The moon or Divine Orb arcs over the land. Each citizen over Éze awake as they should be, toiling away at whatever craft they deem worth investment. Many are gems smiths, refining gems by chipping away bits and grinding edges until they are what the smiths envision as perfect. Others meditate, hours into the night, eyes closed and still as an untouched ocean mirroring the Sun or Divine Flames in perfect harmony with it, and themselves. Perhaps a few men of honor sparring with one another in combat until neither have the strength to move, then recover and repeat. Most individuals choose to spend their time exploring the vast libraries of the palace, where they can discover Dark Blue Topaz containing tens of novels on a single stone. Children, Adults, Elderly, Men, Women, Elf, Orc, Spirit, or Anima. Together just silently passing the time enveloped with tales of wonder and knowledge otherworldly, as did the smithers, meditators, soldiers or any else in between.

When the Divine Orb reaches its peak, not a word is to be spoken. Even the smallest of creatures bunkering between the walls of each home dare not to make a peep of this absolute authority.

And that fact remains true to Hilda’s training with a dark purple-haired woman.

On the mountain peak, the ordinary summer-like weather of Sutherland replaced by catastrophic blizzards sliced through any defense, bellowing to those who dare to remain how menacing it can be. Only there, a single tiny cottage belonging to the royalty of Éze rests the size of a small studio apartment, perhaps even less. The citizens of Éze aptly name it the three-step home because in three steps you’ve seen the entirety of it, though few had ever actually seen what it looks like.

Hilda, wearing nothing more than a light-yellow blouse and pants made for a soldier, stays with the sapphire claymore in her hand held next to her chest defensively as the purple-haired parting over her right eye Elf woman dressed in purple sweatpants and hoodie points at her with a pinky nail.

The woman takes a single step, then disappears.

Hilda searches, but she senses nothing. Then, from behind Hilda, she stabs with her pinky and as Hilda blocks it, the snow from the edges of the mountain to jump tens of meters into the air and when it finally hit the ground, fall downwards, causing an avalanche to form. The snowfall amounts to thirty million cubic meters, and it rolls towards the city at a frightening pace of four hundred kilometers per hour. If this hit, then Éze would be no more.

However, in Éze, this was neither a worry, an annoyance, nor noticeable to any citizen. To them, this was an average night.

As it collides, the spell of heat erects a barrier around the city, marked by an insignia with a flame attachment. The snow floats over the city and many come out of their homes to observe the spectacle, though mostly made of children silently watching in awe of its majesty, as if the royals had blessed them and created this for them.

Returning to the top of the mountain, Hilda flies backward attempting to stay on her feet towards the edge of the cliff stopping a step before falling off herself. The shaking of her body from the vibrations alone made her unable to act as the purple-haired woman points a pinky nail again.

With another single step, she disappears once again. And once again, an avalanche falls over Éze.

This continues for hours over and over and over until the Sun/Divine Flame peak from behind the cottage, blessing the woman, then Hilda with the first sunlight of this day.

“Slow. What troubles you Hildi?”

“M-m-mother.” Hilda lets out before falling to her knees. Her giant stature was insignificant compared to the long shadows cast by her mother. “A-are you perhaps furious?”

“Your father. Your tardiness.”

“Y-y-yes. Apologies.”

“Stand Hildi. I held back a canyon’s worth of strength on you today because of your urgent plans. Expect a hundred times worth when you return.”

“Mother?” Hilda held her breath. “A hundred? Were you really taking it easy on me.”

“Easier than I wanted to. Go. Use that tool for descension. Bind. I plan to meditate till the next session so tell the others to not make a ruckus.”

“Yes mother. Till tomorrow.”

“Yeye get going or Celissa will take him.”

“Mother how did yo—”

“Get goin’!”

“Y-yes!”

