Disclaimer: see Chapter 1
Sword of Destiny
by Centurious the Azure and Storm Wolf77415
The City of the Crossed Bell
(February 28th, Year 1203 of the Septian Calendar, Train Heading East to the city of Crossbell)
Four months have passed since I arrived in Zemuria. Apparently, it's the name of this world I've ended up in. Still no clue as to where I came from, so I'm just taking it by the day. Still have about two-thirds of the cash I took from Dreichelsfield, but I haven't been solely relying on that for my income. Whenever I come through a town, I'll look at the message board, usually, there's some request for a monster extermination, maybe two if I'm really lucky.
It feels natural to me, so clearly monster hunting is something I'm really good at. Let's face it, when I tried to help in other ways, it didn't go so well. Kelpie and I mostly stick to the backroads, never really going to any town for any length of time aside from getting the contract, and then collecting on it when finished. Not that I'm anti-social mind you. I've just gotten a little leery being around people.
The way the bartender and his daughter looked at me…It just unsettled me so much. At the time, I just wanted to keep to myself. But people are social creatures, and…I'm no different. I need to connect on some level. It was thanks to this that led me to where I am now, on a train heading east toward the independent State of Crossbell. Erebonia had become kind of stale anyway, so there I was sitting on the train with a young couple I met at the station.
"I can't begin to say how big of an opportunity this is for me, career-wise. The International Bank of Crossbell is the largest of its kind in all of Zemuria." The man in his late twenties sitting across from me seemed no different from anyone else on this train. He and his wife were moving to Crossbell for his new job. "I'm not shedding any tears about leaving the Empire behind. I gave the Imperial Reserve six years of my life and dedication, never missed a day of work, and no thanks at all for my effort. All because I'm just a commoner."
"So there's a pretty big class divide back in Erebonia?" I asked. One of the downsides of keeping to the sticks. I really hadn't learned all that much about my surroundings. So, I was subtly picking this couple's brains to learn what I could going forward. If I was going to adapt to this world, knowledge would be key.
"I'm surprised you don't know more about it. Erebonia is one of the last countries in all of Zemuria where the aristocracy still holds a considerable amount of power." The man's wife, a rather attractive brunette said. "If you don't have a title of any kind or any large amount of cash. You may as well be a second-class citizen. Nobles always get preferential treatment when it comes to government jobs and roles in the big industries like the banking system and corporate positions."
"My wife speaks an unfortunate truth. Like I said, gave the Imperial Reserve Bank six years of my life. Never missed a day of work, and always came in on time. I never complained about my hours or lack of time. But still, it was never enough. Any time a raise or a promotion came around, I'd be passed over for someone with half my experience, just because they were a noble or worse, a relative was a noble. And then they'd rub it in my face." He grimaced, only for his wife to pat him on the shoulder.
The man took a breath, trying to get back under control. "Suffice to say, the IBC doesn't have that issue. There's no titles involved, no nepotism. It's all about your ability to do the job." He smirked a little bit. "And if you'll forgive me for tooting my own horn. I'm very good at what I do." This earned a giggle and a gentle slap on his arm from his wife. "With my knowledge, I could make an upper management position in a year, who knows? I may even get to be a vice president. It's why I'm so eager to get there."
The banker's wife beamed. "We're both eager for a fresh start. My husband and I would have gone nowhere if we remained in Erebonia. I've heard so many things about how Crossbell is a land of opportunity. Every industry thrives there. It's the most modern city in all of West Zemuria. They say if you can make it in Crossbell, you can make it anywhere." For me, that was as glowing a review as I could ever find.
"Then more power to both of you. At least you folks know what you want and who you are. Me, I'm still not playing with a full deck." I replied, getting laughs from the couple. It was actually a nice reversal from the fearful looks I got in Dreichelsfield. "It's not like remaining in the Erebonian backcountry hunting monsters was doing me any good. If I want to make money, I'll have to go where the work goes. So I guess I'll roll the dice and take my chance in the big city then."
"Oh, I don't think you'll have any problems there. A warrior of your caliber can certainly find bountiful employment in a place like Crossbell. Especially if you're parading around on your horse the way you arrived at the station." I had drawn quite a few looks when I came into the train station leading Kelpie by the reins. That's how I came to know this couple in the first place. She was now currently in one of the box cars in the latter part of the train. "I will say you have very fine taste in horses. It's of Nord stock, right?"
"She's such a magnificent creature." The banker's wife gushed even as I nodded in affirmation. Even Kelpie seemed flattered by the praise, letting out a little pleased snort. "Where exactly did you get her?" I winced inwardly. Even though we had gotten friendly, I wasn't about to tell them just what I had been up to when I first got here.
Doing my best to keep a straight face. I just sat back, trying to look cool. "I did a job for an older woman back in Erebonia. She didn't have much in the way of money, but she was really nice and gave me the horse as payment. Definitely beats walking everywhere." It was true, Nancy's act of kindness to me is one I wouldn't soon forget, and nothing was more soothing than just clopping down a dirt road with my faithful steed. "Tell me, once I get to Crossbell, where should I start looking?" I decided to get back on track and gather some more information. It wouldn't do me any good to stand in the middle of town with a horse and no clue what I was doing.
"The Bracer Guild will probably be your best shot. From what I've heard it's always had a strong presence in Crossbell. They should be located on East Street." I had heard mention of these Bracers before. They sounded like the typical adventuring guild, taking jobs for cash from people who needed assistance. It could be something as simple as buying groceries or something like tracking down a missing person or taking out a dangerous monster. I wasn't too jazzed with the former, but the latter sounded like it was right up my alley.
"Maybe they can tell me something about where I learned to use these things." I indicated to the blades propped up on the seat next to me. "Aside from the tags around my neck, they're the only real thing that could tell me anything about myself. Maybe if I know who trained me, then I can learn more about my past. Think there are any master swordsmen in Crossbell I can ask?"
The banker looked thoughtful for a few minutes. "I've heard there's a man named Arios MacLaine, he's with the Bracer Guild, and he's as skilled as it gets. They call him the Divine Blade of Wind. He no doubt has a wide knowledge of different sword styles and techniques. I'm sure he could help pin down what style you know." You know, I just met these people, and yet they've been so nice to me during this whole trip. It's a warm feeling, and I hope they do well in their new home.
"Maybe they can help me with this thing." I held up the strange device I took from the dead Jaeger. "I'm not sure how it works but it looks like it's important." They both looked at me with mild amazement as I turned the oversized pocket watch because that's what it looked like to me in hand. "I'm guessing you know what it is then?"
"You have a combat orbment. That allows you to use arts, another plus in your line of work." The banker eyed the battered device. "Those things aren't cheap. However, it looks like one has seen better days. I'm sure you could find a good orbal repair shop and they can fix it for you."
"Thanks," I said, filing that away in my mind.
"Looks like we're getting close." The banker's wife looked out the window. I followed her gaze and whistled at the sight we were fast approaching. The City of Crossbell was the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my life. Towers of steel and smooth rock raising into the hazy blue sky, the morning sun catching off the panes of glass. It was the most majestic sight I had ever laid eyes on. It really did look like a land of opportunity to me. All of a sudden, my prospects seemed a lot better.
We rolled into Crossbell Station and disembarked. I gently led Kelpie out of the boxcar, her tail gently whipping and swishing about. Again, I got a lot of attention as we left the station, bystanders marveling at just how gorgeous she was…and it just so happens a few of them were very attractive young women. Ah, another thing to make my day better. I figured out I liked girls recently too. Isn't that nice?
