Cracks in The Foundation

[Vin POV]

"Vin! Hurry up, our lunch break is over now."

"W-wait, really? Alright, lemme...nom...me..fi-nish...this..."

"Come on! You can eat that sandwich on the way back to the lab. Just make sure to have finished it before we meet Professor, else we might just get kicked out."

After getting up from my chair and taking large bites of my sandwich, I quickly follow my horned friend, jumping onto a floating platform towards my destination. As we approached a large laboratory, I scarfed down the sandwich before I let out a deep breath.

"Xier, you need to give me a better heads up. Preferably ten minutes before. You know, you'll be just as late as I am."

Wiping the crumbs off my face, I raise my head to look at my friend with an annoyed stare. Tall, handsome, with light brown skin, black hair and two curved horns that arc down like bangs. Xier was a true genius demon prodigy that everyone aspires to be. In great contrast, I was a nerdy human who always wore baggy clothes with unkempt hair.

"Nonsense, Vin! Everything's under control. We'll be there just in time."

"You have too much confidence for your own good."

"No, what are you saying Vin, I don't have any problems. You're the one who's got something to fix. You should really grow some confidence. You're a researcher at the core research center of the Magic Association. You're not that part-time enthusiast anymore."

"Apprentice, Xier, apprentice researcher. Plus, you know just as well as I do, our research assignment is very much a side project of the Association. I've heard Professor complain about it far too many times."

"Well, it's our project, Vin. It's our labour, so be proud of it."

As our conversation continued, we kept moving. After our platform reached a building on the far side of the facility, we quickly pat ourselves down before entering the laboratory.

"HA AH aHA AHA AH HA! I finally figured it out. I took far too long! With this, it's nearly complete! HA AHA HAHAH!"

As soon as we walked into the lab, I hear a very distinct voice resonating throughout the room. Soon, a middle-aged man appears in my view. Greyish brown hair, with a short beard, Professor Bram, the professor leading our project had presented himself in front of us.

"Oh, Vin, Xier, you're here! Perfect! I just figured out the piece we need for this project. Hurry up!"

As the Professor started pulling us to our workbenches, I briefly glance at a giant apparatus that has a deep red glow coming out of it. The proof of our year of hard work. An artifact that will be able to detect the creation of new S.T.A. or mutated S.T.A.s

...

[Arius POV]

"Alright! Time to go out and talk to some people!"

"No." "NO, YOU DON'T" "Not today Arius."

Just as I was about to push open the shop door, three hands grab a hold of me as I get forcibly pulled back into the store.

"Why? There are only a few days left before the deadline."

As a timer inside me ticked down to three days, I started to feel a pressure weighing me down on my body.

"You've already done enough Arius. We told Grampa Edward what happened, no one is supporting you in what you're doing to yourself. So for today, find something else to do. Sophia and I have taken a short leave from the academy, we'll be trying to find a solution today."

As Big Brother Jaque held me in place, I see Stella take Sophia's hand as they made their way to the door.

"Jaque, just keep an eye on Arius for us, will you? Don't let him do anything dumb."

"Yeah, yeah. You two can get going now."

Ha ha ha ...

Ding!

With a few joyful laughs, Stella and Sophia open the door and take their leave. With only Big Brother and I left in the room, I take a seat on the ground with my cheek in my hand. Big brother simply smiles and takes a seat beside me

"What do I now?"

"Well, why don't we take a stroll around the city? You haven't seen any of it yet."

"Hmm, alright."

With that, we were walking down the bustling streets of a large shopping area. There were so many stores covered in different colours glass, shiny metals and beautiful decorations and statues. At the center of the area, there was a particularly large fountain that brought life to the area.

"*Nom* Big Brother, what is that?"

"Hmmm, let me take a look at this plate then. Umm, the Fountain of Trillius, commissioned by Duke LeMonc to celebrate the prosperity of the city as well as to mark ten years of peace within the area. Commissioned eight years ago...Years of peace in the area, huh? Maybe a few years ago."

"What do you mean Big Brother?"

After reading the plate, Big Brother's brows twitch a few times before leaning against the stone wall that surrounded the fountain.

*sigh*

"I've heard that the number of bandit attacks and such have been increasing over the past few years. Thankfully, Erlabyn had a Master and Sir Earnest so the bandit didn't dare to attack. But other towns aren't as fortunate. It seems like they started all after this Kaiser LeMonc started running the show."

"What really? I knew that guy was bad."

"Yeah, I've even heard stories at the Adventurer Guild of bandits attacking adventurers when they're travelling and striving at smaller towns."

"Why doesn't the Adventurer Guild do anything?"

"They have but it's the Duke that got to figure out a solution to the root of the problem. Well, whatever, it's not our problem. Let's go get something to eat."

"YEAH! I'm hungry!"

...

After eating, Big Brother and I spent the rest of the afternoon eating food, going to fun places to play, and seeing many cool things that I wouldn't have seen in Erlabyn. Who would've thought that people used special monster birds to deliver messages around or people walking around with pet monsters? There was even a person with a giant bird that followed them around.

As the sun started to set and us running out of attractions in the area, we asked a muscular man who was excitedly walking down the street, where we could find some more fun.

"If you guys are exploring, there's one thing you can't miss. I'm going there myself. The Bloodbath. Come along with me, I'll show you the best thing in town."

Seeing that we had nothing else to do, we followed the man all the way to the other side of town. As we got further and further away from our original area, I couldn't help but notice that the buildings and houses nearby were getting bigger and bigger.

"We're in the wealthy side of the city now. This is where all the merchants and nobles take residence in the city. The part however is of course the Bloodbath!"

"Umm... What is this bloodbath you're talking about?"

"It's a place where battles take place, man against man, monster against monster, even man against monster. You'll find what even fight suits your taste."

"Fights? Is it all that fun? Sounds tiring to me."

"Kid, it's what little 'real' entertainment that exists in the city after the Duke's son took control. You'll see how good is!"

After the man continued blabbering on about how good the place will be, we arrive at this giant building with tons of lights and people bustling everywhere. After paying a toll to get in, we start moving through the wave of people, soon losing our guide to the crowd. With noise sounding everywhere, I start to yell at Big Brother.

"Big Brother, do you know where we're going!!?"

"No idea! But there seems to be something ahead!"

Squeezing our way deeper, the crowd opens up and we see a giant pit with people on either side waving and cheering. Suddenly, we hear the voice that pierced the crowd.

"ARE YOU READY FOR A BLOOODBAAAAAAATHHHH!!!!!?????"

...

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Kaiser's Fun Fact: While I like to pride myself on always being rational, there are just some desires that can't be taken away. Being shown displays of power, treachery and wits is one that I couldn't remove. So I let the Bloodbath, as they call it, stay( with a special contract).

Author Note: I'm back!! I'll try to post once a day but it might be once every two days as I start to get back into the rhythm again.