat chatting near the fireplace with mugs of mead, but that was about it, save for the lone man standing behind the bar. Bellona closed the doors behind her and walked up to the bar, producing the vial of blood she¡¯d procured from the Colossi earlier and setting it down with a loud enough clink to get the man¡¯s attention. As he turned around, she also placed her Slayer coil down beside it, the metal device dull and dirty from neglect. ¡°Oh? What do we have here?¡± the man asked, picking up the vial and swishing its contents around close to his face. ¡°The blood of the Colossi I killed on my way into the city.¡± As she removed her mask and lowered her hood, the man¡¯s face lit up with a mischievous smile. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Miss Creed,¡± he greeted, setting the vial back down on the counter. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you gracing our fair city ever again. Last I¡¯d heard you¡¯d gone as far East as possible.¡± ¡°This world is a circle, Mkhai,¡± Bellona replied, resting Ironbark against the bar and placing her Slayer coil down, ¡°if I go as far East as I can, eventually I end up right back here.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Indeed. So, what¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°Figured a vial of that stuff could get me a few drinks of your fine ale, could it not?¡± The gruff older man, Mkhai A¡¯lrun, had already begun pouring a drink into a wooden stein. ¡°Why pay me in Colossi blood, when you can use some of the bounty from the kill?¡± Bellona rested her head in her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve gotten out of the parts trade since I¡¯ve been gone. I figured this would sell well for you, untainted and fresh.¡± Mkhai paused for a moment, shooting her a knowing and mischievous glance. As he placed the stein of ale down in front of her, he picked the vial back up, examining its contents. ¡°What creature did this come from?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± she tried to remember what the Water-weaver had said after taking a long swig from the stein, ¡°Canin Australis, I think she said? It¡¯s Tier 3.¡± Although he raised a brow in suspicion, Mkhai grabbed a large book from behind the bar and flipped open the cover, only the inside wasn¡¯t full of paper pages but a single screen¡ªblank at first, but Mkhai grabbed her Coil and placed it over the screen and text began to appear. He typed a login and then, from what she could see, showed her last scanned encounters. A few Tier 1 rats, a couple of Tier 2 from further down the mountain, and finally, the Tier 3 wolf from the bridge. When she noticed its model pictured on the screen, she pulled herself up and reached over to point. "That''s the one, right there." Mkhai smacked the top of her hand before she could touch the screen. "Don''t reach over my bar, and don''t touch the Keeper''s Tome," he growled, then looked over the text, "and it says here a local trio took on this commission not three hours ago." Bellona shrugged as she took another large swig. "It attacked me at the Giant''s Tether. What was I supposed to do, wait for Slayers I didn''t know were going to show up?" "They''re not going to be very happy with you, encroaching on their bounty like that." Mkhai warned as he entered her credentials under the Completed Commission section. "It attacked me," she repeated, ¡°and they should be more concerned that they aren¡¯t strong enough to do the job on their own.¡± A snicker left Mkhai¡¯s lips before he had the chance to stifle it. ¡°Your ego is going to condemn you one day, little girl. You¡¯re lucky they¡¯re not here to listen to that kind of talk. Hell, I¡¯m lucky. You¡¯d probably destroy my bar shutting them up.¡± Bellona didn''t deny the accusations, burying herself in her drink instead. When Mkhai slid her Slayer Coil back to her, she clipped it back to her belt, and attempted to relax on her stool when that feeling of being watched returned. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to turn around and search for the culprit, knowing now wasn¡¯t the time to pick a fight¡ªand not because she cared to keep Mkhai¡¯s bar intact. ¡°So,¡± Mkhai put the tome back under the bar and leaned back, ¡°are you going to tell me why you¡¯re back? I know it¡¯s not just for my ale, as much as you flatter me.¡± She hesitated, taking as quick and as discreet a look around the Hearth as she could. Everything looked to be the same as before, and no one was looking their way. Even still, she decided to choose her next words carefully. ¡°I¡¯m...following some rumors.¡± Bellona hushed her voice to barely louder than a whisper. ¡°Some deeply unsettling rumors, but so far, they are just that.¡± ¡°Mhm, rumors indeed.