Peril's Origin - A Magical Girl Quest [Complete]

The first thing you do notice is something that you had been more or less aware of already: it rains. The sound of heavy droplets hitting the stone and stained glass all around you is almost the same as home.

Paoras cheerfully leads you through several corridors and to one of the runes you did not even know was there. A small trickle of various Demons appears from or vanishes on it, but you pull back to stop the little one. She pauses and looks back, childish curiousity on her face. "What's wrong, Heidi?"

You just point at the rune with a light frown, making her turn her head. "I can't use those." Her intentions were rather obvious after all, considering that she brought you here.

"Why is that?" She looks between you and the large rune when you shake your head, then lets go of your hand and pulls at a wandering grunt's armour. "Excuse me, mister?" He grunts and turns his head at her. You almost transform to protect Paoras, but no violence actually happens; your new friend just looks up at him before pointing at you. "Why can't she use the runes?"

The Demon follows her gesture with what may be a frown... then double-takes upon actually seeing you. His posture, faintly grumpy and aggressive before, turns much more docile for some reason. "Oh, ah." There are some passing glances at the small commotion, but nobody interrupts. He eyes you carefully and quickly gets out an explanation when you raise an eyebrow: "It's probably her alignment. Not an enemy, but only actual allies can use them. She is neither."

Paoras nods in understanding, but you have the feeling she has no idea. His words aside however, the reaction to you is confusing. You consider asking, but think better of it.

Instead, seeing that he is still eyeing you warily, you ask a question of your own: "How do we get to R&D on foot, then?"

You had some time to think, and doing this as soon as possible sounds like a good idea. The Demon helpfully provides directions and explains the way. You listen and try to remember them as best as you can, then decide you can at least be polite. "Okay, thank you."

And when you take Paoras to get going, you leave behind a somewhat confused infernal being. Thank goodness you are away from them, as much as you disliked having to turn your back.

Once you are out of sight and hearing range however, Paoras starts hopping happily and beams at you. "Mama was right, you're strong!"

...what?
"...what?"

The little one tilts her head and looks back to where you came from, then explains sagely: "If people are respectful, that means you are stronger than them. Everyone is talking about you, too! You're a... uh... hyu-man?"

You can not help but snicker at her odd pronunciation, ignoring the previous statements for your own wellbeing. "Human, yes. What do they say about me?"

"Hm..." Paoras thinks that over for a bit as you walk, then brightens again what kind of word went around over the last two days: "You're small like an Elf but much stronger. Papa says its true because he can't beat soldier-Demons on his own."

That gives you something new to ask, but it feels wrong to use this friendly girl to gather information. You can probably talk to Maya sometime, maybe she can give you an explanation. You did not even know Demons could have children, much less cute ones like Paoras.

So instead, you pat her head with a smile. "I see." Not that you believe it yourself. But if it keeps some grunts away from you, you will take it.


You did not really put much thought into how R&D would look like, but... this would not be it either way. Then again, it fits oh so well.

The entire area is coated in some kind of dark matter that keeps ground, walls, and ceiling uniform like a black void. The only colours in here are outlines of various spaces and more balls of matter, as well as glowing arrays. Though those are almost exclusively in bloody reds. At least they match the dress Maya had for you on short notice, you note with a certain sense of irony.

And of course, the Dark Stars. Forms of alien geometry, weird shapes and forms... you thought Demons were diverse before, but at least they all had forms that made some kind of sense. Here you have an assortment of creatures that do not even have arms or legs in some cases, many lacking an actual face, and... you stop thinking about it.

Paoras steps into the area after you, hiding behind your back and watching the Dark Stars go about their work. Your entrance garners some attention, if the turning of heads is any indication, but none of them actually reacts to you. They are all working on this or that.

Except for one, who quickly floats over to you; several material objects float around it, imbued with Brand Craft that you can not read once again.

The body is pure black, almost like oozing tar, and looks a little djinn-like because it does not end in legs but a kind-of tail. Two long sleeves with no actual arms in them, an iron jaw with no upper half and no mouth, and sickly yellow eyes. You really wish to be elsewhere.

Their voice is a low thrum of echoes that you do not actually understand. You just stare for a moment and slowly begin to tilt your head. The Dark Star says something else, again not making any sense to you. Paoras pulls at your sleeve. "It's asking why you're here."

"Okay, good." You turn your head to her with a frown. "Then tell them I don't understand a word they're saying." You think about that for a moment, consider the fact Paoras can actually understand that creature without annoyance, then hold up a hand before she can relay your words. "Actually, ask him if I can borrow a pendant or something like that."

You start to feel dumb while she does that. The translation array is one of the most useful Brand Craft applications in existence, and also one of the most basic. You completely forgot that not everyone can understand each other.

Demons and Angels have some weirdness going on; they just speak everything as is demanded. Dark Stars, Elves, Humans, and Fairies do not.

Thankfully, the eldritch thing quickly levitates a pendant to you; it is as big as your hand and has a sturdy chain, so you can carry it without trouble. After thinking for a moment, you focus magic into just your fingertip and begin to inscribe a few words while both of them are watching.

Understanding and conversing are not difficult to implement. You triple-check the spelling and arrangement, draw a circle around the entire thing, and nod at yourself before infusing it with mana.

