Citizens of Gold

How many days was it? We wandered that forest, never being able to catch or find food. Eventually, I recognized a path. The path, which I had only traveled once before, had been used to reach the temple of our god, the god of seas. We followed that path and eventually arrived at the shrine.

(The next part is unreadable.)

We traveled toward the setting sun. Mother had once told me to follow it to reach the royal capital. Eventually, we reached a cliff that gave us a view. From as far as we could see, the entire country had been sunken beneath the sea. I burn with rage at the memory. You simply cried then.

We spent days traveling, doing our best to swim through the water despite our fear of what was beneath the surface.

That year we traveled, I shall never forget.

Let's reminisce soon, Lunia.

-Excerpt from the recovered journal of Absalon Ramorski.

♕♛♕♛♕♛♕

The steel sliced clean through the accordion like flesh despite its considerable dullness and large dent.

Hiiro slashed through the monsters with ease. Setting aside his overwhelming Pneuma Ability, Hiiro’s swordsmanship was still wet behind the ears. In terms of technique, the average guard would beat Hiiro nine times out of ten. His ability is what allows him to compete at levels higher than his, a clear example being his fight against the thief.

“Kiru!” Hiiro shouts, slicing an elongated bear clean in half, its dark crimson blood, mixed with spots of a deep purple, gushed onto the street beneath him.

The monsters had reached halfway down the long main street, their grotesque forms already overtaken the Laden inn, which they had previously eaten at. Hiiro peers into the horde that covers the wide street, appearing as impassable as the cliff behind him.

“Kiru!” The slash cuts through another deer monster, severing its head from its body, its antlers falling to the ground with a clink. My ability only lets me cut one at a time… Im going to have to swing a thou-

“H- Hel-p” A sudden noise enters Hiiro’s ears. His eyes immediately latch onto the source, a small girl, copper color hair and two cat ears of the same color protruding from her head. Isn't she..?

With Hiiro distracted, he failed to respond to the small green creature with a mushroom on its head sneaking up behind him. With a shortsword, covered in blood, it swipes at hiiro’s back.

“Shi-!”

““Glacio!”” A feminine shout rings in his ears. From the drains on both sides of the street, water quickly shoots toward the small green goblin. With a Ting, the ice freezes both the sword and the goblin in its tracks.

“You idiot! If you die, they'll kill me!” Eris, who had finally caught up, yelled towards him.

“Eris! The girl!” Hiiro points towards the girl, who was caught in between the Laden inn and the monsters.

Eris, noticing the girl, quickly runs in her direction. She lowers her body, placing her palm on the cold brick road.

““Saxum!”” Eris calls out, multiple drill like rocks rising from the ground. Rotating at a speed that makes the multiple colored rock appear one shade, they fly towards the monsters surrounding the small girl.

Gyaaa

Multiple monstrous wails ring out as the monsters fall onto the street.

“Hey!” Eris calls out, grabbing the small girl. The Inn keeper's daughter?!

Eris recognized the small girl, she had taken their plates before they had left to search for tickets.

“Hey!” Eris called out again, the girl laying lifeless in her arms. Blood seeped through her basic uniform from her abdomen. “Shit!” Eris immediately placed her palm above the wound and thought to herself-

–

The wide expanse spread out in front of them, empty of any visual cues. The neither white nor black nor any color void seemed to shimmer as a voice rang out.

“***************************”

The voice did not pronounce any words. The sound of rain mixed with the noise cackling of fire. The chime of a light wind turned into the crumbling of rocks. These sounds ring through the indescribable void before them. And yet, the meaning seeps into their mind.

“I ask for the power to heal this girl!” They call out to the void

“***************************”

“Please-”

The void gained color, black and white, purples and blues, greens and yellows, oranges and reds. THey knew they would not remember this place as it became the world around them. The void of lost time and memories once again disappeared as their word rang out-

–

““Sano!”” A warmth appeared beneath her palm, spreading to the girl's wound.

“Eris!” Hiiro's shout reaches her ears. Looking towards him, she realizes that the monsters were approaching the two of them. I can't stop healing! Shit, this is bad!

Hiiro was in a very similar position. His power was equipped for a one on one, much less a horde. The monster's numbers had not diminished and continued to push toward the square. Hiiro was surrounded and unable to move.

