Luna Naturae is unique. To Ruby's knowledge, there is no other place on Remnant that can support a vast ecosystem underground. With forests and plains, lakes, the Styx River and its vast amounts of tributaries, and the numerous ruins of the first era. To a Lightborn it would be a sanctified religious place, fit only for the gods.
To the Duskborn, it is their home, and within that home lies the Eternal City, Twilight.
The carriage then slowed down, looking out. Ruby sees that she is at the walls of Twilight. Ruby then stepped out of the carriage, with a slight smile on her face. The guards were caught by surprise that their Dusk Princess would arrive unannounced, before scrambling to open the gates.
"Might I ask where I shall take you, my princess? Your specific location wasn't exactly discussed with your mother." The grimmomancer curiously asked, he was right though. She never told her mother where specifically she wanted to go.
"The Grand Lift Plaza, while I may be royalty, my mother stressed the importance of "understanding thy lessers", as a part of my lessons." Ruby said, while she wasn't exactly lying, her meeting is rather close to the Plaza. The gates then opened, and Ruby stepped back inside the carriage and watched as the guards bowed in respect and awe as she entered the city.
As she entered the city proper, Ruby felt fascinated by the history of the city. From her studies, she knew that the Eternal City encompassed a large chunk of Luna Naturae. With gargantuan first-era architecture, the city served both as a home and a temple. Now instead of a godly presence that inspires awe in those who view it, it has been replaced by "renaissance" architecture that suits the night sky. Though there have been attempts to reuse and restore First Era ruins.
The First Era, the reign of the Blood Queen Lusus. Technically speaking it was her that led to her race's zenith, yet also caused its destruction through her unceasing lust for death and bloodshed. It does not matter though, the past is in the past, and as mother said.
"We're entering a Renaissance, new ways of culture and science are being explored. Pay attention, my little rose, for soon thou will learn the art of politics."
Passing by were numerous nightmares, carriages, people, and goliaths. She heard from Sam that goliaths on the surface are…well goliath, however, her mother turned a gargantuan beast of destruction into a drastically tiny version that serves as a useful pack animal. Her carriage passes by a restoration site of a large First Era temple, with beringels and nevermores working together along with the builders.
It was nice seeing such progress being worked on in her home. Given what she read about the cycle on the surface, she wonders if there are any great cities such as Twilight too. Her carriage moves on a bridge, one of many in the city, and Ruby sees two people practicing swordsmanship on the bridge.
Right, there's also the fact that her Mother mandated a formation of a militia, despite having an army. One of the very first laws after the rebirth of our race. Ruby's face then went dark when she asked why.
Her mother simply said, "They didn't stop."
The stare she saw from her terrified Ruby.
After a while, the carriage slowed to a stop, the grimmomancer got off and opened the carriage door. As Ruby steps out, payment in hand, she sees crowds of people moving, buying things from street stands and peddlers with Moonsilver. Children play and chase each other, while soldiers patrol around keeping the peace.
To think that around 2 millennia ago, the Lightborn emerged from the grand lifts and destroyed the Duskborn. Now this site, one of the three grand lifts of Luna Naturae, serves as a place of enjoyment and wonder instead of mourning.
Ruby walked to the center of the plaza, ignoring the praises and prayers of the people around her. At the center of the plaza is a large regal statue at the center of an elegant fountain. It depicts her mother, a grimmomancer, an artisan, a mage, a soldier, a commoner, a noble, and more. All were holding a piece of the shattered moon, and all putting it together to mend it.
"Time heals all wounds, to continue to cling to fear, anger, and grief will lead to sorrow and ruin. Let thy transgressions of the past be cleansed, and let us partake in the light of the forgiving dawn"
A statue symbolizes rebirth, hope, and the desire for a new beginning. Those words were inscribed on a plaque, and are the very same that her mother spoke when the Eternal City. Ruby repeated those words verbatim and smiled.
Right when she was about to leave, she felt a tug on her clothes. Turning around, she sees a young Duskborn looking at her with curious eyes. Her beowolf ears perked up, focusing their attention on Ruby.
