Chapter 20 – Stormhowl.
"Such well-picked ingredients… you must be making miso stew tonight." A conspiratorial smile formed on the woman's face as she leaned forward, rubbing her fingertips together. "Well, I don't suppose you know what would go well with that stew tonight?" She paused for dramatic effect.
"…Some of the wonderful pre-made foodstuffs that we have for sale, of course!"
The saleswoman spun around in a circle on the spot, her apron flashing around her like a cape as she came to a halt with a finger pointing directly at her targeted audience with a fierce inhale. "That's right, great food at great prices without the hassle, ready to eat 24 hours, 7 days a week! Perfect for someone as shopper-savvy as you!" she crowed.
All around, the non-distinct chattering of the people visiting the Lastonbell marketplace continued uninterrupted. In the center of the plaza, a large fountain chuckled as it pumped water high into the air with a soft spray. A gaggle of children laughed raucously as they played tag, weaving in and out of the groups of shoppers visiting the various stalls. Somewhere in the distance, a lone bird chirped loudly above the clamor, announcing its presence to the world. The saleswoman stood there in a fixed pose, an expectant, breadwinning smile plastered on her enthusiastic face.
Velvet stared flatly back at her.
The chains on her outfit clinked as she turned to the side, returning her attention to the display of green onions arrayed in the stall before her. After a pause, she plucked a well-colored bundle of onions off the pile, depositing it into the full basket hanging off her right arm. That having been done, the therion calmly turned and walked away from the human without a word, her steel boots clanking quietly upon the stones underfoot.
Not deterred in the least, the merchant in the bright green hat quickly caught up with the harden woman's stride, crossing her arms and nodding with marked sympathy. "It can be weird just hearing me say that, I know." she reassured deeply. "Anybody can just fling those words about." She hopped to the side with catlike reflexes, dodging a shopping couple walking in the opposite direction. "But I'll tell you now," she continued as she hopped back, "we have food that you can find nowhere else in Lastonbell! The best of the best. The latest fads!"
Metal clinked as Velvet placed several coins of gald into the wrinkled hand of the old lady manning the booth. The elderly woman bobbed her head as she received the money, sliding the gold coins into a pouch for safekeeping before reaching for change.
"Why, we've even got the Mabo Curry Bun!" the saleswoman announced loudly from behind Velvet. "The famous specialty product of the Sparrowfeathers. So tasty, so good…!" she shook her head, her short red hair swishing from side to side with the movement. "And the prices we have them for… You'd be totally silly to not take an advantage of such a ridiculous offer!"
The therion received and carefully counted the change to her satisfaction before palming the coins, giving the elderly shopkeeper a nod of thanks. The trade having been made, she turned on her heel and headed off, groceries in hand.
Reaching her limit, the saleswoman's eye twitched.
"…Hey! At least say something!" she yelled reproachfully at the departing woman's back. She pouted as the lady walked away without showing any signs of having heard her, leaving her standing alone in front of the stand.
"Honestly. Some people…" she sighed, crossing her arms with a huff. Behind her, the elderly woman manning the grocery stand exhaled quietly, getting off from her stool and slowly walking over to tend the rest of her stall.
Velvet had long since discounted the saleswoman from her mind as she crossed the plaza, the spray from the fountain misting in the overcast day and wafting over her face. By her side, the basket of groceries she'd bought dangled from her right hand, perfectly ready for tonight's meal. All around her, the chattering of the shoppers and the laughter of the children continued amidst the bustle of the city of artisans.
Suddenly, she jerked her head to the side; her eyes narrowing in alarm.
CRASH!
Instantly releasing the groceries in her hand, the therion slammed her feet into the ground and leapt back, dodging a razor-sharp blade of ice as it embedded itself directly into the stones where she'd been standing. Without hesitation, Velvet brought her left arm up and whirled around while simultaneously extruding her monstrous claw into the open air.
The pulsating surface of her claw deflected the next blade of ice moments before it impaled her, redirecting its velocity to crash into the façade of a nearby building. The world spun around and around as she brought her legs up and over her head, launching her body into a series of backflips to avoid more charged blades of ice shooting overhead, all of which rippled with powerful electric mana.
Dull booms resounded through the stones below as the missed artes crashed violently into various parts of the plaza, sending shrapnel flying in all directions from the points of impact. Screams echoed throughout the marketplace as the humans were cast into abrupt chaos, stalls being abandoned in an instant as people fled the spontaneous explosions that had occurred out of nowhere.
The cries of the fleeing humans rang in Velvet's ears as she came to a halt in the center of the plaza, tensed in an athletic stance while holding her claw held readily in front of her.
"Velvet Crowe."
The therion scowled as she was addressed, flexing her right hand readily as she laid eyes upon the collection of seraphim walking through the debris towards her. "Who's asking?" she growled, flexing her claw readily. Behind her, the fountain puttered noisily, leaking water out into the stones of the plaza having been struck with a stray blade of ice.
A woman with short turquoise hair in an angelic white coat stepped forward; her deep green eyes hard with fury as she looked upon the intruder in her domain.
"Sindra. The Lord of the Land for the city of Lastonbell." She frowned, her clothing flowing with the rippling seraphic power swirling around her. "You were foolish to so boldly intrude upon my domain, hellion. Nevertheless, it was high time that your reign of terror was ended." She closed her eyes briefly. Her gathering of seraphic followers stepped forward as well, all of them wielding different elements in preparation for battle.
"Fitting that it should be by my hand." The Lord's eyes snapped open, glowing with power as she raised her arm. "Now face the wrath of one appointed by the Shepherd Himself!" she cried.
As one, the group of seraphim released their artes, unleashing a tsunami of multi-colored projectiles towards the raven-haired hellion on the other side of the plaza. Power roared deafeningly as the artes converged towards Velvet, who took a step back with a ferocious scowl.
BANG! BANG!
The shockwaves of explosions resounded across the city as the unleashed artes detonated, uprooting the stone bricks underfoot and sending debris flying in all directions. Flashes of lightning, missiles of flame, clumps of earth, and spikes of water crashed against the facades of the surrounding buildings amidst their barrage, sending brick and stone careening down upon the abandoned stalls underneath.
A black and red blur danced between it all, twisting and leaping with inhuman grace. Velvet's eyes burned red as she came to a halt as the initial barrage faded; her body untouched and her claw rippling with power.
Her ear twitched as, amidst the sound of crumbling rock and rumbling earth, the screaming of a woman drew her attention. The saleswoman from before twitched uncontrollably as she laid upon the ground, her eyes wide with agony as she was electrocuted by a charged blade of ice that had collided into the ground beside her.
