The Mechanical City

I entered the castle and searched for the king. No one tried to stop me and I think that's because my last visit here. But I think this says more about the king than about me.

I found a big room with a throne at its end and of course he was there. He wasn't happy to see me again.

"What do you want now? Also, can you not enter my castle looking like a peasant?"

"Are the real you really this rude? Not that I care, to be honest."

"Hmph. A true king must not fear anyone, not even the gods."

I wonder how can someone like this be a king in the first place? Also, going against a god would be stupid and reckless. Someone like Unkladesh could bring this castle down without moving a finger. I fear what this guy can do to Trasinto.

"I need to know more about the other relics related to me. You must know something about their location or any useful information."

"Hm? What about the Sword of Essence?"

"..."

I felt myself frowning.

"What? Have you not found it? Wait, your face... Have you lost the Sword of Essence?!"

Azotto almost shouted at me, as if he was mad or something. He surely doesn't know how bad this will end if he goes on with his voice tone. I put a hand on my sword, Astra.

"I asked you a question, you better answer it."

The guards in the room readied themselves to act, but with a single stare they backed down.

"...Very well, I shall say what I know."

"You should have done this from the beginning."

He looked at me frustrated and angry, but it doesn't matter.

"The Rainbow Pentagon. Legends say it's located in Kitturo, the mechanical city. I'm not sure about the other one, though."

The Rainbow Pentagon, huh? Feels familiar, but I can't quite remember anything about it.

"How do I get to Kitturo, then?"

"Do you have amnesia or something? You should know about Kitturo. That place is no good."

This guy... He is not really wrong, but the way he talks just makes me want to dethrone him.

"Listen, don't make me draw my sword. Just answer whatever I ask. This will be my final warning."

Surprisingly, he didn't seem to care about what I just said.

"Just go north from here, you will be there eventually. Just look for giant blue walls and there is your city. But be warned, Kitturo is having a bad time right now. I heard the nations of Huamu and Yrellus just joined their forces to try to destroy Kitturo."

"What? Why?"

"Kitturo is a unique city, they are on a technology level no other place in Havell can match. And no one there seem to want to share this knowledge, so Kitturo started being seem as an enemy by other nations... But everything there is made of suram, including their giant walls. This makes Kitturo a place impossible to invade."

Seems I have trouble ahead.

"What's suram?"

"It's a rare ore that is almost unbreakable and flexible at the same time. A good blade made of suram could easily cut through a normal armor. Most people don't even know it exists. Actually, I heard a blacksmith from here just sold a few pieces of magic-infused suram, she must have money for a few centuries now."

Wait, don't tell me... Is he talking about Micca? It must be. So, is my armor made of this rare ore?

"I see."

Having heard what I needed to know, I turned back and started walking to the exit.

"Are you finally leaving my town?"

As soon as I heard that, I drew my sword and slashed the air. A wind knife-like attack flew in the direction of Azotto and before he could react, his crown was cut in two. Everyone in the room was shocked.

"I'm going, but I'll be back. Thanks for the information."

I left the castle.

Using my wind powers, I flew out of the town to the north.

I believe my destiny is beyond those rock formations.

Huge plains extended before my eyes and on the horizon there was several giant rock formations that looked like animal fangs. The wind hitting my face felt nice since I was not flying at high speeds. 

Amuronakia must be heading to Kitturo, I'm sure of it. I can't let him get any more relics...

Gloomy thoughts started to appear in my head. 

I am a demigod. The warrior of justice. I have the power to subjugate any human. Obtaining full control over my elemental powers must be enough to make this mission easy.

The rock formations were already getting closer.

But... A war, huh? I was not expecting that. I guess humans are still humans in this world... Always opting for destruction over anything else if this benefits them. However, with the way I am now, surely...

"...ra."

"Huh?"

"Kiara!"

I stopped flying and landed above one of the rock fangs. I got the shell from my bag.

"Micca?"

"Ah, it works!"

Of course it does.

"Are you already out of Trasinto?"

"Yeah. I'm heading to Kirutto. I think I'm getting close to it."

Looking at the horizon, I see a big, blue line. I believe it's the city's wall.

"WHAT?! A-Already?! You were here an hour or so ago..."

"Well, I was flying."

"I see. You are really incredible, Kiara. But I'm also good in my own way! Just you wait to see the armor I'm making!"

"Hoho, I expect something greater than the one I was using before. You know, the one made by the Goddess of Death herself."

