Ch 33: Ruins of Alcedonia

Catherine makes an offer that may clear their record, but this only upsets Grey. Shelving the matter for now, everyone heads to the Ruins of Alcedonia in search of a cure.

            Leaving Richter and Mythra in Abigail and Jennifer’s care, Grey, Alexander, Scott, Amy, Schmitt, Serius, and Catherine all began to make their way out of town to the Audentia, stopping briefly as Catherine spoke with the soldiers of the Fifth Division who awaited them at the square. Understanding the situation, her second in command, Captain Brian Daniels, said to the soldiers, “Attention! Lieutenant Colonel Walker will be entrusting the protection of the townsfolk to us while she tends to a very important matter! All soldiers form up! Let’s give her and her team of specialists a proper sendoff!” The soldiers of the Fifth Division lined up on both sides of the main street out of the city, and as Catherine and everyone else passed them, they saluted and Captain Daniels shouted, “Good luck everyone!” As they marched down the main street, Grey laughed and said, “Wow, it’s kinda weird having the Special Forces treating us like this instead of like public enemy number one.” With an amused grin, Alexander said, “Indeed. I must say, it seems you’re quite beloved by your men Catherine.” Looking less than thrilled by all the attention, Catherine said, “Well the fact is that all of the soldiers of the Fifth Division are citizens of the Kingdom of Gaian, and are all part of our investigation of how Altera Veritas has undermined The Guild. I handpicked each of them carefully.” Scott looked surprised as he said, “Really? I was given my division after passing my officer’s examination, I didn‘t choose any of them.” Nodding, Catherine replied, “Yes that’s how it usually is, but in order to infiltrate the Special Forces ourselves and investigate their internal matters, my father pulled some strings and had the members of the Fifth Division completely reassigned.” 

Unable to believe his ears, Scott exclaimed, “What?!” Surprised as well, Alexander said, “Not to criticize you Catherine, but you do realize how suspicious it would look to do such a thing don’t you? If anyone started digging for answers as to why you and your father would have abused your position in such a way…” Waving away his question, Catherine showed no concern as she said, “Relax. Sadly enough, these days the leaders of the world are all abusing their position in some way or another. We’ve covered our tracks meticulously. I was actually going to suggest this before, but I held off what with our current crisis. However, now that we’re on the subject of my father’s influence… If we pull some strings, it may be possible to get The Guild and the Special Forces off your backs.” Amy and Scott both exclaimed, “Seriously?!” Laughing heartily, Schmitt said, “Well now, that’d be somethin! Ya really think his kingship could pull that off?” With a warm smile, Catherine replied, “I won’t go and promise anything, but it is a possibility.” Shooting a glance at Grey, Serius said, “Will this be a pardon? Don’t forget, Grey would never accept such a deal…” Just short of the town gate, Grey stopped in his tracks and everyone else stopped to look at him. Glancing over at Serius angrily a moment, Alexander muttered, “True, but given the situation…” Confused by everyone’s reaction, Catherine asked, “Why not?” Staring down at the ground, Grey said, “What I’ve done, regardless of the circumstances is…” With a slight laugh, Catherine interrupted saying, “Oh I see. So it’s a pity party is it?” Getting defensive, Grey shot her an angry look as he shouted, “Hey! This isn’t a joke here, I-” Her manner becoming stern, Catherine said, “Should I arrest you here then? Is that what you want?” Grey fumbled for words as she continued, “I was starting to respect you, starting to think you were a brave young man, taking on the responsibility for what happened by defeating Altera Veritas and avenging those who have fallen because of them. Now you’re acting like a fool, trying to punish yourself for what happened in some illogical manner in order to make yourself feel better! Get a grip!”

