Pandemonium was in the air as the town of Rivera was alive with speculation. Some from the crowd around which the town’s people were concerned were speaking with them. Sera saw one of the bedraggled strangers speaking with Rivera’s mayor, Nikkolas Reigner.

“Refugees.” Was a word Sera heard from somewhere nearby.

“A Chimera attack.” She heard elsewhere.

Sera’s heart sank as her suspicions grew along with the murmuring crowd around her. A man stepped back from the crowd where he had been speaking with one of the strangers and cupped his hands around his mouth as he shouted for all to hear him.

“The Kingdom of Volknest has fallen!” He cried. “Chimera have overrun its walls and lay waste to the inner city!”

What was an atmosphere of hushed fret became outright panic as people began speculating worriedly as to what this meant for Rivera. A woman in the crowd fell to her knees and wailed. A man with a bandaged head and torn revelry wept. A child stared blankly, holding the tattered remains of what was once a stuffed toy.

Mayor Reigner held up his hands in an effort to gain his people’s attention, shouting as loud as the plump little man could. “Calm down, everyone! Calm down.”

It took a few attempts to quiet the commotion enough for his words to be heard.

“Now this is all very disturbing, indeed.” He began. “But Volknest is a two day journey from us. Rest assured we are all perfectly safe here.”

“Bullshit!” An accusation sounded from the mayor’s left.

Mayor Reigner spun around and feebly answered the angry voices that rose in agreement. “The North gate is nearly complete!”

“Even with the whole wall complete, how can we compare to the defenses of Volknest?” A woman cried.

“We-we have our mercenaries!” The nervous Mayor stammered.

The citizens of Rivera angrily shouted in response to the man’s inadequate answer. The kingdom of Volknest had a massive fortified wall and a legion of trained men to defend her. Rivera’s incomplete wooden wall and a hundred or so mercs didn’t hold a candle to that, and even then, Volknest still fell to the monsters. What chance did the people of Rivera have if the Chimera decided to pursue them?

Amongst the shouting angry voices protesting around her, Sera heard a familiar voice calling her name. As her eyes darted from person to person in the direction of the voice, she spotted the female merc she had met earlier that day, Chilse, shouldering her way through the crowd alongside the town square.

She was almost surprised to see the woman wearing clothes. Though not nearly enough, Sera thought, for public. The woman who made her say toward Sera wore a simple brown leather leotard with knee-high leather boots capped in steel toes. Her dark, bob-cut hair brushed the top of a thick, padded open collar as it swayed with her step. Her powerful physique allowed her to easily push through those in the crowd that didn’t see her. The large, disk-shaped axe she carried moved those who did.

“Chilse!” Sera exclaimed, rushing to meet her friend. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.” Chilse answered worriedly. “When I showed up to my post for shift change today, they said that a girl with blond hair and a bloody white dress had been brought through. I was worried it might be you.”

“It…was.” Sera said, hesitantly. “But I’m fine now.”

Chilse’s expression of worry only intensified. “What happened?”

“Something happened at the ruins.” Sera answered. She winced as Chilse gripped her by the arm.

“The ruins?” She exclaimed. “The Heavenfall ruins?”

“Yes?”

“Ancestors, Sera Bennet! What the hell were you doing there?”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Before Sera could answer, Cabrin, Akane, and Simon all descended upon them. Simon tore the woman’s grip from his daughter’s arm as Cabrin and Akane pulled Sera behind them.

“No! It’s okay, she’s my friend!” Sera protested as she shoved her way back to the woman merc.

“Sorry, Chilse. This is my father, Simon.” Sera began, attempting to ease the tension. “And these are my friends Cabrin and Akane.”

The two Asunese rangers relaxed a bit. Simon only grunted as he looked the brazenly-dressed woman up and down.

“You’re keeping strange company these days, Kiddo.” He said, almost disapprovingly.

His daughter scolded him.

