TtOW! - Side Story 47.2: The Exploratores Disciplina (Patreon)

Screams rang out in the evening sky.  A boy and a girl, still in their teens, ran with all their might.

An Ursanus Adolescent chased after them, roaring at its prey.  It was relatively low level and young, and had not even grown the thick shell on its back.  Still, it was a huge mass of muscle and bloodlust that stood taller than a full-grown human adult, with enough strength to knock down a tree.

Not something two young teenagers wanted to get hit by.

“H-Hurry up Taog!  It’s gaining on us!”

“Wait for me, Ateia!”

“Wait?!  You run faster, Taog!”

“I’m running as fast as I can!”

The Ursanus roared at them and put in another burst of speed.

Just then, a glowing bone harpoon sped through the air, leaving a glowing trail of mana behind it.  It smashed into the Ursanus’s right shoulder, the creature letting out a roar of pain from the wound.  The glowing trail then split into two chains of mana.  One chain began moving backwards, pulling the harpoon out of the bear.  The other chain stayed in place, connected to the bear.

The harpoon flew out once more, this time striking the Ursanus’s left flank.  Two chains of mana went taut in either direction, holding the Ursanus in place.  The beast roared and pulled but the chains held.

And then a shadow fell on it from above, driving the harpoon straight into its skull.

The Ursanus fell to the ground and moved no longer.

Veteran Exploratores Miallói leapt off the bear and landed in front of the two trembling teens.

She frowned and crossed her arms.

“Weak, disappointing.”

The two teens looked down at the ground.  Miallói heaved a sigh.

When she heard these two had conquered a dungeon, she got her hopes up.  She was also interested in their apparent identities: a half-wulver boy and a girl who clearly didn’t mind him.  It was rare to see, given the humans’ animosity with the wulver.  And rarer still to see people in that position rise above that prejudice and develop the skills necessary to take on a dungeon on their own.

So she thought all they would need was a bit of hunting, a few more levels, and then they might prove a valuable ally for the Selkie.  Someone like her, who loved her homeland but had no love for the people occupying it, however useful they may be.

But she was wrong.

These two had no love for Turannia at all.  Miallói could tell.  They planned to leave the moment their training was done.

Miallói understood.  Turannia was a hard place to live.  Most of the Selkie had left the province too.  Their innate skill in water magic was always valuable somewhere in the Empire, and most Selkie no longer believed the Empire would ever leave.  So they abandoned their ancestral home, and their original way of life, making for the Empire proper.

But they were all wrong.

The Empire was not permanent.  Miallói saw it.  It had grown fat, and lazy, a predator past its prime.  It was still large, still powerful.  But it had overreached.  It now relied on its reputation, its aura of invincibility.

It had long since ceased to conquer, and now only sought to defend.

It was vulnerable.

Should the Legion fall somewhere?  Should the Empire face a true challenge to its supremacy?  Should there come a threat that did not care for its reputation?

Well, there was a reason the Empire had stripped the Legion from Turannia.  It was losing its ability to hold the line everywhere it stood.  Sacrifices had to be made.

And that was a problem for the Selkie.

With all the Selkie who had left, they had grown weak in their ancestral home.  They were now dependent on the Empire’s protection.  They could not survive without it, they would be forced from their lands by the tribes that never submitted.

And the Empire had just left.  Magister Tiberius was trying to hide it from her and Dux Cannus was still doing his best to maintain the defenses, but Miallói wasn’t blind.  The Legion had abandoned the province, and there was no telling when, or even if they would return.

So Miallói was desperate for all the help she could get.  If her people, her home, were to survive, then the Empire must not lose while the Legions were away.  And that’s why she had chosen to invest in these two.  Permanent allies for the Selkie was her goal, but acquiring even temporary allies for the Empire in Turannia was sufficient.  Anything she could do, to maintain the image of Imperial strength until the Legions returned.  Anyway to protect the Selkie...or to buy them time to prepare for the worst case.

But these kids' strength was an illusion as well.  They were weak, too weak to have done what they claimed.  And worst…they seemed to have no idea what they were doing.  Rookie village hunters at best.  Miallói could not believe they had even survived a dungeon like this, much less conquered one.