A moment passes in silence, then you turn back to the Dark Star with confidence born of success. "Okay. Ask again."

It eyes you for a moment longer and you notice that others have stopped working to observe the process. Then the one in front of you 'speaks' again, and this time you understand it just fine: "What a pleasant surprise." Though the voice sounds everything but pleased... mostly just cold, though you are not sure whether that is just the way their voices work. "One who comes to this place with actual knowledge instead of seemless ideas. I am called Epsilon Aaron by those not of my kind. Speak, what have you come for?"


How polite, not even asking for your name. You narrow your eyes but bite down on the impulse to snap back. Still, petty revenge and all that, so you ignore the question and ask one of your own instead: "What do you mean, 'by those not of your kind'? Don't you have names of your own?"

The creature pauses for a moment. It's eyes narrow much like your own, though the effect is a little more concerning. "We can identify each other based on our magic. Any names we carry are names others gave us for purposes of identification. Even if you were to stand in a crowd of ten thousand, any of us could still pick you out based on the magic in your body. It roars even while subdued."

...that is new. You think about it for a moment, then push the whole matter back for what you are actually here for. "That's pretty convenient. Can you figure out someone's Affinities that way, too?"

Epsilon Aaron eyes you for a moment and shakes their head. "Not by itself, though magic specialised for doing so comes easily. Is this your purpose here?"

You nod and step back from Paoras. "Yeah, I don't know mine. The Ashen Maiden told me to get them checked here. Give me a moment." They remain floating in the air without a word and you get to speak again, the rush of defiance helping you along and back to your usual demeanor. "As stolen flame sets fate ablaze, I rise as Magical Girl Defiance!"

Light envelops you once more, a glowing comet of power within this dark space. The loaned dress fades and is replaced by your familiar outfit, the Handle appears in your hand and vanishes as you dismiss it; it feels a little different to hold, much easier to swing. Or maybe that is you?

When the light dies down, every Dark Star in the area is watching you. Paoras' eyes are wide and she has a happy smile on her face, babbling about pretty colours. Epsilon Aaron eyes you carefully and, when nothing else happens, speaks: "Now your magic is unchained. I will admit I rarely saw one that burned so brightly. What do you mean with 'Magical Girl', though?"

Weirdly enough, there is honest curiousity there. You can hear it and from the fact everyone waits for a response, it is rather quite obvious even without the audible cue.

You consider staying quiet and refusing to tell them, but... well. You want something from these beings, Paoras is also there and might be sad, and... as far as you know, time can not be altered. So if people in your time had no idea about humanity before they emerged, that means you can tell them and nobody would know anyway. Five thousand years are a long time, even for biologically immortal Demons and Dark Stars.

So you humour them and motion at yourself. "Okay... let's see, you already know that I'm a human. No Elf, no Demon, nope." No reaction, so that part can be dropped. "The first thing you have to know is that not all humans have magic. I think it's because we evolved without any, but we don't need it to survive like you do."

The other Dark Stars begin to mutter amongst themselves, but you ignore them and focus on Epsilon Aaron; they eye you curiously before nodding. "I see. So we are antithetical in our existences, 'humans' who hold not a trace of magic and Dark Stars who consist of it entirely."

That is news to you, but you just nod at him and keep going. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, those of us who have magic are called Practitioners. Don't ask me why, that's how it is. Rule of thumb is that one in a thousand is a Practitioner." He nods again. "Not exactly like yours, though. Human magic is weak on the output." You consider for a moment. "Kind of."

Nobody interrupts as you try to think of an example, but find nothing, so you figure you have to work with what you know. "It's that our magic works more through loopholes and exploitation than power. My friend grows stronger whenever she eats a flame, no matter how small; she also has a spell that can set several different spots on fire; she can turn it into a feedback-loop and strengthen herself up like that."

You consider adding your father as another example, but the one should be enough. "Most Practitioners have things like these. Now for Magical Girls." You point at yourself with a thumb, curious about the kind of reaction you will get. "Magical Girls are a special case again. There are three requirements that need to be fulfilled, and even then one may still never become one."

You raise your index finger. "First, that person must be female." Then your middle finger. "Second, they must have magic." Then your ring finger. "Third, they must be younger than eighteen years."

Paoras long since lost track and seems to try figuring out what you mean. The Dark Stars continue to converse quietly while Epislon Aaron ponders, but stop once they speak. "I see. Why eighteen years exactly?"

"That's our age of maturity. So then I wouldn't be a girl anymore, but a woman." At least that is how you explained it to yourself. Many people asked themselves how the rules came to be, and it was not because of Gaia being a fan of certain eastern media. However, you just remembered. "Ah, right: remember when I said one in a thousand is a Practitioner? Rule of thumb for Magical Girls is that you get one in a thousand female Practitioners."

So vaguely one in a million. And going by the conversation around you, the Dark Stars understood that as well. The one in front of you nods once more, rippling a little. "So these Magical Girls are the human elite?" Their voice is tinged with curiousity again; you never heard it be phrased like that, but it is more or less true, so you nod. "Fascinating. I will have to think about this for a while, but for now..." His eyes focus on your very being. "Shadow's Insight."

They flicker for a moment, then the Dark Star straightens. All the others wait for their fellow to reveal what they saw.