"Ummmm, what does that mean?" The little girl asked Ruby, her tail swaying back and forth while awaiting an answer. Ruby crouched down, reaching eye level with the child, and gave a comforting smile.
"It means forgiveness, young one. To forgive means to let go of the past, letting go of any hatred, and work towards a better dawn. Forgive thy princess for the intrusion, but art thou experiencing any prejudice?"
The girl looks at Ruby with wide eyes, before looking away awkwardly while grabbing her tail.
"I mean, I like them. They're my friends, and mommy said the Queen likes it when I have friends. But they say mean things about my tail, it's not my fault great great great great grandpa came from the fir..firs…the really old time!"
"Well, have thou parley with them?"
"What?" The girl looked at Ruby with surprise, the idea of just talking about it to her friends never occurred to her. A woman shouting the name of a girl can be faintly heard.
"If they art thou friends, then thy mockery thou art experiencing would stop if they know of thy true feelings. After all, friends wouldn't desire to hurt each other intentionally. If they apologize, you must forgive them. Much like mother forgive the transgressions of the past, and led to where we are now."
The girl took a moment to process what Ruby said before her face beamed with emotion.
A woman then runs up towards Ruby and the girl, with a worried look on her face. Like the girl, she too has a tail and beowolf ears. Her face turned into shock as she saw her daughter is talking to the Dusk Princess herself. Before she could even apologize, Ruby got up and smiled at her, while her daughter runs to hug her mother.
"Thou art a wondrous mother, you are lucky to have blessed my mother's kingdom with such progeny" Ruby places her payment down, before reaching into her purse and taking out a couple of Ruby Moonsilver coins. She then hands over the coins to the mother, who is surprised at both the generosity and seeing such wealth being handed to her.
"I do believe the common folk calls this act "Treat thyself" correct?". The mother accepts the gift from Ruby, before graciously bowing.
"T-Thank you, my princess! I promise I won't squander such a gift from you! Come Umbra, let's return home, your father will be happy about his new birthday gift." Ruby watched as the family walked away, before being swarmed by people and merchants.
"Please, while I appreciate the worship and all, I do believe it is considered discourteous to crowd around someone that I just talk to." Ruby shouted towards the crowd, her voice instantly silencing all discussion. The crowd immediately spoke apologies towards Ruby and the family before dispersing.
Ruby apologetically bowed toward the family, before quickly picking up her payment and leaving for her destination. In hindsight, she should have expected such a reaction given how her family is revered as gods, justifiably so. But at least the people can be more respectful to those she talks to.
Literacy in the kingdom was a persistent issue for mother, even after the invention of the printing press 50 cycles ago. To help fix the issue she ordered the construction of several libraries across the kingdom, while also expanding the Grand Library to include the accommodation of future books.
One of these libraries contains the information necessary for her plan. Walking towards the library, she saw a news pamphlet in the window. A recent winner of a local championship of Go has been announced, with the champion's face painted on the pamphlet. Ruby needs to brush up on her skill in future matches against her mother. Or maybe go against her in mahjong.
Right before she entered, she saw something in the alleyway next to the library. Walking back she sees a recently made poster…of her mother…holding what looks to be an amazing chest.
Ruby feels like this is some sort of joke that she's either too noble or too ignorant to understand.
Heading back, she looked at her payment, before taking a deep breath and entering the library.
The library was unusually quiet, the only noise that was heard was the sound of Ruby's boots as she walked across the library. Ruby was the only person to BE in the library. If she didn't know any better this would be an obvious assassination attempt.
"Do you have the payment?" A voice echoed across the library, Ruby's free hand went towards her Crescent Rose as she tried to discern the source.
"Doust thou have my information?" A silence emerged. Ruby scanned her eyes across the library looking for anything, anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Until a librarian emerged from the bookshelves, with a folded paper in hand.
"Oh please, I'm not like the Triumvirate. I know better than to try to assassinate the Dusk Princess of all things. The bottle please." He gestures to Ruby to give him the payment, to which he does. The librarian walked to a table and undo the fabric wrapping, revealing the payment to be a bottle of wine.