With that the purple-haired demon to her backside, Hilda takes the quickest route off the mountain. Directly off the cliff edge with a leap and turning her sapphire crystal back into its claymore form, stabbing it into the cliff side as she plummets. The rocks crumbling into dust as shards of crystal exude into the air from her trail of destruction. Once a safe distance from the ground, she leaps off blade in hand and admires the hundreds of thousands of carvings like stretch marks on the mountain as she drops downward.

Before hitting the snow, she sticks the claymore, nearly stretching from her legs to torso, mind you, on her feet and glides down the mountain. Her hair becomes undone, racing with her as she swerves around rocks and memorized tree wells despite being spread like ants on a picnic blanket. After thirty minutes of evasion, she finally sees Éze on the horizon. It is as in abundance as the sea behind it. Each ripple of waves wafting and waning

“This view never gets old. Maybe someday I can…”

Show him this, Hilda finishes in her thoughts. No.

“I will.”

Several meters from the entrance of the city, she returns the claymore to its crystal form but continues her momentum past the gate into the city. Two guards, one a ghastly blue spirit of a woman and the other an Orc man in clad sapphire armor stood at each side of the gate each hold a futbol sized R.Ruby and small sack of crystals respectively and tossing them to her as she runs past.

“Give him hell Hilda!” said the Orc man.

“Thanks, Mr. Gob-Bill.”

“Seduce the heck out of him!”

“Will do, Mrs. Shizu!”

It suddenly occurs to Hilda how did those two know about her circumstances? She had told no one, and Celissa usually had few words to speak of outside their family.

How do — Then a certain blue-haired musical performer pops into her mind.

Bri!

Meanwhile, back at the top of the mountain. Snuggly tucked inside a warm blanket and several magma looking crystals around said blue-haired girl like a cultish spell soundly sleeping next to her purple-haired mother.

Back to Hilda.

She moved like a sprinter. A mad sprinter who fused with a linebacker charging through a crowded plaza while dodging side to side between the cracks of the people like a fish. And yet, even with that speed, she had time to respond to every single person who greeted her.

“Getting the big catch today, Hilda?”

“Yes sir, Mr. Benstone.” She waves to a golem holding a three-leaf clover after leaping far into the air.

“Hird ‘bout da laddy dat don dere tukin ildi’s hart. Na tellem ta cumon ‘round these hir prts fir ahn luuksi.”

“Yers da firs ta kah-no, Madam Ban.” Hilda clicks her tongue and winks at the elderly spirit child with a giant mouth on the back of their head as she lands on the rooftop.

“Princess, should we start preparing the coronation?” A soldier with two Emerald stars salutes her.

“Many thanks but it’s not even official yet!” she shouted, sliding across to then leaps onto another nearby rooftop out of view.

“It Ain’t!” The crowd yells from behind her before joyfully bursting into laughter then back to gossiping amongst each other.

“Ah. Ain’t that just like One Way Hildi to run off like that.”

“To think it’s a boy this time.”

“Anyone got an idea on who it is?”

“Hir its un ov dem dere hav boy.”

“A halfling? Which halves exactly?”

“Ain’t no one ever seen his dang face. He keeps it hidden under the hood.”

“Wait, is it that one unaffiliate always around that private smithery of Dead Eye Celissa.”

“Yes. That one exactly.”

“Anyone wanna rewatch last year’s Bri-Domination’s album with me?”

“Of course!” said the left side of the crowd.

“The towering bright Hilda”

“Pint of a shadow of a brat, they the perfect little ying-yang going.”

“Right!”

It was like the whole town shared a single mind. Busy bodies joyously teasing, caring and worried all at once over the girl and move on to the next with little thought, and of course they did. Its royalty revealed the truth about the city of Éze, which was never created to be a city to begin with. Less of a country or nation and closer to tribal. Starts with two, then five and before you know it many gathered, quote unquote kidnapped or quote unquote held captive here because of outside factors. Éze’s invitation rendered all other factors insignificant, allowing individuals like former kings or debt-ridden farmers to liberate themselves from those constraints. The whole town would quickly realize any news if one person knew about it, and you would be the topic of discussion for the day.

