Volume 01 - Chapter 4: Roar of the Orphaned Beast (Part 04)

Our retreat proceeds without issue. After a short distance, the horde stops and won’t move any closer, as if they ran into an invisible wall. But we keep running. Heavy rain falls from the mass of dark clouds carpeting the sky, drenching us. Mizuka and Koishi complain, but it helps wash the gallons of blood off my body and the girl’s. She enjoys the rain, pirouetting and splashing handfuls over her smiling face.

We beeline for the first tent we encounter, a small square-shaped one with a pointed roof.

“Get inside already.” Mizuka waves at me and the girl.

“I’m coming.” I pant, sword ponderous in my aching hand.

As I enter, Koishi barrels at me, demanding I return Caliburn.

“What for? I don’t mind holding it.”

“That’s not it…Please, just hand it over.” Concern taints her cloudy emerald eyes.

I obey. She mumbles, and it flashes bright blue before disappearing. I start to question her, but my voice fails as my whole body erupts in pain and I collapse.

“Leo!” Both girls collect me from the floor and prop me up in a chair.

“What’s…wrong with me?” I wheeze like those monsters.

“I’m so sorry, Leo. Everything’s my fault.” Koishi searches for a moment before finding and taking some medical supplies from a table to my left.

She bandages my arm, hands shaking. The fat gash stopped bleeding during our retreat but reopened when I fell, dousing my arm red again. Once she finishes tying off the gauze, she turns her palms to my wound and whispers in Sabigo. A hazy white light envelops my arm. Warm and soothing. Mizuka mumbles the spell she shouted earlier. A small flame appears in her hand and she uses it to light a pair of oil lamps atop the table.

“…The curse, is it?” Mizuka stares, entranced by the red-haired girl, still dancing in the rain.

“No, that will…never mind. What’s currently wrong with Leo is his body is paying the price for wielding Caliburn.”

Koishi apologizes for not warning me beforehand that her sword was going to boost my combat abilities beyond my physical capabilities. The sword being light and easy to use, my having the dexterity and stamina to run laps around those monsters, and why I felt I’d had years of sword practice was all because of Caliburn’s power. Power fueled by my myra and Koishi’s, shared by an invisible leash connecting us while I wield Caliburn. Which explains why Mizuka’s spell failed. The myra she would’ve normally borrowed from me was being used to power Caliburn.

As for why I’m suffering, the singular cause is that my body couldn’t account for my boosted abilities. Because my body couldn’t tell what pain I was causing it or what muscles I was tearing, my numbed nerves didn’t stop me from performing otherwise dangerous actions.

Running, jumping, and swinging swords are not movements my body is used to performing, nor can perform as many times as I did without severe pain and long-lasting soreness as payment. I won’t die, but moving will hurt for a while.

“He just needs to rest?”

“Yes. He should return to normal after a few days.”

“A few days?” Mizuka whips around, glaring. “We’re collecting my fragment tonight.”

“M-Master, I’m sorry, but that’s impossible. Leo needs to rest,” mutters Koishi, head bowed.

“…Very well, but for only a few hours.”

“That’s not…Can we not wait until tomorrow?”

“Don’t worry, Koishi…an hour is all I need.” And all we can afford, considering what I promised the girl. What bloody fate awaits should I break our promise—I don’t care to imagine.

“Leo, you can’t—”

“No, really…I’m fine. Thanks for watching out for me.” The eldest of my sisters, Sumire, and Koishi are two of a kind. Caring for me and the other siblings when we caught cold or were injured, forever smiling, never complaining…

“You swear?” She holds my wrist, hanging limp at my side.

“I do.”

“He’ll be fine. Even if he isn’t, you can give him your sword again, and he’ll be good as new.”

“…If that’s what it takes.” So I say, but my aching bones and boiling brain disagree.

Koishi shakes her head, tears forming, but doesn’t argue any further. Mizuka sighs and turns to the girl.

She stands still, head to the sky as raindrops pound her solemn face. The bloodthirsty beast from before has vanished, unveiling yet another beautiful girl in her place. Not a typical beauty, but one of the same sort as Mizuka and Koishi. Precious. Meant to be treasured, locked away, protected from a single glance by the unworthy.

“She’s like you, isn’t she, Mizuka?”

“Most likely. Her myra is more diminished than Koishi’s was when we first met her, but I know this girl. We’ve never met, yet I can tell we’re connected.” Sorrow creeps into her voice as she shivers, rubbing her hands near the lamp.