"1357 vintage. Hohohohoooo I will enjoy you, the celebrations I can have with this will be unfathomable!"
"I still doubt that the "payment" thou wanted was wine. Out of all the trinkets, moonsilver, and relics, I could have smuggled from mother, thou wanted…wine."
"Well excuse me for having a refined taste!" The librarian shouted, startling ruby. "Besides, I can't afford to get wine these days. The astrologers are docking our pay until we figure out how to create an effective automata prototype for production."
"Automata? Couldn't thou use Sam as a base for thou research?"
"What? No no no no, Sam is just a one of a kind. His body is unsuitable for designing a template to make automata for the artisans. Though I heard the Shadowblades are looking for uses of it as an assassination tool for the kingdom of machine. Bunch of sun-crazed solatics those fellows."
Ruby sighed, which signaled the librarian to give her the paper. Snatching it from his hands the librarian then looked at Ruby.
"I still don't get why you want to go to the surface. I heard it's awful there. Light and Darkborn running amuck killing each other. Slavery. By the moon, diamonds out of all things are treated as valuables! Here it's just the lowest moonsilver you can obtain, not unlike an onyx or ruby."
"My desires and plans for the surface are mines alone, thou wouldn't need to know the details." Ruby then left the library and walked back towards the carriage back at the Plaza.
"Everything all done m'lady? It is getting late and your mother wouldn't want you to be late for the banquet."
The grimmomancer asked while grooming the nightmares. Ruby gave an affirmative nod before getting on the carriage. As she steps inside and sat down, she noticed a seer lying opposite where she was sitting. The strange thing is that the seer is completely inactive.
The seer suddenly starts convulsing the second the carriage begins to move. Darkborn dust emerged from the seer's body as the tendrils began to contort, and a quiet screech emanated from the seer. Ruby draws out Crescent Rose in katana form, covers her face, and braces for an explosion…when suddenly the seer stopped.
Removing her arm, she sees a bright blue light piercing through the dark body of the seer. The tendrils are in a strange pose, almost looking like it's mimicking a person examining something.
"Hello?" A voice that Ruby is all too familiar with is heard. The sound of tapping glass emanates from the seer, yet Ruby is still confused as she only sees the seer and the blue light from the body.
"Mother…is that thou?"
"Ah, Ruby! Prithee tell, does thou art able to see me?" Lusus's voice is heard from the seer, with a slight ethereal echo. "This is an experiment from the grimmomancers, seeing if they can improve communications without relying on Nevermore carriers or messengers. Thou art able to see me yes?"
The seer then took on a thinking posture.
"I mean. I don't see thou, I only see the seer and the mimicry it is taking after thine body." Ruby noticed the darkborn dust emerging from the seer is increasing as the light begins to intensify, She had to start covering her eyes to prevent blindness.
"Hmmm, that will have to be addressed, but the fact that you're able to see me means-" Lusus never got to finish as the seer darkborn emitted a high-pitched screech before collapsing into dust, leaving a confused and slightly scared Ruby alone in the carriage.
"Maybe the kingdom isn't ready for far-reaching messages, at least not from the grimmomancers." Ruby said as she tried to block what just happened off her mind. After all, a disheveled princess can't attend a banquet.
"OW! Mother, could you at least be more careful when thou art brushing my hair?!" Ruby complained while her mother brushes her hair in front of the mirror in Ruby's room, who found Ruby's complaining as a childish amusement. Ruby is wearing more regal, elegant clothes much like her mother. Suitable for an event filled with nobles and guild leaders.
"Well, thou hadn't been taking care of thine hair as of late. I wouldn't even know how bad it would have gotten hadn't that experiment failed.
"But I have~, and you don't need to apologize for the failure of the grimmomancers"
"Then explain why I found several tiny knots in thine hair?"
Ruby went silent for a moment before letting out an embarrassing whine, which only made Lusus chuckle before she finished brushing Ruby's hair. She applies Ruby's circlet and placed the hair ornament that was used in her hair.