“No, it’s fine.” Chilse said with a chuckle. “I like to keep my mobility when I work. This keeps all my important bits protected while giving me freedom to move. I can understand if cozy town’s folk don’t get it.”

Simon simply glared at the woman.

In the background, the mayor was calling for volunteers to offer shelter to the refugees of Volknest for the night. Sera was thankful. It provided a moment of distraction to dispel the confrontation between the two. Simon sighed, giving up the petty rivalry.

“Sera, I’m closing the bar to patrons tonight.” He eventually said. “These people need food and drink. We’re going to provide for them.”

“Okay, Daddy. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“The girls and I can handle it.” Her father responded. “You really don’t have to. I’m just letting you know.”

“No.” She said, “I want to help.”

“We’ll offer any assistance we can as well.” Cabrin added.

Simon nodded and the three of them were off to the tavern to begin preparation for the displaced guests.

Sera stayed with Chilse for a moment. “You probably have to get back to your post, huh?”

“What?” Chilse said, raising her brow. “Tryna get rid of me already?”

“I just don’t want you to get in trouble.” Sera said, shaking her head furiously. Chilse laughed a warm hearty laugh.

“I pulled a few favors.” She said, “But you’re right, I can’t stay for too long.”

Sera’s friend followed her while Sera talked as she made her way back to her father’s tavern where the girls who were working for him that night were ushering in refugees. By the time they were inside, Sera had told Chilse everything about her adventure into the Heavenfall. She recounted the battles against the Chimera as well as the finding of the Great Chamber and the Memory Stone within. Chilse sat at the bar in stunned silence at all her young friend had been through that day.

“It’s a lot, I know.” Sera said, bashfully.

“A lot?” Chilse said, sarcastically. “A lot? Sera Bennet, this is huge!”

Sera blushed as the two of them noticed the attention they had drawn.

“I heard the rumors.” Chilse continued, her voice grew low and quiet so as to not attract any more attention. “Is it really true? Can you really…you know…use magic?”

Sera looked almost ashamed of herself as she reached out her hand. Gripping the air, she felt the familiar pressure in her hand and pulled.

“Ancestros! Qué fue eso?” A Gente woman exclaimed nearby as the sound of the metal blade sang loudly through the air.

Sera set her sword down on the bar in front of Chilse who despite herself shouted a single loud “Ha!”

Sera’s cheeks grew hotter as many heads turned back to face the sudden outburst as Chilse leaned back on the stool, staring at the ceiling as attempted to suppress her gleeful astonishment.

“Sera Bennet, do you know what this means?” Chilse asked, looking back down.

“That the legends are true?”

“The legends are true, my ass!” She exclaimed, in a hushed tone. “Sera Bennet, you are the legends! Now, I have my own views about what’s expected of us and I’ll tell you where I say those expectations can shove it, but this? This is something else. Sera Bennet, this is destiny.”

Sera looked down at the sword on the bar. There it was again. Destiny, the weight of the world being dropped on her shoulders. How could she, of all people, bear such a burden?

Chilse placed a gloved hand on Sera’s. Sera looked up to see Chilse’s expression had changed from excitement to concerned understanding. She saw the impact this had on her.

“You remember what I said earlier today?” Chilse asked. “About how you’re going to need to become strong?”

Sera nodded, silently.

“I stand by what I said.” Chilse continued. “But now, you have to become strong, not just for yourself.”

Chilse looked over her shoulder at the sad, weary people around them who had just lost their homes to the ruthless Chimera. Having fought them herself now, Sera could only guess at the horrors that these people had witnessed, barely escaping with their lives. She couldn’t help but remember the haunting looks in the eyes of the figures in Celeste’s memory.

As Sera stared into the empty gaze of a young girl sitting alone and motionless behind an undisturbed bowl of stew, Chilse said, “It won’t stop with Volknest. These people need a hero.”

But Sera wasn’t listening, she didn’t need to. She had already made her decision.