Chapter 6

The Beast

“And here I thought you weren’t following me,” were the first words Meredith addressed to Emil. The mantis was still screeching loudly, recovering from the assault. It left the two just enough time to be reacquainted. Emil spun in the air, righting himself before taking a Frost Apple and biting into it. The repressed shudders told Meredith it wasn’t pleasant to actually eat.

“Wasn’t,” he finally said when the shivers had passed. “Actually, it wasn’t until the floor started giving way beneath my feet that I saw you again. Didn’t expect this.”

“Yeah, it’s annoying. Mind lending a hand? It just doesn’t seem to want to die.” Emil tossed his apple up and down, but she had the feeling he wasn’t actually deliberating it. The thought was proven true as Emil tossed the fruit to the side and crossed his blades together.

“Don’t mind if I do!” Seconds after he proclaimed this, Emil turned his body and shot downwards, right for the writhing mantis’s midsection. Meredith took the moment to catch her breath, watching as Emil began to spin and slice along the creature’s body before floating up and back to the ground. His feet didn’t touch the surface.

“You really don’t like touching the ground,” Meredith noted. She straightened her back, drawing her sword level as the wounds on the mantis’ back stitched themselves back together. Emil scoffed at the sight of it. “It doesn’t like dying.”

“Never seen a monster like it. How did you come across it? Hard to believe the Corps would put something like a regenerating monster in the cavern.”

“We didn’t.” Emil quirked an eyebrow, but Meredith ignored it. However, she did throw her gaze back to see what Eddie was up to, running back and forth in a panic. The mantis was done screeching now, its red eyes zeroing in on the pair. “But, that doesn’t matter. Being a Guardian means doing the things you have to, so you can protect those who need it. Let’s destroy it!”

“If you insist,” Emil said. He seemed bored by her statement, but Meredith didn’t focus on that. The chittering noise of the striking mantis grew louder and its sickle claws dug into the ice. All of its tumultuous movement had created so many grooves in the ice that it was barely recognizable as the sheen floor she and Eddie had arrived at earlier. Meredith’s foot slid back…

…but Emil was already on the move.

“Wait, are you seriously-?” Whatever Meredith was going to follow up with felt pointless. Emil vaulted from one of the clots of crushed ice and sprang into the air, his gravity-based magic taking care of the rest. The monster turned, sickle flashing out. He blocked the blow with one of his blades before bringing the other down to slice the appendage clean off. The creature screamed and flailed once more. “Okay…guess it’s a ‘we do our own kind of thing’…”

She skated forward now, tossing but one more glance back to her best friend. He was no longer running around in a panic as pieces of ice fell around him, but rather, Eddie stood in contemplative thought. A strange moment to do so, Meredith felt, but she was glad he had stopped freaking out. To that, she held her blade tighter as she hit the first ice stop and slid towards the next.

Emil was back in the air, spinning around before diving for the back legs of the mantis while avoiding the second screaming blade-leg. For that one, Meredith pushed off her current ice block and went straight to blocking the attack. Emil zipped through the hindleg, severing it in two. As he did so, Meredith’s own blade soared upward to the sickle blade and blocked it. Her eyes flitted to the side, finding a space to dig in, and she angled her body in that direction. The mantis pushed, but Meredith’s shoe found what it was looking for and put a stop to the creature’s momentum.

Its red eyes gleamed in the glowing cavern, its mandibles clicking and clacking as the sound emanating from it increased in volume. Emil didn’t cease floating and slashed through one of the other hindlegs. The mantis stumbled, and Meredith put her weight behind her blade, slicing through the last of the sickle blades.

The appendage flew into the air, disappearing in a puff of dark smoke.

Kreeeeeeee! The screeching increased tenfold. Meredith winced, wanting to cover her ears, but not leaving her defensive position. The creature was stumbling back and forth on what remained of its legs, those same red eyes flashing and its mandibles clicking. Part of its body crashed into the walls, sending tremors through the room. Meredith steadied herself on the ice as the creature locked eyes on her and began scuttling forward, its deadly mandibles now protruding.

Then she saw it.

The appendages that had been fully sliced off were gone. It wasn’t regenerating. The beast wasn’t immortal after all. Only one course of action was left.

