Wolf of the Blood Moon - Book 3 - Chapter 23 - A Tier 3 City (Patreon)

Scarlet

I can’t help but feel conflicted as I look out over the edge of the Garden at the Tier 3 city we’re approaching. The city, just like every other Tier 3 city, has two sets of walls. One large wall with a powerful barrier covering the entire main city, a city consistent of mostly two or three story buildings, with one five story building acting as the town hall and a couple other decently sized manors that are likely owned by the few Guardians in the city. And one much smaller wall only half the size of the first ten meter tall wall surrounding a separated portion of the city meant solely for the orphans. This wall also has a barrier, just like the first, but it’s clear as day that it’s far weaker than the first barrier. Meanwhile the smaller section itself has much smaller and more worn out buildings without a single two story building in sight.

Despite the difference in protection though, the size of the orphan sector is actually larger than the size of the main city. And even from here, I can already see a shadow trying to hop the wall of the orphan sector.

A changeling.

The creature doesn’t last long though, as Ava casually sends a bolt made up of blood flying straight down towards it, piercing the changeling mid-jump and pinning it to the ground. And none of the members of the Garden currently looking out over the edge of the city spread out along the walkway so much as react towards her killing of the Class III creature.

I had almost forgotten somehow, but Ava herself used to be an orphan. Which is one of the reasons the Garden of Blood often patrols around the Tier 2 and 3 cities at the expected times of Demonic Assaults, waiting for any Fractures that may open up during those Assaults.

One fact about her that I really do admire. That she’s an orphan who reached high enough in power to almost nip at the heels of the Knights.
Who created her own Association, and is actually leading the charge against the treatment of orphans.

Although there’s still nothing that would make me accept her as an Instructor. But it does raise my respect of the woman a little bit.

I look back down at the city again to study the inhabitants of the main city. People who are all living rather poorly, albeit still making it through life. Which isn’t something that can be said for the orphans of the city.

Two things that do stand out in the city though are the particular areas where the infrastructure is destroyed. Nearly a dozen in the orphan sector, and one in the main city. All of which must be places that were struck by Fractures.

Places no one ever managed to raise the funds to repair.

If I remember correctly, the main city portions of the city do eventually end up with the funds to repair themselves, hence why there’s only one damaged area in there. Well, that and because the Fractures are more likely to end up in the orphan sector due to the larger population there.

But the orphan sectors of cities rarely ever get the money to repair themselves. In fact, the orphan sectors of the cities are more often than not the main crime sectors as well. Which doesn’t exactly bode well for their resources.

Unless the area destroyed belonged to one of the gangs in the sectors that is. Then it’ll probably eventually get fixed.

And most of the orphans don’t get much more than a barebones education at all, to be honest. The only reason I got to go to school in the main sector of the city was because of Allen. Same with the other orphans in our orphanage.

Which kind of means that Allen went beyond what was normal treatment for orphans, but I guess it didn’t violate their contract because there are a few other orphanages around the world that do the same?

“Tier 3 cities sound…” Tar says before trailing off, but he doesn’t need to finish.

Yeah…

They’re not good places to live, despite them being the most common cities by a vast margin.

The Tier 2 cities are supposed to be a lot nicer. More along the lines of the old-world cities, with the same technology as the old world as well. And no orphans unless the orphan was from a more wealthy or important family, in which case the orphan will generally be taken in by someone else right away.

“How did the planet deteriorate to this degree over the last century anyways?” Tar mutters, sounding bewildered. And I can’t help but frown at that.

The answer generally lies in three places. The changelings, desperation, and the government.

There are quite a few council members who are openly against the orphans and for some reason seem to have a bone to pick with them. And no one really knows their exact reasoning for it. Just that they’re always acting against the orphans in every way possible.

“Council members?” Tar asks. “You mean like that Fredricka woman?”

My frown grows at the mention of her.

Yeah. Like her.

I still haven’t seen her since before I realized she may very well be a changeling. And despite me telling both White and Allen about her, nothing has happened.

Allen I can understand, since he doesn’t have the power to do anything, and no one would believe him if he accused her. But White… she just straight up vanished for a week the moment I told her, and when she reappeared, she looked pissed as hell about something.

But the councilwoman is still alive, and still doing her job. And White won’t answer what happened.

I honestly have no idea what went down, but no matter what I ask White, she just clams up around that topic with a dark look in her eyes. Not one direct at me but directed elsewhere.

It… kind of has me worried.

Then there are those three changelings that were disguised as the triplets…

My thoughts are interrupted when a loud cracking sound echoes and a Demonic Assault begins, following which we all focus on one particular area in the city down below. One giving out powerful waves of energy and originating in the center of the orphan sector.

“A Class III Fracture, just as the seer predicted,” Ava says, her eyes narrowing on the orphan sector that is now breaking out into chaos. “Let’s begin.”

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