There was a gentle snow when I left the cafe, a stark reminder of where I had just escaped from. The familiar buildings of the Middle District acted as a mediator from the trauma. An indicator that I was no longer in the Domain. A realm created by a powerful Beast. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, both to calm my nerves and for the fresh air. While frigid, it was still pleasant.
Is the air in a Domain even real?
Despite the chilly temperature and my new coat thinner than my last, I wasn't any colder.
The perpetual coldness was all there is. Being outside didn't make it any worse.
It was around midday, but the thick clouds and snow made for an evening atmosphere. The streetlights were on, and the roads were empty as everyone was busy this time of day.
I walked up to a warming pit, hoping it would do its job, unlike Asher's fireplace. I spread my hands over the fire, watching the flames dance around, ready to consume anything that got too close.
Still not feeling anything change, I slowly pushed my hands closer until the tips of the flames brushed against them. Expecting pain, I instinctively pulled away upon the first sensation. Instead, my hands grew colder for a short moment. Shaking off the tingle of shock, I put my hands back in the flames out of pure curiosity.
The fire flowed around them until entirely submerged. Like a yielding dance, the flames refused to get close. Retreating into their embers, they flickered and swayed, growing weaker. Vapor was released from my hands as a shield to fight the heat.
Not like I could feel the heat anyway.
The fire shrank in size until it was completely extinguished, leaving me in the dark feeling a degree colder than before.
Staring at the coals, the embers sparked and popped. The shards clicked, sending them jumping in a frolic. Taunting their potential for heat, which I couldn't feel.
Out of annoyance, I kicked the shell of the warming pit before leaving. Worried thoughts took up all parts of my mind as I made my way towards the District Gate. The changes in my body were substantial, unwanted, and… scary. What am I supposed to do?
My increased strength, my potential, it was all so complicated. If I want to make the most of my new Will, there's a lot that has to be done, but nothing I can do, or even want to do. A 16-year-old kid from the Lower District, with no resources and no knowledge in the world of Integration.
Even then, spending time trying to strengthen my Will isn't going to help my family. I still have to work, and I don't earn enough to save much on the side. I won't gain anything from training my Will if it leaves my family homeless and hungry in the winter.
As I pondered my situation of what to do, I didn't realize I had already walked to the District gates. Brought out of my daze, I clutched the permit in my coat pocket and went to the nearest and smallest line. Waiting reignited my feelings of how much I hated it. Standing in the cold, unable to move.
It's funny. Now, I don't even need to be in line to hate the cold.
Just as the gate guard, Officer Crowell, cleared the person in front of me, a voice came from behind. "Don't go through there just yet."
"Next!" Officer Crowell called out to nobody in particular.
Glancing over my shoulder, stood a man in a thick jacket with his hood up, his head down just enough so I couldn't see his face… but he still looked familiar. "Why should I do that?" I spoke defensively.
"Because I want you to come with me. There is something we must discuss." He replied, his tone more like a command than a suggestion.
Why would someone want to talk to me? His straightforwardness bothers me. Has my permit expired? But how would he know? I should be good for another year. My mind raced through a bunch of wild possibilities.
"NEEEXT!" Officer Crowell yells impatiently.
I look between Crowell and the suspicious man behind me. A woman farther back in line, notices my hesitation, and decides to pass me to get to Crowell.
Without missing a beat, the suspicious man speaks again. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." He nudges his head in the direction of a building before walking away.
I looked between him and the guard again as more people cut me in line.
I don't seem to be in danger, and he doesn't seem to have any ill intentions.
Damn, I'll just go.
Walking towards the building, keeping a distance from the man, I see him slip past a few people to a more secluded side of the building.
The gate is still viewable from where he's standing, perhaps as a way for me to trust him more.
When I reach him, he gestures for me to stand on the other side, putting himself between the gate and me.
He pulls his hood down, shaking off the snow that had accumulated on it. "I'm glad you came. I almost considered chasing you down." He says with a smirk.
