Chapter 9 "Strange Encounters"

Dawn had broken for the two stray soldiers who'd camped overnight at Magglia Lake, the largest body of water in Ribbi Flats. Sprawled on the bank, Mio opened her eyes with a lazy, upward gaze into the sky. The cliffs above kept the curving path in shade while the tenth-term Agnian fought through her grogginess. Not far away was her ninth-term, Kevesi cohort who was deeply focused on his sword kata.

"You're gonna tire yourself out before we cover any ground at this rate," she called out to him.

"Nothing wrong with a little practice," he huffed between swings. "We had it pretty easy yesterday, but you never know what may come our way."

"Eh… fair enough," her palms were out. "I suppose those mysterious people I saw earlier could still be lurking about."

"Right," the swordfighter finished his set before facing her. "Since neither of us are defenders, we should be prepared to make our own openings for escape should we get jumped by a large group."

"My old colony considered me a zephyr which is a type of defender," the cat-eared Agnian explained, bringing her dual Blade out. "I grab my enemy's attention and lead them away without getting hit."

"You mean making yourself the target," Noah put his spin on it, stepping closer to her.

"Well… yeah, of course," Mio saw the worry plain on his face.

"Isn't that dangerous?" the pacifist alternated his gaze between her currently bruised shoulder and her shin which he'd maimed during their first fight in the desert.

"Is it really that much riskier than any other position on the frontlines?" she answered with a question of her own. "Besides, until you came along, I'd never been cut down."

"Oh," the reminder filled him with guilt, "I'm still sorr-"

"You're really quite something," his running mate stepped on his apology with her compliment, "and your Blade is like nothing I'd ever seen before."

"Huh?" Noah held his veiled sword between them, its intricate design a delight to behold. "I suppose it is a deviation in the swordfighter class."

"Mhm… I'd say so," her eyes traced along its shape. "How did that come about? Typically, upgrades don't alter the function of a Blade, much less its appearance."

"It's not exactly an upgrade," the ninth-termer partially exposed the inner sword, "more like a sheath… an inhibitor."

"An inhibitor?" Such phrasing initially confused the attentive Agnian until she remembered to whom she was talking. "Oh, you mean so you can't kill anybody."

"Correct, at least for the outer sword," he pieced it back together. "The inner one only comes out when the situation is dire."

"Like when we fought your consul, and when we'll fight mine," Mio referred to her mission on which their new pact was based. "It must be incredibly sharp if it can pierce through a consul's armor."

"Or their core, which seems to be a weak point," her partner in crime added. "I'd only nicked my consul's, but then you cracked it open with one of your… um, rings."

"Actually, these are called Dual Moonblades," the zephyr raised them to offer him a closer look. "I don't think they're any sharper than your average Blade, but they feel weightless which allows me to keep on my toes."

"Makes sense," the ponytailed soldier tapped one from below.

"So, what's the name of your Blade?" she caught him off guard without changing the subject.

"N-name?" Noah gave his veiled sword the once over. "I… don't have a name for it."

"Aw, come on," the tenth-termer whined, playfully. "It's so unique that it must have a name."

"You're the one with the truly unique Blade," he smiled at her disappointment. "Swords are common, while you've got the only rings I've ever seen."

"Hmm…" Mio contemplated before withdrawing her Blade, "perhaps we're both odd ones out."

"Well, we are an army of two, here," the swordfighter did so as well. "Anyway, we should probably resume our travels now that we're both up."

"Can we get another fish before we go?" her hand slid to her tummy.

"Oh," his own hunger snuck to the fore of his mind with her mentioning of food, "um… sure."

"Do you not want fish again?" she interpreted from his expression. "We can hunt for something else."

"No, it's fine," the complaisant Kevesi shook his head. "I'll go with anything you like."

"Don't overaccommodate for me," his running mate followed him back to their dormant campfire. "You're already doing me too huge a favor."

"I told you, it's fine," Noah insisted while he adjusted the burnt branches. "I want to do whatever makes you happy… because that's what makes me… um…"

"Tch… you're a weird one," Mio rolled her eyes at him before heading downstream to make her catch. After preparing and enjoying another round of skewered fish fillets, the two survivalists resumed their ascension of Ribbi Flats.

