Authors note: Alright, chapter six complete, now we get to see a bit of Bell dealing with the Adamant Union, and realizing things are not what they seem to him.

And next chapter is the penultimate on you have been waiting for, the Siege of the Adamant Union by Rakia!

To answer a couple questions some people have posited – yes there is plans for some Adamant's to go to Orario in the future, and yes both sides will have distinct opinion upon the other, as you will see some of in this chapter and the next, so I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

Also, I now have both a Ko-fi, and a for those who would like to help support my writing and make updates happen quicker. access also will let you access a nely made discord channel of mine for talking about stuff, stories, updates and just general hanging. Links are on my profile page Bio.

Now onto the insanity

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Bell opened his eyes and regretted it.

Sleeping in an unfamiliar place was not the greatest at the best of times, but the large room that he had been led to sleep in was more like a barracks as it was little else than a giant room of beds with small chests sitting at the foot of each. He hadn't been able to find out how to blow out the strange glowing lamps in the ceilings, nor could reach them, so the constant light had not helped his sleep either.

Of course, waking up to find another person's face staring at him so close he couldn't see any details was also a bit unnerving.

"Um . . . . Who are-" Bell tried to speak, but was cut off as the person suddenly dropped onto him, hugging him tightly and making him feel something squish against his chest. "Ah, wait, who, what is-"

"Ah, Petal! What are you doing!?"

"Hugging." The person hugging Bell said simply, her voice marking her as a girl, with a low quiet tone.

"Well get off of him you lizard!" the second voice, also female, declared as Bell could hear footfalls, and then had the girl atop him pulled right off of him rather suddenly. Though it was clear by how her arms loosened right beforehand that she had not resisted much if at all.

Sitting up Bell was able to get a look at them. One looked like a cat-person with dark brown hair and bright yellow eyes. She was wearing a strange combination of boots, thigh high socks, a tight top that left her belly uncovered, dark blue shorts and a jacket, and what looked to be a scarf wrapped around her neck.

The other was a dragon girl that, after a moment, bell recognized as the same one from the odd coffin from before! She was now wearing simple white shoes and a strange dress that covered one shoulder, while her arms were utterly uncovered making the patches of scale on them very clear and obvious.

"Dragon, not lizard," The dragongirl said in a very neutral tone as she barely resisted the cat person seemingly holding her by both the arms.

"Well you don't need to glomp him like that!" The cat person said with a huff before letting go of one of her arms and stood beside the dragon girl before looking to Bell. "Heya, my names Chihiro and this is Petal, sorry about her."

"N-no, it's fine I was just, confused I guess," Bell said as he sat up and kicked his legs off the bed. "Um, I'm Bell Cranel, but, why are you-"

"Ah, we were told we had the first of the refugee's from the nearby village come by last night, and we were told since our ages were probably the same we could come and give you the tour and help you get started," Chihiro said with a smile as her eyes seemed to travel up and down Bell's body.

"Um, started? Bell asked as he got of the bed and picked up his shirt off the small truck, not noticing Chihiro's gaze.

"Well yeah, just because you ae a refugee doesn't mean everything's free," Chihiro said with a shake of her head. "After all, those who do not work do not eat, right?"

"Uh, right?"

"Don't worry, it's not like we'll be making ya try to make components all on your own," Chihiro said with a grin.

"Components?"

"What you don't know about-"

Petal suddenly poked Chihiro in the side. "Medieval."

"Ah, right, you don't even know about electricity do you?" Chihiro said with a chuckle. "Well that's fine, we can figure out what you're capable of doing, but first is breakfast, so come with us and we'll bring you to the cafeteria!"

"What is a cafeteria?" Bell asked as he put his shoes on.

"You don't even know what a- oof-"

Bell winced as he watched petal jab her elbow into Chihiro's side, making her gag and stumbled down to one knee. Petal then stepped up to Bell and seemed to look him up and down. "Show. Follow," she then said before turning and walking away toward the door to the barracks, her tail swinging widely to and fro from beneath her dress.

"Ugh, damn scaled elbow," Chihiro coughed out as she got back up to her feet and looked to Bell. "Don't worry about it, Petal is always like that."

"Violent?"

"No, a girl of few words, the violence is sort of new, but coming back from death can do that," Chihiro said with a smile as she began walking towards the door as well. "C'mon, let's go, you don't want to miss breakfast, right?"

"I- I guess?" Bell said as he followed her toward the exit. "Breakfast isn't that big of a deal, right?"

"The Agriculture groups have finally gotten the first Hydroponics harvest yesterday, so today's breakfast will be really good, you won't want to miss it!" Chihiro said as she left through the doorway while speaking. "I hope they've remade the Mango Juice supply!"

"What is a-" Bell began to ask, his words dying in his mouth as he stepped out of the barracks into the Adamant Unions city. During the evening everything was dark, and even with the lights that lined the roads centers it hadn't been easy to tell anything but now in the morning light he could see it all.

