Annabelle’s Bastion

In the end, Aria wasn’t able to join the expedition.

However, whatever talk she had with Alisha seemed to placate her enough that she didn’t seem too concerned. Instead, she was like a mother duck toward Anna.

Anna didn’t get it, but she fully intended to bring back a Sigil. That was the least she could do, and it almost made her feel guilty; she wasn’t going on her own merit. She was a supporter, and since her high mana purity was apparently only known to Alisha and a few others, she got in through her privilege.

The average teachers only thought she had above-average purity—talent. It meant mana wasn’t so pure that it couldn’t be contaminated but could still make a decent supporter. 

Thankfully, it was known that her talent in supporting Sigils was high, so she could talk her way out of any negativity about her joining.

“Stay vigilant,” Aria said, leaning against their room doorway as she watched Anna pack a few extra uniforms. “F-Tier cores are dangerous; the enemies are wild and unpredictable.”

“Yep,” Anna said for what felt like the umpteenth time, nodding. She zipped up her pack, feeling nostalgic, even though it had only been about a month since she packed her bags to leave home. She shook her head and reassuringly smiled at Aria. “I’ve been working on my barrier control. I can almost freely allocate as much mana as I want to defend a localized point on my body.”

It actually wasn’t difficult to do that.

Once Anna started treating it like a Sigil, she gained more control with every practice session. Not only that, but it got stronger even without her doing anything. The barrier felt like it was growing up. In fact, she didn’t think there was anything left to discover there; she had to let it grow on its own. Since it was a passive part of her being, it probably would only improve past its natural growth limit when her mana itself improved.

The only thing she hadn’t tested was what happened when it shattered. Could she bring it back with more mana? It wasn’t something she could readily try since nobody knew the precise amount of power needed. She didn’t want to be injured!

“Good.” Aria pushed off the wall and approached Anna, checking her as if it was a readiness inspection. Once she was seemingly satisfied, she nodded. “Jaxon is crude, but he is the best captain to have. Listen to him.”

Was she trying to convince herself? 

Anna wryly chuckled.

Jaxon was the crude man who stopped her when she went to speak with Alisha. He may have been threatening had she not seen how docile he became around his boss.

“How strong is he?” Anna asked. 

The strength hierarchy still wasn’t clear to her. Alisha was the strongest, but that only proved appearances meant nothing.

“You can’t be promoted from Cadet unless you’re capable of clearing an F-Tier core alone.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes.” Aria performed yet another check of Anna’s person. “And Jaxon is a captain.”

So he was ridiculously strong, then.

“How many ranks are there before Captain?”

“Alisha didn’t tell me.”

“Hmm,” Anna hummed. She sighed. “I don’t like hierarchies, but I suppose it’s important for missions.”

“Agreed.”

Anna snickered. Aria did want to make a squad, after all, and was fine either having Anna be the official leader or she led it. Both were of the same mind; independent operations.

It was fantastic how well their plans worked together!

“I think…” She double-checked her pack before strapping it to her back. It wasn’t much, but it should keep her comfortable for the next few days. ”I’m ready to go!” 

Aria nodded. “I’ll accompany you to the gate.”

“Why thank you, my knight.” 

Aria paused. “That name... is spreading.”

Anna giggled. “Not by me, I assure you.”

“The others.”

“Bingo!” 

“Fine,” Aria lightly sighed. “It does me no harm.”

“They’d stop if you expressed any form of distaste for it.” Anna tilted her head upward to make eye contact with Aria from below. “They respect you, you know—a lot.”

Especially Lily. It was almost scary how much she idolized Aria and her strength, something that had only grown with each passing day.

“I know.”

“So we shouldn’t disappoint those expectations, should we?”

“What are you implying?”

“Oh, nothing~.” Anna tore her eyes away and went up to their door, opening it. She glanced back with a smirk. “Just, I hope that someone doesn’t create any troubles in the short few days I am away.”

Aria lightly squinted. “I am not an animal.”

“Not what I’m getting at. I hate to say it…” Anna shook her head and sighed helplessly. “But I think some of them wouldn’t approach you without me around as a sort of intermediary.”

The only times people approached her was when it related to combat. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing since it played into what Aria wanted and helped her dorm mates tremendously. In fact, each one who trained with Aria regularly could best Anna in martial combat.

