Chapter 15

The Metropolis

The Metropolis, like no other location before it, was a wondrous marvel.

As the gate passed from her vision, Meredith could see the sprawling city in full. Beautifully paved roads lined every location, branching off into numerous streets and sidewalks. Stores were open on the sides of the roads with people turning in and out through revolving doors. It was nothing like Lumarina and some of its street-side vendors, though she had to figure that the Metropolis had some of those as well.

Eddie gave a breath of astonishment that matched what she felt, looking up to the large skyscrapers. Some of them had windows that reflected the sky and the skyships that were flying in to dock. Most of them were commercial class, large and boxy, though there were also some private vehicles present. They weren’t the only vehicles in the city either, as cars drove past, ferrying parts or people around the city in a much swifter fashion than other towns.

Not that those driving them cared for her amazement, and Emil pulled both Eddie and herself onto a sidewalk the further they walked in. She hardly recognized where they were going, or even if they were going anywhere at all.

“You two are acting like you’ve never seen a city,” he said.

“We’re from a coastal town. What did you expect?” Eddie said in return. Emil shrugged, before the trio noticed that Vivian was making tracks ahead of them, heedless of their own progress.

They decided to shelve the conversation for later and race after her, pushing through the walking citizens of the Metropolis. The sheer difference of city-folk compared to their own townspeople was stark. No one stopped to talk with each other, most going on their own way, with some carrying briefcases to work and others turning to go shopping. Further ahead was a more familiar sight: food stands, though they were less busy than those at home. Vivian, in fact, appeared to be the fruit stand’s only current customer, buying an apple and biting into it. Meredith sped up, matching the girl as they reached a large, glowing pillar in the middle of a sidewalk split.

Just as there were television screens plastered to the skyscrapers and buildings, this pillar had one, too. Instead of the running global news, it depicted a map of the city. Vivian leaned in to read it intently, though was ultimately interrupted by the three of them doing the same, trying to get their bearings in a city so large.

“You mind? I’m trying to find a hotel to wash this muck off my neck,” the blonde said, scowl back on her face.

“What a coincidence, so are we…” Meredith drawled, rolling her eyes. Eddie squeezed himself between the two girls to head off any fight that could have ensued.

“I don’t think you’ll be able to afford where I’m staying. Later.” She whipped around, her hair smacking Eddie in the face before she left down the street and vanished into the crowd. Meredith squinted at the map. The last place she had looked was a place called Hotel Meteo, and glancing back to the horizon, it wasn’t hard to find.

“Looks like daddy will be funding Vivian’s stay in the Metropolis,” Emil spoke, hands in his pockets. Meredith didn’t care, more than glad to have seen the girl go her own way and hopeful to not run into her again. “How about you guys? Much as her delivery is mean, I don’t have the money for a place like Hotel Meteo.”

“Neither do we,” Meredith said, blowing upwards on her hair. “Have any suggestions?”

“Sure. I’ve been to the Metropolis a couple times and I know a few cheap places. Bit out of the way, but one of them is just next door to the Lacardia Satellite School.” Eddie was quick to follow after those words were said. Meredith shook her head, a chuckle on her lips, and joined in making their way towards whatever inn they’d be staying at.

Emil knew where he was going, taking the turns that he needed in order to get past the crush of people that surrounded them. Having to keep just a single eye on the dirty-blond, Meredith tried to soak in as much of the Metropolis’ culture as she could.

So much of it was impersonal and efficient, everyone’s lives moving along at their own individual paces that were hardly impacted by the one next to them. Soldiers stalked the streets, relaxed as they did so, to make sure no disturbances were brewing. Most of them didn’t bear the insignia of the Corps, but Meredith was unsurprised to find other units of Guardians also patrolling. If even the slightest disturbance sounded out, the nearest patrol rushed their way over to take care of it.

“Can’t imagine a place like this being attacked,” Eddie said to her. She nodded, but was too distracted by all the other new experiences to be had in the Metropolis.

The stores they flashed by looked stocked with many odd and fascinating products. From magical baubles that served no real purpose, to a weapon store for the seasoned traveler. It carried a cornucopia of items, but Meredith was pulled away to turn down a side street, leading towards a different section of town. Despite her wish to explore more, she continued following, glancing up towards a television that gave advertisements for Lacardia Academy, the Corps’ trials and even one for blacksmiths needed to the west.

