Magical Girl City: Empire of Ice

The forest, was more like a jungle. The days were hot and muggy. Nights were cold, nearly frigid. It wasn’t pleasant. Even with me channeling my ice, acting as a living air conditioner for both Liche and Morrigan, even then, it only made the trip bearable. Having to keep my magic going for such long periods was just as exhausting, if not more than having to trudge through the forest.

Three days in, we were all exhausted and just done with it. Not just that, but we hadn’t found anything. Making our entire trip a worthless venture. Without any complaints we headed back, each of us eager to get some proper food, and wipe down.

The trip back was far easier. The path we made was cleared of brush thanks to Fathom making it easily traversable. Still, even a full day of travel didn’t quite bring us back to town. Part of me wanted to push through the night, but the sun was setting and it was safer to simply wait out the night.

The moment the sun was up, we continued our trek. We couldn’t have been far from the town when the surrounding brush shuddered. It was barely audible, hardly noticeable, but Luna moved before I could even process why she had.

In one moment she had been in her position the next she was standing beside me, the sound of claws ripping at ice, the sound almost like nails on glass tore through the noise of the surrounding forest.

There was a pulse of action as our convoy moved. Luna managed to rebuff her attacker, but not before having a chunk of her shield tore into by vicious claws. I barely got a glimpse of what had caused it before it vanished back into the surroundings. Still, nobody moved.

“The hell was that?” Liche asked, her power covering her in a thin veil.

“Looked like a tiger.” I muttered.

“A tiger!?” Liche shouted in shock.

Morrigan opened her mouth to speak when something shot out of the forest from a different direction. Estrella intercepted, but the tiger slipped through her defense and aimed right for Morrigan.

She twirled, her weapon burst into being and at the same time a pulse of dread washed over us. That same pulse stunned the tiger for the briefest of moments, enough time for Morrigan to swing her axe at the beast.

Shockingly though, her axe didn’t cleave through the big cat. Merely gouging a chunk of flesh out of the beast before it turned to flee, a volley of gunfire from my soldiers and my own bullets followed in its wake.

“Tough son of a bitch…” Morrigan muttered, but there was a wide, unnerving grin on her face as the tiger once again vanished, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

A few minutes later, I’d sworn it had left, only for it to come from another spot, it lunged for one of the soldiers, teeth tore into them with startling ease. Ripping into ice and twisting metal. It wasn’t enough to kill and in that brief moment Fathom made himself known, barreling into the beast.

The moment Fathom had it pinned down, we all worked together to bring it down. Bullets punched into its hide but struggled to pierce dense muscle and its thick hide. Even my own rounds struggled, with piercing rounds being the only thing that could reliably hurt the beast.

Luna and Estrella worked together to keep the beast hemmed in while Morrigan approached, swinging her axe like a deranged madman. All the while Liche hung back, keeping her eyes peeled for any additional trouble.

Before long, the Tiger finally died. Its hide covered in bullet wounds and gashes, marring what would have been a beautiful fur. Yet, even as it let out its last breath, none of us calmed down.

Even controlled and corralled, the tiger had been way too strong. It almost made no sense. Yet on inspection of its body, it became clear. The beast was suffused with magical energy. Making it oddly resilient to not only my gunfire, but the gunfire of my own soldiers.

Hell, even Morrigan had trouble carving into its flesh with her axe, let alone my knights that struggled to do anything. At best, Fathom dealt striking blows that bludgeoned more than cut.

Like that, we all for a brief moment looked over our quarry and reconsidered the difficulty of exploring the surroundings.

Without a word, we gathered up and we continued our hike, but not without collecting our prize. With how heavy the tiger was, it required multiple soldiers to carry its corpse, along with assistance from Luna and Estrella. Even working together, they struggled, but their cold bodies did help keep the body fresh. At least, mostly fresh. After all, might as well bring something back, and didn’t Raksha say she worked at a butcher shop?

Our own food situation was looking rather dire, and even with all the extra supplies that were brought, I was sure we were going to need to supplement our supplies sooner than later. Even if Amanda could get a farm going, we couldn’t survive off just vegetables. We needed meat.

