gh, Gorthro, I forgot about that guy!" I exclaim, my mouth full of some strange meat jerky. I honestly don't care what it is, I'm starving.
"You are acting as if you're even involved in this entire operation," Asakawa states flatly. "You simply happened to end up in these circumstances."
"...Right." I roll my eyes as I take another bite.
Right now, Sable Veil are all riding along the back of Kalcifer, the kobold that everyone loves. He somehow manages to fit four people despite being no larger than a lion. Also, he's more or less moving at a slower pace, allowing me—the SLAVE— to walk along with the rest of the group. Behind us are the Varos townsfolk, following us. We're more or less leading a herd of people back home.
Right now, the area is quite lively, with many talking to each other.
"—Man! When I get home, my wife's going to kill me!"
"—Your husband's probably waiting, isn't he?"
"—Check this scar out!"
The speech is accompanied by the sounds of nearly hundreds of footsteps. It's actually been quite a while since I've been among such a crowd of people. I'm not introverted or anything, but it's a little surprising.
My gaze travels along a slope, absorbing the mercenaries form into my retina. I then turn back, gazing at the people behind me.
I can't help feel conflicted.
Are they only helping these people because they're the ones paying them?
If that wasn't the case, what would happen instead? Would they have abandoned them, leaving them to their fates? Of course, asking such a question would probably offend Sable Veil, so I might have to take this qualm to the grave. But isn't that the core of mercenaries? Morals bought by the material.
Am I wrong for pondering this question?
After a while, I can finally see light spilling out of a cluster of trees, which are all seemingly framed by the golden light. Behind that is surely Varos. Just beyond that hill that leads into the open.
After reaching the top of the hill, the kobold suddenly halts in its tracks, prompting everyone following it to mirror the movement. Kors, who had been at the front, turns around. He then proceeds to cup his hands over his mouth. (He doesn't have a mouth).
"Everyone! Gorthro's men are all surrounding the village!"
Gasps erupt from the crowd, and whispering soon entails from the confusion.
"It makes sense," A man next to me says to his contemporary. "That pressure a few days ago was probably felt by the entire country."
His companion nods.
"Not to mention the coliseum being destroyed. The quakes probably set that fat bastard's men on alarm."
That does make sense. I don't get the first guy and what he meant by 'pressure', but I know that coliseum somehow collapsed. Despite being probably hundreds of thousands of feet underground, the structure was still closest to Varos. That begs the question, how big was it?
I sigh. I wonder how we're going to get all these people inside now. That greasy fella's let his goons all over now.
Also, If there are other countries with their armies, would they be interested in the events that occurred? And isn't big Gor a wanted criminal? I'm guessing the armies would arrest him before Sable Veil turns him in, which is a huge loss for them. I think a more favorable outcome would be to somehow capture him before the other guys come, and turn him in.
Sable Veil's whole original goal was to capture him, after all.
Gently squeezing in between the two men in front of me, I scramble up the hill. Arivia is using a strange pair of binoculars to scout out the area, while Navi sits atop of Kalcifer, tapping her saber with her fingers. I quickly avert my eyes from her.
Asakawa leans against a tree, gazing at Kors, who's examining a map of the town in his hands. He's probably looking for an alternative entrance to the town that isn't risky.
As I plant my hand on a nearby tree trunk, the sound of bones cracking reverberate through my body. A shock suddenly exerts its existence, causing me to grit my teeth. I quickly turn around to the spot my hand was at and spot a familiar sight. The same white circle with a skull in the center, smiling at me. Yes, this is a checkpoint.
Did I not have anything saved prior to coming to this point? If I had died, would I have…
No, I can't think about something like that. What matters now is that I've made a new checkpoint. If I die… why am I even thinking about death? That's the last thing to be worrying about. I shake my head and walk towards Kors.
"Entering the town would be far easier if it were just the five of us, but that is not our circumstance at the moment. Right now, the sheer amount of people puts us at a significant disadvantage." He mutters, tapping his jaw.
"The lack of coordination is the biggest problem." Asakawa interjects, leaning over at the map.
"Oh! They've got two Zero View Palisades!" Arivia beams.
"Zero-who-what now?" I ask, walking next to the red haired girl.
