Pitter-Patter!
The raindrops hit Charlotte's Lycoris umbrella. She has been walking for a while. Perhaps this road was for carriages, as there were barely any turns on the way. However, also because of the transportation, the distance between the train station and the urban area was not meant for walking.
"At least there are no more werewolves…" Charlotte sighed as she pulled a pair of wooden round objects.
There are hooks attached to both of them. Charlotte hangs those round objects on her ears. It is an old-fashioned ear-hanging headphone, the ATH-EW9 by Audio Technica. Connecting to the cable is an old cylindrical MP3 Player. Charlotte brought these little things with her from her hometown. Over there, most people would prefer Bluetooth headphones over wired ones. However, just like Charlotte's dress, she always liked old-fashioned things. This match was from an old video game Charlotte played.
She clicked the play button on the player to send the audio she had already downloaded before she got here. A piece of relaxing music was transmitted to Charlotte's ear with beautiful vocals.
Another wander in the night
Let me paint the view
Color a town with my light
For every moment shared with you
Not out in the day
But never fully gone
Going to be back again
Until the coming of a dawn
Charlotte continued walking forward as the music was playing. It is hard to imagine Lucia, the capital of a post-industrialization state, in its situation today. Although time has wiped its old glory to dust, dust can still be seen when piled up greatly. The statues, roads, train stations, etc., all told how great this land was to Charlotte. Due to the "author" of the decline, this land has started to lose everything. One significance is this never-ending rain. However, even in such extreme cases, their Goddess has not done anything.
Clacked! Clacked!
Charlotte stopped at a medieval city wall made out of stones and bricks. Unlike the train station Charlotte came from, this place seemed so out of place considering its building style.
"Gosh, from the Victoria Era to the Medieval?" Charlotte exclaimed, sighingly.
As Charlotte looked forward, she saw a narrow stone bridge connecting to the archway gate of the wall. She looked up to see if anyone was standing on top of the wall, but the shadow of the shed to protect her from the rain on the wall blocked her sight.
Like a popular politician, Charlotte transformed her umbrella back into her eye, took a deep bow, and announced, "Hello there! My name is Charlotte Zarathustra, queen of Flora! In other words, I am your messiah! Your Savior!"
Pitter-Patter!
No one responded to her other than raindrops. Charlotte stood in place like an actress waiting for her applause.
Ten seconds later.
Twenty seconds later.
Half a minute later.
Pitter-Patter
Still, no one responded to her.
"Man, does this have to be this embarrassing?"
Charlotte straightened her back and walked forward. The rough stone on the stone bridge made her feet feel crude. Unlike this, the manufactured brick road Charlotte was on coming here was much smoother. If this were a raw tree trunk, then the road away from here would be a processed wooden plank.
Charlotte stopped in front of the wooden gate of the archway of the wall and pounded the gate, "Knock knock."
Ignoring the unresponsive, instead of digging her eyeball out again, Charlotte continued to let herself get soaked in the heavy rain. She continued to wait for another minute as the rain hit her. Soon, she looked like someone had accidentally dropped into a swimming pool.
"I should've brought my raincoat…"
Charlotte deeply sighed as she looked up, preparing to jump onto the top of the wall. She took a deep squat, ready to jump, but a deep voice shouted a word phrase out loud from inside the gate in a language that never existed on Earth, Charlotte's home. However, the good thing is that Charlotte did some homework before to prepare for this. The phrase the voice just shouted in its language means nothing else than the one the next part of the joke Charlotte was trying to make when she knocked on the door: "Who's there?"
"Figs," Charlotte, organizing her wet hair, responded gently.
The voice stood quiet for a second, then he asked with caution, "What are you here…"
"Fig the doorbell! It took you long enough to respond!" Charlotte laughed and shouted in English, cutting the deep voice halfway.