“Floaty Boy, cut it in two!” she called out. Emil’s body floated up, shoes touching to the wall. His own eyes darted around, soon figuring out the same thing she had. While he did so, Meredith dashed forward, right for her partner in combat. “Give me a boost!”

“I have something easier,” he said. Meredith put a foot out, stopping herself on an ice clot. The mandibles barely missed her, and Emil dropped towards the floor. Seconds later, his blades had retracted for him to extend his arms, palms facing downward. Meredith didn’t know what to expect. She quickly figured it out when the mandibles were driven into the ice on their own, stuck. The rest of the mantis’ body was moving in much the same way, its vulnerable midsection being pressed down towards the ground. “Now we can cut it in two.”

“Fine,” Meredith said. Emil’s blades shot out from his sleeves once more, though this time they didn’t stay connected to him. The blades flew forth, hovering over the creature’s head before Emil plunged his hands downward. The weapons followed suit and embedded themselves into the beast’s head.

The creature roared, thrashing this way and that. Meredith made one last push off of the ice, her blade in front of her, and cut straight into the middle of the creature. With a roar to signify her intended triumph, she kept going until her blade ended up on the other side. Inertia continued her movement until she hit a wall and turned herself around.

Their opponent had stopped thrashing, the darkness that had created it beginning to dissipate now that it was no longer held together. Meredith continued to watch, nonetheless, as its two bisected body parts began to tumble away and fade. A clatter to the ground indicated Emil’s weapons being dislodged as the last of the darkness transformed into harmless wisps. Unlike usual, he walked forward to collect them, while Meredith let a breath out.

“Weird…did someone attack you? Who?” he asked. Instead of answering, Meredith retracted her blade and hooked it on her belt.

“He didn’t say, but he wasn’t a candidate.”

“Hm…whack-job, then,” Emil said. His face was stern and unpleasant, though Meredith presumed it was the aftereffects of the fight. “Glad I could help. Looked like you needed it. Though, you weren’t too bad. Holding back?”

“No, I was-”

“Well, whatever. That mess is taken care of. See you topside.” Meredith couldn’t even open her mouth to reply, ask questions or outright snap at him for his inadvertent insult before Emil was floating upwards with little effort. He soon passed beyond the broken ceiling, leaving Meredith to stomp her foot on the ice.

“Yeah, sure, thanks for your help. Couldn’t have done it without you. Jerk…” she spat.

“He did help out. We even got some Frost Apples down here,” Eddie’s voice interrupted, coming closer with every second.

“Yeah, sure, if completely ignoring what I wanted to do was helping…You would have been more help, and you spent more time panicking!” Meredith said, rounding on Eddie. At the very least, he looked healthy and undamaged. More than that, he had a glimmer of a plan in his eye, which served to remind Meredith of the real reason they had been down here in the first place. “Crap, the trial. Do you know how much time we have left? Feels like it’s been forever.”

“No idea, but I do think I figured out how to get us out of here.”

“Good enough.” Meredith bent down to where some of the Frost Apples were discarded, grabbing two of them. “All right, Eddie, you were useless in a fight, so get us out of here instead.”

“Don’t remind me,” Eddie said. He looked displeased with the way events had gone down, but it didn’t deter him from enacting his plan. “This magic core is pretty powerful; enough to sustain the cold on this entire area. From the moment I walked in, it felt like it was fueling my magic with more energy. I’m sure any other ice users in the vicinity would feel the same.”

“The point, Eddie?” Eddie’s fingers clenched and unfurled, the frost particles moving in concert with the great fountain before them. The brunet looked up, straight towards the now absent ceiling which Emil had floated though.

“I think that if I borrow from the excess magic here, it’ll amplify my own. I might be able to actually give my magic greater form from it,” he said. The explanation was as informing as it could be, and all Meredith could do was shrug. She didn’t know enough about magic to agree or disagree. “Mera, I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything back there-”

“Save it,” she said, the sigh of impatience resting on her lips. “Just do what you have to.”

“One set of stairs, coming right up.”