Buildings of bright smooth stones and bricks more intricately put together than any he had ever seen stood beside homes with a very oriental feel made of wood and paper. Multi story homes of all sizes an designs lines the roads and he could see some larger buildings of darker stone as well. Most buildings seemed to have strange dark green pipes coming out of the ground and then going into their sides, and everywhere he looked he could see people that seemed to be starting their mornings.

Cat people, dog peoples, wolf people, fox people, people with horns, dragon people, these people with strange blue skin and odd thick tails. These made up the grand majority that he could see, but as he slowly followed behind the two girls he could see others as well. Elves, people with large mouse and bunny ears, dwarves, people with strange looking almost woody growths. And then there were the ones that made him unnerved, nervous, or outright terrified. Insectoid people like beetles, mantis's and even spiders, people with wings in place of heir arms, people with wings of white feathers and glowing rings of light by their heads, beings with skin as red as blood with horns and wings like that of demons, people that looked like they were half snake, and even a person whose whole body looked to be a mass of cysts.

"What, what are," Bell tried to say as he numbly walked, the two girls slowing and turning to him as he tried to speak. "How many, are here?"

"How many what?" Chihiro asked curiously s Petal silently stepped up to Bell and grabbed his hand, pulling him along.

"Races of people."

"Not, many?" Petal asked as she tilted her head toward Bell while dragging him.

"What?"

"She's asking if there are not lots of races normally in this land," Chihiro said with a smile. "Though, race is not the right term as everyone here is human. Sort of."

"What, but you're a catperson, right?" Bell asked as he was dragged along.

"Yes, but it's a bit more complicated than that," Chihiro stated as she turned down a road toward a large building with double doors that seemed to be made of glass of all things.

As they entered Bell understood what kind of place it was as dozens of tables both large and small filled the huge room, benches surrounding all sides of each of them, yet still leaving enough room on all sides for anyone to walk around. On the one long wall of the room there were long windows and counters cut out of it, as well as lines of people, though what for he could not tell.

"Hey Petal, can you go grab us all some food while I start explaining basic Xenotypes to our refugee here?"

Petal looked at Chihiro, and then to Bell, and back, and back again, before finally letting her iron grip go of Bell's and walked off with a bit of spring in her step.

"Here, sit down and I'll explain how it works," Chihiro said with a smile that quickly faltered. "Actually, how many races are native to these lands anyway?"

"Um, humans, elves, dwarves, cat people, Chienthropes, rabbit people, amazons, Boaz, and uh . . . . a couple others I think?" Bell quickly listed off as he was let to an empty table and sat down, Chihiro taking the seat to his left. "And the gods of course."

"Pfffft, gods, really?" Chihiro said with a laugh.

"What?"

You really believe in gods?" Chihiro asked.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Chihiro looked at Bell for a moment, the smile slowly draining from her fce before she let out a heavy sigh. "Right, never mind. The races you mentioned, they are, distinct from each other, right? Like, they can't have kids with each other, right?"

"Well, I know humans and Amazons are, uh, supposed to be able to have children with any other race," Bell said awkwardly,"

"But that is it?"

"Y-yeah."

"Alright, that'll make it simpler then," Chihiro said as she gestured to the room. "Every person of a different race you see, are not actually different races just different Xenotypes. Everyone here is human. technically."

"But, you're a cat person, not human."

"I am Human, all of us are, we're just different types of human," Chihiro stated again as she took out a small object and opened it up, taking out a stick and drawing on the object with lines and circles. " When Humanity set out from its ancestral home, it was a slow procedure because moving though the stars takes time, so over the thousands of years humans in different places evolved differently, whether it was naturally, or artificially started."

"I . . . don't get it," Bell admitted awkwardly.

"Probably not, so just know that every 'race' here in the Adamant Unions is human, just different Xenotypes, or sub races if that world makes more sense to you. Either way the Adamant Union has a lot a lot of different Xenotypes. The most numerous are Humans, Nyarons like myself, Moyo, and Dragonians like Petal. There are also a lot of other Xenotypes in more middling numbers like the Rakkle, Revian's, androids, Stonefolk, Blessed, kijin, Hussar's, yttakin, Lupus, wiretail's, hindhopper,s Devilpuff's and cloudpuffs, and a smaller amount of some other xenotypes like Arachnidean's, Mantid's, Cursed, Genie's, and Taukai's. There are a few other xenotypes to, but they're so small there's not much point in telling you of them."

"S-so many?" Bell asked in shock, his mind a bit numb at the mere idea of keeping track of so many different races. It was a second later that his thoughts noticed one thing that confused him further though. "There are no gods here?"

"God's don't exist," Chihiro said simply as she looked and smiled. "Ah, Petal, over here!"

Bell looked to see Petal look around and spot them before turning toward them, carrying an obscenely large metal tray of some kind with both hands. "Uh, Gods do exist."

"Gods are just a means to an end, a way for people to justify atrocities," Chihiro countered casually as Petal arrived and set the large tray down in front of Bell. On it were three large plates, each with what looked like three cooked eggs, oatmeal, an array of grilled vegetables, as well as a bowl of chopped and sliced fruits. There were also three glasses of a whitish brown substance. "Petal, get this, he thinks gods exist."