Velvet turned back to glare at the Lord of the Land and her followers as the smoke faded, revealing the seraphim once more preparing to cast another barrage of artes. "The hell do you think you're doing?!" she snarled.
Blades of ice forming readily in the air behind her, Sindra grit her teeth in response to the hellion's demand. "…If I must sacrifice the lives of an unfortunate few to take down the Lord of Calamity at the opportune moment, then so be it." Steeling herself, the Lord of the Land defiantly met Velvet's eyes, her green eyes pulsing with power. "Anything to take down a being as repulsive as yourself!"
The therion grit her teeth in frustration as the rest of the seraphim once more raised their arms, preparing to unleash another volley of artes against her. She flashed a glance over her shoulder at the helpless human being electrocuted behind her, furling her fists.
"VELVET!"
She froze in shock.
A range of emotions flashed through her expression in an instant as she turned towards the source of the familiar voice.
The longsword sang as its wielder crashed down upon Sindra from out of nowhere, causing the Lord of the Land to dodge in a frantic backstep. Metal screeched against stone as the edge of the red-and-black demonic sword swept around, carving through the air and driving the surrounding seraphim away.
Sindra cursed as she found her footing, raising her arms in a fighting stance once more. "Another filthy hellion?!" she demanded.
The Yaksha's blood red eye glinted through his long black hair as he swept Kurogane back over his shoulder, resting it upon his neck with a fierce, indulgent grin. "Rokurou Rangetsu." he greeted, sweeping his sandals back on the ground into a fighting stance. "A pleasure."
With the graceful ease of an infinitely practiced swordsman, Rokurou pivoted on his feet and parried the sword of a nearby seraph, retaliating by slashing his blade at a different angle to send his opponent falling to the ground with a cry. He smoothly transitioned into a dodge as artes of fire exploded at his feet, leaping back and giving himself some room as the rest of the seraphim regrouped around their leader. His face was twisted into a brilliant grin as he slid to a stop, angling his body to the side towards his powerful opponents.
Without taking his eyes off his prey, Rokurou called out over his shoulder, "You handle the girl." His left arm easily pivoted over his right shoulder to grasp the handle of a second sword strapped to his back as he spoke. "I've got this covered." His demonic eye flashed as his grip tightened.
SHING!
Stormhowl sang a sympathetic song of screeching metal as Rokurou slid its edge along the length of Kurogane while drawing it, holding both longswords out on both sides.
Velvet watched as the hellion lunged forward once more without another word, charging headlong into the barrage of artes cast by the group of seraphim. Her lips thinned in amusement for a split second before she burst into action as well, kicking off the stones to run towards the electrocuted woman behind her.
Seraphim screamed in agony as the demon cut them down one-by-one, delivering disabling blows that caused them to crash down upon the ground whereupon they vanished in flashes of green back into their vessels to recover. Any established guards they attempted with their weapons were quickly subverted within seconds; any artes they sent his way missing wide with his impossibly acute dodges.
CLANG!
Sindra swore once more as her dagger met the blade of the red-eyed hellion, the force from the mere blow itself pushing her entire body back upon the stones. Her followers had all been disabled, leaving her to battle the monster alone. Undaunted however, the Lord of the Land jerked her free arm to the side, quickly conjuring a blade of ice to drive the monster back.
Rokurou stepped back and deflected the arte with the clean blade held in his left hand, sending it careening off into the sky. He tilted his head to the side, letting his opponent catch her breath as he angled the tip of Kurogane in her direction.
"'Sacrificing' the lives of your own charges to take down a monster, huh?'" he observed markedly, his voice ringing off the destroyed stones of the surrounding plaza. "Sounds to me like the only monster here is yourself."
The Lord of the Land gritted her teeth in pure frustration. "I won't… have a disgusting hellion lecture to me about what is right!" She let out a wild scream as she lunged forward, a dagger in hand.
"DEVOUR!"
Sindra barely managed to reverse her actions to avoid the sweep of a massive blood-red claw as the Lord of Calamity leapt towards her, her dark black jacket and her long raven hair sweeping ominously behind her movements. Her shoes slid noisily upon the stones as she came to a halt, her hair standing on end having come so close to the malevolence. "Damn!" she cursed, breathing heavily.
Velvet stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Rokurou against the lone Lord of the Land in the center of the deserted plaza; her eyes hard.
The world around them darkened alarmingly quickly, plunging into almost abject darkness. Spontaneous thunder thrummed through the air as flashes of unnatural lightning sparking through the overcast skies above, illuminating the destroyed plaza in sporadic, blinding flashes. Amidst the darkness and the rising unnatural winds, Velvet's brilliant red eyes flourished.
"Stand down." she growled lowly, her voice somehow sounding louder amidst her domain. "Or I'll turn you and every other seraph in town into a dragon."
Sindra's face paled as she felt just how truly powerful this dreadful being's domain was. Her domain didn't hold a candle to it; there was absolutely nothing she could do to try and maintain control. She glanced helplessly around herself, finding nobody else to support her but the empty desecrated plaza herself against the overwhelming evil that had invaded her world.
Accepting defeat, the dethroned Lord of the Land hung her head, fisting her hands. "You…" she seethed in a trembling voice. "You'll rue this day… monster."
Velvet looked on, unimpressed.
Gritting her teeth, Sindra took a shameful step back before vanishing into a flash of green, returning to her vessel established somewhere else in town and leaving the two powerful hellions to roam freely amidst her domain.
Silence fell upon the ruined plaza in the wake of her departure, the world slowly regaining its light as Velvet quietly resumed suppressing her domain within herself. Rays of sunshine once more began to peek through the holes in the overcast day, brightening up the world with patches of brightness that washed the various craters lining the surrounding stones. Somewhere, a bird began chirping its song once more, celebrating the return of normality to life itself.
"…Hahaha!"
Rokurou's thoroughly bemused laugh rang through the otherwise abandoned marketplace as he left his fighting stance, straightening his back and returning both his swords to their sheaths with natural ease. As Velvet turned to face him, the Yaksha casually rested both his free hands on his hips, grinning happily at her. "You sure don't mince words, do ya, Velvet?" he remarked lightly. "I can tell that hasn't changed."
She shrugged uncaringly, placing a hand on her hip as she dispelled her daemon claw. "Speak for yourself." she returned smoothly. "I see you're still out picking fights." She tilted her head towards the general chaos surrounding them.