“Me too.” Koishi wraps her arms around herself. “The closer I am to her, the heavier the empty feeling in my chest grows…”

We watch in silence, hoping she’ll come inside but not wanting to disrupt the peaceful aura surrounding her motionless figure. Koishi finds several clean rags, handing one to Mizuka, and offers to wipe the rain off me. Ears burning at the thought, I try to take it from her but find I can’t even lift my arm.

She moves from my legs to my arms, carefully collecting any loose droplets, thinking nothing of it. Conversely, I can only bear to watch through squinted eyes. Finished, she roughs up my hair with the half-soaked rag, running her hand through it a few times, combing it back down with long, well-kept nails.

She dries herself off, her snow-white skin twice as mesmerizing in the dull, yellow lamplight. The way she slightly lifts her clothes and twists her body doubles my already racing pulse.

“Idiot.” Mizuka bops me on the head before stomping to the entrance. “Why don’t you join us?” She asks the girl, her tone shifting sugary sweet.

The girl turns and stretches her arms forward as she enters. The rain washed away most of the monsters’ blood, revealing her tight, olive skin; immaculate despite her time on the battlefield. Sleek, russet hair clings to her soaking wet body, running to the center of her back. Her monochrome, combat-oriented outfit leaves little to the imagination.

A vest covered in pockets masks her white tank top, which conceals a third of her torso. Super short shorts cling to her hips, while black bands wrap around her right thigh and both ankles. Shoes dyed the same deep red as her hair are unlike any I’ve seen. They are small and offer little protection, made solely for running. Her generous cleavage, tight stomach, and taut thighs aggravate the pounding in my head. Her singular soft attributes are her pale blue eyes. Icy, yet betraying a trace of ennui beneath her fierce exterior.

“Who are you?” She pops her neck.

“Travelers.” Mizuka steps in front of me and Koishi. “We’re searching for something.”

“Here? What?”

“Before I answer, I want you to take my hand.” Mizuka extends her hand, the girl tensing up as she does.

“Why?”

“You’ll understand when you do.”

“Pass. I got no reason to trust a bunch of cowards.”

“C-Coward? I am no such thing. The only coward here is this idiot who can’t even dry himself off.”

“Says our pitiful master, who can’t cast a single spell.” My retort results in another head bopping.

The girl laughs, but soon stops, glaring hard.

“Never mind, then. I’d tell you what we’re searching for, but I don’t know in what form it might’ve manifested. Although, it’s likely a sword.”

“A sword…?” She clutches her vest. “Near these mines?”

“Without a doubt. If monsters exist in this era, my fragments are responsible.”

“What? Are you saying you’re the cause of those beast children?”

“Not exactly. If you would take my hand, there’d be no need for explanations.”

“…Fine. But if you try anything funny, I won’t hesitate to tear you in two.” She approaches, towering over Mizuka.

“Yes, yes.” Unfazed, Mizuka extends her hand again.

The girl takes it after a long pause, nose twitching. They stand in silence, the girl’s eyes closing despite her attempts to keep them open. Koishi steps forward, taking their free hands into hers, forming a triangle. A topaz radiance surrounds them, and the girl gasps.

“…I know you.”

“Of course. You’re a part of me.” Mizuka releases them, and the girl stumbles backwards, gripping her upper left arm.

“Impossible…no, we’re connected in some way, but the connection is…faint.”

“Quite, but only because you are incomplete.”

“That’s—oh, something is…”

“Missing, right?”

The girl nods, opening and closing her hands.

“You needn’t worry. That’s what we’ve come to resolve. Now, I may be wasting my time asking, but would you tell us your name? I’m Mizuka. These two are my servants,” she points at us, “Leo and Koishi.”

“Sure, nice to meet you and all that.” She snaps up straight, arms flat at her sides. “I have no formal name but am called Wolf by my comrades and employers.” She bows deep, hair falling.

“Wolf…a pleasure to meet you.” Mizuka returns her bow. “Can I assume your lack of name is due to having no memories?”

“How did you…No, you would know. Yes, my only memories are of the past three years.”

“And you’re clueless as to where you came from or what drove you to this place, correct?”

“Yea, but nothing drove me here or whatever. I came for a job.”

Mizuka raises an eyebrow.

“You know, to kill those monsters? I figured that’s why you three came, but I guess not.”

“We only recently heard about one monster. I wasn’t expecting an army.”

“Me neither. The contract only mentioned the Downer, as they call it, nothing about its children.”

“…Something’s making those things?” I sit up straight.

“Maybe, maybe not,” she starts, propping up her ample chest with folded arms.