¡± The way Mkhai said it made Bellona feel like he either didn¡¯t believe her or he knew more than he let on. However, he quickly changed the subject by pulling a key out of his pocket and setting it down on the bar. ¡°Lucky you, Miss Creed. Your favorite room is available for lodging.¡± The idea of a good night¡¯s sleep in a pile of wood and cloth that mostly resembled a bed was tempting, so she downed the rest of the ale as quickly as she was able. As she set the stein down, Mkhai also placed near her a satchel that clinked in the frequency of gold tarin¡ªpayment for the job she¡¯d unwittingly completed. She picked up the satchel and felt its weight with a shake, raising a brow as she realized those three Slayers would indeed be quite pissed off at her. She grabbed the key as well, making a mental note to weld the door to her room shut, lest they come for the coins in the middle of the night. ¡°Well look at that, you¡¯ve given me everything except for what it is I truly desire:¡± Bellona pushed the empty stein closer to Mkhai and smirked faintly, ¡°another drink.¡± TWO ? O Holy Imos Despite Mkhai¡¯s warning about the trio of Slayers she inadvertently stole the job from, Bellona¡¯s night was as pleasantly isolating and quiet as she wished it could always be. She even took precautionary measures and used her magic to weld the door and its hinges immovably, and it remained completely intact and upright the following morning¡ªno trace of tampering to be found inside or out. The satchel of tarin remained untouched, and her peace wasn¡¯t disturbed in the slightest. Her aching body longed for more sleep, and coupled with her apprehension with facing the city, she laid in bed a lot longer than she intended to. She rolled out long past sunrise only when the birds finally began to sing, and to avoid any more idling aimlessly quickly cleaned and dressed. While she had her cloak and a long-sleeved tunic, her clothing was made for the warmer climates she''d lived in. Briefly opening up the window in her room to feel how cold the air outside was, she thought twice about what she needed to do¡ªthe urge to remain close to the fireplace grew stronger with every gust of wind. Despite it, she persisted. She armed herself fully and left her room, locking the door behind her once more with magic, and walked down the spiral staircase to the floor below where only the embers of the firepit and the change in bartender were there to greet her. Before leaving the Hearth she ate a meager meal by the fire: goat meat stew and crisp honey bannock, wrapping up and saving a piece of the latter for later. Once she was fed, she donned her cloak and her mask, brandished Ironbark on her back, and slipped quietly out of the Hearth¡¯s front doors. Festivities from the night before had all dulled down by the morning, only drunken stragglers and tired vendors closing their stalls left on the streets. Even so, Bellona kept to the shadows as best she could in the morning sun. The feeling of being watched from the previous night was gone, but the paranoia was ever remaining. Not able to afford letting her guard down, she kept a close eye on her surroundings to make sure she wasn¡¯t being tailed. As she pulled into a familiar alleyway, she looked across the street at an old shop that was boarded up, signs of a struggle abundant in bent metal and snapped wooden beams. She paused to remember what had once been there: the smell of dough sweetened with clove, and a scruffy dog that was missing an eye. Laughter once came from inside that building, she remembered¡ªa long, long time ago. Too long ago to remember faces or names, but not long enough for the pain to subside. ¡®We were happy here once. Weren¡¯t we, Bell?¡¯ Bellona closed her eyes, breathed deeply in, and moved on without a word. The city was cold but thankfully not as much as outside the walls, the cobblestone streets warmed from harnessing the volcanic activity below¡ªmelting most of the snow and keeping the temperature at a tolerable level. Even still, she shivered under her cloak, wishing she owned warmer garments besides a thin tunic and wide pants made of silk. As she continued, she passed an atelier with fur-lined attire in the window, remembering the fat purse of tarin she had stowed away safely in her room at the Hearth. Depending on how long her business kept her in Jinshi, she made a mental note to return if the need would arise. She continued through the city until she was at its center, where she watched the sky brightening slowly behind the looming form of Jinshi¡¯s Guardian. The fifty-foot statue, standing tall and proud at the risen center of the plaza, had her arms raised in a protective manner as she peered out to the mountain peaks beyond the gates. The people of Jinshi had named her Imos, Protector of the Sky Folk, and unlike the other Great Settlements