"They do," Bell stated again, finding Chihiro's casual dismissal of something so obvious to be a bit insulting oddly.

"False," Petal said as he took one of the plates and cups off the tray and set it on the table as she sat to Bell's right.

"See, everyone knows gods don't exist," Chihiro said as she took a plate as well, leaving the third for Bell. "The closest to even the idea would be the Nephilim, and only a few of them tried to push the idea they were godly."

"But Gods do exist. My Gr . . . the one who raised me is a God," Bell said, finding it a bit odd to still call him Grandpa with what he now knew.

"Yeah, sure they are," Chihiro said with a dismissive wave of a hand. "You'll understand eventually, but first, eat. Today's breakfast is so good!"

Petal nodded in agreement as she cut into an egg and took a bite, smiling softly as she did. "Eggs, yummy."

"Uh," Bell looked down at the plate before him. He could pick out what most things likely were, but the oddly colored drink was a strange color and unnerved him a bit. "What is, in the glass?"

"Spiced warm milk," Chihiro said as she picked up her on glass and took a deep rink from it, leaving a bit of brown spicing stuck around her upper lip. "Ah, it's not mango juice, but it's still great! We haven't eaten this good since before leaving that hellhole of a planet!"

"What? You don't normally eat well?" Bell asked in surprise.

"Normally, yes," Petal answered without looking toward him as she popped s couple of fruit sliced into her mouth.

"It takes a while to set up all of the Hydroponics to such an extent that we can grow enough food for everyone, so these past few weeks it's been nothing but survival meals," a new person said as she clambered onto the bench across from the three of them and made Bell freeze up at the sight of them. They were a monster, plain and simple. Their lower body was like that of a huge black spider, while their upper body was a dull grey color with bits of carapace crawling up a mostly human shaped body. They were clearly a woman by the very large breasts, but aside from their long purple hair the woman seemed to have six eyes, all black in color, and their mouth seemed a bit larger than it should have been. She looked at the three of them with a smile that unnerved Bell, carapace covered three fingered hands placing a small tray of her own on the table. "They are not bad, but nothing beats a real meal!"

"That's true!" Chihiro said with a smile, making Bell nervous as she seemed to be utterly unfazed by s speaking monster to be so close to them. "

"Anyway, whose you friend?" the monstrous spider woman asked as she tossed a whole egg into her mouth, mandibles slipping from the corners of her mouth and making her seem all he more horrifying. "I don't recognize him."

"Ah, he's the first of the Refugee's from that nearby village," Chihiro said as she gestured toward Bell. "Bell, this is Eskiara, an Arachnidean. Eskiara, this is Bell."

"Ah, so you're the one that came in the middle of the night, pleasure to meet ya," Eskiara said as she offered a hand across the table. Only for bell to unconsciously lean back away from her. "Arachnophobia huh? I get."

"N-no, I just, uh,-"

"No it's fine, I get it, not everyone can deal with how Arachnidean's look," Eskiara said with a shrug as she retracted her hand and went back to her food. "That's just how it is."

Bell was not sure what to say. The way she spoke made it sound like she was fine with it, but having heard it he knew it was wrong, yet he couldn't shake the disgust of her form, of how she looked like a monster from the stories of adventurers.

Bell could not think of anything to say and instead settled in to an awkward silence. Though it seemed he was the only one that found the situation such as the three women who were basically surrounding him continued to talk about things, most of which he did not understand. There were some terms he did understand, armor, weapons, defenses, but the exact terms related to them seemed strange and confusing and just didn't make sense.

"What do you think?"

Bell blinked and looked to see Chihiro looking at her. "Um, I, don't really understand."

"Hmm, Medieval indeed," Eskaria said with a horrid looking smile.

"What, does that mean?" Bell asked, having heard the word a couple of times already.

"Medieval, as in, related to the middle ages. A time of human history where weapons of war were made of iron, steel and wood, and most societies survived on the back of peasants with noble families and houses ruling over them beneath kings and queens."

Everyone at the table was silent as they stared at Petal, who had just spoken mire words in five seconds than she had thought the entire rest of the conversation.

"Y'know Petal, You're a bit weird now," Eskaria said after a few seconds of silence.

Petal tilted her head. "How?"

"Well, you've never really talked that much; we used to have to egg you on just to get a couple words out of you. Now though, you still use small words usually, but you're talking more and you feel a bit . . . I don't know. More direct than you used to?"

"Yeah, are you forgetting she basically died for a day?" Chihiro said in a deadpan tone toward Eskaria.

"Well yeah but, I mean yeah," Eskaria said in an awkward tone. "I get that you got resurrected, but, I've heard there's usually a more drastic personality shift."

"Cryo, mishap," Petal said as she glanced at Bell. "If stuck, would have, been worse. Needed thaw. Bad?"

"No it's not bad," Eskaria said as he put up a hand defensively. "I just find it kind of strange. You are still you after all."

"Uh, can I ask, how that happened?" Bell carefully spoke up. "I mean, when we found you, uh, you were, um, dead."

"Mechanites," Petal said simply.