Meredith stepped back and watched Eddie get to work. Despite her limited knowledge, it was like she was observing the most masterful artist and a piece of clay. Eddie may have been an amateur in the arts of magic, but watching him in concert with the core was nothing short of beauty. His fingers twisted and turned, small tendrils of frosty air weaving their way together. The sinews of ice twisted and tied, leading upwards to the very gap that was the first-level floor, their exit. To the naked eye, all it appeared as was a schematic of stairs and little else; yet to Eddie it must have been a complete project. His face showed nothing but the grin of improvement.

Once the strands were tied together, he slammed a fist upon his palm. The ice took shape, more solid than before, with a decorative hand-railing attached to it, guiding their way to the top.

“I couldn’t help the flourish,” he admitted with a huffing smile. Meredith returned it, slapping him on the back as she slid them both towards the base of the stairs.

“A fighter you are not, Eddie, but you are one hell of a magic user.”

With her comment made, the two friends stepped onto the first icy plinth together, each gripping to the railings. It was cold to the touch, though by this point, Meredith was sure she’d become immune enough (or simply numb enough) that she didn’t even feel it. Eddie was more affected, but he showed no signs of letting go. Step by step, they proceeded upwards, Meredith clutching the two Frost Apples in her hand tightly. The going was slow thanks to the slippery nature of the stairs, but they soon began to leave the bottom level behind. It was quite a distance of height.

As the duo neared the top, Meredith looked down to the site of battle. The ice was churned up on the floor, but no other sign of the prior conflict was visible (unless one counted the fallen roots). Looking up, the sight was quite a bit different, with broken and cut roots. Even the falls that had once spilled in were snapped in half, looking more akin to icicles than waterfalls. Through the gap in the ceiling, she could see the tree where the Frost Apples grew, though given no other presence nearby, she surmised that there were other trees located throughout the cavern.

It wasn’t her concern, in any case, as the flat ground of the primary floor approached. One more heave later, and she and Eddie were back on level ground. The stairs remained and the two regained their breath. Having done so, Meredith turned her head and saw the simple path back towards the entrance, bypassing the narrow bridge they’d crossed earlier. To the duo’s great luck, their ascent had placed them in a different area of the cavern. Puffing out, Meredith pushed on the ice and stood, offering a hand to Eddie.

“One last push, partner,” she said. He nodded and took her hand. “Let’s skate it!”

If Eddie preferred not to, he didn’t voice it, but joined with her in flexing his leg and sliding forward. The momentum pushed them onward, through the passages of ice and across the empty rooms. Meredith had a feeling that the battle below had made whatever wildlife in the cavern flee, and she wondered just where Bowl Cut had escaped to. The only certain thing was that he had; if he’d gotten in without the Corps knowing, he’d definitely gotten out.

The duo’s skating continued to bring them toward the first chamber they’d entered, the narrow passage through which they had squeezed now visible. This floor appeared secure, and they had no problem getting across it to the final hall. Meredith went first and Eddie followed, squeezing through as quickly as they could. It was an easier fit, somehow, like the battle below had widened the cavern.

“Ah, good, I was worried some candidates would get caught in that unusual cave-in, but it seems there was no need to.” The voice of the trial administrator announced that they had returned to the entranceway. Eddie gave a great breath and collapsed to his knees. Meredith did no such thing, holding fast to hand over the two Frost Apples for the both of them.

“Trial complete,” she said, unable to stop the smirk from forming on her face. Now that she had completed her task, it was easier to take in her surroundings, the room full of all the other candidates, including Emil, flipping his card back and forth in his hands.

“Yes, I believe so,” the administrator said, now approaching to take the Frost Apples from her. He simultaneously held his other hand forward, and Meredith swung her pack around, digging out her card. Eddie, for all his lethargy, did the same. The Guardian took them and walked over to another that was standing nearby. That one appeared to take the fruit and hold out a stamp. As he did so, Emil sidled over, showing his card, though Meredith couldn’t quite see the letter. It looked like a decently high rank, though, if Emil’s grin was anything to go by.

“Surprised you both made it back up here,” he asked. “How’d you do it?”

“Made some…stairs…” Eddie gasped out, sucking the cold air into his lungs and coughing on it. Emil seemed impressed with that particular fact, but Meredith didn’t pay attention. The administrator was approaching again.