"This is odd," they note with a surprised hiss. "Your alleged capabilities certainly do not lend themselves to having three Affinities. Is this common for 'Magical Girls'?"

Ah, right. You forgot that part, so you quickly add it after a sigh. "Yes, that's normal. We are... well, our thing is that our powers grow incredibly fast in comparison to everyone else. Most of us start out weaker than most other races, though. You have an indicator with the growth Affinity, that's our third one."

You pause to breath and the Dark Star motions for you to continue; good thing you are almost done, it slowly starts to feel as if they want to dissect you to find out how you work. "It goes Story Maker, Myth Maker, Legend Maker, Story, Myth, Legend, Epic. With Story Makers being the weakest and Epics being the strongest." You heard about another Affinity, but never really believed there was something beyond Epic, so you leave that out. "Though I read that Makers can get some powerful tools in exchange for being overall weaker."

"Hm. No Epic Makers?"
"None that I heard of. It's weird, I know."

The Dark Star mulls that over quietly, then gives you a faint nod. "Very well. Your Affinities are Defiance, Interference, and Story Maker." And there goes your hope for a high growth. Not that you particularly expected it, considering that you are not particularly strong and got a time travel spell to start with.

Still, you nod back at Epsilon Aaron. "Alright, thank you. We will leave now."

You get no response as you lead Paoras out of the area.


After calming down from the depressing atmosphere in there, Paoras takes you by the hand and begins to lead again. "This way, Heidi!" Her cheer is back now that there are no Dark Stars around, though you can understand why she would be scared of them.

You follow the little Demon curiously, soon finding yourself ascending the stairs again. "You should meet Moku! He's great and warm!" You have to admit that you are a little curious, but also dreading whatever she would call these things out here.

The stairs quickly pass by and soon you no longer see the usual corridors but large open halls. Winged Demons wander them, ranging in size from a little taller than yourself to wagon-sized. No one pays the two of you much attention as Paoras drags you higher and higher, to the point your magically improved stamina begins to become troubled.

Seeing that she does not even seem to sweat however, you soldier on and ignore the light stinging in your sides.

When you reach the top, it is to a breathtaking sight; literally in your case, seeing that you are panting heavily once Paoras lets go and directs her attention elsewhere. In turn, you catch your breath while looking out at the countryside; it stopped raining some time ago, but the rainbow is still there above the mountains. You do not have much time to watch, though.

"Moku!"

Paoras' happy squeal makes you at least look her way... and regret having looked for a moment.


'Moku' is apparently one of the wagon-sized winged Demons. And upon seeing Paoras, he flaps his wings in greeting but does nothing else even when she hugs his snout.

You watch the spectacle for a few long moments and consider running away, but he seems harmless so far. If having claws the size of your forearm can be called harmless in any circumstance.

The vast rooftop is empty except for those two and yourself, which is probably enough space to run away if need be; with all the curveballs thrown at you so far though, you might as well see what happens this time and walk closer. Paoras waves at you cheerfully and points at her apparent friend. "This is Moku. He likes to sleep up here and I often sleep with him. He's really warm."

Then she boops the large Demon on the nose and points at you; his eyes open to become attentive, taking in your appearance. "Moku, this is Heidi. She is a human!" He does not react to it at all and simply takes you in, then sniffs once before closing his eyes and ignoring you once more.

"...I think he doesn't like me."

Your deadpan tone of voice draws a giggle from Paoras, who cheerfully lifts up Moku's wing. "Nah, he just likes to sleep. Come, come! It's cold in spring."

She has a point there; the air this far up is cold and each gust of wind makes you shiver a little despite the sunlight. You follow her reluctantly, but nothing bad happens; only the cold leaves as Moku's wing folds over the two of you, pleasantly warm. Paoras smiles at you and nestles against his body, which the Demon does not react to.

When you slowly make to sit by her side, she whispers in your ear. "Don't tell him, but he's not really smart. He can't even talk." That is... weird, but you take it and nod understandingly anyway. Paoras smiles. "I think he likes when I'm here, though. Napping is more fun together."

With these words, she grabs for your arm and nestles into your side as well. A gesture that makes you feel a little weird due to how close she is, and also a little warmer both due to her body heat and because she seems to trust you that much already. Though it does pose a question.

After pondering it for a moment, you decide to ask. "Say, how old are you?"

Paoras murmurs something and raises her head from Moku's side, then starts to count on her fingers. "Um, eight, nine... ten. I'm ten months old!" She beams while you just blink. Ten years you would get, but ten months? That can not be right.

You really have to talk to Maya.

Half an hour later, you decide you relaxed enough and gently remove the snoring Paoras from your arm. She happily nestles against Moku, neither of them caring that you leave.

On your way to the staircase however, your eyes are drawn by your surroundings again. The view is incredible, reaching far over the plains in one direction and the mountainside in the other. Or rather, two mountains. They look a little weird.

"First time seeing it from up high?" a new voice cuts in; you turn to find another Demon who eyes you with a mixture of interest and curiousity. "Metatron's Divide is what we call the mountains. You can walk through the center between them easily enough."

"I see." You nod and wander off, unwilling to be near that one for long. Paoras and Maya are one thing, but you have to remain on your guard.