Still, I found myself overwhelmed by my surroundings. I mean, the buildings reaching into the sky, the clouds reflecting off the mirrors. It was all so exciting and terrifying at the same time. It was such a far cry from what I knew up to that point. Undaunted, I spurred Kelpie and we trotted down the sidewalk. Her large, sturdy hooves clopped against the hard concrete. My route took me through a large central square. Prominently displayed was a large bell engraved with a cross. "Guess it's pretty obvious where they take their name from," I remarked to no one in particular.
Regardless I dismounted and went over to the bell for a closer look. It was colossal, clearly made of a bronze-hued alloy. A cross welded onto it. A true work of art if I had to say so myself. "The Bell of Crossbell, discovered at the Sun Fort in 987 of the Septian Calendar. It chimes with a satisfying, low tone. A symbol of our glorious city." Note to self, get my hands on a Crossbell history book when I get the chance. With that nugget of information filed away. I began looking for the Bracer Guild office.
I was starting to get a little sick in the head. I stopped in a small park for a rest. Kelpie started grazing on the grass, while I sat on a bench, looking at a map of town the banker and his wife had kindly given me. It still boggled me as to how large the city was and how many people lived there. Five hundred thousand, according to the banker. I couldn't imagine such a large grouping of people in such a confined space, but given the height of some of those towers. I could understand how.
Putting the map aside. I just sat back and chilled for a minute, looking up at the sky. Took me a while to realize that I hadn't just pumped the brakes and let myself relax, really breathe since I woke up in that dark forest on that wet, stormy night. I had really just been going through the motions, not really stepping back to enjoy life's simple pleasures and this right here was one of them. Kelpie was still quietly nomming on the grass, and it was a calm, peaceful day. You can't take things like that for granted.
As I swept my gaze across the park. I caught sight of something, scratch that, someone. Curled up on a bench was a young woman about my age, covered by a long black jacket. Her hair was on the shorter side, not to mention a magnificent silvery hue, gleaming in the mid-morning sun. The picture of an unkempt beauty. But that needn't be a bad thing, this girl was gorgeous in my eyes.
The girl rolled over on her side, letting her jacket fall open, revealing a sleeveless turtleneck in dark green, dark brown shorts, and a white vest with pockets. It also gave me a very good view of the two holstered pistols she wore on each hip. Good looking and a capable fighter to boot? This girl was fast ticking all the boxes on my list. A cute-sounding groan escaped her lips and she stretched her back out. It made me think of a cat lounging in the sun.
A part of me wanted to go over and introduce myself, but at the same time, I didn't want to wake her up. She looked so peaceful. Although I was cut off when a gang of rough-looking individuals sauntered in. Clearly, bathing was just a suggestion to them, if their odor was anything to go by. Couldn't even afford tactical deodorant if I had to guess. "What the fuck is this?" The leader of this band of pleasant gentlemen thundered. "What's some flat-chested bitch doing sleeping in our spot?"
The rage bubbling up was different from when I learned about the people in Dreichelsfield dying. This was much closer to my heart. I couldn't explain why. But I knew what was going to happen next. I wouldn't kill these guys. But I would give them a smackdown none of them would soon forget. I promptly stood up, trusting Kelpie to remain where she was, and started marching over to these douchebags. When I suddenly got an idea. Give me a little edge.
Finding a good-sized rock a little smaller than my fist, I cocked my arm and threw it as hard as I could, hitting the lead goon square in the back of his fat head. It was an easy target to be sure. It was so satisfying to hear the sound of hardened earth smacking against bone. "What the fuck?" He wheeled about and we locked our eyes. "You have some nerve hitting me, punk."
The gang slowly advanced toward me. But I was unfazed, idly tossing another rock up and down in my hand. "All I was doing was keeping you from waking that sleeping vision of beauty. Seriously bruh, you're getting worked up over a single bench when there's a park full of them?" I waved my hand about for emphasis. "Why don't you just leave the lady alone and enjoy this fine day somewhere else? I just got into town, and I really don't want to make trouble on my first day here."
"Who the fuck are you, some Bracer goody-goody?" One of the other guys sneered.
"I braced your mom last night if that helps." My smirk got wider as I saw the thug get riled up. If the way his lips were curling, and he was growling was any indication. Oh, they were all fit to burst. Time to turn the screws even tighter. "If you want to persist, then I'll introduce you to my new friend here. I can't imagine it would be hard to hit you a second time, given how big your mouth is when you open it."
I believe that's what is commonly known as fighting words in some parts. But still, guys like this are so predictable. I could already see them tensing up. How their brows furrowed, and their hands clenched. They were powder keg ready to go off, and I was the lit match that got dropped right into it. The train ride had been extended, and I was feeling a little stiff. May as well get some exercise in. I wound up again and hurled the rock at the leader's face, but he actually avoided it, well I guess he's not so slow-witted after all.
"You fucking dickass!" Wow, that's a new one. "Beat that son of a bitch to a pulp!" They all yelled and ran at me. The first guy was promptly introduced to the bottom of my steel-reinforced boot as I kicked him square in the jaw, before ducking another's clumsily aimed punch to reward him with my fist colliding with his temple. I grabbed the stunned hooligan and bodily chucked him over my shoulder into one of his buddies, sending both of them stumbling ass over teakettle.
I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, sidestepping the hoodlum's feeble attempt at tackling me. The dumb moron tripped over his own two feet and faceplanted on the ground. I kicked him in the side, and when he rolled on his back, promptly dropped my foot square onto his groin. Thus, fulfilling my obligation to keep the gene pool cleaner for a little bit longer. "That's two," I muttered, noting how many of the guys I had all but KO'ed. I glared at the four remaining goons. "This is your chance to walk away, boys. Be smart for a change." I had to at least give them an out once, but that's all they get.
The gang leader just sneered, showing some teeth and screaming for a thorough brushing, why is basic hygiene so foreign to these types of people? "No way! You stepped on our pride, and we're going to take it out of your ass!" Read my earlier comment on thugs being predictable, all muscle, and only a single brain cell between them all. And since I have at least one more brain cell than all of them combined, that means I can outsmart them. Not that it would have been a challenge really, but let me have this much, okay?
Something that comes to mind, cut off the head and the body will die. I was going to focus entirely on the lead guy. Let's see how tough these bully boys are once I've left their boss in pieces. I made a beckoning gesture, telling him to bring it on.
He took that as a challenge, cracking his knuckles. Ooh, real intimidating, I'm shaking in my boots and about ready to piss and shit myself at the same time. "I'm going to rearrange your fucking face and take those swords of yours!"
"Oh, you're going to take my swords? I trust you know how to use them then? These babies are razor sharp and they won't do you any good if you have no fingers or thumbs to hold them once they're cut off!" I shot back, hands coming up to protect my head. "Stop yapping and get over here so I can put you in your place." And with that, we're off to the races! He came at me with a right cross that could have taken my head off…If I had zero brain activity and I was slower than molasses. I twisted my upper body aside and let the punch roll off my cheek. I counted with a nasty uppercut to his floating ribs, and his voice hit octaves fit for calling a dog as he doubled over.
Wow, what a tough guy who squeals like a little girl. "Come on pal, that was just a love tap!" I taunted, kicking him in the knee. "The real pain is yet to come." I backfisted him in the temple and slammed him into a nearby tree. Heh, the other guys are getting nervous. Again, guys like this are only as strong and badass as the one in charge is. The minute someone even stronger appears, they fold like cards.
