The toaster pops up without a care in the world and I reach for my slice of tea cake. Twirling a jam-covered butter knife, I spread the sweetness of some pebbleberries over the brittle treat. I take a bite and linger at the edge of my kitchen counter, chewing with a blank mind. Swallowing, a deep breath escapes and I find myself a little perplexed.
For a city that's been locked down and turned into a superweapon twice as of late, all seems fine. I know I live in a gated part of the city on the surface level, but, I can still see the usual things. Gardens are being tended to, the weather is inspected and people are collecting any morning deliveries. The people around here like their milk dropped off in bottles at the door.
"Actually..." I mutter, finishing my tea cake and popping my fingers into my mouth. Reaching the door and fluffing up my dressing gown, I expose myself to the world and look down. A newstablet has been dropped off along with some stuff from work. Bending down and picking it up, I close the door and brrrr to my heart's content.
What I can leave for the moment I set aside on a nearby table and I head back into the kitchen. Pulling a chair out, I sit and cross my legs, dangling one close to a decorative plant. Adjusting the magic in the stone, I skim through the useless information like sports and community events. My eyes linger briefly on an advertisement for a new business in Thrurstradtur's Ibenoroccon district, Ipannicano.
Seems like they finally got a permit for a Grand-Kingdom style attraction. The newstablet is calling it a 'water park,' should be an interesting thing to look into in the future. Moving to adjust the magic again, my hand freezes up. I catch a noise outside and blink myself into a frowny face.
Someone is roaring. No, people are roaring, like an argument has broken out in every street of the city. I swear I can hear specific words in this echo-like noise. I shake my head and adjust the tablet.
Cities Lost, Armies Gone, a Gutted Country.
My eyes harden and I read the article. One eye twitches with growing anger at what is either a breach in security or a too-curious individual. The article has a list of cities we have lost, towns, places of interest and the general path of the giant.
I drop the tablet and rush back to the front door, stepping through it with wide eyes. The noise, sirens are joining in and cogships are scrambling. Thrurstradtur has broken out entirely into a state of panic. And if here is like this then the rest of the country...
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
I go back inside to the sound of my private communication line and halt its obnoxious ringing, "Grandguard Inerish, we have a problem."
"Call up everyone that can be spared. Beat these riots back with ferocity from the get-go. Do this everywhere." I order, already assuming what this is likely going to be about.
"Of course. I'm sorry Grandguard Inerish, but, we need you to come in earlier today." the woman on the other end asks of me and I nod, not that they can see.
"Of course, prepare a general meeting with the military higher-ups. I want to walk into the Gnomon and head straight into a meeting." I tell her, hanging up then and there with a tired sigh. The energy keeping me upright vanishes and I collapse onto the nearest sofa. Covering my eyes, I start to cry. Curling in on myself, it grows in intensity until I force myself to roar it all out in anger.
Holding myself back from anything aggressive, I bottle it up until I am left to tremble. Sniffling one final time, I go and close my front door and head off upstairs. Pulling out a spare uniform, I leave it on my bed and instead head to my closet of casual wear. Getting changed into it, I whimper some more as I begin to become concealed with unsuspecting clothes.
If I can make it out of this place without being spotted and make it into the streets, I can head to the Gnomon and see everything from the ground. Though my features are distinct amongst those who mostly live here, I am not the only foreigner here in Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst. So long as I am not forced to use my magic, I will not be in or a danger to others.
Gods and goddesses help them, however, if I find myself ready to be hunted like some killer of children.
"What am I going to do? I don't know who I can turn to and I can't just run away..." I mutter, shaking my head even at the idea of suicide as I pack a bag with some things. I have a spare uniform within the Gnomon and frankly, I am above protocol right now. On my way out of my room, my eyes linger on the painting I have of my homeland. A depiction of the entrance to the core of the world, the tunnel to Errakur.
More so a volcanic ring in the middle of the All-Coast, one will find themselves able to walk down it like a path on the surface. I cannot go back there, I cannot go home if I fail to handle this giant. There's no way the rest of the world will not hear about the creature that reduced a country to dust. My homeland will gut me like the coward I am if I run.
"No, even if I must lay my life down in these lands. A country that has come to hate me for things out of my control. Then... Then I will do as needed. I need to give my oaths all that I am. The gods and goddesses will look favourably when I die, nothing else is acceptable." I mutter quietly, straightening up and heading off down to the front door. The promise of yet another stressful day awaits.