An Inciting Isekai - Chapter 30 (Patreon)

Levi stood on the train platform, listening to the noisy atmosphere. A strange feeling welled up inside of him. Not too long ago, he was on another train, on his way to work. And now, he was standing in front of another. But the destinations couldn’t be further apart.

The engineers were busy hauling crates of goods onto the back section of the train. The Rail Slayers were doing their last minute checks; whether that was the cannons atop the train, securing their tethers, or checking their own, personal weaponry. 

People from all walks of life rushed onto the platform in fear of being late. Mothers and fathers were saying goodbye to their children, ranging from 12, all the way to young twenties.

“Did you enjoy the concert?” Gregory nudged Levi’s shoulder, waking him up from his reverie. “I hear Rowena has a gifted voice that no powers can replicate.”

“It was amazing,” Levi said. 

Maybe that was an understatement. It was incredible. Her voice had managed to wash away all of the tension that had built below the stage. For the 1 hour that she sang, Levi had all of his worldly worries stripped away, replaced with only a longing for her music. 

Gregory was right, Rowena didn’t just have incredibly high rated Ingredients fed to her Birthright. Her voice was also special. She couldn’t be one, without the other. That was why she was so highly regarded, Levi thought.

That brought forward another important point. Having high tiered Ingredients wasn’t the be all, end all, as Levi had thought. It was also down to the person’s natural talent; like Rowena’s unique voice, for example. That meant that the bridge between Ingredients could be gapped with skill.

Of course, Levi wasn’t naive enough to think someone with a Common Ingredient could best someone with a Legendary one. The difference in strength was too much to ignore. However, If it was just a single grade? The person with talent and experience should win 9 out of 10 times. 

Levi saw a familiar face. Tristan. A man in a black two piece suit, wearing a black peaked cap stood behind him, close enough to act in case any attacker got close. Levi felt no power from him. 

Is he hiding his strength? Levi thought.

But that didn’t make sense. Surely if he was a bodyguard, he would display his might in force? It would be like the military back on Earth showcasing their weaponry with parades. Oftentimes, a grand display of overwhelming might was the best form of defence. 

There was a lot Levi didn’t know in this world. His previous knowledge may not be relevant in this case. He’d ask the others about it later.

The boy–who was larger than most 12 year olds he was familiar with thanks to his powers–looked a little lost. He’d scan his surroundings as if his head was on a rotating swivel. He didn’t have his parents with him. 

Was this the first time he was going onto the train? It seemed so. 

Tristan spotted Levi, and his face lit up. He bounded forwards, stretching out his hand in greeting. “Levi, was it? I’m Tristan. We didn’t get to officially meet last night. Do you want to be my underling?”

Levi was taken aback by the sudden question. He’s just a child, Levi reminded himself. He shook his head. “Sorry, I have no desire to be anyones underling. But can you show me your power again?”

Steering the conversation, Tristan happily went along with it, showing the ball of fire trick once more. The engine of the train ejected a forceful cloud of steam. Tristan jumped, the fire in his palm extinguishing from his lack of focus.

“It must be time to board the train,” Tristan said, clearly nervous.

“Is it your first time travelling?” Levi inquired.

“No,” Tristan scoffed, raising his head. “But it’s my first time without my parents. I’m headed to the academy.” He put on a brave smile, and looked at Levi’s badge. “You don’t have to take the test either, do you? Unlike them.” Tristan directly pointed to a group of children all around the same age as them. They wore noticeably worse clothes compared to Tristan–the same as Levi’s, only worse.

“Want to make a bet?” Tristan asked, turning to Levi.

“What is it?” Levi asked, his lips twitching. It felt so awkward trying to converse with someone his own age. Kids really were quite direct no matter what world it was.

Honestly, Levi just wanted to stay clear of anyone his age. He felt a migraine coming.

“I bet an Uncommon Ingredient that not one of those kids passes the entrance exam.”

You’re a kid yourself, Levi wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut.

“I don’t have any money to bet with,” Levi said with a kind smile. 

“Oh,” Tristan said. “Then you can use my money then, if you become my underling.”

“I’m not becoming your underling.”

“Everyone, all aboard!” The train conductor yelled across the station's platform. 

Sera took out a ticket. She passed over one of them to Levi. “We’re in different seats for the trip to Ironvale. It seems like you’re near the middle of the train, Levi.”

Levi nodded. It didn’t really make a difference where he was seated. As long as it was safe. The middle was always the safest, wasn’t it? That’s where all the generals were situated in the military.

Tristan snatched the ticket from his butler's hands. Looking at it, his eyes widened. “Levi, we’re in the same car. One seat away from each other!”

“That’s just great,” Levi said sarcastically. 

***

Splitting off from the detective trio, Levi entered the train car. He didn’t have a back to offload, as Bram was in charge of all of that. He looked at his ticket, then to the seat numbers displayed, to his seat ticket, then back to the seat numbers.