But it was still sad.

“That—” However, Aria paused for a second, then nodded. “That is true.”

“Well,” Anna said, shrugging. “The current relationship you share isn’t exactly bad. But you need more friends.”

Aria didn’t reply as she stared at Anna for just short of an uncomfortable amount of time. Finally, she shook her head. “I don’t need friends.”

“What about me, then?” Anna feigned a look of hurt and pointed at herself. “Aren’t we friends?”

Aria’s eyes every so slightly widened as if catching herself in a faux-pau. She shook her head. “You are the only friend I need here.”

If someone asked why Anna wanted to hear those words, she wouldn’t be able to give an answer. But they felt good to hear. 

“Thanks.” Anna warmly smiled. “It means a lot that you feel that way about me.”

They had spent nearly every possible moment together the last month. But even before that, Aria had always been amiable. Anna knew they’d be good friends from the moment they met. When despite Aria’s cold words, she allowed Anna to bask in nostalgia before leaving her home. 

Small gestures were often a good way to determine character.

But what about Aria? She seemed to treat Anna well from day one, but Anna wasn’t sure why or how she earned that approval.

She wasn’t prone to self-doubt… it was just a curiosity. 

“What’s wrong?” Aria asked, right beside Anna and looking down at her.

“I don’t mean anything by it, and you don’t have to answer.” Anna looked up at those amber eyes.

“Hm?”

“You’ve treated me well since day one. Nobody else in this academy has gotten that from you… Why was I special?”

Aria didn’t have a noticeable reaction, save for the slight narrowing of her eyes. It appeared she was considering her answer. 

Did Anna force some reflection? It was an awkward question, but she wanted to solve her curiosities. 

“I... I appreciated your… mannerisms,” Aria finally answered.

Well, it was an answer, and Aria seemed as honest as she was able—she was just like that.

Anna bowed her head. “Sorry for asking such an awkward question.” She raised and smiled. “In exchange, I’ll say that I think your straightforward nature, your veiled kindness, and your willingness to listen are wonderful traits.”

Aria broke eye contact. “Let’s... Let’s go.” She started walking, assuming Anna would follow.

“Sorry, sorry.” Anna chuckled and followed. “In any case, I’m happy to call you my friend, Aria.”

“You’re not going to die out there,” Aria said immediately. “Your worries are unnecessary.”

Anna didn’t respond.

Was that it?

She almost blurted that she wasn’t anxious, but that would be a lie.

Violence in a controlled setting, where the only thing she had to worry about was mana exhaustion, and unpredictable chaos was incomparable. A monster charging her from random directions, the wild nature of it… it was scary.

“Yo, princess!” Jason waved them down from the end of the hall on the second floor. “And her knight!”

“Hello, Jason.” Anna waved.

Aria slightly nodded. “Hello.”

Once they got closer, Jason asked, “Headed to the expedition?” His gaze was on Anna’s pack.

“Yep!” Anna patted her pack a few times. “It should only be a few days, maybe less.”

The four days, Wednesday to Saturday, were probably just a buffer period in case anything went wrong. But with 60 people, the odds of it taking that long were slim.

“Please be careful, Anna! I heard the monsters are dangerous and unpredictable!” Lily popped out behind Jason, ever the inseparable duo. “There could be one beast, or there could be hordes!”

“Way to ease her nerves, Lilypad!” Jason shook his head exasperatingly. “But I think our princess will be fine.”

“What makes you so sure?” Lily questioned.

“Uh, because they wouldn’t hold something like this so dang early if it didn’t mean they weren’t able to keep the students safe. Duh.”

Actually, Anna disagreed. But she wasn’t about to say anything that would make the meek Lily freak out while she was away.

Lily slapped Jason’s arm. “Don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot, meathead!”

“Annabelle will be fine,” Aria interjected. “She won’t be alone, and Jaxon is more than strong enough to single-handedly slay hoards of mindless beasts.”

“Yes!” Lily eagerly nodded.

Jason whistled. “Damn, ain’t that reasurring?” 

Anna shook her head. “We can’t be sure what they want us to do there. But, yes, they won’t allow us to die.”

Probably.

“We have to go,” Aria reminded. “They will not wait.”

They probably would for Anna, but she wasn’t about to test that theory.

