Arms stretched out for her as Sera made her way down from the Chimera’s corpse. None of the men who reached for her was going to allow this angel who had destroyed the Titan to be disgraced by walking through its blood. She laughed, bashfully in spite of herself as they carried her back to her friends cheering and applauding.
As Sera was returned to her friends a man came forward to introduce himself. He was a tall man, his graying hair was a mess and a coarse layer of stubble grew over his face, but he carried himself with a commanding posture. He was dressed with Volknest colors over light mail. A black cape with gold trim flowed behind him and an ornate sword was worn at his side.
“My name is Argus Bradford, Captain of the City guard. I am graced to make your acquaintance.” Sera blushed as he knelt before her and kissed her hand. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that the mythical Celeste must be among us.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Captain Bradford. My name is Sera.” Her face turned red as she spoke.
“She has the power of Celeste, yes.” Cabrin said, stepping in. “We were on our way to Bastion to speak with those at the College when she decided to come here, to your aid.”
The captain laughed, visibly as awed as he was relieved. “To think that I would see the day. Come, we have much to discuss, but we shouldn’t dally here. If you would be so kind as to join us back at base.”
Sera nodded, accepting the man’s invitation and with that, he turned and began issuing orders. As he called for his men to form up to escort Sera and her friends to base, he ordered three horses for the women.
“So nice to see gentlemen still exist, even in this hellscape.” Chilse commented as a soldier dismounted and offered his horse to her. The man offered to take the woman’s axe and she laughed when he struggled to carry it as she mounted his steed.
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Orders went out for the gate to be opened as they approached the walled garrison that served as the base of operations for the fledgling resistance. Men cheered with the return of their comrades and their cheering was met with more victorious revelry. It didn’t take long before rumors spread through the camp that Celeste herself had appeared before them and single-handedly felled the terrifying Chimera Titan.
“I want to thank you personally, Lady Sera.” Captain Argus Bradford had said. Sera had joined the captain in his quarters along with Cabrin, Akane, and Chilse. “You couldn’t have arrived a moment too soon. We’ve spent the past week trying to take that thing down. Lost a lot of good men doing so. If it weren’t for you…I don’t know.”
“I’m sure you would have destroyed it, in the end.” Sera offered.
“Is she always this modest?” He asked as she blushed.
“Fraid so.” Chilse answered, giving Sera a wink.
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The captain allowed himself to laugh, briefly before a weary look crept over his face. “There are still many civilians left out in the city, and not many of us remain to resist the Chimera. Our best guess is that there are upwards of a thousand or so of those monsters to our meager two-hundred and thirty-four.” He winced. “Two-hundred and thirty-one, actually.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem with that Titan out of the way.” Cabrin offered. “With a sufficient strategy, your men should be able to make short work of them, even with those…dog things.”
“Hellhounds, we’ve come to call them.” The captain responded. “And yes, normally I wouldn’t be too worried about our odds, but for every Chimera we put down, more keep coming. Every day, more show up in the city.”
“We didn’t see many of them when we came to the city.” Akane mentioned. “I think there were perhaps two or three in the village outside.”
“A few came from outside the city wall, yes.” The captain nodded grimly. “Including the Titan, but most of the Chimera came from within the city walls.”
Sera noticed as Cabrin tensed up beside her. “You’re not saying…”
“I am.” Captain Argus said. “We seem to have a nest beneath the city.”
“Kuso…” Akane cursed, Cabrin exhaled with a sharp breath, and Chilse frowned with a grim silent expression. Worry grew over Sera’s face as she remembered Cabrin mentioning days ago how Chimera bring the bodies of their victims to their nest where their flesh would be used to make more of them. He never elaborated more on the subject but their reaction to the news of one under the city was enough to paint a picture of the reality that they were now faced with. The captain went on to tell them of the night the attack took place.
“It was just over a week ago when the Titan tore through the city gate.” He recalled. “Our first priority was to the citizens of Volknest while the Castle guard protected the king and his family. When the Chimera poured in from behind our defenses…it took us some time to realize the reality of the situation. Now the castle grounds are swarming with Chimera where scouts say the sinkhole leading into the nest is located. I’d say that our concentration has been too focused on rescue and safekeeping of our citizens, but the truth is none of us have had the stomach to venture into those grounds.”
“Has there been any effort to contain the breach?” Chilse asked.
“Yes, but the barricade won’t hold for long.” The captain answered. “Maybe now that the Titan has been dealt with, we could justify the effort…”
“I’ll go.” Sera said. All heads turned to her in surprise. “It’s what I’m here for.”
“Sera.” Cabrin protested, but she didn’t let him finish.
“I remember you telling me that this was my journey, my destiny. Back in the Heavenfall, you told me that it was my call.” Sera’s face bore a determined look. “Well this is the call that I’m making. I can’t sit back and watch as people throw away their lives when I could be helping. I can’t allow lives to be lost when this is the very thing I was meant for. I never asked for this burden to fall upon me but now that it has, I have a responsibility to act.”
Akane placed her hand on Sera’s shoulder. “Sera-san, even Kabruin-kun and I have never set foot in a Kimaira nest. It is beyond dangerous. You don’t have to do this, you’ve done so much already.”
“A hero is not one who claims greatness. A hero is one who acts when greatness is thrust upon them.” Akane winced hearing her own words quoted back to her as well. “I am choosing to act, Akane.” Then turning to the captain, Sera confirmed her decision. “I will go with your men into this nest and destroy it.”