“Congratulations, Meredith Childs, Edwin Montgomery, you’ve officially passed the Trial of Ice and taken your first step towards the Corps,” he said. The statement made Eddie stand while Meredith straightened her back. “However, do not let yourself grow complacent. You will have to work very hard if you hope to join the Corps, because as you stand now…I’m afraid you won’t have much of a chance. You nearly missed the cutoff.”

Then, he handed the cards back for the duo to look over. Emil looked, as well, turning away once he saw the red letter emblazoned on the box for that trial. The only thing Meredith could be grateful for was that he didn’t make any snide remark, and seemed to send silent condolences.

Her own smile turned to a frown, and her hand threatened to crumple the card.

“Better luck next time, I’m afraid,” was the last, lingering, cutting comment.

Because the letter that appeared on the card was an overly large D.

Tick…Tock…

The metronome of the clock echoed through the inn’s small room, piercing the silence. On the lower floors, cheers and general merrymaking could be heard, too. Meredith couldn’t bring herself to enjoy those sounds. Only the card in her hands, glinting in the light, occupied her mind.

It was a D.

Her first trial, and she had gotten the lowest rank possible.

Eddie had to have disliked the rank as well, having not said anything the entire day. Despite emerging from the cavern in the morning hours, most candidates had spent the day resting or moving on to their next trial site, wherever that would be. Meredith didn’t challenge Eddie when he just wanted to go to the inn and rest, the exhaustion of the last twenty-four hours consuming him. Outside of that sleep, though, he’d been silent.

Flames crackled in the fireplace nearby as another cheer rose up from down below. Meredith’s fingers clenched at the bed covers, and tears pricked at her eyes. The wood overhead swam in her vision while she bit her lips, twisting them back and forth. There was a squeaking on the bed next to her, and she reached up to cover her eyes with her sleeve, wiping away the present tears.

“Mera…I’m sorry…” Eddie whispered. He sounded like he was putting his feet on the floor, and Meredith rubbed at her eyes vigorously, shoving the card with the offending letter into her pocket. “If…if I had been a better partner-”

“Shut up, Eddie,” she said. He flinched, saying no more. The pause allowed Meredith to breathe towards the ceiling, her face muscles taut and her body on edge from having held back the tears. She turned and saw Eddie’s hung head. “Sorry. It’s not your fault.”

“I panicked back there and-”

“That doesn’t make it your fault.” Deciding that laying there would change nothing for her, she lifted her legs to the air and swung them around. When she was done, she was facing Eddie, who looked at her. They stared for just a moment. “Maybe Captain Clive was right, you know? I don’t have any magic, and I ended up having to rely on you and-”

Knock knock.

Sparks popped in the ensuing silence, announcing the guest just as much as the knock on the door. The best friends waited a moment, wondering if whoever was on the other side was planning to go away, but a subsequent knock spoke against that. Giving a labored sigh, Meredith stood and shuffled over to the door. Eddie had joined her by the time she pulled it open.

“Why am I not surprised?” she uttered without thought. Their guest turned, waving a bit. “I’m surprised your feet are on the ground.”

“Ah, yeah, well even I don’t like floating everywhere. Too much strain on my magic,” Emil said, the cheeky grin attempting to cheer her up, but doing little. Meredith leaned against the doorframe while Eddie came into view. The grin persisted for a moment, but dropped soon after. “Bad break, huh?”

“Yeah. Your point?”

“No reason to be cranky!” Emil said. Meredith turned her head away, ashamed at what she’d just said. Her lips twisted again. “Guardians shouldn’t be so snappish, you know.”

“I know.” Neither of the boys reacted, and Meredith hoped neither of them had heard her, embarrassed enough to be scolded as it was. Whether out of kindness or avoiding any potential awkwardness, they didn’t say anything. She sniffled a bit and looked back to Emil. “So, I’m guessing you’re leaving soon.”

“Got some sleep, so I plan to be on my way, yeah,” Emil said. He was smiling again, softer than before. Meredith continued to lean, but slackened her stance to make him feel less on-edge. “Heading for the Desert Loop. Got some stuff I want to do out there before the trial and…well, it’s close by.”

Meredith nodded, acknowledging his statements. There was a light tapping of Eddie’s foot, but no one said anything. Seconds passed, and Eddie decided to speak. “Right, well, good luck.”