"What are-"

"She means Ressurector Mechanites," Chihiro offered with a smirk. "It's beyond your understanding, most people's actually, but they are basically small things that repair the body and kick start it back to life."

"That, sounds like something only the gods could do," Bell said in bewilderment. The very idea of someone coming back to life was a thing of wonder, a miracle only told of in stories of ancient heroes who completed some grand deed for a God.

" . . . . A God," Eskaria said after a short pause before looking around strangely before climbing off the bench backwards while picking up her tray. "Right, I'm finished so . . . I'll talk to you two later, bye."

"Um, didn't, uh, wasn't there food still?" Bell asked awkwardly.

"Yes, she just decided it was best to leave, so she didn't say anything to insult you," Chihiro said with a sigh. "She's too nice for her own good sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

"Human, then spider," Petal said as she began finishing her last bits of food.

"Yeah, he'll need more info than that," Chihiro said as she turned in her seat to face Bell. "Look, we just told you how everyone is basically human right?"

"Yes."

"Well, with the right technology and supplies, you can copy a person's gene's and create new variations of them. Eskaria was perfectly human like you are when she was six years old, but she was captured when her town was attacked by a cult. They were a cult that worshiped a spider god that they claimed would weave a web to end the world and bring about unity in death, and as Eskaria's hair color was so dark, they felt she would be perfect as a servant of their god."

"Wait, what are you-"

"Let me spell it out for you, they forcibly implanted her with the genes of an Arachnidean, turning her into what she is now, against her will, mere days after they slaughtered her family!"

Bell stared at Chihiro in shock and horror, unable to speak for a few moments before finally a question left his lips. "But, why is she still like that? If she was made that way, couldn't she be turned back?"

"That isn't how genetics work, boy."

Bell turned around alongside Chihiro to see a woman standing behind them. She was of that dark blue skinned race, like the one who had helped bell, but her antenna things had a purple tint to them that seemed to glow, and her eyes looked, odd. Like they were pits of violet that held things that were utterly wrong. The way she looked at bell made him tense and suddenly far for his safety, and the odd long black cloak she wore that fully covered her body made her seem even stranger in her eyes.

"Lady Belladonna!" Chihiro exclaimed in what sounded like both respect and a bit of fear as she and Petal both began to get up off the bench.

"Don't get up, it's a waste of energy," Belladonna said as she looked down at Bell. "Genetics is the science of your life, and those that come before and after you. Your parents combine their genes to give life to you. They can be added to, just like how you can add to the roots of a tree, but removing something you have added will at best cause death. Once a gene is added to someone, it cannot be removed, and likely will stay in their family line for many generations. It is not something that can just be, removed."

"O-okay?" Bell said unsurely before noticing that something was wrong. The entire room that was abuzz with activity and the noise of hundreds, was deathly silent. And he had the suspicion everyone was watching him and the woman before him. "um-"

"Pathetic," Belladonna said, her tone utterly disconnected from her words. "You've lived in a bubble your whole life, haven't you? Just living a boring life with no real danger, no worries, no realization that everyone else has lives both good and bad, that life is not fair to everyone."

"That's not-"

"What? Fair?" Belladonna interrupted Bell with a shake of her head before turning her gaze to Chihiro. "You both were going to take him to do some work after this yes?"

"Yes ma'am." Petal responded quickly.

"What work?"

"Simple hauling."

Belladonna looked at Chihiro and smiled. " Good. Report to the Munitions dump when you are ready. I have some shells that need to be moved to the guns for preparation for this afternoon," she said as she glanced at Bell and took out something small from her pocket, clicking it a couple times before she slipped it away. "It'll be a good learning environment."

Without another word Belladonna turned and walked off, cloak billowing around her constantly as her movement made Bell realize that her steps were not making any noise at all.

"Great, just great," Chihiro muttered after a few seconds of silence as the nose of the room grew back to its previous level.

"Um, who was that?" Bell asked in confusion.

"Belladonna," Chihiro said with a sigh. "One of the Adamant Union's leaders, the one who leads all medical work, as well as Bioweapons development."

"Also, deadbolts partner," Petal added.

"Yeah, probably the two scariest people in the Adamant union."

"Deadbolt didn't seem too scary when I spoke to him last night though."

"Different kinds,"

"Yeah, they both are scary for how they are scary in a different way from others," Chihiro said as she set her utensils on her plate. "Most people that are scary are such because they are cleary strong, or powerful. But Deadbolt and Belladonna are scary because they both are smart, and hold nothing back against their foes. It's why Deadbolt is the one that leads all defensive operations for the Adamant Union. He's never lost, and anyone that attacks us dies horribly."

"Also, doesn't miss."

"What do you mean?" Bell asked Petal as the two girl's got up from their seats, prompting Bell to follow suite.

"Deadbolt doesn't miss. Ever," Chihiro said seriously. "I'm not joking or making things up either. He straight up does not ever miss. With any form of ranged weapon."

"That, sounds a bit ridiculous," Bell stated. Even the greatest adventurers miss. And they have blessings from the gods."

