[Vol.2] Quest 195- Hawk Eyes View
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She has been watching her.

"Come on Ryuu! You can do better!"

"Y-yes!"

She is the last of his Familia. The least she can do is watch over her until the heat dies down.

A brown-haired human and a black-haired cat person... assassins planning out their assassinations. Such tactics... if not for their lack of killing intent, I’m sure she would have dealt with them.’

She has been keeping an eye on her during the day, and when the assassins leaves, she returns home.

"I’m back…"

"Circe!" said Ais.

"Oh Ais, you’re here."

"Hm, she has been waiting for quite a while." Said Lenoa.

"Sorry um... I have been busy."

"It’s fine…are you watching over the Gale?" she asked.

"…I am."

She could see the regret on her face.

"It’s a shame Lady Astraea asked you to keep this from Cirrus. I know Spirits are loyal only to their contractors, like mother was to father, so this must be horrible for you."

"…Your observations have gotten better, Ais. I guess that’s an advantage of being a level 4. I’ll make some tea, and you can go home before Riveria scolds you again."

"Hm!"

Ais every now and then began coming to talk with Circe, and Circe would check her body to find that she was more human than spirit. The blood running through her is a spirit. There is no questioning that. But every year, Ais would need to come in for a checkup for any changes, such as a level up.

 

The next day.

‘There watching again…

Day after day after day, they would come and watch her, but this time... they left earlier than expected.

‘Seems they had enough…I’ll have to keep an eye out a bit longer tomorrow.’

The next day, they didn’t show up, and Circe waited till late at night, when she saw the waitress with gray hair leave with Mia.

‘So the one without Falna is leaving. That’s good—'

She felt a gaze on her. She quickly found it was the waitress. She could see their eyes met.

‘…She isn’t a normal waitress but... from what I have seen, she is harmless.’

Circe continued to watch the area as, from the darkness, a figure moved in.

‘Dammit! She’s already in!’

Circe knows she is not suited for close-range combat, unlike Nox, who has more range in her attacks, but Circe was purely for mid-to long-range attacks.

She could see smoke filling the corridor, and another person came rushing in. Her brown hair and scarf moved with her speed as she jumped and came in for a strike of her fist.

Whaaaam!!!

The area around the window broke, and in the destruction, Ryuu jumped out.

‘Good, she’s out! I can help her now!’

Ryuu looked up to see a massive chunk of the building destroyed.

"Such power... Ah." She remembered Mia’s words. "She’s going to have my head."

Jumping from the destruction, the brown-haired girl jumped down.

"I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy." The girl grins. "Well sneak attacks don’t sit well with me anyway, and it’s not like a strong ex-adventure like you would fall for it, so I guess it’s okay."

‘This human… She did this?’

"Wh-What is mew doing!?!?" shouted the cat assassin.

‘Mew?" thought Circe and Ryuu.

"Ah! Ahem. What’s the big idea!?" she said shouting and pointing at the human. "Hm? wait…ARE YOU BLACK FIST!?"

"Oh? If so, I guess that makes you a Black Cat, huh? We appear to have received a double bounty. When the targets overlap it's always first come, first served. That’s how we work! No hard feelings no matter who gets it okay?"

"Grrr!!!! You are so damned muscled-brained! How come there wasn’t a rumor about this!"

Black Fist looks back at Ryuu.

"Now that, that’s settled, I’ll be getting your head."

‘Even Black Fist…is after me…dam and the poison is finally starting to set in….tch and to be chased after by Black Cat and Fist... I’m really a criminal…but to think they were around my age…it’s a bit familiar to you, Cirrus.’

"Now get ready." Black Fist slams her fists together. "I really don’t like fighting someone as deadly as you."

They both get into stances as Black Cat watches from above.

‘This won’t do! (The stars of the night interrupt their course.) [Atéleio̱tos Voyage]!!’

"!?!?"

Several pink feathers come down directed at Black Fist and Black Cat.

"Magic!? Who did that!?" shouted Black Fist.

Ryuu looked to see if there was a pink hawk.

‘That bird…It belongs to Cirrus. Did he leave it here to watch over me? No matter, the odds are in my favor now!’

"Dammit! A pink hawk!? Is that some mages familiar? is someone else after the bounty?" asked Black Cat.

"Fwaaah!" said Anya.

"!?" she turned to see Anya rubbing her eyes. 

‘This girl! The one that hangs around the Gale!’

"Stuff out here is so noisy…it woke me up."

