Chapter 116: Enter The Sheep.

The low chatter that filled the mess hall died with Sheep’s laughter. The entire hall had been plunged into darkness, save for a single light. A single light that shone from above the central-most table.

All eyes fell on that table, with breath held, nobody moved or spoke. Not even the creak of metal could be heard as nobody dared to even shift in their seat. Necks craned, and eyes watched.

Then, they appeared. It wasn’t like they simply popped into existence, no, it was like they’d just peeled back a curtain and walked out from behind a stage. The curtain being the very fabric reality, and behind them, being a starless void, devoid of any signs of life.

What walked out wasn’t the Sheep we knew. No, it was a smaller character. Androgynous, gender unknown. They were small, cute in a way. They wore a coat and jacket fit for a stage magician, cane in hand, and a top hat on their head. Their eyes gleamed and glowed like a nebula on a black night. Tufts of fur, or rather, wool were around their neck, cuffs, and near her ankles. The wool itself was dark, and had a starry quality to it, with twinkling and shooting stars moving across its body.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome!” They said thrice, each more exuberant than the last. They flashed a smile, exposing fanged teeth. With a flourish and a bow, top hat in hand, she continued. “To your last and final tutorial event!”

She straightened, the cane twirled in her hand, top hat firmly placed on her head. “Many of you must be wondering, just who is this ravishing figure before them? Who could this possibly be? I mean, there is no way this could possibly be her, could it? The amazing, the incredible Sheep!? Well, ponder no more my dear rabbits, for it is I, here, in a form you may find familiar. As one of you, ah, but alas, don’t misunderstand. That doesn’t mean we are the same, no-no, it is something all of us mascots have, a human form, a means to further connect with you, our charges. It does not mean you are like us, or that we are like you, and you would do well to remember that.” She said, finishing with a flourish, sending sparkling motes of twilight everywhere.

There was a pause. Nobody was sure how to respond. To clap or cheer, to cry out in terror and fear. To break down in tears? Such thoughts were banished with a clap of Sheep’s hands.

“Forgive me, perhaps that was a bit much for you lot. I’m not much of a fan of mingling with my charges, unlike Inari or Inu. I just ask that you show me proper decorum is that too much to ask?”

She said that, but we could all tell how serious she was. Everyone, slowly, but surely nodded their heads.

“Good! Now, let’s begin the debrief. For the third and final event, you can consider it a reclamation project. Out in the universe, there are countless worlds. Many of which come to find their end. Either through some accident, or some maniac working to end it, it’s nothing new.”

Sheep continued, walking up and down the table. Our eyes followed as if drawn in.

“Many of these worlds, don’t quite give up the ghost. Small portions of them survive, somehow, someway. Little pockets, pieces of the original realm. Perfectly preserved as if in amber. Left alone, they might be fine, for thousands, tens of thousands of years. At least, until the rot sets in and they meet their end at the hands of entropy itself.”

Each of us nodded along, though, I was beginning to understand what we were being asked to do.

“Simply leaving these worlds to rot would be a disservice, so, we do them a bit of favor, or rather, you will. Your task will be to either conquer the shattered realm, or to claim it. Conquering simply requires you to destroy the ley line nodes and hasten its destruction. Claiming it, requires you to gain the shattered realm’s approval, a kind of lesser version of a world’s will. In order to do so, means that you will need to get the inhabitants to support your bid, and willingly be subdued.”

A hand was raised. “Yes, you! Do you have a question.” Sheep exclaimed and pointed, a single light blazed on, illuminating Diana.

“Is there a difference between the two?”

“None. Either way, we get what we need. The only difference being the rewards. Successfully negotiating with a shattered realm will grant bonus coins, and sometimes, even other additional benefits on top. Though, the increased reward is reflected by the increased difficulty of doing so. Especially since, from the moment you enter the realm, you will be on the clock.”

“How so?” Another voice added in, another light beamed down. The person illuminated by the light hesitated a moment before pressing on. “What happens if we take too long?”