A week ago, Hleigar’s city council posted a contract for the extermination of a creature they dubbed the ‘Downer’. Wolf, being in Dragonwall, saw it on a job board and accepted it that instant, the reward being far greater than any other available job. And this morning, after a week of traveling, she arrived in Hleigar. Grilling the villagers didn’t elicit many answers, so she went to the abandoned mines at sunset. Seconds before entering, those monsters ambushed her. She’d already been fighting for several hours when we arrived.

She thinks those monsters, the Wheezers, as I suggest calling them, are the Downer’s children because they’re similar in appearance to the villagers’ descriptions of the Downer. Green, black, and slimy. At least, such is what the villagers think they witnessed. No one claims to have come face to face with the Downer, but many have caught glimpses while working near or in the mines. And if there are an infinite number of Wheezers, the logical conclusion would be they have some parent monster producing them.

“Then if we defeat this Downer, no more Wheezers?”

“Ideally. I’m bored of killing those things. It’s too easy.” Wolf’s mad grin makes my skin crawl.

“If you don’t mind, we’ll be joining you on this job of yours.” Mizuka smiles, hands on her hips.

“I do. Based on your earlier performance, you’ll only get in my way. I’ll stick to working alone.”

“E-Excuse me? I may not possess my full power but am strong enough to deal with a monster or two.”

“There are thousands. Forget it. A job like this is too dangerous for amateurs. Besides, one of you can hardly sit up.” She peers my way, shaking her head the same way my father often did—in disappointment.

“Got a problem with me?”

“With you? No, it just never ceases to amaze me how weak the men are from outside the capital.” She clicks her tongue.

“Weak? What do you know—”

“Look at yourself. The simple act of running around while whimpering like a child has left you half-dead, lying there like a sack of rotting grain. If that’s not weak, I don’t know what is.”

That shuts me up. She’s right. I’m no stronger than an infant. If not for Caliburn, I’d have died a hundred times over.

“Enough.” Mizuka shields me with an arm. “He may be no warrior now, but he’ll change. I nabbed him off a farm but a week ago. Today was the first time he’s ever held a sword.”

Stop. Don’t speak for me. Don’t make excuses for me. I’m weak because I chose to laze about and not take anything seriously.

“Whatever. I’m going to deal with the Downer. I’ll come back when it’s done. You can tell me more about our connection then.”

She heads for the entrance, but Mizuka stops her by grabbing her well-toned arm.

“My politeness does not extend far, girl. We’re coming with you whether you like it or not.”

“I’ll do as I please.” She tries to shake off Mizuka.

“No, you’re going to sit and wait until my servant can move again.”

“W-Why should I?” Unable to break free, she stares at her arm with a snarl.

“Because a weakling like you can’t break through that mass of Wheezers, much less find and defeat the Downer.” She smirks, snorting a laugh.

“Take it back.”

“What?”

“I’m no weakling. Take it back.”

“I refuse. You are but a piece of myself—a thing. And as most of your original power is missing, you are but a fragment of a fragment—tiny and weak.”

She emphasizes the last word, returning Wolf’s enraged glare. They stand rock solid for several long seconds before Wolf clicks her tongue.

“Fine. I’ll wait. But don’t think we’re friends. I’m only putting up with you so I can figure out who I am. Got it?”

Shrugging, Mizuka releases her, finds a chair, and crosses her legs. Koishi drags her seat close to mine, visibly unnerved by the tense atmosphere. Wolf plops into a corner chair, facing us, legs spread like a man would sit.

“You said something about the capital,” I say, hoping to clear the air. “Were you living in Dragonwall?”

Wolf rolls her eyes. “Not Halivaara’s capital. Avelhum’s.”

“Y-You’re from Avelhum City?!” Pain keeps me from flying from my chair.

“…Is that really so amazing?”

“For me. I’ve never met anyone from Avelhum. Do you…no, forget it.”

“Out with it.”

“R-Right…could you tell me about the capital, what it’s like, what kind of people live there, what the King’s castle looks like—”

“Slow down. I only spent about a year there, so don’t mistake me for a tour guide.” She scratches her cheek with a long, jagged fingernail.

“I’ll gladly listen to the tiniest detail.” I often asked the traveling merchants who passed through my village for books on Avelhum, but by the time they reached me, they’d sold out. Not surprising, considering how far they traveled. The province of Avelhum comprises the northern part of Seiren, its capital city near the top along the coastline.

“…I suppose a story or two will make all this waiting less miserable.” She breathes deep, placing her hands on her lap.

