Alice stepped outside the hospital and into the outside world.

The sky was cloudy, the air was fresh. There was a promise of rain lingering in the air.

The young teacher turned to look at the building she’d been in. Stone and concrete, its entrance a wooden arch that had a very heavy looking metal door. The door itself looked like something they’d use in a hangar, heavy enough there were rails on the ground for it to roll over. The whole thing was just waiting to slam shut and seal the entire structure from potential intrusion.

There was a wooden hanging above the entrance. ‘Medicen’ it read. On either side of the name, there were two symbols. One a red apple, the other a green infinity sign.

From the inside, the structure and its halls had reminded her of an old hospital she’d visited once on her trip to France. A structure built out of an ancient castle older than several countries. Built to withstand war. Thick stone reinforced with concrete. Except these had shutters, cold, grey, and metallic, ready to swing close and lock at a moment’s notice.

A shudder ran down her spine as she turned to glance around to the rest of the village of “Astunes”.

To Alice, it looked like a village plucked straight out of some mountain in the English countryside. But the comparison was flawed in so many ways. It lacked many of the things she’d expect of such a place. The houses were not close together but rather generously spaced apart, each one no taller than two stories, made out of the same mossy cobblestone and concrete, each with windows that had metal shutters much like the hospital. And between each house, enough space for another one.

The sense of spaciousness was contrasted by the eerie sense of looming danger and emptiness.

This felt less like a homely picturesque mountain village and more like a series of tiny home-sized fortifications built by zealous owners unwilling to allow their neighbors to get too close.

“Miss Smith?”

The voice made Alice whirl around, coming face to face with a wall of flesh and muscle. She squeaked and jumped back, looking up to focus on the eyes of Gabriel Huge, or ‘Major’ Gabriel Huge. The man had been so quiet she’d not heard his approach. Or perhaps she’d been too distracted?

“Oh, Major.” She gave a curt, tight smile, taking another step back and putting herself out of his immediate reach. Not quite comfortable this close. “I was wondering where everyone had gone.”

If her adding some personal space bothered him, the man did not show it. The only gesture that came out of his stiff, serious face was a small, brief nod. The man put his hands behind his back. “The Hunter has procured accommodations for everyone, ma’am.” His tone was curt and solid, his shoulders stiffening as his gaze didn’t so much meet her own, but rather stared off into the distance.

Alice was about to reply, taking a moment to notice there were two other figures present she’d not spotted earlier. Both were women, wearing a tight looking green uniform. One was a blond woman with her long hair braided and hanging over her shoulders, a green collar locked around her neck. The other was a red-head with a short pixie cut. She wore a blue collar. So these were ‘maidens’, bodyguards perhaps?

Huge noticed Alice’s stare and was quick to speak up. “If their presence bothers you, ma’am, I could have them walk further behind.” The Major bowed his head slightly. “But I give you my word, my girls are far safer than the ferals you had the misfortune to encounter.”

Alice bristled when the man had spoken those two words: ‘My girls’. Her jaw tightened as she did her best to also push away the weirdness of how this hulking human being was being almost… deferential. “No, I’m fine, thank you.”

Huge nodded. The gesture made his powerful neck tense like a bowstring. “This way, please.”

Turning to walk down the street, the man took large, lumbering steps that should not have been as quiet as they were. Alice hesitated, noticing the man’s guard had remained in place, looking distantly ahead. Anywhere except at her. And as soon as the young teacher hastily moved to catch up with the small giant, the two uniformed maidens had set their pace to match theirs while keeping themselves a good three meters behind both of them.

Alice glanced back at Huge. The man kept his hands behind his back as he walked, staring right ahead. From where she was, she noticed how the man’s muscles were taut under his dark blue uniform. His back was tense, like a bowstring ready to let an arrow loose. Now that she paid attention, Huge looked like he was one wrong sound away from jumping out of his skin. It made her frown.