where their Guardian stood guard at their entrance, those who came before built the city around her¡ªso there was no citizen who didn¡¯t feel safe, no matter where they happened to reside. Bellona approached the square apprehensively, the empty plaza a strange sight when compared to her distant memories of fighting crowds in the very same place. Two staircases curved up and into each other from either side, cocooning a small waterfall fountain, where the water was heated in the same way as the streets and the steam that rose was said to have special healing properties. ¡°This used to be my favourite place in the whole city,¡± she spoke aloud as she started to climb a staircase, squatting briefly on one step and swirling her hand through the warm water, ¡°Nothing else compared to the beauty and grace of you, O Holy Imos.¡± No answer came, of course¡ªafter all, Imos was merely a statue of metal and stone. And yet she was so much more, like every Guardian that rose from the earth at the beginning of The End, with the power to shield and protect from Colossi. A powerful, misunderstood magic, which was precisely what drew Bellona back to Jinshi in the first place. She took her mask off and attached it to her belt, lowering her hood as she ascended the rest of the stairs to stand at Imos¡¯s feet. The entire area was nearly covered in offerings, from trinkets and gold to the meager scraps one would starve to provide, all the way from the stairs to the risen platform she stood upon. The people here loved her greatly, and while everyone was under her graceful banner, they would feel protected and safe from the threats looming throughout the mountains. However, the Guardians¡ªborn of an ancient and incomprehensible magic¡ªhad secrets. Most were not aware, certainly not the common people, that the magic Guardians bore inside of them could be tapped into. There was a common knowledge that Guardians were the shields of the Great Settlements and beyond, sure, but very few began to wonder how. Their magic was unlike anything that could be wielded by humankind, but for those who knew how to find it, could connect with it. Bellona Creed, being one of those few, stared up at the Guardian¡¯s face. The magic was there, she could feel it within the statue and the surrounding area, but it didn¡¯t feel like it should. She was supposed to feel like a protector, a warm and calming presence, but all she felt like was poison. ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Bellona whispered, ¡°that even you¡­¡± Imos¡¯s magic suddenly snapped out at her and Bellona stumbled, her head heavy and sluggish. She steadied herself against the pedestal at the Guardian¡¯s feet, but the moment her hand touched the cold stone, a voice began to bounce off of the walls in her mind¡ªfrantic and afraid. HELP ME! IT HURTS!! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!! She pulled her hand away but with it, her body felt limp. Bellona quickly pulled Ironbark and held herself upright with it, the fleeting moment of weakness passing not quickly enough as the voice still echoed within her depths. ¡°ARJBLINKA!¡± At first she thought she was called out to by the same voice, but it came from behind, so she turned on her heels and held Ironbark out in front of her defensively. Then, she recognized where the new voice came from, and saw in the center of the square below stood a hooded figure¡ªtall and lean, with fists curled tight. When she realized it was he who had shouted her wretched moniker, she aimed the head of Ironbark at him. ¡°Look,¡± she said, slowly pulling her mind together as the voice left its mark and disappeared, ¡°if this is about me stealing your bounty, the Colossi attacked me. Was I supposed to just¡ª¡± Bellona paused as he drew his hood back, and when she saw his face, lost all train of thought¡ªas she was faced with none of the Slayers from the other day. This was a boy she didn¡¯t know, with hooded eyelids and high cheekbones¡ªnative Yuka features, the traditional people of the Outlands. His eyes were large but hidden behind round glasses, and his hair spiked with volume in tones of gray and black. Most of his clothes were hidden behind his ratted cloak, but guessing what Path the native Yuka followed was next to impossible anyway, if he followed any Path at all. She tentatively lowered Ironbark, but kept a solid grip just in case their meeting wasn¡¯t meant to be friendly after all. ¡°Sorry. You¡¯re not who I thought you were.