Of course, the source of that deep voice did not get Charlotte's joke. Charlotte knew the homophonic joke in English does not apply the same to this language since it is a different language family. However, Charlotte cannot resist her obsessive desire to finish any "shows," yet such desire often brings her troubles to another world, just like what she did at Lucia's station after hearing what Charlotte said, the source of the voice never responded to her. Charlotte is waiting for his response, standing in the same place she has stood all this time.
It was at this moment I knew, I fucked up Charlotte admitted quietly in her heart.
Pitter-Patter!
The noise of the rain became so significant and loud again. Charlotte extended her hand to try to knock on the door, but she gave up before her hand could reach the gate, after thinking.
Charlotte put her hand down and claimed in their language, "Listen, man, I know that sounded suspicious to you, but I am not the monster you are thinking of. Wait, wait, wait…" Charlotte cut the voice off again as if there was one.
"I know, I know. An unknown, strange woman, in this place filled with evil creatures, knocked on the city's archway. She first yelled random jokes out of nowhere in a language you had never heard before, and now she just did that again like an evil jester completing his plan. I will be honest with you, though, I am here to help, to help you guys to continue your light of humanity!" Charlotte exclaimed selflessly.
"Now, all you need to do is open the door and drop the weapons. Yes, I know, and I can also see it. Y'all think that I am those evil demons…Well, sort of, but not in the way you guys think. Anyways, Y'all believe I am a demon that transformed into a human form, but I am not. There is no way for me to prove it to you standing outside this weak archway."
As Charlotte continued her speech, she sensed that there were more and more people gathered behind that gate.
"In my homeland, a phrase to describe would be Messiah, the…Why am I trying?" Charlotte gave up halfway and bowed her head down, "You know what, I give up."
Charlotte's awkward actions have caused her to have such a result. The deepest fear of every human, no matter which world they are in is always unknowing, especially for one in such poor and closed conditions. As Charlotte said, seeing a random woman in such a situation, the wisest choice for the people inside is to play defense.
"I am sorry…" Charlotte murmured her apology quietly.
She looked up at the top covered with long sheds. Although the wall is built thick and covers the archers, it is visible through like glass in Charlotte's eye. After all, she sacrificed a lot to get to her place today. She squatted down again and transformed her left eyeball into a large Montante.
Plop!
Charlotte jumped above the shed and swung the Montante to cut it open. Suddenly, an arrow flew from inside out of the cut, aiming to pierce through Charlotte's head.
"Nice try, Diddy," Charlotte taunted as she slightly moved her head.
Swish!
The arrow dashed past Charlotte's ear.
After seeing enough space, Charlotte landed on the floor of the wall through the hole in the shed. Before she could stand up, another arrow flew toward her again, but this time for her chest. However, this time, Charlotte does not plan to dodge. She slowly raised her back, and the arrow pierced directly through her chest halfway and stuck there. Instead of dying from bleeding and injuries, lycoris started to pour out like blood from Charlotte's chest. The pedals twined around the arrow, eventually hiding the entire thing. Then, the pedals get tighter and tighter until each pedal is as thin as a sheet of paper. After the arrow became flexible like lycoris' petals, the two ends connected without any outside force. It formed some kind of swirl, connecting different parts of itself. In the end, it turned into a red spherical object. It bounced out of Charlotte's chest to her hand, and Charlotte silently put it in her pocket. All of this is done in less than one second.
As Charlotte turned to the side from which the arrow came, the object pounced out of her chest. Surprisingly, instead of having a bloody hole, the injury got filled up with petals of lycoris like an arrow. Different pedals connected, filling up the hole from the arrow. It started to dissolve into her body, healing the injuries and fixing her skirt. Of course, same as with the arrow, all of this is done at a glance.
After finding the balance from that hit one second ago, Charlotte quickly checked the environment around her. Although there are no light resources like a torch, she can still see the pattern of the rocky ground. However, she did not use any items or power other than her human eye, which means that there is something that cannot be seen that lit up this place. Charlotte knew it was not the sun, and that was because the sun had been hiding behind the clouds for generations. Plus, the space up here is not narrow enough for Charlotte to take a roll to dodge the attack, so the archer can't shoot so accurately based on the noise of Charlotte's landing.