“Ah, yeah. Will I see you at the Trial of Desert?”

Her drumming fingers didn’t distract her from the fact that Emil was asking her and not Eddie. The poor ranking she’d received was certainly a setback, and Captain Clive’s words were echoing in her mind, but she didn’t want to leave the boy standing there. “Sure.”

“Okay, then.” More silence; less awkward than before, but still not comforting. Emil patted his pack’s side, and rotated his body towards the stairs. “For what it’s worth, Meredith, I don’t think your rank reflects how well you did. Nor you…Edwin? Or was it Eddie? You got a bad deal, and even if you’re not the perfect Guardian you want to be, you’re better than that trial gave you credit for.

“Don’t let a little thing like lack of magic, or lack of training in it, stop you.”

“What?!” His following chuckle was as enigmatic as it was infuriating. “You little sneak! Were you listening at our door?”

“Maybe! Beat my rank at the next trial and I might tell you!” he said, offering another wave as he set foot on the stairs downward. “Oh, but you should know…magic is a pretty living thing. Comes from inside your soul. Focus on that and you’ll unlock a power you never had. Later!”

“I’m gonna kill him!” Meredith snarled out. Eddie saw the signs and instantly latched his arms around her midsection, holding her back from thrashing.

“That would be a very bad idea, Mera! The Corps is right downstairs.”

“Stupid Emil and his stupid ugly face! Who does he think he is?” Meredith continued thrashing about as Eddie held on to her. From a second-long glimpse of his face, her best friend looked caught between wanting to laugh and being desperate to hold on. “Goes and makes stupid comments and then just runs off to the desert. Thinks he can waltz right into the middle of a battle and just…butt in…”

Ranting gave way to thought, and Meredith ignored Eddie’s insistence about Emil’s decent points in regards to her. Thinking of the battle that Emil had joined sparked the memory that had rested beneath the shame of her trial result. Now that she was both out of danger and had spent much of the day moping, it became a clear remembrance within. The monster had been a mere byproduct of the man who’d summoned it, and he had definitely mentioned more than just his reason for being at the trial site.

“The Metropolis,” she said. Eddie stopped his own ramblings to look at her, but she couldn’t pay him any more mind. Without further thought behind her movements, Meredith dashed for the stairs. She practically slid down them until she’d reached the floor where all the cheers and jubilant cries were coming from, indicating that there was no trial to be held tonight. Eddie’s calls for her faded away in the midst of those cheerful discussions.

Upon walking into the room, Meredith looked around. The room was full of various people, from waitresses to trial candidates to the members of the Corps themselves, drinking their weight in alcohol. Of particular mention was the administrator of the trial, sitting at the head of a table with the largest mug believable in his hands. He was the most carefree out of all of them, in complete contrast to his previously stern demeanor. With a bemused shaking of her head, Meredith forged her way through the crowded tables to get to the Corps.

“…pending approval? You’re seriously getting out of this hellhole, boss?” one Guardian called. Meredith felt her eye twitch a bit at that; it almost sounded like they were complaining about doing work for the Corps.

“Transfer might come through in a week. Either a recall to Headquarters or some other trial stationing. There might be a shift once the Flame Commander leaves the desert. Hell, maybe I’ll even join Tempest Squad!” the administrator said, downing more of his mug. “I’ve run a successful trial, men, even with your lazy attitudes!”

“That’s why you drink so much, sir!” The table of Guardians exploded into raucous laughter, not a single one of them aware of her approaching. Meredith’s frown etched deeper, but she nevertheless made it to her target and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, his beer slopping out onto the floor.

“Well, hey, if it isn’t the D-Ranker!” he called out. His breath smelled, and his front was stained (as were the others there), making the only currently pleasant thing about him his smile. Meredith plastered one to her own face. “To what do we owe the pleasure? You certainly seemed to be in no mood to celebrate, though just passing the trial is an accomplishment, itself!”

“Um, well,” she started, finding herself a little tongue-tied in the presence of the foul stench. “Earlier, in the trial, myself and my friend ran into someone who wasn’t a candidate.”

“Mmkay,” the administrator said. His grin dropping off gave the appearance of him listening, though his cloudy eyes and his men burping gave Meredith little hope.

