Chapter 12 -- The town of flaming rocks

AIO: If I get bombed, will someone finish my story?

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The morning day.

The three had slept somewhat comfortably in a spot nearby with the help of blankets supplied by Reach.

Thorn once again slept upright - a position she has favoured for quite some time. On this occasion it was cross-legged, however.

The blanket atop her silver armour perhaps redundant.

The three remained in their same outfits from the previous night, which were not overly dirty by any means.

Reach looked upward as he packed away the blankets.

Reach: "The sky is still fire red."

...

Reach: "It must not fade with the sunrise."

Thorn: "It's probably normal for this area."

Reach continued and seemingly pulled out a three-course meal from his bag.

Tomo: "O-Oi! What's with the stupid bag space??"

Reach: "Hm?"

Thorn ate several of the delicately-salted plants and drank a warm drink.

Thorn: "Mm. Not bad."

Reach: "Yep."

Tomo: ...

Reach ate a large orange bean, which appeared hard on the outside but was relatively soft within.

Tomo: H-He doesn't even realise...

...

Tomo: This man has a second disease... Infinite baggage!!!

- - - -

The three continued on their walk after breakfast.

Tomo swapped his beanie for a brown hat - the weather a bit warmer today.

Thorn noticed Reach swallow pain killers.

Thorn: ...

Thorn: "How did you get those pain killers?"

Thorn: "From William?"

...

Reach: "No, a travelling merchant, oddly enough."

Thorn: "I see."

Reach: "The Peaceful Retire: Undying isn't known for its shopping goods. In fact, it's not really known at all."

Tomo: Hm?

Reach: "Every few years or so, a merchant would visit. And unlike most visitors, they actually came to the quiet house on the outskirts."

Reach: "They were reputable and had trust from the townsfolk."

...

Reach: "Perhaps all it took was one look at me to offer pain relief."

Thorn: ...

...

Reach: "Luckily, I was able to buy a great quantity with the funds Dad left."

Thorn: Those funds weren't his savings by any chance?

Reach: "The merchant also informed me of other locations where I could restock. Which is convenient for the nature of our fellowship."

Tomo: "What if you run out?"

Reach softly clenched his fist.

Reach: "Doesn't matter."

Reach: "It's just relief, after all."

Tomo: ...

The three stepped up and over a notable dirt incline.

Thorn was the first to see ahead.

Thorn: ...

Thorn: "A town."

Tomo and Reach turned their gaze, and elevated their chins...

They could make it out from afar.

A town built upon a giant dirt cylinder that rose high into the air.

Tomo: "Wow.."

...

Vague traces of flickering light viewable to the naked eye. The town itself appeared almost discoloured.

Reach became quickly attracted by the sheer volume of mass. An overwhelming size comparable to the collective trees of Greenland of Envy: New Beginnings.

He decisively spoke.

Reach: "Let’s go."

The three uniformly approached at ground level.

They noticed the frequency of black rocks and pebbles increase as they got closer.

No greenery was in sight, in any direction.

Reach: "I wonder what kind of place it is."

Tomo: "It looks harmonious. Maybe it’s filled with temples."

Reach: ...

They eventually arrived at a series of thin bridges that surrounded the entire dirt cylinder.

Each bridge extended upward - forming a connection between the ground and the town’s surface.

Reach inspected one of the bridges.

It was incredibly bare-boned, consisting of deteriorated wooden planks and flimsy rope.

Reach: It could break any second. How cliche..

Many bridges were no longer functional, and some lay collapsed nearby.

Thorn: "Alright. Up we go."

Tomo: ...

Tomo: "What if we fall?"

Reach pulled Tomo along.

Reach: "Then we fall."

Tomo: ...

Reach: "Something like that won’t kill us."

Tomo: "You mean something like that won’t kill you two."

The three slowly ascended.

Tomo held onto Reach with one hand and his hat with the other.

Both the sky and horizon became more tranquil as they climbed. The scenery vindictive yet pure.

The bridge rocked and rattled - much to Tomo’s displeasure.

But they did indeed, arrive at the top.

...

They hopped onto the breathtaking base of dirt.

This enormous land which housed a town significantly larger than The Peaceful Retire: Undying.

Reach: ...

The buildings were mostly small, but widespread.

Reach, Tomo, and Thorn could not see beyond the first few rows.

The buildings were predominantly dark in nature. The town depicted in an overall bleak manner.

Tomo: "Ooh."

Perhaps the most compelling feature of all, was the abundance of a gentle maroon light that encompassed the whole town.

More specifically, they were maroon flames.

Tomo: "That's so... Pretty."

Maroon flames uniquely ignited on rocks. Scattered throughout the town and along its border.

It was unclear whether the rocks themselves were actually maroon.

And not one rock seemed to be extinguished, apparently.

Thorn: "Interesting."

Thorn paused for a moment.

Thorn: "Haha."

...

...

Thorn: "I sense... People."

Before them was a tall black entryway, when a man revealed himself to be standing on top of it.

The man wore a yellow mask and had drool flowing down his neck.

????: "Fresh... Meat."

Reach: ...

A second man in white leapt from behind one of the maroon flames.

Thorn: ...

KABOOM.

The man in white barely made it halfway to Thorn before exploding in a dazzling blaze.

????: ?!

Thorn: ...

Tomo: W-

A third man appeared from around a corner, who had thrown some sort of flaming object.

The man in the yellow mask pulled out a mace and sprung towards the new invader.

CHINK.

Both their necks get lacerated.

...

A woman stood with black hair and teal tips.

She held a blunt grey blade, soaked in blood.

Her outfit a combination of blackened spikes and garments.

????: "Ahahah."

Thorn: ...

Tomo: M... Maybe this one's nice...

...

The woman swung her blade, flicking the blood in Thorn's direction.

????: "Hey. You."

Thorn: ?

The woman looked at Thorn with her own green eyes.

Veronica: "I'm Veronica."

Veronica: "And I'm the top around here."

Thorn coughed.

Thorn: "The top... Huh?"

...

Thorn: "So the top..."

Thorn grinned.

Thorn: "...Can't even reach my feet?"

Veronica chuckled.

Veronica: "Kah!"

Veronica: "That settles it. You’re next."

Tomo glanced around for any other possible attackers.

Tomo: "Th-This place is not harmonious!!!"

Reach: "Haha. Looks that way."

Veronica lifted her arms in the air, blade still in hand.

Veronica: "This is the place of chaos and fear!!"

Veronica: "This is Fleeting Maroon: Seamless Potential!!!"

[Chapter 12 -- End]