Tereliva, Inner East Entrance, Interior of The Capitol Guard Station

“Oy Oy!” The guard slams his hand on the table. “Now I’m going to need you to repeat what you said again this time make it damn literate aye!” The guard is pressing an issue with Tom, Luna’s friend.

Tom shivers in his seat, grief spilling from his face along with sweat. He tries to repeat what he said before but slower “Like I said we were leaving the garage after locking up the floats and I had to stop back at my place to change.”

“Northwest of Center Borough right?”

“Yeah, I live right across the street from the councilman. So I go inside, change and as I’m coming out I look back across the street to councilman’s house.” Tom grips his leg. “and that’s when I saw him, screaming and scratching at the window. I tried to help.” He nervously glances at both guards in the room. “But once I stepped a foot closer his body was yacked away and what replaced it, that stare, I could feel the eyes of a killer on me.”

The other guard chimes in. “And this is the point where you froze.”

“I couldn’t move an inch, until.” He gulps. “the man in the window was gone and the front door started to slowly open. Then I ran, ran as fast as could. Now I’m here.” He pleads for the guards to believe him. The Guards take it into consideration before they leave the room and begin discussing their findings while traveling the hallway leading back to the post by the entrance.

“Should we alert Valkin Police?” one guard says to the other.

“and what? Have them take all the credit. Yeah right. Heres what we’re gonna do.” The guard stops the other guard in the hallway grabbing his shoulder. “We’re gonna round up some of the guys from here at the station and go make what of that guys story in there and if we catch the guy maybe me and you will be working Festival Security huh? Hows that sound big guy?” he nudges the guard with his elbow

“You sure its alright? To not tell Valkin command about a possible murder of Councilmember, that could land us in hot water man.”

“What are you scared of? The FallFather? Him and the bulk of the Valkin forces left to on a Haven hunt anyway, by the time they get back we’ll have it solved.”

“I don’t know man.”

“Fine! I’ll round up some of the other guys.” The guard shoves off the other guard before walking away mumbling angrily under his voice.

A few moments later the timid guard stayed behind wish the others luck on theyre investigation. As he stands at the door to the guard hub he looks up to the sky and see a flare going off in the not so far East.

Tereliva, Center Borough Town Square, VIP area by main stage.

Luna and Charles are wishing Dani a great performance.

“Wow, that’s a lot of people out there, do you ever get nervous?”

“I used to, the crowd would be so big I would get lost in the eyes, but I have a little trick that helps me get over that. Just watch.” She makes her way on stage.

Roy stands next to Luna everyone lines up to watch the opening ceremony. Once Dani hits the stage everyone starts clapping.

“Your sisters a pretty big deal huh?”

“Yup, she really became the jewel of this city.” Luna smiles as Dani begins to sing a beautiful song!

“I wonder what her trick is.”

“Don’t tell her I told you this but, she just imagines our father is in the crowd. The eyes of the crowd used to really scare her but once she just imagines dads eyes in the crowd its like she calms a storm.”

“your father is he-?”

“Dead? No. Missing.”

“How long?”

“5 years. We’re still keeping hope strong.”

A moment passing with Dani’s singing.

“I’m sure he’s out there.”

Luna looks at Roy who is looking at her. Most times when people say that it out of pity. But from the look in Roy’s eye, he meant that. She punches his arm and smiles at him “I thought your just another no good drifter, but you might be alright.”

Dani’s pitch gets thrown off for a second as she sees Luna and Roy hit off, it irks her as she finishes her song. Once she finishes, the audience applauds thunderously. She leaves the stage and stands with the rest but gives angry vibes to Luna who all but oblivious to why. They all begin to pay attention once the Mayor of the city hits the stage.

“I want to thank you all for the lively turn out! I couldn’t have asked for better. You all prove that Tereliva has heart! We have come here to celebrate the creation of the city as well as our union with the Valkin!”

Mixed reviews come from the crowd as people express their displeasure with the Valkin nation.

“please, everyone calm yourselves. Need I remind you all that its thanks to the graciousness of the Valkin that we can hold this tradition and carry on with the festival. We hold allegiance to Valkin and must all remember it. Now without else to do I present to you “The Birth of Tereliva”

The mayor leaves the stage, and the lights dim. The crowd quiets in anticipation as the main light turns on, water begins to spread on stage with people in hoods treading on the stage and a narrator speaks.

“Centuries ago, the Tribe of Tere searched for a home. After years of migration, they came across a water serpent.”

Wave particles start to float in the air as the water rises and morphs into a water serpent that moves in front of the people.

“The Serpent told the Tribe he knew of a place that was exactly what they needed, but if they wanted to build and stay there, they would have to build the city in the serpents honor. The tribe agreed then climbed in the serpents to mouth to take them to the land.”

The people walk through the water then the water shoots into the air. The people are gone from the stage then suddenly floods of water begin to form in a huge wave that looks like its going to fall over the audience, but it doesn’t it stops in mid air then goes back to the stage but splashes around violently.

“They were taken to a waterfall and was told by the serpent to build here. The tribe looked among each other and recognized it was an impossible the water from the waterfall was too violent and how were they expected to build on the edge of a water. Tribe complained to the serpent, but the serpent responded by bearing its fangs it told them they agreed to build the city and if they didn’t complete a city in 10 years it would return and eat them. The people painstakingly created the city in the time and when the serpent returned, he told them to get inside the city and enjoy their work. Once everyone was inside of the city the serpent sealed everyone inside then revealed itself for who he really was.