"Arcana barrier." She responds, her eyes still focused onto the binoculars. "Gorthro wants perfect control over the town, so he's keeping the Gazers as his guards, while making sure everyone else who isn't affiliated with him is powerless. That's what I think."
Magic barrier. Basic fantasy stuff; anti-magic.
Damn it, I still need a notebook to write all this information down. It's just randomly thrown at me, and I'm expected to understand it. I'll ask more later when I go over this world's rules all together.
Kors stands up from gazing at the map, and heads to Arivia's side. He then gestures for the binoculars, to which Arivia complies. It's actually a surprisingly quick movement.
"...Most of us can't enter due to the fact that we possess Severants or are Thaumites… This is going to be difficult."
"I've got a suggestion."
Everyone turns to me.
"What if I go? I can't use anything, and they won't suspect an average dude to be affiliated with their enemy."
They all glance at each other, taking my words into consideration. Actually, judging by Asakawa and Navi's facial expressions, they're itching to object, but because of the presence of Kors, they're refraining from doing so.
"Thing is, you've got a collar." Arivia points out. "A slave isn't allowed to roam around freely so they'll find that suspicious for sure."
I grab the metal object on my neck, shaking it back and forth. "You're the reason why I've got this in the first place…" I mutter.
"What was that? You want to get shocked, Mr slave?" She says, leaning into me and holding her hand over her ear.
I groan.
"Mr. Slave, you–"
"Why don't you go with him, Arivia?" Kors suddenly interrupts.
"--–Hah!? But–!"
"You aren't actually a Gazer, correct? You'd be able to sneak in, using the pretense of him being your slave."
My eyes widen at the fact of her not being a Gazer, whom of which I presume is the term for someone who can do all the magic stuff. She was using magic, er, Koho, though! She's strong too, I'm sure of it.
"He isn't exactly the strongest of sorts, but I'm sure with your presence, he'll be safe. I'm also very much confident in Kaito's tactical ability."
"Haha, thanks."
While I scratch my head, I can feel Arivia's side eye drilling into my cheek. It really hurts. Is this evil eye?
"Once you enter, the two of you can destroy the ZVP, and allow the rest of us to follow." Kors adds on, crossing his arms. "Though, you shouldn't wait around idly after you destroy it."
"Haaaaa…." Arivia whines, turning to Asakawa, and stumbling towards her like a drunkard. "Asaaaa… I don't wanna go with him, he'll probably do something to me!" She begs, her hands on the other girl's shoulders.
"Since when am I a sexual deviant?!" I yell.
Oops, too loud, I just attracted some eyes in the crowd.
"Look, he interpreted it as something sexual because I'm a beautiful young girl! I probably meant he'd beat me up or something like that!"
"Can a self-description get any more narcistic!? And what do you mean 'probably'!? That entails the fact that you interpreted it the same way as me!!"
"....Psychological abuse! Save meee!"
"Just say you didn't understand what I said!!"
Finally, after the girl's wails are over, Asakawa leans in closer to Arivia and kneels down. She then wipes away one of Arivia's tears, closing her eyes in understanding of her friend's predicament. She's clearly empathetic here.
"Arivia."
"*Sniff* Yes?"
"I understand he is a grimy parasite, monster, as well as a sexual deviant…"
Arivia nods.
"...And that you genuinely fear for your own safety."
I think I'm making a face akin to that of an Easter Island Moyai statue.
"I am your friend, and I would not force you to do something you would hate. That is why…"
A hopeful expression crosses Arivia's features as she looks up. Her friend is truly someone that…
"...Remember my face when he pins you down."
Hates her! That's the end of the sentence!
"She pushed her down!!" I exclaim.
Arivia is swiftly pushed down the hill, letting out a scream as she tumbles away. It's actually not that steep, so I'm not sure why she's reacting this way. Wonders of the world.
I glance at Asakawa, who glances back at me. Her face is utterly devoid of emotion despite betraying her friend. A face that befits a heartless monster like her.
"Y'know, if you're agreeing with me, it's OK to praise me."
The girl nonchalantly raises a hand and points in the direction of the town.
"Go, Grimy sexual monster, before I send you flying."
She combined all the words!
"Yes Ma'am!" I exclaim, throwing myself onto the grass and rolling down the hill.