That is when a figure further out grabs your attention. They are flying on black wings, almost dancing in the air. And too small for most Demon forms you saw so far. You are not too sure, though; they fly too fast for you to see clearly.


For the remainder of your day, you figure you should look around. And with how many Demons there are, you rather go alone just in case something happens. Dragging a child into your problems would be wrong, even if she is demonic herself.

Except that your exploration is halted soon after you passed the main gate; despite the constant stream of Demons going in and out, you notice the pair that eyes you. One is one of the soldier types you see everywhere, the other is... not that. He is tall and sharp, and his entire nobleman-getup screams trouble.

Something about the soldier appears familiar to you, too; not that you can say for sure what it is. You have seen hundreds of them so far, and no idea which one that is.

The handsome one steps into your path when you near, making you pause; only some quick thinking stops you from materialising your weapon, seeing that he does not have his drawn either. You stay quiet and hope for the best, or that you are faster than him at least. Though you do glare at the man that once again stands much taller than you. You probably will have to get used to that.


"So you are the rumoured human, young lady?" He smiles almost kindly, were it not for the sharp canines it reveals. You just keep giving him an unimpressed look and crush any hint of panic while the soldier puts a hand to his head.

With no response forthcoming, the faux-noble chuckles and flicks his gaze to whoever his companion is. "How interesting, friend, that you indeed lost to a girl so small."

Oh. That's Orux.

You notice that some people, stopped to watch, but ignore it in favour of giving the man in front of you a better stinkeye. "And what about it?"

"Oh, nothing much." He chuckles and grins at you again... then deftly moves a hand under your chin and pushes it up so you are actually looking into his eyes. Your own hand slaps his away a moment later and you snarl at the Demon. "You want trouble?"

Much to your relief, he does step back with a good-natured yet fanged smile. "I will pass, girl. I rather not risk adding myself to a list holding but one name so far."

There may have been a threat there, but you ignore it. That guy irks you fiercely and you just thought of the perfect retort, which you deliver with a grin of your own: "Well, look at that. Something else seems to be quite small, too."

You admit that you expected a little more than just his smile twitching in a mix of irritation and amusement. You did not expect Orux of all people to snort over your quip. Some others start laughing in the background as well, but he thankfully does not get aggressive.

He eyes you again and huffs in what is mostly amusement. "I can see what would make you so interesting, girl. Do be careful though, else that sharp tongue of yours may be your downfall."

He offers a mocking bow and wanders off, exchanging a nod with Orux on the way out. The soldier does not appear ready to leave, though; he waits until the small crowd disperses and approaches you slowly. You let him, knowing that this is someone you definitely could defeat if need be.

He rubs the back of his head for a moment and offers a bow to you, more respectful than what his friend had done before. "I... apologise for Dragul. He doesn't seem to be convinced of your strength just yet." That is unexpected, though; it throws you off enough for him to continue: "And my compliment on the insult."

You blink at the Demon and try to find any words for what is happening here, but are interrupted by grunts and roars nearby; turning, you find your sight blocked by a wall of people who formed a circle around some kind of commotion, probably a fight. But why are people fighting right there?

Curious, you ask Orux and he merely shrugs. "The place is mostly up to chance, but those two in particular have a brawl every other week."

If only you could actually see what is going on. Unfortunately, the only option you see would be to climb on someone's shoulders. So no, you are not going to find out. Orux eyes the fight a few moments longer, then turns back to you and bows again. "My apologies for taking up your time, I will take my leave now."

He then does just that and moves off, leaving you behind in confusion about what is going on. You do not really get to find much interesting things afterward, though the base is too big to cover in a single afternoon. And you stay away from most parts because there is no stone path and everything is a little muddy after the rain.


At the end of the day, you find that you enjoyed yourself. Kind of, at least more than you expected you would. Paoras is a sweetheart, you met a few weird characters, got some answers and more questions to ask sooner or later, and the place lends itself well to exploring.

That is the first evening you notice the fluffy pillows and blanket on your bed. They were there before, you know, but it just never registered.

A few days pass like this, which you mostly spend exploring the area either by yourself or with your new friend. People mostly leave you be and you try your best to avoid the rest... though it takes a while to get used to the casual violence; there seems to be at least one brawl in any place, any day. Nobody bats an eye and many even stop to watch and cheer.

It is weird in a way, but you have bigger problems.

Now however, you still have a week to spend. What to do between exploring...

-------------

Pick two:

[] Examine your weapons and practice a little Heidi does not feel like it

[] See if you can spend some more time around Maya, she seems nice

[] Hang out with Paoras, she will probably like the company

[] Even though you did not get to talk to him all that much, Orux appeared... not too bad; maybe you can learn more about him?


[]EXP-Plan
-[] Write-in what to buy
-[] Save it


+10xp Met Epsilon Aaron
+5xp Met Mokutuuk
+5xp Met Dragul

EXP gained: 20
Total EXP: 175


(Affinities Revealed)
(Unlocked Level 1 Character Sheet: Epsilon Aaron)
(Unlocked Level 1 Character Sheet: Mokutuuk)
(Unlocked Level 1 Character Sheet: Orux)
(Unlocked Level 1 Character Sheet: Dragul)

You know that your decision for this day was right; perhaps not the best, but definitely right. Paoras' eyes shone the moment you asked her to hang out; not like the previous days where you occasionally met her on your way around the Keep or when seeing Maya to get your stuff, but actually doing something together.