"Eeeh, now you are putting to much expectation in me! I could never match a god's skills!"

"Haha, I'm just kidding. So, why have you called me?"

"Hm? Ah, I was just seeing if this shell would work... Sorry..."

"Don't worry. You can call me whenever you feel like it. I may be fighting some god or other beings, though."

"Alright! I'm sure you'll be fine! I'll go back to work now so...bye bye!"

"See you."

I put the shell back inside my bag and looked at the horizon again.

"Well then, let's keep going...huh?"

Something just entered my field of vision... It was a flying animal.

Is that a bird?

The thing looked like a big blue heron. It had four wings, long feathers in its heard that looked like a long hair and its paws looked scaly like a reptile. Its eyes were scarlet and the silver beak was curved down. The bird flew the sky above me for a few seconds and went in the direction of the city. I soon lost sight of it.

That's the first animal I saw in Havell. I wonder what it was...

Finally, I started flying again.

It took me an hour flying until I arrived in Kirutto.

I was not expecting what I saw. When I arrived at Trasinto, I didn't feel like I was in an other world. That town looked kinda familiar to some places back on Earth. But this place...

When I arrived at the city, the first thing that caught my attention was the wall. It was dark blue and...insanely big. Like, one kilometer tall.

This was not made by human hands.

That's the first certainty I had.

When I landed on the top of the wall and took a look at the city, I found out more surprises were coming. The entire city looked like it was made of suram. The houses, the ground, the floating lantern-like objects that were lighting up the city... The houses even had different color patterns. A section of the city only had red houses, an other section had green houses and there were one more with yellow ones. There were a lot of houses with the same color as this wall, but they were spread all over the city. Parts of the ground were brown, parts were orange or grey. Everything looked like it was made of crystal.

So this is Kirutto...

I could see a lot of people walking around the city. It didn't feel like they were in war times. But then again, as Azotto said, I don't think any human or any army could break these walls. Although that also means no one could enter or leave Kirutto.

I should seek an entrance anyway.

I could just enter the city from the sky, but I prefer to do this the normal way if it's possible.

Flying around for a bit, I found a big gate, but no guards in front of it. I decided to land on the ground and stop in front of the gates.

What now?

While looking around to see if I could do something, I heard a sound. The gates shined and started to open slowly.

"Oh..."

I immediately saw a lot of people from inside the city looking at me open mouthed. That was akward.

I guess I should enter.

There were guards inside the city, when they saw me crossing the gates, they started to get nervous. As soon as I entered the city, the gates closed.

It's...not operated by humans at all...

"S-State your name and your business!"

The guy clearly are not used to receive a visit.

"I am Kiarathyto, I came for the Rainbow Pentagon."

"W-What?!"

Everyone near the area panicked when they heard my introduction. That may be because I'm not wearing any armor and my hair was still untied, so they didn't recognized me. Or maybe it's just that shocking to say I want the Rainbow Pentagon.

"Y-You may seek the counselor, he'll know how to deal with you..."

"Is that so? Where can I find him?"

"Look for the pink house in the center of the city, that's where he works. There's just one pink house so..."

"I see. By the way, did anyone came to this city recently?"

"...Of course not."

Yeah, just as I thought. It'll be hard fo Amuronakia to enter this fortress.

"Thanks. I'll seek this counselor of yours."

I decided to go there walking so I could see more of the city. It's really a beautiful place, but I don't know if it's practical. I mean, it may be the case I'm just not used enough with this to understand. I can see why it's called "the mechanical" city, though. The doors just slide to the side automatically when someone stops right in front of it. Some parts of the roads work like an escalator and then there's the floating lanterns. How can a city made of an ore look like a city that came out of a strange science fiction?

After a few minutes walking, I stopped at one escalator road thing and it took me to the downtown area. Like the guard said, I easily spotted the right place. It was a big pink building. I stood in front of it and the door opened. Inside the place looked like a library, but instead of books there were stone tablets. At the center of this place was a counter and behind it a man. He was alone in this place, he had a long, luminous blue hair and scarlet eyes. A combination I had seen before.

It's just too much of a coincidence to really be just a coincidence.

He looked like immersed reading some stone tablets that also were made of the same suram I'm seeing everywhere.

"Are you the counselor of this city?"

He took his eyes off the stone tablet in his hand, looked at me and smiled.

"I was waiting for your arrival, Kiarathyto. Waiting too long, to be honest."

