Chapter 18: Moving mountains

Our next quest didn't start right away. Mr. Voice told us where the mountain was, surprisingly it wasn't too far from another city so we could re supply. Yet, when our conversation ended, we didn't even leave the area where we called Mr. Voice. Instead, our party set up camp and a small bonfire. Exhaustion wasn't even the word, I think we were all just...defeated. What was our mission here? Our quest seemed to scream failure before it even began. It reminded me when you enter a dungeon in a RPG and it says its ten times higher than your level. You assume you can conquer it and make get good loot or EXP only to discover the game wasn't lying...it just leads to your death. 

"I'm going to turn in...goodnight." Mateo was the first to leave the bonfire leaving Thalia, Alna and myself. I don't blame him for his reaction, he was insulted by Mr. Voice and like us, he was probably not in the best mindset. 

"Mizuki...do we have a chance?" Thalia looked at me as she asked that question out of the blue shattering our silence. Since we met her, Thalia's face always concealed an older woman's, trapped by time. Now, she looked like a young teen...truly lost and without faith.

"I truly don't know..." I said not looking  at her but at the bonfire, watching the flames dance upwards into the night sky.

"That's...terrifying." Thalia sat back and once more went silent. I looked over to Alna...she was smiling despite our reactions?

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yes...I know neither one of you believe it but I think we can defeat Slain." Alna stood up quickly and pumped her arms into the sky. Her tail standing up and moving about behind her.

"We can?" Thalia and me responded in unison.

"Of course. We have you Mizuki!" 

"Me? What can I do?"

"Simple, you are the hero...the hero who will guide us to victory." Alna's smile grew and I was mystified. How could she have so much reckless faith in me? 

"I agree with Alna...I too believe we can win because of Mizuki." Thalia's smile returned to her face. I was the only one with a grimace that seemed frozen in time. 

"I want to have that same belief you two have in me...I really do. Yet, all I can do for now is keep pushing forward." I looked at both the women in my team and forced a smile. Underneath the smile though was anything but joy.

After a few more hours of silence, we all went to bed. Despite my lack of energy, I barely slept. I tossed and turned on my small bed created by our sarcastic and rude Mateo and I kept thinking. Eventually though, sleep did arrive...albeit briefly.

We started our long trek North. Alna didn't know much about this area saying she had never been this far from Elysium or Yonderdale. However, Mr. Voice had said in his very vague direction, that it wouldn't take us more than a day to reach the next city, Enders. Mr. Voice as per usual wasn't wrong. Our walk led us to a paved highway of stone and rocks. In the distance, a small city that looked alive from a distance appeared...the city of Enders.

"Halt! Who approaches!?" Two guards met us at the gate, similar to Yonderdale, this city was surrounded by a small makeshift wall but unlike Alna's city, this one was well maintained and sturdy. These guards too had a stronger look and tone to them. Both carrying medium sized swords that reminded me of the ones gladiators used from Ancient Rome. 

"We are here just for supplies and direction if possible." Thalia took charge being the most eloquent of our group. I could see the guards not too imposed by her size or age.

"Hmmm...do any of you carry weapons?" One of the guards asked.

"No." Thalia lied but they didn't need to know our weapons could be summoned at will.

"Fine, you can rest and re supply for a few days. On the morning of the third day, you four must leave or else we will throw you out ourselves. The guards put their swords away and allowed us in. 

"That was quick thinking." I said to our smaller hero.

"They weren't that bright. I figured keep it simple and we could enter. Telling them we were heroes to fight Slain could have caused...issues."

"Yeah, I don't believe it and I'm following you guys to do it." Mateo joked but Alna punched him in the gut. For the first time in a bit, we all laughed...Mateo not so much but he did crack a rarely seen smile. 

Unlike Elysium, Enders was prosperous. The buildings here weren't anything as large as the ones from Yonderdale but more people were walking about in what looked to be a central market. We didn't have money but Alna had secretly kept some of the limbs from the enemies we had felled a while back and she had planned to find a place we could sell them for money. I asked a few of the townsfolk and they pointed us to a local guild.

"This place reminds me of a video game..." I kept my head on a swivel looking around everywhere. 

"A video game?" Alna walked closely to me wondering what I had said.

"Ohhh in my world its a type of game we can play." I know many would hate that explanation but for Alna it was enough to keep her mind interested and not keep pushing for more detail. I didn't mind talking to Alna mind you but I remember every time I mentioned something from my world she would go on a tangent asking me every detail she could...I was a bit too tired for that. 

The guild in Enders was easily the nicest building I had seen since coming to Armata. At least three stories tall with ornate windows and a rustic design, this place felt like it was made with a purpose. Mateo didn't follow us in and decided to wait outside, that just left us three to enter.

Quickly, I saw why Mateo didn't want to enter. Almost like an anime, the guild itself was filled with rough looking people. Several were carrying large weapons, one the size of the dude's body. When we entered, they all stopped talking and stared at us. 