"How are you awake!? That mist should have knocked people out for hours-ngh!" a strong scent hit her nose. "You stink!! Did you drink yourself to sleep!?’

‘She must be a complete idiot!’

"So…" Anya looked around to see the damage. "You seem to be having a showdown..." her eyes and voice sharpened up. "Are mew Ryuu’s enemy?"

"!!"

‘An idiot she maybe but she was still immune to the sleeping scent…a high-rank with a polearm weapon.

"Heh… and what if I am?"

"…If you are." Her legs tense up and she kicks off the roof. "I’ll blow mew away!!"

As Black Cat and Anya fought Circe noticed Ryuu had slower movement.

‘Poison? Dam it must be Black Cat! This one did land many hits to tear the skin!’

Circe flies down and lands on Ryuu’s shoulder.

"A bird?" said Black Fist.

(The winery fields come back to life.) [Atéleio̱tos Voyage]!’

A fairly small barrier appeared over Ryuu and healed her wounds.

‘The poison? And my fatigue…it’s gone!?

"I didn’t expect you to have a familiar. Guess I’ll have to kill it first!"

As Black Fist charges in, Black Cat falls down, with Anya dropping down in pursuit.

"What meow? Are mew a cat person too?"

"You…you just keep…"

"Isn’t it hard to keep talking like that meow?" said Anya. "Stop putting on an act and just be yourself, meow!" Anya declared.

"!!" Black Cat got pissed. "MEEEEEW!! YOU SURE ARE FULL OF MEWSELF! TALKING ALL HIGH-BROW! DON’T MEW EVEN THINK OF GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE GREAT CHLOE!!"

"Ooh?" Anya said, taking a step back. "She talked meow! And mew even sound a little like me!"

"Don’t confuse me with an idiot meow!!"

"Who are you calling an idiot!!"

As the two bicker, Circe takes this chance and returns to her spot while Ryuu covers her.

She watched from on up high as Ryuu handled her, but she was still holding her own until Ryuu decided to use her magic.

Black Fist increased her aggression, but—

(The stars of the night interrupt their course.) [Atéleio̱tos Voyage]!!’

"Dammit!! That dam familiar!?" shouted Black Fist.

"[Luminous Wind]!!"

"Shit!?"

A blast of wind and light filled the area, getting even Anya and Black Cat caught in the effect.

 

After a bit, they all got back up and were ready for more fighting until.

"HAHAHA!! YES, YOU’VE WORN EACH OTHER DOWN PERFECTLY!?

‘Another variable!? Dammit! I should have paid better attention!’

They turn to see a bunch of shady-looking people.

"What…Is that? What is the Bruno Trading Federation doing here? Fuck a double cross." said Black Fist.

"That dwarf…fuck I been double-crossed as well."

"So from the beginning, it wasn’t just Gale that you were after…"

The dwarf and human grinned.

"Correct!"

"The Black Cat and Fist were two thorns in our sides! We had you two take on the Gale so we could put you down while you were weak!"

"That was the real purpose of the job!"

"How convenient that only we, the Bruno Trading Federation, knew where the Gale was hiding! Evilus has fallen, and we’ve got Gale here to thank for who we thought would be the one to end them! I would have placed money on that dam Demon of Shalzard you call Uncrowned Emperor!"

Ryuu and Circe twitched a bit from his words.

"…What do you mean?" Ryuu asks.

"Oh, I was part of the Vritra Familia in Israfan! I am fully aware of the atrocities he committed! Hell, I was one of the survivors from the time he was given the moniker Demon! He came down from the sky like a predator and sliced three grown men’s heads clean off in one swoop!" said the dwarf. "He then killed the men at the base with such ferocity and coldness that he was more of a monster than an actual monsters! All that at the age of 8! But hey! I guess he taught you some of that brutality, huh!"

"…" a fit of anger filled her face.

"Not to worry! We will be establishing a new world order in this reborn Orario with our corporation! And we can’t have masterless, destructive elements like you two mercs around!"

"And most importantly… WE CAN’T HAVE YOU LET PEOPLE KNOW OF OUR CONNECTIONS TO EVILUS LIVE!!! GET’EM!!!" shouted the human.

‘Bastards!’

Circe flies by and lands on Ryuu’s head.

"Hm? What are you going to do?" She said.

‘(A myriad vapors obscure the light, The winery fields come back to life.) [Atéleio̱tos Voyage]!’