Is he also someone from Kiarathyto's past? Ugh, that just makes things harder for me.

"When I saw you on the summit near the city I thought I was delusional haha. It's good to have you back in Kirutto."

"...It's good to be back, I think."

"I was preparing everything for you."

"Preparing?"

"About the locations of the Rainbow Pentagon and the Site of the Farewell Wails." 

So he already knew what I came to do here?

"Why are you doing this?"

"It is all according to Memurio's orders."

"Memurio..."

"Yes. The God of the Lands and a old friend of yours. He is the one who transformed Kirutto in what it is now. He protects everyone here. Though you left before he did any of this, I'm sure you remember him, right?"

No.

"Yes...Although my memories are not that reliable right now."

"Hmm, I guess you are quite different from the Kiarathyto I knew. That explains it. But I'm sure you still remember our promise."

"Promise?"

"Of course. You once said you would marry me when you came back, after all."

"What?"

"Haha, I'm just kidding. This never happened."

?? What is this guy on about? Does he have a death wish or something? He may be handsome, but my interest in him went from zero to minus infinity. He must have sensed my not so friendly aura, because he soon started to talk again.

"Anyway, let me introduce myself formally once again, after all these centuries. I am Jyuurin, the counselor of Kirutto and a demigod like you. I'm here to help you retrieve your relic."

"That's why you can take the form of an animal, huh."

"Yes. My father Rayuuran was the God of Disaster, but my mother Telena was human. I despise him with all my soul, that's why I prefer to stay in my human form. I was really glad when I met you and found out someone like me, a divine being who favors the humans more than anything."

"..."

I'm not sure I agree with that. If there was a God of Disaster, that god certainly would be called humanity.

"Sorry, I started rambling out of nowhere. In any case, I'll guide you to the mines."

"The mines?"

"That's where the Rainbow Pentagon is located, together with Memurio."

"I never thought a god would reside inside the mines..."

"Well, wait until you see it with your own eyes. That place is quite something haha."

He left the counter and went to the door, so I followed him.

We walked side by side through the streets.

"How does this city work?"

"..."

I asked out of curiosity, but received no answer.

"Jyuurin?"

"Well... Since Memurio decided to create this...paradise where all citizen remains untouched forever, things changed a lot. Everyone just lives their lives the way Memurio want them to live. Every house is given by Memurio himself. The different sections separate those who contribute more from those who contribute less to the city. Those from the red houses barely help the city to strive and those from the yellow houses are the one who contribute the most. The green section are for the ones who helps other people with social work. By the way, the blue houses are the free ones, eventually they will be occupied by someone."

"Doesn't this segregation just disturb the coexistence of each group?"

Everything sounds so simple, but I doubt those sections are in good terms.

"Unfortunately, you can't expect much from a god. Memurio's intentions are pure and he is indeed benevolent, but... He just can't understand how society works. How humans work."

"I guess... It's thanks to him this city was still not engulfed by the flames of war though, right?"

"...That's right. When I saw you before, I was surveying the region. There are two armed forces coming to Kirutto right now. They want all the technological knowledge Memurio has and they also want all the suram from here. This ore is almost impossible to find anywhere in this world and that's because this is not a normal ore... It's an ore created by Memurio himself."

That's why everything here is made of suram. And also why this ore is so powerful.

"What about the Rainbow Pentagon? I can't seem to remember quite well what purpose it had..."

"The Rainbow Pentagon is a relic said to have the power to manifest phisically the will of its bearer. Some say it's capable of changing reality itself, others say it can even bring the death back. What I know for sure is that you used it to create the Crystal Cemetery of the Immaterial... That was the last place you went before disappearing. And now you are back."

The last place Kiarathyto went before...Before I became her...

"Are you restless? Does that place brings some bad memories to you?"

"Kind of... But I'm fine."

"Good. And we just arrived at the mines."

At the end of the city, there was a tunnel. The entrance of the mines was actually a big hole in the walls. Seems like there is a cave just beyond this side of the walls.

"I'm afraid you'll be on your own now as I still have things to do."

"If the Rainbow Pentagon are really inside the mines, I'll find it."

"Of course. Just be cautious since there's a powerful guardian inside. He'll not let anyone reach Memurio or the relic."

"Alright, thanks."

"You're welcome, Kiarathyto. Good luck."

With a smile on his face, Jyuurin left the place. Now alone, I looked at the mines' entrance.

I will get the Rainbow Pentagon.

My mind was resolute.