Chapter 18 - Hero

She looked up from her post, on the roots, her languid eyes looked about the city below. 

Had it not been for the fact that she had duty, she would have wanted to take her glider and fly down into those unfathomable depths, and explore the buildings that once belonged to the giants.

But instead, she had to sit in her root nest on the ceiling and look at the roofs of those giant buildings, where the city for people her size, had been built. Across the East Section of Avancia, over a massive bridge, several hundred meters long, was the West Section, which had most of the refugees.

There had been a lot of problems, but today, she wasn't looking over them, but here. And it had been awfully calm.

She couldn't shake the thought of him from her head, with how calm it was, and she let out a big sigh before looking down.

Her carving of a heart wasn't coming along well, her hands weren't steady enough, and her heart was not calm enough, to prepare something great. It was average at best. Her face drooped.

At this rate, she would never give it to him.

Her ear twitched. She shot up like a rocket, and turned her head, catching sight of the other root nest, some hundred feet away, and the guard there turned to her as well.

The mechanism of the Human Gate was being used. It was time for Awick to return from his hunting party. She gripped the little carved heart. Her own heart, beating extremely fast. Her eyes spazzing. 

The other root guard shook her head, and tapped with aura, the root, "Go. Hurry up. Don't let today slip by too." 

Marce felt the vibration in the trees roots and knew that she was right. She gripped the heart and put on her glider. She grit her teeth and jumped.

As she was free-falling, she said a little prayer into the carved heart cupped in her hands, and put it in her shirt, before expanding the glider's wings and slowing her descent tremendously. 

The city below had murals on every wall, detailing their history, and every stone, had some sort of a carving. Through the mainstream, a river had been carved in great detail, flowing through the settlement.

Her heart clenched. The little carved wooden heart, was nothing by comparison. He wouldn't even want it.

But, she chose to be brave.

She dove under an archway, the people in the market looked up as her shadow past them at breakneck speeds. 

She broke upwards, so the wings would eat as much air as possible, to stop herself, as she arrived at the gate, but her glider wing malfunctioned.

"Welcome to Avancia Hold. Home of the Giants." 

Awick turned back, in time to see her hurdling towards him, her face was panicked, and extremely red. All of her bravery had vanished like an oasis in a desert.

He sighed.

Soon enough, she was caught in his arms, he looked at her, and she looked at him, with her face completely messed up, her hair everywhere and out of breath, near panting.

Awick looked at the ground, where a little wooden heart was. He bent down and picked it up, he smiled slightly, "Now whose this for?" 

"No one!" Marce quickly snatched it back. And got out of his arms, wiggling away, "H-, how was the hunt?!" 

She was much louder than needed, she couldn't regulate well. It was too embarrassing, everyone in the hunt party was staring at her. Not to mention the newcomers had seen her.

Lunston looked back with some severity, "Leaving your post at random is not acceptable. Think of the people." 

Marce was even more embarrassed. Awick smiled a little.

Argo, who had been watching the whole thing closely, could see the strange look that had briefly flashed in Awick's eyes.

Though he was no Master in Aura, Magic nor Divine, he was most certainly leagues ahead of others, in the social department. 

Lunston sighed and headed into the city. 

Argo didn't care to interfere in their little love tirade and instead chose to look off into the city, though he couldn't help but see Constance's glances at Awick and Marce. 

He pitied the one this Hero would choose as their partner and said a quiet prayer, which she heard, and frowned, staring daggers at him.

He ignored her look and chose to inspect the city as they followed Awick.

The ceiling, thousands of feet up, had roots that hung for hundreds of feet, upon which, crow nests were carved, and walkways were built between them. The way up appeared to be from the wall of the mountain itself, climbing up it, and then gliding down to one's post.

The climb would take hours. But he didn't pity the girl who clearly hadn't thought about it at all. Or perhaps, just didn't care.

They approached a draw bridge. On its other side, a city of pearly white stones, and immaculate murals, depicting epic battles, with unknown creatures rising from the abyss that the draw bridge hung over, displayed itself.