He threw out a couple of hook punches, but really, they looked like just a bunch of angry, ineffectual flailing about to me. I ducked and rolled to the right, my leg whipping about to sweep him off the feet, sending him on his back again. I grinned menacingly, and just as I did on his lackey, my stomp of justice came down hard on his manhood, but I didn't stop once, or twice. I just kept going. I deserved a medal for ensuring this guy couldn't reproduce. Once I was done, the poor guy whimpered in pain, writhing on the ground in agony.
The rest of the gangbangers weren't sure what to do. Already four of their number, their boss included, was on the floor in varying levels of pain. But at the same time, the last two didn't look ready to back down. Anything could have happened at that point. "Not bad at all." A voice quietly drawled behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see the girl stirring as her eyes fluttered open. "Your execution wasn't half bad." She slowly sat up, Stretching her arms to the sky. "But I have to dock a couple of points on that last left hook, you overextended it too much. That's just bad form."
Wow, this girl has some sass…I like that. I clicked my tongue. "Wow, that's rather harsh considering I saved you from these shining examples of humanity." I indicated to the battered wannabe gangsters slowly crawling to their feet. The girl walked over with a lazy saunter. She showed no fear, marching up to the thugs, giving them a dismissive eye. "I mean, if you think you can do better, by all means."
The girl huffed, a small smile forming on her face. Wow, the cat in her is really coming out. A cat who's found something fun to play with. I watched intently. "Sure, but I bet I can do it even better." She got in the lead goon's face, holding out her coat. "So, do you know what this emblem represents?" She tapped it for emphasis. "I have to imagine even a bunch of slow-minded halfwits like you can recognize it." I caught a glimpse of it, a stylized bird in light green with "Zephyr" underneath. Apparently, the lead goon did recognize what the emblem and the name represented, if the way his face went bone white was any indication.
"Oh Aidios…T-this chick is with Zephyr! She's a fucking Jaeger!" Panic rose in his voice. I think a couple of guys were on the verge of shitting themselves. The girl looked completely unperturbed, and even a bit proud of the fact. "Let's bail out of here, boys!" And bail they did. All of them scattered in different directions. Didn't think some of them could run as fast as they did, given how battered I left them. Oh well, at least they finally showed some smarts.
The girl just folded her arms, giving me a very smug grin. "And I did all that without throwing a single punch." Jaeger. I remember that word very well from my talk with Nancy. Those guys back in Dreichelsfield were Jaegers with Red Constellation. I remember what their type was like. It was about a week after I left the town when I suddenly found myself being pursued by their operatives. It's why I spent four months in the sticks, constantly playing cat and mouse in order to evade them. Once I knew I had gotten them off my tail, I made straight for Crossbell.
All of a sudden, I became very leery of this girl. Hard to imagine someone so young and petite could be a vicious mercenary that could potentially snap your neck in a heartbeat. I then caught sight of the holstered pistols still dangling at her hips and quickly reconsidered that. Anyone could be a trained killer, and no one would ever know until it was too late. "Okay, I'll give you that one. I suppose it's easy to intimidate folks when you have your company's reputation to fall back on."
The girl yawned, stretching once again, "Most times the rep alone is enough to dissuade any would-be tough guys from picking a fight with the likes of us. But enough about me, what about you? Are you a Bracer or something? You look like the fresh-faced Boy Scout type." I'm not sure if I should be insulted or flattered by that remark. Heh, given that she's good-looking and has quite the mouth on her, I'll let it slide for now.
I just put my hands in the pocket of my coat and snorted. "Not sure I'm the Boy Scout type. Looks aren't everything."
"Oh, is that a fact? Real funny coming from the guy who thought I was just some helpless chick napping on a bench until a few minutes ago. It's not like you have any kind of high ground to stand on." Okay, good looking, a sharp tongue, and very savvy. I like this girl more and more.
"You have a point I suppose. But would you still be singing that tune if I hadn't been here, and those guys had roughed you up? I mean even morons can have a good day. The best can be caught off guard. It's just a matter of timing and all." But this girl was so unflappable. I could see it in her eyes, colored a brilliant yellow gold. Yet I could see the shadows underneath. This seemingly unassuming young lady was a true child of the battlefield.
"Please, are you done with the semantics? If you're not with the guild, then you should be looking for work. Lucky for you, Zephyr is always hiring. Doubly so if they're young and fit with a knack for fighting and no place to call home." The girl put a hand on her hip. "So Tell me, you tick any of those boxes?" She was starting to become rather irritating to me, but at the same time her trollish demeanor was kind of amusing. She was cute, and made a point.
"What's the pay?" I finally asked. She didn't answer right away, instead going over to my horse. I tensed as the girl approached Kelpie, who stopped grazing, her head rearing to its full height. The horse flicked an ear idly, as the strange girl began petting her flank. Aside from a snort and the slight pawing of her hoof, my steed took no offense at this stranger, giving her some attention.
"This is a nice horse, what's her name?" She looked at me as she gently stroked Kelpie's nose.
"I was thinking Kelpie." I continued to watch her bond with the horse. Despite her snarky demeanor, at least she seemed nice enough.
"What is that?" The girl asked curiously, looking up at me with those big lime green eyes. I realized she was much shorter than me, probably no taller than five feet. Damn, she was cute and tiny. Why was I such a simp all of a sudden?
"Kelpies are a kind of wild horse spirit that lives by the water," I explained, shrugging. It was a silent admittance of my ignorance as to why I knew this. I wasn't sure where I heard the story. The source of it was beyond me right now. "Any who tries to tame them usually end up getting dragged into the water and drowned."
"Dark." The playful smirk was back again. "You have a really twisted sense of humor, anyone ever tell you that?" She gave Kelpie a final pat before coming back up to me, a hand on her hip. "You would be way more suited to join a Jaeger Corps over the Bracer Guild. You have a heavy burden on your shoulders, and nothing against the folks in the guild, but they would never understand what you're having to deal with."
I couldn't help but bristle, Dreichelsfield was still on my mind. "Jaegers, I had a run-in with some boys from Red Constellation back in Erebonia. I took a bad job involving them and it haunts my every step. I came here to blend in with the crowd and disappear for a while. Tell me, are you guys anything like them?"
The girl's deadpan expression cracked a little when I mentioned Red Constellation, I saw a flicker of anger, and disdain in her eyes. It was clear she was intimately familiar with their on-brand barbarism. "If the job requires it, then yeah, we have no problems shedding blood when required." She said dryly, nodding her head slightly. That was about as close to vehement as I would see out of her. "But we do try to conduct ourselves a little better than our main rival. Keep collateral damage to a minimum. It's just good business sense. If you want to hate us that's all good. Each of us knows what we've done and readily owns up to it. I won't even dig into your past. But if you want to join Zephyr, then I need to take you to meet the boss."
Ah, the old standing at the crossroads conundrum. Which way do I go? I'm not sure if I should trust her, even if she has a pretty face. I either continue going it alone, or trust this stranger and head off down a different trail to an unknown fate. It took me a few minutes, on the one hand, I'm not hard up for cash but at the same time…I need some companionship, human companionship that is. Kelpie is nice and all, but not exactly a sparkling conversationalist. "Fair enough, I suppose proper introductions are in order." I held my hand out. "Name's Ezra."
"I'm Fie." Nice name for a nice if somewhat snarky girl. Fie took my hand, cocking her head slightly to the left. There was something about those eyes that just caught my attention. I can't put it into words fully. The way she blinked was so quiet and graceful in a very subdued way. Then it hit me. That cat metaphor just grows more and more as I think about it. Fie was eyeing me the same way a cat cautiously eyes a new human they've just encountered. And given the fluid grace in how she walks, I can't help but wonder if she really was part cat. Something about her having silver-white cat ears perched on her head, and a tail which languidly waved about was an appealing image in my mind's eye.
