Fifty-Five

The text came next morning and both Rose and Elsa were ready.

Through the previous day, Elsa had successfully embedded the mecha's core into her machine after their short ride to see the rising sun—she had a lot of time on her hands, after all.

"It's beautiful. . ." She muttered after its completion.

The iron goliath stood two heads taller than Rose and, even when either of them stretched their arms wide, it was still wider. Its outer body was made from regular metal scraps that could be found anywhere, while specific parts of its innards were made from orium—that had taken huge sums from Elsa's monetary funds through the months since she decided to fix the creature.

"You're certain you can pilot this. . .with a broken leg?" Rose asked, a brow raising in doubt. After all, the thing looked the shape of a human.

Elsa grinned.

"Of course, I just have to connect to the Core."

The homunculus held the girl up and Elsa placed a hand on the chest of the mecha. A florescent light of blue wallowed out before the iron plates of the thing opened up at the center to reveal an innards covered in soft, black, leather. With the help of Rose, Elsa crawled inside and positioned herself as if she were standing.

Her hand reached through the tips of the beast and, then, mana lines came from each of her limbs, toes, and fingers, before running through the metallic suit and each ending and connecting to a glowing blue core located at the center of the chest and protected by its shell.

"This is why these things need a core."

Rose heard a hushed voice seep out from the thing as the helmet closed over Elsa's grinning face while the rest of it covered her like a cocoon.

"The core acts as the control center, linking everything together and allowing someone with even a basic ability to control mana to move the entire thing—every part of it individually, or all at once."

The turret at the right shoulder of the beast whirled its head, moving individually from the body. Then the left arm lifted, the palm sliding open to reveal what looked like the tip of an automatic gun.

"Basically, it feels like you're wearing a suit."

The thing took a step forward.

The movement was janky at first, wobbly as Elsa maneuvered the creature across the desert sands. Soon, however, it moved as proper as a human, though certainly a bit slower as she was only beginning to become used to the feeling of having her mind connected to metal and sending instructions through the numerous mana lines that linked the two of them.

She practiced controlling it as Rose watched on. Her expression under the mask elated and, soon, it was time to quit. She opened the latch and her friend carried her.

"How did it feel? You seemed quite energetic."

Elsa laughed, "It felt fucking amazing."

Moving it was relatively easy, in fact, Walker had lent them a truck. It was as if the man did not care about what they planned to do. It was as if he wholeheartedly supported it. Of course, their official reasoning was finding a wider place to test the mecha, but they did not think he was an idiot. Rose had little doubt he was letting her be as his pawn. He had roped her in with that intention from the beginning.

Outside was a land of sand and they walked within the reaches of Walker's home, gated in and surrounded by cars as Rose carried Elsa in her arms and they were soon seated, helming a truck similar to that which she had ridden with Chase.

"I betcha this car is being tracked."

"I will not bet against that."

At that moment, a voice came their way.

"You two sure are lively."

The first thing they noticed about the new arrival was blood. Every step of his left red upon the desert's sand. His feet were bare, and his clothing mangled to the point where they looked more like rags.

Pale blue hair blew in the wind with the stain of blood, and his body was littered with slowly healing holes and scars. Samuel looked at the two as he stopped by the vehicle, three weapons strapped to his waist with what had once been his shirt.

"Damn you look halfway dead," Elsa spoke.

It was her first time conversing with the man. He was a man shrouded in mystery, but she wondered if he would soon become an enemy of hers. Rose, on the other hand, merely stared at her instructor with calm eyes.

"Perhaps so." He smiled, ignoring the blood upon himself and his stagger. "I've killed 2 of my targets now."

That earned him a brow raise from both girls.

"You two should be careful once you enter the slums." He finished.

"Why?" Rose asked.

She didn't bother asking him how he even knew they were headed for the slums, only curiosity came to her mind.

"There's currently two power vacuums."

At his words, Elsa's eyes widened. "Wait—no, don't tell me you—? How the fuck did you—?"

Samuel walked forward, passing by the vehicle.

"Two lords are dead. Three left to fight. I wonder who shall come out alive?"

The vehicle started as Samuel glanced at the sky. Eyes glazed over by the expansive blue. He reminisced about the past, a tinge of regret in him. Still, there was nothing he had been able to do to stop her chasing after him.

He stared at the cracked, jade dagger in his grasp.

