Chapter 7

Rhiem took each step up the winding staircase two at a time. The metal steps clanged loudly as he ascended up a thin, rusting spiral staircase that shot up from the center of the Guild, and shot into the low cloud cover.

What kind of eccentric has a forge on the way up here?!?

Step after step, flight after flight, Rhiem climbed higher and higher into the clouds. The winds swirled and stirred the white fog, soon enveloping and surrounding Rhiem with its suffocating presence. He climbed for what seemed like at least a half hour. Then, abruptly, the stairway ended, leaving only empty space. Rhiem glanced up, and saw a small ladder, seemingly suspended in the heavy fog.

He leaped up, and grabbed the first step with both hands. Powerful muscles working, Rhiem dragged the rest of his body onto the ladder. Only another pull and Rhiem flopped onto a grated platform.

He glanced around, and noticed there was a continual clanging sound, smashing through the silence of the heights like a sledgehammer. Rhiem ducked into a walkway, and made his way to the repetitive sound. Without warning, the clouds had cleared. Rhiem could see for at least 50 feet, that a huge swath of clouds was seemingly pushed to the sides in the shape of a heavenly arena. Rhiem spotted a large column of flame, erupting from a large pipeline that extended down past the platform. The flames were white-hot, charring the grating around it coal-black.

Rhiem slowly approached the inferno. The sound of clanging seemed to be coming from there.
"Hello? Anyone here?"

The clanging stopped.

A hand, a solitary, protected hand covered in leather, burst from the flames.
A leg.
A hammer
A boot.

A welding mask seemed to float from the flames, and pulled with it, a huge body fully covered in a charred welding suit. It noticed Rhiem, then mechanically, started walking towards him.
Rhiem could feel the hairs on his back prickle up in fear. He raised his Battle Rifle, and fearfully pointed it at the approaching man.

"Stop! Don't take another step!"
The suit seemed to hesitate for a second, then continued. Rhiem knew that if that suit was bulletproof, then that could buy the man time to stroll up to him, and finish him with that enormous hammer in the man's hand.

"Halt!"
He did not.

Rhiem pulled the trigger, sending the Battle Rifle's triple burst of bullets slamming into the man's gullet. He stumbled for a second, and then continued. Rhiem pulled the trigger again and again. More and more bullets slammed into the still-approaching man. Holes carved into the body, yet he did not stop.

The last of Rhiem's bullet casing clinked onto the grating. Rhiem drew his Tomahawk, and charged the man.

The Tomahawk hissed through the air, and struck itself a half-inch into the suit. The edge cut through the leather of the suit easily, but stopped at solid metal. Rhiem was about to pull the axe out, when the arm of the man shot out, and gripped the axe tight. Rhiem struck the hand in an effort to break his grip, but the base of his hand smashed into the arm of the fearful man like a water balloon onto stone.

Rhiem recoiled, leaving his tomahawk in the grip of the Juggernaut. The Juggernaut reached out, and snatched the Battle Rifle from Rhiem's hands like candy from a baby. The Juggernaut reached out with a huge fist, and punched Rhiem square in the chest. Rhiem flew several yards, skidding and bouncing on the grated platform. The Juggernaut was on him in a flash, and was about to deliver the finishing blow…

"Rhodes! Stop right this instant!" The Juggernaut froze his fist in mid-air, and then got up, and stood at attention.

Rhiem turned his head as far it would go. An old man, barely three feet tall, stood at the very top of the platform.
"Rhodes, go to sleep."

The Juggernaut fell like a puppet with its strings cut.
"So you're Vulcan?"
"…Yes."
The old man spread his arms. "At your service."

* * *

The two were seated at a a small, round table, where a small set of drinks were set up.

"So you were sent by Sakami…"
"Who?"
"She sends all hunters through my forge, as a rite of initiation."

Master Vulcan sipped the last drips of his tea. He motioned for the Juggernaut to pour some more tea. The huge robot walked over, and delicately poured some root tea into the dinky silverwares that were set up on a crate.

"I must apologize for Rhodes' behavior. He is not too used to strangers." Rhiem glanced at the arm of the robotic manservant. The same power used to knock him about like a rag doll now held a fragile teapot in its grip.

"Now, let's get straight to the point. You were sent here for a tune-up, were you not?"
"Tune-up?"
"Ah. I apologize. You Rubines don't fiddle around with your guns too much, do you?"
"You mess with the workings too much, it breaks, right?"
"Not true! Breaking is dissimilar to improving! May I see your weapon?"

