RFC-Mini Arc: The Temple-Part 02 (Patreon)

On the other side, the perfectly maintained and manicured grass of the Hall is replaced by tall, golden grasses that reach my shoulders, gently swaying in the slight breeze. In the distance, I can see a few trees dotted about, strange things with twisting trunks and sprawling branches that resemble baskets with a crown of leaves. There is no telling what’s hiding in the grass and I’m acutely aware that this place houses monsters.

“I hope you can run,” the young man says, breaking into a jog. I easily match his pace, our footfalls loud on the pebbled road dividing the golden sea. “The beasties tend to stay away from the road ‘cause of all the activity but you never know when one will jump you.”

“You mean…we’re already in the Sanctuary? Er, that is, in one of the reservations?” My eyes move to the side but it’s impossible to see anything through the swaying grass. Bell?

[There is no hostile life nearby, Master Lou.]

“Uh-huh, though we call them Steps. This is the Yellow Step. Mainly Crimson Bristletails here. More aggressive than the Gold Bristletail variant, but their hides are damn near immune to weapons.”

“So, they’re being raised to be harvested?”

“Heh. You and a whole lot of hunters wish. Naw, the Bristletail is beloved by the Corres family, one of the first contributors to the Sanctuary. They’re too dangerous to allow to roam out there but they’re practically revered here. Our good luck charms.”

These people see dangerous monsters as good luck charms. I’m getting a bad feeling about this place.

We run down the road for close to a half hour before I see a building in the distance. Short and squat, I’d say its walls are made of mud, but I’ve never heard of such a thing. It has a pitiful straw roof that looks like it’ll cave in with a little breeze. It doesn’t even have a door, just a curtain that flutters back and forth.

That is supposed to be shelter from monsters?

“What is that?” I gesture toward the shabby little house, my voice no doubt carrying my disgust.

“Road station. We keep some equipment there, a few bunks. Just to make it easier on the tenders who work the night shift.”

“Tenders?”

He patted his chest. “People like me. We do lots of odd jobs around the place, you know. Help the Watchers set up their traps, mend fences, that kind of stuff. And we also help newbies like you.”

We reach the building. Instead of going to the door, I follow him over to a window, just a hole in the wall covered by another curtain. “Oi!” my guide yells into the opening, swiping aside the curtain. “We need some help over here.”

He turns to me. “There’s always a duty manager at these things. They keep a log of things that need getting done or guests that we’re expecting. Should be able to tell you where you need to be.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t expecting this level of organization. Can’t blame me. From the…road station, no one could blame me from thinking they still make fire by rubbing sticks.

There was shuffling inside before a hand brushes aside the curtain and another young man dressed in a white shirt appears. “What is it?”

“I’ve got a guest here, says she’s got some work. Er…”

He looks at me. “Ah, we haven’t introduced ourselves. Lourianne Tome, a pleasure.”

“Endo.” He sticks out a hand and I give it a firm shake.

“Yeah, give me a bit.” The duty manager disappears. More shuffling later, he returns holding a folded piece of paper. “I’ve got Tome here. Says send her off to the Green Step, Eric.”

Endo grunts. “Thanks. Come on.”

We skirt around the house and are back to running down the roads. “Doesn’t this place have vehicles?” I huff.

“Getting tired?”

“More annoyed.” This is quite the distance.

“Most live near or on the Step they work in, so no one travels this far. Wagons are for newcomers or the sick. You could get a mount, they’ve got stables here.”

“You’re telling me.” I still want to get one of those crazy manabeasts I saw when I first arrived at the Hall but I’ve been holding off. The more exotic the mount, the more strenuous it is to care for them. The living cloud that interested me the most eats souls. Well, not literal souls, but it smothers its prey and drains their vitality. Their meals have to be alive too. It’s incredibly disturbing and I deeply regret witnessing it.

“The ranch hands keep a stable of horses. Maybe you can borrow one or something.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

The road forks off and Endo takes me down the branching path. The grasses become less dense and I hear the sound of rushing water. There’s a river, one with fast, foaming currents, and muddy banks that have smothered the road. Stone pillars jut out from the water, supporting a wooden bridge with a muddy ramp leading up to it and curved railings.

“Watch your step,” Endo says. I can still see hints of the road but it’s been swallowed by the mud, only hints of the gray stone peeking through. At some places, my foot sinks down to the ankle. I look down at my mud-caked pants leg in disgust.

“Heh. I hope you’re not scared of a little mud cause there’s nothing but dirty jobs here.”

“Haha.” I’d thought so, as working with animals could hardly be clean. I came prepared, dressed in my Foundation clothes, but that doesn’t mean I can simply shrug off being covered in filth. I briefly consider dipping into the river to clean off but throw the idea aside. What if there are water-affinity monsters? I don’t want to fight anything, especially not in that mess.

“Ah, be careful of any water. Monsters, you know?”

I knew it!

On the opposite side of the bridge, there’s another road station, equally as pitiful as the first. There’s also a wall. This one isn’t as massive as the wall encompassing the Sanctuary but it is still three times my height and made of the same gray stone. There’s enough space atop it for people to roam from the bodies walking the wall, moving between…small ballista? And a strange-looking pole.

“Should I be worried?” I ask, gesturing toward the weapons.

“Ah, no. They’re relics from the creation of the Sanctuary. From the stories, it was the same as the wild. We maintain them because of regulations but, well.”

“And the other things?”

“Looking glass. Can see trouble coming from way off.”

Huh. “Can I take a look at one?”

“Aren’t you here for work? Do the sightseeing thing later.”

“Cheh, stingy.”