Claire Von Angea
"You can trust me on this. If you want loyal allies, you seek out a group's misfits—those who are looked down upon and scoffed at. People like that are prone to suggestions from outside forces, especially if the case is egregious."
The words of the confident foxel played back in my mind as we approached the group of Project Anvil trainee mages. There was one separated from the group, and he stuck out for his eccentric posing when he cast his magic. He tip-toed in a circle and flailed his arms like a lunatic before throwing what appeared to be throwing knives at a target. Each time, the knife would completely miss the target and bounce off the wall behind the target.
I couldn't quite grasp what he was attempting to do, but listening to Mark speak about the man, you would have sworn he was some hidden genius. That made me question Mark's mental capacities. I could tell by the way Mark watched the individual that he had Mark's undivided attention, but I couldn't see any upsides to the young man. I would assume the others in Project Anvil were in the same boat as me since they remained unassociated with him.
He wore the same grey uniform as the other trainees, perfectly tailored to his lean physique. With each movement, several white bangs danced around his head, and the top was stained with a collection of light red hairs. It was pretty interesting, and his hair was far more impressive than his actual skills.
"He's either a terrible shot, or he's just..."
Mark would cut me off before I could finish, his words brimming with excitement and confidence, "It is easy to overlook aspects of a person just because they are weird or idiotic, Clarice. On the surface, he would be considered a terrible shot. The poor bastard hasn't hit the target a single time since we laid eyes on him, but you'll only come to that conclusion if you don't realize what he's actually aiming at."
"He should be aiming the target. It is the thing that is right in front of him." I respond, pointing out the apparent target a few feet before the man.
Mark would stop in his tracks, holding his hand out before me. He leaned toward me, invading my personal space before speaking, "Observe."
I heeded his instructions, and once again, I watched as the strange mage struck a pose and then threw a pair of knives at the target. They soared through the air before clashing against the wall and bouncing off each other. That was new; the interaction sent one of the knives tumbling over the target and skittering across the ground.
It was a clear case of failure in my eyes, but Mark saw something differently. He rubbed his facial hair and then looked at me for my appraisal.
"I don't understand what you are seeing. He seems more of a liability than anything. How can he be useful at our destination if he can't hit a target in front of him? Things will be dangerous, and we can't invite him to his death. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."
Mark shook his head in disagreement, but I couldn't grasp what point he was trying to prove. If I were honest, this man wouldn't be one I would place my bets on. He seems unreliable, and I couldn't grasp why he would be with the mages if he were going to throw knives at a target. Despite my reservations, I could not deny the look of determination on his face as we approached.
"Sometimes, you have to look past the obvious and look at things from another angle. Things aren't always as they appear. I thought you would be one to recognize that since you recruited us, but..."
This time, I cut him off, "I get your point. You want to bring him on board, but you don't even know if he would desire to join us. I don't have to remind you that it is perilous; not everyone has incredible healing capabilities. If we bring aboard someone who can't hit a target that distance away, it'd be a matter of time until we have a tragedy on our hands. Plus, you'd have to be insane to join us when we're about to go to our destination."
He attempted to walk away, but I grabbed him by his tail to ensure he heard my point. I narrowed my eyes at the man, but he only flashed his usual confident smirk. There was more to his intentions; I could feel it, and I had a feeling that he had no intentions to tell me at this moment.
I instead shifted my focus to reading the room. Many of the trainees had turned their attention to Mark and began to whisper to each other. Seeing that furrowed my brows as I already knew the nature of their conversation. That was one thing that I couldn't understand about the foxel man. Despite the blatant disrespect he receives from nearly everyone we've come across, Mark shrugs it off with a confidence that seemed foreign for a man of his species, but then again...
"I am a noble Kitsune. Graceful and valiant as a knight underneath the starry sky. Though I am significantly more of a badass."
His words from a week ago still cross my mind whenever I see him. I contemplated his sanity after he declared that he was a Kitsune rather than a Fox demi-human, but I've slowly learned that Mark and his friends are not what they seem to be. Not only was I surprised to see Q engage with a powerful Ursa Major in a straight encounter and emerge victorious, but I found myself not surprised to learn that his strength caused the disturbance outside of Astana. If you add their claim about staring down a creature as powerful as a Lynx and walking away alive, seriously, then you'd understand how impressive they are.