They could not help her protect her home.

Miallói narrowed her eyes on the pair.

“Dungeon, lie?”

The pair’s eyes widened and they glanced at one another.  Then the girl heaved a sigh and looked down at the ground, gritting her teeth.

“No…we did conquer a dungeon.  But…we had help.  And without that help…we would have died.”

Miallói nodded.

“Honest, good.  Legion, Exploratores?”

The boy and girl looked at one another again, communicating with their eyes.  The girl sighed and nodded, then the boy turned to her.

“No, someone else.”

“Wulver, Selkie, Dobhar?”

He shook his head.

“No, human.  Not from around here, I think.”

Miallói rubbed her chin.

So the pair had help, from someone not affiliated with the Empire or any of the local clans, as far as these two knew.  Which made sense, Miallói didn’t know anyone in the province who was both willing and able to escort two kids through a dungeon.  Whoever helped them must be someone new…and it was unlikely they were affiliated with any of her enemies.  Neither the Dobhar nor the Wulver would bother helping two Imperial children challenge a dungeon, of all things.

Which meant…this could still work.  These two clearly had a powerful ally, who could not only take on dungeons but lead two low-level rookies in doing so as well.

Someone like that…might be able to help.  Do more than just maintain the image of Imperial strength.

Someone who was invested in the success of these two.

Miallói nodded.  This effort could still be worthwhile.  So it would be best if she did it properly.

She was no longer training two Imperials.  She was now applying for an alliance with their benefactor.

Miallói slammed the back of her harpoon on the ground, causing the two teens to jump and look at her.  She pointed her harpoon at them.

“You two are not Exploratores.  Not to me, not any longer”

The two grimaced.

“Instead, I will treat you as Selkie children.  And by those standards, you are weak, unfit to hunt, to fight.”

Miallói narrowed her eyes at them.

“So I will train you from the beginning.  We will not stop until I decide you are fit for duty, as a Selkie warrior should be.”

The two’s eyes widened, then they quickly nodded.  Miallói nodded.  Points for enthusiasm, and for accepting their weakness.

She would see how long that lasted.

***

Miallói stood in front of the pair out in the open.  It was pouring rain and the three were already drenched.  Miallói did not allow them to bring their cloaks.

The rain did not bother the amphibious Selkie.  For Miallói, this was much more comfortable, even.

A human and a half-wulver were not so lucky.

“Monsters are deadly.  They do not waste.  They do not waver on their path.  They all have one goal, and they focus all of their growth on that goal.  Those who do not, perish.  So there is much to learn from them.”

Miallói spread her mana, extending it into the rain around her.  Soon, she shimmered and vanished from view.

And then slammed her fists into Ateia and Taog’s stomachs.

“The Selkie developed this style by observing the Felix Pluvia.  To become one with rain, to stalk their prey unseen, and then to strike without mercy.”

The two teens were just climbing back to their feet when Miallói swept their legs out from under them.

“It is also useful for training perception and awareness.  Fight me as if you are fighting a monster.  And like a monster, I will show you no mercy or pity.”

Ateia and Taog gulped.

***

Miallói stood on a rock in the middle of a rushing river, chaotic rapids just behind her.

In the river in front of her, two teens struggled to swim against the current, desperate trying to remain out of the rapids.

“Normally we do this in the ocean, which is far more powerful, but you two are weak swimmers compared to a Selkie child.  Remember, the boons from the Aesdes are mighty…and should not be wasted.  Your body can be trained, molded.  You do not need to wait for the Aesdes to grow stronger.  So grow as strong as you can, and only then consider how the Aesdes may make you stronger.”

Ateia and Taog gasped for breath as the river pushed them back.  They swam as hard as they could but still the river pushed them back towards the rapids.

“The current is strong, and fast.  You cannot defy it by standing with raw strength, or rushing with mere speed.  You will need both to succeed.”

Ateia began falling behind.  She accidentally bumped a rock behind her and yelped, losing her form.  She began rushing towards the rapids…

Miallói reached down a hand, scooped her up, and tossed her upriver.  She landed with a splash and sputtered to reach the surface.