A far larger barrier appears, covering Ryuu, Anya, Black Cat, and Fist, quickly healing them up.

"Heh, this feels pretty damn good!" Black Fist said, hitting her fists together.

"Yes…I feel as good as new!" said Black Cat.

"Ryuu." said Anya. "Is it okay to blow them away, meow?"

"…No." She walked forward as her expression darkened. "Stains of shit need to be fucking wiped."

"!!" They could see how dark her expression became. They could feel an intense fury coming off of her.

"There will be no escape."

Circe flew back and cast her magic to create a barrier encasing Ryuu in with them, leaving Anya, Black Cat, and Fist out.

"…So they're dead right?"

"I mean, you saw the look in her eyes, right?" said Black Fist.

 

Inside the barrier.

"HELP!!! HELP—GAHHH!?!?"

"NO!!! NOO!!!!—SPURT!!!"

"YOU FUCKING SCUM!!! YOU ALL KEEP SURVIVING LIKE COCKROACHES!!! IF ONLY YOU WERE NEVER BORN!!!" Ryuu shouted from the depths of her fury and hatred.

 

Back outside.

"Probably." said Anya. "Were lucky Ma—"

Thick, thunderous footsteps filled the area. Anya began to shake in terror.

"Oh mew." She said as fear settled in her heart.

The door to the back of the pub opened to show a pissed-off Mia.

"Oy... dumbasses." Her voice was tinged with anger and restraint. "What is going on here? Whose bar is this?? Huh?? Why is there a barrier here, huh!? Answer me!!!" She shouted with such force that it shook their confidence away.

Fear gripped all three of them.

"Mama Mia! Mei and the others got drunk on the alcohol—" She stepped outside to see all the damage. "Oh...Ahahahah! I shouldn’t have said anything!" she said running away.

"So??" She said, walking up to the three of them. "What’s going on?? If you tell me the truth, I won’t bury you neck deep in shit."

"W-well you—"

"Meow!! They were assassins after Ryuu. They fought, and then people who were part of Evilus came to finish them all off!!!" Anya shouted as clearly as she could.

‘Does her brain just work better with fear!?’ Thought Black Fist.

"…Is that so." Mia glared at Black Cat and Fist. "You two stay here. If you run, I will break your legs into powder."

"!!" Immediately, Black Fist froze up in fear. A major trauma resurfaced. "Y-yes ma’am!!" She shouted.

"Got it!!" Black Cat yelled.

'Shattering legs into powder!? That’s not possible!’

From up above, Circe was watching carefully.

‘What is she going to do?’ She said, watching as Mia walked to her barrier. I’m sure it will hold. granted it’s using my own magic, so it’s not as strong when using Cirrus’s magic, but it should hold!’

She watched as Mia clenched her fist.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The cracking of her knuckles.

Riiiip!!

The ripping of her sleeves as her muscles began to bulge free of any restraints.

‘Oh no.’

She rounded her fist so far back it was impractical.

"Mmmm!!!! HAAAAA!!!!"

She punched the barrier as hard as she could.

SHATTER!!!!

‘!?’ Circe was shocked and scared by how strong Mia was to do that.

The barrier quickly broke away, revealing Ryuu’s bloodbath.

"Haaa!!! Haaa!!! Haaa!!!" Ryuu was covered in blood.

Circe could see the resemblance she had with Cirrus at that moment.

‘Oh… This is how far your hatred goes.’ Circe grimaces at the thought.

"Oy." Mia walked across the bodies and blood to Ryuu.

Ryuu turned as she swung her sword, and at the moment Mia caught it easily.

"!" Ryuu froze a bit. She looked up to see Mia’s sympathetic eyes.

"You can put down your swords now. The fighting is done."

"…B-but there are—"

"It is done." She said sternly. "Your war has ended. I won’t let one of my girls keep fighting till their caked in the enemy's blood."

"T-they—"

"I know who they are and I know who you are. I am sure Cirrus wouldn’t want you to be like him."

"!!" She stopped and looked at her hands. She looked around herself to find a pool of blood.

Clang! Clang!

She drops her blades as her hands begin to shake.

"I… I…." Her tears began to wash away the blood splattered on her face,

Hug!!

"!?"

"It’s okay." Mia hugged her tightly. "I will handle it." Her hug grew slightly tighter.

Ryuu began to cry even more as she hugged Mia back tightly.

‘I think I have seen enough. You have found yourself a good place to call home.’

Circe opened her wings and flew away.

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