After Charlotte turned around, she finally recognized who had been attacking her all this time. The archer is not so tall, at least not the average height on Charlotte's earth. He is wearing a metal chest protector and is wearing a metal chest protector. There is also no leg armor or helmet. Just by looking at his face, he is a young teenager. There is nothing special about his face other than a significantly large scar on his left cheek and short brown hair. He is wearing old, dirty flax pants and a shirt under the chest protector. Half of the bottom of that chest protector is covered with rust. Charlotte knew that the chest protector was made out of iron based on her unique eye. The chemical behind is very similar to the iron on Earth, which means it is very easy to get iron rust. Considering the environment and limited resources of Lucia, only having such an amount of rust is already an achievement. After making all these observations, the archer just loaded another arrow from his quiver.
"I am here to…" Another arrow flew towards Charlotte before she could finish.
Instead of dodging or taking it directly, Charlotte snapped like she had when facing the werewolf in the train station. An Invisible force pushed the arrow to the cover on top of the city wall, away from Charlotte.
Stood like a gentle statue, Charlotte wanted to say something to prevent this conflict from a more violent end, but then she gave up that idea after seeing that the archer drew the blade hanging behind his waist. The blade is sharp, but not the sharpest. Instead of calling it a knife, Charlotte would like to call it more of a dagger, considering its length.
The archer spread his legs and stood in battle position with the dagger.
"You didn't attack recklessly, very wise," Charlotte commented as she raised and pointed the Montante towards him, "but it would be even wiser if you listened to me."
The archer was surprised after seeing Charlotte raise such great swords like tree branches with just one hand. However, even though the teenager looked young, the spirit of a soldier existed in his eyes. Instead of showing fear, he held his knife more firmly, preparing to battle at any time.
"I am sorry that I was weird, but I am for real now. You have to listen to me…"
"Cut your word out, demon! Your trick stands to chance against my faith in Lucia!" The archer cut Charlotte off before she could finish her statement.
"And I am here to tell you that you are wrong! If faith can save you, what are your people doing right here? Where is your Goddess? How did you all decline from such a great nation to this place, stuck behind this wall?"
The archer first wanted to argue, but he could not speak a single word. After all, this demon in his view is true. The true Lucia, the capital, is already destroyed. Although Archer had not experienced the golden days himself, he had heard from the elders in this village behind the wall. The machines that can move faster than a horse, the bow that can shoot ten strong metal arrows in a second with magical powder, and buildings that are stronger and taller than the city wall are all the old legends passed down from generation to generation. However, after the "Great Curse," the old glory was replaced with tears of Lucia, the never-ending rain. The first immigrants to arrive who witnessed the fall of the Silver Tower are all dead, and the ones left today are their descendants.
You must not give up your faith in Goddess Lucia! That was told by the archer's father whenever he was lost.
No matter what happens, praying to the goddess Lucia will always encourage the teenager's heart.
"Give it up, Demon!" The archer shoots at Charlotte, and his determination is fossilized by his faith in Goddess Lucia, like that of every soldier in the city, generation after generation. "If you want to take me down, words are not going to work!"
"Hey buddy, listen. If I want you dead, you couldn't even make that first shot. You, your friends, and your people stand to lose if I want you all dead. I am here to help, so please do not make me destroy," Charlotte explained calmly.
"The people would rather die than surrender to you!" The archer responded while waiting for the reinforcement to come.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
After hearing the footsteps, she lowered her leg slowly in front of Archer, preparing for a charge. She then stood there for three seconds. The archer is in a defensive action, ready for a counter-attack.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Both Charlotte and the archer stood still. The archer knew that every mistake against such a fast demon would be fatal. Therefore, he chose to play defense. However, Charlotte does not want to create greater conflict. After all, that is not what she is here for.