"Welcome...can I help you?" A young man, who barely stood over the large desk in the back of the entrance tried to get our attention. Despite the stares, we walked towards him.

"Hello, we'd like to sell some monster wares if possible." Alna pulled out a bag full of random limbs and monster pieces...some I swear we didn't fight but apparently she had with her since leaving her home.

"Ohhh nice assortment...you three don't belong to the guild I presume?" the small man, whose hair was quite long and unkempt smiled.

"No, we just entered the city for supplies and to sell these." I responded. 

"Ahh okay, we can't offer the same exchange rate as if you were a guild member but we can still buy them for a decent amount I think. Give me a few minutes." He took the items and ran to a backroom leaving us three still be stared at. 

"These men lack manners." Thalia said. Observing a few men staring harder at us...

"Agree...but let's keep to ourselves and..." Alna was cut off when one of the men approached us. He was a burly man, bald, thick mustache and an axe that was double sided. He looked like a lumberjack who used steroids.

"Hey there, a cat-woman. We don't see many of your species here." The axe wielder said with a wicked smile. His eyes examining every inch of Alna. I won't lie, while Alna and I weren't a thing I found myself quickly becoming agitated from his gaze at her body. 

"Yeah...I can see why. This place lacks any reason for one of my kind to be here." Alna blankly stated.

"Ohhh she's got a mouth on her cute body. Say what else does that mouth do?" Another man approached, like the axe wielder, he was the one carrying the gigantic sword that barely looked like a sword...more like a hunk of metal...

"She is kind of hot, hey why not join our party, ditch this scrawny dude and kid." The man with the giant sword spoke now, I couldn't tell his features as much as he was wearing think armor and a big helmet. But judging from the curves of his armor, he was built like the bald man.

"How about you two walk away before we push you mountain-like men away." Alna said, her claws slowly extending. Yet, I also began to notice her arms bulking a bit...

"Alna...don't lose it here..." I touched her back but she move towards the two men. Clearly, Alna wasn't listening. 

"Ohhh...a pretty looking cat-woman and a tough one! How about we show you two men who are the top of the guild here in Enders?" The man with the axe went to grab Alna's wrist but this time, I stepped in.

"Back off." I said as I got in front of Alna. I looked back and saw her form seemed to reduce a bit. 

"Finally, the weakling speaks. Buddy...let us have the girl and you guys can sell your wares." despite not wanting to show it off in Enders, I summoned my katana and pulled it out.

"How about I dice you two into pieces and sell those to the guild? I bet they will be more valuable than you two are." I was surprised I was talking like this. Where was this bravado coming from? 

"Okay now I'm pissed off. Sure, let's see what you can do with that dinky sword!" The axe man took a large swing at me but I easily blocked it. Still, the impact of his sword versus mine wasn't without a consequence, I felt it reverb in my bones. The sword man also took a swing, his swing was quick despite the weight of that blade. I didn't deflect it, knowing what that would do to my body but instead I jumped back. It was good to see Alna's training was beginning to help my body move in a proper way. 

"Bastard isn't a push over Grem." The swordman said to the other.

"I can see that Majin." So I now had names for them, Grem and Majin.

"Enough of this." Thalia stepped in front of me and the others. 

"What are you going to do little girl?" Grem said about to move in towards her.

"This." Suddenly Thalia summoned a wand, one that screamed a witch, long but made of an old looking wood of some sort. She then began to chant. 

"Wait you can use magic?" I stammered surprised, my sword still ready to guard if need be.

"Watch..." Thalia continued to chant.

"Little girl, we aren't going to wait for..." 

"Illusion!" Suddenly a bright light erupted from Thalia's wand and hit both Grem and Majin in the eyes. They stood for a second and seemed unfazed by whatever Thalia just unleashed.

"Thalia...I don't think it worked." 

"Watch you silly hero. I can't cast powerful magic or do much but I do have some tricks." a small smile crept on her face.

"What...are you!?" Majin dropped his large weapon and fell on his behind...looking at us like we had grown fifty limbs.

"Ahhhh they are beasts...let's leave!" Grem grabbed his friend and they both ran out of the guild, leaving everyone still there confused at why the two strongest just left in utter fear. 

"What...just happened?" Alna said literally what I was thinking.

"Illusion magic, when I tried awakening myself this is what I gained. I can cast illusions on people and they last...for quite a while." Thalia seemed proud of herself. 

"Is everything okay?" Mateo came in after seeing the two giants run out, we filled him in quickly.

"I'm sorry Alna...I didn't want a repeat of your awakening session...plus they really pissed me off." Alna just shook her head.

"Thank you Mizuki...you saved me again." she then surprised all of us by kissing my cheek.  My face turned beet red, the other two though smiled as if watching something dramatic.

"Aww, Alna and Mizuki. Our two lovebirds." Mateo rolled his eyes.

"You two should really keep those showings of affection in more private rooms." Thalia leered.

"Wait...it wasn't a big deal right Alna?" I looked over to her but she just kept smiling.