"That sounds more ridiculous," Chihiro said as the three of them headed to the front of the room and deposited their plates and in its place. "I know this won't mean anything to you Bell, but our leadership are all so skilled that it was one of the reasons why the Eternal Empire struck against us so hard and often, because they wanted our leaders under their heels."

"The Eternal Empire? Is that a country?" Bell asked as he was led out of the building and back into the streets that now appeared to be busting with people moving about and doing work.

"Not one that should exist," Chihiro said venomously.

"Nuke."

Bell looked at petal in confusion. "What?"

"Yeah, not like a bunch of em exist anymore. The commander saw to that" Chihiro said darkly before turning back to look at Bell. "C'mon, we need to hurry and start that hauling job. It'll probably be what saves your people too."

"What do you mean?" Bell asked, only to receive no answer as he was led through the city.

Looking around he began to notice something about the city that he found odd. Unlike his village, or cities he had heard about like Orario that were all built from the same materials, this one was not. Some buildings were built of dark greyish black or light grey stone, mostly what he figured were homes, while other buildings were made of a light brown stone. And then he found one that was drastically different from the rest, for instead of being made of stone the walls of the huge building seemed to be made of metal of all things.

But that couldn't be, right?

"Um, what is this building? Why is it plated in metal?"

"Solid, metal. Armored," Petal said as she approached the large metal double doors.

"It's the Munitions dump," Chihiro stated as if that explained everything while she followed petal through the door.

Bell wasn't sure what to expect, but as he followed the two of them in, he was utterly confused. The building looked like a warehouse, but there were no piles of anything he recognized. Large wooden crates of metal cylinders, thousands of them in each box easily, lined the walls while just away from them were large workbenches of some kinds with arrange apparatus upon them. He could see dozens of people slotting the small cylinders into odd bent cases of various kinds, and noticed that the cylinders ranged in sizes from as small as his thumb, to some that were longer than his forearm.

"What, is all of this?" Bell finally asked as he kept looking around in confusion, then seeing someone attaching odd fist sized balls to what appeared to be a belt of some kind.

"The Munitions dump. Everyone here is either making ammunition, or filling magazines with them in preparation."

"Ammunition? You mean, like arrows or crossbow bolts?" Bell asked, making Chihiro snicker.

"Technically, but not quite," Chihiro said as he stopped in front of a crate and pulled out one of the small cylinders and held it up, making it clear that the one end was pointed. "Bullets are not mere arrows."

"Explosive one," Petal said suddenly, making Chihiro deflate a bit.

"Stop cutting me down like that petal," she responded in annoyance as she dropped the bullet back into its box. "If arrows are what you call ammunition, then whatever fight is to come won't be a fight, it will be a slaughter, because the ammunition we need to prepare, is a lot bigger," Chihiro said as she waved for Bell to follow and then kept walking while puling an odd rectangular object out of a pocket. After a few seconds she slipped it back into her pocket and continued on, and after a few minutes of walking she stopped in front of some shelving without boxes and pulled an object off the shelf with visible strain. The object was massive, easily as large as her torso and seemed completely made of metal. The narrow tip at the top was colored bight green, and a strange symbol that was all curves and points, also colored green, was printed on its side. "These are what we are after."

"What, is it?"

"Tox Shell's," Petal said as she walked up to the shelf and lifted two shells out, one in each hand as if it was nothing.

"Show off."

"Dragonian, stronger,"

"Wait, what does that mean?" Bell asked in confusion.

"Right, that name wouldn't mean anything to you," Chihiro said as she placed the shell on the ground gently and then slid what appeared to a foldable cart of metal out from under the shelving. "Do you people have anything like explosives? Magical or otherwise? Anything that makes a big blast of any kind?"

"Yes, there are alchemical potions that can do that, and magic does that a lot I've read," Bell answered.

"Then think of these like object that hold explosions," Chihiro began before grinning. "Only instead of letting out fire or pressure, they let out clouds of poison."

"What?! Why would anyone do anything so terrible!" Bell exclaimed as he took a step away from the shelf of shells.

"Why not? Our enemies will use whatever means they have to use against us, so there is no reason we should not do the same, right?" Chihiro asked as she set up the cart and moved the shell onto its seemingly already prepares holders. Before Petal almost crushed her fingers placing the two shell of her own onto it.

"But, doesn't using poison against other people seem kind of cruel?"

Bot Petal and Chihiro seemed to freeze for a second before Chihiro began to chuckle. "It's far crueler to let scum live and be led to think they have worth in the world."

"But, doesn't that seem evil?" Bell asked awkwardly, causing Chihiro to again pause and turn to Bell, her look one of serious anger.

"Sure, but if you aren't willing to commit some evil, you'll never beat the worse evil," Chihiro said seriously before shaking his head. "Look, I get that you don't get it even with what we've told you already, so let's make this clear. Survival on the Rim is hard. Bandits, pirates, slavers, mechanoids and monsters all are out for blood. The weather can turn on you at a moment's notice, one minute it's sunny, the next minute it hailing with hail as large as your skull, and the next day it could be a heatwave so hot people literally die from it. Tribal marauders attack in droves armed with spears, simple explosives and fire, pirates kill all who oppose them and kidnap anyone they can to wither be enslaved or straight up killed. Anything that can be used as a weapon has to be when you have no other options. My father has killed people with a piece of sharpened bone, and with weapons that fire what amounts to pure lightning at people to fry them where they stand. There was a constant line between life and death at any time, and fretting about whether a weapon was not right to kill someone with, when they are trying to kill you, wasn't something anyone would ever think about!"

