Ch 6: Civite

It was still night, at some random road there were screams.

"AHHHHH!"

It was Mihikolo screaming at the top of his lungs while falling. Along with him were Fylo, Eilda, and Lequiss still asleep while falling from the sky.

"AHHHH! FYLO CATCH ME!!!" Screamed Mihikolo. "I can't boss! You're too far!" Yelled Fylo while trying to get closer to Mihikolo.

Eilda Immediately takes action and dives down and swiftly lands on her feet.

"Eilda catch us!!!" Screamed Mihikolo getting close to the ground. Eilda runs towards them and stops below them and opens her arm to intercept their fall.

Lequiss about to hit the ground, gets caught by Eilda.

"Boss! I'll save you!!!" Fylo screamed out and Dives down as well like Eilda... But wasn't able to land on his feet and instead crashes down on the ground, head first.

"AHHH!" Screamed Mihikolo about to hit the ground. Mihikolo crashes straight at Fylo's body, cushioning him. "Oh. I'm fine..." Said Mihikolo, he stands up and quickly checks up on Fylo.

"Are you okay, Fylo...?" Concernedly asked Mihikolo. Fylo immediately gets up and turns to look at Mihikolo. Mihikolo instantly notices something. "W-Wait What?!?!"

"F-Fylo... You're completely unscathed?! Even from that height?!" Astonishingly said Mihikolo.

"Yeah! I'm completely fine, boss! It didn't even hurt when I landed!" Reply Fylo.

"How is that possible?! We fell so high!" Asked Mihikolo. "It was probably the doing of Lolaxia Mixus, another pillar of the Mixus Family... We were probably transported and protected from the fall by her." Quickly answered Eilda while walking towards them while carrying Lequiss on her back.

While explaining, a paper slowly descends above them and lands on Lequiss.

"What's this? A paper?" Asked Eilda. Mihikolo as he walks up to Lequiss and picks up the paper.

"It's a note." Answered Mihikolo while reading it. "It says, "I hope you are able to read this. You have been transported by my request... We cannot afford to lose a new Quiss user so soon, though I do not know where you have been transported, I am hoping that you will all be safe. Good Luck on your journey, especially Lequiss. I hope this decision will be for the best."

"That's what it says. I wonder what's going on in the Mixus Family?" Mihikolo asks.

"I see... So they wanted to protect Lequiss." Said Eilda.

"Protect him? From what?" Asked Mihikolo.

"I Don't know... I'm also really dying to know that as well but we don't need to know that right now, what we need to know is where we are..." Answered Eilda while looking around to see anything to know where they are. 

It was a dead space, with nothing on sight but a lone road with a single path.

"There's nothing in sight with how dark it is but..." Eilda looks down. "There is a road, we can follow it and maybe we'll end up somewhere we know." Eilda suggests.

"But which way do we go? Front or back?" Asked Fylo, pointing in both directions.

"I'll follow you, Mihikolo. You decide which way." Said Eilda.

Mihikolo places his hand on his chin and looks in both directions , he begins to ponder which way. Both ways seemed to look the same with them looking like they both lead to nothing.

But suddenly his thought was obstructed by a gust of wind heading a certain direction.

"I think we should go in that direction." Mihikolo points towards where the wind was going.

"Okay! Since it's boss, it's probably the right direction!" Remarked Fylo.

"Then let's go!"

The three starts to walk toward the pointed direction while Lequiss is still asleep and getting carried...

They kept walking for a while with nothing still coming up, no indications of where they are nor any directions where the road may lead them but then they noticed that the road they've been following has been going uphill.

As it kept getting steeper and steeper by the minute, they didn't hesitate to go up, Mihikolo seemed to struggle a bit because of his height while Eilda was not fazed at all even when carrying Lequiss. After a bit more of walking, the top of the hill was now visible and soon they'd reached the top.

They stop to look around and they were immediately met with a captivating view, in front of them, they saw a big city in the distance, it was surrounded by walls but it was as if it's coated with a vibrant light.

"I see something in the distance boss! Over there!" Said Fylo while pointing at the city.

"Oooh, What a big city!" Remarked Mihikolo.

"Ah... I think I know where we are..." Said Eida.

"What? You do? Where are we?" Asked Mihikolo.