            Grey was struck speechless by her outburst, and after a moment of silence had hung in the air, Alexander said, “Well said, Catherine. A bit blunt, but sometimes that’s the only way to get through to him.” Shooting Grey a sympathetic smile, Amy said, “You’ve been beating yourself up for so long over something you aren’t responsible for. It’s not right.” Scott chimed in as well, saying “Didn’t you learn your lesson after being scolded by Grandma? I thought we were past this!” Fumbling for words again, with a stubborn expression, Grey turned away and said, “Fine, whatever! Do what you want…” Laughing heartily with his hands on his hips, Schmitt said, “This kid’s stubborn as hell, but I guess that’s part of what I like about him! Anyway, she did say that offer ain’t guaranteed, and don’t we have more important business?” With a nod, Alexander continued out the gate as he said, “Yes, and we’re more than a little short on time. We can worry about this later.” As everyone else followed after Alexander, Grey trailed behind, wondering whether or not Catherine was right about him. Noticing him trailing behind, Amy sighed, thinking, “I like that part of him sometimes too, but why can’t he let this go?” Beginning to trail behind as well, Amy whispered to Grey, “It really makes me worry about you seeing you all upset like this.” Pulled from his thoughts, Grey looked at her and said, “Sorry…” Walking along, Amy said, “Grey, I still don’t really understand. They pretty much possessed you with the Nameless One.” Staring down at the ground as he walked, Grey said, “Despite that, everyone who died… it was me that killed them. I can’t explain it that well, but knowing that is enough to make me wish I could just disappear. And when you think about it, I gave in, I wasn’t strong enough. I let them control me, just like how I gave in in Castrum…” Shaking her head, Amy desperately said, “That’s not right! Didn’t you listen at all to what Tabatha said? Besides, you were what? Fifteen years old when they put that thing in you? Grey, no one who knows who you really are believes that you’re to blame for any of it. You’re the only one who seems to think you’re at fault.” 

As Grey stared down at the ground silently, Amy suddenly took hold of his hand and stopped. Stopping as well, Grey looked at her, and seeing her staring at the ground with a downhearted look on her face, he said, “Amy?” In a quiet voice, she said, “I’m really worried about you. You were always such a happy, self-confident person back then. But now, even though you always put on a strong face, you’re suffering inside. When you’re like this, I worry that even if we stop Altera Veritas it won’t be enough for you! That you’ve become so wrapped up in your past that it’s all you’re living for!” Her voice beginning to tremble, she continued, “Didn’t you always used to say you wanted to make the world a better place for everyone? Do you really think the world would be a better place if you just disappeared? Does everyone that cares about you mean so little to you that you’ll throw them away for the sake of people who are already gone? Do I…?” Amy trailed off, looking as though she were fighting back tears. Standing there staring at her, Grey felt a smile creep onto his face as he thought to himself, “You really don’t pull any punches do you?” Grasping Amy’s hand tightly, Grey said, “Thank you.” Turning to look at him as she wiped a tear from her eye, Amy saw Grey smiling at her as he said, “With all the terrible things that happened, I thought I’d lost everything important to me. I’m sorry, but I don’t really know if I can really let go of my past that easily, I’ve been struggling with it alone for so long. Still… I’m not alone anymore am I? With you all beside me, maybe I’ll be able to overcome it.” Smiling back, Amy said, “Yeah. We’ll overcome it together.” Suddenly calling out from up ahead, Alexander said, “I hate to interrupt this touching moment, but it would be nice if we could make it to Alcedonia before nightfall.” Both their faces turning red, Grey and Amy noticed the others standing there watching them. Quickly they released each other’s hands, and as Amy laughed nervously, Grey stammered, “Uh, y-yeah, right… Alcedonia… W-we were just…” Unable to find the words to finish his sentence, Grey sighed and said, “Oh, shut up! Let’s just get going…”

