Kevin ran up the wooden bridge, his eyes focused towards Main Street's vibrant buildings and lively crowds. "It's about time!" he celebrated, his blue shoes kissing the stone tiles scattered across the streets. "We've arrived in THE GRAND PROVINCE!" Gerald cautiously followed behind his best friend, taking in the vibrant sight confronting his eyes. "So this is the Grand Province…" he mumbled under his breath.
Map in hand, Xavier was the third to cross the province's borders. He quickly glanced back towards the Walls of Peace, silently acknowledging Alan's absence. "He's gone…"
"6 of the 10 entity hunters, do you think I can get all their autographs in one full swoop?"
Gerald broke a cold sweat, dragging Kevin through the streets by his shirt collar. "Not our priority, Kevin!" Walking beside Kevin and Gerald, Kaelan snagged a baguette from a nearby stand, engraving his teeth into the soft, fluffy bread. "About time I got my hands on some food!" Within just five seconds, the entire baguette faded into the darkness of his mouth.
A furry feline sprouted from the crowd, leaping onto Kevin's right arm with a loud meow. "Since when did Spooky make it all the way to the Grand Province?" he spoke, lifting his arm above the crowd with repeated shakes. Xavier reached his hand towards the cat, dispersing into small letters of code that ascended into the air.
Leaning against the colorful brick chimney stood a rather young woman, giggling upon Team Pyron's sudden scare. "Being the 27th hunter in Nahata doesn't mean you can't have fun every once in a while!" she whispered. This woman was known as Lila, a 15-year old professional hunter residing in the Grand Province. Despite not being among the top 10, she was known widely among citizens to be a rather mischievous woman. She slid a piece of newspaper out her pocket, revealing a ripped-out picture of Kevin standing alongside Team Pyron in Damage Control. "Today's the day you finally appear, my love…" she sang, carelessly twirling across the roof tiles. "Even better, on my day off!"
About five seconds later, the fragile roof tiles gave into her weight, slingshotting her straight into the crowd. The crowd's conversations halted for a second, the spotlight shifted amongst the surprised Lila. "I'm sorry!" she pleaded, avoiding Kevin's passionate-blue eyes.
"So you're the person who made that cat!" he continued, struck by admiration instead of contempt.
Her face was red as a tomato. "A-are you talking to me?"
Kevin nodded, turning his head towards Kaelan and Gerald. "Are you sure she isn't an enemy spy?" Gerald whispered into Kevin's ear.
Volume 13, Chapter 48 - Arrival in the Grand Province!
<<< Lila
I haven't really been the best when it comes to conversation. Despite holding such a high rank among thousands of hunters across Nahata, I've usually spent my days off planning an escape to Crystal City in order to meet my beloved, who stands before my very eye-
>>>
"You zoned out again," Kevin's voice interrupted. Lila's eyes bulged open, revealing the concerned faces of each Team Pyron member surrounding her.
Xavier grabbed a large book labeled "ENTITY HUNTERS IN THE GRAND PROVINCE, VOLUME 294". "Lila, a young woman holding the top 27 spot among Nahata's best hunters at the young age of 15. Her power is Code, allowing her to temporarily modify the world's laws. However, repeated use of this power can badly drain her energy…"
"That's me!" Lila called, followed by a small chuckle. She lifted off the ground, pulling the curtains blocking the warm sunrays. "I've heard of Team ENTITY's many adventures in the newspapers! You guys explored an abandoned city, liberated Diamond City from a mad scientist, saved the World Summit…"
Xavier placed his hand against Lila's back, halting her continuous ramble. "We're here in search of a cult from the Land of Stone activating Pyron's power among young children."
Her eyes lit up, the weight of surprise finally lifting from her shoulders. "I've heard about that! None of the top hunters have heard anything since Pyron mysteriously disappeared, but his trail still roams across the country!" A mental image of the map Kevin had been shown back in Damage Control reappeared within his mind, entrapping him in a loophole of surprise. "Flower City and the Grand Province… the two locations Pyron's path inched towards," he whispered.
Lila tied her golden-brown hair into a ponytail, embracing the wind blowing through the window. "The Grand Province is a rather beautiful place. I couldn't imagine watching this city fall to the ground…"
Her internal thoughts filled with uncontrollable despair, visually molding the flawless view into a hellish, fiery realm of chaos. She quickly squinted her eyes, immediately expelling her intrusive thoughts. She forced a smile, the darkness eventually fading into the past's events. "How about we explore?"
---
The sound of ringing bells echoed across the Common Realm's bustling crowds, the loud sounds sending a slight tremble of surprise within Kevin's body. "It's a bell, not an entity," Kaelan said. Lila's lovestruck expression resurfaced, lifting her hands towards her cheeks. "He's so cute when he's scared!"
Xavier led Team Pyron through the streets, closely observing the senses lingering around their group. "Wonder where that guard went following our entrance…" The bell's repeated rings came to a halt, ending the silence standing within the crowds. "I've heard a lot about the hunting academies over here," Gerald said. "Unlike Crystal City's, the teachers actually show their professionalism outside battle…"
Lila chuckled, lifting her arm towards the air while fidgeting with her code words. "I've heard about Crystal City's Entity Hunting Academy!" she confessed. "Weren't you Team ENTITY members early graduates?"
Both Kevin and Gerald nodded. "We didn't take the test after graduation, though. After we traveled to ENTITY and Diamond City, we got an instant promotion…"
The group arrived in the Town Square, their eyes focused on the large fountain towering above the excited tourists. "So this is the Grand Province's Town Square!" Kaelan said, walking towards the fountain in search of coins. "Don't tell me you're trying to steal from the fountain!" Lila scolded, restraining Kaelan's movement by grabbing his arms and lifting him into the air.
The Grand Province's afternoon vibe seemed rather soothing to Team Pyron's members. But little did they know, tensions regarding the current conflict would later escalate.