Although the smallest and least populated out of the three nations, Éze is the most powerful. With its humble one thousand residents strong, they live a simple life. Some who strive for greatness compete against one another no matter the profession, be it combat or who grew the tallest beetroot that year, with rivalries that spanning decades or even millennia. Others sought peace and choose to not act unless it becomes necessary. Thus, many residents lived in the more spacious areas, quietly allowing each day to pass them by with little to no thought.

Many swaps side, from competitive, became peaceful saints and peaceful became competitive thrill seekers.

And yet they were always one. A unit chaotically formed together in this small city on the other side of the mountain, surrounded by Taaffiete. Unseen and unknown to the rest of the world, if not for their leader, whose appearance was as rare as a snowflake in a dry desert.

That is the Éze that Hildigunn von Hedda Hulda Helle Herdis Herthrud Hylin Hella Testament sees in her heart.

The place Hildigunn von Hedda Hulda Helle Herdis Herthrud Hylin Hella Testament wishes to protect.

And where Hildigunn von Hedda Hulda Helle Herdis Herthrud Hylin Hella Testament wants to return to with that partner in hand.

After an hour of sidetracking helping several elderly people with errands, Hilda arrives near the eastern gate. The largest and only entrance into the city from the outside because of the treacherous nature of the other entry points. To the North untamed desert leading to the cottage, the West and South a sea guarded by the Four-Star Admirals and Éze’s combat force leaving the East as the safest path of entry. Safe in relative terms as a certain green-haired watch over hunting prey, presenting a threat to their home.

Despite the stone wall standing a mile high, the Taffiete pillars are still visible from within the city, resembling pikes pointed towards the heavens aiming for their head. The stone’s material wasn’t anything special. Its uniqueness came from what surrounds it. A mist that to a native of Éze would not pass a thought at, but to outsiders it appears as nothing. An assault on such a city through the Taffiete pillars is arduous just to reach a city appearing to not exist, sight, touch, hearing and most detection abilities distorted or worn away, making an illusion. Its weak walls were purposeful, allowing those on the other side one last opportunity to retreat, as all defenses served as a warning to keep Éze people in, not others out.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Hilda approaches the Eastern gate closer and spots nine people. Celissa with her empty sack over her shoulder, silent as the two shop owners, an Orc Man and Elf woman, discuss with the six guards. At a quick glance, she understood the guards were preventing the two from leaving, and Celissa acted as a neutral witness.

Celissa raises her head, then walks unnoticed by the eight towards Hilda, who was only a few meters away from the whole situation.

With a tap on the shoulder and a cunning smirk, the message was as clear as day.

I leave it to you. And. You better hurry.

With little choice, Hilda begrudgingly obliges.

“And I said I don’t care!”

“Ma’am. We understand that this is a pressing issue for you but.”

“But nothin’. I ain’t letting you stop me from delivering this! Right Hubster?”

“Of course, Wifer…” The Orc man responded. The exhaustion in his eyes told all he felt from this entire debacle. “But you see they have a point.”

“Who side are ya on?!”

“Yours!”

“See. Now let us pass! If we don’t give it to him, he’ll die!”

“I understand but there are procedures. With your health and all, please allow us to deliver it for you.”

“And I said that ain’t gonna work. He doesn’t trust anyone but us! Why can’t you get that? What do you think Celissa?” the woman turns to no one. “Where’d she go?”

The eight stared at the location where Celissa had stood moments earlier, dumbfounded to find it empty, then search for her.

Then one guard spots Hilda, a ghastly lizard fellow in light sun stone chain mail.

“The first princess approaches. Perhaps she can aide in resolving this matter?”

“Hildi!” The elf woman runs over, orc man swiftly behind. “Tell them to let us pass.”

Hilda nods. “Okay. Let them pass.”

“Pardon me first princess.” Another Orc guard clad in sapphire spoke. “But they will die if they venture alone, and we have no one to spare because of recent uproar coming from the sea.”