"It's nice to meet you, Fie." I finally said, taking a last note of how soft her palms were. Always a nice little detail to take note of, not that I would ever tell her that. "So where is your boss at?"
"He and the other guys are staying at the Hotel Millennium over in the Entertainment District." Fie jerked a thumb over to Kelpie. Somehow, such a simple thing out of her was a elegant gesture. "You want to meet them, then you can give me a lift on your fancy horse. Just consider it payment for services rendered."
I harrumphed as I climbed up on my noble steed. "A mercenary through and through. Done deal." I reached out for her hand again to pull her up. For the barest fraction of a second, I felt this spark pass between us. It made both of us jump and I heard Fie gasp suddenly. Partner bond with Fie Claussell established, mana unlocked. Okay…strange, echoey underwater voice just whispered in my year, or maybe it was in my head. I can't really tell.
"What was that?" Fie asked in surprise, shaking away the feeling. Looking as if she were a cat freshly liberated from the water. "Did you give me a static shock?"
"I guess." What more could I say, my first day was already getting weird. Gently spurring Kelpie, we soon arrived in the Entertainment District of Crossbell City, one word to describe it. Flashy! We passed by a casino, with a couple of attractive ladies standing out in front, enticing poor schmucks who would be promptly parted with their money. Probably a good idea to stay away from there. I saw a massive building on a small terrace with large purple and gold banners reading "Arc En Ciel." Must look into that when I have some time.
The Hotel Millennium was a huge building, it actually spanned over the street, with two entrances on either side. "The boss and our senior leadership are staying there. The rest of the corps are keeping up camp outside the west entrance of town." Fie and I dismounted Kelpie and went inside. Quite the fancy, upscale place, if the rich folks traipsing about were any indication. Fie paid them little mind, leading me toward the hotel restaurant. The food smelled good, not going to lie. Fie took me deep into a darkened corner of the establishment.
In the circular booth, I saw the silhouettes of three men, all wearing the same dark leather jacket Fie had on, the Zephyr emblem prominently displayed. I will say they had a few too many straps and buckles for my tastes. The guy on the left was tall and lanky, his dark blonde hair tied up in a wolf tail-style ponytail. An olive-colored mock turtleneck sweater poked out of his jacket. His counterpart on the right was a total contrast, dark-skinned and built like a mountain, the lines of his muscles seen through his jacket, trimmed in gold and silver as opposed to his friend, who had just the latter.
But it was the guy in the middle that really caught my attention. He was solidly built like the last guy, his jacket open revealing an olive-colored button-up shirt with the top button undone. His brown hair, slowly turning gray was swept back, revealing a pair of extremely bushy eyebrows. Clearly, this was 'the boss' Fie was talking about. They all were surrounded by a thick curtain of smoke. The boss man had a fat cigar, while his two subordinates had lit up cigarettes. The ashtrays filled with spent butts a clear indication they had been here a while. All three men were pouring over a map of Crossbell State.
"Hey, guys!" Fie caught their attention. I suddenly felt great pressure all around me, and it was coming straight from these men, two of them at least. The one in the middle regarded me with more curiosity than anything else. But the hostility from the others was quite evident. "I brought a prospective recruit, Boss." She addressed the oldest, and most experienced looking of the Jaegers, a slightly proud smirk coming onto her lips. "He's pretty good in a fight, dealing with a whole bunch of wannabe tough guys all to protect little old me." The pressure intensified even more. Maybe this wasn't so much meeting my new friend's boss and his chief commanders but rather her father and uncles.
"Maybe you should introduce us first?" I whispered to Fie, leaning in conspiratorially. She just gave an idle shrug. Ah, my catty friend who just happens to be a girl. I suppose this was something I would have to get used to if I was running with this crew.
"This is Ezra, meet the central command of the Zephyr Jaeger Corps." Fie gestured to each man as she introduced them. "The tall beefy guy is Leonidas the Behemoth, First Company Commander, the guy with the glasses is Xeno they call him the Trap Master, He's the Second Company Commander, and finally we have our commanding officer, Rutger Claussell, the Jaeger King." There was an extra note of pride in Fie's voice with the last one. Not hard to see why, the man in front of me held an aura of true power about him. Not to mention I could see the experience in his eyes. This man had seen more battles than most could only dream of.
Rutger said nothing, merely puffing on his cigar as a halo of smoke circled around his head. "Hey now, Fie. Didn't think the day would ever come you'd bring a boy home." He had a very easygoing drawl to his voice. He seemed to find the whole thing amusing, although judging from the glares of the other guys, jury's still out on that one. "Well come on and have a seat you two. Let's see if you're a good enough fit for Zephyr." Okay, that's a good sign. Fie crawled over Xeno to take a seat next to Rutger, leading me to think that yeah, he was good as her father. I nervously sat down next to Leo, who just side-eyed me before dragging on his cigarette.
About a million ideas were going through my head about what could have meant. But I didn't have time to dwell on it. The job interview had begun, and I had to put my best foot forward if I wanted to be hired. "So, what's your story kid? What bring you to the glorious state of Crossbell?" Xeno leaned forward, the light catching off the violet lenses of his sunglasses. It was a clear act of intimidation, and unlike the gangbanger from earlier, it actually held some weight behind it. I was nervous, but I kept my cool.
Honesty was going to be the name of the game here. I laid it out to them thusly. "As ridiculous as it sounds, I'm here to find myself, and that is as literal as it gets. I woke up in this dark forest in the middle of a raging thunderstorm, with no real memory of who I am aside from my name. I have some skill with the sword, but that's it. I met some folks on the train who pointed me in the direction of the Bracer Guild, but Fie here said they wouldn't be able to understand what I've been through. I'm really just looking for coin in my pocket and answers to my past. I'm not too picky about what road I take to get there just as long as find what I'm looking for."
None of them seemed convinced. "You ended up in some forest with no memory of how you got there?" Leo's deep bass voice rumbled. His eyes peered out from the depths of his own sunglasses. Why were they even wearing them inside, to begin with? "Seems quite convenient if you ask me. This could be some kind of trap to get close to us and bring us down from the inside. Red Constellation would love to see us fall." Wow, they were really reaching on that one, but at the same time, I wasn't sure I wanted to dispute the issue. Especially given the steel wires that this called muscle fibers were tensing up in his arms.
"Oh, come on, Leo! Look at the kid." Xeno piped up, gesturing to me. "How much experience do you think someone that young has at deception? He looks like some kind of boy scout." Fie snickered, remembering what she said about me earlier.
Rutger hums. "Perhaps there's a way to jog the kid's memory. Let's give him a little pop quiz. Nothing too fancy, just some basic political questions. You up for it?" I nodded readily; this was exactly what I needed. "Okay, then, first off, who is the Chancellor of the Erebonian Empire? What is the specialty export of the Principality of Remiferia? Do you know what caused the Principality of North Ambria to fall?" I had absolutely nothing to answer for any of those questions.
Blank-faced, I felt rather ashamed I didn't know any of those things at all. Rutger seemed to cotton on pretty quick. "Really kid? Can you even point out the state of Ored on a map?" I weakly shook my head. Hoping this wasn't going to be the most epic fail of all time. Another puff of the cigar came out. "Hm, well, I suppose this isn't a total loss. It does prove one thing."
