Welcome back everyone for our 10th Interlude! Wooo! I know I said this would be up Tuesday, but as it turns out, there is in fact internet where I'm currently visiting! Hell Yeah! Wi-Fi!
I'd like to thank Guest, Hellbreaker, Shaded Azure, Baoh joestar and VergilXSparda for leaving reviews last chapter.
Yeah, ever since I introduced Lance, I knew there'd be a fatal confrontation between him and Russel. But it was always a question of how. And I think I pulled it off.
Oh, and Hellbreaker, yup.
Anyways, onto the Interlude!
The Sentinel
Two hundred years before the Great War, Vacuo was a tropical oasis stumbled upon by chance. In the center of a remote desert, the bare sandy dunes provided a glimpse of peace and a life so removed from the natural terrors they'd been indoctrinated to accept. In the deathly desert that spanned thousands of miles, where no Grimm dared to venture, these nomads created paradise and sought to live as they sought fit, without fear and in the light of a hopeful tomorrow.
But such peace never lasts. These settlers, once nomads, who'd spent years wandering lands, never staying in one place for too long, something was bound to give. Tensions rose between purists and those acclimated to the life of comfort. Conflict emerged, The Bloody Sunday, a bar room brawl that slaughtered twenty. And for the first time, a dark atmosphere descended upon the fledging settlement of Vacuo. Armies arose, meeting to cast down the opposition for control of their people's destiny.
That was when the threat of Grimm re-emerged. Through the godless desert the nightmares marched, to stamp out humanity. The people of Vacuo were drowning in their own people's blood, too distracted by their own unresolved issues to face the beasts that threatened all their existence. Dark days followed, the Grimm a blight that swarmed through the coarse sand.
When all seemed lost, a stranger emerged. Sinbad Queen, a drifter, a nomad in his own right, wandering across the desert, his purpose unknown even to this day. As if by accident he'd stumbled upon the conflict. Some, however, would say it was by destiny. Witnessing the peoples' dire days and their final nights, Sinbad could not stand idly by. And into the fray he went.
Across the arduous desert he went. Climbing atop foul mesa and traversing mountains, until finally reaching the top of the highest point in Vacuo. It was said that dust flowed through the air that day, that the sands around them began to levitate. The sieging Grimm abandoned their crusades and turned their attention to Sinbad up atop that mountain peak. A sea of Grimm charged, while all the men and women of Vacuo watched in awe. As the sun fell over the horizon, a mighty green flash engulfed the sky and seared through the land. The dying cries of Grimm fell on deaf ears while the cheers of many rang loud.
It was then that Vacuo was truly born, when the blood feuds and those who fought their wars were all gone. The people turned to this stranger, this man who owed them nothing and yet saved regardless and asked for him to lead them. Sinbad declined, for who was he to decide the paths of many? But before the people could weep, he spurred them, announcing that he would always be watching over them.
Sinbad Queen, The Sentinel of Vacuo, watched over the people up atop that mountain, directly across from the growing city. This drifter, this nomad, became a savior and a permanent resident, introduced new forms of medicine and teachings from far off lands he'd discovered in his travels. And though unconfirmed, it is believed The Sentinel had discovered the origin of Faunus during this time.
The Sentinel burdened himself with the safety of Vacuo and would act against those who intended to harm its people. Bandits and Grimm, invading pirates seeking buried treasure and even a sinister woman with a dark heart. The Sentinel carried on with this way of life for decades. Sometimes he'd pass the time enriching the people's minds, and others he'd uplift their spirits. He was more than just a shield against the drums of encroaching war, he was Vacuo's hero.
But then, The Sentinel vanished.
The people of Vacuo took notice and marched up to the observatory of their protector. And much to their surprise, they found it empty. What happened to The Sentinel, nobody knows for certain. Some religious zealots professed he'd transcended to serve as a holy angel. Others claim that he'd died fighting in a shadowy war, one that they hadn't even noticed. Some fatalistic few thin that'd he'd suffered a stroke and fell off the mountain. And then there are those who paused and wondered, maybe he'd simply left for parts unknown, ever the nomad he was.
Back in Nebula's Arc, there was mention of this historical figure, The Sentinel of Vacuo, whose lost legacy was being sought after by Dr. Kruger. I like going back and playing with the history, I like world building.
Anyways, next week: Tears of Venezeir!