____________________________________________________________________________
Scattered papers fall to the floor as chaos erupts. The previously ordered room was now nothing more than a messy shadow of its self. And in the center, biting at his nails was none other than…
"Mr. Gorth-er, Mr. Volara,, there is a letter from Captain Soren of the Aegis Corps. He is asking if you are the Mayor of V–"
A glass shatters to Laura's right. The woman had just entered the room, and within a few moments, an object was hurled at her.
Below her, the ground sparkles as light refracts off the broken shards.
Gorthro stands in the center of the room at his desk, a frantic look staining his form. The man's teeth are very much chattering, and what remains of his hair is frizzled in panic. His clothes are unkempt as well, further driving the point that he was panicking, home.
Ever since the quakes had erupted a few days ago, there have been non-stop messages from the outside world. All of which questioned Gorthro's control over the town of Varos. They had all assumed he was the Mayor, and were asking for permission to enter.
The issue was that Gorthro was not, in fact, the Mayor.
What he controlled instead was everything that required a signature.
Varos was positioned between two invaluable assets: a rich gold vein beneath the hills, and a fishing route that fed half the republic of Soraya. Gorthro used his wealth to legally acquire the surrounding land tied to both industries, separating ownership into dozens of registered parcels. Each parcel came with its own entry requirements, fees, and documentation.
On paper, nothing was unreasonable.
In practice, the process was suffocating.
He introduced a regulatory system. There were permits, renewals, inspections. Each one technically optional, yet required to operate without violation. The language was dense, precise, and impenetrable to the average fisherman or miner. Most signed without understanding the long‑term obligations, unaware they were agreeing to restrictions that delayed work, limited output, and put them into a wheel that seemed to never go anywhere.
Productivity collapsed under the weight of compliance. Something that the empty pockets of the townsfolk cried about.
That was when Gorthro presented an alternative.
He proposed a municipal partnership: if Varos recognized him as an administrative authority, he would consolidate oversight and streamline access to the surrounding lands. No more permits, no more inspections. Everything was handled internally and smoothly. The offer was framed as efficiency, not rule. Legally, the town would retain autonomy. Functionally, it would not.
Pressed by dwindling resources, the townspeople agreed. Gorthro became Varos's de facto ruler without ever holding the title.
From there, he enacted exclusive trade contracts. Local merchants were encouraged—then required—to stock approved goods supplied through his channels. The prices were regulated, adjusted gradually under false names labeled market stabilization and Logistical overhead.
By the time residents noticed the cost, they were already contractually bound.
The final measure was enforcement.
Not soldiers, but compliance officers and private security. These were individuals whose authority stemmed from signed agreements rather than violence. Resistance was not punished; it was fined, suspended, or denied access until it ceased.
Legally, Gorthro had done nothing wrong.
Well, perhaps some things were illegal.
Along the process of assimilating into the town, Gorthro's status as a wanted man had returned to gnaw at him. What little constabulary of the Sorayan Republic remained had decided his head was worth the price.
Of course however, the Sorayan Military police were no more than dunderheads attaching themselves to a falling empire, a mere entourage of fanatical miscreants. Funds were lacking clearly within their halls, something that Gorthro had taken advantage of.
Perhaps a few hundred thousand had done the trick, but the constant messages from the MP had halted almost instantly. At this point, Gorthro was a truly free man, free to indulge whatever he pleased.
However right now, at this moment, this was all falling apart.
Not only did he have merciless mercenaries after his head, but men that would raze an entire region's worth of criminals were messaging him. If they found out the true nature of his rule, it was clear justice was to be served.
"Aghh, what do I do, what do I do?"
Despite possessing a mind capable of twisting the legal system to it's limit, Gorthro had wasted his time. He had indulged in his desires: women, food, and pleasure. It was his impotence that had done him in this time.
When in places of power, man will always satiate his pleasures above else. This is something inherently within human nature. Power corrupts, as weakness humbles.
The fat man's neck craned towards Laura, who had been observing him break down.
"Laura… hire more guards! Also, send a letter to Justice Harrington and till him that it is due time for his favor!"
The woman stands in front of the doorway, the sight of her leader being in such a frantic state taking its toll on her.
"What the hell are you doing!? Go, run you bitch!!"
Quickly nodding, the woman swiftly exits the room. With a loud slam, the door shuts closed, causing loose papers to be pushed away from the sudden gust of wind.