On the ground, the stores shifted away from the fancy interiors to stands more like the derelict fruit one that Vivian had bought her apple from. These were busier than those on the larger streets, with people coming to buy the cheaper products at the markets. Whether it was a different kind of class or not, Meredith didn’t know, but it provided something familiar to her; more like home. She could even see hawkers of random wares down the street they were now on (one less paved and more cobblestone), and it put that extra skip in her step.

Despite the narrower area, Meredith found it easier to navigate with the lesser amount of people, giving her a better view of things. She looked to the large building that was whizzing and popping with fireworks, as well as a smaller and homelier building that was their apparent destination. Of even more note were the people in black cloaks that carried pamphlets, trying to hand them out to people, but failing all the same as most rushed by, giving them a wide berth.

Meredith didn’t need a flashing sign to tell her who these people were, and it gave her an unsteady reminder of the worry in her chest. “So, that’s the Order…”

“Ah, yeah…bunch of nutjobs if you ask me,” Emil said, waving the issue away while they approached the nearby inn. “You heard them in the desert, thinking they can peddle that goddess crap. Best to stay away from them.”

Meredith had no problem with that, especially once they became audible, and quite insistent. It offered her a single shake of the head as she climbed the stairs and followed the boys in.

The inn was plain, yet had a rustic feeling, contrasted by the advanced city it found itself in. It still happened to have quite the number of customers sitting in the lobby or walking upstairs. Emil approached the desk to handle the business of getting rooms, while Meredith looked around. She took immediate notice of the city map pamphlets that were sitting around. While she did so, Eddie ran to the edge of the inn, looking out the window at the eccentric building next door.

“Yo! Eddie! Mera! Got us some rooms!” Emil shouted before they’d perused their individual subjects. Meredith stuffed her pamphlet into her bag and walked over to Emil, the blond tossing a key to her hand.

“Surprised they still use something like keys in the big city,” she joked. Emil laughed, tossing his own key up and down in the air.

“Yeah, well, I guess not even the Metropolis has everything high-tech. But I did get you and Eddie a separate room from me. Not sure how long I’ll be in the city, and I don’t want to hold you back.”

“You’re not taking the trial?” Eddie asked upon nearing them, a quizzical expression on his face. Emil shrugged, not providing an answer. “Oh, well, we still have some time, anyway. The Academy’s satellite location is right next door, right?”

“Oh, yeah. Why don’t I give you an introduction? Then I think I need to get some shopping done…” Emil said, his eyes glazed over. He seemed distracted by something, but the grin he offered in Eddie’s direction erased that.

“You’ll be okay, right, Mera?” Eddie asked. Her best friend adjusted his pack on his shoulders and she nodded to him.

“Sure. I’ll just get myself cleaned up and do a little exploring. We’ll meet back here before sundown?” Eddie agreed to that condition and he and Emil left the inn, the former jabbering excitedly. Meredith ran a hand through her hair and with a breath, trudged up the stairs to the room labeled on her key.

In no time at all, she’d shed her now useless desert cloak and stepped into the shower, ruminating over the last few days.

Now that they were safe, staying at an actual inn instead of sandy or treacherous ground, the tension she didn’t realize she’d been holding began to leave Meredith’s body. From attack to attack, encounter to encounter, she felt like she’d pushed herself. Along with that, she felt like she’d learned more about herself and the greater world around her; had her convictions tested. There was a note of triumph in there.

Yet the worry wouldn’t shake.

There was the worry that she wasn’t strong enough to become a Guardian yet. That she lacked the one thing that made all the greats like Marcus and Masters. The worry that those like Emil and Vivian would outpace her. The worry for the future of all the trials that lay ahead. None of those were washed away by the water, remaining with her when she dressed in clean clothes, tying her hair up.

Most of all, the biggest worry that remained was that she was right. That there was something coming, and she wouldn’t have the strength to stop it.

“Quit it, Mera!” she said to herself, slapping her cheeks. “Nothing you can do about it but try your best.” Shoving the worry deep down, Meredith grabbed her own pack (lighter than before) and her blade to leave the room, locking it as she went.

The street was just as busy as when she’d first arrived there, minus the Order members that had moved on. Meredith unfolded the map she’d taken, tracing a route and noting the different dots of interest, from stores that sounded interesting to the major landmarks which no one could miss.

Her feet carried her past the Lacardia Satellite School, her walk slowing enough to look in the windows. It seemed less a school in this case, and more like a seminar hall where anyone could walk off the street and show their magic skills. She was sure she could see Eddie watching some demonstration and taking notes, but Emil was nowhere inside. Meredith walked on.