Rokurou's grin was self-deprecating. "Did you expect anything more from a 'disgusting hellion' like me?"
The therion rolled her eyes as she turned away from him, instead directing her steps across the ruined plaza to the opposite side. Her steel boots clanked noisily in the calm after the storm as she knelt down before the injured girl lying in the shade of one of the unruined buildings, her eyes narrowing.
The red-haired saleswoman slowly opened her eyes with a wince, surprised beyond belief to find the hardened woman that she'd been pestering earlier quietly slathering gel upon her head injuries.
"A-ah-ow." she winced again, hissing in pain.
Velvet frowned. "Don't move." she muttered, focusing as she carefully rolled bandages around the girl's head.
"…This will only do temporarily." she stated as she let her arms fall from the girl's head. "You'll need a doctor to take a look at your injuries as soon as possible."
The saleswoman grinned weakly up at the kneeling traveler as she carefully looked over her handiworks "Does this…" She coughed, clearing her throat before beginning again. "Does this mean you won't be trying our… Mabo Curry Buns?" she croaked.
Velvet let out an exasperated breath.
The wooden sign emblazoned with the symbol of medical aid squeaked as it pivoted on its mounting pole from the slight breeze, mixing with the overall chatter of the multitudes of men and women traversing the central avenue of Lastonbell. Velvet's cloak and hair softly followed the therion's movements as she turned around, facing Rokurou amidst the partially shadowed entrance to the doctor's office.
The hustle and bustle continued all around them as they began walking in any particular direction at an unspoken signal. Two evil beings intruding upon a holy land surrounded by clueless humans.
Rokurou crossed his arms with a thoughtful grin. "So hey," he began conversationally, "good to see you're alive and well."
"Same to you." Velvet replied, sidestepping a raucous group of children as they charged headlong past her amidst the busy foot traffic. "I would've thought you'd have died long ago."
He crossed his arms as he walked, sagely nodding his head in agreement. "You're not alone in that. Suppose it just goes to show how you can't ever predict these things." Vendors hawking their goods on both sides of the avenue filled their world with noise as they traversed a particularly busy section of town, navigating the crowds with deliberate movements.
Once they had passed the bulk of the crowd, Velvet waved an errant hand in the air in response. "I take it you've improved your sword skills since the last time I saw you?" she asked casually.
Rokurou gave her a like-minded grin. "Needed to blow off some steam?"
"A little." she allowed.
He grinned knowingly, slowing his steps for a moment to walk behind her in order to avoid a large horse-drawn carriage before returning to her side. "…Well," he supposed, "I'm always happy to spar for a bit. And afterwards, we can celebrate your return the proper way. 'Specially since you ought to be of age now, right? I know a real good place in town where they serve the smoothest of drinks…"
Velvet shook her head with her bandaged hand in the air. "No thanks."
Rokurou put a wry hand on his chin. "…Still not a purveyor of alcohol, I take it? Shame."
"It's not like I could taste it anyways." she replied easily.
Together, the two of them continued to follow the major thoroughfare of Lastonbell, both content to simply walk in silence amidst the cacophony of noises of the human city. In the distance, the towering belfry of the city stood high amidst the brilliant blue sky, watching over the city of artisans as life went on for its denizens.
CLANG!
The first exchange of their swords echoed loudly into the wilds of the Lastonbell outskirts as the two hellions began their duel, facing off each other amidst a well-lit clearing in the forest. More reports of steel meeting steel echoed out in rapid succession following the first as Velvet took to the offensive, opting for quick and light jabs that were met with smart parries by her opponent.
Rokurou's sandals crunched in the grass underfoot as the grinning daemon lithely slipped between the therion's last few stabs, using the resulting opening to bring Kurogane back for a curving wide slash.
Velvet smoothly pivoted her body to the side in response, sheathing her gauntlet blade while bringing her left boot up to bear to meet the incoming blade. Her hidden blade squealed loudly upon the blackened metal of his longsword as it collided upon it at an angle, deflecting it up into the sky. Capitalizing upon her opponent's weapon type, the therion followed through with her kick with a twist of her body, flinging her right arm around while extending her gauntlet blade.
Her blade met only air as he leapt back in a prompt backstep, twirling Kurogane in his grip in the process to arrest its momentum and bring the weapon back into control with both hands. The Yaksha then reared back, pushing forward both hands and thrusting the tip of the longsword towards the therion.
Metal screeched upon metal once more as his opponent's gauntlet blade shot out at the last moment, redirecting the tip of his blade up and over her shoulder and slicing a few strands of raven hair in the process. Her steel boots slammed upon the grass as she lunged forward in retaliation, still holding her bent arm at an angle to push Kurogane up and away from her as she quickly closed the gap between the two of them.
Velvet let out a wordless cry as she abruptly spun to the side, pushing her blade off his to slash at his open non-dominant side.
CLANG!
Sparks flew briefly as her blade collided upon the hallowed blade of Stormhowl, Rokurou having managed to unsheathe it and used it to block her blow within the blink of an eye. He gave her a grin as the two of them stood there for a brief moment with locked swords, their hearts racing in their chests.
"That's it?" he asked lightly, a friendly grin on his face.
Velvet answered his grin with a fierce smile. "Please." she replied, tensing her body once more. By her side, her bandaged hand flexed violently.
"I'm just getting started!"
Her monstrous arm exploded out into the open air with an ever-familiar squelch, tearing out through the bandages to grasp at her opponent with razor-sharp serrations. Rokurou's grin widened as he leapt acrobatically to the side, avoiding her vicious grasp while readjusting both blades in his hands.
Her eyes were narrowed in acute ferocity as she brought her claw back to bear in the wake of her missed swing, angling her body towards him. Rokurou met her furious charge with both blades crossed before himself, his sandals dug deep trenches in the ground from the sheer force of the blow. He gritted his teeth as his blades were pressed backwards, by her enormous claw, threatening to push him off balance.
His demonic eye pulsed brilliantly underneath his sweat-matted hair, giving her a split-second notice before he unleashed a column of fire directly in front of her.
The smell of charred grass filled the air as Velvet recovered from her backflip having dodged the Yaksha's arte. She wasted no time in retaliating with her own arte, slamming her boots firmly on the ground and bringing her claw back with a cry.
Rokurou let out a grunt of surprise as he was forced to kick off the ground with great force, flying inhumanly high into the sky above as the therion's fireball detonated with a resounding boom underneath him, throwing waves of heat washing over him in the process. He twisted around in the air, bringing both blades slicing down into the air as he crashed back to earth.