With blunt vocabulary and no emotion behind her purely factual details, she discusses various aspects of Avelhum. Its many unique shops, houses of varying color and design, cobblestone streets, a massive wall surrounding the city, and several other sights beyond my imagination.

I take a million mental notes, but as Wolf says, there’s nothing like seeing the city for myself. The constant noise, swathes of people traversing the streets all at once; a place wholly unlike that of any Halivaara farming village.

Wolf also slips in tidbits about her past. Of how she awoke in the capital three years ago, much like Koishi—alone, penniless, and hungry. An enclave of homeless people living on the outskirts of the city offered her a helping hand, feeding her and making her some clothes.

One day, the Royal Guard raided the abandoned mansion they called home and tried to evict them. Wolf beat them all to a pulp with her bare hands, thereby discovering her tremendous strength.

This led to her arrest, but rather than imprison her, the judge sentenced her to community service performing dangerous jobs the guards didn’t care to handle.

Clearing them all with ease, she determined to become a mercenary, taking on as many dangerous contracts as possible. Not that there were many spare a guild of thieves inside the capital and a few bandit gangs in the nearby settlements. Despite that, she raised a small fortune in addition to completing her sentence.

She used her earnings to buy a home for those who had helped her and left Avelhum, mostly due to a lack of work. The Guard begged her to stay and join them or at least King Asterkane’s private army, but she declined, wanting to travel across Seiren.

Before she left, they gave her the name Wolf in honor of her bravery and the way she always worked alone. I imagine they intentionally failed to mention her animal-like ferocity…

“Then I went south through the other provinces, taking on whatever jobs were available. There aren’t many out here in the sticks, but Dragonwall has some good ones on occasion. That said, this is the first I’ve heard of something so dangerous in Halivaara.” Wolf stretches her arms high and produces an unintended yawn, covering her mouth in a hurry.

Mizuka grins, trying not to laugh. “And nothing compelled you to Hleigar?”

“N-Never…well, I might’ve told you a tiny lie earlier.” She looks to the floor, the red on her cheeks melding with the lamplight. “Before I came here, I’d honestly never felt anything pulling me anywhere. I went wherever I wanted of my own will, but the second I entered Hleigar, a sort of heavy weight sank in my chest. A voice keeps whispering in my head to hurry and find the Downer.” She grips her arms tight, trembling.

“…Interesting.” Mizuka frowns, poking her nose.

“Enough about me. You done resting?” Wolf turns her nose up at me.

“Of course,” I lie, forcing myself to stand, legs firm as curdled milk.

“Then let’s end this already.” She stands, boxes the air.

“Leo.” Koishi places a hand against my back. “Are you sure you’re well?”

I lean close. “Not even a little. But if you let me use Caliburn again, I’ll survive.”

“I won’t. If you use it again without letting your current injuries heal, you’ll wind up worse off than you are now.”

“If that’s the price I must pay for my weakness, so be it.”

“Listen to me. Your physical injuries will be nothing compared to—”

“You guys coming or not?” Wolf jogs in place by the entrance.

“Give us a minute.” I face Koishi. “Please, let me use your sword.” I grip her shoulders as she refuses to face me.

“Is that an order?”

“Just do as he asks, Koishi. He’ll be fine.” Mizuka picks at her fingernails, standing beside Wolf.

“No. Unless he orders me, I won’t do it.” She puffs her cheeks.

“Koishi, I don’t want to order you around.”

“And I don’t want to see you suffer. If you’re truly ashamed of your weakness, be a man and give me an order.” She traps me with her intense gaze.

I grip her shoulders tight and pull her close. “Give me your sword. Rather, give me my sword.”

Cheeks ablaze, Koishi forms her goofy grin, Mizuka sighs while shaking her head, and Wolf whistles.

“Yes, Master.” She motions for me to take her hand and raise the other, like we did earlier.

She whispers the same string of words in Sabigo. Without my having to say anything, Caliburn appears in my hand, its sapphire glow back in full. My pain evaporates. I almost thank Koishi, but don’t. She wouldn’t like that. Eyes spinning, she stumbles over to Mizuka.

“About time. We’re leaving.” Mizuka grabs an oil lamp before exiting the tent.

Wolf and Koishi follow. After some quick stretches, I grab the other lamp and head outside. The sky ran dry, but clouds remain, leaving a humid darkness. I try to imagine how I’ll handle my inevitable injuries but can only dwell on the monsters we’re about to confront. I might not live long enough to worry about any injuries…