At 5 A.M. Bill fires up from his bed for he can no longer control his excitement of what await him.
A MAM workshop class! a chance to use MAM for real at last.
Even with last night restless sleep won't stop Bill from getting his hand on one today.
To Bill surprise Calamity is already up and dress even though he told them yesterday that he don’t have class today.
“Early bird get the worm but you guy are not bird...” Josh complain barely open his eye to look at Calamity and Bill.
“It’s a habit from work” said Bill as he think of himself and his mother who must work from dawn till dusk or risk skip meals.
Unlike Bill Calamity doesn’t share his reason but Bill just go shower and dress up.
“So where are you going today?” Bill ask when he see Calamity is leaving their room.
“Stadium”
“ok” Bill wave bye to him not sure how much he should be friendly with this wolf.
Looking back in the room he can see Josh sleeping so Bill get his bag with MAM inside then quietly head out.
The city at dawn are covered in cold dark gloom, only here below in the street where lamp lit along the road does Bill feel the warmth of safety. A lone owl fly above in the cool wind as Bill races alone to find a path to his dream.
A thin fog that cloak Bill sight fade as he arrives closer to street lamp power by magic which reveal a path to walk in a small garden.
Compare to his old neighborhood Bill feel quite safe here on the school ground and with this refreshingly clean air of dew he can breathe in as deep as he want and will only feel better for it.
“What a calm plaza I didn’t know that a silent can be so much rewarding” once again Bill can’t stop but compare his life in New Terra with city of Alana.
How can it be so different? Doesn't this city built by human too? Bill question and wonder how does a city govern by one man can be so much better than a republic.
He don’t know at all how this city was run or built. He heard a tale of a Chief who run this city from top of white tower and a tale of ant being great architect, perhaps it was them who built this city but he is certain that it’s human who built the power line that connect all these street lamp and home allowing it to light up by both electricity and magic. He keep ponder until he reach MAM workshop.
“This is going to be the best day of my life” Bill extend his hand to open a door and intend to explore every floor until class start.
Click..click
“Lock? But the workshop should already be open?”
Bill then spot a paper on notice board which read
“All MAM class are postpone for today, Professor Roy was asked to assist in investigation of yesterday accident”
A cold wind blast Bill by as he stood in shock and dazzle.
“This can’t be happening...Dam that bomb! What am I supposed to do now?”
In his hopelessness Bill sit in the garden until the sun rise and start to wandering around without goal onto the street where people return.
Seeing all kind of new food, clothes and specialized MAM for other purpose than production line does brighten up Bill mood a bit but then he would see a core price that sink his hope back in to the abyss.
Even the cheapest one on the street would cost from 50,000-90,000 Nil. He didn’t even dare to enter a MAM shop which sell premium core fearing it would give him a panic attack.
‘How can I afford magic when I can barely afford food.’
He’ll be back to check out all these shop has to offer one day...just not now. Now he need to worry about how to afford a core to be able to study with his MAM.
It was around noon that Bill spot Calamity, who also spot Bill back but hesitate whether to approach Bill or pretend not to see him.
“Calamity I thought you will be at the stadium today?” Bill walk up to Calamity first.
“I did but got bore so I come check the bomb site instead”
“Really? Got any luck? All the road there were block I can’t get close at all”
“Well there is one place I was heading next, it was on the roof of hospital we should be able to see it from up there” Calamity point to the hospital on the right.
“Lead the way”
As they are walking a wolf in robe walk pass them by making Bill wonder “So Calamity I was wondering...do you believed in god?”
Calamity surprise at the question but still answer “Not really”
“I see” Bill nod.
He understand people like Calamity somewhat, there are human like Calamity too who do not believed in an existent of god.
“My religion also kinda don’t believed in god too but we still have some concept of sin” since Calamity answer about his believed Bill decide to share his as well.
Calamity turn to look at Bill and give a nod back.
At this moment Bill feel like understanding Calamity more but they didn’t speak to each other again until they reach the rooftop.
When they open a door on the roof the two found that Eirian is already there.
“Oh, Hello Calamity, Bill” Eirian turn to greet them.
“What are you doing here?”
“The same reason you two are here I presume” Eirian think of the most logical possibility.
“The bomb”
Eirian nod.
As they watch from above the warehouse look rather small but they can see from up here that a bomb cause the whole warehouse to collapse.