He shakes his freshly trimmed black hair to get the rest of the snow off. Before it settled in a mid-part down to his eyebrows and ears. His confident smirk was a little off-putting and out of place for his tall stature and baby face.
His black eyes settled on me, piercing me with a practiced, studying gaze.
I look at him calmly while he inspects me. My thoughts a complete one-eighty from my outward appearance. I felt small under his gaze, both literally and figuratively. Having to look up hurt my pride. Even if it was just slightly.
When he finished looking me up and down, his smirk grew wider, becoming a practiced smile. He brings his left arm behind his back and his right arm up. Palm flat over the base of his sternum.
I take note of his fancy gloves.
He bends down slightly in a show of respect, but not too much, before speaking, "I am Leo Grimwald, of the Grimwald family…"
His name sounds familiar, but I can't remember exactly where?
"…There is an important matter I have been instructed to discuss with you." He speaks with a fit of elegance that displays a lofty upbringing.
Just then, it hit me.
I may not know a lot about politics or royalty, but the Grimwald name is familiar to anyone, anywhere. The Grimwald family is the head family that trains the Royal Guards, the primary law enforcement in the Kingdom!
Crap, I'm so screwed! I earned the attention of the Grimwalds. This must be about the Lord Will, what else? How could they have found out so quickly though?!
I felt my heart beating hard against my chest, my fingertips grew colder, and I felt the blood rush to my ears. There's no way I could disobey anything they ask of me; if I do, I'm dead.
"Now, before you get your underwear in a twist and try to run away — not that you could — I already know about your Lord Will…" He rose from his bow.
I'm so dead…
"…My father, the Head of the Grimwald family, would like to speak with you at the estate." He reaches into his pocket.
Thinking he's going to pull something on me, I take a step back. But before I could do anything, he pulled out a pouch. Holding his hand out in my direction.
I look at the pouch, not reaching for it, then right at him. Despite my panic, I do what I can to keep a straight face and a clear voice. "What's that?"
"Zen. Think of it… as a show of good faith." His smile grew slightly wider.
"O-okay, but what's it for?"
"You'll have to discuss that with my father at the estate."
"I'm not going anywhere, not with you."
He motions towards his hand with the zen, urging me to take it. "Good faith."
Do I have a reason to say 'no'?
Can I?
I hesitantly grab the pouch and peek inside. Carefully pulling open the top, I quickly closed it before any zen could fall out of the overstuffed bag.
On edge from having this much zen at once, I hastily shoved it in my pocket.
"Great, I will come to find you in a few days. I'm sure you're tired."
"A few days? That's more than a little arbitrary. How will you find me?"
"Don't worry, I will come at a convenient time. There will also be a familiar face there to soothe your doubts.
He pulled his hood up and quickly left, leaving me confused and with no choice.
"A few days…"
I stood there momentarily, stunned, replaying what had just happened in my head, before sighing and turning to the District Gate.
Back in line, which had now grown longer than before, I reached into my pocket to clutch onto my permit, checking to make sure it was still there. Only to find that there was nothing in my pocket except for the zen… Leo… Sir Grimwald…? Handed to me.
I looked back out of panic, but didn't see anyone near the side of the building where our conversation took place.
Leaving the line again, I ran to the building.
I considered the possibility that the man, Leo, somehow took my permit, but quickly dismissed that possibility as he never got close to me aside from when he handed me the zen. The other possibility was that it fell out when I put the zen in my pocket, and considering its value to me, I could not afford to lose it for a stupid reason like that.
Checking the ground as soon as I reached the building, I slowly made my way in a circle starting from where Leo and I had talked. The permit, being a dirty bronze colour, should make it easy to find in the snow.
After a minute of looking, the snow was mostly gone from where I searched, but I still couldn't find it. While checking at this point was pointless, not having my permit meant I'd be arrested for being in the Middle District. Best case.