It took a few more hours of walking before we came to the town entrance. The town itself, while we had been gone, had gone through a significant change. First were the stone walls surrounding the town. Before, it had been a simple fence of sorts, more of a suggestion of boundaries than anything real.

At the entrance, both Ruth and Raksha were there, talking animatedly, at least until they noticed us approaching.

“Your alive.” Ruth said first, her eyes fell on our catch. “Some of us were getting pretty worried.” She continued. “Did you end up finding anything?”

“No, we walked three days out, and nothing. The trip back was much quicker, but we did get attacked, as you can see.”

“I can see that, can’t believe you brought back a tiger of all things.” Raksha stepped in.

“Yeah, I was hoping you’d butcher it. I’m not sure how the food situation is, but I figured I’d at least make an effort to bring something back.”

“I can, in fact, I’m, actually looking forward to it!” She practically bounced at the idea. “Right, let’s take this back to the kitchen, yeah? I don’t think you want to do this out here.”

“Probably not the most sanitary option.” I reply and motion for my soldiers to follow Raksha to the inn we were using as a headquarters.

“So, anything happen while we’ve been gone?” I ask Ruth.

“Nothing much. A few other groups have wondered out, but none of them were gone for more than a day. Most of the immediate area has been scouted out, and Diana and a few others are working to coordinate a wider search. As for the town itself, I don’t know where to start. You’d be better off checking it out for yourself.”

“That would be a good idea, and anything else? You doing okay?”

“I’m doing fine. You might want to check on Raksha though, make sure she doesn’t have any issues.”

“I was just about to do that, I’m glad nothing went wrong while I was gone.”

Ruth just shrugs. I turn to talk to Morrigan and Liche, but well, Morrigan had already slunk away, Liche was still here though.

“Want to follow me to the kitchen, or are we splitting?” I asked.

“I can wait to wash up.” She said and fell in behind me. We made our way to the kitchen where Raksha was already at work with a big knife.

“Oh, you came! I noticed you didn’t bleed this guy.” Raksha said on noticing our arrival.

“Is that a problem?”

“Yeah, it would be a problem normally. If you don’t bleed the kill right away, it can make the meat gamey and tough. Not just that, but it can spoil the meat.”

“I wasn’t aware… will that cause any issues?”

“No, not for me. I already used my magic to drain the thing, the meat might not be as great, but it’s not spoiled. Probably because your soldiers here are walking blocks of ice. So, I can get this beast butchered in a jiffy, ah, but before I forgot, here.”

She hands me something, it was red, small, the size of a marble. It had an odd texture, and it smelled strongly of blood.

“What is this?”

“A blood dan, or blood pill. Some beasts have really strong vitality, and if their blood is properly processed it can be a natural elixir.”

I stared at the thing in my hands, warring between disgust, or something else.

“You’re not messing with me, are you?”

“Why would I? Back at the shop, we routinely gather blood of some of the more vigorous animals that come through. We gather it, prep it, and ship it out to various restaurants and places. I know one place is well-known for their revitalizing soups.”

“Really? I’ve had those before, typically during, you know.”

“I know perfectly well.” She said with a smile. “A lot of people go out of their way to get them when their time comes. Men also grab it, since it’s supposed to help make them more vigorous as well.”

“I wasn’t aware… so, do I just swallow it?”

“Yeah, give it a go. A tiger has a lot of vigor in their body. It should have a good effect.”

With a shrug, I went ahead and gave it a go. The taste… wasn’t too bad. It was strangely spicy. A little chewy as well but dissolved on the tongue and flowed easily down my throat. The liquid was thick, and where it went, I could feel a tingling warmth flow through me.

By the time it reached my stomach, I could feel my fingers and toes tingling. Maybe it was my imagination, but as the heat faded, I could have sworn I felt a tad healthier, stronger, maybe just a bit more vigorous…

“Huh… not bad.” I murmured.

“Right? Not just that, but you really hit the jackpot with this catch of yours.”

