RFC-Mini Arc: The Temple-Part 07 (Patreon)

I follow her gaze to see a wagon coming down the hill across the creek. “We both have work to do. Excuse me.”

“Ah, sure.”

I watch with furrowed brows as she easily hops over the fence, taking measured steps to the center of the circle before sitting in the lotus position. I can’t help my curiosity and turn to the man accompanying her.

I can’t believe his name is Grouchy Bear. My tutors taught me that all kinds of culture were thrown together at the founding of the Harvest Kingdom and I’ve heard all kinds of names to prove it, but I can’t wrap my head around this one.

At least the grouchy part of his name suits him. He’s been standing beside us the whole time without saying a word, wearing a small frown. Easy to ignore. I hope I didn’t offend him. “Hey, uh, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

His eyes turn from staring at nothing.

I guess that’s a yes?

“Can you tell me what’s about to happen? In a way someone not from the Temple can understand.”

I think his frown eases a touch but I can’t be sure. “We are breakers. That means we ‘break’ the wild nature of manabeasts, conditioning them so they are able to work with trainers. We call this communion, as we must establish communication with our brothers.”

Wait.

You’re about to throw a monster in there with her? And she’s supposed to…talk with it? I don’t see any weapons and the only protection she has are those flimsy gauntlets.

No, no. Calm down, me. There must be something I don’t see. Right now, it looks like Cloud is sitting calmly and preparing to be mauled to death but that’s crazy. These people aren’t actually crazy.

Right?

“Many wear the same question when they see our ways. It may not make sense to you, but we live by the Law of Beasts. Beasts do not face each other with steel between them. Only fangs, claws, and hides. So it shall be.”

Dammit, they are crazy.

I should drag her out of there. Ah, but she seemed confident. I’ll wait until something goes wrong. Because of course it has to. Wrestling monsters with your bare hands. It can only go wrong.

“What’s with the skirt?” I have to ask.

“This is the traditional garb of the breakers. Easy to move in.” His face doesn’t twitch as he gives the explanation. I’m convinced he’s not bothered by it.

The horrors of tradition.

The wagon arrives, cutting off my time for questions, announced by creaking wheels and muffled snarling. Rather than beasts of burden, two men pull the wagon forward. Atop it is a wooden cage. I can make out a dark shape inside, throwing itself against the sides. A paw the size of my head pushes through the bars, sharp claws knocking off splinters as it struggles.

I look at the massive limb and then to Cloud, who hasn’t stirred from her position in the center of the Ring. Shaking my head, I scoop up Bell, holding her tightly to keep from acting.

“Excuse me.” Grouchy Bear moves past me to help the others, opening the entrance to the ring before moving to the back of the wagon to help push it inside. They stop beside Cloud and she finally stands, moving aside as the men lower the cage. I can’t see much of what’s going on through the press of their bodies.

After a few minutes, the two men who pulled the wagon walk away, each carrying a pile fence posts in their arms. There’s the material for my work. Trembling earth brings my attention back to Bear as a stone pillar rises from the ground.

It’s short, not even coming to my knees, but it has the girth of an oak trunk. Bear grabs a chain extending from inside the cage and wraps it around the pillar tightly. After testing its security, he bows to Cloud and exits the Ring.

All the activity has riled the monster inside up and it slams against its cage frantically. Hard enough that the wooden bars fracture, splinters raining onto the grass. I swallow heavily as more and more of its body becomes visible. “Is this safe?” I can’t help asking as Bear comes to stand beside me.

He lets out a huff of air. Was that supposed to be a laugh? “Safe, it is not.”

Then why is she doing it? I have a feeling I’m not going to get an answer I can understand to that question so I don’t bother asking, putting my focus to the events in the Ring.

Cloud is unbothered by the creature’s erratic behavior. Her features remain calm even when two of the wooden bars break and the monster forces an arm out. It’s the beginning of the end. The monster breaks the rest of the cage in moments, the broken wood falling around it as it shakes itself off.

Like most monsters, it’s terrifying. It vaguely resembles a hound, with a long muzzle and thick, dark fur, but it’s too large. Its body is full of bulky muscle, supported by short but powerful limbs. A long, bushy tail sweeps the grass with agitation as it snarls, revealing yellowed fangs dripping with saliva. Its narrowed eyes promise violence as it paws the ground.

This thing must be five times heavier than her, at the very least. A trained knight would struggle in a fight with these odds. She’s going to be destroyed.

But, a quick look to Bear shows he’s not worried. Or maybe he has superb control of his expressions and is shitting himself. Forget this. Bell, be ready to move if anything goes wrong.

“Coo!” [As you wish, Master Lou.]

The beast lunges.