"What exactly, Boss?" Leo asked.
"This is all basic shit that any self-respecting Jaeger or Bracer should know. Red Constellation wouldn't send in someone who didn't have a clue about the world we live in. Baldur can be an absolute asshole at times, but he's far from stupid. Besides, sending in a spy to destabilize us just isn't his style. He would be far more satisfied to just face us in open combat and smash us all in one place. That's how the War God rolls anyway. And lastly, I trust Fie. She wouldn't bring back anyone without a good cause. I say the kid at least deserves a shot."
Both of Zephyr's company commanders promptly shut up. Rutger was the boss, and the Jaeger King's word was law in the eyes. Once again, I found myself under the scrutinizing gaze of the Behemoth. "I will admit, he won't be like the usual child soldier we take in. He's clearly experienced in combat, and his blades have already been wetted. I can see it in his eyes."
"Yeah, this guy is no lightweight." The Trap Master quipped. "Okay then, Ezra. Welcome to Zephyr."
"Thank you…Boss." The word sounded a little odd in my mouth, but at least I had someplace to start now. A thought sparked in my mind. "There is one small thing. When I took the job that involved the Red Constellation, I didn't exactly get a warm reception for my actions there. It won't be too much to ask if I reserve the right to utilize lethal force when only required?" Oh, I hope I didn't sound like a total and complete moron for asking that! It's just that I remember their faces, so filled with fear. If I did go down this path and become a Jaeger. Is that what I could expect from here on out? It just didn't sit right with me to try and do good for people and only get fear and contempt in return.
All three men just laughed. "Relax kid! I wouldn't order you to do anything I wouldn't be comfortable about doing myself. As Jaegers, we might be hardened killers, but we're not the Imperial Army. I'm not going to shoot you for speaking your mind." Oh, much relief with those words. Rutger drummed his fist on the table. "Another round of drinks! We need to celebrate the newest addition to the Zephyr family." The rather attractive waitress came around and fresh glasses were put in front of us. Well, not quite what I expected, but at least I now had some allies to fall back on. Not to mention it meant more time with Fie.
(March 1st, 1203, Zephyr Jaeger Corps main base camp)
The next morning the five of us set out for Zephyr's main base camp. I wasn't sure what to expect from it, but what a spread it was. People wearing the same black leather jacket and white pants as Rutger and his commanders milled about the small city of tents they had set up. "Impressive, isn't it?" Fie was clearly proud of their operation. "We've got four hundred and seventy-five people under our banner, not just frontline personnel, but support staff and technical experts as well."
"Are all Jaeger corps as big as this one?" I asked, seeing a quartet of soldiers in heavy body armor equipped with assault rifles hustle past us while giving Rutger a quick salute. This was the Jaeger King's domain, and all of his subjects revered him.
"Not even close! Most other corps are lucky to have a hundred people at best. The only ones who can match us for sheer numbers are Nidhoggr and Red Constellation." Xeno piped up, a slight edge to his voice when mentioned the latter. I couldn't help but agree with him. "RC has always been our main rival. if we get hired by one group, they'll get hired by the opposing group. It's a guaranteed certainty. Not to mention the whole lot of them are a bunch of savages."
"Yeah, I got that impression in Dreichelsfield," I said, taking note of some Jaegers practicing their swordsmanship. Definitely need to look into that later, it is never a bad idea to pick up a few new techniques. "I'm amazed they're able to get away with that kind of stuff. You'd think their superiors would encourage them to have a degree of civility when dealing with their clients." This got laughs from Rutger and Xeno.
"Clearly you don't know how the Orlando Family rolls. They founded Red Constellation back in the Dark Ages when they were called Orlando's Berserkers, a clan of warriors. Their leader is crowned as 'the War God', a tradition which continues even to this very day. Any one of their family who seeks to become the leader of Red Constellation has to undergo a series of trials to see if they're even worthy of inheriting the title in the first place." Leo stated.
"Every Orlando is known for two things, their brilliant red hair and heavy bloodlust. So obviously they would only hire like-minded individuals to join their ranks, so civility isn't exactly a job requirement. The current leader, Baldur Orlando, is no different. He's merciless in combat, comparable to a lion of steel. He's a formidable bastard, old Baldur." I saw Rutger's fist clench tightly, clearly there was a long history between those two. "He and I have crossed blades more times than I can recall. Hmph, I wouldn't be surprised if our lives ended with our hands around each other's throats." Rutger shrugged. "Meh, that's the life of a Jaeger for ya. If I have to go out, there are worse ways."
He promptly slapped me on the back. "But enough musing about my imminent demise. Fie, take our new recruit here to the quartermaster and get him outfitted. The boys and I have to take came of some administrative stuff. We'll talk later kid." With that, the Jaeger King and his lieutenants headed into one of the larger tents. I looked to Fie. She just shrugged and took me through the camp. Falling into step behind her, I took notice of how she moved.
It seemed casual enough to the untrained eye, however, I could tell that she was always on the balls of her feet, ready to snap into action at the slightest hint of trouble. My mind went back to yesterday, and how she seemed totally oblivious to her surroundings as she napped. Those punks probably wouldn't have known what hit them if they tried to pick a fight with her. "Something wrong?" Fie looked over her shoulder at me. Wow her senses were sharper than I gave her credit for.
"No, not at all." I quickly said, trying not to focus on her rear end. It was then I found the perfect subject changer. "Forgive me if I ask a dumb question. But it sort of came to me as we were on our way here. What exactly is Zephyr doing in Crossbell to begin with? I mean, we're a band of guns and swords for hire, so obviously we were contracted by someone. I would just like to know who that is, and for what reason. That way I know what's expected."
Fie stopped for a minute and turned to look at me. The wind caught her silvery locks. Her expression was neutral, but I could see in her eyes that she was really trying to answer my question. It was cute in a way. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to fill you in. Crossbell may be really shiny on the outside, but when you get beneath the surface, it has a lot of problems. Their police department is absolutely worthless, and rife with corruption. More comfortable sitting in their shiny offices than actually go out and do their jobs. But it means more action and thus more Mira for us. Their loss, our gain."
"So it probably means that the boss has a pretty good working relationship with the Mayor of Crossbell then," Fie smirked and nodded. I was starting to get a better idea of how the whole Jaeger business really worked. "So what kind of jobs are we here to do? If it's monster hunting, then by all means, cut me loose. I was doing that when I was by myself in Erebonia so that's old hat."
Fie's smirk became wider, looks like she was familiar with that chore as well. "Then you're in luck, there's this massive network of tunnels under the city called the Geofront. It's littered with all kinds of nasty creatures. The police are supposed to be the ones who cull them, but again, they don't want to lower themselves to such tasks. So we send teams in to deal with it. We also took a contract to provide guards for a small mining town in the north called Mainz."
I was about to ask what happened next when the entire camp shook from a massive explosion ripping through the air. I felt a slight sense of alarm at the sight of black smoke rising up in one corner of the camp. "YOU DUMB MORON!" A shrill feminine voice and a sharp cracking sound followed. The entire camp seemed unfazed by it, given how they just went about their business like nothing happened.
"Danny is at it again. The guy always did like his explosives." Fie shook her head. "I feel for Cherise, having to keep him in line all the time." She held up a hand when I looked at her questioningly. "Don't worry, you'll meet them soon enough. The four of us will probably be crewing up here before too long." We arrived at a large tent; a sign marked with Quartermaster hanging above the entrance. "Here, you'll get fitted for your uniform and general provisions. Then we'll see about getting your weapons maintained. I'm sure you take good care of them, but I bet it's been a while since you had an actual armorer look them over."