“The bomb seem to come from underground” Eirian comment.
“One of the ant tunnel teacher talk about maybe?” said Bill.
“It could be an accident but it doesn’t make sense to close all the road like this, not to mention all the restriction and guard”
“Professor Roy was asked to help with investigation too my class was postpone today.”
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“Yes, a normal accident wouldn’t need a war veteran help” Eirian starting to think of many reason that would align with the city guard reaction but none fit the profile.
“I smell meat when I was walking around, the illegal kind” said Calamity.
“Maybe it was a meat in the warehouse that got burn in the fire?” Bill suggest.
“No, I think it was human, goat and maybe even Amiel, one that I can sniff out anyway” said Calamity.
“You know what a roast Amiel smell like?” Eirian turn to Calamity imply hostility in his eyes but also a tint of curiosity.
“Well Calamity does really have good nose right” Bill try to interject fearing something would happen.
“A dog nose yes” said Eirian in complement tone.
“Thank” Calamity accept.
Bil is quite certain that Calamity didn’t catch Eirian meaning.
“Stop!” a sound shout from the wall caught attention of trio.
There was a blue jay with a camera attach to her leg trying to fly over a warehouse. A few guard is trying to stop her.
One of the guard spot our trio on the roof and shout as he chase the blue jay “You three get out of there too don’t make us kick you out”
“Let’s us go for now” Eirian lead three of them down and out of hospital to where no guard will disturb them.
“From what we can gather so far it seem this accident was caused by meat trafficker if Calamity word can be trusted” said Eirian.
“I don’t give false information” said Calamity.
“Why would a meat trafficker set bomb in a warehouse?” asked Bill.
“Could be to escape from the city guard, cover their track or even destroy evident. We’ll have to investigate inside the warehouse to know more”
As Bill listen to Eirian plan of how to get pass the guard he starting to wish they would stop and go spend their afternoon with something more safe like eating.
From Bill experience these thing usually involve bribe and corruption which will lead to death or disappearance of people who don’t know their place in New Terra.
And as much as Bill would love to know who responsible for shattering his hope for finally using his MAM today he love his life more.
“Maybe we should just left this to the city guard?” Bill suggest.
“I got nothing better to do” said Calamity, for which Bill have no replied.
“That might be a safer choice” said Eirian “but don’t you want to see a real bomb site at all? An explosion like this is rarely happen now a day This one was properly cause by some kind of MAM”
Eirian know that Bill interest in MAM and Magic so he mention this fact he discover since he believed Bill knowledge in MAM can be useful at the warehouse.
“MAM?” Bill interest peak.
There could be an object of power that survive the bomb!
Then he won’t have to pay for a core cost.
“Then what are we waiting for?”
The three of them then choose an small alley in dark corner that was block with no guard and start to climb inside.
With Eirian magic and Calamity nose the three of them slowly make their way inside a warehouse from behind which at the time most guard seem to have left in a hurry.
“They must have found something” said Eirian.
“Look there look like a shatter part of MAM” Bill point at a mark location where a pieces of evident was gather in a box, nearby is a giant hole that was cover with blanket.
“They found a cause of explosion, it was a MAM indeed.” said Eirian as he add to Bill disappointment “ There’s no core inside.”
“Yeah” Bill feel sad a little but he know nothing is easy in this world “The glyph inside was interesting though”
“Can you tell us what it do?” asked Eirian.
“Most of it was blow off but this is properly a glyph of fire and time with mark set to go off 30 minute after activate.”
“ 30 minute after plant a bomb? Then a culprit must still be inside the city since they lock everything down immediately. No wonder most guard is not here they must be looking for bomber.”
Eirian look up from a crate and see Calamity sniffing around so he call out to him to try this bomb.
“Smell anything?”
Calamity smell for a while before saying “Yes...a perfume very faint”
“There our lead!” claim Eirian.
“Do you plan to make me sniff everyone in Alana?” Calamity ear twitch.
“Well...” Eirian smile guilty.
“I guess this is as far as we go” Bill start to look around for anything he can salvage.
“Too shame. I was hoping for something more” said Eirian “You know what, how about I treat you guy for dinner?”
“Sure” Bill speak normally but is secretly super delight while Calamity just nod.