A warm, late-summer breeze combed every blade of grass across the expansive hill as the day crept towards high noon. Noah and Mio ventured past a menagerie of monsters, ranging from the buzzing skeeter to the roaring darbus. It wasn't long before the path began a sharp curve in the opposite direction, presenting the duo with a choice to make.

"We're in uncharted territory now, at least between us," the pacifist determined with his Iris activated. "According to the map data you sent me, we'll have to go up to reach Colony Phi. Question is, where do we start climbing?"

"The road veers left, but it looks tricky that way," her hand shielded her eyes from the sun. "Or we can go to the right where it's a bit simpler."

"Whichever way we choose, I hope it has a ladder," he scoured his map for any useful icons.

"I don't remember if the colony set up any. It's been too long since my transfer." The anxious Agnian racked her brain for a memory of a past mission, however, a rowdy ardun in the distance soon nabbed her attention instead.

"Well, there appears to be more ground to cover to the left, so if we…" Noah trailed off when he noticed the intense look of concentration growing on her face. "Mio?"

"Sorry, got distracted." Despite apologizing, Mio continued to stare up the hill to their right. "I think… something's happening over there."

"Help! Assistance! One or the other, please!" Weaving through the trees was a very panicked, male Nopon whose sudden appearance bewildered the two youths.

"A Nopon? Way out here?" The curious Kevesi observed the bouncing, blue-furred individual heading in their direction.

"Yes, Tepolo traveling with brave explorers when naughty beast strike!" the strange, new acquaintance flapped his wings for emphasis.

"You mean that ardun?" she pointed to what'd diverted her attention in the first place.

"Exact!" the Nopon whom they now knew as Tepolo confirmed with no less fervency. "Friend is perceptive!"

"Hang on, you said you were traveling with others, correct?" the ninth-termer backtracked the chatter. "Are you affiliated with Keves or Agnus?"

"Tepolo and explorers from City!" the furball chose neither option for an answer.

"From where?" the swordfighter was duly confused.

"Friends please come to rescue!" Tepolo pivoted back towards the scene of the hoopla. "Tepolo explain afterwards!"

"Uh, do we follow?" Noah conferred with his running mate.

"How much of a risk should we take?" Mio responded with a question of her own, unwilling to make the decision herself.

"If a Nopon is involved, then they're probably not from a regular brigade. Maybe a survey team." The ponytailed soldier tried to consider all possibilities in a timely manner. "Besides, they're having trouble with an… ardun?"

"Hurry!" the Nopon's exasperation cut through their deliberations. "Lest Tepolo ask again!"

"Alright, we're comin' already!" Instinctively, the cat-eared Agnian ran after him with her travel partner not far behind.

As they drew closer to the beast, Noah and Mio slowly came to grips with the unfolding situation. Adding to the list of strange encounters were three unidentifiable humans, each one equipped with a Blade. The ardun itself wasn't particularly large for its species, yet it seemed to maintain dominance in this confrontation.

"Caren! Emmet! Randol!" Tepolo called to the so-called explorers with a pep in his tiny steps. "Friends have arrived for heroic gesture!"

"What's this now?" a brown-haired woman with a sword and a shield peered over her shoulder.

"Soldiers?" a lightly stubbled man with a double-edged lance observed the Nopon's temporary recruits before refocusing on the ardun. "Watch out! This thing's a mad mudder!"

"We can see that!" the swordfighter drew his Blade before joining the tussle. With a new target in its sights, the encircled beast aimed its horns and charged at him with surprising speed. Using a tactic normally saved for his fellow soldiers, Noah attempted a low, lateral slash at its forelegs but found little success. "S-spark! It's almost as tough as a Levnis!"

"Get back, would you?!" the moonblades-wielder ran to his side while the ardun careened a few metri away from them. "You got too close for my comfort!"

"I-I kept track of it," he claimed, though very unconvincingly.

"Oaf!" she puffed her cheeks at him. "Please don't take that kind of risk again."

"Y-yeah, I won't." It took him aback to see this kind of worry in her eyes for the first time.

"Let me lead it so you have more time to plan your attack, okay?" the tenth-termer laid out her strategy.

"Got it," he nodded, his expression now mirroring hers, "but you be careful, too."