Fie wasn't wrong. I had endeavored to keep my equipment in the best shape possible, but the trained eye of a true weaponsmith would be able to catch every possible issue. I took the orbment off my belt. "Is there anyone here who could look at this thing? I took it off the leader of those Red Constellation guys when I…dealt with them." Then I pulled the pistol out as well. "Took this from him too, pretty sure I'll stick to my blades, but I figure having any kind of advantage would be good."
The white-haired Jaeger scoffed. "Wow, someone blinged that thing out good, not that it would do any good in actual combat." She clearly wasn't impressed with the gaudy looking sidearm. Or maybe it was because of how it was decked out in the livery of Red Constellation. Maybe that was the real reason she looked disgusted by it. "Someone was just showing off with that."
"Yeah, think they can replace the handgrips with some that have Zephyr emblems? Red Constellation is a bunch of shitheads. I don't want to have to look at those damn scorpions any more than I have to." I could tell Fie approve from the way she smirked. I got my uniform from the quartermaster and quickly changed into it. The jacket came in a few different styles so I went for a long cut like my current one, but with three-quarter sleeves, and added a pair of fingerless black leather gloves with metal panels on the back. In all, I thought I looked pretty good.
I looked to Fie for her seal of approval. She nodded and gave me a thumbs-up. Okay, it's all good. And then I covered my ears when another explosion went off outside, followed by "YOU STUPID OAF!" and another hard thwack. "I get the impression that's going to be something I'll have to get used to real fast, isn't it?" I said, really wondered who was setting off all the explosions and who was getting so pissed off in turn.
The way Fie put her hands behind her back and smiled told me all I needed to know. The cat parallels just grew again. "More or less. Those two are actually my squad mates. In all likelihood, you're probably going to be assigned to my team anyway, you may as well meet them right now. Cherise is our primary orbal engineer, so she'll be the one to fix up that orbment you have."
And so we were off to another part of the camp, following the still billowing cloud of smoke to an open area. Sitting on the ground in the standard Zephyr uniform was a young man my age with tanned skin, and messy dark brown hair. I noticed a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. His brown eyes squinted as he clutched the side of his head. Looming over him like a figure of death was a young woman with dark blue hair tied up in a ponytail with a red ribbon, wearing olive green coveralls with a tool belt around her waist. Her brown eyes blazing in irritation and rage, clenching a large paper fan.
"Danny, what did I tell you about testing your explosives here in the camp?" The girl snapped, the multitude of wrenches and screwdrivers hanging on her belt clattering as she stamped her foot angrily. "I don't care if demolitions is your forte. It's just plain irresponsible of you to detonate them just because you feel like it!" Wow, it's very clear who wears the pants in this relationship.
"Come now, Cherise, it's not like last time when I tested it inside the tent. No one was harmed and I made sure to let everyone know to keep clear." The boy, Danny, spoke in a very flat tone. The mechanic girl, Cherise, was not convinced. I winced inwardly at the way she folded her arms, the fan still in hand. It was clear he was trying to work fast at some kind of explanation that would placate her. "At least it wasn't like what I did in Leman when I blew open that wall because the door was locked."
"To get at a runaway cat!" WHACK! Down came the fan on his head again. Wow, this guy was whipped. It was then she caught sight of Fie and myself. "Oh, hello Fie." Her voice became far more cordial, but the irritation in her eyes was still very present. "Danny was playing around with his bombs again, and I had to remind him that testing them here in the camp is expressly forbidden!" Danny winced again as he got back on his feet.
Fie gave a dismissive wave of her hand. This was all old news to her, and I got the feeling she was just as bad as her squad mate was when it came to all things going kaboom. "Oh just let it go, Che. We got some new blood for the team." She indicated with her thumb to me. "Danny, Cherise, this is Ezra. He helped me out when I was in town, and he's looking to join us. So let's accommodate him."
"We are happy to have you here," Danny spoke in that same clipped tone. "I'll be eager to see what you bring to Zephyr." Give the guy credit, he gets right to the point. Plus, it looks like he's never smiled once in his life.
"Uh thank you," I said, taking a breath. These were my new teammates. Even if they did seem quirky. If this guy liked explosions, how bad could he really be?
Cherise gave Danny one last glare before marching up to me, getting right in my face. "Forgive me for being blunt. Please don't tell me your solution to every problem is blowing it to pieces like these two." Fie just smirked as Dann flinched. She still had that fan in hand and was in just the right place to smack him with it again. "It's bad enough having to deal with two explosive happy maniacs. I don't want to complete this hat trick."
I just gave a light smile. "Seeing as that I'm more into swords, I think you're going to be okay in that regard," I replied. Cherise looked visibly relieved. I reached onto my belt and pulled out the combat orbment. "I'm told you're the big engineer around here. I took this gadget off a Red Constellation officer. Not sure how to use it, but maybe you could give me some pointers?" Cherise snatched the device away from me. I could tell her expert eye was already looking it over. Her delicate eyes narrowed at the Red Constellation logo etched on the back.
"Hmph, well it looks like this is in relatively good shape, even if it could stand to have some nuts and bolts tightened. While I'm at it, I'll replace the cover plate. That scorpion offends me." Point in her favor if she hated Red Constellation, especially given all I had learned about the people who run it. "Give me fifteen to twenty minutes and it should be ready." She looked to Fie. "So, do we have our marching orders, esteemed leader?" Despite the sardonic edge to her voice. It was clear Cherise and Fie were good friends and she respected her.
"Not yet, but I'll go and check in with the Boss. In the meantime, gather your gear and meet at the front entrance." Fie ran off. Cherise sighed and went into the tent to work on fixing up my orbment. Danny had several different blocks of varying shades of gray, I assume they were explosives of some kind. He packed them into a duffel back and then pulled out a large chunky-looking firearm. I couldn't help but stare at it, then again I can appreciate a good weapon. The weapon's owner caught sight of me gawking.
"First time seeing an orbal shotgun?" Danny asked, holding it up. "Reinford Arms Model 1223, single barrel, twelve gauge, with a seven-round capacity in the magazine tube underneath." He held it with great pride. "Perfect for blowing off door locks for quick entry into a room." Danny's lips twitched just slightly. "If anyone just happens to be behind said door… Well, then it's no one's fault but their own."
"Damn war nut. He'll take any excuse to blow up anything that so much as blinks at him wrong." She tossed me the orbment. "Here it is, all fixed up for you. We were in Remiferia last week, tracking down a criminal that holed up in a house. If he had given me just five more seconds, I could have gotten the lock undone, but noooo." She waved her hand idly in the air. "He has to chuck a stick of C4 through the window and ended up blowing off half the front of the house!" I could see her eye twitching just thinking of the memory.
"I was just trying to expedite apprehending the suspect, Cherise. We were on a timetable and had to take him down quickly. I simply did what I thought was practical to keep him from escaping." Danny explained it like a parent explaining it to a child.
"You nearly blew out my eardrums!" She had the fan out again, ready to bring it down on the poor guy's head. I could see his face tense up, clearly far too used to this. I found myself gently taking her arm. "Hey, what gives?"
"As much as I enjoy watching slapstick. I think that energy can be better used for our next mission. Fie did say we should gear up and meet her at the camp entrance, right?" I flashed a glance to Danny that said, 'you owe me for this big time!'. Cherise scowled, before tugging the strap on her bag, and stomping out of the yard. Danny gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, shouldering his own weapon and following after her. The three of us soon made our way through the camp.