He glanced over and saw that the way the giant gate would open, was to a pathway that led downwards, quickly becoming a lightless abyss. Here, the city stood on what looked like a giant stone block, but he couldn't say for sure.

The ambient light from the walls, and the crystals that had formed far above, created the idea of a starry sky, that hung over the sleepy city of Avancia.

They passed along a long stream, that was carved into the road, his mind was almost tricked into thinking his feet were getting wet. Until, they arrived at an open area, and turned, onto a bridge that had massive sidings, and was clearly reinforced with magic of an old variety. 

He quietly noted the feeling of this strange magic, and as the carriage bounced along it, he looked over the side. 

There was nothing but a great road, clearly built for giants, that led deep into the earth, further than his eyes could scour. 

"The whole of the Hollow Mountains are connected, by the Giant Roads. To not be seen by the world, and not disturb the natural order, our ancestors took to the earth, and built their civilization there." Awick had a sort of melancholy, in his voice, as he responded to Argo's observing of the deep abyss below them.

He couldn't imagine the scale of the world down below, if the buildings that were up here, were already so massive, enough for a city of regular humans to live on top of their roofs. The idea that a giant civilization dwelled deep underneath the earth, and was vast enough to cross the whole of the Hollow Mountains, defied his sense of reason.

But he couldn't dismiss it. The Lich King's catacombs, which spidered throughout the entirety of the continent, or so some records state, was proof enough of what a great deal of time, and dedication, could achieve.

However, one thing was certain. If it truly did stretch through the Hollow Mountains and was left unattended, as the history carved into the city suggested, then, it would be infested with monsters.

If it could be cleared, however... He shook the thought from his head. It was true that it would be less dangerous than trying to clear the Hollow Mountains on the surface, but, it was still a monumental task.

He looked ahead, they were almost across.

The Western Section, looked like a slum, by comparison to the Eastern Section, which was full of history, this place which had a majority of refugees, was akin to squaller by comparison.

The buildings were clearly adorned with beautiful carvings, but they were smeared, or covered, a dark shadow cast across the entire area, the people there scurried along or simply stared as Awick arrived.

Their eyes were lifeless. 

"I apologize for the lack of proper accomodations, but all of your supplies will be inside. Stay for as long as you need." Awick left them in a relatively nicer area, that had people outside, clotheslines going across rooftops and children.

Their home was a bigger, one with a stables for the horses. Argo quietly watched Awick go. Marce also, left, though she said nothing, and was very fast about it.

It was just him, Constance, and the girl now. 

Constance glanced at Argo, and he shook his head.

The idea in her head that she had built of what the Avancia Hold would be like, had been put to the test, under the weight of reality. Where desperate people and meagre conditions met, trouble was bound to happen.

It was no different in this Western Section. The people here gave them cold glances, sizing them up, and some were outright staring at them, sizing them up. It was not a welcoming place.

More mouths to feed, would mean, less food for them. Which in the end, made them resentful of newcomers. Argo had seen it time and again. Humans were the same, no matter where one went. And he could not blame them for it.

Constance lingered by the horses, untying them, as she took some self-reflection time, looking a bit lost, trying to sort herself out.

"Hello, my name's David. I've been here for about a month." Argo turned around, to see someone talking to Constance, who was about to lead the horses, his hand was on their reins as he spoke, with his other hand out for a shake.

Constance stared at him for a moment, she chose to follow the teachings of those who raised her, "My name is Constance Evergreen. We're passing through."

David's brow twitched, his lips formed some more words, as he tentatively looked at her, "...Are you perhaps the Hero, Constance Evergreen, of the Goddess Church?" 

Argo wanted to stop her from replying, with his gaze, but, he knew it was a fruitless thing. A hero did not hide their name or mission. Neither did the clergy. And she happened to be both. He'd been careless, letting a stranger get so close.

It would be impossible to get the rumors to stay as just that, he could see it in David's eyes. 