“The realm begins to rot and attract, flies, shall we say.” Sheep answered all too calmly. “The end result will be similar to conquering, or claiming it, but there is a big difference. If the realm were to collapse on its own, well, there won’t be anything to reclaim. There will be no reward.”

The speaker went quiet, the light faded. Though my own hand shot up, a light blazed above me. All eyes fell on me, the feeling, electric.

“Is this where the citizenry comes from?” I ask the burning question.

“In part.” Sheep says all too calmly, confusing those not in the know. Horrifying those that do know. “There is a process to it, but yes. Though, not all the souls we claim are suitable for simple roles. Those souls are set aside and used for the creation of what you would call, lesser magical girls.”

That… “Do you erase their history then? And… can they ever reclaim who they were?” I asked next, thinking of Talia, Shi.

“If they get strong enough they may, but that depends. A lesser magical girl lacks a certain… narrative weight that allows them to do certain things. A kind of impetus, that you lot have. In much the same way, many of the citizenry are the same. Stuck on rails, until something or someone intervenes in their lives. Granted, the more your city grows, the bigger it gets, the more natural it becomes for lesser or even normal citizenry to start gaining their own weight.”

I blinked. My mouth working, but nothing came out as I tried to process what I’d heard.

“For what purpose are you doing this?” A voice cuts through the silence.

A new light, a familiar face. Liche. She froze under the light but after a moment of fright, pressed on. “Why were we brought here, and why create the city? We do we have to fight?” She questions, almost demands.

Sheep hummed in lieu of an answer. Seemingly deliberating on what to say. With a click of her tongue, she shrugged. “You aren’t ready to know. And I will say, there is a reason we keep you in the dark. Your city is still too young, not quite ready to take the stage. I will say, you will get hints as to why, especially if you take too long to clear this event. I suggest, you don’t.”

Her words were ominous and hung in the air. While we were all processing that deluge of information, she spoke back up.

“Now, I suppose that should do it for now. I suggest you settle in and take your time to process everything that I said and prepare for the event. It will take a few days to arrive, so, with that, toodles!”

With a final bow and flourish, she once again peeled back creation and stepped off stage. The light turned off, leaving us in the dark, at least, until the whole hall burst back into light.

As we all sat, dumbfounded, trying to process what exactly happened, the captain of the ship stepped forward.

“I am sure all of you have further questions but understand that none of us are allowed to give you further information. However, should you require food, we have taken the liberty of preparing a light meal. For those wanting to rest, a room has been prepared, and a crew member will gladly lead you to your room should you wish it. And finally, I hope that you all enjoy your trip.”

The captain bowed, along with the crew on hand.

There was a burst of chatter, people split, many going straight to bed, others choosing to eat. I… decided I needed to rest.

I was led down a metal corridor, to where my room was. A simple place, with a cot set into the wall. It wasn’t overly big, my bags already placed inside for me to unpack. There was even an attached bathroom, although small, it contained a shower, toilet, and a sink.

I had no idea where to even begin, so… I just threw myself into the cot and fell right to sleep.

Morning came, or at least, it felt like morning. I didn’t immediately get up. Instead, I took the time to properly process what I had learned and simply sat back.

Ever since Grim had told me what she did, and everything else, I’d always wondered where the citizenry came from. Who it was that populated the city, and how they came to be.

I’d never really thought we were doing this though. Conquering realms, killing inhabitants, and for what purpose? Was there really a goal? Up to this point, everything, to a degree, has revolved around the city and its continuing search for a mayoral candidate.

I couldn’t have been the only one to be stuck like this. Wondering why it was that we were doing this, why the city existed, and why we were here… and how exactly our new mission aligned with what grand purpose the mascots had in mind. Assuming they even had one in mind.

Worse, I couldn’t be the only one second guessing everything, but… even if I had the choice to back out, would I? Shaking my head, I focused instead on the moment. After all, there was still time to decide, to make a judgement.

With a groan, I got up and showered. Once done, and dressed, I headed out. The halls were relatively empty, but there were open doors. Some rooms looked empty, others like a storm had gone through, scattering bedding and clothes everywhere. Others were sealed shut.