“She’s right, Lily, Jason.” Anna smiled reassuringly, then sent them a small wave and a friendly smile. “Don’t worry about me, and keep on training. The tournament qualifiers start soon.”

“Right!” Lily nodded excitedly. “I’ll be sure to at least make it a good fight for Miss Aria!”

Jason saluted. “I’ll do my best, ma’ams!”

And with that, they left their dorm uncontested, save for the farewells and well wishes. It was too bad Gromak wasn’t there to wish her well. But that was probably because he attached no danger level to the expedition and that it was just another day for Anna.

As she and Aria walked through the forest, Anna took a quick glance at the tree where Jack took his final breath. It hadn’t been that long, but it still felt like a distant memory. She was reminded, then, of Jared, Greg, and Ashton. They had been completely silent since her fight, but neither she nor Aria believed it was over yet.

Their theory was that they wanted to try for the Apex Sigil, in which case killing Aria would probably be a walk in the park.

Anna’s fists clenched—she had to bring something back as reassurance in case Aria couldn’t win.

“I won’t accompany you to the gate,” Aria said as they neared the main bridge, looking elsewhere. “I’ll leave you here.”

“That… makes sense,” Anna agreed. Then, she abruptly turned around and wrapped her hands around Aria, pulling the stun-locked girl into a hug. Her katana, something Anna forgot her friend even had, poked her waist.

“Wha—”

It was spur of the moment, but it felt reassuring when she acted on the impulse.

“I am a little anxious, Aria,” Anna mumbled. “This whole thing feels so out of place and poorly timed that I can’t help but feel nervous. Like it’s all a big conspiracy!”

And that wasn’t even mentioning the dangers of the core itself. Bravado and determination aside, the idea was horrifying.

Even with Gromak’s assurances and the reasonableness of his explanation, it just didn’t sit right with her.

Aria placed her hands on Anna’s shoulders in an awkward kind of return for her hug. “None of those after me would lay a finger on you. You will be safe there.” 

“I’d love to know how you’re so sure.”

“Because…” Aria paused as if considering her words. “They’re… after me, not you.”

“Maybe.” Anna let go and backed up, still facing Aria. “But you can’t deny the strangeness of it.”

Yet still, Aria shook her head. “Alisha’s wrath isn’t something they are capable of bearing.”

Anna chuckled. “That’s reassuring.”

Aria told Anna before that Alisha didn’t just beat Thagrin; she utterly dominated him without so much as a scratch on her body.

But that didn’t stop them from targeting Aria before.

Aria sighed. “We need this experience.”

“Yeah… you’ll for sure get the next expedition, though.”

“Go, now,” Aria said, gesturing toward the bridge. “Jaxon will not tolerate edging close to the line.”

“Dang, someone’s in a rush to get rid of me! Alright, alright.” Anna lightly waved. “I’ll see you soon, hopefully with a few Sigils to show for it.”

Aria lightly smirked. “Bastion law—any Sigil you obtain is yours unless contracted otherwise before the expedition.”

“Good!”

That meant they couldn’t force her to absorb the Sigils, and she could even hold on to a few! Maybe she could even make her friends stronger. If ever there needed to be more motivation for her to try as hard as possible, that would do the trick.

Once Anna reached the other end of the bridge, she turned to wave bye to Aria again. 

“Well, damn,” she whispered.

Aria was already gone. She clearly wasn’t one for anything sappy, especially when she was confident the trip would be of negligible danger. 

Finding the gate room wasn’t difficult, thanks to the large number of signs directing her path. 

Anna noted every time she visited the main building—the massive castle—that it looked like it actually was a castle. Not a school that looked like one, but one refurbished. It looked like the main hall was once a large throne room, and the walls built on the sides were added to accommodate closed classrooms. They looked out of place.

At the end of the hall on the second story was a large sign that read, “Gate Room One.”

And there were voices in there.

“Oh, crap,” Anna muttered.

She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

All eyes went to her, at least 60 people—she was obviously the last one to arrive. Those stares made her face gain a few degrees.

The room was a large square covered in black, with the only object present being the statue in the center. Simple lights lined the room’s edges, but that only made it seem like some cult. The statue depicted a nondescript man with his eyes covered, kneeling with his hands touching the ground as if he were about to cast a spell.