"There, now thou look the part for the banquet tonight." Lusus smiled, before rising and stretching. "Come, we shouldn't keep our guests waiting." Ruby followed her mother out of her bedroom and towards the Hall of the Moon.
As they walked together, a personal question popped up in Ruby's mind. She's an only child, yes, but she has to wonder.
"Mother, before thou found me…were there any other options that thou found. Perhaps a potential big sister or sibling for me?"
Lusus's prosthetic hand went to her chin as she pondered before the memory came back to her.
"There was one other orphan suitable to be one of my own, a lightborn child by the name of Cinder Fall, she was the perfect child, with beautiful black hair and fire-like eyes, and a child-like wonder too. Huginn found her in appalling conditions at an awful orphanage, whose existence continues to befuddle me to this day."
There was a wave of slight anger in Lusus's voice before she took a short breath and continue.
"Well, after I was made aware of her. I ordered preparations for her to be saved like many others in our kingdom. Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, she was adopted by a reputable Madame Rouge Chienne. What a shame, all that effort wasted, had she come a day later you would have had a sister right now. Ah, but it doesn't matter. To be a daughter of an influential Kingdom of Machine noble is about comparable to being the Dusk Princess."
Music can be faintly heard as they approach the Hall of the Moon, soon enough they see Sam in front of the door chatting with servants. His choice of attire was what the lightborn call a "bowtie", as for why. He said, "because it's funny".
"Ah, about time you two showed up. Some of the nobles were getting antsy about your arrival, well mainly because Hugging and Mugging are here."
"Hugging and Mugging? Mother?" Ruby turned to her as she asked.
"Just a silly nickname your teacher made to annoy those two. Though "hugging" would be appropriate for Huginn considering how energetic she is, though diluted by her years. I pity her brother."
Lusus said as Sam banged on the door ahead of them. There was some slight shouting in the room ahead, most likely the guards announcing their arrival.
"Well, shall we?" Sam gestures to the royal pair as he opens the door for them.
"All rise for Abyssal Queen and Dusk Princess, your hallowed, moon-guided rulers of Yggdrasil!" A royal guard shouted as they entered the hall, and everyone clapped as they took to their seat. A servant poured wine into Lusus's glass as she began her speech.
"Today is a day of celebration. This cycle marks the 2000th anniversary of the second founding of our society. 2000 cycles since the bloodshed of the first era and the folly of my mother. Since then we have achieved much, culture and game for the populace to enjoy and appreciate. New means of science, architecture, and grimmomancy allowed us to reclaim the old and build the new. And though we have experienced…strife in the past, let us assure that we move past it for a better future. So I offer a toast, for you. For Twilight and the kingdom!"
Everyone in the room clapped as the music began to play, the banquet has officially started and the nobles began chatting and enjoying themselves.
Lusus turned to Ruby as she sat down. "Thou wouldn't need to be at my side this time. Enjoy thineself."
Ruby nodded as she left her mother's side and walked to a window of the hall. The hall was filled with nobles and guild leaders and their subordinates, some wearing traditional clothes such as kimonos and Hanfu. Ruby sees Sam trying and failing to flirt with some of the noblewomen.
Sighing at her teacher's pitiful courting, she turned her attention towards the false moon, shining brilliantly in the false sky. Wonder about the surface and if her mother would allow her to visit in the first place.
"Beautiful isn't it? Though it's not as good as the true moon." A voice interrupts Ruby's thinking. Turning to her side Ruby sees an unexpected but familiar face. White and blazing orange hair, with matching ears and three tails. Her eyes match the color of the fabled sun on the surface.
"Hugging? I mean Huginn?"
"Ooooh~, don't tell me that hunk of steel got you calling me that."
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend thee!"
"Nah it's ok! Plus I've been looking for an excuse to deck that smug face of his. So princess, whatcha doing over here instead of being beside your mother?"
"Oh. Mother wanted me to enjoy the pleasantries of the banquet. Tis nice to see so many people enjoying thineselves, though. It's unusual to see you in a kimono Huginn."
"Oh little Ruby, you know you can just call me by my true name."