¡± The boy looked up at her with strength in his furrowed brows, which she would have mistaken for fury if not for her gut telling her that he meant no harm. He walked forwards, ascending up the stairs, and although Bellona still didn¡¯t believe he was dangerous she backed up and kept Ironbark in front to maintain distance. When he was on her level, he stood at one end of Imos¡¯s pedestal while she stood at the other, the only thing between them her staff and a tight air of tension. He made no motion of any kind towards the Guardian, not even acknowledging her presence. The boy only stared Bellona down, taking deep breaths that made his chest rise slowly. Having her face exposed to him was a terrifyingly uncomfortable feeling, especially given his unwavering stare that she almost feared breaking. ¡°You¡¯re the infamous Arjblinka, right?¡± he asked sternly, his pronunciation crude and uncertain, but correct nonetheless. Bellona nodded in reply. ¡°I am. What do you want?¡± ¡°The Arjblinka,¡± he continued, ¡°Rumor has it that you massacred an entire army with a Tier 5 Colossi at your side. That you have mastery of the Path of Metal beyond even Lazarus Holt himself. That you served in the Usaelim¡ªthe Brigade of the Unseen¡ªand then you wiped them all out.¡± The boy took a step forward, eyes determinedly staring into hers, but Bellona remained still. ¡°You have great, immeasurable power within you. And I need it.¡± An uneasy feeling rose in Bellona¡¯s heart and she tightened her grip on Ironbark. The boy took another step forward, and when she didn¡¯t move, the tip of the staff pressed against his chest. For a long and tense moment, nothing was said between them, and Bellona readied herself to knock him backwards and away. But then he lowered himself to his knees, bowed as lowly as his body would let him, and then shouted, ¡°My name is Teslin Aegis! Please, Arjblinka, be my Guide!¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The wind whistled dryly in the midst of the awkward silence. Bellona, who had properly expected a fight right then, had no idea how to respond to what was being asked of her. No, demanded of her. To be a Guide was an honor, a privilege, something only asked of a Slayer from someone who trusted them and believed in them. If he¡¯d believed even a single one of those rumors he spouted on about, he wouldn¡¯t have considered her worthy of the task at all. Who was this boy, with the surname of the unclaimed children of The Outlands, to ask such a thing of her? After some time, much too long a time, she answered. ¡°No.¡± He remained still as she lowered her staff and started to descend the stairs to the square. She didn¡¯t dare look back, wanting to put the idea of being someone¡¯s Guide behind her, but it was overwhelmingly puzzling that someone wanted her. ¡°Please, Arjblinka,¡± he continued, causing Bellona to stop in place, ¡°you are the only one who can help me. There¡¯s no one else here with a true mastery of the Path of Metal, and certainly no one who could take on a Tier 3 Colossi like it was barely a nuisance.¡± So it¡¯s you I¡¯ve been sensing since I arrived, Bellona thought, turning back to see he still remained in his bowing position. He didn¡¯t move a muscle, not a twitch nor even a look, and she couldn¡¯t decide if it meant he was desperate or stubborn. Likely both. ¡°I¡¯m not the person you want teaching you,¡± she admitted, covering her face with her hood as she continued descending the stairs, ¡°and there are others in this world who would be willing to take you on.¡± He remained bowed, but his voice intensified. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I¡¯m¡ª¡± Something suddenly whizzed by Bellona¡¯s cheek, cutting a tear into her hood. She raised Ironbark once she heard it and knocked the object out of the way before it impaled Teslin. He lifted his head as he heard the clang of the object hitting Ironbark, and quickly scrambled to his feet As it clattered to the ground, Bellona lowered her hood and looked over her shoulder, making eye contact with the golden-haired Slayer that stood on the other side of the square¡ªthe one who¡¯d stood in her way when crossing the Giant¡¯s Tether the day before. About goddamn time. She sighed. ¡°I assume you want your money back?¡± Bellona shouted to him, walking down to the square and picking up what she¡¯d deflected with Ironbark: a simple metal throwing star, with a piece of red cloth attached to one point. ¡°Let¡¯s go back in time, then, and I¡¯ll just assume that the dangerous Colossi is spoken for and just leave.¡± ¡°The money is of little concern to me, it¡¯s the principle of the matter,¡± the man said in a cool, smooth voice, ¡°it¡¯s uncouth for a Slayer to steal from a comrade.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t call people comrade so lightly.