Bell was frozen as an icicle as he stared at Chihiro who was now hyperventilating.

Right before petal smacked her upside the head. "Apologies. Many, defensive, of the Union."

"Um, okay?" Bell said, unsure of what else he could say, before the question came to mind. "Why?"

"The Adamant Union is our home, and our protection," Chihiro said, now a bit calmer as she went back to putting large shells back on a cart. Specifically the second cart, while Petal put some on a third. "It started out as just a defensive alliance start by the commander, but then it got so big it began attracting lots of different groups that all wanted safety and we began forming interconnected cities. It's only because of the union, and its leaders, that e all managed to leave the rim in one piece."

"Wait, so this is a country then?"

"Not officially as the locals probably understand it," Chihiro said as Petal put a shell on the last cart and gave a thumb up. "Alright, grab a cart Bell, we need to bring these to the Artillery square."

"The what?" Bell sked as he stepped up to the one the carts and pushed against it, finding the thing was a lot heavier than he expected it to be. There were only three of those large shell things on it, but just how heavy could those things be?

"Artillery square," Petal responded as she began pushing her cart with a single hand. "Place, where all artillery is."

"No uh, what is artillery?" Bell asked as he strained and pushed against his cart, managing to get it to move and follow behind Petal and Chihiro.

"Will see, once we arrive," Petal said from the front of the group, making Bell notice that most people were moving out of their way.

And there were so many people of so many kinds. Some seemed to have sheep horns and fur around their necks, others had animal features, there were even a couple he saw at a distance that made him shiver. They had red skin, great horns and wings, like demons from stories.

But, they weren't demons, right?

His thought were pulled away when he almost pushed his cart into Chihiro's legs, but managed to stop and look ahead to a large metal door ahead of them. It wasn't nearly as massive as the front gate, but it did look out of place as it opened.

"Come on, were here, just following and don't get in the way," Chihiro said as Petal began pushing her cart in.

Bell followed, but found himself slowing as he entered through the gates. The area within was a huge trailing area from the looks of it. Dozens of people, some in heavy looking shiny armor, some wearing almost nothing at all, were training in a variety of deeds. Some trained with swords, axes and other melee weapons, some people were using bows to shoot at targets, while further down there was an area similar to an archery range were people were firing their strange weapons. Some made sharp cracks, other heavy thuds, and some sounded like lightning and fire and magic.

They moved further in to an area were people were doing obstacle courses that looked utterly impossible to Bells eyes, right up until he watches a woman who looked barely his size with red curly hair and a rams horns, complete it in barely a minute, and could also see people doing what looked like unarmed combat on a padded mat area underneath a canopy.

And then there was the final area. It was quieter, and Bell found it strange as he looked ahead at it. It was a large area right against the base of the mountainside. The ground was hard, but not made of stone, looking almost like it was made of metal. Metal balconies also climbed up the mountainside as well, and perched upon each of them and at regular intervals around the ground, were large objects he had no idea the meaning of. Some looked like someone had attacked a bunch of barrels to a smokestack or chimney and then tilted it at an angle into the sky, while others looked like odd groupings of barrels and huge rectangles held up on posts with odd ropes hanging from them. And by each of the strange objects, was what looked like large shelve made of metal with doors covering their front, and he only knew that a he could see a few of them open and holding similar objects to the ones he was pushing.

"What are these things?" Bell asked as he looked at them in awe, realizing a bare moment later that all of them appeared to look to be made of metal, or at least something similar.

"Artillery," Petal answered as they came up to one of the massive objects with an empty shelving unit by it.

"But what is-"

"They are like a bow, but for these massive shells," Chihiro said as she stopped her cart behind Petals and then hefted one off the cart and brought it into the shelving unit, setting it inside carefully. "Alright, just put the shells inside like these ones are, okay?"

"Um, okay," Bell said as he went to pick up the shell and found it to be much heavier than he expected. He'd have an easier time dragging a buck through the woods by himself. Why was something no bigger than a large owl so heavy!?

"Having trouble?" Chihiro asked as she hefted a shell up with a grunt herself.

"A little, yes," Bell said as he struggled but managed to bring the shell over and place it on the shelf. "how heavy are those things?"

"About Fifty kilograms give or take," Chihiro answered as she slotted hers on the shelf and quickly moved out of the way for Petal who was carrying one in each hand as if they weighed nothing. "These ones are heavier because of the compressed gas and the stabilizer parts. I think?"

"And," Bell turned to look at the artillery. "These things can fire them like an arrow from a bow?"

"More like make the shell fire it as they had the explosive to fire them off inside of them," Chihiro said as she tapped one of the shells lower sections. "That's why they are so heavy."