“Understood. You two are not to leave. We cannot have anyone dying frivolously. Value your lives.”

“Hildi!”

“Princess!”

An infinite loop. The Elf woman starts an argument. Following one of the six guards while at its center stood Hilda, wanting to appease both sides, but no idea how. Their yelling even attracted the attention of nearby onlookers like a spectacle as a crowd formed around the nine.

“This none of yer concern! Get out of the way!”

“We can’t Ma’am! We’re doing our JOBS!”

“Quit doing and start moving!”

The Orc man, sadly the only reasonable one, had little power and stood silently nodding, agreeing with his wife every time someone spoke to him.

“Fine! If that’s how it’s gonna be then. Then! I’ll take all y’all out and leave!”

“Try us then!”

*BANG*

From behind Hilda appears Celissa, holding a Triple Action Thunder single shot handgun in her left hand aimed at the air.

“Enough. We’re done.” Celissa turns to the crowd behind, and they disperse. “Trunk legs take the goods. You’re the only one we can spare for this and to answer, I never left.”

“R-right.” Hilda does exactly that and retrieves a sack of gems from the couple as Celissa returned the gun back in her holster.

“You two.” Pointing at the couple. “Age, health and lack of training left you weak. Back to your shop.”

“Y-yes but.”

“Shut it.”

To the surprise of everyone, the once boisterous woman was now meekly hiding behind her partner.

Then Celissa points to the guards, causing them to straighten their posture and instinctively salute.

“Be patient dealing with civilians. Look for compromises. Not fights. You are here to protect them even from themselves. We clear?”

“Sir, yes Ma’am!”

Then finally Hilda.

“Get going. Here, I mapped out his general location. It’s one use only so be sure to memorize it.” Celissa tosses a green topaz. “My guidance, made quite the impression on him.”

“Celi!” Hilda flashes red before running past the gate and out of sight within seconds.

“Kidding.” The green-haired scoffs. “You six. Who’s the fastest?”

“Sir, I am ma’am.” The lizard man in light scale armor steps forward.

“Walk with me.”

The two ventures outside the gate away from prying ears. Taaffiete also has the property to absorb sounds like many of the floor of the labyrinth, though only at a shorter range.

“Listen well. I do not repeat myself.”

“Sir, yes ma’am.”

“Vice-admiral, Reykr Blanche is to receive this message. It contains valuable details concerning the security of our nation.” She hands him a green topaz gem in the shape of a sphere. “I must return to my post lest risk intruders moving into our territory. Heed this warning, from this point onwards it will detonate, killing you if anyone else touches it except for the Vice Admiral. If not given within a timeframe of a half turn of Divine Flames, it detonates as well.”

Equivalent to thirty minutes.

The lizard man nods, right hand trembling from the overwhelming responsibility thrust upon him.

“With haste and speak to no one about this.”

“Sir, y-yes ma’am.” He stuttered, gently holding as if it were his own child and tip toeing one claw at a time towards the entrance.

“Go. Before it goes off.”

“Yes!” The red covered lizard jolts out of there towards the western part of the Éze.

With that taken care of, Celissa returns to the forest, a single thought pressing in her mind. Not one of concern or even her mission, just a passing question that sprung forth.

Trunk legs won’t get lost…right?

----------------------------------------

We now find Hildigunn in her natural habitat, amidst a vocal warfare against the fiercest tricksters of the forest. After minutes of circling them, she finds them to be adequate for the eye, then moves on the attack. Still and unshaken, the young rocklings native to the Glemt Moss Forest find themselves under the giantess, yet in their stoicism lies pride unyielding to man or woman.

Rocks they are, rocks they will always be. Their voiceless cries attempting to intimidate their natural enemy, though, unfortunately for the rocklings, it fails to dissuade the wary Hildigunn.

