Heroes of the Confederation. (Part 1)

Rucina, Grand and glorious, so magnificent and majestic. So wonderful, that even if you went up above the cold clouds, you can still see this majestic city, gleaming and dazzling infront of your eyes. Living here would be living in the accumulation of humanities greatest mind and might. A grand city of labyrinths and awes of people after the Liberation Era. Three things made this city as it is; magic, spirit, and science.

Though he is now venerated as divine by the spirit church. Rucina was once a man under the heavens like us. Leading an army of billions to create one of the biggest empire or dynasty this world has ever seen. He showed everyone what a united army of mankind could do during the Liberation Era in their prime glory. All his accomplishment, his wealth, his vestige, and exploits was molded into this city and hence the name.

Well, that's what aunt Palka keep telling me when I was a kid as an inspirational story to keep striving for more and reach new heights. A fairy tale of old from the Reformation Era. Yet, his story was the source of many inspiration for almost every kid born in this Confederation. And of course, I am one of those kids. Sova Anmao is the name given to me as I live here and I'll etch it on the great Halls of the Heavens.

Readjusting my weapon and armour for maximal comfortability, I open the door that leads outside. Walking among strangers, chimes of bells from the spirit church, hyms of morning glory from the kids of the libera church, hearing sounds of ceaseless smites of steels and iron along with the voices from afar in these busy streets. Such is the norm for citizens of the Confederation. But... It wasn't long for people to avoid me and some even spit at my feet.

(Ignore it, they are not worth your time).

Luckily shopkeepers who knows of me gives a friendly greeting and a wave. I smile and wave back at them. While a friendly shopkeeper comes forth and kindly brought me a couple of dumplings. I thank him and move onwards with his buns already in my mouth.

With waves of people split in twine, a certain workshop comes to a view. Just a small nameless workshop with a window displaying their best work and a wooden door beside it. Ironically it's not the work in the display but what's infront of the door that catches the eyes of every passerby. A large figure sits on top of a chair, so huge that the chair looks so miniature as if it could break at any moment.

As such figure' gaze falls onto me...

*gulp*

I'm forced to swallow my bun whole. With such heavy yet swift steps, she passes through all passerby in the bustling streets or more like people making way for her. The giant grabs me by the shoulders. The weight of her grip pushes me down before I could even react. The giant stares down at me with its eyes as it looks like a lion on top of a hill.

"HA HA HA, geez Sova did you get smaller!? You seriously need to chow more food and drinks if you really want to grow big like me and become a Hunter as you promise. C'mon let's get inside the workshop, Sis Rubeca is already inside to help you with your Hunter's registration."

She pats me in the back or smashes my back from her sheer size. Pushing me toward to the work shop's door. I tread softly forward saying:

"That actually hurts..."

She stands at 7 feet tall with body of pure muscles showing through her work clothes as it feels like it could explode at any moment and her green hair tied up like horsetails. She is what I would call a behemoth and would stick out like a sore thumb in the crowd... Most of the time.

As the entrance to the workshop grows closer, I open the door and greeting me was a dimly lit stairway to below. Great pressure presses me as I descend, this pressure is a familiar feeling to me. At the end of the stairway is a giant room filled with anvils, burning furnaces, sharpening wheels, buckets of water and artisan carving tools all across the room in an orderly manner. A forgery that's not too complex but provides the necessary tools, sadly aunt haven't been receiving any frequent customers lately and it made me worry.

On one of the sharpening wheels in the middle of the room, sits a slim toned woman around the age of her twenties, the friction caused by the wheel and steel shows her long green hair and black tight suit along with some bare minimum of iron armour that protects her vital parts. Her emerald green eyes anchored to her red glaive wrapped by bandages from top to bottom.

A surge of sudden excitement fills me as I call out her name:

"Sis, Rubeca!"

She stops what she's doing and turns her gaze at me. Not excited as me, she looks at me with a straight face replying:

"Oh, welcome Sova, make yourself comfortable. But before that..."

She stands from her seat and slowly becomes taller and taller. She gets closer with a few steps, d light flickers on her presence. Her tall shadowy figure towers my view. She is taller than me, nearing or not surpassing aunt herself, instilling a feeling of fear. She now holds two weapons, the red glaive that she was sharpening and a long cleaver having it's handled too wrap in bandages from top to bottom. It makes me wonder where did she get that? But that's not why I'm afraid off, in my eyes she is glowing with an invisible aura surrounding her, as to form a protective shield.

My body realizes faster than my mind, telling me that she is not someone I wanna get on the bad side.

"From your face, it seems that the training you did with me is not fruitless, as long you can control it and know the way to use it like what we did in training. Then you are almost in no different in combat prowess to a High Ranking Hunters. But remember, running away is always an option."

(Ah, am I that easy to read?)

Rubeca Taiyin, the eldest daughter of aunt Palka. Well now, she is supposed to be a Special Rank Hunter which is said to be even better than High Ranking Hunters, I think. To be honest I really don't remember since there are suppose to be 20 ranks and that's not counting the special ranks.

She only comes home once a year to reunite for the family gathering and celebrate in the festivities. That was until I ask her to train me and May a year ago and finally a chance to spend a year of training with sis Rubeca. Thinking that it will be fun and jolly like it always was, was a mistake. Training with her is... How do I describe it, gruesome and horrifying to both the mind and body. Well not so bad that I wanna run away and never to return evermore.

As aunt Palka arrive, she dusts her hands off saying:

"Well now that everyone's here..."

