-1 year later-
Within the province of Herman, a vast hill sits about an hour’s walk from the nearest town. The hill is famous for its view of the vast cabbage fields, which help feed the people of the neighboring cities, and its part in the legendary play ‘The leaves of love.’
On the hill, six figures stand before a marker like rock. Jin, Rina, Rebecca, Seymour, Sophie, and a grizzly man with a sword at his waist. The group stands in silence only looking at the stone, with some of them in a daze and others with a bored expression.
Time passes, minute by minute and hour by hour, but the group doesn't move.
The sunlight bathes the hill in a deep red glow, signaling its exit, as it slowly vanishes into the distant horizon. When the sun finally sets and cast it’s veil of shadows onto the sky, the group finally turns from the stone and walks away.
The group walks down the hill and gets onto the stone road leading to the fortress city of Riavle, which stands at the forefront of the Eastern Lubia defense line, and the current front lines against Sunid. The city is built into a mountain, and overlooks rich fields of wheat and cabbage.
When the group gets near the city, it is already pitch black. The main city gate is also closed, but the group already knows this, so they instead walk to the secondary entrance, used by military forces and nobles.
The secondary gate is smaller than the city’s main gate, only about a tenth of the size. It is guarded by three squads of 4th grade Ki warriors, and overseen by an officer of 6th grade Ki. This shows just how important this gate and city are to the Lubia Empire, as these troops are elites.
As the group approaches the gate they see muscular Vepi, wearing red metal armor and equipped with long swords, standing guard. The guards are primarily men, but at least a quarter of them are women.
One of the sentries seeing the approaching group calls out, "Hold! You are approaching the west supply gate. State your identities and business." The sentry’s voice is harsh and feminine.
Jin leading the group, calls out to the sentries, "General Fixton here, let us through!"
"..General Fixton! Please come in right away. I'm sorry for delaying your entrance." The sentry says in a panic as they begin to open the gate.
"Let’s go." Jin says walking to the gate and into the city.
As they walk into the city the sentries face who they talked to comes into view. The sentry is a well-built woman with strong facial features and dark brown hair that goes to her shoulders. She has 4 tails hanging from her behind, all of which are chocolate brown. The woman gives off a passive vibe, which is rare to see in soldiers, especially elites like her.
"Good day to you sir!" The sentry yelps while bowing at a 45 degree angle. Her eyes making constant eye contact all the way down.
Jin nods his head at the sentry while walking past, and marches to his manor deep in the city.
The city though currently closed due to the time, but is still very much alive and kicking. Men and women fill the streets, covered in a vast array of blouses, skirts and trousers. The majority of the people walking around are Vepi, but every now or then a Tanuki, Agwang, and Lapine can be seen walking around, usually wearing durable traveling garbs or leather armor.
As the city standing at the forefront of the Sunid border. Riavle regularly sees Tanuki merchants and Lapine adventurers. The Agwang who can be seen from time to time, are usually traveling swordsmen looking to improve their techniques, but every now and then a priest from the Orcaliz religion can be seen preaching. These travelers though common around this area are rarely let in the city, due to strict regulations made and enforced by the overseer of the City; General Fixton. Who has a deep distrust for immigrants, especially non-Vepis.
The group walks through the crowded streets while in a tight formation, as the pedestrians noticing them move at of the way.
“Papa, can we get something sweet while were her?” Sophie asks in a sweet voice while gripping Jin’s pants.
“Sweet?” He says in a low voice while turning to his daughter. “Hmmmm, how about some serbert? I know a good bakery a little ways away from here.” He asks with a concerned look.
Sophie squeals fervidly, “Yes papa, I want serbert! Let’s go get serbert!” Her brown tail waving back and forth.
Jin smiles at his daughter and thanks Qeiles, the god of the Retyk star and the champion of fire, for the fact that his daughter is alive and perfect. He reaches his arms out and wraps them around Sophie’s delicate body, taking it into his strong embrace “Awwww~” He grunts while lifting her up, “You've gotten bigger since I last carried you.” He says with a mystified tone.
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Sophie frowns, her good mood spoiled. “Papa, you can’t say that to girls.” Her voice filled with sass, and displeasure.
“Oh, sorry-sorry. You're just getting bigger and bigger every day.” He says feigning a sorry expression.
“General…let’s make haste.” The grizzly soldier like man says to Jin.
“You're right, let’s go everyone.” Jin says putting Sophie back on the floor.
The group walks to the shopping district, about 15 minutes away from their current location. When they get there they have to travel 5 minutes down crowded streets to arrive in front of a brown building. The building unlike its neighbors, isn’t carved into the mountain but is made with foreign materials, like wood and bricks made of sand.
When the group is about to walk inside Rebecca says, “Father, Is it fine if I just wait outside with Fredrick?”
Seymour hearing Rebecca get something decides to mess it up for her. “Babbo, If Rebecca stays out here she could get captured by a Tanuki! You told us that they capture Vepi kids and eat us…remember?” His voice filled with fake concern.
Rebecca’s face turns red from anger, “That’s why Fredrick will be here! He can protect me from the Tanuki that you're so afraid of.” She says mocking him.
Seymour’s face flushes red with anger as he shouts, “I'm not scared! It’s just I was trying to look out for you dear sister.”
Rebecca’s makes a disgusted face but before she could say anything Jin said, “Now-now you two, I think Fredrick is more than enough to protect Rebie. I highly doubt there’s anyone who can defeat an experienced 7th grade Ki Warrior.” He says signaling with his eyes toward Frederick.
“Of course sir, the little miss will be safe with me.” Fredrick says resting his hand on his sword hilt.
Rebecca hearing this shines a grin at Seymour, which only makes his face redder. “L-e-t-s-go-f-r-e-d-r-i-c-k” She says in an exaggerated way, her goal; to piss Seymour off as much as possible.
"I said stop." Jin says breaking up the conflict between the siblings. "You two really need to get along better, we can't have you two always fighting like this." His voice holding both concern and annoyance.
Both Seymour and Rebecca stand quiet, only staring at their father. In their hearts they know that this is but a stage in life, and within a few years they will be free from his rule, but for now they will play by this man's rules. So they simply nod their head and say, "Yes sir." Like good little children.
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After finishing at the bakery they go straight home and hit the sack after a long day.
Their manor, sitting in the middle of the city, is a large fortress that has wall around it. The wall is carved out of the mountain, like the manor, and even has an underground tunnel system connecting to the soldier’s barracks. The manor was carved out when the city was, over 13,000 years ago, and has a rich history filled with betrayal and war.
Waking up two chim-chims before sun rises, like every day, Rebecca decided to go jog a little before breakfast. This was to keep her stamina high, and it works as a warm up for her morning. Which she conducts with Fredrick in the courtyard.
Seymour waking up at around a chim-chim after sun rise, also goes for a jog, but his was after breakfast and stretches, and is followed by handstands and squats. Unlike Rebecca who focused on arms, shoulders, and pectoral strength, Seymour is focused on building flexibility, joint strength and overall fitness.
One chim-chim after Seymour woke up, Sophie also woke from her sleep and went to the dining table for breakfast. The qer wood table, a nice shade of scarlet, sits lined with an assortment of breakfast foods, like soup, wheat rolls, steamed cabbage and chikken. Sophie smelling the thick scent of steamed cabbage, feels her stomach rumble in anticipation. She takes her fork and digs into the steamed cabbage, losing out to her cravings. After 3 minutes of continues eating she finally finishes her second helping of cabbage and moves on to the steamed chikken.
At around the same time Rebecca feeling hungry again, from her training with Fredrick, decides to eat after a little dip in the manors pound, located in the courtyard.