¡± He clicked his teeth. ¡°All Slayers share a bond of camaraderie that¡ª¡± Bellona interrupted and threw the metal star back at him, but he was quick to react, and a yellow magic circle spread from his hand and the star redirected back at her. She blocked it with her staff easily enough, and he¡¯d shown his cards¡ªbut it only showed her just how annoying the fight ahead was going to be and nothing more. ¡°No, you see,¡± she continued, flipping the staff around in her hand, ¡°just because we all serve under the same banner doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re all on the same side. You call me comrade, yet you attack me while my back is turned. Get my drift?¡± The man squinted at her and readied another star. ¡°So what? You won¡¯t honor the fact that the job was mine and give back what you shouldn¡¯t have taken?¡± ¡°I thought you said the money didn¡¯t matter to you?¡± He growled in response and Bellona flexed her fingers around Ironbark as she readied herself to fight, but in an instant, Teslin was standing between them, his hands raised as he faced the man. ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake, sir!¡± he said, ¡°This is the Arjblinka, the most powerful Metal Slayer since Lazarus himself! It¡¯s a fight you cannot win.¡± She scoffed. Who the hell even is this guy?! The golden-haired man mirrored her thoughts. ¡°And who the hell are you, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m her Apprentice!¡± ¡°Like hell,¡± she continued, pulling Teslin behind to face the man herself, ¡°but he is right about what he said before. You won¡¯t win this fight, but you¡¯re more than welcome to try.¡± And just like that, the man accepted her proposal with the throw of his star. She dodged this one and pushed Teslin down with her, the boy stumbling to the side while narrowly avoiding the attack with her. She stood in front of him defensively¡ªnot out of any allegiance but her own will to bring none to harm. It was a miracle the throwing star didn¡¯t impale him, and just because he was expecting the impossible of her didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t allow him her bare minimum. ¡°Get out of here!¡± She spoke to Teslin in an authoritative tone, gesturing away. He just stared at her, not a word from his lips, and she wondered if Teslin was too frightened to move. She caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s throwing star she¡¯d dodged coming right back at her, completely clearing Teslin with a curve and aiming for her head. She turned just in time for it to fly right past her again, just missing the ends of her hair, and back into the man¡¯s hand. ¡°You will pay for this dishonor, Arjblinka,¡± the man hissed through grit teeth, ¡°be it in coin or in blood!¡± He threw again, and this time Bellona knocked it down with her staff. He was fast, but she was faster, and lunged herself forward, staff aimed for his chest. He blocked with his arm and swiped at her with another star¡ªthis one bigger and likely meant specifically for close-range combat. She blocked it with her staff as well, and was met with a rather surprised expression that it didn¡¯t cut right through it. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s¡ª¡± Bellona tapped her staff with a flick of her finger, a loud clang registering that it wasn¡¯t made of wood like its appearance suggested, but metal. She knocked the star back and tried to trip him, but he was quick to move out of the way and tried to slash down, which she blocked and hurriedly turned her staff downward for the butt end to connect with his jaw. It hit wonderfully and he was knocked backwards, disoriented from the blow to the head for a moment. However, he followed it up quickly as his magic circle reappeared and a great amount of stars left his pouches and floated into the air, forming a person-sized tornado. They all blew her way at once, much too many to block and much too quickly to dodge. Her only course of action was to jump out of the way, and although she figured that was what he wanted her to do, she had no choice. However, before she could, Teslin once again put himself in front of her. It was in a split second and there was nothing she could do to stop him, but he had abandoned his cloak and was able to block all of the stars in front of her with what looked like a metal shield on his arm. No¡­not a shield. Magic? Teslin wielded no weapon, but his arm had been encased in a dark ore; shards, plates, and crystal-like growths protruded from his arm and provided sharp edges, but also a thick and tricky layer of protection. It had grown easily to twice the size of his arm, but the faint shape of his hand was visible at the end and as he curled his fingers in, Bellona knew it was his own doing. It was his magic. She blocked the remaining stars he redirected by turning quickly and running them through with Ironbark, some of them flying the way of Imos¡¯ statue and ricocheting off of her. The man growled in anger at their effective defense and continued to produce what seemed like an endless amount of stars, pulling ones she¡¯d blocked and reaiming them towards her. Bellona kept her back to Teslin and took down the stars from one side, while he used his arm to deflect those on the other. ¡°He¡¯s using wind magic to control the stars!