'It has been days, and he hasn't returned to his normal Kitsune appearance, so it is possible that they are lying, but this feels like the truth. Kitsunes are known for their impressive healing capabilities...Yet still...'
"I am on a path of self-discovery, and as a result, I am rapidly increasing in strength. Once the door is open, then opportunity will come rushing in. There are things I have not told you yet, and I won't until it is time, but rest assured that I will take care of my people. That applies to you and all of our future allies. Those who align themselves with me will begin to travel down the road of their potential. That is something that I feel in my core!" Mark declared with confidence.
The man stepped forward and suddenly twirled his spear in a circle. I stepped back and was ready to chew him out for doing so suddenly, but then I heard several knives become deflected by his maneuver. It was jarring to see how quickly the foxel was able to react to something that I couldn't. It was as if he already knew that this would transpire.
"Is this the potential that you were referring to?" I asked mockingly, but the man didn't respond with his words. He instead pointed to the mage, and I realized what had transpired.
Seeing the mage toss a knife into the air and then bounce another knife off it toward the target was odd. It naturally missed since doing so was ludicrous to even attempt that. My brow wrinkled in frustration as the first blade suddenly flew back toward our direction and was swiftly caught by the foxel. He seemed to mistime his catch, and blood was drawn from the result of that mistake.
Being cut didn't seem to phase the foxel, and with his healing, I don't blame him. The moment blood escaped his flesh, his wound healed without fail. With that confidence, Mark began tossing the blade into the air with a recklessness that only he could afford.
"I-"
Before I could get my words off, an angry voice boomed from the other mages. We watched as the other trainees confronted Mark's chosen favorite. I expected the mage to back off and concede with his reckless and dangerous way of throwing a knife.
"Damn it, Mikangleo! How many times do we have to tell you to stop with that shit?!" One of the mages yelled, grabbing the man by his collar. He was more seasoned than the other mages. His blonde hair flailed as he shook the other man.
"Hell, why the hell are you back here anyway?! You know you're not invited during this time anymore!" Another yelled. This one was a woman with a simple brown ponytail.
They lambasted the man with jeers and criticism of their character. It was rightfully done considering how dangerous to their surroundings Mikangleo proved to be. Though they were a bit more physical than I would've been, I found myself agreeing with most of what they were saying. I expected Mark to do so, too, but I caught the man smirking instead of nodding along with the others.
"Time to intervene." Mark declared, and I was confused by his intentions.
My confusion didn't last long as I witnessed his next actions, which arguably were even more reckless than what Mikangleo did. The foxel man began twirling his spear, which was surprisingly better than how he did at the Milward's shop. The collection of trainees began physically removing Mikangleo from the training area,
"Wait-what are you?"
My eyes widened as I witnessed Mark grin like a madman and throw his spear toward the group. It whizzed with speed and power through the air before slamming into the ground in front of the trainees. Gasps of shock rang out, and cautious eyes darted around, aiming to locate the one responsible for such a reckless attack, but they didn't have to look further.
Mark's confident laughter boomed, immediately drawing the attention of the group—not only them but also the men who were training in hand-to-hand combat.
"Are you insane?!" The brown-haired mage shouted, pointing at the foxel.
"That damned fool! Who the hell do you think you are?!" Another mage shouted, his fist clenched with his frustration.
The men who were training in hand-to-hand combat jogged over to the mages, and once they confirmed their status, one of them sprinted toward our location. He was a muscular elven man with scars covering his exposed torso. His face was weathered with sweat and anger.
"You?! What the hell are you thinking?! Someone could have been injured!" The man barked.
"We apologize for-"
Mark cut me off with a firm shake of his head, and bumped past the man once he got close to us. "I ain't sorry for a damn thing, and you shouldn't be either."
This man was insane! I don't understand why he was hellbent on antagonizing these people, but I heeded his suggestion and followed close by him. I scolded him for his actions, but he didn't seem to pay any mind to it. Instead, he seemed focused on moving to reclaim his spear while he had their attention. At least, that was his goal until the man from before placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Oi! I'm talking to you! Turn your...You're a goddamn foxel!"
The foxel man scoffed at his obvious observation with a glint of amusement in his eyes. He observed the man's reaction before he smacked the man's hand away from him. It was a simple gesture, but it somehow shocked the man. Then again, I could assume why.