Standing directly in front of the statue was the familiar, angry-looking man with his brown hair slicked back. His menacing glare nearly made Anna flinch. That was until she recalled his docility before the small, unassuming Alisha! Thank god she saw that.

“Do you think you’re special, Frost?” He asked as the door gently clicked behind Anna, his threatening tone and glare showing he wasn’t being rhetorical.  

Oh, boy—she expected this the moment she heard the voices. But she didn’t think she was so late that all 60 people would be lined up and ready!

“Uh...” Anna shook her head. “No... sir?”

He was definitely mad, and not in the educational type of way!

“You’re damn fortunate that I haven’t activated the gate, Frost.” He nodded toward the end of the line. “Take your place.”

At least she wasn’t lectured in front of everyone else. It felt like he wanted to spew fire, but maybe Alisha’s protection saved her from the burns.

“Yes, sir.” Anna bowed her head. “Sorry.”

While it wasn’t entirely her fault, it was better to stay on Jaxon’s good side instead of fruitlessly arguing with someone of his caliber. Plus, Aria vouched for him.

Anna scanned the lined group as she made her way to the end.

“Faster,” Jaxon growled.

If she wasn’t embarrassed before, she definitely was then as she sped-walked over to the end.

Well, there weren’t any familiar faces among the students… until some arrogant, blonde-headed bastard poked his head out from the other end of the line, meeting her gaze with a light smirk and a greeting nod.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell slightly in surprise.

It was Ashton.

He gently waved before turning back into the line.

“How the hell…” she muttered, earning a stare from the man next to her. “S-sorry.”

That made it many times more suspicious!

Was Ashton strong? Anna never saw him fight after the first class, nor did she see him since agreeing to fight Jared at the bridge.

Of all the combat classes and all the strong prospects, Anna just couldn’t believe it was a coincidence that he was part of the expedition.

But why?

Nothing could be done to her during the expedition. Jaxon was loyal to Alisha, and Anna was more than a little important to her. He would surely be keeping a close eye on her safety! But even if he wasn’t paying particular attention to her, this expedition was exponentially important for Bastion Academy’s future. If someone tried something, wouldn’t that ruin everything?

Even people against Aria didn’t seem to be against the academy, at least, from what Alisha and Gromak have said.

“Good.” He grumpily sighed. “Now, as I was saying… this expedition is straightforward; even a child could do it,” Jaxon explained, his glare no longer glued to Anna. “We will go in, we—you will make a fortified camp, then you will go out and kill things. Find the core and plan for its destruction. It’s that fucking simple.” He crossed his arms and glared down the line like an upset drill sergeant. “If you perform poorly, it will reflect on your record. If you cause the group problems, same, but I will punish you. Severely. On this planet, you are fellow soldiers, closer than your blood. The safety of the group is your fucking priority. Understood?”

“Yes!”

“Yes, sir!”

Interestingly enough, Anna wasn’t the only one who didn’t add sir. It seemed everyone struggled to get used to such a militaristic thing. That felt oddly good.

“Good,” Jaxon said, nodding. “Once camp is made, I will explain how this will work. But don’t expect me to hold your hands beyond what is reasonable.” With that, he turned toward the statue.

Anna’s heart couldn’t take the suspense.

She was about to leave Earth! It wasn’t like the academy, which was some kind of private island, but an alien planet. And she was only going to one small part of it! What would their people be like? Biped? Humanoid? Were they even friendly?

The feeling was… she couldn’t even attach a name to it.

The incomprehensible was becoming real, more than ever before.

Boy, would she have a story to tell her friends and family—to say that was a small motivation would be a lie; she couldn’t wait to regale them with epic tales!

Jaxon placed his hand against the base of the statue and whispered a few words Anna couldn’t make out. Once done, he stepped back.

A few seconds later, the statue’s hands began to glow misty grey as a faint hiss—like mist coming from a device—came from the statue’s hand. 

A circle across the floor of the entire room glowed almost immediately after.

“Collect your bearings quickly.”

The statue audibly cracked. Once, on its hand. Then another. With each passing second, as the glow grew brighter and the mist spread, another crack appeared.

Just when it seemed like it was about to shatter, the ring’s shine blindingly intensified, and Anna’s vision blanked.