The small street she was on led to a larger one, bustling with cars, people and lights. She quickly checked the map, finding that this large path led straight towards the tall skyscraper that dwarfed the others. There was no surprise, therefore, that it was labeled as holding the Corps’ Metro Regiment. She picked up her pace.

The city, Meredith soon came to realize, was quite loud. The buzzing that filled her head earlier had subsided, though was still present with so many people around. Her head swiveled, wondering if, perhaps, the buzzing was coming from the large broadcast station, a garish red tower that stood out amongst all the other sleek buildings. The only thing that was just as noticeable was the large spire of what was labelled as the Presidential Office in the distance. Neither was as important to her as the Corps’ building, labeled on the map as Guardian Tower.

A binging noise, like bells, sounded through the loudspeaker, showing an announcer on the screens, her cool voice echoing over the buildings. “Update on this morning’s earlier skirmish. The Guardian Corps, Metro Regiment, engaged with a number of air and land creatures this morning. While their numbers have been small recently, these were a greater force. The Corps took them all out with little effort.”

“Yeah!” many members of the crowd cried. Meredith felt a prick of pride in her breast; she wasn’t a Guardian yet, but hearing so many praise their efforts put that extra spring into her step while she closed in on Guardian Tower.

Side streets flashed by, some looking like alleyways, and the cars on the road lessened in this direction, the distance to Guardian Tower far longer than Meredith had thought. Rather, she realized how large cities were in comparison to all the small places she’d been to thus far. Eager to explore, Meredith chose to take a light detour, turning down one of those side streets towards what looked like the trash alley for an otherwise upscale apartment. She frowned, not finding this one all that interesting,

She began to spin around, only to catch a shadow flitting at one of the intersections further down the alley. It was furtive, and now Meredith’s attention was caught. She moved further in, stepping away from a bag of trash being deposited into the alley from up top. Once the sound of its breaking bottles finished emanating around the walls, Meredith’s ears pricked at voices. She inched closer, hand instinctively on her blade.

“No activity? You’re kidding!”

“I’m not. But just because there’s no activity doesn’t mean anything,” a deeper voice responded to the first one. Another bag dropped, covering up those speaking. “He’s here, I’m certain. Don’t know when it will happen but-”

“And after?”

“We’ll worry about that then.” Meredith came closer, but the voices were only moving further, the conversation in transit. “For now, I’m just keeping eyes peeled. No need for you to get involved. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t.”

Neither voice said any more after that, and as Meredith rounded the corner, she saw not a trace of either of them, save for a flash of white traveling around another corner. She sighed and kicked at a can. It was nothing important, but for a second, she gave consideration towards reporting to the Corps and letting them handle any potential unrest within the city. For the moment, her hand slid away from her sword and she walked the length of the corridor that was now facing the exit to a main street. The alley was far too cramped for her liking.

The secondary alley went on for longer than hoped, the street on the other end beckoning her until she finally made it there. Her body turned, and she found that mere blocks away was the very building she was trying to reach. A grin settled on her face and she ran down the sidewalk until reaching a crosswalk, crossing over and continuing the rest of the way.

“Ah! So cool!” she expressed upon standing outside the long plaza before it. One of the Guardians working security snorted. “Is the whole building for the Corps?”

“First time in the Metropolis?” the Guardian asked. He continued to stand at attention, but looked relieved to have someone to talk to. Meredith nodded. “Ah. Well, no. That’s too much space for a place that doesn’t even house the bulk of the Corps’ forces. We just have a few floors for business and quarters. The rest are businesses, though the head honchos are hoping to add a division of Lacardia there. Oh, and don’t forget the Metropolis’ own home forces.”

“Wow…what’s it like, patrolling in the Metropolis?”

“Boring, but I like it. I’m not cut out for one of those Tempest Squad people.” Meredith frowned a bit. She couldn’t imagine that living in such a bustling city could ever be boring. “Not much protection needed here, though. That’s why a lot of people like it. Just a few scuffles here and there, but otherwise peaceful. Being a member of the Corps is easy in a perfect city like this, but we still need forces with the president here.”

“Ah…” Meredith took a step back, looking up at the skyscraper. There were flying forms approaching it, the skyships landing, but Meredith frowned. It seemed somewhat shorter up close, which felt strange.

“Trial candidate?” the Guardian asked, though even without providing the answer, he knew it. “Well, if you want a nice, easy gig, put your word in for the Metropolis. You won’t regret it.” Meredith wasn’t so sure of that, and she no longer took interest on the large, guarded building.