One open door led me to a familiar face, Diana. She was talking to a few other girls, roughly our age, at least, based on appearance. I didn’t quite catch on to what they were saying, but when they noticed me, they left. Leaving me alone with Diana.

She regarded me, as I did her. A moment passed, with both of us looking at each other, likely reminiscing, remembering our first event, how we met.

We had met during the first event. And again, when I joined her, Grim, and Tabitha for a hunt into the depths. Diana, along with Tabitha belonged to the Women’s home, and had enlisted Grim, a police officer, a part of the special investigation division, to help them search out a possible threat.

In the end, we didn’t quite find the source of the threat, but a whole other threat. Grim, forced us to talk, and even if I still didn’t quite get it, whatever issue Diana had with me was resolved thanks to her.

If anything, I was curious as to what Diana went through during the second event. Liche had been cagey with the details. As had Joan. Only, how exactly was I going to start this conversation?

I deliberated, but in the end, it was Diana that spoke. “What brings you here?” She asked.

I worked my jaw, considered. “I wanted to coordinate on the coming event.”

“Did you now? Were you hoping to take charge?” She asked, clearly wary of me.

“No…” I said, “From what Liche told me, you did well enough during the last event.”

She scoffed. “Well enough, you say?” She looked hurt, her eyes not on me, but somewhere else. “Do you even know what happened?”

“I got some details, though, I was curious as to why our numbers are so few. We left the first event with more, and from what I know, the additional waves should have further bolstered our numbers.”

“We lost quite a few during the second event…” Diana started. “From what I’ve gathered, we lost a few more from the recent blood moon. A few people didn’t heed the warnings and went out, only to get torn apart.”

“I see, but did the second event really go that badly?” I asked, and she winced.

“Yes, after all, we did fail the event.”

“I failed mine as well. I don’t see why that’s an issue.”

“Yes, but people were relying on me, and I failed. People died.” She followed up with.

I took a moment to let those words settle before speaking again, “How bad was it, really?” I asked. Again, she winced, looked ready to shut down but sighed and spoke.

“It didn’t start out bad.” She started. “We quickly settled in, got duties settled. We even had scouts head out early to locate the enemy camp. It was good up to that point, but when we located it, we made our first mistake.”

I said nothing, choosing to lean on the frame of the door. Out of courtesy, I checked the hall for any listeners, but nobody appeared in the area. By the time I glanced back at Diana, she was already starting back up.

“We hit the camp quick and hard, our goal was to take down the portal, end it quick. Unfortunately, they had a gold rank defending the camp. We managed to kill him, but by then it was too late. While we had fought, the portal had continued to spew out new soldiers. At the head of them was yet another gold rank...” Her voice shook, fists clenched.

I kept my mouth shut, listened as she took a breath, focused.

“We were tired, exhausted. We didn’t have much of a choice, we retreated. Of course, they didn’t just let us off. During our flight, we were cut off by the enemy scouting party. Meanwhile we had the main force of the invasion nipping at our heels. We almost didn’t pull through, but Liche was instrumental in stalling the leader of the scouting party, buying us time. We didn’t lose people that day, but it was the start of where everything went wrong.

I listened, knowing that I was getting a more complete rendition of what had happened.

“Even if nobody died, we had too many injuries, many of them weren’t exactly easily recoverable, due to the scout’s using poisons, and due to the severity of the injuries. Nobody died, only because we had our healers, Serenity and Joan working full time. But it didn’t end there. Knowing we were weak, they immediately mustered and launched an assault, forcing everyone to give it their all.”

“It wasn’t much difference for us.” I said calmly. “We started out fine, but as the enemy kept assaulting us injuries and fatigue began to take its toll. But… surely you attacking the portal did something, no?” I asked, curious.

“After the event, our guide told us that the invaders had to push the portal to work overtime. We probably halved the attacking force.”

“Halved? And there were still two gold ranks?” I asked, bewildered.

“More like five.” She said, exhausted, drained… haunted.

I pursed my lips. I thought back. They had numbers, surely. At least, thirty, if not more, right? Not adding the additions from Liche and Joan’s batch of newcomers.

“Was it really so bad?” I had to ask.