"Yeah... I've been here before, even before I met you. I'm not really fond of this city because of how it handles its laws... We're at Civite."

"What?! Civite?! You mean we got transported from the Mixus estate to the capital of Civiposs?!" Shockingly asked Mihikolo.

"I don't know but I am certain that this is Civite." Answered Eilda.

"But... It's so vibrant even at night, huh?"

"I wonder why... I don't remember it being this colorful at night." Said Eilda.

"But what did you mean you're not fond of this city?" Asked Mihikolo.

"You'll know when you get there. But hopefully, you don't..." Answered Eilda as she starts to walk off, the two of them walks along too.

After more walking they reached the gate of the city. There were guards stationed at the gate and there were more on top of the castle wall, observing the guards below seemed like they were inspecting everybody who wants to go in. In front of those guards were already two groups of people and they seemed to have lined up. Eilda proceeds to get behind the last in line, Mihikolo and Fylo follows along and gets behind her.

"Why do we have to get in line? Why is there even a line just to get in?!" Mihikolo asks, seeming annoyed.

"Don't worry boss! It's just a line! You just have to be a bit more patient!" Fylo says to Mihikolo trying to appease him.

"It's probably just for inspection to get in, though last time I was here there wasn't anything like this too."

The first in line gets in and they move forward in line while new people get in line behind them.

"Hey did ya hear? They captured him last week!" Mumbled the one behind them.

Eilda overhears this and decides to listen in.

"Yeah! I'm here just to see it! But when are they gonna do it?" Asked the other guy behind them.

"I heard they're gonna do it tomorrow morning! Hahaha! I'm excited to see him tomorrow!" Answered the guy behind them.

"Tsk!" Eilda clicks her tongue in anger. "So that's why the city seemed more crowded than usual and it's getting inspection like this... So it was tomorrow! I never wanted to see it again! I hope we won't witness it tomorrow..." Eilda whispers to herself.

"Huh? What was that?" Asked Mihikolo. Eilda calms herself and replies "No, I didn't say anything."

"Next!" The Guard yelled out.

"Let's see, two Adults and two Children. What's the purpose of your visit to Civiposs?" Asked one of the guards.

"What? A purpose?? We need a purpose to ge-" Mihikolo asks confusedly but Eilda interrupts him.

"We're here to watch it tomorrow..."

"I see but why're you carrying the kid?" Suspiciously questioned the guard.

"We were closing the city so we didn't rest anymore and went straight here, he's just tired from all the walking." Quickly answered Eilda.

The guard looks at Eilda and then Lequiss and takes notice of the sword dangling on his hips. Though the guard heeds no mind to it "Okay, You can go in now." Said the Guard. After the guard allows them, they went straight in.

Now inside the city, they were instantly met with a lively scenery with stores and vendors left and right, despite it already being very late in the night, there were lots of people wandering around and enjoying themselves in this bright city.

"Wow, is this like a city that operates at night or something?" Wondered Mihikolo.

"No, they're just celebrating something." Eilda answers with a hint of anger in her eyes.

Mihikolo notices the change on her eyes and was a bit worried. "But anyways you're quick to make up solutions Eilda, what did you mean by watch tomorrow?" Curiously asked Mihikolo.

"I just said it so we can get in faster, that's it..." Answered Eilda, the hint of anger in her eyes turns into a hint of worry.

Mihikolo notices this again and was a gets a bit concerned.

"I wonder what they're celebrating, boss! It must be some kind of festival!" Says Fylo.

"Yeah, I wonder." Mihikolo answers.

"..." Eilda stayed silent.

The group proceeded to walk on the streets with Mihikolo leading in front, they get in the crowd of people and continues walking while looking around the busy streets but they seemed to just be circling around the same path they're taking and after some time walking through the crowd aimlessly, Eilda calls Mihikolo "Hey, Mihikolo." and says "We're just walking around aimlessly, we need to find somewhere to rest."

"Something like an inn? It's going to be hard to find one in this crowd!" Exclaim Mihikolo.

"Don't worry, I know one. I've been at that inn too before." Said Eilda.

Mihikolo's concerned face turns into a deadpan face and looks at Eilda. "Why didn't we go there first instead..."