"But that doesn't-" Bell began to say before he was cut off by a wailing noise that began to cry across the whole area. "What is that noise?"

"Raid siren, Alerting everyone part off the defense forces to-" Chihiro began to answer before the raid siren suddenly cut out.

And a new voice came across the whole area. "This is Commander Michel Vance. The nearby village refugees have been sighed approaching the Adamant Union. First responders and gate guards are to arrive at the Gate as soon as possible. Additionally, all leaders, and Refugee Bell Cranel are to also come to the gate for refugee arrival. That is all, lease return to your duties."

"What, how did,-"

"Loudspeakers," Petal interrupted as she poked Bell in the side. "Go. Front gate."

"Oh, right," Bell said as he looked around in confusion for a moment. "How do I get there from here?"

"Haahh, fine, I'll lead you thee, you good here Petal?" Chihiro said as she looked at petal, who in response merely smiled and picked up two more shells. "Show off. Come on Bell."

"R-right, Bell said as he followed Chihiro as she began jogging away.

"So, your village I take it?" She asked as she ran, Bell catching up a couple seconds later.

"Y-yeah, I think so."

"Good . . . . how fast can you run?"

"Well, pretty fast I guess, why?"

"Good, try to keep up then!" Chihiro said as she began full on sprinting down the streets, forcing Bell to speed up and follow.

Something that would have been far easier if there were no other people in the street's. Bell knew he would get lost if he lost track of Chihiro too, so he pushed and kept her in sight, not rally looking at anyone in the streets as he rushed by. Faster and faster, with only a couple people yelling at him as he passed Bell took another turn and came out from between some buildings to find he could see the main gate to his left, which is also where Chihiro was now standing.

"Not bad, not many people can keep up with a Nyaron's speed. Except for Revians, but they cheat," she said as she waved for him to follow and began walking toward the gate where there was a large gathering of people.

"Cheat?"

"It's those damn blood rites of theirs. Make em real hard to keep up with without modifications," Chihiro said as she looked ahead and then pointed at a group of people. "Ah, there they are come on." Bell followed, unsure of what Chihiro was meaning until he recognized Deadlock standing amongst a bunch of other people. They were of various races, but all of them seemed to exude a feeling of utter control, like they were in charge beyond anyone else. "Commander!" Chihiro then called as he ran over and gave a salute to the group. "I have escorted Mister Cranel here, I apologize for interrupting!"

Few of the group even glanced toward her and Bell. Deadlock did, as did the strange woman from before, Belladonna. The one that caught the most attention for Bell though was an older looking man who stepped toward them both. He was very tall, with short, graying hair, a stubble covered chin that failed to cover a large scar on his chin, and sharp looking blue eyes. He was big, but not overly large, yet somehow Bell figured he could take any warrior or adventurer that was much more muscled. He was garbed in simple dark green pants that seemed oddly bulking in regular places as well as a simple grey jacket over a black shirt.

"So," the man said his voice strong and direct. "You are the one from that nearby village that Deadbolt let in then?"

"I- I am, sir," Bell responded quickly, feeling that if he did not he would be in trouble.

He expected the man to simply glare at him, but instead the man smiled softly at him. "Good. My name is Michael Vance, Commander of the Adamant Union." He turned his gaze to Chihiro and gave her a nod, causing her to run off. He then looked back to Bell. "I wanted you here to make it clear to you own when they arrive that you have not been harmed, and so I can explain nothing to all of you at the same time since Deadbolt did not believe it was something he should do."

"Hey, no point when we'll be telling the others not even a full day later," Deadbolt said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Regardless, I would simply like you here to reunite with those from your village. They will be entering shortly," Commander Vance said as he gestured toward the great gate to see it slowly opening. It had looked impressive in the evening, but now in the light of the day it looked downright absurd in its size. Walls that looked to be made off steel and stone in equal measure lines with objects and protrusions, with people all across the wall. He also saw a pair of hulking metal forms, humanoid, But more massive than even the greatest adventurer. They had to be at least seven meters tall and looked like walking suits of armor wielding massive swords even larger than they were. Yet, they did not move like golems were said to, so what were they?

Before Bell could ask the door opened enough for a wagon to enter, and it was surrounded by not adventurers but the people of his village with the two goddesses, and his grandpa, leading the group.

"Bell!" Zeus declared as soon as he saw Bell as he instantly began rushing forward.

Expect as soon as he began to run the two great behemoths of metal both slammed their swords to the ground, making all of the villagers tremble, and the gods jump as well.

"Refugee's, you will not charge the leaders until your intents are made clear, and the rules of the union explained. Failure to comply, will be uncomfortable." One of the large metal golems stated, its voice sounding like a slightly pained old mans.