Gorthro circles around his desk for the hundredth time, his mind weighed down by the sheer quantity of predicaments he found himself under. His life was at stake right now. Sable Veil was at his doorstep, as well as potentially armies of neighboring Kingdoms.
Suddenly, the doorknob clicks.
The man winces greatly, the end being the only thing on his mind. An assassin had arrived to claim his life.
"Hello, father."
But, to his relief, his son framed the doorway. Samuel Volara. A smiling face was present, yet if one were to carefully examine it, a hint of disgust could be vaguely seen.
Sighing, the man drops onto his seat, which creaks loudly. The weight has also caused it to bend. Rubbing his brow ridge, Gorthro leans backwards in his seat. Perhaps embarrassment was the crux of this motion.
Then, after slowly realizing the smile on his son's face, the man's eyebrows widened.
"Samuel, are you feeling all right?"
Verily, such an expression was exceedingly uncommon on the boy's list of expressions. The act of smiling had only been performed twice in Samuel's life, from what Gorthro had observed. This was most certainly out of the ordinary.
"I am feeling fine, father. In fact, I feel amazing."
The man stared at his son for a moment, attempting to scope out the reason for his clear happiness. However, nothing had returned to the man's mind.
"You seem the opposite, father. You are very clearly stressed out. Are the constant messages tiring you out?"
"Yes, my son—"
Realizing he had utilized the word 'son', Gorthro winced once again. He had forgotten Samuel had heavily disliked that moniker. Unfortunately, his son had despised him to his very core. Gorthro knew the reason very well, however. He was aware of his shortcomings, yet gave himself over to them. A father in name only, a repulsive mirror of the word itself. This was what Gorthro was to Samuel.
Surprisingly however, there was no reaction from the opposite party.
Only the smile prevailed, not faltering in its form.
"The bottom of the hourglass has nearly reached its full, father."
"I know, I know… How about this, head into town, and bring some women back. Preferably, those from outside that are visiting the town."
"Ah, for pleasure reasons?"
"No, not this time. If push comes to shove, I will hold those women as hostages, and demand a ransom. During negotiations, we'll have a time period to slip past and leave this place together."
The boy smiled at his hedonistic father.
"Understood, father."
____________________________________________________________________________
"Why do I always get the short end…?" Arivia pouts as we walk down the conveniently shaped trail towards the city. The sun's now starting to set, causing an orange glow, which merges with the green plains around us. To the right of Varos lies a large expanse of blue, the sea. Also, to it's left and behind it, is a cacophony of mountains that seem to endlessly spiral towards the sky.
I've been here before, but taking in the view feels amazing.
"I mean, you're always acting all upbeat and stuff, so maybe that's why you get picked on."
The girl turns to me, squinting at me, hostile intent clear. Then, after a moment, she disengages with a deep breath. Her movements return to normal as she flicks her hair.
Silence stays for a beat. Silence that I need to break.
"So you're not a Gazer, Arivia? I was always under the impression you were." I say, resting the back of my head on my arms as I walk.
"I'm partially one. I can see the Pattern, but can only manipulate it on a basic level using Koho."
Okay, that's a question I'm going to ask later when I go over the rules of this world. For now, Just nod and say 'yeah.'
"What about your Severant? Wait, is it even one?"
"Well, only a few people call it a Severant. But to me, it is! It cuts through hollow points! But isn't really connected to the Pattern. But it is a powerful weapon! But it doesn't have any releases..."
"Is it one or the other?!"
Arivia closes her eyes and smiles. Her hand drifts to the long sword on her back.
"Don't worry, Johnathan, you're my Severant, no matter what anyone says."
"Who the hell names their sword Johnathan?!"
"Woah! Down there Joseph! He didn't mean it!"
"Is your sword a Joestar!?"
God, playing the straight man is so cumbersome.
Silence returns once again, laughing at my face. Grass rustles in the background, filling the void with empty noise around us. We're still a good distance away from Varos.
"Hm, this is the first time we've been alone together." I say, my eyes directly in front of me.
"..."
I quickly side-eye the girl, only to notice a disgusted look on her features. Her top lip is raised to oblivion and her eyebrows are practically grating against each other. She's creeped out by me.
"Am I a germ to you?!"
