"Frosty-boy and his people are gonna come soon," Vulcanos remarked casually, staring out into nothingness.
Gravitas nodded, her gaze sharp as she scanned the town. Unlike her companion, she took guard duty seriously, even if it was usually uneventful. They didn't expect trouble, but at least one of them needed to stay vigilant.
"…Did you eat?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"I'll grab something once Ash relieves me," she replied, not taking her eyes off the surroundings.
"Lucky you," Vulcanos said. "I wish my shift was over already."
Gravitas shot him a sidelong glance. "You're free to trade with me if you fancy the night duty."
Vulcanos quickly shook his head. "No thanks! I prefer a loooong sleep." As he said that, he stretched his large frame and yawned loudly. It was clear that he had woken up not too long ago.
Gravitas felt a pang of jealousy; her night had been long and cold—something the fiery giant could never understand. Still, there was no point in scolding him. Vulcanos hadn't done anything wrong, and though he made a terrible guard, there was no one she'd rather have at her back in a fight—except maybe Ezekiel.
Despite his age and relative weakness, their Master always seemed to have another trick up his sleeve. She truly believed there was nothing he couldn't solve, given enough time. However, the world seemed all too eager to deny him that time at every turn.
Just like now…
She didn't fully understand what he was doing inside that horrendous contraption, but Gravitas was smart enough to grasp his plan. Her Master was trying to make up for the time the world denied him—desperately trying to save the tribe… and Snow. The name of the naive little girl stirred complicated feelings within her.
Gravitas sympathized with her plight. After finally reuniting with her family, Snow found her tribe on the brink of extinction and her father near death—a truly pitiful fate. But to Gravitas, that's all it was. It wasn't her responsibility to risk their lives to fix it. Growing up in Undercity, she had seen worse, endured worse, suffered worse. Why should she now risk her newfound life for the slim chance to save someone else's?
Despite all her complaints, Gravitas knew it wasn't her place to make that choice. Their Master had made his decision, and she still trusted his promise that he would see them through this safely, even if that faith had been tested over the past two moons.
Ever since Ezekiel had sealed himself away, there had been no direct contact with him. All communication with their Master now came through the mysterious woman who dwelled within him. Gravitas didn't like her. The woman's emotionless tone and calculating nature made it impossible to trust her, no matter how logical her words sounded…
Her thoughts were interrupted as a figure emerged from the mine. It was Ash, who also seemed to have just woken up. Unlike with Vulcanos, Gravitas didn't begrudge him his rest. The dark circles under the Wolfkin's eyes made it clear how exhausted he was. Like her, he had taken on a mountain of new responsibilities since their Master's seclusion. Ash served as their voice within the tribe, and his efforts had paid off. He had built many connections and earned them respect, even in the tribe's highest meetings.
Of course, most of his status came from the fact that Commander Frost trusted him and for the service their Master provided. Even so, it was a status that no outsider should have been able to manage in such a short time. Some even treated him like a genuine member of the tribe.
Ash smiled tiredly. "Good work. I've got it from here."
Gravitas nodded and retreated inside the mine without a word. Despite her admiration for the man's accomplishments, she had never voiced it. Words of affirmation were a foreign concept for most of her life, and complimenting others didn't come naturally. In a world where the strong devoured the weak, genuine admiration with no hidden motives was as rare as rain in the desert.
Gravitas retreated to her room and sank onto the hard mattress. Despite her exhaustion, she didn't consider sleep just yet. Instead, she reached under her pillow and retrieved one of her most treasured possessions: a thick, handwritten book titled: Understanding Mana Vol. 1.
The title seemed unassuming at first glance, but the contents were far from ordinary. Her Master had written it specifically for her, and each page broadened her understanding. Although Chimeroi couldn't use Mana the way human Mages could, she still found the knowledge invaluable. The sections on Glyphs and Runic engravings were especially intriguing to her.
Runes were like a written language, where the mere knowledge of the characters allowed anyone to imbue their effects into objects. Her Master had once told her in secret that it was theoretically possible to use an independent Mana source to power these devices. If that was true, then there was so much potential in this vocation. The book also claimed that the field was still in its infancy, with most of the known spells not having a runic counterpart.
Gravitas concentrated, making a nearby pebble orbit around her. This exercise, which she had recently started, was intended to improve her control. During her years in the arena, she had become accustomed to directing her power with specific gestures. However, she had observed that her Master didn't rely on such methods. The book also claimed that using gestures and incantations indicated a lack of proficiency. A true Master should be able to control their spells with their mind alone.
She attempted to keep the pebble floating while reading. Initially, she had failed miserably, dropping it as soon as she looked away. However, she could now maintain its levitation for a while before her focus wavered. The key was to keep just a fraction of her attention on the task without letting it become a distraction. According to the book, this was crucial for casting multiple spells simultaneously.
If she could achieve that, her power would advance significantly. Being able to attack and defend simultaneously would have made her unbeatable in the arena. Even though she was no longer a gladiator, her desire for power was stronger than ever. Watching Vulcanos's swift progress with the Bloodboil technique had ignited her competitive spirit. She refused to fall behind, no matter how much sleep she had to sacrifice.
After an hour of reading and numerous failed attempts at her exercise, Gravitas felt too tired to continue. She carefully placed the book back under her pillow and lay down fully. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell asleep. However, fate had other plans, as someone barged into her room just a few minutes later.