"I am." Constance stared at him, her head slightly back, her soul had pulled back from her eyes, she was no longer Constance... but the hero.

David had tears running down his face, as he raised her hand, and lowered his head, he spoke brokenly, "You've come to save us from this place. Our prayers have at last been answered. Thank the Goddess… thank the Goddess…" 

Constance looked up, past him. 

Where the people cried out for change.

Where the people cried out for salvation.

Where the people cried out for hope.

That was where a Hero, was meant to be.

She didn't know, if it was truly the Goddess who had brought her here, to teach her more about life, or to save them, and she didn't know what was right, or had the head to think as deeply as Argo.

But she didn't care about any of that.

In her heart, she knew, these people needed her, even if it meant she would be used up.

She summoned up her courage.

Argo finished loading the supplies onto the carriage. He didn't want to stay too much longer.

He had caught David's face before he could lower it. That was not a crying man's grateful face, but the expression of someone who had found a rope to grab onto. He was not a good and faithful man.

He was an opportunist, who had found his chance. He could not blame him, either, but, he was not going to get wrapped up in taking care of hundreds, if not a thousand people or more, and crossing the Mountains.

It was suicide, and if they didn't all die, most would.

He did not want that kind of responsibility, nor that kind of blood on his hands, when they inevitably failed.

David let go of the reins of the horses, and went away, shouting down the street, "The hero has come! The hero has come!" 

He was trying to tie them down, before they could leave, by having as many people hear of this as he could. Argo knew it for certain. He idly considered killing him, but chose against it, since Constance was already on edge with him.

He grabbed the reins and got on the carriage. If they left now, while people were still confused, they could escape. He put on his hat, to obscure his face.

He felt a serene gaze on him.

He could see it in there.

And then, she spoke, softly, "I will not allow Avancia to be found among the sins of the Church." 

He felt compelled, by some unseen force as he looked into her eyes. His jaw tightened.

She had already made up her mind. No amount of talking would budge her. 

She turned back, to the people who were now staring at her, "I can't do this without you." 

Argo was left silent. The strength it must have taken her, to say those words, he chose not to imagine. They had hit his chest like a sledgehammer. But he knew it was impossible. No amount of hoping or sixth senses could guide so many, safely, through the infestation that was this place.

Golden light manifested from her body. Argo felt his head pound. If she stayed and tried to lead them, they would all die, including her, who would be driven to sacrifice her own life for them.

And going without her, was out of the question, since alone, he might make it far, but eventually the constant fighting would leave him weak. Something was sure to kill him before he could get out.

He felt defeated, by this little hero's resolve as he leaned back in the coachman's seat, staring at the ceiling of the great cavern, and its many stars. He wondered what the hell, he could do to get past this situation, since changing her mind, was going to be impossible and time was ticking.

In the meantime, people had gathered around the warmth of her holy power, healing them, which meant word would only spread faster now. 

He looked down at the forming crowd, lost in thought when he spotted David's face among the crowd.

He wanted to rip his skin off and boil him alive. David felt the look and turned, but Argo only looked like a man in a white hat, to him. He got a little smaller in the crowd, to hide inside it.

Argo let out a puff of air from his nose. His mind itched with an answer to the question that now lingered in his mind. It was as though he knew the way, but didn't at the same time.

The answer was there, but he couldn't pull it out, like a sneeze that just wouldn't go. He grew annoyed.

Reminded again that every day that passed, was a day closer to the invasion, that he couldn't afford to waste drove him further into frustration.

In that haze of annoyance, frustration, and calculation, he realized what he was staring at. 

...A terrible idea spawned in his head, but... it wasn't impossible. He chewed on his lip a little and looked down. His eyes searched the wooden coachman's seat, but he wasn't looking there, his sight was somewhere far away. 

A way that would risk the least number of lives, for the most benefit.

Though he may have hated it, and knew that it was dangerous enough to rival the journey, the words still found their way onto his lips.

"...There may be a way for everyone to escape."