“Did I?”

“Yup, seems you found yourself a real tom cat.”

Before I could ask what she meant by that, she showed me, us.

“I mean, look at the size of this thing!” She exclaimed and in her hands was…

“Is that…?” Liche said from behind me.

“Yup, prime grade tiger meat. Of only the finest quality, like, this cat must have been real popular with the ladies.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, though, Liche… “Why… why does it look like that?”

“Oh, you mean these?” She points to what was in her hand. “barbs, spikes to make the whole process easier, well, for him, not the poor gal he was sticking.”

“Oh…” Liche says.

“What never seen anything like that?”

“How could I have? I mean, is it painful? Or…”

“Of course it is! Just the way it is.” She said with a shrug. “Should have seen some of the equipment animals on the farm had. Like, sheesh. This is hardly anything new.”

It was clear that Liche was out of her depth. Her face was burning red, and me? Well, I had no idea where to go with this. Not with her flopping that thing around in her hand. Her hands that were covered in a layer of blood that shimmered almost like latex. There was no blood or juices spraying about, but the thing in her hand was… a bit domineering.

To distract from it all, I decided to speak up. “So, your saying, that…” I considered my words. Perhaps they were a poor choice of words, and yet, it felt fitting based on her attitude. “That cat was quite the, prick.”

There was a pause. It went still, quiet. I could almost hear a pin drop, that was how quiet it got.

“Is… something the matter?” I asked. Did I make a mistake, was the joke too crude? No, it felt fitting. The answer came soon after.

It was a wheeze. A barely stifled laugh that broke out into a loud, boisterous one. One that had Raksha doubling over, pounding the table beside her with her free hand.

“Oh! Oh! I… I can’t!” She said between wheezing coughs. A glance back told me that Liche wasn’t any better. She was doing everything she could not to break into laughter but failed to keep them totally suppressed as she broke into fits of giggling that had her face bright red and gasping for breath.

Was it really that funny? I thought it was a pretty tame joke, all things considered. My querying look just had Raksha double over yet again.

“Ah, it hurts!” She said, heaving and gasping for breath.

I kept quiet, for fear that she might really pass out from laughing. It took her a bit to get herself under control. Liche was no better, both had tears in their eyes and gasping for breath.

“I’ve never… wow, I don’t think I’ve laughed like that in a long time.” She said after many false starts and stops due to bouts of laughter. “You, you’d make a great straight man. I mean, the face!” She very nearly broke into another fit, but only just stopped herself short.

“What about my face?” I ask. Raksha breaks down into another fit, but Liche was the one who answered.

“It was, you, you said it so seriously. With such a stern face.” Liche said between stifled bouts of giggles. “It just, came out of nowhere.” And she broke down.

After a new, final bout of laughter the pair cleaned up. The prime grade cat meat was set aside, and the corpse was properly butchered.

“We’ll be eating well tonight. I suggest you both go and get cleaned up. Ah, just so you know, that girl, Terra was it? She went ahead and made a bathhouse. It’s not hard to find, and the water is kept warm thanks to a few of those magic array thingies. Once you’re done, it should be about time for dinner.”

“A bathhouse? That… sounds wonderful actually.” I say.

“Yeah, I mean, I feel like there are so many layers of grime and dirt on me after all that trekking.” Liche said, feeling the same as I was.

“Yeah, and you both smell awful. So, you should probably get to it.” Raksha said without an ounce of mercy.

“Right, we’ll do just that…” We left, though, Liche and I didn’t separate. By some unspoken agreement we ended up in the bath together. The bathhouse was fairly simple, yet effective. Shower stalls were set up that spouted out hot water. Which we used to wipe ourselves down and wash off before entering the large tub.

We weren’t naked. Both of us were wrapped in towels. I wasn’t sure if it was a modesty thing, or just a kind of shared understanding that neither of us really wanted to be entirely nude in each other’s presence.

Whatever distance there was between us, after the multi-day trek, and the bout of laughter over a tiger’s meat, something about Liche’s posture changed. She seemed less wary, more relaxed. But the way she glanced at me told me that something else was up.

