[Salvos] 630. Centinel Invasion (Patreon)

630. Centinel Invasion

***

Rachel trailed after Centina as the two of them made their way back to Mavos Academy. They stalked through the forest, seeing the tall spires in the distance. Neither of them said a word— well, Centina didn’t say a word. Rachel wanted to speak, but she decided to just awkwardly hang back until she saw Kron.

Sure enough, the [Krokodis] appeared behind a thicket of trees soon enough. She wasn’t covered by any illusion, even though she was casting her magic on Centina. So Rachel just watched as a terrifying monster emerged from behind some trees, waving a clawed hand and smiling with hundreds of teeth.

“You too fast— me magic barely catch up!”

“You were too slow, Kron.”

Centina replied simply, and the [Krokodis] shrugged.

“Should slow down.”

Kron spoke dismissively. That didn’t get a response from Centina. Rachel just glanced between the two of them hesitantly. She wasn’t afraid of the [Krokodis], having met Kron weeks back. The young girl was privy to everything about the monsters living up at the very top floor of the Office of the Headmaster.

And they were monsters. All of them. Not just Kron, and not just the baby Wyverns. But Centina too. Her name wasn’t subtle at all— she was, in fact, an [Evolved Centinel]. It was just that she was disguising herself as a Human with Kron’s magic.

However, Rachel had never seen Centina in her true form yet. The Child Monster wasn’t scared of this fact, unlike even many adults would have been if they found out. All learning this did was pique her interest even more. Unfortunately, Centina refused to shed her disguise.

And the young girl decided against pressing the issue because of Oriur’s advice. He told her that even if Centina was nice, she could be very abrasive. So Rachel decided she didn’t want to aggravate the [Evolved Centinel].

Anyway, right now, Rachel was more confused than ever. She looked at Kron, before turning to Centina who was walking away.

“How?

The young girl asked as she glanced back.

“How did you know I was being attacked by those [Junior Centinels]? Was it Oriur who told you?”

“Oriur?”

Kron cocked her head, flummoxed by how Rachel came to that conclusion. The young girl pursed her lips, before rephrasing her question more simply.

“How did you find me?”

Now that question seemed to be comprehensible to the [Krokodis]. She shrugged as she gestured at Centina up ahead.

“We no find you. She sense kin.”

“Centina… sensed the [Junior Centinels]?”

Rachel blinked, realizing what Kron was saying. The [Krokodis] nodded simply.

“Yes.”

“Oh, I see.”

That was all the young girl said as she eyed Centina from behind. Rachel was glad she survived this encounter with the [Evolved Centinel]’s help. But she couldn’t help but wonder… what was going to happen next?

After all, if the Centinels were truly after Centina— then wasn’t that going to be a problem for Mavos Academy as a whole?

—--

When Rachel returned to the Office of the Headmaster, Oriur immediately greeted her with his usual smile.

“Did you find it? Did you find—”

But he paused when he realized Centina was with the young girl. He immediately shrank back, thinking he might be in trouble for sharing something he shouldn’t have shared. But Centina ignored him, instead calling out for Willy.

The [Will O’ Wisp] emerged from the kitchen, looking confused even without a face. However, once he took a good look at the expression Centina wore, it seemed like he understood what was going on. The two of them disappeared into one of the rooms as Rachel pursed her lips.

Kron didn’t seem all too concerned, shrugging and collapsing into the couch. Oriur looked around with an apprehensive look on his face, before glancing back at Rachel.

“What happened? Didn’t you go to the Cave of Companions?”

“I did…”

Rachel nodded, whispering softly. But even though she didn’t say it out loud, another pair of figures in the room overheard what she said.

Novis and Bellum perked up, stopping their bickering with each other over food. They immediately scrambled over to the young girl, practically knocking Oriur over.

“Went Mama’s Lair?”

“Find anything?”

The two of them asked, barely speaking comprehensibly. They were less fluent than even Kron, but they could at least communicate now, with the help of Oriur. Rachel scratched the back of her head as Novis and Bellum loomed over her.

They were both relatively huge, towering over the young girl. And it wasn’t like they were going to slow in their growth anytime soon. When she first met them, they were only a head taller than Oriur. But now, they were both nearly two heads taller than him.