"I apologize Amaterasu. Say…" She looks around the hall, before turning back to Amaterasu. "Where's thine brother?"
"Oh, that slowpoke? He's not here due to work." She chuckled before her smile faded. "One of my men turned traitor for profit. Lightborn currency is valuable among the criminal overworld as a collectible, and they sold some relics to some lightborn topside."
She sighed and gazed at the false moon. "I should have seen it coming, been more careful. Now Muginn can't join because he has to clean the house to ensure a crisis doesn't emerge."
"Does mother know?"
"Not yet, I've been meaning to tell her but… I may be a Raven of the Queen but Moon be damned is she scary whenever a potential crisis emerges." A third figure then approaches the two.
"Mind if I…cut in?" Sam said, much to the chagrin of both Ruby and Amaterasu. The latter of which unfurled her paper fan and smacked Sam's face.
"Ow…was that necessary Huginn?"
"You told her about that embarrassing nickname!"
"Ah come on, it suits you."
"It suits me as well as throwing a party for an apathy. I don't even know why you bother with that."
"Oh, you want another nick-."
"You see this elemental ribbon you hunk of metal?" Huginn interrupted and pointed to the bright orange ribbon on her kimono. "That means I've harnessed fire element enough to mimic the flames of the sun, without grimmomancy I can and will turn you into slag if you call me that dumb name again!"
"Careful there, with that attitude you'll be hugging yourself a headache!"
"Forgive me for the intrusion of thy spat, but I have a question that I wished to be answered." Sam and Huginn's attention turned towards Ruby, with the latter's hands emitting embers and dangerously close to Sam's neck. "How's the surface? I've been meaning to ask mother if she would allow me to partake in an expedition to the surface."
Sam ponders on what to say while Amaterasu takes deep breaths to calm down.
"The surface is a dangerous but beautiful region for you Ruby, with Darkborn and Lightborn killing each other every day, they would not hesitate to ki-"
"Honestly I think she should go." Sam interrupted, shocking Amaterasu.
"Sam you can't be serious."
"Oh I am serious, it would be a great learning experience for the little rose. Besides shouldn't you be in favor of this, I know you have to act all formal and stuff due to the banquet, but you're acting quite unusual right now. Something the matter?"
Amaterasu sighed, her ears drooping and face sullen. Sam walked to her and put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"Little rose, see if your mother would let you get into some shenanigans with the lightborn on the surface. We need some time alone."
Ruby nodded, giving the pair their needed alone time as she went back towards her mother to ask for permission. She sees that she's conversing with some nobles and Lifeforce users while servants pour them forever sap wine. The lifeforce users' haggard and perpetually exhausted appearance disturbed Ruby, as she heard of their terrifying yet necessary unlocking process and its effects on the duskborn body.
Lusus sees Ruby approaching and gestures for her guests to leave. Ruby sat down in front of her mother and waited for the nobles and lifeforce users to leave. Once they were gone, Lusus turned toward Ruby.
"Back so soon my daughter? I thought thou would fancy being alone in the banquet, or at least enjoy the quaint pleasantries." Lusus moves to take a sip of her wine.
"Mother," Ruby said, preparing herself mentally and taking a deep breath. "I desire to visit the surface."
Lusus's glass stops short of reaching her lips. There was a moment of tense silence between the two, Ruby maintaining a stoic face but deep down is panicking.
Lusus sighed and puts down her glass of wine.
"Ruby. I have thought thou studies would have educated thee about the nature of the surface and the cycle it follows."
"I am well aware of the dangers, but I have to deal with the surface eventually. Why not start now and acquire vital experience?"
"Because it's too dangerous for thee!"
"How?! Thou and Sam have trained me well, I am capable of both dealing with any lightborn rogues and darkborn. And the shadowblades can protect me. The arbiter and Lich queen are gone, mother. And thou shouldn't let thine experience with them shackle you, as you said. "Time heals all wounds"."
Lusus stood up, her visible eye glaring at Ruby for the audacity of her words.