Gravitas shot up, fists clenched and eyes sharp. She relaxed a bit upon realizing it was Vulcanos who had come, but her irritation at having her sleep interrupted lingered. "There better be an emergency," she hissed.
Vulcanos face was severe. "There is."
Realizing that the playful giant was serious for once, she quickly put on her robe and veil. "What happened?"
"Frost didn't come," Vulcanos explained. "Instead, he sent a messenger. There is going to be an emergency meeting."
Gravitas' eyes widened. In all the time they had been here, something like this had never been called. Whatever had happened, it couldn't be ordinary. "Do you need me to stay guard?"
Vulcanos shook his head. "I'll be doing that. Ash wants you to join him for the meeting."
Gravitas nodded slowly. It would be wise for her to attend. Among the three of them, she had the sharpest political instincts and would likely sense any hidden agendas if something was amiss.
She gave Vulcanos a deep look. "You'll need to be extra vigilant while we are gone."
The giant nodded deeply. "Nothing will happen to Master; you have my word."
Reassured by his serious demeanor, Gravitas walked past her companion and headed for the exit. Ash was already waiting for her, his expression grim. "Ready?" he asked as she approached.
Gravitas nodded curtly, and the two headed for the town hall, the largest building in the settlement. As they walked, it became clear that news of the situation had already spread. The people looked worried, though they likely didn't know the details. However, seeing all those of rank leaving at the same time could only be interpreted as a bad omen.
Ash greeted a few people along the way, attempting to gather information, but no one seemed to know what had happened. When they reached the town hall, they were quickly granted entry. The guards, loyal to Frost and familiar to both Ash and Gravitas, stepped aside with just a glance.
They followed the long corridor and entered the large hall where most meetings were held. It was already packed, with many people arriving earlier than them. On a small stage, Frost was in a heated argument with Elder Fang, the man they had met on their first day. Although their conversation was quiet, their agitation was evident.
After a moment, Frost surveyed the crowded hall and, seeing it full, turned to face the audience, leaving Elder Fang behind. His expression was serious, and Gravitas could clearly see the worry in his eyes.
"Brave warriors of the tribe," he began, his voice echoing, "an incident has occurred that demands our full attention." Instantly, the hall fell silent, every eye fixed on him. "A high-ranking member of the tribe has vanished, and we have no idea how it happened…"
"Who?" a towering man demanded. Gravitas vaguely recognized him as a warrior of some renown. Even she would have to be a bit careful when facing him.
Frost's gaze turned sharp. "…My sister, Polaris."
A gasp went through the chamber. "Wasn't your sister in the sanctum?" another voice asked.
Frost nodded. "She was, and we have no idea how she disappeared. The guards didn't notice anyone leaving the cave."
Suddenly, many eyes turned toward her. Gravitas was briefly confused by the attention but soon realized why. Their Master was the only one in the tribe with the ability to come and go as he pleased, and his prolonged absence naturally led to suspicion. Thankfully, Frost did not seem to suspect them yet, as his gaze continued to scan the hall.
"What do you suggest that we do about this?" The first man asked.
Frost focused on him. "Investigations are already ongoing, but I fear we have to prepare for the worst…"
"And that is… what exactly?"
"That there is a traitor among us who can attack us at any time," Frost stated clearly.
The hall fell silent again, with even more eyes turning toward Ash and Gravitas. Naturally, outsiders would be the first suspects. Gravitas, however, was not in the mood to deal with their suspicions. Her Master had long suspected a traitor, so this was not a surprise. What worried her more was a much worse scenario than what Frost had imagined.
"It is her…" she mumbled without thinking. However, in the deathly silent hall, her voice carried. Soon, all eyes were on her, and Gravitas realized too late what she had said.
"What do you mean by that?" Frost questioned from his podium.
Gravitas back stiffened. Being the focus of attention in this situation was not at all what she had planned. However, now that it had come to this, she might as well speak her mind. "I don't believe that what you laid out is actually the worst case, Commander Frost."
"Explain yourself," the man demanded in a steely voice.
"What if your sister wasn't kidnapped… but chose to leave on her own volition?" Gravitas explained.
"Preposterous!" someone shouted. "Do you think we don't see what you're trying to do? It's clear that you outsiders are behind this and are trying to distract us with these meaningless accusations."
Gravitas frowned behind her veil but remained calm. "Do you really believe it's more plausible that we infiltrated the mountain and kidnapped someone as powerful as Lady Polaris without anyone noticing? Isn't that even more far-fetched?"
Her words earned a few nods, prompting her to continue. "Moreover, most of you know that we've been helping Commander Frost with food procurement. If we intended to betray the tribe, there would have been much simpler ways to do it…"
Her words carried an edge of threat, but those in the know began to nod in understanding. It would have been child's play for them to reveal the location of their hunting expeditions to the enemy, leading to their demise. Even if the human Mage had simply refused to return them to the tribe, they would have been doomed.
"Then what did you mean by your earlier words," Frost asked, his own demeanor much softer than before.
Gravitas took a deep breath. "If Lady Polaris really betrayed us..." She paused, letting the weight of her words settle. Many faces grew grim, and the earlier scorn faded. It was clear that most were starting to understand the seriousness of the situation. Polaris knew too much—she could expose their secrets, including their food procurement methods and, most critically, the true state of her father.
"…Then the tribe needs to prepare for war," she announced in a clear voice.