¡± Bellona shouted. ¡°He¡¯s probably got a range he can control them within, so try to knock them as far away as possible!¡± Teslin nodded in understanding and put more effort into knocking the stars out of range, but it left his torso open and vulnerable and a couple stars sneaked through, one cutting his side and another piercing his chest. Bellona couldn¡¯t block all the stars either, the flurry becoming too much for even her to handle, and a few snuck through Ironbark and clipped her shoulder and legs. We need to get offensive if this is going to end, she thought, trying to quickly look for an opening. None of the ones being deflected were getting anywhere near him, his wind magic protecting simply redirecting anything that got within a certain range. If she was going to take him down, she had to get back up close. However, as Bellona reached for Teslin¡¯s arm to try and pull him back, a familiar voice echoed through the square. ¡°Bax! That¡¯s enough!¡± Suddenly, the stars halted in the air, one of them barely an inch from Teslin¡¯s eye. Bellona watched as the other two Slayers from the other day ran towards the man, weapons drawn in front of them. The Water-weaver stood in front of him, rapier pointed at his chest, while the Earth-turner had his sword in his back. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± she shouted, her expression showing more worry than anger, ¡°This behavior is unbecoming of the Slayer profession! We don¡¯t fight each other, that¡¯ll only draw the Colossi in!¡± He grit his teeth and growled with a step forwards, but the girl remained steadfast. ¡°We don¡¯t steal jobs from each other, either, but she waltzes into our city and does whatever she pleases?! And I¡¯m just supposed to take that?!¡± In the moment of stillness she finally had, Bellona finally took notice of signs she¡¯d been too distracted to notice before. The man¡¯s pupils had almost overtaken his blue irises, his veins were a dark purple and protruding from his neck beyond the collar of his overcoat, and his hands were shaking quite fiercely. With how he snapped at his comrade, almost foaming at the mouth in rage, Bellona was certain she couldn¡¯t continue this any further. As she sheathed Ironbark, she placed a hand on Teslin¡¯s back. ¡°He¡¯s consumed Colossi flesh,¡± she muttered. Teslin looked over his shoulder at her, brows raised. ¡°Colossi flesh? What does that have to do with anything?¡± Bellona nodded in the wind-waver¡¯s direction. ¡°Do you see how he¡¯s practically rabid? Consuming the flesh of Colossi boosts magic power and enhances the senses¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªBut it can also poison the mind and drive you mad.¡± The Water-weaver looked back at the two of them as she spoke, a solemn look on her face. Bellona knew that look well, and it told her that this whole scenario was a much bigger problem than she was in the mood to deal with. She wasn¡¯t their friend, whatever problems the man they called Bax was going through, it wasn¡¯t her concern. What he¡¯d said was true enough, that Colossi Slayers were generally considered brothers in arms, but Bellona had earned her Coil young and had learned that she had no comrades even younger. As she started to walk away, Teslin started after her, calling her Arjblinka. ¡°Wait! Where are you going? We have to he¡ª¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t doing anything. The fight is over, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°But what about¡ª¡± ¡°And I¡¯m not becoming your Guide!¡± Suddenly, magic struck Bellona¡¯s insides like a whip, the sting of a festering rot shooting through her entire body. At first she wondered if there was something tainting Bax¡¯s weapons that had snuck its way into her system, but that particular magic felt too familiar. As her legs buckled from under her and she fell to her knees on the warm tile, she looked up to Imos, and for a moment saw a flash of a figure standing at her feet. ¡°Arjblinka! You¡¯re dead!¡± Bax was struggling against the other two Slayers, and as he fought to find an out between two swords, the throwing stars that had all fallen to the ground were shaking and rising back into the air. Even those she thought to be out of his range rattled and rose. Bellona barely registered what was happening, her vision blurring as she looked up to the visage of the Guardian, swearing she could see the statue¡¯s face cry. Teslin called out desperately for her, Bax screamed a visceral cry of fury, and as the stars all shot out towards her, the pain from the magic hit its peak¡ªand her eyes rolled back into her head.