CLANG! CLANG!
The momentum of Kurogane was arrested as it crashed against the palm of her enormous claw while on the other side, Stormhowl was deflected clean off her gauntlet blade. Velvet's eyes bulged as she violently clamped down upon Kurogane in her grasp, twisting her body and wrenching the blade around in a violent arc in an attempt to slam her opponent directly into the ground.
Before should could however, she was forced to let go of the blade moments it abruptly exploded in flames. She leapt back a few paces to dodge Stormhowl's swing as it preceded Rokurou's descent, the Yaksha landing heavily where she had been standing moments ago while sharply flicking Kurogane in the air to put out the residual flames.
Velvet stood back up in a ready stance, her jacket and hair settling behind her as she met Rokurou's eyes with an impressed eyebrow.
"You've improved a great deal." she remarked, flexing her demonic claw by her side. "Think you've surpassed your brother yet?"
He shook his head, casually hefting Kurogane over his shoulders to rest upon his neck. "I've still got quite a ways to go. Who knows if I'll ever get to that point?" He shrugged; a wry grin on his face. "Suppose there's only one way to find out."
She let out an amused breath, tilting her head to the side. "That's just the who you are, huh?"
Metal squealed on metal as Rokurou returned Stormhowl back to its sheath behind his back, instead choosing to wield Kurogane with both hands. "Naturally!" he agreed brightly, kicking off with his feet into a lunge.
With that, the two of them resumed the pace of battle, charging at each other amidst the brightly lit day. The squealing of opposing steel blades filled the clearing as they fought, Velvet's hair sweeping through the air as it trailed her graceful acrobatics in contrast to the rippling of Rokurou's kimono with each powerful swing.
High up above, the sun slid amidst the various clumps of clouds occupying the wide blue sky, slowly falling from its peak with the gentle coaxing of time.
Velvet's steel boots dug deeply into the grass and dirt as she arrested her backward momentum, narrowing her eyes as she met Rokurou's gaze cross the clearing from her. Sweat matted her brow and ran down her chin as she breathed steadily in exertion, a fierce smirk on her face. The war daemon returned her look, blinking briefly with surprise before falling into a similarly anticipatory stance.
A foreboding silence fell in the lull of battle, blanketing the surrounding forest in an ominous absence of activity.
At an unspoken signal, both fighters abruptly broke into an all-out sprint towards one another, Rokurou wielding both longswords in his hands behind himself and Velvet bringing her massive claw around to bear. Together, they brought their weapons together, letting out joint yells of battle.
"KILLING BLAST!"
Rokurou's red eye pulsed madly as he charged forward, drawing the hilt of Kurogane powerfully back behind himself while holding Stormhowl out before him. A fierce, indulgent smile was carved into expression as he let out the fierce roar of a warrior unbounded and unrestrained.
"NO MERCY!"
Velvet's expression was one pure wrath as she kicked off the ground, bringing her claw up and over her shoulder as she glided through the air. Her blood-red eyes bulged with acute fury as she wrenched her claw down upon those beneath her – a vengeful wraith wreathed in malevolence.
"FORM 0: SUNDER!" "LETHAL PAIN!"
His blade and her claw crashed together in a violent eruption of malevolence.
A resounding boom exploded out from the point of impact, rattling trees with a shockwave that thrummed for miles around, shaking the paved stones the nearby city.
Rokurou let out a low whistle. "Something's really bothering you today, huh?"
Small, multicolored schools of fish darted here and there amidst the clear waters of the mountain spring, causing persistent ripples that disrupted the vibrant, indistinct shades of green and blue reflected by the crystal-clear surface above. A small creek fed into the spring, weaving through the large boulders that bordered the body of water atop one of the many forested mountains overlooking the entire region.
In the distance, the Belfry of Lastonbell stood tall and proud above the rolling expanse of clustered buildings, the various golden bells of the mechanism glinting brightly in the sunlight. Velvet's coat and hair waved softly in the gentle breeze as she stood at the other edge of the spring, staring out through the gap in the trees towards the vast expanse of civilization below.
The therion twisted her wrist, closing her gauntlet blade with a loud series of metallic clicks that disrupted the sounds of nature pervading the tranquility of the spring.
"It's about Phi." she replied softly.
Rokurou's expression grew serious as he sat up, his legs crossed and his back straight. "I'd figured as much." he remarked. "You've heard about what's happened to him, then."
She nodded wordlessly, habitually reaching behind her back to slide her hand into the pocket of her jacket. In her grasp, the broken shards of the amber comb glinted tenderly in the shadowed sunlight of the spring.
The swordsman crossed his arms while closing his eyes. "When I first heard myself, I wanted to do something for the kid, too." he admitted. "But purifying an empyrean…?" He shook his head, his single visible eye opening soberly. "Well, I'm just a simple hellion. I wouldn't even know where to start, or what could save him at all for that matter."
The chains dangling off her belt chimed in the wind. "The silver flame might." Velvet said quietly. "The power that Phi passed to the Shepherd."
Rokurou blinked.
"…His 'gift to the world,' huh?" he leaned forward carefully, eyeing her with a thoughtful expression as he did so. "Now that you mention it, I have been hearing something strange here and there. Something about some sort of 'Shepherd's Advisor…'" he trailed off expectantly.
Velvet shook her head, staring off into the distance. "Not anymore."
Rokurou quickly connected the dots. "Ah. Got it." He crossed his arms and nodded comprehendingly. "Things make a bit more sense now."
She turned around and raised an eyebrow at the hellion across the spring to her. "That so?"
He got to his feet with an idle grunt, rolling his shoulders once more while raising his hands in a shrug. "You not mincing words isn't the only thing that hasn't changed, Velvet." he pointed out, casually reaching over his shoulder and pulling Kurogane out with a resounding squeal of metal on metal.
He ran his eyes up and down the length of the demonic blade, carefully examining its flawless edge as he explained, "I've kept myself away from all the Shepherd stuff these past 1,000 years. While I do love a good fight, those in particular tend to get a bit too messy." He shouldered the blade smartly across the back of his neck, holding Velvet's gaze. "So," he summarized, "I can't say I know much about this new Shepherd, other than what I've heard here and there.
"…But I do know that he's a rare sort of person." An easy smile rested on his face. "One that could get through to even you."
Velvet looked away, focusing her attention on the brightened city past the darkened canopy surrounding the spring.