Her face suddenly morphs back to its normal shape as she begins giggling. With every movement she makes, her ponytail bobs. She then sighs loudly.
"I'm joking, I'm joking. You've got to have some humor, y'know? If you don't, then people won't really be inclined to hang around you."
"Your humor consists of tormenting me, something I'm not entirely keen on."
"It's all jokes, I'm a naturally expressive person."
"Yeah, I can tell."
Jokes, yeah right. Don't forget what you did to me. Placed a shock collar on my neck and proceeded to taze me. I still remember your words to me.
'Just a tool.'
Yeah, I'll talk to you, joke around, but that doesn't change the way I feel towards you. At the core of it all, I'm trying to slip out of this damned collar around my neck. Every time I think of it, you guys show up in my mind.
Arivia's bright sapphire eyes merge with the color of the sunset's deep orange, twisting into an interfusion that is quite pleasing to the eye. Her hair is a bright fiery red, which contrasts nicely with the rest of her skin. Despite being so expressive all the damn time, her lashes actually curl nicely forwards. I'd be lying if I said her overall facial harmony wasn't good.
She's smiling.
How can she smile? I don't get it. She's the reason why so many things have happened to me in this world, yet she jokes along with me. Doesn't she have any guilt looking at the collar on my neck? How does she talk to me with a straight face? Is this a regular rule of this world?
I don't hate her, I guess I'm just confused. How can she talk so normally with someone like me? She's literally shocked me, and called me a tool, and somehow manages to speak to me like I'm a friend.
I don't get you, Arivia.
I glance back at the girl. Her head is downcast now, as if submerged in deep thought.
"...and if no one likes you, you'll disappear."
"Hm?"
Taking notice of my back channel, the girl suddenly perks her head up.
"It's nothing."
It's clear she said something personal at that moment, so any attempt to pry in further would be beyond my scope. I won't dig in any deeper.
"...."
"Kaito."
"Yo."
I actually realized that this is probably one of the first times she's called me by my name. She's been calling me Mr. Slave since day one, so naturally this surprises me a bit. It's still confusing to me, though.
"You and Navi haven't spoken in a while, right?"
My shoulders tense.
"How can you tell?"
"Navi was always quiet before you came. For some reason, when you showed up, she started talking a bunch."
"I couldn't…."
I notice her hand clenching, before relaxing itself.
"Never mind that. What happened between you two?"
My shoulders tense once again, to my surprise. Or is it really to my surprise? What if I knew exactly what the reason was?
"Nothing happened. We just had a little disagreement with each other, that's all. Besides, she can come to me whenever she wants to make up. Right now, she probably just wants breathing space."
"I see…" The girl mutters.
"I guess that's how Vampyrs are sometimes."
"Calling someone a Vampire because they're grumpy all the time is kinda crazy, but go off."
"It isn't an expression, Navi is a Vampyr."
My mind blanks for a moment.
"Wait, what?"
"Navi Highergald is a Vampire?"
"Navi Highergald is a Vampyr."
I rub my nose with my index and middle fingers, the sudden revelation taking its toll on me. Normally, someone in my position would say something like: 'Ahh, what are you talking about? This is real life, Vampires don't exist! You also said it wrong!'
Too bad I'm in a world where these things are commonplace.
"I recall trying to open the curtains in her room, only for her to close them instantly."
"You were in her room…?"
"She called me."
"Anyway, she's got really pale skin too." I hold my chin. "Also, I knew those bright yellow eyes were anything but normal."
As I process the revelation that Navi is a vampire, Arivia suddenly clenches both sides of her pants' legs. The fabric creates a slight sound as it compresses around her fingers, which move around like small worms.
"How…" She begins.
"..."
She suddenly looks at me, a yearning expression etched on her face. I can see myself in her eyes, a shocked visage on my own facial features.
"...How'd you get her to talk to you?"
There's a yearning look in the girl's eyes.
"—-Huh? You're her friend, aren't you?"
"Oh, yeah. That's right, sorry."
In front of us lies the town of Varos. One big issue however, is the weird looking laser grid thingie separating us from the residence. The devices that are deploying this defense are these strange looking trident-shaped pillars that tower over us.