Carrying her Blade as a precaution, Mio ran ahead to capture the ardun's attention before it could launch another headbutt at anyone. Trusting in her mobility, Noah watched her whisk around the tilted terrain like the zephyr that she'd claimed to be. The others also took notice as she eventually guided it back towards Noah who leapt to deliver a sideswiping, fatal blow.

"Well, well! Look at you two!" The third companion of Tepolo's applauded after putting away his gun Blade. "We'd about lost control of this thing and you just handled it like it was nothing!"

"Is everyone alright?" Noah surveyed the hill while both parties conglomerated beside the downed beast, all weapons withdrawn by now. "W-what set it off?"

"We're fine, thanks," the man momentarily removed his hat to wipe away the sweat. "And I suppose it was us who riled it up. We were hunting for it, you see."

"What?" Mio stared back blankly before turning to the Nopon. "But Tepolo here told us you were in danger."

"Meh! Tepolo make it sound more exciting and urgent that way!" The blue-furred traveler confessed his ruse with a nervous grin.

"Seriously?" she frowned at him, far from thrilled. "Well, you can stop your shouting now."

"Much sorries!" the winged fellow cowered below her.

"Ah, now I see," the lancer laughed with his hands on his hips. "Tell you what, why don't you and your friend stay for a meal or two? Will that make amends?"

"Er… well…" the pacifist looked to Mio with shoulders shrugged.

"Hold your ponios," the swordswoman interrupted before their prospective guests could answer. "You two aren't from the same side, are you?"

"Say, you're right," the gunner took her cue, observing the differences in the soldiers' uniforms. "One from Keves, one from Agnus."

"Meh-meh?! Tepolo not realize before!" Tepolo backstepped with both wings spread. "Will friends fight each other now?"

"No, she and I made a pact," Noah attempted to explain their special circumstance. "We've deserted the war between our two nations."

"Is that so?" the stubbled man seemed pleased to hear this. "Well, now we insist you stay."

"Fortuitous, indeed," the other man agreed. "We found ourselves a couple of ripe ones."

"Excuse me?" Mio sidestepped closer to her travel partner.

"Don't scare 'em!" the lone lady of the mysterious group admonished his phrasing before turning back to the two wary soldiers. "Look, we're not enemies here. Let's get that squared away first."

"Who are you, then?" the ponytailed Kevesi asked whilst his sword remained in his grip.

"I'm Emmet," the lancer began proper introductions as the explorers put on outerwear that they'd apparently discarded prior to the hunt. "This is my partner Caren, the gunner with the hat is Randol, and you're already acquainted with our Nopon cohort Tepolo."

"Is correct!" the furball puffed out his chest.

"We're collectors from the City," she specified their affiliation. "We venture out to gather unperishable resources for the other folk back home."

"C-city?" the confounded Agnian struggled with the short yet foreign word.

"We'll tell you more over a plate of ardun beef briskets and Cadensia greens," Emmet promised much like how Tepolo had done earlier. "Give us a moment to move our camp over here."

"Mio, what do you think?" Noah turned to her privately once more.

"I think… these are the people I saw a couple of nights ago," her voice was barely above a whisper. "Did you see their jackets?"

"Gray and brown like you said, but they seem friendly enough," he casually watched them tote their belongings near the defeated ardun. "Given that we're from opposite sides, it's probably good that they're neither Kevesi nor Agnian… at least, they don't appear to be."

"The woman said they're from… the City?" she looked at him like he had all the answers. "Have you heard of it?"

"No, but he promised to tell us," the swordfighter finally withdrew his Blade. "I'm willing to give them a chance."

"Alright," her hand gently rubbed her injured shoulder, "guess we'll search for a way up after we're done with them."

Thus, the impromptu, midday feast was cooked for the expanded party of six. Doubtlessly, it was the heartiest meal for Noah and Mio since they'd begun roaming the wilds. Whether or not the food had a disarming effect, the two soldiers found themselves slowly opening up to their hosts.

"So, Mio, was it? You just happened upon us, did you?" The stubbled man grinned after she'd admitted to accidentally spying on them two nights ago. "Must've been quite the surprise for a soldier like you."

"Yeah, I didn't recognize your attire," her sights were on his multipocketed jacket. "Also, I didn't notice you had a Nopon with you."