"Watch. Thy. Tongue, child. The surface is a wound that will never heal. No matter what! Thou wouldn't experience the massacre, them calling us Homunculi. The lightborn enslave their mutant brethren for simple animal features, and you think I would let my daughter run amuck towards a race that will exterminate our kind without hesitation?! There's a reason why I only let Shadowblades to the surface."
"But how will you even judge their reaction towards us if you won't even give them a chance, it's been 2000 cycles mother. Peace or at least normal relations with them are possible now! Why do you feel the need-"
"To suffer alone for your sins"
Lusus was taken aback by Ruby's words, except they weren't Ruby's words, nor was she in the palace. The banquet was replaced by a ruined street of Twilight, duskborn bodies litter the ground as the smell of ash lingers in the air.
"How does it feel homunculi," That voice, that damned voice, she knows it's the arbiter. But how? She covered her tracks, and made sure no one knew of her race's emergence. Lusus starts shivering in fear, she can hear it but she can't see it.
"To have everything you built up, destroyed by your thirst for blood. Your race, your city, this area, and you, will die and be forgotten as myths, as fitting for someone like you. A daughter of the blood queen, whose currently shedding her blood on these ruined streets."
Blood Queen? It's so hard for Lusus to think, her heartbeat is deafening her hearing and her body is uncontrollably shaking in fear. She knows it's getting closer. Moon be damned why is this happening again?! A quick lightning slap, yes, a slap would stun it and shut that accursed voice, while giving her time to prepare. She looked at her hands, her tattered blood-soaked hands, and red lightning sparks from her hands as Lusus waits for the arbiter to show their face, all the while hyperventilating.
"How does it feel, for your daughter to be disgusted by your past."
She felt a tug in front of her.
"SHUT UP!"
In a flash, Lusus swung her hand towards her target, a trail of small red sparks trail her hand as she swung.
Instead of Silence, she heard the sound of a shocked crowd. Blinking reveals that Lusus is back at the Banquet, and a sight that she never wanted to see in her long life.
Ruby is on the floor, caressing the cheek Lusus slapped. She can see the electric burn marks, as well as tears emerging from Ruby's eyes. Before she can say anything, Ruby got up and ran away.
Slamming her door shut and locking it, Ruby ran quickly to her secret stash. In it were supplies that she obtained over the weeks in preparation for her surface trip. Supplies she will now have to use.
Drawing a medical salve she obtained the apothecaries, and she applied the ointment to her injury. The cool medicine creates a weird contrasting feeling with her skin, the wound will heal and bear no marks, at least on the surface. She starts crying on her bed, wondering why her mother slapped her until her crying starts turning into a fit of rage.
"That…Cur! To think that she would do that to her only daughter, even when I tried to help her when she wasn't acting normal! To hell with this!"
Ruby got up and started preparing her supplies and clothes, it was now or never for her. Her supplies would include ammo, food, clothing, incense, cash, both normal and corrupted dust, and her journal, not to mention Crescent Rose. Along with some minor objects such as her hair ornament. All of which would take hours to finish preparing for the trip, thank the moon that it would be in the dead of night by the time she's done. She stops for a moment, before deciding to bring along her study books too. No way she's going to slack off her lessons even on the surface.
"I'll show her, I'll show that harlot that her fears are based on nothing but ancient memories and fears, distorted by time. I'll bring a signed treaty bearing the signatures of every major kingdom on the surface, and she'll think twice before inflicting pain upon her daughter!"
There was a knock on the door, and Ruby froze. After a moment there was a second knock, then a few muffled words. Ruby can discern a female and a male voice having a conversation before a sigh is heard and the two voices leave. Ruby sighed, she can't be caught right now, or it will raise too much suspicion. She looks at the moon out the window, she'll have to leave in the dead of night, head to the stables, and ride towards the well.
She grabs Crescent Rose and unfurls it in its scythe form. As she saw before, the weapon is unparalleled in the kingdom, the only one of its kind. She looked down at the sharpshooter scope, inspecting the zoom on it before she starts doing some practice swings. It's best to do some practice to pass the time, and although the weapon is still fresh. Ruby will find time to customize it to her needs.
It's time.