And in front of the ZVPs are two, what I'm assuming to be, Gazers. One's shirtless, with a skull mask adorning his face, along with a cloak covering what remains of his chest. The strangest aspect of his figure however, is the pair of deer-like antlers sticking out of his skull.
The other's wearing a normal baclava with a tattered hood complementing it. His body's tightly wrapped in a cloak, with occasional body armor pieces tightly pressing down against the cloth.
The skull guy's got a pretty big axe in his offhand. I can't make out the details, but it seems dangerous. As for his buddy, he doesn't seem to have any weapons, so he's probably a Thaumite.
"Oi, you, state your business." The skull guy barks, lifting his axe onto his shoulders. "You've got five seconds 'fore you go home missing an arm." He chuckles as he leans into my face, flicking my forehead.
My head recoils backwards as I grit my teeth.
"I heard Mr. Gorthro was hiring!" Arivia steps up. "I've been searching for a job for a long time, so hearing about this opportunity was really refreshing!"
The hooded man steps closer to the girl.
"Heh, and where'd you float in from, little petal? I think I've got a better job for you, one that'd pay real well. All you've got to use is your body."
His eyes travel across the girl's body.
The girl takes a note of this, before blurting:
"Oh, I already tried getting into wrestling, but it wasn't really my calling!"
She completely misinterpreted the situation!!
Both men's eyes widen, before looking at each other. They're both shocked as to how a girl would misinterpret such a clear-cut invitation. Fixing himself, the hooded man coughs, before looking back at Arivia.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't as surprised.
"All right, you want to get hired by the boss." His eyes move towards the long sword on the girl's back. "First thing: are you a gazer?"
The girl shakes her head side to side, her ponytail bobbing.
"Eh? You want to work for Mr. Gorthro, without being a gazer? What is it that you want to do then?"
"Human resources!!"
You're joining a criminal organization!!
Once again, the two gaze at each other, confused.
Shit, they're going to suspect us. We're going to be caught. Who knows what'll happen then? I need to think of something to say, anything.
It's clear they're going to suspect such a reply. Nobody goes into a Kingpins's territory, and asks to be hired for human resources, that's idiotic! These guys don't care about superficial stuff, or even morals for that matter!
"Woah, this girl's really something…" The skull mask guy whispers into his contemporary's ears.
They're whispering quite loud, actually.
"That's right, she's…"
"Going to be using humans as resources!"
The person who hired these guys was drop-dead drunk!!!
The skull guy nods, before glancing at me. My face suddenly stiffens from the guy's gaze, which seems to be piercing through my face. He's going to ask me something, I know it.
"W-What about this guy? Who's he?"
"My slave!"
"..."
She says it with such a smile on her face, one could hypothetically replace the word 'slave', with 'dog', and would be heart warmed at the sight. I can visibly see the tingle run down the two men's spines. Without a word, they step aside, before rapping their fists against the ZVP's. Footsteps then ring out in succession on the other side.
"Y-You two can go through."
Arivia steps through the grid first, then me. There's a slight feeling of heat on my body as I step through, but it isn't anything too unbearable.
I open my eyes, now inside the town.
The first thing I take note of is the lack of people as compared to last time. There's only a handful walking around. Strangely enough, they've got worried expressions. Also, I take back 'walking' around, they're scurrying, as if avoiding something.
Some plaster their eyes on me and Arivia, and scatter away.
After getting a few steps away from the check point, I place my hands on my chin and take a deep breath. Now, it's time to think. Arivia is mirroring me right now.
"Alright, we're in. But now we've got to figure out how to destroy this thing without attracting attention."
Arivia nods.
"There are two guards behind the ZVP, where we are, and two guards in front of the ZVP. If we try to take out the two guards on our side, the other two in front will eventually notice. This is because they most likely check in with each other periodically. Though, there's a big issue. If we disable the grid, it'll turn off, which'll attract everyone's attention. The only possible solution would be to somehow take out all four guards without anyone noticing. No, the two guards inside are in the peripheral of all the townsfolk, who'd waste no time snitching on us, which isn't their fault. Hm, maybe we–"
"Woah, there's a chick with a huge pair inside that general store!" Arivia suddenly yells in a deep, gravelly voice.
And to my utter bewilderment, shock, and amazement, the guards stampede out of their positions towards said general store, which is to our direct right. Some even climb over each other, the stampede not faltering. Are these guys animals? No, I think the bigger question here is how the hell did that even work?
