Chapter 8
Here I stood by the edge of a building's roof, straining my ears to listen in on the conversation going on below. Three people could be seen huddled within the dark aisle, two were burly men with tattoos covering their entire arms, while the other was garbed in a mage's robes.
"Goddamn Guides, man. They came in and started fuckin' everything up," one man began, his disdain palpable.
"Four of our hideouts got blown to bits. And they're not stopping until every one's gone," the other male spoke. "What about you, shorty? Got everything out before they raided your place?"
"Yeah, they're at the trainyard. But they got Ian and his group. Those Guides are relentless, I tell ya. Didn't even give them a chance to surrender, they just put 'em down like animals," the robed individual replied, biting his lips.
These three were part of an organized group that controlled the western side of Arkhalis. At least, until the Guild of Guides decided to show up three days ago.
It'd been over a week since my return to Terraria, and the days couldn't be more eventful. The Guides, after getting a better idea of Arkhalis' situation, began their cleansing at full force. They swiftly removed the syndicates governing the east and west parts of the city, dismantling their operations with brutal efficiency, and hunting each member down like a pack of wolves.
Learning of this through word of mouth, I decided to lend a hand by spying on the gangs' members, gaining valuable intel on where their bases were, then passing said information to the Guide. Sometimes I'd even apprehend a few individuals myself, or end their life if they decided to resist.
Infiltrating their ranks wasn't that difficult. Their magical prowess was only slightly above average, and their forces are nothing more than a rag tag bunch of kooks who wouldn't hesitate to stab one another in the back to ensure their own survival.
"Shorty, get those trains and cars started, and I'll go see if Tyler's still kickin' or not," the tallest of the three said.
"Got it," the robed man answered. "After we leave this place, we'll get back at those fuckers."
For the most part, the Guides rooted out the vast majority of the gangs. But these groups' influence ran deep within Arkhalis and had multiple burrows to escape to, resulting in some to remain hidden, slipping past the Guide's perimeters.
Finishing my observation, I leapt off the rooftop. With a bit of magical flair, my descent was slow and gentle, like a leaf swept by the breeze.
"You know, swearing doesn't make you cool," I spoke up, causing the men below to look up in alarm.
"Who the fuc—" Before he could finish, my fist swung in a wide arc, smashing his teeth in. The force of the blow knocked him unconscious before he even hit the ground.
Without hesitation, I mirrored the motion on the man beside him, dropping him just as effortlessly. That left only the mage, now frozen in horror as his companions lay crumpled at my feet.
"You!" he stammered, raising his hands as mana crackled between his fingers. "Firebal—!"
"I cast gun," I interrupted.
My hand blurred as I drew my pistol from its holster, a single shot ringing out. The bullet struck dead center in his forehead, snuffing out his life in an instant. While a bit of magic would've done the trick, a bullet to the brain works just as well.
Before the echo of the gunshot could fully fade, a pair of men clad in green rushed onto the scene, blades drawn and ready for battle.
"Oh, Shirou, it's you." Upon recognizing me, they tucked their weapons away. Taking a quick look at the people on the floor, he resumes, "Good work, we'll take it from here. Thanks again for the help."
"No worries, my friend," I returned. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little tiger to feed."
"Don't let us hold ya," he says, offering a small wave.
Leaving the area, I emerged into the streets, blending into the crowd. I took my time walking, occasionally stopping by street vendors to purchase some vegetables and other foodstuff. As I pondered which bunch of potatoes to buy, my mind went elsewhere.
Over the past few days, I didn't stop producing and consuming reduced Red Potions. However, the benefits of doing so had greatly diminished over time. Unless I get my hands on higher grade components, my soul cannot go further than it is now.
Another thing that's holding my progress back was my vessel. It'd reached the point where it can handle multiple elements and concepts without issue, but it was still that of a human. Flesh and blood, while filled with untapped potential, took an extraordinary amount of effort to realize. Unless I threw myself face-first into danger, the only feasible way for my body to grow stronger was to train.
And train I did. I'd been lifting, running, and doing exercises that would break just about anyone else, but with the aid of healing magic, I can get myself back into shape in just a few short minutes and continue training for a few more hours.
Paying my fees, I thanked the vendor and left, groceries in hand. I traversed a familiar pathway, eventually finding myself in front of Lisa's clinic. Pushing the door open, I stepped inside the building to find its owner by the counter.
"Hmm?" Noticing my arrival, Lisa stopped whatever she was doing to look at me, taking special interest in the bag in my grasp. "You weren't lying when you said you'd frequent here. Just not in the way I initially thought."
"Neither did I," I chuckled, setting the ingredients on the table. Glancing around, I noticed her sister was nowhere in sight. "Where's the little tiger? She's been pretty eager to learn how to cook."
"She's out and about. She should be back in a few," Lisa replied.
Over the past few days, I'd managed to befriend Lisa. Though she had been wary of my visits at first, thinking I'm after her, she gradually warmed up, especially after I offered to occasionally cook for them.
If there was one trait that persists across all parallel variants of Shirou Emiya, it would be his unequaled culinary skills. They were practically ensnared by my food in an instant.