"I thought you wanted to look around since you took the front." Eilda answers, looking clueless.

Mihikolo begins to worry again but rather jokingly this time "Then you take the lead, we'll follow you." Said Mihikolo.

Eilda walks in front of them and takes the lead, they continued to walk through the crowd and with Eilda leading them, they quickly reach an alleyway, It was a straight but narrow path but the atmosphere were almost night and day. It seemed quite gloomy.

"Are you sure, it's okay to go in there...?" Mihikolo worriedly asks.

"Yeah, don't worry about it!" Eilda answers.

Inside there were some rundown buildings and there weren't much people unlike outside but the people inside didn't look like any of those outside either.There were those sleeping on the floor, those drinking alcohol, there were even those punching each other but more importantly there were some that were eyeing the group.

The group notices their gazes but disregards it and continued walking on and after getting through all the intense gazes they reach the end of the alley and they reach an inn just in front of the alleyway.

It was fairly big for an inn and in contrast to the alleyway, the atmosphere seemed more welcoming.

"This looks more welcoming." Comment Mihikolo.

"It is an inn, haha" Eilda chuckled a bit.

They head inside and gets greeted with the same lively atmosphere from earlier, with people drinking alcohol and people dancing and singing.

"Even in here, they're celebrating. I wonder what's the occasion." Asked Mihikolo.

One of the guys drinking overhears him and laughs "Ahahaha! Don't ya know mister? Are ya from outside the city or something?"

"Yeah we just came to the city tonight." Mihikolo answered.

"Well you're in luck mister! Cause tomorrow, we're celebrating the annual ex-"

Eilda interrupts him by grabbing Mihikolo and dragging him toward the counter. Fylo is surprised by this and looks concerned but he didn't do anything and just followed.

"W-What's wrong Eilda! Why are you dragging me?!" Mihikolo asks while getting dragged toward the counter. Eilda lets go of Mihikolo as they stop in front of the counter, behind the counter was a two shelves, one on the left and one on the right, filled with an amazing collection of wine and alcohol bottles, most of the bottles were shining and looked pristine.

But in the middle of the collection were two large barrels that in contrast to the collection, were ordinary looking and totally looks out of place, the two barrels had a faucet each.

In front of the two barrels was a person turned away from the counter, pouring alcohol from one of the barrels into a cup. You can easily see that the man was very muscular with just his build alone, he looked bulky but a lot less than Fylo.

"Innkeeper, we'd like to get a room for the four of us." Asks Eilda.

It was the innkeeper, he turns turns the lever on the faucet and the alcohol stopped pouring, he then turns around with cups in hand and reveals a full-on manly beard and a displeased look

"Hoo, Sorry lady, we're out of bigger rooms. We only have the small ones left." The innkeeper answers.

"That's fine, we're not staying here long anyways." Replied Eilda. The innkeeper looked a bit relieved.

"Good, that'll be 2500 Linn." Asks the Innkeeper.

"What?! That's too expensive just for a small room!" Yelled Mihikolo.

"What? If you don't want it, go find another inn." Said the Innkeeper, unfazed.

"No, I'll pay." Said Eilda while handing him the exact amount, as she hands him, the innkeeper gives Eilda a key.

"Here's the key to your room, your room will be the second one on the right upstairs." Said the innkeeper.

"Let's head to our room and rest." Said Eilda walking towards the stairs.

"E-Eilda, why the hell did you pay that amount!" Asked Mihikolo in an angry manner.

"It's okay, Mihikolo. He probably bumped the price because of the occasion here and there probably won't be any more inn other than this that'll have any more room." Answered Eilda.

"I guess you're right but still that amount is too much!" Exclaim Mihikolo.

"It's fine, let's just go get some rest." Said Eilda.

They head upstairs and see, three doors on the right and three doors on the left while only one big door is in the middle, they head towards the second door on the right and open it, It was dark as the light was off.

Mihikolo heads in and finds the light switch beside the door and turns it on, as it turns on the light instantly shines on his head before the room even lit up and as the room lits up, they saw a shabby and very narrow room with just one bed, one window, a small table along with a chair, and one lightbulb to light up the room. After getting a look at the room, Mihikolo went into a fit of anger.