Rhiem hesitated for a second, and then relinquished his Battle Rifle. Master Vulcan held the firearm like it was a baby.
"Ah…the quality of Rubine guns is unequaled! A pity your mechanics are not brave enough to make some improvements!"
Master's Vulcan's hands skittled across the smooth, black surface that made up the Battle Rifle.

"Give me two minutes. I shall unlock this weapon's true potential!" Vulcan took the Rifle, and disappeared behind a series of metal screens.
"Hey wait! That's mine!"

Rhiem dashed into the open space that made up Vulcan's workshop. Tools were neatly organized by size, in a huge line of items lined up on a series of tables. Vulcan was on a small, circular work desk. Already Rhiem's gun was taken apart into dozens of different pieces.

Around Vulcan were series of gears, pistons, barrels, and various other mechanics that Rhiem could not identify.

Vulcan had attached some receiving pressurizes onto a set feed that had previously been a casing release. Vulcan held up a rust colored gear.
"Hm…Heart of Wrath…should work."
"Old man…is that a Soul Gear?!?"
Vulcan turned to fix Rhiem with his deep eyes. Large blue pupils, expanded by the large glasses.

"Indeed it is. Materials from Wyvoids can be used to improve weapons that we use against them."
"…I…never heard of such a thing!"
Of course. The strength of Rubina comes from its consistency. Improving weapons haphazardly would bring ruin onto your infrastructure. But for us who never had such a structure…it makes sense to make do with what we have."

Vulcan had finished. The Battle Rifle had been transformed. The barrel was cut off, and replaced with a fatter, longer barrel. The casing release was replaced with a continually moving gear that seemed to give the gun a certain power it had not had before. The stock had been removed, replaced with a small battering ram.

"Tune-up complete! Your weapon is now tuned-up from a 'Battle Rifle' to a 'Combat Rifle'" Master Vulcan wiped the edge of the side. "The firepower, and ammo capacity has been increased. Furthermore, the stock now doubles as a close range hammer."

Rhiem gripped the new handle, mouth open. It felt like an extension of his very body.

"Try it out on Rhodes." Rhiem glanced at the Juggernaut, who dropped into a ready stance.

KAM

A single shot seemed to shoot out from his hand and strike his target. A hole the size of a fist punched into the Juggernaut, who was knocked back. Rhodes slammed into the outside fence. Rhiem quickly followed up with a swift stock-strike to the gullet, and then chin, and then he turned full circle into a slamming strike at the side of Rhodes' head.

If this had been an enemy, he would have been killed four times in less than two seconds.

"Good?"
"It's…amazing." So this was where the Fringe Hunters drew their strength from. The balance of toughness and technology.

"Good. Now, if you excuse me, I have experiments to run. Rhodes, let's go." Rhodes, even after being abused like that in the last minute, got up from a gaping gunshot and three hammer strikes like nothing was wrong.

"…Jeez"

* * *

Ootya Gate

Rhiem had gotten up early in the morning. Today was his first hunt. He would travel to the battlefield of the Apal Cliffs to help hunters invade an Archeries Fortress that was terrorizing their area. It would be several weeks before he could get back.

He looked back at the peaceful village. Here, Riu would be safe…
"Rhiem!" Riu had come running from behind a tent. She was carrying a heavy bag.

"Riu! What are you-?"
"I…I'm coming with you!"

Donk.
"Ow…"
"Don't be stupid! After all this, you want to worry me even more! Forget it!"

Riu shook her head hard.
"You've always been there for me. Always sacrificing for my sake…" She clutched her hand to her chest. "I want to be there for you too! Let me help you for once!"

"Riu…"

"Besides, can you even cook?"
…ugh!
Rhiem slipped on the precipitate of his own idiocy.
"Well…I would just eat whatever I brought with me."

"You'd live on a single packet of jerky for five weeks?" Riu smiled. "You need me, you fool. Say so."
Rhiem ran his hand through his hair.
"Riu…thanks. Thanks for being here."

"Aw…isn't this sweet?" The Chief had come to the gate. "Well, hurry up. You're blocking traffic."
Rhiem was irked.
"Hey! Don't you have work to do as chief or something?"
"Quiet, brat. I wanted to have a word with Riu, not the likes of you." The Chief turned to Riu. "You really want to do this?"

"Yes…"
"It's not gonna be fun."
"I know."
The Chief seemed to recoil a bit.
"Well, just remember, there's a place back here for you." The Chief started back to her tent. About fifty feet on, she stopped. "Looks like I needed the company after all. Now hurry the hell up and leave."

Rhiem had started down to the trail, trail bag over his shoulder. Riu lingered for a moment, and then turned and called to the Settlement.
"Just wait! I will be back! I promise!"

And so, the newest of their destinies was beginning to unfold.