"Tepolo not stand out?" Tepolo raised a small brow at her.

"I mean no offense, but I thought you were a rolled-up sleeping bag," she divulged to him.

"Ohoho?" the winged camper was amused by this misassumption. "Well, Nopon are rather cozy. Tepolo choose to take as compliment!"

"You're the first Nopon I've met in a long time," Noah weighed in while he noshed on his salad. "There weren't any in my last colony."

"Which colonies are you two from?" Caren inquired from across the campfire.

"Colony 25, Dannagh Desert," he gazed at the sizzling, northern horizon.

"Colony Rho… um, on the Urayan Trail," his running mate answered too, though hesitantly.

"Urayan Trail, eh?" Emmet accessed a map of the Pentelas region via his Iris. "Another, larger team from the City is scouting the adjacent Maktha Wildwood as we speak."

"You've mentioned this… City, before," the ninth-termer set his fork down. "Will you tell us what it is now?"

"Ah, yes," the lancer cleared his throat. "Simply put, it's our home, a sprawling metropolis in Cadensia."

"Metro-what?" Mio struggled with another foreign word, this time a longer one.

"Oh man, how do we even begin to describe?" the brunette noticed the confusion on their faces. "It's like… a giant colony, with apartments, gardens, canteens…"

"Apart…?" The cat-eared Agnian was overwhelmed by all the new vocabulary.

"Uh… rooms for people to live in," Randol tried to break it down for her.

"Are they like army barracks?" the pacifist pitched for comparison.

"Sort of, but you don't have to share them with everyone," Emmet clarified before turning towards his partner, "just with those who matter to you the most."

"Huh," Noah stared down at his plate for a moment. "Do you have a Ferronis, too?"

"Absolutely not," the gunner shook his head. "No Ferronises, no Flame Clocks."

"What?" the astounded Kevesi's mouth was agape. "H-how do you live, then?"

"We City folk aren't born under such things," Randol proceeded to expound at full speed. "We're not stuck in the war which Moebius abets between your two nations."

"M-Moebius…?" Mio's hand was on her forehead now.

"Goodness," Caren eyed her with utmost sympathy, "you poor soldiers don't even know why you've been fighting."

"I'm afraid we only know what our superiors had drilled into us," the swordfighter lamented, slouching over his plate. "We're told that Kevesis and Agnians are enemies, that we must kill each other in order to live."

"As decreed by Moebius," the gunner circled back around. "They feed off the life harvested from your Flame Clocks."

"Randol!" the stubbled man scolded him upon seeing the expressions on their guests' faces. "Maybe that's too much for them to process at once."

"What're you talkin' about?" his mate contorted his own face at him. "All soldiers ought to learn, and if these two already deserted, then they probably suspected something."

"We deserted because we didn't want to fight," Noah's brows were firm and furrowed by now. "We only met after my consul devised a battle between our two colonies."

"His consul was a sadist," the tenth-termer recounted, cringing. "The blighter even transformed into… some horrific monster, but we defeated him, somehow."

"Is that so?" Emmet was intrigued despite realizing how far the conversation had meandered. "Then it seems you've already tangled with Moebius."

"We have?" Mio didn't know what to think anymore.

"Yeah, you did us a favor," his partner nodded approvingly at her. "Our militants fight them all the time, but they don't always survive."

"Moebius members take the form of consuls," he finally tied the two blocs together. "As my mate already mentioned, they facilitate the war between Keves and Agnus, living off the Flame Clocks which you fill."

"That's ridiculous," the zephyr rose from her spot. "You expect me to believe a word?"

"Friend think lies be told?" Tepolo voiced his concern with his mouth full.

"I was afraid of this," Emmet crossed his arms, tapping his foot nervously. "We've said too much too soon."

"But there's no way to break it to them lightly," Caren bemoaned for their stressed guests before addressing Mio specifically. "Look, I completely understand if you doubt us."

"I'm sorry for sounding rude," the bemused Agnian got ahold of herself, "but you all sound a mite… preposterous."

"Now hold on a second," her travel partner wasn't so quick to judge. "If not for my consul's Flame Clock obsession and his transformation during our fight, then I would've agreed with you."

"Eh?" she shot a hard stare in his direction.