Unsurprised by the woman's reaction, Rokurou lifted the sword from his back and returned it to its sheath in a smooth arc. His sandals scratched upon the surface of the smooth rocks underneath as he passed alongside the length of the spring, ending up standing alongside the therion overlooking the town in the distance.
"…You need to stop putting it off." The breeze disturbed his hair and briefly uncovered the blackened side of his face as he crossed his arms.
Velvet turned to face the war daemon in surprise. "…What?"
Rokurou returned her gaze with a surprisingly gentle expression. "Look Velvet, it's pretty obvious this is eating you up inside right now." He uncrossed and gestured with his left hand. "If this thing with the Shepherd is bothering you so much," he reasoned, "then you're better off facing it head on rather than taking half measures. Once you let yourself get caught up on the details, you'll never let yourself get out of that rut."
He turned back to the side, meeting her eyes once more with a pragmatic expression. "You have to trust that things will just work themselves out." he shrugged easily. "That's all."
Velvet's hair rippled in the wind behind her as she digested the man's words. "…That's so you." she muttered quietly; a soft incline to her lips.
Stray pebbles and dirt scratched noisily underneath Rokurou's sandals as he abruptly turned on the spot. "Yup. Just my simple thoughts." He raised his right arm over his shoulder in farewell as he set off, headed off into the wilderness. "We can catch up later," he called out into the air, "once you've sorted all of this out."
Velvet blinked in surprise as the hellion walked off, caught off-guard for a moment. She then shifted on her feet, placing her right hand on her hip as he walked off into the wilderness. "…More debts to pay?" she asked aloud.
He grinned at her over his shoulder without breaking stride. "Not to you." he replied, holding her gaze easily. "I'll see you around, Velvet."
With that, the hellion turned and continued his stride, heading off into the foothills with nothing but two swords on his back.
Velvet's smirk stayed on her face as she watched her old acquaintance saunter off into the wilderness, soon vanishing within the trees and shrubbery on the other side of the spring. The gentle breeze brushed alongside her into the clearing of the spring, sending soft ripples along the surface of the calm waters and warping the muted reflection sitting upon it.
A soft whisper of wind and mana lingered in the air in the wake of the seraph's appearance amidst the mountain spring, meshing seamlessly in with the harmonic sounds of nature.
The therion stood still as the Lord of the Land quietly approached her, her expression having instantly transformed in the wake of Rokurou's departure. The expanse of Lastonbell framed Velvet from behind as she crossed her arms, raising a single expectant eyebrow as the green-haired seraph stopped before her.
"…Trying your luck again?" she asked, her voice hard and unimpressed.
Lastonbell's Lord of the Land seemed to hesitate for a moment, carefully studying Velvet with a strange look on her face before opening her mouth in response. "You…" Sindra shook her head, finding her voice once more. "You're not… quite what I expected." she admitted softy. She shifted on her feet, self-consciously raising her arms to interlace her fingers in front of her.
"The girl that we hurt…" she asked in a quiet voice, "…is she going to be alright?"
Velvet tilted her head slightly to the side.
"…The doctor said she'll be fine." she answered neutrally. "Superficial head injuries, mostly. She should be back on her feet in a week or so."
Sindra bobbed her head, absently running her right thumb up and down the length of her left index finger as she stared at her reflection in the spring.
"That's good to hear." she mumbled.
Velvet watched the other woman for a moment, noting her hunched shoulders and her diminutive stance. After a pause, her steel boots clanked quietly on the stones as she navigated the smooth rocks bordering the spring towards the seraph.
Sindra tensed as the hellion approached, her fists curling and her teeth gritting as the monster's footfalls neared. The seraph blinked however, as the footsteps receded past her without pausing.
"I don't care if you follow me." Velvet's words rang out into the clearing.
The therion glanced briefly over her shoulder at Sindra. "You've been dogging our steps ever since our battle." she waved an uncaring hand. "Why stop now?"
Sindra's face reddened slightly in response to the Lord of Calamity's acute observation. Wordlessly, she followed in the other woman's footsteps, gathering her thoughts as she followed her sworn enemy through the wilderness bordering her domain. Patches of scattered and diffused light littered the forest floor underfoot as they traversed the mildly dense forest, the seraph following the hellion's lead through the wilderness overlooking the wide expanse of Lastonbell.
The laughter of distant children reached their ears as they broke out through the forest to be greeted with a sea of gold.
Healthy wheat stalks flourished amidst the rapidly clearing sunny day, waving gently in the winds within their orderly sectioned farm plots. The town in the distance amidst the crops was a hub of activity as farmers turned in for lunch during the hottest time of the day, settling down for food and interacting with their families amidst the shade. Somewhere, two dogs began barking in the civil tones of two roughhousing animals as children egged them on.
Velvet took it all in from their spot on the plateau overlooking the valley below, her shredded black coat waving quietly behind her alongside the chiming of the chains on her outfit. "I take it the crop blight hasn't reached Lastonbell?" she asked aloud, her acute vision picking out the figures of the villagers below.
Sindra came to a halt some ways behind her, too surveying the land with a measure of contentment on her face. "No, it hasn't." she confirmed. "These fields are some of the last few bastions of healthy crop for the humans. When harvested, the food that grows here makes up the essential distribution of food to both human nations, even in wartime."
The fickle breeze played at Velvet's hair as she nodded, her eyes serious. "For now." she added pointedly. "When the corruption arrives here, these fields will shut down just like the ones by the capital. Making prices go up, and the famine worsen."
Sindra studied the back of the hardened woman's figure, pursing her lips. "…Exactly." the seraph sighed, returning her gaze outwards towards the distant village among the crops, the laughter of the children and the barking of the dogs ringing in her ears.
"I…"
She shook her head, visibly steeling herself before starting over. "I wanted to apologize. I overreacted earlier."
She once more interlaced her fingers before herself, absently swiping her thumb on her opposing index finger. "Because of my blind rage in an attempt to stop what you describe from happening, I endangered one of the very people I intended to protect…"
"You accepted her as a necessary sacrifice."
Velvet turned around fully to face the Lord of the Land, putting her back to the brightened landscape beyond. "You did what was necessary to bring down someone that you thought wanted to destroy your world." she observed, resting a hand on her hip.
"Is it safe to say that you don't want that?" Sindra's voice was soft and hesitant. "You and that other hellion… didn't harm anyone today." she mumbled.
"I don't care either way." Velvet's eyes were cold.
Sindra shuffled on her feet as she visibly absorbed her words, confusion flickering through her expression. "Then… what will you do about the Shepherd?" she asked quietly, watching the hellion's eyes narrow imperceptibly in response. "I heard you mention him…" she mumbled, "…while you were speaking to the other hellion."