“Very…” She said, “We didn’t have anyone like you. Rather, I heard you can make golems, is that true?”

I nod. “I do, but they’re not that great. Surely, someone on your side could do something like that? I mean, it was us five against an army. You had a few dozen at the very least.”

“Yeah, well, none of our group had invested in creating familiars. We were forced to man the walls with people at all times, and not just one or two, but enough to watch everything.”

“That...” I started, but trailed off. Understanding fully how difficult that must have been. “Sounds bad…” I finally say.

Diana nods, “It was, and few of them were capable of truly holding themselves up in combat. Which meant, they either needed to be supported or be set on easier tasks.”

“Such as?” I ask.

“Watch duty. Specifically for areas I thought the enemy would never show… for clarity, the castle we were told to protect was built into a cliff, a cliff that oversaw the sea. There were a series of watchtowers that let us look out to the sea. I had a few of the non-combatants placed there, just in case.”

“I’m guessing that it didn’t stay safe.”

“No… the enemy scouting parties somehow scaled the cliffs and made their way inside the castle. They pretty much butchered their way through once inside.”

I couldn’t help but wince, “And nobody was available to stop them?”

“The enemy chose right then to start their full assault. We were doing everything we could to hold them back. Worse, I was actually on the frontline when it all happened, fighting the leader of the enemy expedition with a few others, in the hopes of curtailing the assault.”

“Meanwhile, the assassins slunk through the halls?”

“Yeah… I didn’t get all the details, but Serenity was in the infirmary at the time, along with Joan, and of course the injured girls. Apparently, Joan used herself as bait to draw the assassins away while Serenity barricaded the infirmary.”

“Really?” I say, a little surprised. “I didn’t think she had that in her.” Joan was one to avoid a direct fight. Sure, she went with us on expeditions, but she rarely if ever participated in attacks. Most of the time she either hung back or hid, healing or shielding people when necessary.

“Well, she did, Serenity didn’t take it too well, but thanks to her, the injured were able to survive the siege.”

“And what of the assassins?” I asked.

“There was a lot going on, honestly. I don’t know the specifics, but apparently the head of the group was the scout leader, another gold rank, the same one Liche had stalled before. Apparently, Joan met up with Liche and the pair managed to kill them before they could take the central point.”

“That…” I pause, trying to parse that out. After all, Liche didn’t tell me anything about that, and even Joan had stayed silent on that little tidbit. “Surely that’s a good thing, right?” I asked instead, pivoting.

Diana let out a desolate laugh. “Honestly, I wish they hadn’t… With everything going on, we were too focused on the front to notice our compromised rear until it was too late.” She shook her head.

“I mean, up to that point we were doing mostly fine, but it all fell apart when we killed the leader of the invasion, and their mount, which made up another two gold ranks.”

“Which left one more, right? And you still failed?” I asked.

“The last gold rank was more of an auxiliary. The first gold rank was the commander of the troops, the second being the scout leader and later assassin. Third and fourth being the head of the invasion and their mount. The final one was more of a mage.”

I shifted, pulled myself off the frame. “Oh…”

“Yeah, it wasn’t good. We were all exhausted, tired, spent. Next thing we know, we’re being bombarded with all kinds of magic. A lot of people started dying off. We were forced to hide amongst the rubbles of the wall, waiting it out until they finally took the point from us… Any reserves we had, anyone that could have helped us hold off the magic was either dead or locked up in the infirmary.”

I was quiet. What she said, the series of events weren’t just a small failure, rather, they seemed more like a sequence of failures. Each worse than the last. Still… “I don’t think you did that badly, to be honest.”

“If you say so…” She said, very obviously not believing me.

“I do, I mean, we failed our event as well.”

“But none of you died.” She replied back.

“It was a fluke to be honest. It kind of fell apart at the last minute, one of ours ran off on their own, and I chased after them.”

“You? You chased after them?” She asked almost bewildered.

“We couldn’t afford to lose them. Not at the time. I had just taken a strong hit, and they were one of our biggest hitters. I chased after in the hopes I could peel her off the enemy leader, but it didn’t quite work out that way. By the time I arrived he’d not only disabled her but sent her flying. I engaged, but by the time I was able to pull back, well, it all went to hell. The rest of the group came rushing in to dogpile them and completely forgot about the objective.”