Well, I guess when you hire a bunch of stray dogs to watch your house, you shouldn't be surprised when someone dangles a piece of meat in front of them. So much for guards, though.
Arivia flicks her ponytail, before walking towards the ZVP.
She then bites into her index finger, before placing her hand on the surface of the ZVP. "Pyraethon-3, Rupture." With that incantation, a small explosion erupts from within the structure, causing the field to flicker off.
The girl then raises her hand towards her mouth, and blows her index finger as if a smoking gun. She's got the definition of a smug face present right now.
"I guess that works." I gawk, looking up at the trident-like structure. The dire circumstances of the situation instantaneously establish their hold over me, causing me to shake my head.
"We should scram though, it won't be good if they see us around." I quickly add.
I spin on my heel towards the town, breaking out into a sprint as the girl follows suit.
"Hah, hah…." I gasp, my hands on my knees. "I think we're a safe distance… away now."
Arivia seems to be unaffected by the intense dash we both just performed. She's busy looking at the town hall. Well, I guess when you're in battles all the time, your stamina doesn't really become a big issue.
Right now, we're only a few meters away from the town hall, which looms over us. It's a white building, and clearly possesses more effort in its structure compared to the other buildings around it. A huge gold dome encapsulates the top, glinting in the setting sun. In front of the building's glass doors stand two guards, or thugs would be a better term, especially judging by their apparel.
I'm going to be honest, looking at this place now, I had initially presumed there to be more people. Yet right now, this place is no more than a ghost town, a shadow of its former self. Gorthro's influence may be the cause.
A kingpin inside a city is never a good thing. He's honestly no different to that of a parasite. He moved in, presumably, and used his funds to slowly assimilate, and ultimately take over this town. Despicable, truly despicable.
Standing up straight, I gaze up at the town hall, my head nearly falling off my shoulders as I attempt to trace along the structure's form. I then take a step forward, heading directly towards the building.
"Alright, it'll probably take a while for everyone else to head here. We've got to do something in the meantime. I don't want to just sit around and wait."
Arivia bobs her head up and down as she follows.
"Are you suggesting we go inside and take Gorthro ourselves?"
I tap my chin.
"Hm, not really what I was suggesting, but…"
"….Well, it's kind of the only thing we can do right now. I'm sure you can handle a couple thugs, right?"
The girl nods.
"But how exactly do you propose going about it?" Arivia muses as she stops walking. "I can just bust inside, really."
"Hmm… that'll attract too much attention."
"—Did you hear? Apparently, they're looking for girls that aren't from around here now…"
A woman a few meters away from me mutters to her companion. She's not doing a very good job of being discreet to be honest. Now that I notice it, there's a multitude of well-dressed women standing outside with their makeup done.
"—I hope I get picked on this time… Last time, I wasn't so lucky."
"—What time do you think he's going to come around?"
Leaning in their general direction, my ears perk up. The words 'looking for girls' is a key factor. Their apparent interest in the building piques my interest further.
"Arivia, I think they're scouting for, well, young women." I whisper, leaning into the girl's ear. "I don't know why exactly, but this is our chance."
"Wah, you're going to sell me out to a greasy old man!?"
I firmly clasp my hands over the girl's mouth, narrowly dodging the terrifying gazes from passerby.
"No, dammit! Think about it, you're not from here, right? If we advertise you as such when whoever scouts comes around, it's a free ticket inside the enemy's base."
I gaze down.
"And if what I think is going to happen, then you'll be in a position to take down Gorthro."
The girl nods, my hand still blocking her mouth. With a sigh, I remove my hand, dropping it to my side. Hopefully she gets the plan by now.
The girl wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, a pout present on her face. Her eyes pierce into mine, causing me to avert my gaze skyward. I groan.
"Sorry, but my public perception was in serious danger there." I sigh.
"Is pinning a girl against a wall not worse?!"
"Aha, sorry again."
She shoots a powerful side-eye towards me, sighs, then turns back to the town hall. "So, should we just wait here until one of these 'scouts' comes around?"
I nod.
My father is a hedonistic man.
He indulges in women, fame, and pleasure.
A morally bankrupt individual.
A parasite.