            Arriving at the Alcedon Forest just as the sun was going down, Schmitt set the ship down at their previous landing site, which according to Catherine was just southwest of the ruins. Turning to look at everyone from the pilot’s seat, Schmitt said, “Well, here we are folks! So what’s the game plan?” Getting out of his seat, Alexander replied, “Well, it will be night soon, but we really can’t wait till tomorrow to start searching. I’m worried that Mythra and Richter’s condition may worsen. Considering this could turn into a dangerous trip, I was thinking you and Amy should remain-” Amy jumped out of her seat quickly, and with a determined look she said, “Alexander, I’m going too!” Blinking in surprise behind his signature shades, Alexander said, “Are you sure? We have no idea whether we’ll run into this wild anomaly, or something worse for that matter.” Without hesitation, Amy said, “I know it might be dangerous, but I’m tired of being someone who hides in the corner while everyone works hard!” Grinning in spite of his lingering concerns, Alexander laughed quietly and said, “All right, all right. Just be careful.” Disembarking from the Audentia, the group left Schmitt in charge of the ship and walked down the gangplank. As they began making their way through the forest, Grey thought of something and asked, “Hey, I know that Altera Veritas creates their anomalies with the bodies and essence of the dead, but how do wild anomalies pop up?” Serius simply said, “They are similar to what one may consider a ghost.” Hearing this, a chill ran up Amy’s spine. Crossing a shallow river as they continued in the direction of the ruins, once they were across, Scott said, “You mean like a lost soul who didn’t make it to the afterlife?” Shaking his head, Alexander said, “Not exactly. It’s similar to that, but rather than being lost, they simply have a strong will. They are born of the dead that refused to move on and reentered their bodies.” Raising an eyebrow, Catherine said, “That’s a rather shaky theory. If that were the case, I would think there would be quite a few wild anomalies running around, yet it’s quite rare to see one at all.” Nodding in agreement, Alexander said, “Yes, but there’s one detail I forgot to mention. Under normal conditions, most attempts to revive the body will not succeed. From my vague recollections, uncommon conditions are required for the phenomena to occur, one of which is the presence of a large amount of EDE. Unfortunately the process stimulates a mutation of the body, changing its appearance and causing it to become deranged, its memories lost and its actions directed by instinct.”

            Coming upon the ruins, as he stared at the ancient city, Scott uttered, “Wow…” Covered in vines, moss, and other plants, the ruins that looked to be made of some strange form of stone actually looked rather intact aside from being uninhabited for centuries. Walking down an overgrown street, Catherine led the way as they walked towards an enormous building far off in the center of the ruins. Passing the majestic stone pillars that lined the road, Grey said, “Wow is right! These are some pretty grand ruins, and they all look so well preserved.” Catherine nodded in agreement and said, “Yes, I was quite impressed with these ruins myself. The materials the buildings are made of seem like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s incredibly durable, yet certain plants with incredibly fine roots can actually grow in it. To be honest, I wondered why this city had not been reclaimed. I mean, it’s true that cleaning this place up and maintaining it against the area’s plantlife would be a lot of work, and it’s not in the most convenient place. However, it still seems like such a waste. It’s a grand place…” Staring at the large building they were headed towards, Serius said, “Alcedonia was one of the capitals of human civilization, and the building up ahead is the Citadel of Alcedonia.” As they arrived at the citadel, Scott leaned against the building and muttered, “Finally…” His legs were beginning to feel weak again, and the long walk had been rough on him. Looking at him suspiciously, Alexander said, “Scott, I get the feeling you’re not telling us something. I hadn’t pushed the issue, but I’ve noticed that ever since your battle with Douglas, you tire out rather easily…” A nervous look crossed Scott’s face. Having been wondering as well, Grey crossed his arms and looked at Scott expectantly as he said, “Yeah, when we came back to help you it seemed like you were barely able to walk.” Grey and the others stood there waiting for Scott to say something. Seeing he was busted, Scott heaved a sigh and said, “I kinda used a technique in that fight that puts a lot of strain on the body, so I’m not really at a hundred percent right now.” Shaking her head in disapproval, Catherine said, “You should have said something! It’s a bit late now that we’re here, but it probably would have been best if you’d stayed behind if you weren’t feeling well Thunderfury.” Having feared such a reaction, Scott hung his head. Trying to lift his spirits, Alexander said, “Don’t worry about it Scott, just make sure to say something in the future. Why did you hide it in the first place? It’s not like you.” Scott merely shrugged and said, “I dunno, I guess I just didn’t want anyone to worry. There’s enough on our minds with Mythra and Jack in such bad shape…” As Scott said all this, he suddenly realized that had not been the only reason. Deep down, he’d simply been thinking that if he’d shown that he was injured, he’d look weak compared to Grey, who had defeated the Professor with nothing but a few scrapes. Shaking his head, Scott thought to himself, “What’s wrong with me? Something like that isn’t important…”