She actually laughed at that.

“So, you were planning to abandon her?”

“Once I was sure I couldn’t save her, yes.”

“Figures… I had you pegged as that kind of person, and yet… I can’t help but think about our first meeting. Or rather, how we split up.”

“How so?” I asked.

“You’re probably still wondering why I was so mad at you, and why my little talk with Grim seemingly helped, am I right?”

“I… won’t deny that I still don’t know the specifics of why. I do know you were upset at me abandoning you.”

“I was, I am. Not necessarily because of you, but me.”

I gave her an odd look, and apparently that said it all.

“You… Prima, when you first came up to me, I was a little confused, but your so calm, cool, both literally and not. You always seem like you have things under control, even when you clearly don’t. Seeing you throw yourself in front of others to help them, how you helped Serenity, assisted Amanda, I noticed. Especially how you threw yourself into combat when we fought together.”

I listened, not daring to speak out as she continued.

“Hell, when that big hulking monster came crashing through the barricade, I froze, but seeing you confront it, putting your life on the line, well… It made me feel ashamed with myself. I wondered, and asked myself, that if I were just a little more like you, then maybe my life wouldn’t have turned out the way it did. So, when, after everything, you said you were going to leave us…”

She took a breath.

“I felt betrayed. Not just because you were leaving, but because I couldn’t help but realize, maybe I really was holding you back. That maybe you were right to cut us off when you did... That…” She looked ready to say more, but appeared to reconsider at the final moment, choosing instead to merely shake her head.

I didn’t say anything. Rather, I wasn’t sure if I even should. Clearly, just saying that, admitting that took a lot out of her. Eventually, Diana gathered herself after a few breaths, a couple of blinks, and once again, she was in charge.

“So, what I’m saying, is if you want to take charge Prima, I’ll allow it.”

That… was a tempting offer, admittedly. The old me, the me from just a few months ago would have jumped at the chance, but… after my failed coup, and the dressing down I received from the executive. Not just that, but my own revelations about who I was, where I was going…

“I don’t think that would be wise. You already have a rapport with most of the group, but recent events have made me reconsider my worth as a leader.”

“Rapport? Honestly, I’m more surprised that nobody hates my guts for what happened. Everyone seems to think it couldn’t be helped, but I know better. If I’d just cut our losses sooner, if I’d just… done something else, perhaps more of us could have survived… And now you say you won’t be a good leader? What could have possibly made you think you’d do any worse than me?”

I couldn’t help but frown. It was clear that Diana was struggling. In her shoes, perhaps I’d be feeling the same and yet… “I’m just not quite ready to take the mantle. Not yet…” I said, in lieu of a proper response. “So, do you think you could take charge of this event, at least, for now?”

She frowned, looked ready to deny me, I could see it. The struggle, the concern, the weight of it all. Eventually, she sighed. “Fine, I can take leadership for this event, but… I don’t how much I can handle, so whatever is going on, please try and get it settled before everything goes to shit.” She says, begs.

“Hopefully it doesn’t get that bad, though… knowing how past events went, and well, my own history…” I take a moment to recall everything that has happened. “I’ll keep that in mind, just, let me know if it becomes too much, yeah?” I say. She nods.

“Alright, with that settled…” I trail off, lock eyes with her. “It was good seeing you again, Diana.” I say, catching her off-guard.

She takes a moment to collect herself, and only then does she reply back, “Mm… it was good seeing you as well.” We lock eyes for a moment, perhaps a moment too long, but the sentiment definitely carries. Both of us, in a way, were just happy to see one another. To know that we were both alive. And for now, that was enough.

Instead of breaking away from her and walking away like I planned, instead, I began to talk with her. About this and that, of nothing of real import. Just, day to day stuff. How my life has been, how her life has been. Each of us sharing small tidbits and stories of our own lives.

Eventually we parted ways, with a promise that we’d talk again, that broken bridges would be mended. After all, we had a long event ahead of us.