“No-!”

“Tch.” The clicking of a tongue interjects among the roars of the monstrosities. A small figure jumps into the air, a broadsword over twice the figures size swings in an elegant arch.

Shing-

In an instant, nearly half of the visible monsters' top halves fall to the ground. Landing on the ground, the short, one cat eared shop keeper carefully sets the tip of his broadsword on the ground.

Similarly, a black figure appears in front of Eris, their black suit matching their dark hair.

“Miss-”

“...I'll help.” Uda Wrobel says as a swiping kick knocks the heads of five monsters off of their body.

♕♛♕♛♕♛♕

The situation on the South-East street had not been faring much better.

Helia had been doing her best, and had killed many monsters, however their numbers did not seem to diminish.

“Haah-hah.” Letting out deep breaths, Helia looks at the ever present horde in front of her. Unlike the ability that demon has, mine is much more focused on agility. Not quite the best in this situation.

Helia’s Pneuma gave her the ability to switch places with whatever she made eye-contact with. Whether as part of the ability, or due to her extended use of it, she would not get sick by the sudden change in location, unlike her target.

The monsters continued to march forward, a bear suddenly charges forward, elongating its claw to strike Helia.

It’s eyes..! Crap, Its claw is blocking it! I can’t dodge in time!

““Sink”” A boyish voice calls out.

Simultaneously, a spear implants itself in the claw of the bear.

““Kidlat!”” A man with chestnut hair surrounding his face, and in a dark blue robe shouts as the smell of grilled meat spreads from the bear.

The monsters behind the bear all freeze, unable to continue their advance.

“I thought you weren’t going to help?” Helia asks the silver haired man, Osmond.

“Well… I can’t just get involved in matters of the Merchant city… But if a student were in trouble! Then I could!” Osmond says with a smirk.

The frozen monsters slowly sink into the ground, their figures disappearing beneath the earth.

♕♛♕♛♕♛♕

So what should I do now..? Neia Sampsa thinks to themself, staring at the monsters descending the North-west street. I agreed and all, but…

Their multicolored eyes stared at the horde, then turned to look back at the crowd.

Too many people… Ugh.

“What. To. Do…?” Their Heterochromatic eyes glared at the monsters, who paid it no mind. Am I going to have to use that? Would spells like that work on monsters? Maybe I should just…

Their eyes caught sight of the quaint shop, whose sign had been placed in front of the window. That empty apothecaries with the old lady that had helped them so much.

“Tch.” They reach their hand out in front of them, pointing their ten digits toward the horde of monsters.

“Oh so-”

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” A loud shout assails them.

Turning toward the shout, a large carriage, one large horse pulling it, speeds towards them.

“Wha!” They can’t help but scream as they jump to the side.

The carriage races towards the large horde, at speeds that rip the cloth cover.

A blond haired man fiddles with the latches of the horse and detaches them. He then jumps onto the muscular horse, shouting: “THE KINGS CHARIOT WON’T BE STOPPED.”

The horse jumps to the side with the man on its back. The carriage racing toward the monsters. Helplessly, several Deer monsters are crushed by the car of wood and steel.

Crushiiiiing-

The sound as wood snaps apart and shrapnel implanted in monsters explodes. However, the king's chariot was not done, the next instant a sizzling sound rings out.

BOOOOOM

A harsh light explodes from the carriage. For a moment, Neia’s vision is incapable of seing the outcome. As their eyes adjust, they see that the spot where the carriage had crashed had been replaced by a crater spanning edge to edge of the street.

“Wha!? Was that Gila-”

“Close!” The blond haired man, with scrapes and bruises covering his tan skin, responds. “It was actually the Nicte Flower! A close relative!”

“...” Neia looks at the man. “What are you doing? You aren’t a combatant are you?”

“Nope! But what kinda person would let children fight for their city!” As the man answered, the sound of footsteps interjected from behind. Looking, Neia sees a large gathering of people in light armor and weapons.

“This is our city! We won't let these stupid beasts destroy it!” Pavel yells.

From each of the major streets, crowds of people approach the hordes. In near unison, he crowds shout-

“SCREW OFF!”