"So, what kind of weapon do you use?" I spoke to our squad's resident engineer, trying to make small talk. I hadn't seen her pick up anything visible. She reached onto her belt and pulled off another of those orbments, adorned with Zephyr logos. I quickly checked my own, and saw that now had a cover plate with the same bird insignia, which made it look far better if you ask me.
"I'm an Orbal arts user, I prefer to keep some distance between me and the bad guys. I let the war nut and our resident princess get up in their faces." She brandished a good-sized hammer with a steelhead. "Not to say I have any compunctions about bringing this down on someone's head if they do get too close to me." I could see an angry flash in Cherise's eyes as she glared at Danny. Clearly, she desired to use the hammer on him instead of the fan. The anger faded just as quickly, and a fatigued sigh escaped her lips. "Needless to say, if you're in a bind, don't worry. I'm pretty good with different kinds of buffs, whether its defense or an increase in speed. I'm your girl."
"What about attack arts?" I asked, eyeing my own orbment again. "Do those exist?" If such a thing was a reality, then I was not about to say no to expanding my combat options. I was definitely going to ask about what kind of sword techniques Zephyr practiced, but it would wait until later.
Cherise gave me a confused look. "Of course, they do." Hmm, she is a sharp one. I suppose I'm going to have to tell them my origins eventually.
I decided to give her the abridged version of my story thus far. "I'll level with you guys. I have amnesia. I woke up in a forest near some one-horse town in the middle of nowhere. I had these swords on my back, covered head to toe in mud. Long story short, I must have knocked my head or whatever. I only really know how to fight. So you're going to have to be patient with me at the beginning."
She folded her arms, and clearly thinking I was full of it. Only for Danny to pay back that favor in spades. "I don't believe he is lying, Cherise. Someone who only knows about fighting has little reason to live. Much like me, lying doesn't come easy. It's actually much easier to be straight up with a weapon. I know this." A chill went down my spine as he said this, as I looked into those brown orbs, holed as the darkest void. Surely this guy had seen things that could have only driven the sternest warriors insane. A second chill went down my spine, wondering what kind of person I was in my life.
"Listen up!" Out trotted Fie, prematurely ending my navel-gazing for the day. It was time to get down to business. "We got our marching orders. Apparently, there's a large infestation of monsters down in Geofront Sector B. Our job is to clean them out." She pulled back her jacket, revealing those holstered pistols once more. "Whoever kills the least gets to pay for lunch." Mm, challenge accepted. After money, a good meal is a pretty good payment as far as I'm concerned. Hopping in one of the armored Humvees.
Driving into town, we passed into a residential area. Clearly, this was where the elite made their home, given the size of the mansions we passed. Stopping at a staircase going down to the canal, we all disembarked. "The entrance to Sector B is down those steps." Fie jerked with her thumb. She produced a card key. "This will get us inside. Once there we clear out any and all threats possible." She looked to me. "This is your chance to show your stuff, so put on a good show, okay?"
"Done and done." I saluted. The door slid open and Fie Platoon was now officially on the clock! The only sound was of our boots clanging against the metal steps as we advanced deeper into the earth. "Onward to Gehenna, we go," I said suddenly, as another faint ghost of memory seeped upward, of walking down a spiral wooden staircase illuminated by the flickering of old school torchlight.
"Must you be so grim?" Cherise hissed over her shoulder to me. At the bottom of the steps. The words echoing off the smooth concrete walls sounded so familiar to me. We arrived at the bottom of the steps where a tall cylindrical object emanating a soft blue light sat. "Ah good, the recharging station is working." She looked at me pointedly. "These things are set up by travelers all over. Keep a close watch for them, it usually means something big is ahead." Duly noted, as we started one of the most bizarre dungeon crawls.
Most of the monsters we found were nothing to get too worked up about. Lizards that discharged electricity, malfunctioning service machines made to keep the sewers clean, and other things. We dealt with them handily. I took a moment to step back and observe my new companions. Danny's method of combat was simple and straightforward. He wielded his shotgun with a very practiced hand. The 12 gauge buckshot was very effective at shredding whatever found itself unfortunate enough to be in front of the barrel. Not to mention I really got just how much Danny loved blowing things up.
He had grenades and plastic explosives aplenty. A couple of monsters that made me think of mollusks slithered forward. Danny pulled out a trio of hand grenades. The guy had a good arm, throwing them above the beasts, the explosion rang in our ears as the shrapnel ripped through them. Three quick bursts from his shotgun finished the job. All the while, Danny moved with a methodical, some would call robotic feel about it. Times I wondered if he was even human.
Meanwhile, Cherise had shown me the power of Orbal Arts. The only way I could describe it is as magic. Because that's what it basically is, thanks to the septium crystals in the orbments, they could produce all kinds of spells. Those orbments are impressive pieces of work, if they could generate such powers. "Flare Butterfly!" She declared, holding her orbment over her head, a brilliant red flash coming from the device. I saw dozens of spectral butterflies shimmer into existence around a giant vacuum machine, before they all detonated, causing the malfunctioning device to explode.
Danny and Cherise were good, but Fie, she was on another level entirely. If I could sum up her combat style in one word, it was speed. I never thought anyone could move so fast, but Fie clearly didn't get that memo. She was all over the place, stopping only for a moment to throw out a speed buff for us or hurl a wind art at one of the various denizens of the Crossbell underground. This weird leech-like creature ended up exploding, spraying black goo all over the place after one of Fie's wind arts slashed it to pieces.
"That's our Slypheed!" Cherise cheered, watching as she vaulted into the air over a couple of lizards discharging electricity, letting loose a hail of lead on them. To my surprise, I saw Fie actually yawn in midair. If anything, she seemed bored by the whole thing. This was nothing more than pest control to her. A couple more of the electric lizards rushed at her the minute she landed, snapping their teeth.
But it was no worry. A couple of swings and the sound of metal slicing through flesh, and two reptilian heads bounced down the corridor, as the decapitated corpses collapsed to the metallic floor. Turns out Fie's pistols held a secret of their own. The dagger blades attached to the end glinted in the dim overhead lights, dead aim and an experienced knife fighter? I think I might be in love.
"This zone is clear." Fie looked so cool as she holstered her pistol/daggers. "Boss said there's some kind of big monster down here. I'm pretty sure that's our primary objective. So, let's move on." Leaving the monster corpses for the cleanup crew. We proceeded deeper into the Geofront. I was on point, with Cherise behind me, followed by Fie, and finally, Danny covering our rear.
It wasn't long before we were accosted by a fresh group of the same monsters we encountered before. My hand went to my sword with the straight-handled cross guard. "I'll handle this, can't let you guys have all the fun now, can I?" Fie just smirked, time to prove my worth to Zephyr. Drawing the weapon out and holding it parallel to the ground. I gave my new companions a glance before rushing into the thick of it. One of those rampaging giant vacuums slid toward me.
This is where things get really weird. As I was closing the distance, staring into that maw that seemed like no escape, something clicked in my brain. I don't know what it was exactly. But I shifted my stance just a bit as I was running, resting my sword over my right shoulder. I could feel my muscles tense and I leapt into the air. I could hear gasping from Cherise, as I swung my blade downward, a bluish-white streak trailing as my blade ripped through the metallic carapace.
I leapt back as the machine exploded, my gaze fixated on the smoking wreckage. I heard Fie and the others approaching. They had looks of astonishment. "What was that? I've never seen anything like it before!" I wish I had an answer for Cherise because I was just as stumped. Danny said nothing, but I could tell his mind was racing for answers. Maybe he wasn't such a drone after all.