Commander Vance however raised a hand dismissively. "Now then, that's enough of that. Unlike most refugee's, we know that these people have actually been displaced by their homes by an oncoming army, there's no need to be so blunt, or to use scare tactics," Vance said as he took a few steps toward the gathering of villagers as the various adventurers from Orario piled in beside them, looking warily at the people within the walls. "Welcome to the Adamant Union friends, I am Michael Vance, Commander of the Adamant Union, one of its Leaders, and its primary speaker to those such as yourselves. Now, I understand your travels have likely tired you out, but I ask for your ears for but a moment to make some things clear. Those who do not work do not eat. You will be given time to rest, but starting tomorrow, for as long as you stay with us, you will be required to work to earn your keep. Do not worry though, we will not have you do things that you are incapable of doing. Secondly, we ask that all of you hand over any weapons you are carrying with you. They will be tagged with your names and you may take them with you when you leave, but you will not be allowed to be armed while in the Adamant union as you are not our own people. Next, I understand you have opinions and beliefs in various things, just as we all do, no one will force you to change your beliefs, but please try not to let a difference of opinions in regards to such beliefs la to an exchange of blows. Most people in the Adamant Union are very strong and skilled in various forms of combat, magic, and psionics, so do not pick a fight with them. You have been warned. Now, before I ask your own leadership to come and speak with my own about the situation in its entirety, do any of you have any questions that cannot wait till you are all rested?"

Many of the villagers looked afraid, unwilling to speak, while in stark contrast the adventurers Bell noted looked concerned and worried, ready to fight at a moment's notice. What surprised him though, was it was his own grandpa that took a step forward and spoke up.

"What plans do you have to defend from the Army of Rakia?"

"We'll speak of that with just our leadership, and those capable of combat," Vance said simply. Is there any other questions or shall I move onto your arrangements?"

"One," Hephaistos said as she took a step forward. "We cannot in good faith hand over our weapons to you. Our guards must be able to protect us and the villagers, and as some of us come from Orario with the intent on speaking with you on other matters; we cannot simply lay down our arms and put ourselves at your mercy. You of course understand, yes?"

"Yes I understand completely," Commander Vance said as he raised a hand, and then snapped his fingers. In that instant, every leader of the Adamant Union drew weapons of various kinds, as did all of the Adamant Union soldiers and forces in the vicinity, raising and aiming them toward the group. "I told you clearly that you would have to hand over your weapons to be accepted as refuge's here. If you cannot do that, then you are free to leave and go back to where you came from. Those who do not rescind their weapons and who also refuse to leave, will be fired upon."

"What?! How dare you think to even-"one of the adventurers began to yell, only for one of the large metal golems to take a steep toward them and raise its monstrously large blade into the air.

"The Adamant Union has survived by taking precautions and being very careful who we trust," Vance spoke aloud. "Many times in the past people claiming to be refugees have come armed, with the intent of breaching our security and attacking us from within. It is our rule that those visiting, and refugee's may not be armed. I told you the rules, so you can follow them and be welcome, or refuse them and leave."

"But the Rakian army is barely an hour behind us!" another adventurer exclaimed in anger. "You cannot expect us to simply hand over our weapons and-"

"That is exactly what I am expecting you to do, as that is what I have made clear must be one to allow your entry," Vance said once again. "These rules are not up for debate, and if you cannot accept them, then you can leave and meet that army you so easily fled from."

Many adventurers began yelling and screaming, but it lasted only a moment before Hestia turned around and screamed at them. "All of you be quiet! We came here for everyones safety, and it is these people's right to protect their homes. You would not allow a random stranger into your house armed, and this is no different, so drop your weapons to the ground!" She snapped before turning back around and looking toward Vance. "May we request that all of our weaponry be put in one place together?"

"That was the plan," Vance said with a nod as he gestured toward the line of leaders beside him and a dragon like woman and a snake man moved forward, making many of the adventurers tense and the townsfolk recoil. "Those of you who are neither leaders nor combatants, please follow Lilywhite and Clark, they shall lead you to the barracks we have prepared for all of you." He then gestured again, and a Cat person and a man with oddly glossy skin stepped forward. "Those of you who are soldiers or warriors, please follow Fartooth and Crevasse as they shall lead you to where you may hand over all your weapons. Those of you who are leadership, please follow the rest of us and we shall speak more in depth of what is to come over the next few hours and days."

For a moment no one moved, but as Hestia and Hephaistos did, everyone else followed suit, going to follow the ones they were asked too. Bell on the other hand, was not sure what to do. His grandpa gave him a glance that was clearly mixed, and he did want to apologize, but before he could decide a young man with bright red hair walked up to him. "yo, Bell Cranel right?"

"y-yes, uh-"

"Sorry, names Welf, I'm part of Lady Hephaistos's Familia. She asked me to watch over you for the time being since they have to go and have whatever talk they are going too .

"O-oh," Bell said uncertainly. "Um, did she, because, uh,-"

"Because Zeus was a raging storm of anger when he realized you were gone, yeah, kind of," Welf said with a smile as he patted Bell on the back. "Good move though. He wasn't cooperating at all to the plans to evacuate until he realized you were gone. So, what is this place like?"

"Well, it's a bit-"

"Nah, I'll see soon enough, come on, we're noncombatants so we should go with the villagers, help em move stuff."

"R-right," Bell said as he moved to follow Welf over to the slowly moving wagon of people goods. He couldn't help but take a glance at his grandpa though.

And wondered if he had made a terrible mistake or not.