From the weakest False Wanderers to some of the strongest Grand Wanderers of the Fifth Sector of Lightning Region, the Lost City of Rianra had more Wanderers than the number of people that Alnea had ever seen. Just on a rough estimate, there were more than a hundred thousand Wanderers in the city, competing with each other, trying to prove themselves to their clans, and to the city itself. To gain the legacy of the Age of Gods. Or at least that was the image that Alnea had painted in his mind. The first thing that he noticed about the city though, was the thick, tangy smell of blood wafting through its open doors.
“…Why does the city feel even more dangerous than the Night Canyons and the Bright Light Forest combined?”
“Do not worry, little friend,” the guards said, putting on flattering smiles on their faces, as they noticed the strange look on his face. “The security measures of the Lotus city are one of its greatest prides. As long as you stick to the rules, there should be no danger to your life.”
“But the smell—
“That is just the natural smell of the city coming from the blood coating the buildings and the streets. But these blood coats are millions of years old. No one is daring enough to openly commit murder in the streets of the city. Like we said, as long as you stick to the rules, no will be able to kill you.”
“…So, even if we follow the rules, there is a chance to that we might still end up getting hurt?” Cecilia said, frowning at the guards, while the cat—Forne, as Cecilia had named it— in her arms vigilantly looked around itself, as if looking for enemies. Cecilia’s quick wittedness though, turned the guards pale with fright.
“…If we talk about chances, then there is a chance that the world itself might end tomorrow,” the guards said with awkward laughs. “Who can say anything definite about things related to chances? After all, anything is possible within the Origin Sea,”
“…Stop making trouble for the guards,” his master said, continuing to maintain her stoic face, as she turned to face them. “Pay attention to the rules that these guards will tell you, and if there is anything you do not understand, you can explore the city by yourselves.”
Noticing the tension in his master’s voice, Alnea could not help but become a little tense himself.
“…Are you really leaving us, master?”
“…Like I told you before, there are a few things that I need to deal with. And even if that was not the case, the rules of the Lost City would not allow me to stay in the outer city with you. So, for the time we are in the Lost City, you will have to take care of yourselves.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“A couple of months, or maybe even a year… It will depend on how things will develop. In any case, you should have enough time to learn all the things that I brought you here for.”
…In a city where most of the younger generation of the Fifth Sector of Lightning Region gathered, learning how to deal with other Wanderers should indeed not be too difficult of a task. Saying goodbye to his master though… And it was not just him. Both Cecilia and Yuri were the same, feeling reluctant to part with his master. They had spent nearly six months in the Night Canyons by themselves. Parting with her just a week after they had reunited…
Only the stupid, heartless cat looked nonchalant about his master’s looming departure. Even though his master had personally made the two earrings it was wearing, hiding its true form from the world, it did not even spare a second glance at his master. Stupid cat. Good thing that the disguise arranged by his master for the cat was to make it look like a Shadow Prowling cat, the stupidest cat type Oren Beast known yet. Most probably, his master had already predicted how stupid the Fortune Devouring Cat was.
Pushing down the thoughts about the stupid cat down to the bottom of his Heart, Alnea looked at his master in silence for a few moments, before saying, “We are going to be separated once again.”
“…If you want accompany me, then grow strong enough to share my pressure,” his master said, ruffling through his hair with a smile on her face. But she did not forget where they were, or what she had to do next, so she withdrew her hand after a few moments, just as she withdrew her smile to reveal her solemn face. Before she could say anything though, Yuri stepped in with a few words of her own.
“Don’t worry, big sis Nyssa. If the rules of the Lost City would not allow you to stay with us in the outer city, then we will come to you in the core city in no time.”
“That’s right,” Cecilia added, petting the cat sporting a black fur as part of its disguise. “Nothing can stop us when we are together.”
…Why did it feel like the girls were more confident than him? Even the stupid cat was purring in pleasure, and confidence…
“…I will be waiting for you in the core city then,” his master said, nodding with a solemn face, before turning towards the guards. “I do not care for what you do in normal times. And neither do I expect you to lend help to my juniors. But you must not play any tricks, and honestly explain the rules of the city. Otherwise, not just you, but even the clans behind you will have to suffer from my wrath.”
“We dare not, your excellency!” the guards said, bowing towards his master with sweat trickling down their faces. It was only when they heard a snort, and felt cold winds blowing against their back, that they dared to look up. The Grand Wanderer they feared was gone, leaving just her juniors standing in place. They seemed be younger than most of the False Wanderers entering the city, but not by much.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The Lost City of Rianra was a gathering place for the younger generation in the first place. Only the best of the best from each clan could get the opportunity to enter its walls. Though the juniors in front of the guards seemed to be outstanding, there was no shortage of outstanding juniors in the city. A Grand Wanderer though, one who could take out a Grand Oren Stone…
“Please come this way,” one of the guards said to Alnea and the girls. They did not look as subservient as they were in the presence of his master, but they still had a smile plastered on their faces. “I will take you to register your identities, and explain the rules of the city on the way.”
