-{Ark II-Beldon: Chapter V: The City Of Cats}-

Do I really need to say more? To be deadly is to be dedicated to your training. - An unnamed legendary swordsman.

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Two gruelling weeks… That's how long it was after I joined the Rebellion. And although I trained every day, it seemed like I wasn't getting anywhere. However, I shouldn't be taking it so hard on myself… Everyone here has been training for however long they've been here, and I just started. I now know how to handle a blade… or at least that's what I tell myself.

"Hey, you guys want to celebrate tomorrow?" Ella randomly states as we sit together in the mess hall.

Each time I eat here I gorge myself on the food, and have to tell myself to stop. Today I was eating actual meat, not that much, but it was still there nonetheless.

"What are we going to be celebrating?" Ralph questions.

"Well, it's been like two weeks since Alex woke up, and we've done nothing but train…" She replies, "We could just take this next off day to just go out or something?"

"So like… out to eat?" I question.

"You and your food," Ella narrows her eyes at me.

"What? Is that so bad?" I grin, before taking another chunk out of my meal.

"When you eat like that… yes."

"What--ever," I roll my eyes with a mouth of food.

"I'm up for it," Ralph shrugs.

"Would be great…" Greg states, "If I could go, but I've got patrol duty tomorrow."

"Dang, should we do it another time?" Ella responds.

"Nah, you guys do your own thing, I'm not one for shopping anyway," Greg smirks.

"I didn't say we were going to go shopping!" Ella frowns.

"But you know we will," Valair states with a slight giggle under her words.

Laughter erupts from the two of them, and I just shake my head.

"Well, I've gotta go," I say as I stand, "I've got that sparring match in twenty minutes, and Commander wants me to warm up before it."

"Right, right, see you tomorrow then," Ella nods as I leave.

"See ya later," Ralph and Greg say as I begin to leave.

I just wave with the back of my hand as I exit the mess hall.

After an hour of intense battling, I still lost.

"That's the third time…" Commander grumbles, "I thought you'd at least be able to win once… Where'd that fighting spirit go, huh?"

"I don't know, sir," I state with sweat dripping down my face.

"Ya need to stop holding ya'rself back, hit like I'm not ya'r commanding officer, but ya'r enemy."

"I know… I'll do better, sir…"

"Next time kid, hit the showers it's already past curfew," He stated before walking out from the sparring ring.

"Right," I nodded before looking up at the night's sky.

A dazzling display of stars filled the darkness of the sky. Constellations hovered over the world as if watching it for what was going to happen next.

I rose from the wooden stump I had been sitting on, and followed into the fortress. I went to the showers to wash myself clean from the sweat and grime I had collected from the past hour. However, I was stopped by the voices of soldiers in the distance.

"Did you see that guy fighting the Commander today?" One asks.

"Yeah, seemed like a chump to me, couldn't even fight properly," Another smirked.

"I bet you, I could beat him with a single blow, have you seen how scrawny he is?" The first voice taunts.

Ignore them, ignore them… I repeat to myself as I keep moving forward.

I strip down to a lown cloth as I begin to wash myself clean from everything. Scars lay present over the areas I had taken heavy wounds. One lying slightly horizontal over the stomach, another lying diagonally across my right shoulder, and a small burn mark lying present over the right side of my ribcage. Then there was still the oddly now blackened scar that covered the mortal wound covering my left lung. I received this one after I had been killed.

The colour almost match that of my Cursed markings. I traced it without even thinking… However, nothing actually happened.

I woke up from my bed, remembering what those soldiers had said. Gossip, nothing more… I shake my head before turning away from the wall I had been facing. I was now in my normal military attire, which consisted of a tan short-sleeved shirt, and woollen pants.

"Hey, sleeping in again?" Ella stated as I look towards her, "Hey, you gotta get up now."

"Nah…" I roll back over.

"That wasn't a question," She growled, "Do we have to do this every time your able?"

"I'm not getting up," I grumble.

"Oh really?" She grits her teeth.

Then pain courses it's way into my veins after the full weight of her elbow crashes down upon my side. I heave for air as all of it had just left my lungs.

"How about now?" She growled with a sinister tone.

"Nah…" I crumple inwards with a shaky breathe, "I'm… good."

I can almost feel the heat for her anger at this point, "Oh really now, we're gonna play this game!?"

"Wait!" I yell before she drags me from the bed and throws me to the ground.

A low groan leaves me as I lie painfully on the solid wooden floor, "Now if you're not ready in twenty minutes, I will come back."

I roll over onto my back, "That's an idol threat you know."

She frowns as I shoot her a smirk. Then with huff, she smiles and leaves me to get ready.

"Twenty minutes!" She yells before I hear her footsteps panter down the hall.

I roll-jump up to a stand before stretching and popping my joints. Just like old times, I guess… I grin before walking over, and opening my wardrobe. I was still in the same room I had woken up into those couple weeks ago.

I grab out a blueish-grey long-sleeve shirt, and another pair of slightly grey pants. I turned to the door where a pair of leathery brown boots lie still with a pair of socks sitting within them. Probably left by Ella when she came by…

I slip on the boots with ease, and they oddly fit comfortably even though they seemed a size too big. Odd, maybe I grew? I chuckle slightly before grabbing my pale tan travelling cloak and hoisting it over my shoulder.