Velvet's eyes were hard.
Yet before she could respond, the calm breeze sweeping the land suddenly picked up with spontaneous ferocity and lashed erratically in the air in a whipped frenzy.
Sindra herself took an alarmed step back, holding her arm out in front of her to protect her face as she squinted through the increasingly darkening skies. "A domain?!" she gasped, lowering her arm slightly and watching as the world plunged once more into chaos and darkness. "What…?!"
Velvet reacted quietly to the sudden influx of malevolence and darkness, turning her body towards the lone figure walking along the cliffside towards the two of them. She rested a hand on her hip, strands of raven hair obscuring her expression from view as she faced the man with the head of a lion.
A content expression etched Heldalf's features as he strolled towards the two women; a putrid carpet of malevolence oozing out from beneath his dark and heavy coat and trailing behind him. He heaved a relaxed sigh as he came to a halt across the plateau, closing his eyes and inhaling with obvious relish as he tasted the corrupted air of the countryside.
"A breeze to fan the embers of memory." the Lord of Calamity purred softly, his voice clearly resounding above the panicked winds of his domain. "It has been a long time since last I set foot in this place."
Slowly, his eyes slid open, his lumbering body turning to face the two women watching him guardedly.
Sindra took an enraged step forward, her bared teeth locked in fury. "And how dare you stain the land of my domain with your filthy presence once more!" she snarled, fiercely holding the monster's golden eyes in open defiance of his power. "I know who you are. Heldalf." she spat into the dirt.
An idle rumble resounded in Heldalf's chest as he looked over the seraph in response. "…The Shepherd's appointed protector seraph." he observed deliberately. "One who left her domain at the mercy of hellions."
Sindra's fists curled tightly in response to the Lord of Calamity's words. Before she could find her voice, she was stopped by a raised bandaged arm that drew Heldalf's attention away from her and towards its owner.
Velvet lowered her arm, holding Heldalf's gaze with burning amber eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asked lowly. "Come to kill me?"
The man with the lion's head studied her for a long while, his sharp gaze digging into her own dark yet reserved expression. The winds of his domain continued to swirl around amidst the empty space around them amidst the tense silence. In the distance, the village in the valley had gone eerily silent amidst a darkened world plagued with miasma.
Heldalf abruptly shook his head, splaying one of his massive clawed palms in the air in a dismissive gesture. "No." he replied evenly, holding her intense gaze with a calm expression. "I merely wished to show you…"
Velvet watched intently as the towering man reached into a pocket of his flowing coat, retrieving a small item that was dwarfed inside the palm of his massive paw. Her jaw set as she registered the telltale glow of a shimmering iris gem, sitting innocuously upon the rough skin of the monster's hand.
"…A memory from the world's history." she muttered, turning her gaze up to glare the man holding the object with untold yet reserved fury. "Retrieved using the stolen power of Maotelus."
Heldalf nodded calmly in the face of the therion's visible anger. He abruptly flicked his paw, sending the orb arcing through the darkened air towards her. Holding the gaze of the despicable hellion, the therion lifted her right hand without looking and caught the orb in her grasp.
A flash of white overtook the world.
"…General! General! General!"
The brightly lit courtyard was inundated with a ferocious chorus of roars and war-cries as the amassed Platinum Knights of Rolance raised their gleaming arms into the sky in support of their beloved leader. Startled by the tsunami of noise, a flock of panicked doves erupted from their perch on one of the few trees lining the courtyard, taking off into the cloudless day amidst the continued cheers of the armored men.
High up above amidst the towering, gleaming walls of the Castle of the Royal Family, General Georg Heldalf straightened his back, letting his hands fall from the stone railing bordering the semi-circle balcony overlooking the filled courtyard.
His perfectly groomed golden hair swayed with the movement, curtaining his sculptured features as he slowly swept his gaze across the vast expanse of the battalion of knights below. His lips were drawn into a solid line, his jaw relaxed yet still as he stood there before them all, wreathed in a royal dark coat accented with hints of luxurious gold the same hue as his hair.
The cries of his soldiers continued as he turned on the spot, putting his back to the brightened scene of the city of Pendrago amidst the blinding sunlight before striding headlong into the comparatively dim hallways of the castle. Metal slid quietly upon metal as the well-oiled, gold-framed doors to the balcony were closed by servants in the wake of his departure, cutting off the noise of the cheering knights and returning his world to a deafening silence punctuated only by his boots sinking into carpet.
His assistant was waiting for him as he descended down the stairs into a large wooden hallway lined with stained glass windows.
The man bobbed his head in perfunctory greeting as he promptly matched his charge's sweeping stride, briefly consulting the itinerary held in his hands before clearing his throat. "General." he began without prelude as the two continued walking through the more crowded main hallway of the castle.
"By all accounts, the offensive scheduled for tomorrow is well underway. Reports from the units stationed by Lastonbell have all confirmed to be combat ready and knowledgeable about your plan of attack. The detachment of troops you just addressed are set to depart within the hour as well for support."
The General didn't visibly react to his assistant's words, sharply turning the corner to exit the hallway and into a separate wing of the building.
His assistant followed suit, smoothly continuing his report to the stoic commander. "The contacts of the crown have all been informed as well and have all responded positively to the proposed deal. Caravans of the merchants should arrive within hours of the projected victory, ready to immediately begin construction on new mines in the region." He straightened his back, lowering the itinerary in his hands while looking forward. "And finally, if I might speak my mind, General."
He straightened as the two of them came to a halt in a deserted part of the wing, holding his head at a slight incline in respect as the man turned his gaze towards him. "This entire endeavor is an impressive display of logistical efficiency. A guaranteed victory with all aspects considered – one that promises to vastly boost morale alongside the addition of vital resources for the empire."
He shook his head in amazement. "…My point is, I must reiterate that I am honored to serve the most intelligent man to take the mantle of the head of the Platinum Knights in recent history." he professed, bowing deeply. "Thank you, General."
Silence followed his comment.
Without responding, Georg Heldalf turned away from the bowing assistant, stepping forward and grasping the golden handle of the luxuriously carved door in front of him. The hallowed doors groaned ponderously as they were pushed open, revealing the Hall of the Platinum Knights – a massive room with a vast, vaulted ceiling interrupted at the end by a splendid stained-glass window.
The General stepped through the threshold and into the storied hall, leaving his assistant to promptly close the door behind him with another echoing groan, sealing him inside the vast space of the castle reserved only for the head of the Knights. Silence pervaded the room as the lone man stepped forward, his boots sinking deeply into the lush carpet underfoot.
