“Hikaruuuu! What's going on!?”

Hikaru was shaken by his smaller female companion.

“It's the city. The city is moving to the next resting place.”

“Resting place..? What are you talking about, and why is the city moving!”

“Let's get down first, then I will explain”

He pointed out the fact that they were still standing on the top of a very unstable tower that threatened to fall over at any moment due to the consistent tremors that shook the entire city, the tower especially.

“Ah..yeah.”

They made their way down, and avoided the panicking and rage-filled nuns. Who were yelling about catching whoever was responsible for sounding the bell.

They sat down on a random empty staircase, away from the bustle and confused arguments of the town folk.

“Right..this city, it wakes up when the bell is sounded. Then it heads for its next resting spot, it's always migrating so to speak. Like a bird.”

He explained.

“No no, that doesn't explain shit! Why is this city moving in the first place, also why does it have a god damn head?!”

She asked with a flabbergasted expression.

"Right, you wouldn't know...nobody is sure when. But at some point, people moved in onto this creature's back and began to live there since it provided easy travel. Eventually they built homes from its rocky exterior. After a while that became a city, and it's been here ever since, for longer than I can remember."

He reminisced, he was incredibly impressed when he first heard about it. A city being founded on top of a progenitor .

One of the oldest creatures that were mortal, being used as a carrier for a city. He remembered thinking of what these humans would do next, it was always fun to observe them.

“And the monster just...let them be..?”

Yuri asked, slightly surprised the creature hadn't shook the entire city off by now.

“Well...it doesn't seem to mind, in fact it seems to enjoy the company, not that the people know that of course...”

He smiled slightly. The humans couldn't tell the different expressions of animals, they weren't even sure the progenitor noticed them. Yet they still worshipped it. How amusing..maybe he should tell them that it likes them, some day.

“I suppose it enjoys the company after spending who knows how long, wandering the desert alone.”

“Hm.. I see. A lonely monster. Actually what is it..some kind of turtle..?”

“It's technically a lizard, but its flesh and skin are made of rock. It blends in the desert perfectly, when it's not moving of course”

“Wait..don't tell me, there are more of these lizard cities...!”

“No no, that would be amazing indeed, a herd of walking cities. But sadly this is the only one of its kind. It's one of the first mortal creatures to be created, most of the worlds reptile creatures are based off of this one.”

“I see...the reptiles great grandpa..”

Yuri pondered, still amazed by this entire situation. The city shook on occasion, threatening to throw her off balance.

“Wait, so this guy knew that, and told me to sound the bell..? He tricked me!”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Well..this is fairly common knowledge, so he probably assumed you knew that.”

Little did they know. Pi, the pigeon masked man, was as confused as Yuri.

–

Yuri and Hikaru walked to the smith again.

The gauntlet was of course not done. So Yuri bought a temporary bronze one, to use.

“If that guy thinks he is so clever...let's see if he will figure out how to deal with this..”

She began etching runes on the gauntlet, the shiny bronze metal was soon filled completely with runes.

“This should be good..” She bought a pair of armoured metal boots, also made of bronze.

They too soon became filled with runes, looking like a completely different piece of equipment once she was done with them.

“You have never worn shoes like that, Yuri..?”

“And I don't ever plan to after this, they are way too annoying to walk in, and I do value comfort”

She put the bronze boots on, clanking loudly against the stone ground.

“But I need to be quick. So these boots will grant me the speed necessary.”

“I see..then why have you never worn such things before, they seem awfully useful?”

“Becaaause...usually I have you who carries me..but this time I'm on my own. I need to abandon comfort, and focus only on increasing my spells.”

She also bought a small necklace which she drew a rune on and put on.

“This should be enough I think.”

She swung her dagger with her right hand, quick enough so it was but a blur. She clenched her left hand which was donned in the rune covered bronze gauntlet and tapped her heavily armoured feet, which were covered in bronze boots, similarly covered in an impressive array of runes.

She was all suited up for her duel.

“What do you mean by this time you're on your own..?”

Concern began to grow inside Hikaru.

“I need to catch him myself. There might not be any clear rules in this duel..but I feel like I would lose to him either way if I got help. I need to do this on my own. Me and him, then I will make sure to crush all his illusions of grandeur.”

She hit her fist into the palm of her gauntlet clad hand.

“I refuse.”

Hikaru simply said.

“Huh..?”

“I refuse. You will be accompanied and helped by me.”

“Didn't you listen to what I just said-”

“I did. Did you listen to what I said before, when we left the golden city. I will make sure you are always safe. If I let you go alone, I would be breaking that promise.”

He folded his arms and looked at her.

“No but. Ugh, damn it Hikaru, I need to do this alone okay? It's important.”

She felt the need to sigh, but held it back.

“Rejected. I will accompany you.”

“...”

She felt something in her forehead twitch.

“Fine..fine.” She sighed, she didn't want to argue pointlessly.

“Then how about this. You can follow me and make sure I'm safe. But do it from a distance, and do not interfere with anything unless you are completely certain that I would die in the next moment.”

“That is still not acceptable, to put you in such danger-”

“Hikaru. That's all I'm allowing, annoy me further and I will take that offer back.”

He felt her glare sink into his bones.

“You drive a tough bargain. Very well. I accept those conditions.”

He nodded in slight defeat.

“Good. Now if you don't mind...or actually. I do need your help with something. Could you go to the library and find out as much as you can about this creature?”

“The progenitor? I can tell you as much as you need to know, It's name is Asur, and it is the god of this city, It has existed for longer than-”

Hikaru began before being interrupted.

“No no. Not it's history! I need you to find out as much about it as a creature. I need more..factual and biological information about its behaviour and actions”

“Ah.. I see. Well then I can see if the old library woman knows something, I will let you prepare in the meanwhile.”

He headed out to the library, leaving Yuri alone with the smiths.

“Hey smith, how long would it take you to make simple thin bronze plates?”

She asked once Hikaru was gone.

“Plates..? Well assuming they are small..I could make them all right now, I just have to heat up some bronze, how many do you need?”

The burly smith said while wiping his brow.

“Well let's see..I need about..as many as you can make. “

“Miss are you sure..? That would be quite a lot..what do you even need them for..?”

“It's for something very neat that I just thought of. Get to it.”

(Pigeon bastard. I am coming for you. I will make you wish you were born a pigeon...)

An ominous laugh filled the smithery, Making the smith and his underlings move away in discomfort.