She turned, choosing to head to the west, past the building, to where the spire of the Presidential Office was located. Once out of sight of the Corps, Meredith chose to check her map, noticing it was crumpled without her meaning to. She found the path she was on: a long street to the Presidential Plaza. It was the largest public space on the map, placed before the heavily guarded building where the leader of the Metropolis, and much of the continent they were on, sat. Not that Meredith cared for politics. Other than the fact the Corps was the premier defense force for all countries barring Lacardia, Meredith knew little in the way of elections or country lines.

If there were people who cared less, though, it was the black-robed whack-jobs on the other side of the street, haranguing passerby with their fanatical rhetoric.

“People of the Metropolis, open your eyes! The end of the world is nigh! An age where borders mean nothing! The people in power will be powerless! The Corps will not protect you!” they were calling out. Most gave them a wide berth, just like before the inn, while some snickered. “Crea’s justice will be swift as the monsters descend! None will be spared unless they throw themselves at the goddess’ feet!”

“Go back to your cult home!”

“The Corps is all we need! Screw your goddess!” Meredith dodged to the other side of the street, trying to circumvent the young adults that were throwing fruit at the black blob that was the Order members. The leader of the cultists didn’t even bother covering their face, raising their voice high.

“Have no fear, the goddess will protect us. This is but a trial before us.” His face was soon hit by a tomato. That distracted the Order long enough for a familiar mane of blonde hair to go whipping past them. Meredith groaned.

“Go take your goddess somewhere else. You’re in the way,” Vivian said, her facial features twisted in annoyance. The leader of the pamphlet-bearing cultists snapped his hand out, catching Vivian’s arm. “Get. Off.”

“Miss, you must heed our words. Judgment is com-”

“Enough, filth.” A chain had formed, a Guardian grabbing the cultist’s hand and wrenching it away from Vivian, who sped on without a look back. She quickly crossed the street to get away from them. The Guardian twisted the arm he was holding. “Take your beliefs and your rumors of ill omens somewhere they are wanted. Get out.”

His armored leg kicked into the man’s rear end, sending the cult leader into his group. They fell like dominoes, but the leader held some dignity by getting up with a bleeding nose and pointing at the Corps. “You shall see your blasphemy soon. The goddess’ providence will not be denied and you will all be believers in the end.”

“Not if you think attacking monsters will do it,” the Guardian said, his glare being of the variety that could melt faces. “The Metropolis will never suffer that. Now go. The rest of you, to your daily activities!”

Meredith no longer watched, the event over with, but she still frowned to herself while she turned, only to run into the intersecting form of Vivian. Their foreheads bounced off each other, each wrinkling their nose with displeasure. A bag slipped from Vivian’s hands to the street, and Meredith looked at it, realizing it was from a clothing shop.

“Huh…didn’t realize you were into actually shopping for clothes?”

“Y-you?!” Vivian spluttered, nabbing the bag and facing away from Meredith. “They’re for utility purposes, like weapons. Besides, Max and the others haven’t arrived here yet, so I need to run basic errands.”

“You can actually do those?” Meredith’s barb made Vivian stiffen and then walk away with her head held high. Having no other direction to follow, Meredith kept behind her, an action that made Vivian speed up.

“Could you not follow me?”

“If I had another option, I wouldn’t, trust me,” Meredith said, shoving her hands into her pockets. Vivian scowled, but Meredith was looking down the other side streets in an effort to ignore the blonde. Her steps hesitated for a second when she thought she saw someone that looked like Rico from the desert, but her attention was stolen away by a much more colorful street. “Ooh, a bazaar!”

“You’re such a simpleton…” Vivian scoffed. It didn’t stop the girl from looking back as Meredith skipped into the street with the most stands she’d seen thus far. Smelling greasy food, fresh vegetables and hearing the sounds of sellers calling out to customers made her go right back to Lumarina. “Are you really that interested in such a hand-me-down place?”

“Never know what you’ll find. I’m not stuck-up like you,” Meredith said. Vivian glared at her, but followed her in all the same. It didn’t stop the nasty look from appearing on her face while making her way through all the people there, though. The only thing her eyes lit up for was the apple stand.

Stands that sold barbecue or fruits or clothing caught Meredith’s eye, but she didn’t buy anything, keeping a hold on her coins. Moving down, Meredith could see different kinds of salesmen, from those with weapons to some with cheap perfumes. One stand looked like it was run by people she saw in the desert, though they were less selling and more chatting up with fellow vendors.