“43a, 45b, 47–”

“Here!” Tristan, rushing ahead, shouted, then, he stood rooted to the spot.

“What’s all the fuss about?” Levi asked, catching up to Tristan. Much to his surprise, he saw a literal fairy already seated at the window seat. She was wearing a long flowing brown dress with white accents. Her snow white hair cascaded over her shoulders, no longer in braids. She had one hand gracefully resting over the other on her lap.

Levi glanced at his ticket, then at the seat number right next to her… his seat was right next to Rowena, the Rising Star.

She stood up with a smile on her face and curtsied. “Young master Tristan.”

Tristan beamed a smile. “Young Miss Rowena. I’m a huge fan! Can I get an autograph?”

Rowena chuckled. “I’ve already given you one.”

“I want another,” He said. 

“Another day, perhaps?” She said, then turned to Levi. Disregarding what he was wearing, she also curtsied. “Who may this young master be?” 

“Levi Bedivere.” Levi bowed. “I am part of the Lindar family.”

“Levi Bedivere,” She said, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Tristan ripped the ticket out of Levi’s hands. He looked at it. “That’s not fair. Levi, swap seats with me.”

“No swapping seats,” a man in military clothing said from behind, startling Tristan. “All the seats are recorded with your name. If you change seats, then that will make rescue harder in case of an emergency.”

“It’s best to keep to our seats, young master,” Tristan’s butler said.

“Oh, alright,” Tristan snapped. He sat in his seat, elbows rested on the table in front of him.

Levi shook his head at the scene and sat next to Rowena. He shuffled in his seat in an attempt to get comfy. Past habits die hard. Ignoring the pretty woman by his side, Levi gazed out of the window.

The train tooted its horn; sounding like a mighty beast exhaling through its nose. Steam followed, billowing out into the station. Levi felt the vibrations under his seat, rattling into his bones. And then they moved. 

Levi watched as the enormous gate suspended at least 100 metres up the wall, opened up. The wall sped past, and he quickly turned his head to catch a closer glimpse of the wall's scars.

“First time being on a train?” Rowena asked.

“It is.”

“Magnificent, isn’t it? Like a lumbering mechanical monster.”

“Those were my thoughts exactly,” Levi said. 

The train journey to Ironvale was to take around 4 days. It was easy to see just how large this new world was based on that alone. 

The train was huge. It consisted of seating areas, such as the one Levi was in now. And bedrooms, where the ticket they had, opened up the sleeping compartment. Lastnight, Gregory explained just how cramped they were–that’s why they had a public seating area. Levi was bunking up with Bram. 

Just like that, 2 days had passed. They had entered into a land aptly named the Crossing. There was a large scar in the ground, and everyone was tense. Soldiers were running back and forwards. Levi watched them, he didn’t feel good.

“So,” Rowena said, trying to break the ice. “You’re heading to the Imperial City. The academy. That must be exciting? Maybe I can show you around if I have time?”

“You’re also in the Academy?” Levi asked. It made sense.

Honestly, during the entire trip so far, Levi didn’t bother making small talk to his neighbour. There wasn’t much to talk about. He wasn’t really interested in celebrity life, and the only things she seemed capable of talking about were the happenings within the Imperial City–which bored him. Politics, romance, stuff like that.

Levi glanced out the window. The scar they were crossing seemed like a bottomless void. Successfully crossing it, Levi breathed out in relief. Ahead was just a vast, flat green. Angry clouds loomed high above.

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m in my 4th year. Next year, I’ll be taking part in work experience.”

“Oh?” Levi removed his gaze from the window. “What are you thinking of doing?”

“I’m not too sure yet,” she said, nibbling on her lips. “My mother wants me to join the musicians of the Royal Court.”

“But you want to do something else?”

She sighed. “I do. I was thinking of joining the Rail Slayers.”

“What?” Levi said, brows raising. “Really?”

“Is it surprising?” 

“Yes,” Levi said honestly. “I hear the casualties for students during work experience is astronomical. Even if you do make it out alive, you’ll have the scars to show for it.”

Rowena displayed an empty smile as she rested her forehead on the glass of the train's window. “Without scars, how can we grow?”

An explosion rocked the front of the train, jolting Levi to his feet. The back door of the train car snapped open as soldiers rushed through, their faces twisted with fear and uncertainty.

Levi spun to the window. Outside, terrifying crab-like creatures emerged from the ground, their chitinous bodies glinting in the dim light.

“What is happening?” Tristan shouted from his seat.

“Monsters—” Levi said through gritted teeth.

“Krull,” Rowena whispered, her voice tinged with terror.

Twenty feet in front of Levi, the window shattered, and one of the monsters rolled into the middle of the car.

A soldier, still in the car, brandished his blade. In an instant, the chitinous monster snapped its pincers across his chest, splitting the man in half. Blood sprayed across the compartment, and a suffocating silence followed.

Levi’s heart pounded in his chest. The true horror of their situation dawned on him as more creatures crawled through the broken window.