“And you will also need endurance.  Again.”

Ateia grit her teeth as she started swimming once more, desperately trying to slow her fall downstream…

***

Miallói slammed her wooden staff into Taog’s chest.  The boy fell to the ground, dropping his wooden sword.  Miallói slammed the staff down towards his head.  The boy yelped and scrambled to his feet.

“Inflexible, sloppy.  Trying to be a Legion bulwark and a wulver at the same time.  You are not a part of the Legion, and you are not a wulver clan warrior.  Don't just repeat what you were taught.  Now, again.”

Miallói kicked his sword off the ground towards the boy...and then kicked his shield away.  Taog's eyes widened.

"Start from the top.  Focus on your opponent, not on your drills and techniques.  Hit me, however you can.  Then we can start to think of what fighting style suits you."

Taog nodded and narrowed his eyes at her, gripping his sword.  He let out a yell and rushed forward.

And promptly found himself on the ground.

"Again."

***

Ateia closed her eyes, not bothering to look for Miallói hidden in the rain.  Taog had far sharper senses than she did all around and even he couldn’t find Miallói, so Ateia knew she needed to try something else.  Instead, she reached out with her mana, trying to feel the mana in the rain around her, searching for any shifts…

Suddenly, she felt something.  A small, subtle shift in the rain.  She took a step back on reflex.

[You have learned the skill Presence Detection!]

And then a fist impacted her stomach.  Miallói shifted into view, standing over the fallen girl.

And she nodded.

“Better, but not good enough.  Not yet.”

Ateia nodded and rose back to her feet as Miallói vanished once more…

***

Ateia and Taog swam through the river, just barely hanging with the current.  All of Ateia’s muscles felt like fire, but she grit her teeth and pushed through the pain, reaching into the water ahead of her just a bit more.

And then she got the message from the Aesdes, recording a slight increase in her strength and speed.

And then…she started moving.

It was small, and slow, but Ateia was now moving upriver.

Later that day, as Ateia and Taog were lying on the riverbank panting for breath, Miallói nodded at them.

“Next time, we will try in the ocean.”

Ateia and Taog just grunted, unable to speak.

***

Miallói stood by Ateia, holding her harpoon at the ready.  She slowly wrapped her mana around her spear, pouring an excessive amount into it so Ateia could watch.  She then threw her harpoon, a trail of glowing mana following after it.

She turned to Ateia and nodded.

“Try again.  Go slowly this time.  The mana and the arrow aren’t going anywhere.”

Ateia frowned and nodded.  She nocked an arrow on her bow and slowly started to wrap it with mana.  The arrow wobbled about.  Miallói nodded.

“Focus.  Don’t look at the arrow.  And don’t think about anything else.  Focus on the target, and your desire to hold it in place.”

Ateia nodded and looked down at a tree.  She exhaled her breath and drew her bow…

The arrow flew, a glowing trail of mana behind it.

The arrow landed on target, sinking into the tree.

And…the glowing trail formed into a chain of mana.  A faint, flickering chain, but it was there.

Ateia’s eyes widened.

“I got the skill…”

Miallói grabbed her shoulder, causing the girl to jump.  She shook her head as Ateia looked at her.

“Do it again, and ignore the skill.  Don’t try to activate it, don’t let it guide you.  Learn to do this yourself, and let the skill help you, not the other way around.”

Ateia nodded and started wrapping the arrow in her mana once more.

***

Ateia and Taog stood in front a cave.  Another Ursanus Adoscelent charged at them, but this time the pair stood their ground.  The Ursanus roared and rushed towards Taog, raising its paw.

Taog focused with all his senses and his mana.  He watched the Ursanus’s muscles, its eyes, and felt its mana.

He stepped back, just barely out of the path of the paw, and stabbed the Ursanus’s arm.  The bear roared and took a step back, readying another strike.

Ateia let a glowing arrow loose.  It flew straight and struck the Ursanus’s arm.  A chain of mana formed.

Taog leapt to the side and stabbed the Ursanus’s flank.  The beast roared and turned to strike at the boy once more.