Rachel shook her head as she glanced towards the room Centina and Willy disappeared into. The door was closed shut, but it wasn’t protected by any enchantments, so the young girl could hear their muffled voices coming from inside.

“I didn’t find anything.”

Rachel explained as she inched her way towards the room. Novis, Bellum, and Oriur blinked, exchanging a confused glance.

“What do you mean by that, Rachel?”

Oriur asked as his siblings nodded along. The young girl sighed.

“I was… attacked. By a [Junior Centinel].”

Novis and Bellum looked confused. They tilted their heads.

“Ms Centina?”

They both spoke at the same time, and Oriur shook his head, correcting his siblings.

“No— Rachel’s talking about a type of Centinel. They’re… kind of like Ms Centina, but they’re not nice.”

Novis frowned, and Bellum blinked. They raised their clawed hands curiously.

“But…”

“Ms Centina not nice.”

“You know what I mean.”

Oriur sighed. Rachel shook her head as she took a step forward.

“Centina said that the Centinels were after her… do you know what that means, Oriur?”

She held his gaze as she asked the question. He paused, locking eyes with her. Slowly, he nodded.

“I… I think I do.”

“You think?”

Rachel frowned, and Oriur pursed his lips.

“Ms Centina comes from the Bloodied Gulf. She is a traitor to her kin— saved by Mama.“

“I read something about that. Not the part about Centina, but about how Salvos killed an [Ancient Centinel] once.”

“That’s right.”

Oriur glanced towards the closed door.

“Mama did that to save Ms Centina. And I guess the Centinels are still angry over that…”

He was clearly speculating, not really sure of the entire situation himself. Rachel bit her lower lip at that. She turned away from the doorway as the muffled voice grew silent.

“Does that mean that there will be a Centinel invasion—”

Rachel started, but the door swung open. The young girl blinked and watched as Centina and Willy exited the room. They swept their gazes over the four gathered children.

“Novis, Bellum, Oriur. To your rooms, now.”

Centina spoke briskly, and the three baby Wyverns tried to protest. But she glared at them, which immediately made them acquiesce to her command. Rachel watched them go as Willy flitted down towards her.

“Sorry.”

“I must go too?”

The young girl blinked as she pointed at herself. Willy bobbed up and down like he was nodding.

“But can’t I help?”

“No.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] answered simply. Rachel hesitated, before sighing.

“...right.”

He led her towards the elevator as she glanced back at Centina for a brief moment. The young girl saw the expressionless gaze of the [Evolved Centinel]. And for a moment, the illusion cracked. And what Rachel saw was a worried look— a terrified face, afraid of what was to come.

And then Rachel left the Office of the Headmaster.

—--

When Rachel left the building, she spotted Clayton Skyshredder making his return to the top of the tower. She didn’t say a word to him. He didn’t even glance her way, too preoccupied by matters of great import.

And it was truly an issue that far exceeded any importance Rachel played. After all, she might have been a so-called genius, but as she was right now, she couldn’t do anything. So as she lay there, in her bed, staring at the ceiling of her room, she tried to collect her thoughts. She let the realization slowly sink in.

There was going to be a Centinel invasion of the Human lands.

Or at least, there was going to be a Centinel invasion of Mavos Academy.

Rachel closed her eyes as she mulled over this thought. There was already an invasion of the Human lands going on— in fact, there were two that were ongoing. The Elves were relentless in their assault of the Eastern Kingdoms, and Demons were leaking into the Mortal Realm from the Netherworld.

Both were slow and deadly, but now there was going to be an invasion from the south of the Human lands too?

Rachel sighed as she opened her eyes.

“Is there nothing I can do?”

She asked herself the question. For a moment, it seemed like she was helpless. But she balled her hands into fists as she sat up.

“No— there is something I can do, at the very least.”

It was a very simple thing. It was the only thing she could do. And that was—

“I need to grow stronger.”

Rachel whispered to herself as she reached for her dagger, before she snuck out of her room for the night. And over the next few weeks, in the forests surrounding Mavos Academy, the prowling monsters slowly learned to flee from the one called the Child Monster.

Author's Notes:

What thonk?

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