            Suddenly strange and eerie laughter came echoing from the citadel. Nearly scared out of her skin, Amy stammered, “Wh-what was th-that?!” A serious look crossed Catherine’s face, and quietly she said, “So, it’s still here after all…” As Amy clung to his arm, Grey said, “Don’t tell me that was the anomaly just now?” Catherine nodded grimly, saying, “Haunting, isn’t it? When we escaped from it, it left quite an impression on the soldiers that survived. They started calling it ‘Reaper’.” Feeling her cling tightly to his arm, Grey looked at Amy. Seeing her pale face and terrified expression, he quietly said to her, “You really have a thing about this ghost and monster stuff don’t you? You sure you don’t want me to take you back to the ship?” Struggling to regain her composure, Amy squeaked, “N-no, I’ll b-be f-fine…” Letting out a sigh as he stared over at Amy in her terrified state, Alexander said, “Alright, let’s get going then. Weapons drawn, there’s no telling what will happen.” Forming his sword, Alexander stepped through the open doors of the citadel. Following him, Serius said, “Remain vigilant.” Everyone formed their weapons, except Amy of course, who at that moment was thinking, “Maybe this was a bad idea, but just sitting around back on the ship doesn’t feel right to me…” Drawing a dagger from her belt, Catherine stepped through the doors saying, “Let’s get this over with.”

Grey, Scott, and Amy followed, Amy making sure to stay behind Grey. Entering a wide hall with suits of armor lining the walls, the darkness was lit only by a small ball of EDE Alexander had formed at his fingertip. Looking around the hall a moment, Alexander turned to Catherine and asked, “Where to?” Leading the way, Catherine walked to a doorway on the right side of the hall. She stopped outside the doorway and motioned Alexander inside, and moving past her through the doorway, he could see staircase leading down. Stepping back into the hall and turning to Catherine again, Alexander said, “Don’t tell me…” Nodding, Catherine replied, “Yes, what we’re here for is deep within what appears to be the dungeon.” Alexander clutched his head, muttering, “Amy is going to have a nervous breakdown at this rate…” Overhearing as he walked over with the others, Grey said, “Why?” Turning to him, Alexander replied, “Well, it looks like we’ll be exploring the dungeon…” Hearing this, Amy sputtered, “D-d-du-du-dun-dungeo-?!” She seemed unable to finish the word, and as Alexander was about to suggest she go back to ship after all, eerie laughter echoed through the citadel. A chilling breeze swept over them, and in the direction of the entrance they heard a loud creaking noise. As they cautiously looked in the direction of the noise, Alexander muttered, “We’re trapped.” Back down the hallway, they could clearly see that the previously open door to the citadel had shut itself. Serius and Alexander held their ground as the others rushed to the door. Struggling to open it, they found it was locked shut, and with a frustrated grunt, Grey said, “Stand back, I’ll blow this thing open if I have to!” As he gathered EDE, Alexander called out, “Don’t waste your time. Deus Calx, the strange material the buildings are made of, is an incredibly resilient fusion of stone and EDE. It was designed specifically to withstand just about anything. Energy attacks are useless. They’ll only draw our enemy’s attention.” Scanning the area warily, Serius commented, “If it is not already aware of our location…”