"Get yo sweaty hands off of me! What's wrong with you? These are fine silks meant for the blood of my enemies." Mark remarked, turning to look the man in his eyes.
I couldn't let a physical altercation break out, so I stood between the two men as a precaution.
"You're his handler? Get your servant under control. This time is reserved by our party, and the last thing we need is an entitled little noble who can't keep her pet foxel on his leash!" The man declared, pointing directly at my face.
"Firstly, remove your hand from my face. This is all a misunderstanding. Your people just happened to walk in the path that his spear was going, nothing more." I responded, stepping away from the man's finger. "You have no reason to speak to me or refer to my friend like that. He is not my servant, and I'm an adventurer same as you, so I expect to be treated with respect."
I looked to Mark and hoped that he'd back me when I spoke. Yet, when I turned to him for confirmation, I noticed that he was gone. The man had practically disappeared in a short time and reappeared the remaining distance between us and the mages. When I finally managed to see him again, he was removing Catalyst from the ground.
"You guys seem keen on ganging up on people and putting your hands on them. Well, I just did the same thing that one did, so... who's gonna put their hands on me and drag me out?" Mark said. He pointed at Mikangleo, which surprised the man and the others surrounding him.
"Mark, you can't just disappear like that. You're causing a lot of unneeded attention." I scolded when I caught up to him again.
"I apologize, but I can not stand by and allow injustice to transpire!" Mark snapped, swinging his arm to bolster his point.
I couldn't help but tilt my head at his response.
'Since when has he into stopping injustice?'
Mark never struck me as the type of guy who cared about honor and justice, but he was ranting about it. Clearly, having a foxel lecture them about justice and injustice didn't sit well with some of the trainees.
"All of my life, I have been ridiculed and lambasted for my foxel heritage, so I know how it feels to be on the wrong end of the mob rule! That is why I've dedicated my life to stepping up and thwarting unjust mob rule!" Mark declared with righteous indignation. He clenched his fist and closed his eyes as his voice trembled with emotion. "I was once told that adventurers are just and honorable people, especially members of the famous Project Anvil. Members who achieved great feats of near heroism! I, one day, wanted to join your ranks, to be granted the stellar threads of silver and blanked it in its glory. I, too, wanted my potential to be realized and to prove that even a demon like myself can be useful!"
'But... you just now heard of Project Anvil...'
I couldn't believe my eyes as Mark's words seemed to affect the people around us. The ones who gripped Mikangleo released him and instead shifted their focus on Mark.
'I can't believe my ears.'
I could detect the righteous nonsense in Mark's words, but I can't deny that he is convincing. His actions were animated, telling a story of his upbringing despite its irrelevance to the situation. It didn't take long before someone called him out on it.
"No one gives a damn!" A man shouted from behind Mark.
I expected Mark to fall apart, but instead, he howled in laughter at the jeer. The red-haired man paced over to our location with a stern expression. Many of the other trainees scattered instantly at his approach, leaving only Mikangleo, the muscular elf, and two of the mages. He wore leather armor over his grey uniform, and his red hair was in a short ponytail. His eyes were fiery, and I could sense animosity radiating from him.
"About the time that you showed up, Carlton! These three have been causing trouble!" The elven man bellowed.
Carlton locked eyes with Mark. With the two men roughly the same height, it was an intense sight. His eyes shifted from him onto me, then Mikangleo, who had remained silent this whole time. There was one thing that I noticed about Mikangleo. He remained unbothered by the situation the whole time. His hands rested behind his bed as he stared at Mark's tail and ears.
"That right?" Carlton responded, pacing in front of the group.
"Yes, sir." The brown-haired mage responded, pointing at Mikangleo. "You told this one not to come back, but here he is. He was throwing those knives around, and one of them almost hit Daniels!"
"That's right, sir! It almost hit me!" Daniels, the other mage said.
"And what's your deal? Why are you on my dirt?" Carlton snapped, pointing his finger in my face.
These Project Anvil members seem quite keen on invading people's personal space, which is quite annoying. I stepped away from the man and opened my mouth, but I was once again interrupted, which made me frown.
"We were about to walk Mikangleo out when this lunatic foxel chunked his spear in our direction and almost hit me again!" Daniels said, pointing in Mark's face.
