Bronya walked in a daze, trailing behind Felicity. The confusion in her mind only deepened as she followed, lifting her head only occasionally when Felicity called out to her.
But even in her foggy state, she could tell something was wrong.
The lower area was a far cry from what she had imagined. A foul, rancid stench clung to the air, and the crumbling buildings and dilapidated infrastructure spread out before her like an endless wasteland. The upper district's inhabitants could only dream of clear skies and open vistas, but those in the lower area were denied even the right to look up.
"Is this... the lower district?" Bronya's voice trembled as she gazed at the surroundings, her mind struggling to process the sight. She had never ventured here before, but everything about this place screamed that it shouldn't be like this. This place... should have been vibrant, full of life.
Bronya didn't understand why she felt that way, but she knew deep down that something about the Supreme Guardian's decisions had been... wrong.
"As you can see, this is the lower class area now." Felicity's voice was laced with indifference as she shrugged.
"From what I know, the Supreme Guardian gave the order for the Silvermane Iron Guards to withdraw from the district and cut off all traffic between the upper and lower areas. This... this is what's left of the lower district."
Bronya's heart twisted. Her mother's stern voice echoed in her mind: "Bronya, what you see is the truth others want you to see. But you must hold onto it—what you treasure." The words cut through her thoughts like a knife.
Her mother had always told her things in such a certain way... but now, standing here, with everything so different from what she'd known, Bronya wasn't sure. Could she trust everything she had been taught?
Her thoughts were a tangled mess, difficult to unravel. Felicity's words—strange, distant—left her uneasy. And yet, Felicity's actions had shattered her understanding over and over again, with power and skill that seemed almost... unreal.
But before she could sort through her thoughts, harsh voices shattered the silence.
"Hey, who's this? Someone from the upper district still curious about the lower one?"
"It's been over ten years since I saw a Silvermane Guard. Almost forgot what those uniforms even looked like."
"Well, Boss, what do you think? You think this little girl's carrying anything valuable?"
The leader of the group grinned, a lecherous, cruel smile spreading across his face. His voice oozed arrogance as he spoke to Felicity and Bronya.
"I'd advise you not to resist. You wouldn't want to end up in Natasha's hospital tomorrow, would you?" His gun pointed straight at them.
"We're just borrowing a bit of money. Silvermane Guards like you, always lounging in the upper district, surely you wouldn't mind, right?"
Bronya's eyes flashed with anger, her voice rising as she snapped back. "The Silvermane Guards are not just relaxing in the upper district!"
Even as the lower district had suffered from Cocolia's orders, she couldn't let these fools place all the blame on her people. The Silvermane Guards had fought the monsters of the Fragmentum, risking everything, even their lives, for Belobog's safety.
"Really? So bold?" the leader sneered, his finger tightening on the trigger.
The bullet shot through the air with frightening speed, but Bronya's reflexes weren't fast enough. She stumbled back in panic, but before she could even flinch, Felicity's hand shot up, her eyes narrowing with cold determination.
In an instant, the space before them fractured, like the broken shards of a shattered mirror. Time seemed to stop, and the bullet dissolved into nothingness, scattered across the void. A faint purple glow shimmered in the air.
Then, a figure appeared. She landed gracefully in front of them, like a dark butterfly descending from the heavens. Her sickle spun with deadly precision before slashing through the air, raising a cloud of dust.
"You dare to attack us on our own turf...?" Seele's voice was a low growl, the threat in her tone undeniable. "You want to keep going?"
The leader's face paled as he recognized her. "Gack—It's Seele from Wildfire!" His voice cracked, and panic spread like wildfire among the others. The group scattered, retreating in fear.
Seele's eyes flickered with contempt as she cursed under her breath. "Scum, picking on the weak but running from the strong…"
She turned to Bronya, her gaze lingering for a brief moment before shifting to Felicity, her expression showing clear impatience.
"Alright, now it's your turn," Seele said, her tone harsh. "What's going on with this one?"
Felicity replied without hesitation. "She's my hostage. I kidnapped her from the upper district."
Seele's brows shot up in surprise. She hadn't expected that answer from Felicity, of all people. But then again, that was none of her concern. She had no love for the upper district—and if Felicity ever kidnapped the Supreme Guardian herself, Seele would only cheer.
"Looks like the Silvermane Guards have gotten too comfortable in their cushy upper district," Seele teased, a cruel grin playing on her lips. "You were even kidnapped from up there, huh?"
She eyed Bronya with a mixture of disdain and curiosity, her gaze lingering on her perfectly maintained features. "You're from the Silvermane Guard, yet you look like you've never seen a day of hardship. Must be nice to live the good life…"
Bronya bristled. "The Silvermane Guards aren't living in comfort! We fight to protect all of Belobog from the Fragmentum!"
Seele scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh? Sounds nice... but what exactly are you protecting?"
Her sarcastic tone dripped with bitterness. The miners who worked the lower areas once commanded respect, but now, the Silvermane Guards' actions had left the district to rot. The arrogance of the upper district had sealed the fate of the lower one, and it was hard for Seele to feel sympathy for those who had turned a blind eye.
"The Supreme Guardian has her reasons…" Bronya's voice faltered. The words felt hollow as she spoke them, and even she began to question them.
Felicity watched silently, torn between the two. The situation seemed to shift in ways she didn't expect. Here she was, the one who had captured Bronya, but somehow... it felt like she was the one on the outside.
--+--