Her little sister, Abigail, was even more enthusiastic by this development, having developed a keen interest in preparing dishes herself. Even so, the little tiger was still a bit of a spitfire when you push the right buttons. The good news was that, while Abigail's vocabulary remained rough around the edges, our time together had at least toned it down a notch.
As we chatted, the front door creaked open, revealing Abigail in a white dress, her face lit up with a gleeful smile.
"Ah, you," the young girl eyed me. "What are you cooking today? Is it gonna be as good as the miso soup from yesterday? Wait, let me grab my apron before you start."
"Why do you even need an apron?" I asked. "I'm the one behind the counter doing all the work, not you. Also, the name's Shirou Emiya, not 'you'. I keep telling you that."
She ignored me entirely and disappeared into the back of the store, heading straight for the kitchen.
"What's got her all fired up?" I asked Lisa, curious about Abigail's sudden burst of energy.
"She... managed to invite a boy over for lunch," she admitted, a slight frown forming on her lips. "Dante. I think he's fifteen. He lives alone, and runs a gun store just around the block."
"Since when were kids allowed to open gun shops? Don't you need a license for that?" I raised a brow.
Lisa shot me a pointed look. "You own two revolvers, neither of which are registered, mind you. At least his store was approved by the city, while you're walking around with unlicensed firearms."
"Touché. Though, in my defence, the Guild of Guides allowed me. So the police can't exactly confiscate it from me," I countered.
"That's not exactly reassuring. What were those Guides even thinking?" she let out a sigh.
"There's not a lot of them around here, and Arkhalis is a big city, they need all the help they can get," I reasoned.
The Guild's headquarter stood on the most northern side of the continent, smack down in the middle of Leinfors—the capital city of the Redigit kingdom. Their influence over here in the south was little, and in some parts none. It'd take weeks for them to send more of their people here.
"Anyways. This Dante kid, you don't sound too pleased about him coming here. Anything I should be worried about?" I question.
"I doubt it. He's been nothing but polite so far, and Abigail seems to like him." Lisa crossed her arms, her frown deepening. "But that doesn't ease my worries. She's young, I just don't want her getting ahead of herself." Despite her cold persona, Lisa was just as caring as any sibling would be.
"So her crush is coming over for a meal, huh. I'd say cut the kids some slack, let the two enjoy their youth," I said, a hint of nostalgia creeping into my voice. "After everything the war put people through, moments like these are probably rare."
"You sound like an old man," Lisa remarked. "Aren't you only, like... three years younger than me? Don't talk like that."
"You're twenty?" I murmured. I'd never really thought to ask that. I knew little of her personal life, only that she and Abigail lived together in Arkhalis, while their parents lived somewhere else, alive and well.
"Why's that the first thing you think of? Got a problem with that?" Her emerald eyes met mine, as if daring me to say something.
"Not really," I shrugged. "I just figured that kind of thing was sensitive for you lot."
"Not every woman out there is obsessed with their age," she said with a shake of her head.
Out of the blue, Abigail's voice rang out from inside, cutting our conversation short. "RED! Get your ass in here already!"
She called me 'Red' due to my hair, which was no longer snowy white. The salon next door had done a wonderful job at dyeing my hair, it was near indistinguishable from its former colour. While a bit of a pain to maintain, I was fine with it.
"Oops, duty calls." I hefted the groceries onto the table and stepped into the kitchen, where Abigail stood waiting, arms crossed and glaring not too dissimilarly to her older sister.
A little later, the guest of honour arrived just as we, or rather I, finished cooking. Abigail, despite her earlier enthusiasm, had done absolutely nothing but watch while I worked.
As soon as he arrived, the little tiger swung the door open and personally led him into the living room, taking a seat beside him with a soft smile. The boy had lightly tanned skin, sharp features, and gray, almost silver, hair. His overcoat gave him a somewhat refined look.
He was kind, if a little awkward at first, but he gradually warmed up as we ate. I peppered him with questions like an overly curious child, which earned me a scolding from Lisa and a hidden scowl from Abigail.
All in all, lunch was a simple affair. Once it was over, he left with a full stomach, clearly yearning for more food but unable to consume more, and I followed suit shortly after. I still had prior engagements to attend to.
I made my way toward the main road leading to the city's gateway, only to find it clogged with heaps of debris. A crowd had already gathered, diligently shoveling away at the obstruction. Both citizens and Guides were hard at work clearing the path.
This road was vital, it branched straight through Arkhalis and served as a crucial trade route. Once the debris was removed, commercial and civilian vehicles would be able to traverse the city freely and more efficiently. While not much, it should speed up the city's recovery.
"Ah, Shirou. Nice seeing you here." A familiar voice called out from my right. Turning, I found Jacob, dragging a small barrow filled with trash behind him.
"Sorry for the delay. Got caught up at lunch," I said apologetically. My visit to Lisa's had made me lose track of time.
"Nothing to worry about, lad," he waved it off. Then, motioning behind him, he added, "Henry and the others over there could use some help breaking down those collapsed buildings blocking the road."