The act completely flabbergasted the foxel, and he surprisedly repeated my action. He wasn't too keen on their annoying habit either; I could tell by the expression on his face, but I was surprised that he hadn't made a snarky reply yet. Instead, Mark bided his time and only spoke once Carlton invaded his personal space again. The man was so close that he could kiss Mark by accident. Mark's facial expressions were amusing, and I even chuckled at them.
"C'mon man, three feet. Three feet." Mark snapped, swatting the air as if I fly was bothering him.
Whether it was on purpose or accident, the result remained the same. During his animated display, Mark backhanded Carlton with enough force to drop him. That act was enough to siphon the air out of everyone's lungs. Even though I didn't expect him to hit Carlton, I could tell that it was intentional rather than an accident. The face of the kitsune man was serious as if he had taunted Carlton to call him out.
In response to that fact, Carlton's face became as red as a tomato. Steam spewed from his ears as the man shot to his feet and grabbed Mark by his collar. The man shouted obscene profanities to the man, but not a single thing phased Mark. Instead, he gestured with his hand, mocking every word that came out of Calton's mouth.
"You stupid, furry-eared, foxkin son of a bitch! I'll kill you where you stand if you ever put your hands on me again?! Do you know who I am?!" Carlton shouted, saliva spewing from his mouth.
The kitsune man shrugged his shoulders, and with his hands, he broke free of Carlton's grip. Carlton yelped in anguish as Mark bent his arms toward his body. Though he didn't snap any bones, once he released Carlton, he shot his hand in his face. It was an odd gesture, but Mark's snarky smirk added an air of smugness to the middle finger that he put in Carlton's face.
"How's that for invasive, dumbass?" Mark declared, but Carlton had had enough of the disrespect.
The muscular man clenched his fist and threw a punch directly at Mark's jaw. My heart skipped at Carlton's speed, but my concern was for naught. Mark sidestepped the attack, and with his tail, he tripped Carlton onto the dirt. It was humiliating, but I shot a scolding glare toward the tall kitsune. He brushed off and fixed the glasses on his face.
Carlton recovered, and fueled by this humiliation, he launched another punch from his kneeling position.
"Tch-You bastard!"
"Carlton! That's enough! You've had your fun! Let it go!"
A familiar voice shouted over, catching Carlton's attention, but that proved to be a mistake. I swear I've never witnessed a demi-human or kitsune use their tail similarly to Mark, but it was quite impressive. His hands were rolling his spear in between the two of them, but his tail was moved with blinding speed. It wrapped around Carlton's arm, and with a turn of his body, Mark tossed Carlton toward the approaching Talio and Svett.
Yami and Yomi were following behind their leader when Carlton skipped over to their feet. Svett let out a long, low whistle as the humiliated man scowled with bitter resentment.
"I see that you've unchained your pet again, Clarice. Did you sic your pet on Mr. Carlton for some reason?" Svett chuckled.
To be honest, trying to predict the reasons that Mark performs certain actions is nigh impossible. One moment, he is the meek and silent foxel, and the next, he's declaring himself God and disrespecting everyone in a ten-mile radius. Trying to understand him has proven pointless, and I don't appreciate being labeled the master of such a loose canon.
"Need I remind you of our prior conversation? Mark is not my pet but a trusted companion. He is free to decide whatever action he deems fitting, and I recommend that you avoid disrespecting him." I gestured to Carlton as proof for my next statement. "Or else you run the risk of ending up like that man."
"It wouldn't bode well to invoke the wrath of a demi-human, even if he is a foxkin." Talio reminded Carlton, but his words didn't soothe the wrath pumping in his heart.
"Whatever. Since you're here, do your job and get rid of them," Carlton ordered. He shot us a piercing glare before pointing to Mikangleo. That one, too, before he ends up killing someone!"
Carlton huffed and puffed, then stomped away. Talio's gaze chased off the other remaining members, and they scrambled to follow Carlton.
"It's about time that you two show up. We don't have all day, and the more time you waste negotiating percentages, the less daylight we have. If these goblins are as formidable as you claim, I don't want to fight them at sunset, nor do I want to travel at night." Mark declared, and I nodded in agreement.
"I share his sentiments. We had other plans, and working with the Silver Stars has proven to be nothing more than a waste of time."
"A waste of time? You say that out of impatience, but things like this require a certain finesse. Project Anvil is incredibly picky about who they partner with, and since you two are new, then it is a bit more difficult to convince them that you are worthy assets to team up with. Trust me, when facing down numbers like we are, then you'd want Project Anvil to have your back." Svett said.