"Time to go," I whisper to myself before leaving the room behind and walking through the several corridors, then out from the fortress.

And once I reach the courtyards everyone was already waiting for me.

"Finally ready?" Ralph shoots me a smirk.

"Yeah, I think so…" I nod in agreement.

"We all ready then?" Valair questioned the for of us.

"Seems to be," Ella smiles as we begin towards Beldon; The City of Cats, or at least that's what they call it.

Maybe there's a lot of cats living there or something? Nah, they just probably love cats a bit too much…

We walked most of the way in silence, and only had small conversations here and there. The distance wasn't too far from the fortress, but far enough to not be a hindrance to the city.

"Well, there it is, the city of Beldon!" Ella almost shouts over to us.

"Yeah, it's not like we can't see it?" Ralph sarcastically shakes his head.

Gigantic walls jolt out from the ground stating the start of the city, and two huge metal doors mark the entrance. Although the doors themselves were massive they were still only about half the size compared to the walls.

Two hulking knightly guards stood on each side of the massive gate, and watched the approach of not only us but anyone who dared get close. They had bent legs which seemed odd at first until I realized why the city had its name.

"So is this city supposed to be filled with Beast-folk?" I question.

"Why yes, that's how it got its name in the first place," Valair answered before handing me a pair of cloth gloves, "Here put these on…"

"Why?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Because, not everywhere openly accepts the Cursed…" She explains, "Even you should know that."

"Right…" I nodded my head before taking and slipping on the gloves.

It felt odd to be wearing so much in this kind of heated climate, but what else can I really do? I adjust the cloak wrapped around my collarbone as Ralph went up to the gate-guards.

"So… what'd they say?" I ask as he makes his return.

"It took some money but… I got us all to get in without having to be searched…" He grumbles.

"So, how much you lose?" Ella then questions him.

"Like some eighty-eight coins…" He groaned.

"Dang-- that much?" Her eyes widened, "Well, if it makes you feel any better I bet you Alex would be more than…"

"Don't pin this on me!" I frown.

"Fine…" She waved her arms up sarcastically, "I guess I can pay."

"Pfft, you two are so childish," Valair laughs at us.

"Whatever… let's go eat some food. I'm starving…" I whine like a young child.

Ella just shakes her head before we all enter into the city. And sure enough, Beast-folk from all kinds walked the streets carrying on with there own lively duties. Then I begin to get giddy just like a child would when they receive a new toy.

I had never seen anything like this in my entire lifetime. Both, not only this amount of people from different walks of life all in the same place, but also I've never seen so many kinds of Beast-folk in my life.

I gasp and smile at the city around me, it was just too amazing.

"Dude, Alex, you okay?" Ralph asks, "You look a bit overwhelmed over there."

"He hasn't really been to many cities outside of Helmgard before," Ella states in a slight whisper.

"Ah, makes sense now," Ralph nods.

"Shall we get to the restaurant now?" Valair asks with a smile crossing her face.

After we all agree we walk through the streets in search of a restaurant called The Fabled Patch Tavern. And after a short while, Ella and Valair stopped in front of a small-ish restaurant.

"We're here!" Ella almost yelled in excitement, while pointing up at the tavern's sign.

"Ah, The Fabled Patch… I've heard mix reviews," Ralph shrugged.

"Well, you'll change your mind once you eat some of their food," Ella grumbled.

"Just enter will yeah!?" Valair growled.

"Alright, I'm going," Ralph rolled his eyes before pushing the doors open for the rest of us.

We follow suit and enter the laughter filled tavern. Some people turn to look at us, a few shoot us snarls, and others smile.

"Welcome, welcome!" A feminine voice shouts from behind a counter, "How can Sinta'rin help thee?"

"We would like a table please!" Ella shouted over the chatter around us.

A loud gasp erupted from the woman, "Ella! Thou art 'ere!"

I raised an eyebrow before a feline beast-folk sprinted haphazardly through the groups of people standing around. I stare stunned at the fact that this was an actual feline beast-folk. I'd only seen wolf beast-folk before… but even at that, they were rare to travel through Karthridge.

"How long 'as thou been gone for?" The woman I perceived to be Sinta'rin asked as she almost tackled Ella.

"It's only been about a week?" Ella recoiled pulling herself free from Sinta'rin's grasp.

"Who art thee?" Sinta'rin turned and looked me up and down before leaning in to whisper in Ella's ear, "He seems strapping, don't 'e?"

I furrowed my eyebrows slightly before Ella's face went into a flustered frown, "That… that'd be my… brother…."

Sinta'rin turned from Ella to me then back to Ella again, "What… no?"

Her eyes widen as Ella nods, "Oh, forget what Sinta'rin has said… so thou 'asn't kick the bucket?"

And with that, a smile crept back onto her face, before Ralph intervenes with a fake cough, "So… how about that table?"

"Right, Sinta'rin has forgotten 'er manners!" She bows before leading us through the tavern, "Follow, Sinta'rin shall show thee to thy table."

Then without hesitation, she begins through the crowd with the four of us in tow. Then she seats us at a table not too far from the others in the tavern, however, far enough to not be noticed if anyone were to enter looking for us.

With a smile spread wide across her face she asked, "So, what art thee lookin to gorge upon today?"