Mecia

The 30-year war twisted not only the lands of Eingefroren and Biester, but also that of the other kingdom's lands. The war ravaged the land and sea in their conquest. One of these lands was Mecia, the city that borders the great desert and the Steel Kingdom, Feuersthal. As the artificers mitigated in use of the relics, Mecia slowly turned into "the city of endless tears", a place where the sun never rose, forever doused with rain. Even after five years, the scars of spirit abuse never faded.

The royal excavation team casually marched towards Mecia the morning after Calvin was given the order to return.. Aided by the Artifact Glyfaginning's murmur, the group was shielded from the city's conditions. The surrounding area was damp, but stable to walk on. The water from Mecia is drained onto the desert's boundary, producing a lush forest and a Marsh on the other. The team looked more like a group of traveling nomads; livestock and cargo as baggages. Their clothes did no better, being suited for the desert hell and even the harshest sandstorm.

"Set up camp here. Do not try to build a fire." Calvin stressed. "If you're cold, use spirits inside your tents."

"Sir!" the whole team followed.

The team worked like ants. Every baggage was accounted.Their small numbers, with their even smaller number of Livestock were grouped and pitched separate tents, and the members changed to their rainwear. Calvin walked to the camp's center; took his artifact out and browsed the ancient text, about half his size. He then raised his left arm and mumbled a passage from it.

The barrier slowly melted around the camp, eventually shrinking to protect only the artificer. Mist immediately invaded, and water started to gently ticker every surface. The artifice seemed out of breath after his spell.

"I'd like to check on something. Do not enter the city until I come back." Calvin ordered, upon reaching the gates.

"Sir, you don't look so good." a member raised his concern. The others agreed as well.

"Priscilla Alour, Monde Cormantio and Rawe Neunauge." Calvin called out.

Two young, scrawny members stood up, bearing the insignia of the Feuerstahl academia, went to answer the call. Monde and Rawe are new recruits personally selected by Calvin himself.

"Sir!" The two trainees anxiously greeted, backs straightened and glistening eyes.

One teenager smaller than the recruits stood up upon hearing her name. Clad in armor and a crest of the Alour family; an Edelweiss.

"Sir." Priscilla greeted casually.

"You three" Calvin paused. He took one last look at the camp. "With me."

The four proceeded to the city's gates. The city was mostly made of stone, and there was no lights. Not the commons, not the higher classes. Rain and thunder were the only sound.

Calvin personally led his team; he extended his barrier to them as they approached the inner walls. The rain poured more violently as they proceeded to the city's commons, although there was no wind whatsoever.

"Priscilla, you've noticed it, haven't you?" Calvin said, giving out a sigh. "You two." Calvin turned his head to a building on his right. "Look at this." he pointed at the windows.

A brilliant stroke of lightning illuminated the building, lasting a few seconds. Monde immediately took the chance to look inside from where he was standing, though the window was large enough to see a large portion of the living room, he could only view a portion of it because of the distance.

"Sir, I don't see anyth-" Monde was cut short.

*bleargh*

Monde's heart faltered and made him waste his breakfast. Knees weakened at the sight inside: corpses removed of their skins, left to rot. A large serving of what seemed to be innards, half eaten by some creature, and limbs torn, some hung in the most careless way, displayed. a shadowy figure was at the center, bathed in lush, crimson liquid.

Rawe was late to act to Calvin's instructions. After seeing the weakened Monde made him think twice, curiosity or no. He approached to get a glimpse, and stepped up closer than Monde did.

The only thing he saw was a creature. It turned its head; Rawe got its attention. It shuddered as it turned. It breathed heavily, only releasing a scream as it leapt and dashed, maw opened, saw-teeth ready to kill, and screeching as it approached the voyeur. Emerging death made Rawe fall down to his butt, paler than Monde in comparison.

"Wha-?!" Rawe squealed. "Run!!" He shouted, squirming to get away from the creature.

"You're cruel, Calvin..." Priscilla sighed. "...Sir." She delayed, remembering her place.

She approached the victims of Calvin's cruelty, rubbed Monde's back to ascertain if he was still able to go, and helped Rawe to his feet. Stricken with fear, the two breathed heavily.

The figure that horrified Rawe made its way out, shattering the window from where it was seen, broke the walls and gazed with indiscernible bloodlust. Tr creature remained unscathed an in a maddened frenzy. Upon noticing the threat, Priscilla gathered her spiritual power, and swiftly threw a bolt of white spiritual energy directly at the monster's head. The monster staggered, screeching in pain as it slowly melted its flesh. The monster's head melted before the party's eyes, eventually reaching its neck. Losing its energy to fight, it knelt down, and fell to its side. The monster slowly faded from reality. No melted flesh at the floor. No blood splattered. No Corpse to prove the kill.

"what....?" Monde was puzzled.

Calvin knelt on one knee. Fatigue has gotten to him. The two recruits immediately came to his aid and Priscilla surveyed the area instead. The two lifted him slowly with his shoulders but could not fully stand due to stress, and instead stood back arched, both hands to his knees, supporting him.

"What you're seeing is a manifestation of someone -or something's memory." Said Priscilla. "You see, -we- are REALLY welcome here."

There was no trace of the monster's exit. The window was fixed, and there was no broken wall.

"Ha...ahhahaha....ahahahahaha!" Calvin bursted in maniacal laughter, one hand to his forehead. He managed to divert the three's attention to him. He still looked pale, but rejuvenated.

"S...Sir Calvin?!" Rowe panicked. The two recruits ran to Priscilla.

The air changed. The barrier surrounding them immediately dissipated as Calvin cackled, soaking the other three. Instead of a barrier, a veil of steam enveloped him; incoming droplets vaporized as it came down near Calvin. Both his hands softly glowed in white light, and within seconds, energized and sparking. The Grimore did so as well, softly humming as if activating on its will.

Priscilla grasped the situation. She pulled out her weapon, a dagger connected to a very thin, long chain link, resembling a whip. The dagger dangled as she went into stance. The chains made no sound as it rattled.

"Rowe, Monde, stay back." She readied herself for a confrontation.

Calvin threw a large, condensed ball of energy from his hands directly aimed at his allies. The three were quick to respond, as they dodged to the sides, Priscilla to the left, and the others right. As the ball travelled, its trail left residual energy shaped like tiny balls of fire floating in mid-air, never doused by the rain. The ball itself hit several buildings inside the city, but unlike Priscilla's, Calvin's assault did not allow regeneration.

"Why is Sir Calvin attacking us?! Monde shouted

"Is he insane?!" Rowe followed.

The smoke from the rubble took time to settle. Priscilla quickly stood up to her feet, only to feel another surge of spiritual energy emerging from the impact. The dust was only about to settle when another ball was flung at Priscilla's direction, but this time, yellow. She dodged again, reuniting herself with the other two.

"I am NOT target practice!" Priscilla shouted in annoyance.

The bolt curved, and aimed itself at Calvin. Calvin deflected the bolt using his hands filled with spiraling spirit energy, to one side.

"I know that power." Calvin grinned viciously. "You think I wouldn't notice?"