"This is the room that cost 2500 Linn?!" What kind of scammer is that innkeeper?! Let's go and get your money back!!" Angrily exclaimed Mihikolo as he turns around and goes toward the door to head out.

"Stop." Said Eilda while laying Lequiss down on the bed.

"Let's just get some rest for tonight, alright?" Said Eilda with a serious look.

Mihikolo looks at Eilda and sees her seriousness "A-Alright, let's just rest. I am quite tired after everything today."

"Yes, thank you." Eilda said feeling relief.

"But where will we sleep with only one bed...?"

Eilda looks at Mihikolo with a deadpan face.

...

Now morning, Eilda wakes up from her sleep, she was sleeping at the table with her head resting on her crossed arms. She raises her head and stretches her back and her arms a bit and takes a look around and sees Fylo still asleep while sitting and leaning on the wall, on the other hand, Mihikolo was asleep on the floor, all curled up and mumbling something.

She turns around to look at Lequiss but to her surprise, Lequiss wasn't on the bed. Lequiss was gone. She immediately stood up and goes to Mihikolo and shake him.

"Mihikolo! Wake up!!" Eilda frantically says while violently shaking Mihikolo.

"W-W-Wout?" Answered Mihikolo still half asleep.

"Lequiss! Lequiss is gone!" Frantically answered Eilda.

"W-W-What?!" Mihikolo instantly woke up after hearing Eilda.

"Lequiss is gone! Do you know where Lequiss is?!" Frantically asked Eilda.

"No! I was asleep the entire time!"

"He must've gone out when we were asleep, we need to find him!" Said Eilda.

Mihikolo stands up and walks up to Fylo and kicks him.

"Ahwa? Y-Yeah boss?" Answered Fylo half asleep.

"Get up! The kid's gone and we're going to look for him!"

Fylo immediately gets up. "What?! The kid's gone?!"

"Yeah! So get a move on already!"

They immediately move and went downstairs and see that the cheerful crowd from last night was gone. The inn was empty except for the innkeeper, cleaning some cups behind the counter. They immediately went up to him and asks him. "Innkeeper, did you see the kid I was carrying on my back last night?! He with a crown and a sword on his hip?" Eilda asks frantically.

"The kid with the crown? Yeah, I've seen him. He went up to me earlier when everyone was still celebrating and asked why everyone was celebrating." Answered the innkeeper.

"Do you know where he went?!" Asked Eilda as she slams and leans on the counter.

"Woah, calm down lady. I think he went to see the event." Answered the innkeeper.

"What?!" Eilda exclaims, she then immediately runs out of the inn leaving Mihikolo and Fylo in daze.

"Ah! Wait up!" Mihikolo and Fylo follow her right away.

They catch up to Eilda who was headed to the gloomy alleyway, but now it was an empty street but you can hear cheering in the distance, they went in the direction of the noise and they come out of the alleyway where there was nobody in sight unlike last night, they continued following the direction of the noise and finally ended up in the middle of the city, there they saw a bustling crowd cheering loudly.

"Why hasn't it started yet?!" "Start it already!!" "I'm excited to see it!" "When are they gonna start!?" Yells from the crowd.

"T-That's a lot of people!" Said Mihikolo.

"This must be like the entire population of this city, how will we find Lequiss here?!" Asks Mihikolo.

"You guys try to find him through the crowd." Answered Eilda.

"What will you do?" Asks Mihikolo.

"..."

"What will you do, Eilda?" Asks Mihikolo as he turns around to look at Eilda but she was gone.

"E-Eilda?! Where did she go?!" Surprisedly asks Mihikolo.

"Eilda's up there boss!" Answered Fylo pointing at Eilda running across the rooftops of the surrounding houses.

"She's fast... Well, let's go find that kid! Just look for someone with a crown!"

Eilda stops at the highest point on the rooftops and takes a look around the bustling crowd, the crowd was surrounding something in the front but was blocked by multiple people who looks like the guards from the gate in full armor. It was a raised wooden platform, just a bit taller than the crowd so that everyone could see, upon a closer look you can see that it was a gallows but Eilda didn't focus on that and kept looking through the crowd for Lequiss.