“Nobody!” Hildigunn shouted, scaring the moss off boulders as the tips of her fingers dig into the Rockling King, making holes in his body smooth as the contours of his stone. Lifting the freight trailer sized boulder, disappointment etches across her face. The result unsatisfactory. A hunt continues.

Many abandon the Rockling King, trickling down to dust in the hopes of escaping the foe that seeks their destruction as she holds their sacrificial Rockling King above them like a trophy, displaying to all the little pebblites the conclusion of their defiance.

“Not here either…”

The pebblites were unable to escape in time and their fate sealed deep inside of the dirt suffocating under the boot of Hildigunn. Unsatisfied, the wild Hildigunn tosses the Rockling King West thousands of miles away and into the sea before continuing her search.

Will her rampage ever end? No. Is there an end to this destruction? Probably. Did those Rocklings really speak? …Yes.

Find out next time on… Rocklings, shimmer and shatter.

Hours later.

“Where is he?” Hilda asked herself. “Where. Is. He?!”

Earlier today, the Divine Flames rise had barely begun when Hilda first left the city. Now, a thousand miles to the southeast later, the sky above transition to near Divine Flames set. A dark indigo consuming orange, shadows fading into shadows and a princess with hair wild as if struck by lightning it extending in all directions because her clip broke off hours ago and sunk to her waist in mud drags forward. Each step she takes opens a viscous pocket of air, only for it to fill seconds later, covering the path she had just taken. Hilda swears she has passed the same tree with a T-like scar nearly two dozen times. And somehow, all of that seemed trivial to the storm clouds forming above, sprinkling droplets of Divine Element as if mocking the very effort she put forth.

A hungry looking brown alligator creature with its four eyes; blue, green, orange and red, peeks out of the water to Hilda’s left. She ignores it, pressing forward, but it inches forward.

She sighed, eyeing a floating log within arm’s reach, “Leave beast, the limitation of my fury and restraint worn thin. I will warn you once more, leave.”

However, her warning goes on deaf ears and the truck sized creature leaps, jaw wide open. Hilda grabs the log, tossing it at the beast but it’s crushed to pieces by the alligators bite then continuing its momentum attaches to her right arm. But there was no crackle, a shatter or a flinch by the giantess princess. It only made her sink deeper until the muck reached her breast, and in fact, the beast’s teeth had broken clean off as it locked eyes with its supposed prey. It tries to retreat.

Two fingers. Using her thumb and pointer finger, she stops it from flinging mud as it desperately tries to get away, pulling it closer to the giantess.

“Do you know where he is?”

The prey had become the predator. Darkened by the filth of Glemt swamp, yet eyes seething light like rays of the sun scorching the lizard.

Three more bites. Her left leg, shoulder and breast chomped by alligators attempting to rescue its friend from her clutches.

“I said…” she clenches her teeth, hair a slightly whiter hue and steaming the rain above as the alligator finds itself lifted into the air still gripped by those two fingers, “leave me, ALONE!” Trees collapsed; mud high as a wall of tsunami roared down in all directions, as the four creatures were no more. The lightless swamp silence mocking her as she balls her fist. Two light beams pierce the forest frantically looking for something, anything, to steer her in the correct path.

Yet nothing. Like standing in a hall of mirrors looking identical and distorted in every direction, all at the same time as the sounds of laughter heard by the wind.

East became west. Where do I go?

West became north. How do I reach him?

North indifferent from south. What can I do?

Hilda’s shoulder fall, like a statue eroding unnoticed by the environment around her as once again the waves of mud crawl at her feet slowly covering her ankles and engulfing the princess. First her knees, then hip where the goods rests. She takes them off, lifting them above her head to prevent the mud from taking it. However, now the artillery fire of the rain droplets beat down on the lass. Light taps of the Divine Element turn heavy like arrows striking down, making the mud drift downstream.

Where are you Nobody… Am I not worthy of finding you? Where could b —

*clink*

Then a sound. Her pointed ears straighten as light tapping heard faintly in the distance pointing eastward.

That.