However as they climb out of the alley they sneak in, Calamity caught a scent of this perfume from a wall.
“The bomber use this very same alley to escape”
Bill glad they found more clue “But now we just taint all our smell around criminal escape route”
“Let hope a wolf guard don’t care about us” said Eirian as they let Calamity lead them on.
Following a smell of perfume is not easy but Calamity somehow just keep leading them without stopping.
“Is it this easy to track with smell?” Eirian whisper to Bill since this investigation is going way too easy.
“Our neighbor have a trailing dog, they say scents can last from 5 to 14 days.” Bill whisper back don’t want to mention a normal dog in front of Calamity since he don’t know what Calamity would think about them.
They are just normal dog that didn’t transform like wolf after all.
“We’re here” said Calamity as he stop in front of a house where a city guard car was park outside.
A female human is lock inside a back of car where there only one window but block with bar so she can’t escape.
“So they already caught a bomber?” Eirian is very impress at the speed of city guard.
“No I didn’t plant a bomb!” a women shout back from behind bar.
“They wouldn’t put you in there for nothing”
“I...I accept bribe to let them sneak illegal meat into the city but I really don’t know anything about bomb!”
Calamity get close to a window and confirm “It is your smell that on the bomb”
“They clearly frame me” denied the women.
“Maybe but you still accept bribe so let the court judge your crime.”
“I need the money! I am sick from smog in New Terra since young I don’t mean for anyone to get hurt. Please kid help me get out of here I have some money hidden away. If you help me I”ll tell you where it is.”
“No chance. Criminal like you have no right to complain, your action could have kill so many people for your own selfish gain.”
“Now wait a bit there Eirian, she just accept bribe to pay for medicine there no need to be so harsh on her” Bill feel the need to interject since he know getting sick from smog is no joke especially in chronic case. It can last a very long time and very painful until the final moment.
“No we can’t sympathize with them” Eirian insist “If only everyone just keep on being virtuous and good we wouldn’t have so much problem in the world”
Hearing Eirian word Bill replied “Maybe some of us can afford to be more good and happy to other because they already have everything so easy”
“What is that supposed to mean” Eirian look back at Bill confuse where this is coming from.
“Let’s get out of here” Calamity tap both of them as someone is coming out of the house.
It was professor Roy and city guard. There is one wolf among them.
“Look like they already got everything” Eirian conclude as the three of them quickly walk away.
“Professor those three kid seem to be talking to suspect maybe they work for...”
“No, just some student being curious. Let’s us finish here before more people noticed.” Professor Roy then get on the car with suspect and they all head to police station to find a true culprit as soon as possible before more problem arise.
But Roy knew that they might need to blame it all on this women soon to keep the state of peace they work so hard for. Alana cannot afford to have each races turn on one another and cascading into the next conflict.
As the trio was approaching their dormitory Eirian ask “So Bill what was that all about?”
“Don’t know” Bill don’t feel like talking about it.
Eirian consider turning to Calamity for help but decide against it.
“I noticed you are very caution around me, everyone did really” Eirian smile “but since we are to work in the same group now I would like to assure you two that you don’t have to be nervous around me at all. If you should want my help with anything feel free to ask any time.”
Calamity just nod while Bill decide to speak up “Do you really believed that we all just need to be good and all the problem will go away?”
“Of cause” Eirian answer with conviction “Magic bind all thing around us Bill, If we just follow the flow and act according to nature in all that is good and not fight against it there wouldn’t be so much problem in the world.”
“Magic is poison to us Eirian.” Bill remind his Amiel friend “Not all of us are born with wealth or power enough to live so care free”
“Being Amiel is not so easy as most people would believe Bill” Eirian disapprove Bill’s view of his life.
“Then tell me how is you Amiel are having it so hard than human?”
“You don’t know anything about my life at all”
“I think so too” Bill walk faster to get away from Eirian.
Eirian look at Bill and just walk off in other direction. Leaving Calamity stand confuse alone.
As Bill angrily walk back to his dorm he think of professor Rio lesson on global mindset “Understanding other huh, what about them understanding us? How can we could possibly live and work with each other, we have nothing in common!”
“growl” a sudden stomach cry stop Bill in his track.
As he consider how long he can go on without food Bill remember Eirian promise of treat.
“Wait...God dammit!”
Now he will have to pay for his own dinner tonight.