But suddenly Eilda's search for Lequiss halts as she saw a fat middle-aged guy dressed like a nobleman and along with him was a more or less ugly young man also dressed as exquisite as the fat man walking up to the platform.

Upon reaching the top, the two of them go in front of the whole crowd.

"A-Ahem!" The Fat man clears his throat.

"People of Civite and also People who have come to Civite to watch our annual celebration, I welcome you to the Capital of Civiposs, the City of Civite!!" Announced the Fat Man.

"Tsk! They're starting already?! I don't want to witness that tragedy again!!" Eilda thought to herself with a face filled with scorn.

"I am the Mayor of the city of Civite, Fattah Vaskard! And this is my son, Agaleh Vaskard who has captured the one everyone has been looking forward to seeing!!" Announce the Fat Man.

"Woo!! Lord Fattah and Lord Agaleh!!" "Thank you, Lord Agaleh!!" "Hip Hip Hooray!! Hip Hip Hooray!" The cheers of the crowd echoed throughout the city.

"Thank you! Thank you! Now without further ado, I will now bring you the one everyone has been waiting for!!" As the Fat Man announces this he waves his hand signaling to come here to someone behind the platform.

After he does this, 3 tied-up people in raggedy clothes and with cuts, bruises, and blood all over their bodies walk to the top of the platform, accompanied by three guards. One was a black-haired very young boy, One was a wrinkly old man, and one was a man you could tell was tall with well-built muscle behind those ragged clothes and with dark blue hair. Each of the guards pulls one of each of the 3 and places them each in front of the rope with the kid at the left, the old man at the right, and the tall man in the middle, and the guards walk down the platform after placing them.

"Now again, I welcome everyone to the first celebration of the year, this celebration only happens 3 times a year!! The Annual Execution of Criminals, here in Civite that lasts for about 3 days! Hopefully, we won't be interrupted by the mysterious white hooded man this year."

"Boo!" The crowds simultaneously Boo'd at the mention of someone.

"And now I will introduce the main event, the one everyone has been eyeing ever since he was captured, the one everyone has feared throughout his spree, the one and only! Jildelmn Voncratus!!!"

The cheering crowd suddenly went silent in an instant the second they heard him.

"Jildelmn Voncratus? Who's that?" Asked Mihikolo.

!!!

"Woaa!!!" "YEAH!!!" 'Yes!!!" "Kill him!!" "Execute them!!"The silence was broken by the crowd's sudden roar of cheer, which is even louder than before.

"Settle down, Settle down everyone! We will now commence the execution!" As the fat man says this, the guards accompanying the ones getting executed now put their necks in the noose of the rope in the gallow.

"Tsk! What do I do?! Do I find Lequiss and leave before it starts or do I stop the execution from happening?!" Asks Eilda to herself while intensely looking for Lequiss and soon enough she finds an awfully familiar-looking crown in the front of the crowd also cheering, right in front of the blue-haired man who'll be executed.

"Ah! That's him!" Said Eilda instantly on the move running across the rooftops at incredible speed but as she found him, The blue-haired man also took notice of him and glances at his sword and then looks straight at him with his fierce eyes.

"Woohoo! Yeah!!!" Celebrate Lequiss while waving and pumping his hand in the air in celebration.

"Hey, kid, with the crown..." The blue-haired man called out to Lequiss with his weak voice.

Lequiss looks right and left to see if he was referring to anyone else and points to himself "Me?"

"The execution of these criminals will now commence in 10..." Announce the fat man as he places his hand on the lever controlling the platform.

The cheers of the crowd stop as they wait in anticipation for the countdown

"Yeah, you..." Answered the blue-haired man in a weak voice.

"9..."

"Yeah?" Asks Lequiss.

"8..."

"I hate to ask you of this so instead..." Said the blue-haired man in a requesting tone.

"7..."

"6..."

"5..."

"Save me here right now... And I'll repay you with my life...!"

________________________________________________________________________________

Civiposs = Cy - Vee - Poss

Civite = Cy - Vee - Teh

Fattah Vaskard = Fat - Tah - Vas - Card

Agaleh Vaskard = A - Ga - Leh - Vas - Card

Lolaxia Mixus - Lo - Lax - Shi - Ya - Mix - sus

Jildelmn Voncratus = Jil - Delmn - Von - Kra - Tus