Deciding that I wasn't going to find it here, I moved back towards the District Gate to retrace my steps…
"First name, Rin. Sex, male. Date of Birth, 8nd of Yokam, 351. Height: 176 cm. Residence, Lower District. Visa, Work. Appearance, White, Blond Hair, Blue eyes…" A high-pitched, teasing voice rang out from behind me.
Turning around, a man with his eyes covered by his hair and hood read off a bronze card in his hand.
He has my permit!
My face turns into a scowl at the sight.
"My, my, my. If my assumption is on the nose, and it usually is, I'd say that this is yours. You are the one I saw talking to that man earlier, are you not? But, it says here that you have blue eyes, yet… I only see red. Do you, sir, have a fake perrrmit!" A wide, mischievous grin spread across his face.
Damn, I forgot that my appearance changed, but I still need the permit.
"It's not fake" I spoke defensively.
"Oh, reaaaly. Should we make sure? Oooh Guaaards…!" He calls out loud enough for people to turn their heads.
"Shut up." I spit.
The falling snow swirls around us.
"My my my, you have quite the chilly aura to you." His tone was still playful, but a cold sweat ran down the side of his face.
"Just give it back, and nothing will happen… to you."
"My oh my, you do have a cold aura, but quite the fire in you. Tell you what? I'll stay quiet, so long as you hand over that pouch of zen you so graciously received earlier."
Upon hearing his words and his boldness, I reactively strengthened the hold on my aura, letting the oppressive force out. The air grew colder, and my hands began to shiver.
But I could see him shaking, too.
"Just hand it over!"
The man leaned closer. The fog of our breaths intersecting at every exhale. "Or…What."
I let out more of my aura. The snow grew denser before falling as ice, shattering as it hit the ground.
The man took his eyes off me for only a second, watching the ice around us, before backing away and throwing his arms up. His smile was still there, but his teasing voice was gone. "Tell you what kid, you're chilly, and I know my limits. How about I hand this over, and we pretend like this never happened? Sound… good?"
Without saying anything, I put my hand out, waiting for him to hand over my permit. He slowly lowered his arm to put the permit in my hand.
Before he could, however, I snatched it from him and walked away.
Damn people.
As I walked, I checked the permit to make sure everything was in order. After looking over it extensively, I put it in my pocket and felt for the pouch to ensure it was still there as well.
Feeling that everything was good, I went back in line for the District Gate. Already exhausted from all the commotion today. Too much had been happening, and my mood was sour. I was in no state of mind to deal with the Gate Guard, especially if they noticed the changes in my appearance.
It took no more than three minutes to be face-to-face with a Guard. The entire time, I was silently praying that the guard wouldn't give me a hard time. As I walked up to them, my body relaxed, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
There stood Captain Moser in charge of this section of the Gate.
Gladly handing over my permit, I said a simple hello and kept my head down to make my change of appearance less obvious.
"Rin?" He said. His surprise was clear in his voice. "It's been so long since you came through here. I thought you got into trouble?"
With no other choice, I looked up and greeted him properly. "Hey, Captain Moser. Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I've had a long day and I'm just looking to get home.
"That's no problem at all." He laughs. A joyous smile on his face. "I just hope you're doing alright. Now, do your best to stay warm. They say a storm is picking up, and I know how far you have to travel."
"Thanks, Captain Moser, I'll do my best." I try to reciprocate his smile, but can only muster a slight grin. "Sorry, but why are you working the gate?"
"Oh, that? That ol' punk Officer Crowell is causing trouble again. I swear… if this Kingdom keeps training people like him, it's going to fall faster than Gates Ridge in the Demon War."
The Demon War? Why would he bring that up? The Demon War was over 300 years ago when the Beasts first appeared.
"Anyway, enough chit-chat, I'm sure you'd like to get home." Handing back my permit, he sent me on my way. "Take care of yourself, Rin."
"You too, Captain Moser."
Walking through the gates, I was finally going back home.