Exiting the dome shaped building, Nier looked around and realise just how busy Logueville was. Maybe it was because they were standing besides a Teleport Station but Nier still felt it was dense
He saw many tramps in lying around the streets and beggars wishing for money as the many people ignored them. The tramps were being pushed around by the police officers stationed there who didn't shy away from using sorcery.
He turned to look at the prince and was surprised to see a frown on his face. The prince sighed as rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned to look at Nier.
"Are you surprised? About the state of this place."
Nier took some time before he replied
"No, I'm more surprised that you aren't shocked"
Magnus understood from his tone that Nier didn't mean his words but was actually mocking him.
They walked to the side walk of the street while they conversed
"I alone cannot do anything, I can be a part of it, a catalyst but not the reactant. It was a lesson I learnt the hard way back as the Crimson Night Revolt happened. Honestly, As much averse as I am towards Pen Gui. A part of me is grateful that his actions triggered a change and brought into light such a major problem of poverty. Though I am ashamed that it took such an event for the change to take place. The capital is rather free of such cases so it's easy to overlook such a thing if one spends their life there. But the more I delved into it- the more I realized about just how wretched the world is. I've always been questioned and had doubts about it." Magnus Ironheart said with a grim face
Standing on the sidewalk they waited for a taxi as Nier listened to the prince's feelings. The prince turned silent for a moment before his expression softened
"But you know, I still care for this country. I believe that it is changing and that it deserves a second chance. That is the reason I joined the Iron Mountain Squad. Listing out the things I've done to change Maya will only serve to make it feel like I am trying to show off my generosity so I only want you to know that I will do everything to keep this country safe and prosper. Weather you believe it or not wouldn't stop me"
Nier looked at the prince who had a determined expression on his face. He felt that his emotions were genuine...it reminded him of his big brother.
Instantly Nier sneered and scoffed
"Then how about you take action and kill Pen Gui. The Crimson Night should have already been a good reason, sorry but you'll never convince me those big words. I frankly speaking hate the Noir family and everything they've done. They are slavers who forced people to work in their toxic mines while they got applauded in the front for supplying mana stones. The only one I have had a little hint of respect for was the previous general but even she didn't complete the job. I guess it will be words of treason but tell me why...
Nier walked in front of the prince face to face. Their heights similar. With a cold and indifferent expression on his face- Nier continued
"After everything that madman Pen Gui did...is he alive?
A silence ensued for a minute when the sound of car horns broke it.
Sitting in the car- Magnus told the man to drive to the beast house nearby as he gloomily looked out of the window. Nier did the same as time passed by in silence.
...
They reached their destination and Magnus paid for the ride without haggling.
Standing in front of a Sharkshine Beast House. He was silent before he said-
"I am not the king...there are matters which I cannot solve so trivially even if I wanted to. Pen Gui used to be my father's right hand man. He was a minister in the royal court and thus had all of my father's support. Not only that- he had the Church of Eternal Flame's support. Offcourse, his actions caused him to lose that support but it didn't end up in a severe punishment.
It seems Pen Gui has caused you harm somehow..."
Nier stopped in his tracks as he heard Magnus
"hehe...hahahaha....Harm? To me? None at all" Nier entered the building with maniacal laughter.
Magnus raised his eyebrows and followed behind.
Entering the building, Nier immediately stopped and let Magnus pass him.
With an expression that said- You pay!
Magnus grinned in amusement as he did exactly that.
Reaching the counter, he asked-
"I wish to rent a Sun Seeker- Right about now.
The Attendant nodded as he looked at the tall man with bronze skin.
'Sun Seeker? Those are probably the fastest domestic birds. The Church of eternal flame has a monopoly over them'
Nier thought as he looked at the transaction. 50 Earthcoins were just for hiring the bird for 6 hours. Nier felt his heart bleed as he looked at the prince throwing away all that precious money.
"You can take this and enter that room, you'll get a Sun Seeking Hawk there"
Magnus nodded and turned to Nier
"Let's go"
They entered the room they were pointed to and found that it was large field with a big dome with many garage like doors. It was much easier to find Beast houses in more populated areas but also much harder to maintain them as compared to in mountains.
An old man looked at them with a deep gaze and asked calmly.
"Show me the token"
Magnus raised his hand as the old man took it and examined it.
"Wait a minute" The old man muttered before he walked to one of the garage.
"How do they make sure that the beasts don't get kidnapped by the customers? Or any prevent any harm?" Nier asked
"Hmm. I think the answer to your question lies in the beasts themselves. They probably are trained to leave behind traces and have a tracker on them. Not to mention the badge of approval they give when the transaction is complete. Although the badge acts as a prove- it is definitely a tracker"
Magnus confirmed Nier's conjecture as the old man pulled open the garage door where laid a giant sky blue colored hawk with yellow feathers. It opened its eyes which were golden in color as it stood tiredly revealing a monstrous height.
The old keeper pulled the chains that were tied to its neck and pulled it towards the two men.
Nier frowned but he kept silence.
He and the prince walked to the bird as the old man beckoned them to sit on it.
The bird crouched under the keeper's supervision as Nier and the Prince climbed its back. The old man pulled out a what seemed like a remote and pressed a button as the ceiling began to open.
The blue sunny sky revealed itself as if swallowing the dome.
"Do you know how to ride it?"
"Yes I do"
The old man opened the bird's collar letting it loose.
He wasn't afraid of the possibility that they didn't know how to ride it because the Sun Seeker was trained to return should its rider be chaotic and incompetent.
Magnus pulled the reins and the Sun seeking hawk took its flight- towards the sunny sky.
...
They flew high in the sky as Nier appreciated the scenery.
He could see many people walking on the roads like ants and the buildings that seemed like stones scattered with orderly randomness. Down ahead was a lake that seemed like a river in shape but it had its end. The river separated the populated area and desolate area lacking a lot of vegetation yet there were villages. While it was mostly barren, there were small patches of trees and grass but it seemed to be dying soon
Seeing everything, Nier felt an indescribable sense of pity. He looked up at the prince who was holding the reins
He was used to the altitude and height having been raised on the mountains but the prince likely didn't which made Nier wonder how he wasn't a bit fazed.
Crossing the river- they flew for some more time as they landed in one of the patches of vegetation. Jumping from the Sun Seeker, Magnus tied tied its reins to a nearby tree and said-
"Let's go- practical training is always better in my opinion"
Nier thought that tying the giant hawk to a tree wouldn't really make a difference but then he remembered what he once heard.
'They get tied like this from a young age so that they grow up believing it is impossible to escape'
After some walking, Nier saw large cylinder shaped building that seemed ancient. Many statues also stood with moss covering them.
The statues were blood red in color and depicted what seemed like a woman. There was a smile- no, a grin on the woman's face that her ears showing her pointy teeth. Her eyes were wide open with with a crazed look. There were flowers that seemed to have grown from her body.
Nier felt goosebumps but he still walked to another statue to satisfy his morbid curiosity. The statue was similar except that it was a man this time.
"What is this place?".
The prince seemed to surprised as well before he muttered
"Weird- these statues weren't here before"