Yet, despite all these negative aspects, he is my father.
To an outsider, understandably, he would appear as no more than a decadent parasite, a tyrant who oppresses those less financially stable than the likes of himself. A morally corrupt individual who would rather indulge in his own pleasure rather than the pleasure of others.
Yet, once again, he is my father.
My footsteps are simply droplets in the sea of noise that surrounds me. My hands sway from side to side, like a perpetual machine. My eyes examine the figures around me, whom all return their own gazes.
They line up like cattle, waiting. This process is enacted once a month. Where my utterly disgusting father, bored with his own toys, sends me out to search for more.
I disapprove of bringing up this fact, but according to those around me, I am considered to be very handsome. The only similarity I share with my father is my golden blonde hair. Whether this can be seen as a curse or blessing, I cannot tell.
I turn a corner, villagers still staring at me with hopes I may pick them. They assume that I will pick one of them as my bride, and as a result of that, will provide them with a substantial amount of wealth. Though, this excuse can only be exhausted once.
I have traveled through these very streets dozens of times. A small whisper in the back of my mind utters that these people already know what is in store for them, yet choose to feign ignorance. I'd assume the cirrus of poverty would force an individual to make such a drastic decision. This is their opportunity to be granted wealth beyond their imagination.
One may ask the question, why do I aid my father?
Why do I know of the underlying, no overlying issues, yet still proceed with them, as if not a problem?
It is a simple answer.
I do not know.
Perhaps the answer lies within the fact that this man is the only blood relative I know of. I myself am a bastard child of that man, but instead of being tossed away, I was kept. Perhaps that gratitude that lingers is the answer for why I assist my father. There are a multitude of potential answers, but the one singularity within my thought process is:
I will leave this situation one way or another.
Once again, my eyes trace around my surroundings. Today is different. These women aren't here to be toys, they're here to be used as hostages. They aren't even aware of their fate. Look at you all, smiling as if I were an angel taking you to heaven. You don't even know of the hell awaiting you.
"--- Where do you think you're going, gorgeous?"
A voice cuts through the air. It originates from my left. Normally, I would assume that this was something that did not concern me, but it somehow attracts my attention to the point I find my head turning.
To my left is the entrance to an alley, damp and dark, with loose pipes leaking water onto the ground. Trash is scattered across, further emphasizing the dark nature of the alley. What stands in the middle of the alleyway is what attracts my attention.
There is a boy around my age, his hand against the wall, with quite the serious look on his face. Along the wall is a seemingly terrified young girl, whose only way of escape was blocked off from the boy's hand.
The girl herself seems foreign. She's got bright red hair tied in a ponytail, complemented by a set of large sapphire colored eyes. What's quite strange however, is the armor fitted on her figure, which is covered by a white poncho. She's also got a sheathed blade on her back, a weapon that could be utilized in this exact scenario.
The boy however, seems to be the spitting image of a delinquent. He is sporting deep blue slicked back hair in an undercut style. His eyes give the impression of someone extremely lazy, almost seeming as if he were inches away from falling asleep. He is outfitted with something one would see on a peasant; a brown tattered shirt, as well as a pair of dirtied trousers.
"You don't seem like you're from around here. Why don't I give you a little tour?" He gloats.
I notice something on his neck. A circular, ring-like object that's tightly fitted. It's a shock collar.
How peculiar, a slave threatening what I assume to be, a gazer. You don't really see that often. She isn't even bothering to defend herself. The strange insignia on her poncho as well draws my attention.
Suddenly registering my presence, the boy turns in my direction, jerking his head upwards. The right side of his upper lip raises upwards as his eyebrows nearly merge into each other. He then scoffs as he seemingly shuffles towards me.
"Huh? Who the hell are you? Mind yer own business, pretty boy." He snarls. His body leans closer with every word, pushing his boundaries.
"I ain't seen this girl 'round here before, so she's mine, ya hear? Now piss off!"
Strangely enough, despite being antagonized by the boy moments earlier, the girl is awfully close behind him, peeking at me. Does she assume I can't see her?
"Ah, I apologize for interrupting such a lovely couple."
He completely misinterpreted the situation!!
"If it doesn't bother you, I'd like to join Sable Veil."
Arivia looks at me, dumbfounded.
I look at Arivia, gobsmacked.