"There's not many children here, huh?" You can not help but ask.

The answer is, of course, obvious; Paoras nods sadly. "Yup. Mama says Demons don't have children that often. We're the only family here." She squeezes your hand with surprising force, then looks up at you with a bright smile: "But it's fine! I have lots of little brothers and little sisters already!"

You have the feeling she is just saying that to stop you from worrying. Instead of answering, you pick up the little bundle of joy and have her ride on your shoulders; Paoras squeals happily and locks her legs around your neck, displaying an amount of strength that dwarfs any human despite her small size. At least she is actually as light as she looks. You are stronger while transformed, but not enough to lift someone super heavy.

After a moment, you tap her thigh as you walk. "Ease off a little, that hurts."

"Ah, sorry!" The pressure thankfully lessens, and you keep walking in silence for a bit. The Demons you pass give the procedure curious and confused looks alike, though you try your best to dodge any group larger than two.

Paoras waves at people you pass and hums a nonsensical tune all the way, neither of you having an actual goal at the moment. This base is huge and while you are interested in the marketplace, for what could be called that, you have nothing to trade there. The barracks are an obvious no and you do not feel like building up stamina by scaling one of the spires.

So you and your little friend wander the streets by yourselves, left alone for the most part. She seems to like the elevated position, though carrying her around on your shoulders is not easy; balancing her size and weight is, but you have to ask yourself how your father could carry you around like that when you were little.

Well, Paoras is a bit taller than you were back then.

"What else do you do out here?" You can not help but ask, curious about your friend's regular schedule.

She thinks for a few long moments, one finger on her chin in a gesture that she obviously copied from Maya. "Hmmmmm. I play with my little brothers and little sisters. And I train with Papa, and Mama teaches me stuff, and I play with Moku, and I go exploring and stuff." She thinks a moment longer and nods happily, apparently having covered everything.

Some of it is a little concerning, though. "Aren't you scared?" You can not see her face, but the confused noise she makes is enough to understand the question: "That someone's going to hurt you, I mean?"

"Nah." She actually giggles and pats your head with her dainty fingers. "It's fine, Mama protects me." She does not say any more, but you get the idea. Anyone who crosses Paoras, also crosses Maya.

Then again, she may just be idolising her mother; Maya does not look like the most combative Demon around.

Considering how content the child on your shoulders is, though... you have the feeling that something else is at play here.

"Oh, right!" You glance up at Paoras, but she does not say any more. The girl leans down until you are back to back, wraps her arms behind herself and around your waist, then lets go of your neck and lowers herself down feet-first. She only lets go once her feet are on the ground and grins at you as if that was nothing special. "Mama wants to talk to you later."

You stare at her for a moment longer, then rub your face and pretend this did not just happen. "Sure, we can tour back to her office." Though you quietly wonder whether you could do similar things now.

Oblivious to your thoughts, Paoras thinks for a moment and then perks up. "Oh, and if someone tries to hurt me, I can hurt them right back!" She goes back to the previous topic without much concern, making you raise an eyebrow at her.

"You can? How?" Because sure, there is a surprising amount of strength in her small frame, but certainly not enough to actually injure a Demon.

Paoras, on your prompt, materialises a spiked club out of thin air. It is almost as big as her and getting hit by that looks like a really bad idea. "Tada! My Crusher!" She introduces the weapon with a bright smile, then grabs it two-handed and whacks it onto the ground. Dust flies and you quickly take a step back while your friend pulls the weapon back out. "I made it myself, it's great!"

You regard the sizable hole in the ground, then the beaming child in front of you, and recognise that you were wrong. You also really should have expected that. "...point taken. Should we get going?" Your friend nods cheerfully, so you take her hand and let her lead you around.

Some people sneer at you as you walk past, and you happily leer right back at them; aggressiveness helps a lot, you found. Shying away only emboldened those types, but they could be cowed rather easily by the prospect of being beaten by you.

So far, no one has tried their luck. You hope it will stay that way.


You see Maya in the evening, back in her office. Paoras went off to see her father, whom you have yet to meet.

For some reason however, the friendly Demon wears no smile today; she motions for you to sit, which you do and wait for whatever bad news she has. Silence reigns for many moments, Maya looking you over and grasping for what to say.

In the end, she asks bluntly: "You avoid socialising with anyone except a few people. Why?"

You blink at her, not sure what to make of the question; being careful is normal in such an environment. Anyone could be out for your hide. "Just being careful is all."

Apparently, that was the wrong answer. Maya's eyes narrow and she leans back in her chair. "That is not being careful," she points out. "You actively avoid as many people as you can and even my little daughter noticed that you appear scared whenever people are near. That, sweetie, is paranoia."

Your eyes narrow in turn, both at the accusation and the attitude. "And that's important why? I like not being clubbed over the head and raped in some alleyway, thank you very much." You only realise what you said when it is already out, your greatest fear revealed just like that.

At least it gives Maya pause; she eyes you with confusion for some reason, thinking for a noticeable amount of time. In the end, she probes a little more cautiously: "Why do you think that might happen?"