"I wish I knew." I finally said, my gaze going down to my sword, still clenched in my hand. Something about that fight triggered something in my brain. Fie had cottoned onto it as well, and already had something in mind if the way she was looking at me was any indication. "But I'm willing to believe if we find that monster, I might be able to learn more."
"Think if you take that thing on, it might knock something loose in your head?" I just grinned at the question. It just might be what I need. With new vigor, we continued advancing through the unending network of tunnels that made up the Geofront. We came upon an orbment charging station, and all of my senses were on high alert. If this was just sitting here, then that monster had to be right on the other side of the door. The lock plate turned from red to blue and the door swished open, and what was on the other side was revealed.
Slimes, a whole mess of the squishy, oozy beasts, colored a deep icy blue. They weren't doing much of anything, just sitting there, making squishy, oozy noises. I wanted to think they weren't all that dangerous, but it's the most innocent-looking things that can get you. I brandished my sword just as Fie brought up her pistols and Danny cocked his gun. Cherise had her orbment in hand, ready to provide whatever support was required. Oh yeah, we were so ready for this. "New guy has the honors," Fie said, gesturing with her pistol.
"Ah, but ladies are always first in my mind." I looked to Cherise, who looked rather ill at the sight of the slimes. "What do you have for this situation?" The twisted smile she wore reminded me that this girl was still a Jaeger and not to be trifled with.
"You have a preference?" She drawled.
"Surprise me," I responded just as blandly.
Man, that girl was fast on the draw! She had that orbment out, and a brilliant green flash illuminated the room. "Brilliant winds, rip all to asunder in my path, Aerial!" A huge tornado whipped up, sending the slimes flying in all directions, slamming into the walls and ceiling with gooey splats.
"Now while they're stunned!" Fie barked, with that, we charged in and started attacking the slimes before they could recover. Danny's shotgun belched out its lethal payload at a couple of undulating piles of goop trying to recover, the buckshot shredding them into tiny little bloblets. A couple of the slimes threw themselves at him, only for a couple of fragmentation grenades to find themselves embedded in their protoplasm. I never knew slimes could explode in such a beautiful fashion.
A couple of slimes plopped and leaped toward Cherise, but I was there to defend her. My blade rending them asunder. It all felt so easy to me, second nature like breathing. These slimes really were nothing hard to deal with. It was then three slimes leapt at me. I was ready to deal with them like the rest, but then a swerve. They combined into a larger slime. It was at least the size of a good-sized dog. That's when I felt it again. That same feeling from before. This time my sword came down to my left hip. I saw the flash of light as I swung up diagonally.
I paid no mind as the gunk sprayed all over me. This was proving beneficial in multiple ways. Not only was I learning to work with my new team. I was learning more about myself in the prospect. Maybe I could discover who I was faster than I thought. I know had two techniques under my belt. Who knows what other abilities I may have just waiting in the wings? It gave me hope that I wouldn't just be some aimless drifter for my whole life.
I heard gunshots and the sound of metal slicing through goo. Fie gave a victory sign as the remains of several slimes splattered around her. But then I noticed something about all the little bits around our feet. They twitched and moved disturbingly. I then recalled what had just happened to me. "Guys, form up! It's not over yet!" I called out. Good thing too, because at that moment all the remaining slimes and the slime bits coalesced together, creating a Super Slime! This thing had to be at least the size of one of the orbal cars. Still, I didn't feel too worried. I was confident the four of us could take it.
"Now this is more like it!" Fie's voice had more emotion to it than I had ever heard before. She was actually excited for what was to come. "I bet the boss will give us a nice little bonus for finishing this up quickly." She spun her weapons in hand, and made it look easy. Danny idly tossed a grenade in his free hand. Cherise was giving her orbment one last check. Fie looked at me, and I could see the wind in her eyes, a maelstrom just begging to be let loose. Far be it from me to deny a lady's desire.
Our collective war cry echoed through the Geofront, and we attacked the Super Slime as one. I wondered just how many grenades Danny had tucked away because he just seemed to have an endless supply of them. Not that I was complaining because the fragmentation explosives were the first wave of our onslaught. The oversized piece of goo let out a shrill cry that sounded like a really wet fart. Not that any of us were affected. I saw a brown flash from Cherise's orbment. The ground started shaking and a pillar of rock erupted from the ground, impaling the slime from underneath.
Danny's shotgun roared as three shots rang out in quick succession, even as several gooey tentacles lanced out to strike at him. I was right in there as well, letting loose that slanted sword technique, this time coming down from the shoulder and swinging downward to the left, driving the fluid tendrils back. It hurt the thing to be sure, but this Slime was far more resilient, I guess all of them coming together as one meant greater durability. Not that it was going to help it in the end. I felt a sudden tingling sensation all over my body. It was a strange sensation like every nerve was on fire.
I realized this must have been one of those buffs Cherise mentioned. It seemed to make me move faster, as I ran around the slime to flank it, just as Fie came in with a quick pistol barrage before slashing with the dagger edges. Our resident arts user conjured up a trio of fireballs, launching them in quick succession. The Super Slime shrunk back at the fire spells. Danny did a quick wall run, vaulting over the monster, and unloading another round of buckshot from above. I swung my sword in quick succession before leaping backward to evade another tendril from the monster.
"We have this thing on the ropes, let's finish this because I'm getting tired of looking it!" Cherise declared. Her orbment let off a blue flash and a frigid gust of ice trailed across the smooth metallic floor, hitting the Super Slime full on. Fie and I attacked together. The gundaggers flashed as she repeatedly slashed the knife edges through the protoplasm, before embedding them in the creature's side and giving the Slime's daily required lead dosage. The flash came one last time. With my blade over my left shoulder, I could feel the tug signaling the beginning of the technique.
I swung downward diagonally, but shifting my wrist I swung up to the right, blue light trailing a V shape. The Super Slime sagged into a huge puddle, clearly not having any more fight in it. But Danny wasn't going to let it end like that. He came in with a large cubical-shaped parcel in hand, shoving it squarely into the slime's oozy body. "I suggest we vacate the immediate premises." He said, holding up a small remote control. We all quickly hoofed it to the entrance. "Not a problem." Danny hit the switch on the detonator, and the C4 he had stuffed into the creature's core exploded, incinerating the whole thing so it couldn't regenerate.
"I think that's mission accomplished," I said, feeling quite satisfied with our objective complete. The rest of my squad looked equally satisfied. "So, does this mean I have to pay for lunch?" I asked, remembering what Fie had said before we entered the Geofront.
"As long as you're offering." Cherise grinned. Damn, I walked right into that one! But I found I wasn't minding all that much. If spending some hard-earned mira meant making some new friends, then I suppose I could manage it. We all walked out of the Geofront to make our report.
(Geofront B, above Slime Chamber)
A single figure stood on a high platform looking down where the four young Jaegers had dispatched the slime infestation. A part of him had wondered how they would fare. More than a few cocky Bracers and freelancers had tried and bit off are more than they could chew, necessitating him to swoop in to save the day. But this group had actually succeeded. It wasn't often such a thing happened, but it was a nice change regardless.
The man in the red coat adjusted the long thin blade at his side, turning to head back out of the Geofront and report back in at the guild office. While he may not have thought much of Jaegers, he wouldn't deny they were all very formidable warriors. It would be interesting to see how they developed. Especially the young man with the sword. They would cross paths eventually, and then he'd see firsthand what he was capable of. Good training partners were always hard to come by after all.