He and his sister were born in the slums and sooner became orphans. He protected her and she gave his heart warmth with her smile. Yet, he grew unparalleled with his weapon and caught the eyes of Walker. For his skills, they were promised a path way into Alos as long as he could fulfill Walker's wish. For his loyalty, she was taken as a bargaining chip.

He gave her the dagger to remember him by and anticipate his return. When Walker came knocking with the dagger in hand, he had taken the man's hand. All for his sister. . .all for the opportunity to fix the past.

The truck besides him drove off.

"I wish you two luck," He murmured.

It was almost time for the errors of the past to be fixed and, as always, that would come with blood.

When he moved to take another step, he noticed crimson eyes placed upon him. That girl, Lilias, sat on the roof of the building. Legs dangling, her weapons to her side as she smiled down at him.

"Do you think there's anything more satisfying than clipping the fangs of a tiger just as it grew wings?" She asked.

Her eyes were dead and her emotionless words drifted with the wind.

— — —

Even before they entered the slums, the fires were visible from a distance. Flames of orange and red burned buildings as smoke rose into the air. And when they drove closer, the sounds of pulses filled the early morning.

Cars rolled through the streets along with people, most rushing away from the rims closer to Alos. Yet, the deeper they advanced, the more blood they saw.

A man laughed, the barrel of his gun pointing directly at a younger man as he ran after him.

"Fuck why're you still chasing me?!"

He prepped his rifle.

"Shouldn't have joined the wrong side, idiot."

The sound of a pulse rang as blue flew through the air. A hole drilled through the young man's skull and blood came. He crashed upon the ground, lifeless with the crunch of his bones.

"Whew." The man grinned. "One dow—"

Blue passed through his head.

He too slammed against the ground. Dead.

A car passed the two bodies, carrying a load covered by a thick blanket.

"Fucker, it's just like before—" Elsa cursed, "Not a single shit changed. They're mad."

A power vacuum was the worst thing that could happen to the slums. Just like the previous war, when the last leader of the 5th rim was killed, it only sowed chaos within that section as each individual vied for power. Before Walker could even come in and reap his rewards, a victor had already cropped up and they settled under Brian Chaz.

Yet. Right now, no one had made claim to the first two rims yet and chaos unfolded. Right now, there was only gangs.

The car advanced and soon stopped at Mare's shack to the sight of the girl already standing before them.

"That's her?" Elsa raised a brow.

"Yes," Rose nodded and exited the vehicle.

Mare smiled at the sight of the two girls, taking a special look at the one holed up in the car. Both their eyes locked and Elsa felt the girl. . .peculiar.

"You two came pretty fast." Mare whistled at Rose.

"Mhmm. . .the faster the better. It seems things aren't settling down any time soon."

"You can say that again."

At her words, the ground rumbled and cracks sprung upon the floor. Their surroundings shook along with the shacks and buildings. Rose struggled to remain standing, her legs stumbling.

The only section of the slums that appeared immune to the shaking was the Red District covered in a dome of blue.

"An earthquake?" Rose muttered, glancing back to the car to see an Elsa trying her best to not roll within—and cursing all the way through.

Mare pointed. "Why don't you look over there~?"

The outer, metal walls of Alos advanced, its blue shield expanding as the gigantic city began to swallow the slums whole, pushing buildings and shacks out of the way.

The once chaotic slums stood still, no one moved and all eyes trailed up in disbelief. Rose widened her own to the sight of dust clouds reaching high into the sky, covering the once blue canvas in the brown of sand.

"Wha—what's happening. . .?"

Mare smiled. "The city is expanding."

That was the city's expansion she heard so much about? She had expected something grand. . .but not at the level of causing the earth to shake and destroying all in its path. That seemed more like a mobile city than anything.

"For a limited time, slots of the city's walls will be vulnerable as it expands, bit by bit, inch by inch. While additions are being made to the outer perimeters, it will be defended by the soldiers and the City Shield that extends down through the earth."

Mare spoke as if she knew it all. Which, knowing her connection to Brian, Rose did not doubt.

"Basically, the city will sweep up the surroundings and soon add them to its size. In the past, when the slums were much larger than they are now, slum lords have fought to counter its expansion and that had led to more bloodshed than necessary for both sides."

Rose raised a brow. "So you're saying. . .?"

Mare smiled, wearing an expression with more cheekiness than usual.

"After today," She said, "Only the 5th and 4th rim of the slum will exist."