Ateia ran around the battlefield and let loose another arrow into the Ursanus’s other side.  The arrow struck true and another chain of mana formed in place.

Two chains now held the Ursanus in either direction.  The creature roared and pulled at the chains.

Just then a wolf monster leapt from the bushes, pouncing at Ateia.  Taog glanced over but shook his head, keeping his eyes on the Ursanus.  He trusted Ateia to take care of herself.

Ateia rolled out of the way of the ambush, having detected the wolf watching them from the trees.  She drew an arrow as she righted herself, and shot the wolf at point blank range.  The monster fell and lay still.

Meanwhile, Taog stepped forward and stabbed at the Ursanus’s face.  The beast roared, its eyes focused on Taog.  It began to pull, trying to break free of the chains and pounce on the boy.  Taog took a step back and grinned.

“Now, Ateia!”

Ateia nodded and released the skill.  The chains suddenly vanished and the Ursanus flew forward.  Taog barely leapt out of the way as the beast rushed past him…

And straight into the pit the two had dug ahead of time.

The Ursanus roared as it landed on the sharpened spikes, thrashing about at the walls of the pit.  Ateia walked over to the edge and tossed two potions in, first poisoning the beast and then setting the pit a blaze.

Well, it took a while longer, but eventually the Ursanus fell, unable to escape the pit as Ateia bombarded it from above.

As they finished up, Miallói emerged from the trees and nodded.

***

Ateia and Taog ran through the rain.  They through their mana out towards each other, covering each other’s perception.

Ateia suddenly grabbed Taog and pulled him to the side.  Miallói appeared briefly, her foot just passing in front of Taog’s stomach.  She vanished as Taog rolled forward and resumed running.

Then Taog turned.

“Jump!”

Ateia leapt into the air just in time, as Miallói tried to sweep her legs out from under her.

Suddenly Miallói’s fist caught Taog’s cheek, but Ateia landed in front of him and steadied the boy.  The two kept running forward unhindered.

Until they reached a tree with a harpoon sunk into it.  They both stopped, just before a barrage of water magic struck the area in front of them, and then resumed their run.  The two caught fists, and feet, and water magic, but with each other’s help managed to remain standing and moving forward.

Until…

Finally…

They both grabbed onto the harpoon.

As they panted for breath, Miallói appeared behind them, rubbing her chin.

“Still sloppy, and rushed but…”

It was barely perceptible, but the tiniest edge of Miallói’s mouth curled up, ever so slightly.

“Not bad for a non-Selkie, and a pass is a pass.  The Selkie would now permit you to join the hunt, if just barely.”

The two stared at her for a second before their eyes widened and they broke out in grins.  They cheered and hugged each other.  Miallói allowed herself to smirk.

Well, they had only done the bare minimum, all she could do for them in such a short amount of time, but they had passed the Selkie hunter test.  Which was more than she could say for the average Imperial, even in the Exploratores.  So they had a better shot at surviving than most.

Part of her even wished they would stick around.  The two had been good students, and grown dramatically over a short period of time.  They had the potential to be serious warriors, if they were properly trained and nurtured.  Their initial weakness seemed to be a lack of guidance, rather than a lack of talent.

It would be a bit of a waste if they ran off and died like the average Imperial.  But such was the risk of being an Exploratores.  Miallói shook her head.

At the very least, if these two failed, it would not be from lack of effort.  She could only hope whoever helped them this far would continue to do so.

It was then that a bird flew through the air, ignoring the rain.  Miallói reached out her hand and the bird landed on it.

Miallói’s eyes widened.  It was Irnúm’s pet monster.  For Irnúm to have sent it this far away meant something must have happened.

Something urgent.

Miallói turned to the celebrating pair.

“Get your things.  We need to leave, now.”

Author’s Note:

Just checking in on the humies.  Ateia and Taog are ‘valuable allies' for everyone!

What’s that?

The message at the end?

Ah, I’m sure it’s nothing important!  The Legion will handle it!

…oh, right.

Anyways!

Can Ateia and Taog beat Selkie children now?  Will Miallói manage to protect her home?  What is it that has occurred?  Tune in next time, to find out!