"Mio, we know he started everything, but we don't know why," Noah peered up to her with equal conviction. "Remember, I want to find out if he had cooperation from your consul before we fight her."

"Consuls conspiring behind the scenes is not unheard of," the swordswoman inserted her opinion on their private matter.

"You two are gonna fight another Moebius?" Randol stuck his nose in it as well.

"Er… if you mean another consul, then yes," the ponytailed Kevesi cautiously confirmed. "We were on our way to her colony before we found you guys."

"These people don't need to know every little detail," Mio grumbled quietly to him, slowly lowering herself back to her seat.

"Oh, sorry." His eyes remained locked with hers until she started rubbing her forehead again, with both hands this time.

"Tepolo know how friend feel," the Nopon attempted to console her.

"Do you really?" she challenged him, regardless.

"N-no," Tepolo admitted solemnly, "but wish to wipe frown from face, any rates."

"You might not trust us, but we can help you achieve your goal," the lancer offered, also hoping to placate her.

"Oh?" her ears perked up.

"Earlier, I said there's another team of us City folk in Maktha Wildwood," Emmet set his plate aside, as well as his reservations. "I wasn't gonna mention why, but they're trying to weed out Moebius in that area. We can let them know you're coming so they can lend a hand."

"Would you actually do that?" the moonblades-wielder squinted skeptically at him.

"Of course," he clasped his hands together. "After all, our military exists to remove Moebius from Aionios, one consul at a time."

"Yeah, our goals are essentially the same," his partner chimed in. The four explorers looked at both soldiers whilst awaiting a response to Emmet's proposal.

"Well, there's certainly power in numbers," Noah scratched the back of his neck before turning to his running mate. "What do you say?"

"Honestly, none of this makes me comfortable," Mio started to answer herself, "but if you people think you can take on my consul, then I guess… I won't object."

"It's settled, then," the stubbled man stood with two fingers to his temple. "Colony Rho, yes? I'll tell our friends to stake it out." As Emmet scooted away to make his call, Tepolo circled around the campfire to collect everybody's plates with an undeniable smile on his slightly pudgy face.

"Tepolo pleased friends put faith in fighters from City," the blue-furred cohort restarted the chatter.

"Since you two are heading for the Urayan Trail, you'll have to climb these cliffs," the gunner reminded Noah and Mio of what they'd meant to do prior to this chance meeting.

"I don't suppose you know the best way up?" the ninth-termer studied the intimidating mountain.

"I'm afraid we've led you in the opposite direction," Randol chuckled whilst adjusting his hat. "There's a bunch of ladders back on the path, after it curves over the waterfall."

"Right, guess we'll go once Emmet's finished," the pacifist dropped his gaze to Mio who palmed her shoulder again.

"Oh, you won't scale it all the way by tonight," Caren warned him frankly as everyone became aware of how late in the afternoon it was. "Why don't you bunk with us 'til morning? We don't have any spare sleeping bags, but you can borrow a blanket."

"Er… uh," he turned for another consultation with his running mate, "should we?"

"As much as I don't want to waste more time," she flinched upon massaging herself too hard, "it might be a good idea to start fresh tomorrow."

"Golden!" the brunette leapt to her feet as her partner returned. "Hey, hon', you don't mind if our guests stay overnight, do you?"

"Oh… that's fine," Emmet assented despite acting mildly surprised by the arrangement. "Anyway, Noah, Mio, the captain of the other team says they'll be ready to join forces once you reach the Urayan Trail."

"Thanks," the swordfighter was quite taken by their courtesies. "It feels like you guys are doing more than what Mio and I can ever give in return."

"Believe us, the fact that you two already defy Moebius is more than enough," the gunner tipped his hat graciously. "It's what we hope for whenever we come across displaced soldiers."

"You wanted to recruit us, then?" Noah surmised in a marginally accusative tone.

"Yes," the lancer confessed without fuss, no longer dodging answers. "The City was built by people like you."

"People… like us?" Mio repeated under her breath, still wary of her hosts' motivations. Such willingness to help seemed too good to be true, especially considering that they'd known each other for less than a day. Noah was the only one here whom she could trust, but even he was still a fresh face in her life. Whoever these strange people truly were, the two soldiers had their full support going forward.