Not that I cared. No, I was focused entirely on the hot water. Trekking in the forest for so many days was tough, but keeping my magic active the whole time wasn’t exactly comfortable. Like keeping a muscle clenched for far too long.

There was a kind of, tension in my being. Not exactly physical, though the bits of ice clinging to me were a manifestation of that feeling. It was the kind of tension that had the shoulders tighten up on instinct, how it becomes almost natural after a long time.

Now, that tension was literally melting away. My muscles were relaxing, my body and soul loosening. A long exhale left my lips as I let myself drift into the water, just luxuriating in the warmth.

Liche? Who was that? Did she matter? No, in this moment, in this instant, all that mattered was the bliss I was feeling. With it, inevitably came the overpowering desire to sleep, to simply rest. Maybe get a drink or two down the hatch, really loosen up.

Though, I didn’t think anyone brought drinks. Not the kind I wanted. Though, I would have killed for a beer or two…

Seconds turned to minutes. Time marched on. Eventually, my wavering mind, wavering between sleep and duty stirred to attention. It was mild, a slow, steady start. Like a soft breeze, heralding a great storm.

And sensing that change, Liche decided to speak.

“You know… I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.” She said, almost in awe. “I mean, you loosen up like crazy when you get a drink or two, but this is something else. It’s almost like you’re a whole other person.”

I didn’t know how to respond, nor did I want to respond. Really, I just wanted a few more minutes.

“It honestly makes sense why everyone on the team likes you, why some of them even dote on you. I heard stories about your first time out, how you got drunk. Even with just one drink, it’s impressive how much you warm up.”

Again, I didn’t really care, but it was clear, I couldn’t just keep lying back. So even if it physically pained me, I adjusted, pulled myself out of the water enough to sit upright and spoke.

“Is there a point to this?” I ask.

Liche doesn’t immediately respond. Making me want to click my tongue, but I sat back and patiently waited for her to continue.

“You remember when we talked, when I asked how you did it?”

“The whole thing about wings, and fish or something?” I asked. The memory somewhat vivid.

“Yeah, that day. Like I said back then, I looked up to you. Idolized you in a way. Even if my own power scares me, but… what you said back then, it resonated with me in a way. Made me think…”

She paused to gather her thoughts. “About?” I asked.

“About everything, ya know. Why I’m doing this, why I’m throwing myself into this. Like, why am I risking my life doing all this? Just because I’m expected to? Is there a greater reason? I mean, I have a whole new life here, I could do so much more… so, why am I throwing it away like this?”

“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? Why you’ve been so skittish ever since that night?”

“No… well… not quite. Yes, I’m scared of dying. Horrified of it. Knowing that I’m just throwing away my second chance is… hard. Yet, I don’t think I’d just stop.”

“Why? Is it because of Joan?”

“Joan? No, though, she is part of why. If I said I wanted to stop, I know Joan would stop with me. If I told you I was done, I’d know you’d leave me out of it.”

“You didn’t though, well, not specifically. Back then, you said you had things to consider.” I said.

“And I do. Like, what you said when you got your uniform. How you explained it all, it made me think. Not just that, but…”

She pauses, though, this time I could tell it wasn’t to collect herself. It was something else, that flared as she glanced at me. A spark of fear, maybe?

“That night… when you faced the magical girl…” She started, stopped and looked like she wouldn’t press.

“You were afraid, right?” I ask.

“Yes, but… probably not for the reasons you imagine.”

“Oh? Really? I mean, I told you before, you couldn’t do anything. Even expecting you to help was selfish, and I shouldn’t have put that burden on you. I shouldn’t have said what I did, it just came out wrong. You know that, right?”

“I know, and… it hurt. Hurt to know that yes, I was powerless. To know that, even if I did help, that I wouldn’t have been any help. But that’s not what really scared me.”

She paused, swallowed.

“It’s you. You scared me.”

Everything stilled. Only the sound of dripping water could be heard as those words settled into being.