Half-step Purgatory

For a long time, Malin always felt that Fate had been quite generous to him. Although he had to face that life-threatening job every day, as long as he had the lovely Leopard Girl cooking delicious food for him daily, and as long as there was meat to eat and cats to stroke, life wasn't too unbearable. Working a bit harder and facing some difficulties on the job weren't really an issue for a man.
Moreover, being able to live two lives meant one shouldn't have too high demands, right, Mr. Different-Kind?
Having said that, and without waiting for an answer, the young man snapped his fingers, and the white flame on his fingertip lit the tobacco in his other hand, then he flicked it towards the non-human entity on the stake.
Welcome to Abield, to witness the last splendor of the steampunk era.
And the madness.

Steampunk Era: Mad Abield

As the caterpillar-tracked convoy clambered onto the broken highway, Malin had an indescribable feeling in his heart. Humanity was once again setting foot here after the apocalypse, yet all that met their eyes were ruins and shattered walls. Even the road made of high-strength materials had become so frail under the erosion of time and rainwater.


In the distance, the silent ruins of the city recounted to Malin the past after destruction – buildings cleaved in half, spires no longer straight, dried-up riverbeds, with remnants of Chaos strewn across the wilderness.


Some soldiers from the human alliance were busy gathering the corpses of these Chaos remnants to prepare for cremation.


According to them, the ruins of those cities were filled with all kinds of Spirits and different kind, but as long as you stay away and don't attract their attention, these things wouldn't come out.


Malin didn't know why this was, but he felt... civilization shouldn't be reduced to such a state.


Section 499: Truth (Part 2)