"Why wouldn't it? That's what Demons do... right?" You really need to stop your tongue from being faster than your brain. Only in saying it, however, do you realise the kind of reasoning you are using. It is not at all good to put everyone into the same category like that.

Maya exhales and stands before walking around her desk. You watch her expression go from understanding to pained to resigned. Then it all vanishes into a calm mask. She motions for you to stand and cups your cheek with her hand, the two ethereal ones wrapping around your shoulders. "Then let me remind you that I am also a Demon, sweetie."

The atmosphere changes and you stand frozen in a moment of fear; Maya stares at you with a searching look, then strokes your cheek with a single finger. "So tell me, what does stop me from bending you over this table and having my way with you? That we are both women?"

You have no answer. She does not expect one, either.

The Demon sighs and lets go of you; she even takes a step back while you keep standing in place, curious. She has you listening, and she knows it. "I do not know what kind of stories you were told, but this is ridiculous." A hand is thrown out toward where the town is and Maya begins to explain. "The only time you are, quite literally, fucked is if you come in as a prisoner after a battle, because then you count as spoils of war. That is how it is here, and under no other circumstance will some random soldiers try something like this. You came as a guest, not as a prisoner."

Oh.

That makes a certain amount of sense; you know it is still not a good thing, but by far not as bad as you imagined. Though thinking about what might have happened if you lost against Orux back then... the thought is interrupted when Maya continues.

"Of course, some of the stronger people around may come and ask you for sex, or offer it to you, but they won't make a fuss if you're respectful when telling them no. There are enough willing men and women around either way." That is a prospect you could live without, though it makes sense once again. Maya offers you a wink this time. "You need not say yes unless you want to." Aaand you are blushing. How does she do that?

Your blush quickly subsides in the following silence, though. Maya considers you for long moments again, and adds one more thing: "Things are a little different back home in Hell, it's a bit rougher there and you don't always have the option to say no, but even there it is kind of rare. Out here, even the powerful people can not afford to make an enemy of anyone who might be nearby to save their lives later, or in a good position to backstab them at a bad time."

You nod understandingly, quietly noting the difference in culture to yourself. It is weird, in a way. Maya nods as well. "It is based on respect; as long as you respect your betters, they will treat you at least properly as long as you are not an actual slave."

You never thought about it like that, and will have to put some actual thought into it later. Right now, Maya gave you a few good reasons not to jump at every little thing. Respect is an angle you never really considered yourself. Which could be a bit of a problem.

You also do not like the catty smile on the Demon's face. "All that said...."

She does not finish the sentence, but gives you a telling look. You blink and wonder if this is really what she just offered you. "...no?"

Apparently, it was. Maya smiles openly now. "See? It is that easy, though you do have to work on the part about being respectful."

Which could be a bit more than a small problem, you concede to yourself and her. "I, um, have a bit of a problem with authority." You sheepishly avert your gaze from hers, but she simply motions for you to sit and explain, which you do. "I've never been good at taking orders from... well, anyone. I just can't do it without getting angry, or spiteful, or something like that. Then I snap at people, and then I get in trouble most of the time."

You admit it quietly, though Maya hears you anyway. She mulls it over while you continue: "Out here it's... weird. I don't feel like making a fuss with you. You're more like a mom than a boss, and I don't have it with my own father, either. Or any of my friends' parents. And all the others, that's me biting my tongue because they can kill me with a flick of their wrist. It won't hold."

You already know it will not hold from experience. Elisabeth is good at making things appear less like orders and more like suggestions, so you have an easier time interacting with her. But even then you still know she is part of the leadership. Your nature will get out sooner or later.

Maya sighs, though. "I see. My point was that you do not need to think the best of anyone, though. It is not expected that you like them, either. The important part is that you appear respectful, even if you curse them dead in your head at the same time. If you are not good at being dishonest about your feelings, then we can practice. I have a few years of experience with that."

She offers you another wink and leans over to pat your head, her offer making you think. You did try something like that before, but never really in earnest when it did not work on the first few attempts.

That aside however, it is weird to realise that you had your head clouded by propaganda, at least to an extent. Maya never refused the notion that horrible things happen in the Unified Darkness, she just clarified that it is not as wide-spread as people seem to believe.


After a nice dinner and a good night's rest, followed by mulling over what Maya told you the previous day, you are out and about.

At first you considered to take Paoras along again, but decided against it. You want to give it a try, just wandering the streets amidst all those different forms of people.

Nothing bad happens, much to your relief. There is still a general sense of curiousity about you, but people apparently got used to your presence already. Just another person in the crowd. Hell Beasts circle overhead, of the same kind as Mokutuuk. Dark Stars of many different shapes roam the airspace, going this way and that. You even spot Epsilon Aaron flitting somewhere once.

Then you notice someone else you recognise... somewhat. You can not be entirely sure, but at least something about him does appear familiar. So you step out of the crowd and walk up to where he is standing; a moment later, you see that he examines some kind of writing on the wall. You can not read it.

"What does that say?" Your voice alone makes him stand a little more straight and turn his head to where you are standing next to him.