The wide, almost endless expanse of the massive city of Pendrago greeted him as he came to a stop before the towering stained-glass window. Quietly, amidst the silence of the hallowed hall, his dangling hand lifted up until it seated firmly atop the pommel of his decorated, golden sword hanging off his left hip.
His jaw set firm as he looked over the bustling metropolis of the people extending out into the horizon. His people.
His grip tightened.
Abruptly, the groaning of heavy wooden hinges filled the room, the sound echoing off the vaulted ceiling above and resounding in his ears. After a pause, the door groaned for a final time as it was pushed shut, returning the room to silence.
"Do you ever wonder, perhaps, if the coat isn't just a bit too much?"
The General let out a breath of annoyance in response to the voice from behind, still gazing out at the vast city below from beyond the stained glass.
"It is a symbol of power. Of the all-encompassing nature of the Royal Family's orders." he rejected shortly, unmoving in his stance. "As a figurehead of the strongest army of the world, appearances matter. This mere coat is one of the many articles that maintain the balance of power in such a dynamic environment."
The lone man walking in from behind let in a human as he stepped forward, coming to a halt amidst the center of the hall facing the General's turned back. "But there's nobody else here." the stranger reasoned, waving his hand in an amicable gesture in the air. "Go on. Drop the oversized carpet off your shoulders and let go of the act for a second."
Heldalf heaved a long sigh of aggravation. After a pause, the man abruptly turned around, shrugging the regal coat off his shoulders and tossing it into his chair without a second thought as he strolled straight up to the intruder in his hall.
The two fell into a rough hug in the middle of the empty hall with sympathetic grunts, holding each other tightly in their embrace.
"…It's good to see you again, brother." Heldalf said, a smile forming on his face as they separated. "How long has it been?"
"Two years, give or take." his brother grinned back, easily grasping his wrist behind himself and straightening his back as he held Heldalf's gaze. "Clearly more than enough time for you to bury yourself into the thick of it." He tilted his head in a meaningful gesture.
Waving for his sibling to follow, Heldalf walked on over to a different side of his hall, where a vast multitude of glass bottles filled with various shades of liquid were arrayed. "The wheels of war turn faster by the day." he grunted, reaching up without hesitation to take a fancy bottle of premium whisky off the shelf, pulling stopper with a loud pop. "With the Royal Family hawking on my side and tensions with Hyland rising by the hour, it's almost a constant whirlwind of madness in this place." he explained, pouring the luxurious alcohol into two glasses without preamble. The two clinked their glass together as they both took a sample of the amber liquid, exhaling in mutual appreciation in the wake of the taste.
After a pause, Heldalf raised an eyebrow at his brother. "I trust you've been having better luck in your pursuits?" he asked, his voice echoing throughout the cavernous chamber.
His brother let out a sigh as he leaned against the bar, swirling the liquid around in his cup with a distant look. "Perhaps, perhaps not." he muttered. "Depends on what you would consider as 'luck.'"
"Tell me." Heldalf replied readily, stepping around and leaning backwards on the table across from his brother. "What troubles do the world of traders bring you now?"
His brother gave him a look. "So you can be distracted from your own mountain of troubles in trying to help me? No way. I didn't come here for that."
In response to the man's flippancy, Heldalf lowered his head like a threatening bull. "…I could force you." the General warned darkly. "There are plenty of interrogation rooms beneath this castle."
His brother waved his free hand openly dismissively, a sly grin in the face of his brother's frustration. "Please." he drawled. "You haven't managed to bully me into anything ever since that day I kept that stray puppy of yours a secret from mom and dad. And I don't think you ever will." his smile was light.
Heldalf growled lowly before shaking his head, silently admitting defeat. Instead, he waved a hand in the air. "…Then out with it." he sighed. "You know you're welcome here at any time regardless of the circumstances. But I know there was something else that brought you all the way here."
"Yes." His brother's expression sobered. "…It's about Hyland."
Heldalf's expression had gone stiff. "Of course." he muttered quietly.
The ice in his glass clinked as he brought it to his chin, inhaling the aroma of the intoxicant before he took a deep sip. Once he had finished, he opened his eyes to find his brother there, expectantly waiting for him to finish. "…Go on, then." Heldalf growled, gesturing with his glass.
Abruptly all businesslike, his brother nodded, reaching behind his back into the messenger bag hanging from his shoulder. "The valley that you're about to invade. The one in the Hyland outskirts."
"The one with valuable resources for the crown, you mean." Heldalf added ponderously.
The brother nodded absently. "You know of the farming village that's in that valley, Heldalf. We've been making trading excursions with them." he met his brother's eyes, his finger on point in the valley where the word Salient was written in obscure, insignificant letters. "One night, on such a journey, the caravan was attacked by a pack of inexplicably rabid wolves. We were quickly overwhelmed." His finger drew to a point by the river bordering the village. "It was here that two of my friends died. Here was where a bright young apprentice of ours died."
His finger moved without him looking; his eyes fixed on his brother's with intent emotion. "And here was where I would have died, if it hadn't been for them."
Heldalf pursed his lips. "…They saved your life." he finished quietly, staring down at the point on the map.
"Not just my own. The rest of my caravan as well." his brother intoned. "Heldalf-" he began.
"The attack will be postponed due to inclement weather." the General abruptly stated, standing up on his feet and walking back towards the stained-glass window, absently leaving his glass of whisky on the table in the process. "Scouts have discovered a large cloud front bearing down upon the point of attack from the northern side. It would be best for the detachment of forces to hold until it clears, which is expected to be within 3 days from now."
His boots creaked quietly in the silence that followed as he looked out the expanse of his city once more, his hands cordially placed behind his back. "…This will unfortunately allow more of Hyland's forces to reinforce the area, causing the point to no longer be a viable point of attack. I, as commanding officer, will be forced to order a withdrawal from the area." He finished soberly, running his thumbs over each other behind his back. "A shameful and counterproductive retreat, yet one better than an assured defeat."
His brother had stood up as well, placing his glass beside Heldalf's on the table, forgotten as he walked up to the commander. "…Thank you, brother." he said quietly.
Heldalf's eyes stared out into the distance, his brows furrowing as he watched a lone bird soar past the window and up through the skies.
A flash of white once more enveloped everything, rending all into nothingness.
"My brother was the one person that stood beside me in the darkest of times."