Alnea exchanged quick glances with the girls, before nodding towards the guard, and following him into the city. Into the world of giant, blood coated buildings, towering above the wide, blood coated streets. Even the air itself reeked of blood. And so did the people—Wanderers roaming the streets. They had a sharp, cold glint in their eyes, as if they were on a constant lookout for enemies. And they made sure to remain at least five metres away from each other.
There were, of course, a few Wanderers who were roaming in groups. But even in groups, they made sure to not stick too close to each other. It was as if the coldness was not just in their eyes, but in their Spirit itself. A cold that was also affecting the streets. After all, the streets were already wider than the Altar roads back in Anneve. With the Wanderers maintaining so much distance from each other, along with the stench of the blood in the air, it made the streets, and the city feel colder than even ice.
However, the most shocking thing that Alnea noticed was not the coldness of the city, but the state that the Wanderers were in. Battered, exhausted, and anxious. Even their robes were tattered and bloody. And from how the tears in their robes were just around the blood stains, most of the blood seemed to be their own. The mystery of the bloody smell from the Wanderers was finally solved. The mystery of how the source of their bloody smell came about in the first place though…
“This is the outer city,” the guard explained, just as all the Wanderers turned to look towards them with crazy eyes, as if they were all looking at their prey. “This is where all the False Wanderers start at. How far you will go, and how much benefit you can gain in the city, it will depend on yourselves. If you do well enough, then you might truly reach the core city. And if your abilities are not up to par… Just look at these Wanderers and their sorry state.”
“…I can sense hostility from all the Wanderers around us,” Yuri said, frowning at the Wanderers looking at them with hungry eyes. “And from how they seem to have been loitering around the entrance… It seems like they have been waiting specifically for new Wanderers to enter the city.”
“…You are quite observant,” the guard said, nodding at Yuri with a smile. “These Wanderers have indeed been waiting for Wanderers like you to enter the city. Because for them, their only hope of turning their fate is suppressing newcomers like you.”
“…Turning fate is not so easy,” Yuri said, shaking their head. “If they do not even dare to fight against their fate, they can never succeed in turning their fate.”
“Good inference,” the guard, nodding once again. “Most of these Wanderers would indeed be returning empty handed from the city. A few lucky ones will be able to extend their stay in the city at the cost of suppressing some new Wanderers, but in comparison to those who make their place within the city with their own strength, their gains would be paltry.”
“…Looks like the competition in the city is a bit too fierce,” Alnea said, staring solemnly at the Wanderers around them. These Wanderers were supposed to be the best of the best in the Orthodoxies of—
“What are you afraid of?” Cecilia said, slapping his back to bring his attention to herself, and the cat in her other arm. For some reason, Alnea felt that the cat might be looking down on him. And the Wanderers around them. “Compared to the threats that we have faced, these cowards who do not even dare to challenge the dangers of the city are nothing.”
Cecilia’s words, and the cat’s disdain, as it hissed at the Wanderers around them in provocation, seemed to rattle and anger the Wanderers. Even the guard looked at them with worry. When the man had explained the threat of the city in front of so many Wanderers, he had probably done so to intimidate them, and relieve some of the pressure that his master had put on the Wanderer. But the man would never have expected one of them to antagonise all the Wanderers. He was probably wondering what sort of punishment his master would mete out if anything were to happen to them, but…
“You are right,” Alnea said, with his confidence returning back to his Heart. The stupid cat aside, he was not the same Alnea that he used to be. There was no need for him to put the Wanderers of the Orthodoxies on a higher pedestal. What he and the girls had done in the past six months, most of these Wanderers would not be able to do in their entire life.
“…If these cowards dare to come trouble us, then we will show them what happens to people who mess with Night Rangers.”
“…Are you trying to kill us with embarrassment?” Cecilia said, with the cat nodding along in agreement. “Obviously, Green Warriors is a better name for our team.”
“…Don’t think that I don’t know what you are trying to do,” Alnea said, glaring at Cecilia. “You might as well call it Lia’s Warriors.”
“That’s not such a bad idea.”
“…Who is trying to kill us with embarrassment now?”
“You…”
While Alnea and Cecilia were arguing about their team’s name, with the cat giving its input every now and then, the guard was looking at them with confusion and disbelief. Instead of stopping his teammate, the boy had joined the girl in belittling all the Wanderers around them. Rather, he led the girl astray, and was even blatantly ignoring the Wanderers. That was probably even more enraging to these Wanderers who had lost all of their self esteem. Thankfully, the second girl seemed to be a little sensible.
“You two…” Yuri said, shaking her head in disappointment, allowing the guard to sigh in relief. Her next words though, made the guard’s heart almost pop out from his throat.
“Did we not have this discussion already? Neither of you two are good at naming. It would be best if we follow my idea, and call ourselves as Fate Breakers. Or Destiny Wanderers.”
Alnea and Cecilia looked at each other, and came at a tacit agreement, quickly changing the topic away from naming their team. And for once, even the cat did not make any troubles. If they were truly forced to call themselves as Destiny Wanderers in front of other Wanderers… They would probably die of shame and embarrassment. Meanwhile, the guard was on the verge of dying from the failure of his heart.