“He attacked us with this black monster, and mentioned something about the Metropolis,” Meredith said. The man before her blinked and nodded. “I…I think there’s an attack planned on the Metropolis to happen soon. Maybe by monsters or something like that. Thought you should know so you could inform the rest of the Corps…sir.”

The men stopped laughing. Silence followed. Meredith swallowed nervously, which wasn’t allayed by Eddie arriving downstairs.

“So…you’re saying…some nutjob thief who broke into the trial…is planning some assault on the Metropolis?” Another swallow. All the eyes were on her. Her heart beat a bit faster, yet she nodded. More silence. Then, “Ahahaha! That’s ludicrous!”

“It’s the Metropolis, girl! The place is impervious to assault!” another Guardian yelled, leaning back and falling off his chair. Another took up his thread.

“They’d need an army to take the place!”

“Walls, the Corps’ Metro Regiment there, defenses the likes that are never seen, and an expanse of land and buildings too big to be taken by one man. The Metropolis is well-defended, none better,” yet another said. “Only place more fortified is Lacardia.”

“Indeed, men! Must have been the ravings of a lunatic,” the administrator finished for his men. “Whoever he was, he’s either insane or doomed to failure…or both. Either way, the Metropolis will be just fine, and there’s no need to get the larger Corps involved. You should focus on more important things, like improving your rank. Maybe then, things like this wouldn’t worry you.”

Meredith stepped forward, her fingers twitching with the urge to grab ahold of the man and haul him to his feet. However, she saw Eddie shaking his head and she stopped. The Guardians paid no notice to her, already absorbed in their resumed merrymaking. She ground her teeth, and whipped around, her hair unnoticeably slapping the administrator in the face. One of the waitresses gave her a wide berth as she made her way over to Eddie. He cringed a bit, backing away as she drew close.

“They call themselves Guardians…unbelievable!” she spat once he was within earshot. Unlike the Guardians, Eddie had the prescience to not say anything. “You heard it, didn’t you? That guy did say he had a plan for the Metropolis, right? Crazy or not, you’d think it’d be worth posting a few people on it. You’d have to be pretty confident of success to even proclaim it.”

“You’d think…” Eddie said. His voice was quiet, afraid to speak up despite every other voice in the vicinity overpowering him. “But Mera, there’s nothing we can do about it. We’re hardly candidates, let alone cadets. We can’t force the Corps to do anything. You told them, and that’s about all you can do.”

She didn’t like hearing it, but she knew Eddie was right.

With a huff, Meredith slammed a fist against the wall, and then proceeded to make her way back up the stairs. Halfway up, she stopped.

Had she really done all she could do? Had she told the right people? Certainly, they couldn’t just haul off to the Metropolis themselves. The difficulty of dealing with one monster on their own was enough proof that more would’ve been troublesome, but easy enough for the Corps. There had to be something they could still do, someone they could still tell. Because even if the Guardians here didn’t believe her, she knew something was planned. Something big; enough that it was worth killing for, at least.

She’d sensed it in that one moment the man’s “aura” had turned black as night. He was more dangerous than anyone could imagine, and his plans could spell disaster.

Eddie bumped into her from behind as she contemplated all this, and a new thought arose. Better yet, a destination entered her mind; one that Emil had mentioned. One that a certain commander in the Guardian Corps had spoken of.

There was still someone they could warn. Someone who would be more open to listening. Someone who had the power to do more than drinking and laughing a candidate away. A smile blossomed on Meredith’s lips. Suddenly, her earlier failure meant nothing. It was just a stepping stone, and entirely worth it if she could accomplish a new short-term goal. She turned to Eddie. He backed up.

“Oh, I know that look…you have an idea, don’t you?”

She reached out and placed her hands on him. “Eddie, I’m sorry for moping around today.”

“Okay…?”

“I’m not going to let it beat me. If there are Guardians like those guys, I’m okay with a D-Rank, ‘cause I’ll be better than them, got it?” Meredith squeezed his shoulders. Eddie tilted his head.

“Where are you going with this, Mera?” Her grin widened.

Meredith turned right around, grabbing her hair and tying it into a ponytail. “We’re heading for the Desert Loop and the next trial. Commander Masters is about to see what this trial candidate can do firsthand!”