When you remain silent, obviously waiting for him to respond, he nods quietly and motions for the weird runes. "Nothing particularly special. It says 'Mogreb was here'." You snort at the familiar practice, surprised to find it happening out here as well. He continues afterward: "I was trying to remember if someone of that name is in any of the scouting groups, or if the Imps are up to mischief again."

You make an understanding noise and stare at the runes for a moment longer, then turn to the Demon properly. "Just to make sure, you are Orux, right?"

"I am," he confirms with a hint of confusion while you relax; getting the wrong person would have been more than a little embarassing.

"Good. I'm still not sure how to keep people of the same type apart, so I'd rather ask." He nods understandingly, though even you know his actual question remains unanswered. "Can we talk a little?"

Some people are whispering, but a glare from you quiets them. Orux eyes you with narrowed eyes, warily, but nods after a moment. "Of course."

You nod and motion for him to follow, the two of you walking a little bit away from the more crowded streets. He keeps eyeing you with a certain care, but remains at a respectful distance even while you have your back turned; you can hear it from his steps, much heavier than your own.

"Okay, I will just be blunt here," you tell him after a while of just walking and mulling over what to say. "I don't get it. Sure, you lost that fight we had, but you wouldn't have to be as polite as you are. Aren't you at least a little angry that you lost?" After thinking things over, that is what bothers you the most. Sure, it may be an act like Maya explained to you, but then he would not have apologised for his friend being an ass.

He frowns by the time you turn your head, eyes directed at the ground. "I... it is just how it is, no? I know my own weakness quite well, and the fact you were offered this duel instead of being run down makes it clear my commander guessed at your power." You almost snort at that, knowing that a full assault would have overwhelmed you.

He thinks for a moment and continues thoughtfully, making you feel a little weird. You did not even know Demons could think with that much nuance... at least not the rank and file.

"I was a sacrifice in those moments, and we all knew it." You did not. "You sparing my life when I surrendered was the best I could hope for, and losing to one more powerful than myself is nothing I would be angry about." He closed with a shrug. "So I see no reason for it."

That is... weird. Really weird. You nod slowly and avert your gaze. "I know I'd be mad if I lost, even if my enemy is stronger. I don't like losing."

Your admission coaxes a rumbling chuckle out of the tall Demon; he appears to have relaxed, too. "I can understand that quite well. A lack of power is nothing to be happy about, but you get used to it in time; that is just how it is." And there goes the good mood, as fast as it appeared.

Even you can tell from his tone that he does not like the matter at all, but there is little you can say. At least nothing about this.

So instead, you decide to do something else and reach out to clap his shoulder... or rather his arm, you can not reach that far up from where you stand. "I'm sure it will be fine." The surprise is rather clear on his face, though you have no idea if the empty phrase helped any.

You do not even know if you believe it yourself. But even if you do not believe it, you can at least try.

"Perhaps," Orux allows and eyes you again. Then he nods slowly. "I am afraid I have to meet up with my squad soon, though. If you would excuse me?" And now his tone is carefully void of emotions, though you pay that little mind.

Waving a hand, you offer him a smile. "Sure. See you around?"

He pauses mid-step for a moment, then nods. "Of course."

He walks off after that and leaves you wondering if you just made a friend. It certainly looks that way.


The second week passes by far too quickly. Between talking to people, exploring, and just lazing around from time to time, you soon find that time is up. An Imp leads you back to Elisabeth's office, the scene in front of you quite familiar; the bastion commander is seated at her desk, reading some kind of report.

Once you enter, she puts it aside and offers you a smile. "Ah, Adelheid. Please have a seat." She motions for the chair in front of her desk. Not the nicer chairs at the table nearby, this one is more sturdy and also less soft to sit on. You can tell this means business.

The Ashen Maiden looks at you from behind her massive desk, a gaze that does not upset you as much as it did the last time you spoke; after two weeks of being relatively free and unharmed, your paranoia lessened into a certain wariness that feels more appropriate to the place. That does not mean you forgot the woman in front of you could kill you with a single slap, though.

"I see you have gotten somewhat used to your situation," the she starts after a few moments of silence. "Did you make any plans for how to proceed in the future?"

You hesitate. With everything that happened, you did not think much about what might yet happen; that was never your strong point and you really have no options, either. You are five thousand years distant from your home and your entire race.

Your silence apparently tells Elisabeth all she needs to know; her smile turns a bit softer and she motions for the room with one hand. "You could join my garrison for the time being. I can at least offer you a place to stay and the opportunity to nurture your powers for whatever is yet to come."

She falls silent and lets you think; her offer is nice and you almost take it without considering, but then think better of it. Demons are not stupid, and this one knows you are in a pinch. "What's the catch?" And there has to be one.

Her smile widens in a way that proves your suspicions right. Elisabeth nods at you. "Smart girl. The catch is that I can tell you don't like us much, so your race is probably more aligned with the Unified Light." You do not deny it in the short pause she gives you to respond; not like you have any reason to. So the Demon continues: "Which means that in staying, you give me the chance to change your mind and bring you on our side."

You have to respect that she is up-front about it. It is honestly not an unreasonable thing, either. Aside from the part where you most likely have to fight for these people later, but... they have not treated you badly so far. That irks you a little, considering everything you were told.