Heldalf's words were surprisingly soft in the memory's wake. "He never strayed from who I was nor what I did. He was… the one and only one who could remind me of who I used to be." The Lord of Calamity held his massive malevolence-infested paw before him, curling the disfigured appendage into a fist.
"And when he was taken from me as well…" he muttered.
Velvet's jacket flapped softly in the malevolent winds behind her. "That part of you was lost." she finished.
"A dying spark snuffed out by a blizzard." Heldalf agreed lowly, meeting the other hellion's eyes. "Buried and forgotten amidst an endless storm of torment and hatred." His eyes stared out into the vast expanse of the valley below. His flowing coat rippled powerfully behind him as the raging gales of his domain swirled through the tortured air.
Standing between the two of them, Sindra quietly sent Velvet a confused glance amidst the silence that followed. Yet the therion's eyes were fixed on the unmoving form of the current Lord of Calamity.
Velvet drew her lips in a thin line. "…You miss your brother." she concluded simply.
Heldalf seemed have been anticipating her words. "Just as how you miss your own." he replied.
He turned to face her fully; his inhuman amber eyes burning with strange emotion. "…It is a matter of Light and Darkness." he declared. "When either one blots out the other, the canvas becomes a sore sight to behold." Slowly, deliberately, the Lord of Calamity splayed his left paw in the air, towards the isolated village in the distance.
Sindra visibly recoiled away as a putrid plume of purple miasma exploded out from Heldalf's palm, shooting through the air towards the settlement in the distance. Heldalf's expression was carved with self-satisfaction as he lowered his paw in the aftermath of his arte.
"Yet, when mixed together," he purred, "the two hues create the most… vivid of images."
Panicked screams of humans began to resound through air as the overwhelming amount of malevolence drove resident hellions of the distant settlement into a frenzy. What had once been a peaceful farming village amidst a secluded valley became the scene of a bloodbath as monsters tore it all apart.
"Y-you… bastard." Sindra seethed, her eyes bulging with fury at the blatant atrocity committed before her very eyes.
Heldalf paid the Lord of the Land no mind, holding Velvet's gaze. "…I will not interfere with your conflict with the Shepherd." he growled lowly. "Challenge him. Embolden him." By his side, his fist curled. "So that he can come to see the true senselessness of this world. So that he might join me by my side."
Velvet's eyes narrowed.
"…So that's your game." she muttered.
"My task as always has been to conquer." Heldalf stated gravely; his paws furling and unfurling by his sides. "To extend my reach beyond lines on a map; beyond nations and… more. The Shepherd is merely another piece to conquer amidst the grand coming spectacle."
"The world… is not your plaything!"
Having evidently reached her limit, Sindra took a furious step forward; an utterly violated expression on her face. "I don't give a damn about your past life, and I don't give a damn about whatever pathetic excuses you want to give about threating the stability of our entire world!" She slashed a hand through the air, snarling.
"If it meant stopping you and your twisted ideals, I'd kill you and your precious brother a hundred times over!" she yelled mockingly.
Heldalf frowned deeply in the wake of her words.
CRASH!
A noisy squelch followed by the sudden appearance of a massive red claw in front of her was Sindra's only warning before a violent blast of malevolence exploded right in front of her, having been promptly intercepted by Velvet's claw. She reeled away in a momentary panic, her limbs shaking with sudden adrenaline as she realized just how close she had come to being forcefully converted into a hellion.
"Wh… why…?" she mumbled helplessly, watching in disbelief as the malevolence was instead easily devoured by the raven-haired woman's claw.
The screams of the distant humans continued in the distance as Velvet hardened her stance, openly defying the Lord of Calamity by protecting the seraph, her claw hanging readily by her side.
"Go. They need your help." the therion addressed Sindra, gesturing with her claw towards the man with the Lion's head towering before them. "Leave this one to the Shepherd."
Forcing herself to reign herself in, Sindra fisted her hands and nodded quietly in response to the therion's words. She took a step to the side before hesitating. "…I take it you've decided what you're going to do." she breathed.
Velvet turned her head to the side, briefly meeting her eyes. She nodded quietly.
Sindra hesitated for a moment longer before visibly steeling herself, nodding back. "…I'll place my trust in who I hope you are, Velvet Crowe." she whispered. "Please… Do not let me down."
Without another word, the seraph shut her eyes and vanished within a simmering plume of green mana, leaving the two hellions along amidst the malevolence.
Heldalf quietly lowered his splayed paw, shaking his head in amusement in the wake of the seraph's departure. "When one has suffered for as long as I, the world holds little to relish." he rumbled lowly.
His eyes were dark. "…The time for ancient justice draws near." he declared coldly.
With that, Heldalf turned his back to the therion and raised his arms, drawing copious amounts of malevolence and mana towards himself. The world seemed to warp and morph for a split second before the hellion vanished in a flurry of darkness, leaving behind an empty world reeling from its release from the Lord of Calamity's overpowering and uncontrolled domain.
The sun began shining once more through the dissipating tendrils of malevolence. The whirling winds slowly began to normalize amidst the returning warmth, easing the seas of golden crop below to stillness once more. The screams of the distant villagers had subsided, leaving her standing alone amidst abject silence upon the deserted plateau.
Without a backward glance, Velvet set off away and back into the wilderness; a grim expression on her face. An uneven disquiet lingered in the air of the valley in her wake.
Even in the nighttime, the main streets of Lastonbell bustled with activity. Taverns, bars, and restaurants welcomed the masses of strolling customers with open arms, hawking out deals to attract the stray passerby to dine at their establishment. Chattering locals walked side-by-side in groups through the well-lit streets, their voices meshing together into a dim mumble of lively civilization coming from far down below.
High above it all, the darkness of the belfry was disturbed only by the soft glow of the sprawling city below alongside the light of the glimmering moon in the clouds above. The stillborn night was without a gust of wind as Felice padded quietly along the shingled roof of one of the two interlinked towers, climbing towards the lone figure standing at the top.
Moving her gaze away from the humans below, Velvet slowly turned around, facing the assassin fully amidst the moonlit night. Felice came to a stop before her and met her gaze; a serious, expectant expression on her face.
Both knew what she was going to ask next.
The brick and mortar of the massive building shook underfoot as the thrumming toll of the activated Lastonbell Belfry pierced through the air, its chime reaching every corner the vast human city amidst the night.
Marking the coming dawn of a new day.
Author's Note: It's probably redundant to say this at this point, but I hope each and every one of you reading this right now stays as safe and as afloat as possible. See you all soon.
- CloudFry, March 24nd, 2020