Ruby slowly opened her bedroom door, peaking out to see if there was anyone nearby. Seeing nothing, she went back inside. She's wearing her normal clothes again. Ruby placed a letter on her desk, a feint to buy time for her before the Shadowblades start hunting her. Grabbing Crescent Rose and her pack, she took one last look at her room, before leaving.
Moving swiftly, she avoided any servants doing nighttime cleaning and maintenance. Eventually, Ruby reached the courtyard in front of the palace. The walls are lightly manned, and whoever is manning them lost a bet given how tired they are. She's pretty sure one of them is asleep. Inexcusable on the surface, but when all you have to deal with is internal issues that rarely become a crisis. You can afford lax security.
Halfway across the courtyard, when Ruby stopped. There's someone behind her, turning around. She sees Sam, casually walking toward her like nothing's happening.
"Going somewhere?"
"I'm camping." She said quickly. Hoping that would be enough.
"Camping with that much stuff are you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're running to the surface."
In a flash, Ruby drew out Crescent Rose in katana form. Determined to not have her attempt be thwarted. Sam however sighed.
"You know you're really bad at hiding stuff from me right? Your little plan might work on your mother and Huginn and Muginn, but you never expected the wild card to find out. Besides, I'm not here to stop you."
He chuckles a bit. "Moon knows how many stories I read had so many monarchs being killed because they weren't nice to their children. There was one which locked their daughter out of their "safety", could you believe that?"
He pulled out a book and handed it to Ruby. "Here, I believe you need this. If you're going to the surface you'll need to at least learn how to blend in."
The book cover was called "Sam's how to surface guide for shadowblade recruits." Featuring her teacher's face on it.
"Impressive isn't it? I think it captures my suave charm." Ruby giggled, to which he smiled and grabbed her shoulder.
"You have a map or something? Maybe I can help." Ruby opened her sack and took out both the map of Luna Naturae and the map of the well location. Sam took both and pondered as he read.
"Does thou think I could make the journey"
"Ehhh, you'll have to run and avoid the local darkborn if you want to make it before the morning. It's pretty far but I think you can make it." He handed the maps back to Ruby.
"One more thing Ruby. The second you go to the surface, it's you versus them, the lightborn will show you no mercy. You will fight, but you mustn't die. Don't forget, no killing. You can incapacitate them, but don't sully your hands with blood. An injured person brings less attention than a dead body after all."
"Understood, I thank thee for thou wisdom." Ruby bowed in respect for Sam, which is usually a rarity for him. He looks behind Ruby and sees that the coast is clear.
"Now's your chance, Ruby! Go, prove your mother wrong!"
Ruby nodded and went inside the wall, there was a moment before Sam saw her again at the top. She waves Sam one last goodbye before jumping off towards the surface.
"Well Sam you handsome devil, you did it again. You prevented a future matricide, ensured Ruby wouldn't fall to the Blood Queen's Curse on the surface, and trained an extremely capable woman, who could probably defeat a life force warrior in a one-on-one. Probably. All that's left to do." Sam sighed "Is to console her mother when she finds out she's missing, and prevent any more flashbacks."
Ruby ran.
Her survival training ensured her that this would be an arduous but passable trial. She moves across the white forest with ease as she makes her way to the well.
Ruby ran.
White became multi-colored as the false night sky returned once again. Jumping over a stream ruby is starting to feel the effects as she's starting to sweat and there's a small pain in her thighs. Though not enough to stop her.
Ruby ran.
Her thighs are starting to burn, her breathing is getting rougher and her heart is beating faster. Looking up she can see the false moon starting to dim, but she's almost there. She knows it. Ruby stops to take a breather before the growling of a beowolf alerts her. Drawing Crescent Rose in the scythe, she stood still, making no noise as to discern where her opponent was.
The beowolf snared and leaped from the bushes behind her. Ruby sidestepped and caught the beowolf's neck with her scythe. A quick draw later and the beowolf's head rolled away from its body. It was a pup, sighing. Ruby took a moment to watch the body dissipate before continuing her journey.