After being locked in this stalemate for another second, Charlotte stood up and transformed the mondante back to Lycoris.
"You are…" Charlotte said respectfully, "But I am not here for foolish bravery."
Before the archer could say anything, Charlotte put the Lycoris back into her eye and jumped down from the top of the city wall.
"I will be back, though!"
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Three men hurried next to the archer. They are wearing similar clothes and a chest protector, but they have additional arm armor. Along with that, instead of having a bow and dagger, the one walking in the front is carrying a spear. This man looks much more orderly, around his mid-twenties than the archer. Although there is no scar on his face, it is not extracted to say that his hand is filled with scars, and these scars seem to extend to his arm. His hair is red, but not long. You would not want to let the demons catch your hair.
The other man following him is carrying a Warhammer. He also looks very young, between the archer and the spearman. However, unlike his age and appearance, he is bald. The other man is carrying a sharp razor. Unlike the other two and the archer, he is around his late thirties. His bear got wet on the way, hurrying to the archer, and his hair was dark as the rainy sky.
"Jackson! Are you alright?" The man walking in front, carrying a spear, asked the archer.
The archer named Jackson first ran to the side of the wall, looked down, and then responded, "I am fine, that demon just jumped down from the wall!"
The other two people gathered up with them by the wall, all looking down. However, perhaps it is less than ten seconds, and Charlotte has already fled away.
"Damn it!" The spearman exclaimed angrily.
"It's okay, Aayden, this demon is not like any other one we have seen," Jackson responded as he turned around.
"Jackson is right, what we need now is to focus on our defense," the rapper man suggested, turning to the Warhammer man, "Tod, we are going to have you guard the front."
"Of course, Sir Sandoval," Tod responded to the rapier man as he headed down.
After giving the commands, the rapper Sandoval turned toward the other two and ordered, "Jackson, you will continue to guard the city wall. I want to talk about that demon we've never seen before on the way. "
"Yes, Sir Sandoval," Jackson responded.
"Aayden, I need you to lead a group of forty; you can decide who to bring. Kolin should've been back five days ago," Sir Sandoval ordered as he looked at Aayden.
Aayden wanted to ask about more details, but he kept all his questions in his stomach. There are three main creeds that every soldier of the city of Lucia needs to swear on their first day: the first is to follow the teachings of the Goddes Lucia, and every soldier is her knight and servant; the second is to follow the order of the pope–Goddes Lucia's prophet in humanity, but now it is the order of "Arkasa" since the pope died during the "Great Curse" before she could annointe his successor; and the last is to protect the innocent people from danger.
"Yes, Sir Sandoval," Aayden obeyed as he raised his Warhammer to his chest.
This act of raising a weapon to the chest is a special salute for the army to show respect before the "Great Curse," and most of the people who escaped from that disaster were peasants and normal citizens. However, Aayden's ancestor was one branch of the nobles who escaped from the "Great Curse" and settled in the new city of Lucia today. Although his family was never as rich as before, the practices, such as this salute, still got passed down.
"Good, go ask Lydia for information. After you have decided to gather your people, come see me.
As mentioned in the second creed of soldiers of Lucia, they must follow the order from the pope, or "Arkasa." However, the "Arkasa" today, and the strongest "Arkasa" ever lived after the "Great Curse," Kolin, had been gone for five days. Aayden had once been selected for his pioneer explorer program. They have seen many demons before, but "Arkasa" Kolin bravely defeated them all with no casualties. If a strong man like him couldn't even make it back, how could he?
Aayden immediately cut these thoughts off.
What am I thinking about? If "Arkasa" Geralld is in danger, then I must go save him. Without him, we can not do anything…
Jackson already went back to his position, leaving Aayden alone. "Sir," Sandoval went back to the Middle Tower. Aayden turned his head around, seeing the Foggy sky. Of course, just like the past hundreds of years, the rain never stopped.
Pitter-Patter!