“If it isn’t the Guardian girl from Lumarina! Didn’t expect to see you here!”

For a brief second, Meredith thought the man’s voice was calling to some other girl in the bazaar street, but when no one answered, it brought her pause. She turned, seeing the form of the antique hawker she’d met on the day Commander Masters came to town. He was giving a toothy grin in her direction.

“Oh! Hey. You’re still in the Metropolis?” Meredith said, recognition coming to settle in her at last. He nodded.

“That I am. Business has been great. Lots around this area want fancy things like vases and assorted antiques, so there’s no reason to leave,” he said. Meredith stepped closer, away from the crush of the crowd to look at what remained of the seller’s wares. “What surprises me is you. You left quite the impression in Lumarina. Left on your journey, then? Make progress?”

“You bet,” she said, leaning forward to show the man the trial card from her backpack. Her side-eye caught Vivian fending off some sellers with an apple clutched in her hand, offering the black-haired girl a chuckle. “Two down, four to go.”

“Not bad, not bad.” The man shifted where he was sitting, and the buzzing that had receded earlier returned in Meredith’s head. The warbled voices surfaced, and she closed her eyes for a second. Something was nearby; muted but strong. “Looks like we’ve both made progress then.”

“Yeah…” Meredith mumbled in her distraction. She shook her head to get rid of the buzzing, but it got even louder. To combat it, Meredith raised her voice. “You, uh, sell that broken sword yet?”

“Nope. No one wants it. Maybe it’s cursed!” The seller laughed aloud at his joke. Meredith tried to laugh with him, but the ringing was too loud, when she finally caught sight of its source. It was sitting there on its lonesome, nothing more than a hilt and cross-guard, yet looking hopeful. There was an attraction to it, Meredith felt, like it was beautifully tragic in its state. She found herself reaching out towards it, hoping to take the sword. “Or maybe it’s searching for someone specific, like those old weapons of legend.”

“What do you know of those weapons, old man?” Vivian asked. Her biting voice indicated her arrival, and while the older man made to answer, his eyes never left Meredith.

“Not much, only that they’re more than ordinary weapons. They can call out and resonate,” he answered. Meredith looked to him, but just as soon returned her gaze to the blade. There was a whisper…no, more a suppressed voice that was calling to her. Her chest pulsed, breath shortening. “But they’re just an old folktale, and there’s no way one of them would be broken.”

“Of course. It’d be ludicrous!” Vivian said. The harsh buzzing reached a crescendo, and Meredith reached up to clasp her head. “They are stronger than any other weapon in the world. I would know tha…”

Vivian’s voice fell away, the discordant dissonance overpowering it in Meredith’s head. She kept staring at the sword, hand moving of her own accord. It was screaming “Take me!”, but she resisted it, until the old man touched her arm.

“Are you all right?” Meredith turned and nodded. He watched her a moment to see whether she was lying or not, but then smiled. “Hm, good. How about a gift? My thanks for your help in Lumarina. Take anything you want, even the sword. Doubt it would fetch much in its state, and I gotta get it off my hands somehow!”

Meredith’s breath stilled, the air around her thick and heavy. Things slowed to a near stop, a great moment of destiny arriving in her bones. With the voice urging her on, Meredith bent low to clasp the hilt of the old, broken sword.

Her fingers wrapped around it, brain on autopilot, and there was a sudden rush, the very act sending a call through the air.

A pulse passed through the area, followed by a howl on the air, akin to a cry of alert. Most seemed unaware of it, even the old man in front of her, but Vivian stumbled back, reaching for her bow with wide eyes. The pulsing sound increased in frequency, and then it broke, replaced with a voice that she knew she’d heard before. It was different from when she’d grabbed Vivian’s bow, not only in how it sounded, but from the fact that for the first time, Meredith could hear it fully.

You’re getting close…the voice said. Despite the surprise, Meredith didn’t drop the sword. In fact, she felt like she couldn’t and shouldn’t drop the sword. And now…it begins.

Then the ground began to shake as stands broke apart, goods toppling to the ground. A screech of unearthly proportions began to resonate through the air. The buzzing in Meredith’s head went away, but she was more focused on looking towards the sky.

The Corps hadn’t eliminated the threat at all. They’d merely fallen for the ruse. For the Metropolis was shaking with the attacks of black creatures in the sky and on land. The Beastmaster had begun his assault, but more worrying were the last words from the blade, spoken in her head.

The ending of this world.