The presence of First Era ruins indicates that Ruby is here. Looking up she sees the rock wall that surrounds Luna Naturae, she hopes that the well here isn't like the other ones. Climbing on top of some ruins she takes a moment to regain her breath, looking at the false night sky reveals that is it starting to become day, mother will be waking in a few hours.
Walking past the first-era ruins, Ruby hears pained wheezing of some kind nearby. Drawing out Crescent rose she expects an attack…yet there was none. Deciding to investigate, she moves closer towards the wheezing and finds it behind an inaccessible hallway. There was an open pathway that led inside above her. Climbing up, she makes her way towards the wheezing, until she sees it.
The building was ruined yes, there was light coming through the hole that was once the roof, yet. There is a lone darkborn, except it's suffering. The darkborn is extremely old judging by the bone plates and might be even older than her mother. Yet the darkborn is completely crippled by this…malady, she thinks it's a malady, It's one that never appeared in her studies.
The darkborn is completely rotting and crippled, every breath it takes emits a strange black miasma, and the eyes are completely gone, replaced by a black abyss that is crying black tears across its melting skull head. Surrounding it was a field of strange black, red, and white flowers. To say it was suffering was an understatement.
Feeling pity for it, Ruby loaded her weapon with dust rounds and aimed.
"Remember thou training Ruby with Kingdom of Machine weapons. Feet planted, arms positioned, breathing slowed, focused attention, wait for the perfect moment…and."
Ruby pulled the trigger, and flew back due to the recoil! Hitting her back on the wall, she groans in pain as she hears the darkborn howl in pain for the last time in its life. Getting back up, she sees the mess she caused, the darkborn was barely holding itself together considering how its disappearing mass was splattered across the room.
Sighing, Ruby went back to her objective. She can investigate it later when she returns home.
"This…is it."
Ruby looks up towards the ruined building, half of it was embedded in the rock wall. Walking to the building, she pushes on the closed stone doors. The mechanisms still working despite being so old and forgotten. Grabbing some sticks and pulling out a fire dust crystal, she creates a torch and ignites it, before stepping inside.
The building is, to what Ruby can see, just a long corridor. Ruby can hear nothing besides the wind behind her. It's all up to chance now. Walking deeper into the building reveals a large, circular room.
She smiled. She's tired, Moon knows how she's tired. But she did it, she found a fully intact well. The activation method should still work, she walked to the center of the room and stepped on a revealed pressure plate. The platform lit up with purple light before it starts to ascend. Ruby sat down, with the torch beside her. She'll sleep for sure, but she wants to see it before she does.
As the platform makes its way to the surface, Ruby pulls out the book Sam gave her, would be wise to at least gain some quick knowledge about the surface. Opening a random page, she sees a basic level grimmomancy called.
"Light masquerade- One of the goals of a shadowblade is to obtain knowledge that may be used to the Timeless Queen or is a danger to Yggdrasil on the surface. Some of this knowledge is locked away deep in lightborn cities and fortresses. To obtain this, a light masquerade must be performed so the distinct features of a Duskborn mimic that of a Lightborn"
"Drive your finger deep in your mouth, and drag out the darkness that dwells in all of us. This comes out in the form of vomiting, but experienced users can simply purge it from their bodies. This lasts for a full day, and on the last few hours the user would experience pins sensation on their feet to notify of their time limit."
"Hmm, how useful. Though I feel that vomiting would be unfit for a princess such as myself, I can't be picky, not when I'm just starting my journey."
The platform slows to a stop, rising to a room that resembles the one on the bottom of the lift. Putting away the book and picking up the torch, Ruby walks towards the exit. Coming across the stone door, she pushes. Yet it does not Budge, she pushes again, with all her remaining strength, and slowly the doors open.
A dark blue sky, with speckles of white sprinkled across. That's the first thing Ruby saw when she opened the ancient stone doors. Dropping the torch, she stumbles out of the well before lying down on the ground, her eyes heavy after so much work and feeling the cold wind on her face.
Then she saw it.
"The true…shattered moon…Oh, how your beauty remains, even after the war…"
She fell asleep with a smile on her face.