However, Elisabeth is not done; she quietly taps the table to get your attention. "That aside, I am not without compassion; imagining the situation you find yourself in leaves me quite... distressed." The audible pause she left in search for a good word does not go unnoticed. You are not sure whether to believe her, either.

It is in this moment that you realise you simply lack information. You need to learn more about these people and find out what of the things you were told is just propaganda. Especially with what Maya told you before, you are now aware you know too little.

Here is a Demon who just more or less said she wants to help you, for no greater reason than because she can sympathise. Is it true, is it a lie, is it a bit of both? You have no idea and that bothers you more than you like to admit.

You think for a minute, ignoring the woman in front of you in favour of going over your options. You could leave and hope for Voyage to bring you to the Unified Light. It might even do it, but might just as well dump you somewhere you would die. In turn, you were well-received in Charon's Keep, and staying would allow you to make sense of the situation and get used to your powers. Not to mention that there are people here who you want to talk to more.

All is in favour of taking the risk, except for one thing: you hate being ordered around. The people in charge here got around making you mad by not actually giving you any obvious orders so far, but that could change at any time.

So you let out a sigh as you prepare to address the one point that could be troublesome. "I'm fine with that, but I'd like to be an independent agent. I don't do well with authority, and just the idea of 'serving' someone makes me angry." Perhaps being this honest is a mistake, but you could not care less; it is important to you.

Elisabeth frowns for a moment before nodding. "I see. That is acceptable, though you should do your best in conveying respect if not obedience. It would be troublesome for us both if you fail in that." You grit your teeth and nod, unhappy. This is the best you can get, though.

A moment passes and the Demon changes the subject. "Ah, I just remembered." She tilts her head slightly in your way, one hand feeling for a few sheets of paper by her side. "If you would indulge my curiousity, I was wondering how humans adjusted to magic once it became available to them."

Her question makes you think; not about whether you should tell her, though. Elisabeth is offering you a place to stay and she asked nicely. And you are sure enough that it will not matter in the grand scheme of things, not that you even know any details of the matter anyway.

"Let's see... from what I know, our economy took a nearly lethal blow when we suddenly had any quantity of all materials available, tons of people died and we somehow still increased our population in the aftermath, people are trying to unify all the nations but nothing really changed, the world leadership is currently more a war council than anything else... so yeah, it's a mess."

She listens quietly, expression unchanging. You have no idea how the Akashic Pillar did not collapse on itself yet, either; if that is what she is wondering, you can not help her.

"I see," is the only response you get. With the topic thusly concluded, she pulls a small binder from her notes and offers you a nod. "I have put some thought into what I know of you, and made a decision."

She puts the binder down and you can feel her attention focus on you. "While I could make the choice for which of your talents to nurture, it would be best for you to decide yourself. I have a seasoned warrior and a gifted mage prepared, both willing to tutor you. Instead of wasting what little time there is for you, I recommend you only focus on one field instead of trying for everything."

Her explanation makes sense; you are quite surprised that she found willing teachers so quickly, though.

Then you lower your gaze to the desk and think. Being better with your weapons would be useful, but spells are the trump cards of most Magical Girls. You got Conundrum within hours of awakening, so there may be more waiting to be unlocked even if you can not make them yourself like Practitioners do. Being a spellcaster is tempting.

However...

You never had all that much interest in Magical Girls, but that does not mean you never cared. You know a few of the big names. Red Rose, of course, one of the very first and still alive to this day; she used to be high in the top ten, in the days before the juggernauts appeared. She is still among those ten, the last of the Old Guard.

The Goddess Four, who took the places as the four most powerful Magical Girls ever seen. Goddess Gold is the most terrifying spellcaster in existence and far off on the top, being able to vaporise entire armies in minutes.

But your heroine, the one you had always admired most, is number two. The Blacksmith. Magical Girl Goddess Grey, who wields an infinite array of blades into battle. Never matched, not once defeated, but fallen to the dark.

You never stopped admiring her even after she became an enemy of humanity, though; there is no woman more skilled, more graceful in battle. What is more, you heard accounts of survivors from Hope, the once human colony that became a battleground between Light and Dark. You heard of the last hours before the Goddess Four splintered, how each of them went above and beyond to bring more people out of Elysium, the capital.

Grey herself had held the outer wall, fighting alone against an unending tide of invaders and refusing to leave. By the end, bodies had piled as high as the walls she was defending. You never learned why she fell from the Light that day, but that does not matter right now. It never did.

This is your heroine, an ideal you often dreamed of aspiring to be. Now that you are a Magical Girl... now that you have the chance...

"I want the warrior."

The irony of where you are right now is not lost on you, but you could not care less. The words are spoken, and Elisabeth nods. If she is surprised by the determination in your voice, she does not question it.

"Very well."

-------------

Prologue-Arc "A Grand Journey's First Step" is complete.

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[] Spend EXP?
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+5xp Playing with Pao
+5xp Befriended (?) Orux
+25xp Joined the UD, More or Less
+50xp To Be Like The Blacksmith
+100xp Completed the Prologue

EXP gained: 185
Total EXP: 360


(Unlocked Level 4 Character Sheet: Paoras)
(Unlocked Level 2 Character Sheet: Orux)
(Unlocked Level 2 Character Sheet: The Ashen Maiden)
(New Shop Item Unlocked)