            Thinking for a moment as the others continued to struggle with the door, Alexander said, “Everyone, let’s just continue as planned. We’ll just have to find another way out once we’re done here.” Making their way back to the doorway leading to the dungeon, Amy clung tightly to Grey’s arm, chanting in her head, “Not scared, not scared, not scared!” As the two of them followed the others down the stairs into the dungeon, Grey felt the pangs of guilt as he looked at Amy and thought to himself, “I should have stopped her. The way she was so determined to come and help, I just wanted to support her. I can’t really say I blame her for being afraid though. This place is a little scary… I mean what the hell was up with that laugh? Is that really an anomaly?” Reaching the bottom of the stairs, they began to make their way through corridors lined with jail cells. Rats skittered away from the light of Alexander’s EDE as he followed closely behind Catherine. As Amy caught sight of what looked like a skeleton in one of the cells, she quickly shut her eyes and again chanted to herself, “Not scared, not scared, not scared!” After walking through corridors of cells for several minutes, Grey noticed a change in scenery as they stepped into a hallway without jail cells, the walls simply solid blocks of the strange material that made up the building. Reaching a mechanical looking door that looked as though it had been ripped open from inside the room beyond, Catherine stopped and quietly said, “This is where I remember seeing the Cruciamentum, but I’m afraid it’s also where we were attacked by Reaper…”

Lowering the intensity of his EDE light as he noticed something strange, Alexander said, “It appears something inside that room is giving off light…” Looking at the door itself, Scott said, “Is this door made of some kind of metal and EDE fusion like the stone material? If it is, whatever destroyed this door must be a real beast!” Stepping forward and examining the door, Serius said, “Yes, this is indeed a similar alloy. Also, I sense a great amount of EDE beyond this door. What is in there Catherine?” Somewhat reluctantly, Catherine said, “I mentioned in the report I made to the Special Forces that we found some sort of strange device within the ruins. Later I found my account about it had been stricken from the record, and when I investigated, I received a threatening message to just forget what I’d seen and stop asking questions…” The wheels turning within his head, Alexander thought, “Could this be something The Guild, or perhaps even Altera Veritas, does not wish the world to know about?” Looking at Catherine suspiciously, Alexander said, “Why didn’t you mention this?” Annoyed by his obvious suspicions against her integrity, Catherine said, “My father made me swear upon my mother’s grave I would let the matter go and never speak of it to anyone. The death threats worried him greatly, though he’s always worrying about me anyways. He didn’t want me to be part of our country’s investigation or the Special Forces, though he eventually respected my decision.” As Amy found herself thinking of her own father for a moment, Grey said, “Well, let’s go check this place out already. The sooner we do, the sooner we can start looking for a way to get outta here!”

Reviews

[Ryan Henderson]

Good chapter! I love the premise of it. I don't know why, but I don't like Catherine as a character. I can't place it, but I think that there is just something about her that is... off. I don't know.

The vocabulary in this chapter was awesome! The line "We’ve covered our tracks meticulously" shows that Catherine is not just some dumb commander. By adding the word "meticulously" you built an intellectual air around Catherine. Great work on that!

The chapter's dialogue is structured well and fluidly. Each sentence flows effortlessly into the next, which makes it easy to read. The dialogue is believable for each character and I can easily pick out who is speaking even if it is not announced right away. This is because you have each character speak a certain way. For example, Scott is laid back and uses slang. Grey is a little more formal than Scott in his speech. Alaxander is always giving advice, Mythra is cocky and teasing. You get the idea. Awesome job on this!

All in all, a very good chapter as always. I like how the chapter ended and I want to read the next one very soon! Keep writing!

~Ryan

[KeithKVH]

Ty for the review! Catherine is actually a rather interesting character, I'm a bit sad she's really only played a role in vol. 1 but I'm working her back into the story in vol. 4.

She's basically a mix of an intelligent leader and a rich heiress doted on by her father, and as you can see from her interaction with Grey, she's easily irritated and not a fan of anything half-assed or wishy-washy.

I do try to make every character have a unique self and role in the group. To be quite honest, one thing I've always thought is that Grey and Scott are too similar, even though there's essentially a reason for it.