“Why are you tense?” The words left her before she could reign them in. Alice immediately wanted to curse at herself.

The Major twitched and looked over his shoulder down at Alice, letting out a nervous chuckle and turning straight ahead, hands still behind himself. “I guess you’ll find out soon enough, but human women are very… rare.”

Wait what? Alice had been about to press on this point when she noticed Huge’s whispering steps had come to a halt. They were standing in front of a building that looked different from the others. It held quite a bit of space between itself and its neighbors, more than the others she’d spotted. Being three stories tall, the building was more cement than cobblestone as well. It definitely appeared more modern than the others. That, or at least the coat of white paint, was fresher.

Alice’s eyes lingered on the twelve or so women that stood around the building. They formed a kind of living outline of the perimeter. Each of them wore green collars, and most of were clearly maidens even if without the collars. Animal ears, wings. One was a centaur! Alice couldn’t believe her eyes, watching as each of the twelve or so uniform wearing creatures stood still, backs turned to the white building.

“Please don’t mind the security, it’s standard protocol.” Huge’s words, though soft, were not reassuring in the slightest.

They approached the perimeter. Huge gave a slight nod to the closest maiden. The woman’s posture tightened, and she threw some sort of salute, placing her right hand against her left shoulder. For a fraction of a second, her eyes lingered on Alice. There was a marginal shock, a tiny rise of eyebrows. “Ma’am!” She stated with a bang, then turned to Huge. “Sir!” She added, adding a second salute. It was immediately followed by turning to look straight ahead.

As if on cue, every one of the maidens tensed and straightened their shoulders. A dozen hands impacted shoulders in a series of claps.

Alice felt an oppressive shudder run down her spine. Was this what she should be looking forward to from here on out? Why had they saluted her first and Huge second? She glanced at the tall man who’d not even blinked, just moving forward and through the perimeter.

Hiding the grimace, she followed behind the tall man. Two more guards stood at either side of the building’s main entrance, opening it for them as they approached. Huge stopped right at the threshold of the door and not a step further.

“Miss Smith, it’s been a pleasure. There should be a maiden to assist with any need you might have.” A curt, stiff smile lingered on his lips as he nodded slightly to the inside. “Tomorrow you’ll be all debriefed. Take the time to acclimate yourself with your room and commodities.”

As if it had all been coordinated from the start, someone emerged from within the building’s baby-blue foyer. Another maiden, wearing a blue collar and a long, flowing white dress. The woman approached and bowed at Alice. “Ma’am? I will show you to your temporary accommodations. This way please.”

“Good luck.” Huge waved, trying to relax his shoulders and failing.

Alice numbly nodded. Inwardly, the word ‘temporary’ kept repeating itself over and over again inside her mind. If there was solace to be found, it would likely be in the privacy of her new room.

“Hey teach!”

The voice made her stop and turn around, looking at two familiar figures. One was May, quietly standing to the side and slightly behind the source of the call-out. The other had dirty blond hair that glistened as if it had come out of a shower recently, and an eager smile. Alice’s eyes widened slightly, recognizing the face. “You… were one of the students that left with Rick.”

“Kat.” The young woman extended a friendly hand excitedly. “I heard you wrestled a fucking spider! Arach…ne? Nae? The big murder bug.” A chiming laugh followed. “Mind sharing the deets?”

“I…”

“Come on, teach, please?” Kat smiled slightly. “And I’ll tell you about how things went on our side?”

There was a prickle of curiosity that struck Alice. She remembered how sure Rick seemed in the direction he wanted to take. Maybe this could give her some better context? “… sure.” A little glance and a pause. “Is your grandfather ok?”

“Oh, him? He’s fine and dandy, over at the other place with the guys. Probably having a blast playing puzzle crosswords or something.” Kat rolled her eyes, her right hand moving and lightly brushing against her left elbow. Alice noticed the gesture of nervousness. There seemed to be more that was going unsaid. “Anyway, that means more room for us!”