The water and actors portrayed the story and when the serpent revealed itself Belvin comes out of the serpent in all black armor and helmet. Roy was confused, Belvin was portraying Ohgun, but why does he look so evil.

“It was Ohgun master Craftsmith and malevolent trickster! He subjugated the people of Tere to continue to build to the city while he ate from there labor. He was truly a cruel man.”

Belvin is not into the performance, he is obviously displeased with his role and you could see the people didn’t like the show either. Suddenly boos can be heard from the audience as garbage began to be thrown on the stage.

The narrator continues “It was thanks to the Valkin Kingdom that we were able to defeat the craftsmith and-“ he is cut off when the trash and debris start to hit him. The crowd becomes unruly as Valkin guards put an end to the show and start to disperse the crowd.

“Valkin doing what they do best, starting shit.” Roy says

Luna agrees and offers Roy a tour around the festival. He agrees to Dani’s dismay, though she is too preoccupied with her boyfriend to stop the two as they go back into the festival with Taylor. Roy and Luna walk side by side with Taylor behind them. Luna is introducing the two to different vendors and aspects of the city to both Roy’s and Taylor’s excitement. They sit down and enjoy some a skewered fruit snack they had gotten from a vendor when Roy asks about Luna’s headband.

“I’ve been wondering about your headband, I’ve seen one like it before. Doesn’t it have something to do with the Shoto tribe.”

Luna seems kind of surprised he recognized her tribes tradition. “Wow, you actually know about Shoto customs? Yeah, this is a Fishermans headband. It belongs to my father.”

“When I used to live in the Belmouth, I had a friend that was Shoto, we would steal a boat and go catch our fish when we didn’t have enough creds for food. Stealing the boat was the easy part returning it without getting caught was the hard part.” Roy laughs then realizes he just told her he steals boats. “but that was then, I work for what I have now.” He says embarrassed and bites down on his fruit snack.

“So the guard was right huh? You are some type of thug?”

Roy reacts comically trying to dissuade of her of such thoughts. “No, no, no, I swear I’m not. I just get dealt shitty cards.”

Luna laughs at his reaction “So, if your not a thug then what are you?”

“A Craft smith.” He says firmly “I plan to be the best Craft smith. Even better than Ohgun himself.”

“oooooh really?” Luna says interested in his resolve.

“I’ve wanted to create since I was a child watching my father craft trickets and sell. He didn’t get much but he would always smile when he was working.”

“That sounds like my dad.” She smiles “Always absorbed into whatever he was doing.”

“you gotta love the drive. It’s a powerful thing.” Roy says proudly

“Is that what you have? Drive?” Luna ask

“You bet, 100 times over! You see, I’m what you call an unstoppable force. Once I get my mind to something there’s no getting in my way.” Roy says finishing his fruit snack.

“Really? So what are you going to do now that your friend is gone again?” Luna says finishing her fruit snack with her eyes closed

Roy looks around shocked that he let her get away again before smacking the palm of his hand against his head. “This is like the third time.” He reaches in his bag again. “she doesn’t know how I keep finding her.” He then pulls a small, mechanized frog out of his bag. “But thanks to this fella I can track her wherever.” The frog turns on and begans to move around the palm of his hand before dropping to the floor.

“Nese, I need you to find Taylor and lead me to her.” The mecha-frog flips backwards before running off.

Luna watches the frog run away “Okay, that was really preem. So you really make stuff huh?”

Roy laughs proudly “I don’t make stuff I make greatness. I’ve had Nese for 3 years and it does all my tracking and mining logging for me. Its probably my favorite creation right now. I created the super brain from an engram of Lively Tech’s mining drones. Ramped up her cognitive ability and processing matrix so its problem solving is next level and her frame is made from an alloy that is resistant to most types of conditio-” he realizes hes rambling.

“sorry, you don’t want to get me started on my crafts.”

Interested Luna responds “it’s nothing, to be embarrassed about. It is kinda weird how you call it a her.”

“Don’t let Nese hear you, I didn’t give her a gender but after she understood what it was, she wanted to participate. I can’t tell my children no.”

“Aw, so your pretty sentimental to your contraptions huh?”

Roy scoffs into a chuckle “ahaha, I tell you I created a superbrain and that’s what you want to call them? Contraptions? I don’t make contraptions. I make devices that are meant to better our lives.”

“Okay then whats the worst thing you made.”

Roy falls silent, he turns away.

“oh i’m sorry I didn’t mean to.” Luna say

Roy turnds back to her “no its okay, just caught me off guard, well just as much as I make stuff to better our lives, ive made things that ended lives.”

As Luna process what Roy just said her face becomes worried. She speaks below her breath “you know Dark craft weapon making? I thought weapon creation was illegal unless your with a big name. how did you learn.”

“Long story, but I’ve known for a long time.”

Roy notices rattling amongst the guards as they begin to move about.

“So the man with the troubled past wants to get his own shop and do something positive, huh? I like it.”

“you make it sound so simple.”

“Well isn’t it? Look, I own a shop in bottoms. It takes a hell of an upkeep and it was hell when I first took over but after a while everything started to make sense and I was able to wake up everyday looking forward to the day.” She lightly jabs his chest “I definitely see that happening with you.”

They share a gaze in each others eyes before its broken up by a guard knocking into Roy.

“Hey watch out.”

Suddenly Belvin grabs Roys shoulder.

“Roy take her and Taylor and get to safety.”

“Belvin why whats up?!”

“No time to-“

Suddenly at the East most gate to the city of Tereliva there was a huge explosion as a great loud roar can be heard echoing through the town.