*clink*

The pitter patter of the rain drowning out its sound, but with lightning filling the sky she spots a rock formation eastward by the cliff side.

There. It has to be.

Not sparing a moment, Hilda takes out a sapphire stone, activates it into a lance and parting the mud and water into walls on both sides with an upward slash. In a second, she covers the distance and leaps right before the path collapses, landing behind the rock formation.

One can see a light on the other side, a faint blue transparent aquamarine, slightly peering out of the cave. The princess takes a step then stops herself suddenly aware of the state of her attire, hairs darkened brown thrashing about like the aftermath of a battle as her clothes had yet to fully filter out the caked layer of grime that buried under her dress and even under her nails.

This won’t do. My appearance is that of a jackal rolling in its own filth.

With that, she takes out a stone. A strange mixed colored stone with colors of purple and orange that swirl much like the sky above and as she activates it, her body is enveloped in a white smoke. Starting from her feet, the filth gently detaches from her and floats towards the stormy-looking stone, where its absorbed inside until none remains.

Hilda then tosses the stone into the lake, ties her hair up into ponytail and after a second and third check up on her appearance, she was ready, popping around the corner like an overly eager neighbor to greet him.

And there he is. The one named Nobody, hood veiling his face even with the light of the aquamarine bouncing all throughout his abode.

“Salutations Nobody. I have a package for you.” Hilda said, bearing the most charming smile she could wear.

No response. With an emerald in one hand and chisel made of brown widow claws in the other, chipping bit by bit of gem unaffected. He blows on the left side of the emerald, rubs it, then shaves the rest with prana.

“I see that you are busy but here is the package from the mixed couple you trade with.”

Again, nothing. The giantess stature of the woman, invisible to his task at hand.

I watched him.

That’s all I could do sitting there in that small space trying to stay dry. Never once did he look up, whether I called for him, wave my hand be it in his face or touched him. It was as if I didn’t exist. Despite all that, it was fascinating. The manner in which he taps fragments off the stones and gems, the delicate care taken with each movement similar to how I handle my sisters, restrained in might besides its forcefulness. Their battle echoes rhythmic as if attuned to duels, clashing blades with movement so insignificantly tiny, yet vital therefore necessary. Not a one of his actions lacked purpose, each one no matter how small or grand essential.

So I kept watching him.

Right now he’s working on a smithing ruby, one as small as my finger tip but with the same care as if it were an emerald. The previous a black gem that I did not know or seen before that he uses to store his finished work inside. Plentiful gems I do not recognize, nor could I decipher, their use without a tool. Those I could recognize, like sapphire, emerald, topaz and aquamarine stored for later use, and what lied in front of were the contents of the package. I learned that gems and stones alike can fuse, forming a new combination. Strange combinations of color unknown to my ignorance and just like the cleansing stone given to me by father, those without a name shaped into objects similar to the ring my father gave my mother. A ring for fingers, a ring for wrists and finally ring worn around the ankles, although I wished I knew the purpose of that one. Did it give speed? Had it made him more agile? Why such a ring and that placement specifically?

How mysterious he is. I can’t look away.

It has been four days since I came here and not a once did he move from that spot with the occasional recovery of stamina via a rejuvenation ruby. I could train with my lance a breath's length away from him, defeat monsters and shout as loudly as I pleased, although to no reaction. As creatures not of the flesh, time can become stagnant without keeping the mind busy, at least, that father always spoke of. One thing that Elven, Orcish, and even I, a half-bred child, have in common is that core, so I wonder, does he have a core as well? His physical form is neither burly as the Orcish nor as dainty as the Elven, formless as spirits or elemental as Anima. Who is he? I know that Nobody is not his true name, but if he wishes for me to call him that, then I will… though.

“Nobody. Will you tell me your true name?”

The answer remains the same, but my anxiousness has long faded; that was two days ago exactly when he shined a silver like stone at the apex height of the Divine Flame rise.

I believe. I know. I am certain that I must see how far he will soar.