"Will do," I replied before parting ways, leaving Jacob to do his own thing.
As I approached Henry, a well-built man with jet-black hair, and his crew, my eyes flicked to their tools. The pickaxes they were using were worn, their edges dulled and bent from extensive use, and looked like they were on the verge of breaking.
"You wouldn't mind another hand, would you?" I start.
The man lightly shook his head. "Nah, we don't. We'd appreciate all the help we can get."
"Before that, though, your stuff is in dire need of a replacement," I remark.
"Supply is limited, I'm afraid. Pretty much all of the manufacturers in Arkhalis got wasted. And the smiths are already working their asses off. There won't be a new batch for another three days," Henry says.
"I can help with that" I declare.
"How so? You a smith as well?" Seeing my light attire, a look of confusion marred his face.
"Nope. But you can call me a walking armoury." Raising my hand, my magic circuits shone as a dozen or so shovels and pickaxes appeared with a flash of blue light.
"Oh, you're a wizard, nice." Henry sported an intrigued look as he grabbed one of the tools in the pile, inspecting its quality. While not the best, it should suffice for the time being.
"They're temporary, so don't worry about breaking them," I state.
"Looks like those smiths can finally take a break," Henry chuckled. "Boys! Come here and take one of these."
Calling his crew over, Henry ordered them to distribute the magical constructs amongst themselves, and without hesitation, they went straight to work.
I joined in, wielding my own tool as I broke apart chunks of concrete, shoveled debris, and hauled away dirt. The cleanup consumed the remainder of the daylight, leaving most of us drained. It wasn't finished yet, but with each passing hour, we edged closer to clearing the road.
As night settled over Arkhalis, the Guides and I gathered for a brief respite, basking in the moon's silver glow.
Food and drink had been provided, paid for in full by the Guild of Guides. Though stretched thin across the world, the organization spared no expense when it came to keeping their people fed and healthy.
I took a slow sip of water, savouring the cool relief it brought to my throat.
Then, my body stilled.
Something deep inside me stirred, an ancient, primal instinct clawing its way to the surface. A creeping dread coiled through my veins, slithering into my mind like a whispered omen.
"Shirou? Is something wrong?" One of the Guides noticed my rigid stance, his voice laced with concern.
I barely heard him as my gaze swept across my surroundings, every muscle in my body tensed like a bowstring drawn tight. Below me, fractured asphalt. Ahead, my companions were confused, oblivious. To my right, a clearing. To my left, a mound of concrete and shattered stone. Behind me, a large, repurposed truck stacked with debris.
Yet none of it explained the terrible unease pressing against my soul like a weight I could not shake.
Why? Why did every nerve scream at me to draw my blade?
Trusting my instincts, I summoned a longsword in a glint of magical energy, the hilt fitting seamlessly into my grip as though it had always been there.
The voices of my companions faded into the background as my senses sharpened to a razor's edge. I scanned, searched, waited for something to occur.
Then, my eyes snapped skyward, gazing upon a void of endless black.
The sky was perfectly clear—until I blinked, and the heavens were no longer empty.
Suspended above me, blotting out the stars, loomed a massive white and red sphere—an eye. A grotesque, otherworldly thing, its surface writhing like liquid, veins pulsing with an eerie glow. It dwarfed the city below, swallowing the skyline in its monstrous gaze.
"T̵e̷r̸r̷a̷r̶i̷a̷n̶" A single word resounded.
Not spoken, not heard, but felt. It crawled into the minds of every living soul in the city, sinking into their very essence. Yet, they could not comprehend it. Could not see it. Could not acknowledge the horror staring down at them.
And so, their bodies reacted for them.
One by one, they collapsed. The Guides, the workers, the citizens of Arkhalis, dropped like marionettes with their strings cut, unconscious before their fragile minds could shatter.
It was nothing more than a natural defense against something their brains was never meant to witness. They had no other choice but to shut down.
All except me.
A multitude of spells surged to life, mana thrumming through my veins as my body was pushed beyond its mortal limits. With a burst of movement, the ground beneath my feet shattered as I propelled myself over Arkhalis' walls, landing outside of its perimeter.
And just as I suspected, the entity followed, moving with terrifying speed that belied its massive form.
I knew this presence... knew it intimately.
It belonged to the very beast my siblings and I had once perished fighting. A fragment of a nightmare that long left the surface of this planet.
One of Cthulhu's many eyes.
But how was it even alive? Solar had reduced them to nought but ash... unless we somehow missed one?
What was it even doing here? I'd made sure to hide the truth of my existence from everyone. Yet, it found me nonetheless.
And why is it alone? If Cthulhu knew that I, one of the Terrarians, was still part of the living, it'd sent its remaining army, not a single eyeball, to take care of me.
No matter. First and foremost, I could not allow it to come any closer to Arkhalis. If the citizens were to be exposed to its presence any longer, their minds would rupture under the weight of its existence.
The scenery warped around me as I raced through the wilderness, running as far away from the city as possible.
If it went the effort to find me, I'd gladly take this chance to end it once and for all.
END.