Although I've yet to see a reason to support Svett's claim, then I suppose that we'll have to take his word on it. While that is dangerous in concept, I'd like to believe that Mark and I could handle ourselves.
"I was skeptical that you two would be worth my time, but seeing your ally throw around Carlton as if he was a child has undoubtedly gotten my interest. As such, I've decided to organize some support from the organization. I have three capable men on hand to lend to you." Talio explained while he approached me. He offered a handshake, and I accepted it.
Including Talio's men, we would have a seven-member coalition for this operation. Depending on their capabilities, I hope we can quickly deal with this goblin settlement and move on to our next objective. Mark must've agreed since I heard no objections from the man, although there was contemplation within his eyes.
The glares of twin wolf demi-humans were pointed in the kitsune's direction, but he ignored it. I couldn't understand how he was able to do it. Their malice was evident, especially Yami's, but Mark stood proud, his fingers twisting his mustache.
"We look forward to fighting side-by-side with both The Silver Stars and Project Anvil, but I need to remind you that we have other plans in addition to this quest. I would appreciate it if we were to act on it because I agree with my companion. Time is limited." I said while our hands departed.
"You're correct, and that is why I encourage you that you make haste then. Svett, you heard the woman. Let's not burn bridges with poor time management. If things go well, then they might want to cooperate with us in the future." Talio said, resting his hand on the shoulder of the Silver Stars's leader.
Svett grinned at the man's words and nodded his head in agreement. He looked over his shoulder to his allies and gestured for us to follow him.
"Ah- I almost forgot." Talio looked toward Mikangleo, and a piercing glare struck the man like a bolt of lightning. Although it wasn't directed toward me, I could feel the immense aura radiating from Talio's presence. That was one that appeared to startle Mark, too, since his tail flickered defensively behind him. It moved like a snake preparing to strike, but his face showcased a sort of neutral expression. "Mikangleo, you were warned by Carlton not to return, but I am willing to overlook this transgression if you assist the Silver Stars and one of my men. We can discuss your payment after you return."
"Right. I'll go collect my items." Mikangleo responded, which surprised me.
Mikangleo's voice was higher pitched than I anticipated, warped by his hesitation. We watched as Mikangleo scurried off, but I noticed Mark's eyes linger on the man for a moment before his gaze fell onto me.
"Don't worry. Despite his... many shortcomings, Mikangleo is a fine mage and will not dig into anyone's cut. Just use him as a scout, and everything will be alright." Talio said, but I wasn't convinced.
We had watched Mikangleo miss a wide-open target multiple times, and I know that he saw that, too, so I found that Mark was set on Mikangleo. Before I could question him, we found ourselves following The Silver Stars out of the training area. Whispers and quiet jeers were thrown our way because of Mark's incident with Carlton. He had just arrived here, and yet, he'd already made an enemy out of the trainees of Project Anvil. That appears to be a trend for him.
First, his stunt at the banquet with Percival, and now here with Carlton. Mark is a maelstrom of chaos and pride barreling through Astana. When we arrived outside pf the facility again, Svett gestured for us to stop.
"You two stay right there for a moment. We're going by carriage to the site, so I'll let the driver know that we are ready to go. Yami? Yomi?"
With each of them letting out various sighs in response, we watched as the three men crossed the road and entered a wagon house.
"What's with that smirk?"
I quickly straightened my expression and looked away from the Kitsune. It was embarrassing to be caught smirking like that, but I suppose it couldn't be helped. It is amusing to think about the nonsense that I've gotten myself into by aligning with him and his friends.
There was a time that I never would have imagined that I could bolster the courage to take on the people who tossed my life into chaos. The day that my mother went missing and Sylvia died.
"You can't always play it safe in this life. You were right about that." I said, but confusion tilted the man's head. "Don't play coy."
"Of course, I'm right about that. I know my stuff, so as the great holder of information, I think it is imperative that our new relationship is built on trust. Therefore, I want to know something about the man we just met."
"Svett?"
He shook his head in response, and the answer was clear. My heart skipped a beat as I processed his meaning.
"Was he the one?"
"One and the same. It appears that in our search for allies, we may have uncovered enemies, so I ask you this, Claire, are you ready to take the fight to them?"