She pulls her breath and scream to the door on the end of the room shouting:

"May come down, Sova is here. It's time Sis takes you to the Guild!"

"Sova you say! Hold your lickers cause here I come!"

A cheerful voice reply from the other side of the room. Her voice rings throughout the room, while accompanied by the sound of quick strides of footsteps seemingly through the stairs. The door slams open to reveal a girl around the same age as me.

She has a short green bob hair that reaches to her neck. Wearing a similar black tight suit like Sis Rubeca inside the distributed clothes that is similar to mine. Along with her leather boots, metal plating, and a heart guard with a weird hunk of metal in the middle of it, similar to a shape of a trigger in the handle. Simply what you could tell at first glance that she is a rookie through and through.

She grasps the edge of the door, wheezing and gasping for air saying:

"P-please, ha huu ha huu ha, p-please wait. Let me catch a breath, I think I just pull a nerve there too."

Out of breath and knees shaking, she tries to regain control of her breathing. She is Maya Taiyin, the younger sister of Sis Rubeca and a childhood friend of mine. We grew up together here in this workshop, playing and reading each other stories of legends and fairy tales.

Before I could move and support her, Sis Rubeca, probably worried walks to her first saying:

"I got this," stepping her foot as she says that.

"Ow!" May screams before shouting, "What was that for!?"

Sis walks away, ignoring her as if she did no wrong before looking back saying:

"I just fixed your foot or leg, I guess I could say both."

"That doesn't make any sense-" shaking her legs before she continues saying, "Eh? It actually works... But it doesn't change the fact that you shouldn't step on me! Or at least give me a warning before doing any stunts that hurts Sis!"

Sis folds her arms and nods saying:

"Sure, next time I'll try reminding you."

May lowers her head feeling dejected saying:

"You definitely won't," before she looks at me and regains her smile saying, "Now that's out of the way..."

As if her emerald green eyes sparkle and shine. She jumps on me with her full weight. Catching me in surprise as I topple down on the floor.

Rubbing her sweet-scented hair on my cheeks shouting:

"Sova!" As in a joyous occasion and hugs me tighter.

She brings her face closer to mine asking:

"So are you ready?"

With our nose inches away from each other, I smile and reply with confidence saying:

"Yea."

Sis Rubeca who heard my confirmation crouch down saying:

"Good, then let's go. If you need anything else here, then you better take it as soon as possible. I suggest taking some salve at least if you haven't. Lest I remind you, we are not Zerians."

"You don't need to remind me, Sis. I a remember."

May confirms her statement with none of the excitement she shows just moments ago.

Rubeca nods and went above without looking back. May hugs me a little longer and I felt her warmth a little longer which gives a smile on my face. She releases me to and stands on her feet. Smiling more cheerfully than ever as she gives me a helping hand to stand.

"C'mon, sorry, I was kinda too excited. After all, we haven't seen each other for a WEEK when you so proclaim you oh~ so want to rest alone? Huh? Huh? What're you doing? Alone? In a private roo~m?"

Confused by her sudden question, I only hang my head baffled saying:

"I just rest all day long and maybe overslept. I guess I sometimes went to landlady' room for breakfast since she's nice enough to provide me with some. What do you expect me to do?"

May stares closely at me as our nose touch and I feel her breath. She backs away a little saying:

"Really now?"

Worried if I do wrong, I answer saying:

"Sorry if I worry you, I was still feeling fatigued after all that training."

She looks away puffing her cheeks whispering:

(I can't say no if you show me that face! And yet you won't admit you have time to entertain Nicole when he visits you, you cheater...)

"Huh? Wait can you repeat that again?"

She looks at me while pouting her cheeks saying:

"You know, I could help you out if you ask for it and if Mom didn't prevent me," she rubs her toes on the ground as she says that.

Immense pressure press us down, aunt Palka holds our shoulders with a grin on her face saying:

"You two lovebirds better not make Sis Rubeca wait. She's pretty strict with her schedule for as long as I know her."

With an unstoppable force behind us, we replied:

"Alright."

"Okay."

She gives both of us a pet in the head saying:

"Good, you two better take care of your selves okay? The world out there is cruel especially for people like us."

She gives us a push to the stairs and we reply saying:

"Alright, We'll see you later aunt"

"Okay, see you later mom"

We greet our goodbyes and went to the exit. Sunlight dawns over my eyes, so bright if force me to cover my eyes. I guess being down there for too long makes my eyes sensitive to brightness by how dimly lit the place is down there.

My eyes adjusted and I start to look around for Sis. She is now leaning against the display window with her arms folded. She looks at us with a long face saying:

"Took your time down there. So let me make sure, are you two ready?"

"Yea"

"Yes"

We answer in unison and she nods saying:

"Good, since this district is a border to Central, our Sector's rules still don't apply here. And since both of you never went to Central, stay close to me and you won't get in trouble that easily. Alright!?"

She shouts at the end of her word like in our training and we respond like how we always do and reply:

"Yes, Sis!"

She nods and walks ahead, we follow suit and

I close my eyes thinking:

(Magic, a wonderful gift bestowed upon us by the Gods and Goddesses of the Libera Pantheons. Those who were blessed by their gifts were granted the title that takes the name of this brilliant World, Zeria. And those who don't were given the name of those taken by the darkness of the four moons, Owla, Run, uh... and... Uh... Memory why fail me now! It has always been that way but not all are the same. Like those shopkeepers who know me and Nicole a follower of the Libera church who is still so kind to me and my other Sisters... That's why I wish to travel out of this city and travel the world. No matter what they say. And see the world as it is now).