"Legend", in Fractured this is both a rare and common word.
Common, because those who can reach the realm of Titled Wargod or Legendary Magus are without exception renowned figures, founding emperors of empires, or undefeated war gods of great campaigns.
Rare, because for centuries now, Fractured has not seen a newly ascended Legend.
The reason is unknown.
These beings, who stand at the peak of humanity and look gods in the eye, are unimaginably powerful. As a side note, there are no Legends among the clergy.
And yet, such an existence had been hunted down by Gehrman. When Maria learned this, she nearly lost her composure. That was a Titled Legend! Even in her previous life, that was a realm she could only look up to with reverence, and Gehrman just… snapped him like a twig!
"Legend?"
"That's right, a Legendary Magus. Seventeen years ago, at the very height of his fame, Gehrman made his name by slaying a Legend. To this day, no one knows how he did it." Unable to conceal her admiration, the Steel Nun spoke with unconcealed awe toward Gehrman.
After her initial shock, Miss Maria, recalling records from her previous life, quickly came to a conclusion.
Gehrman never ascended to Legend.
If he had been a Titled Legend, the very World Will of Fractured would have descended, and such a phenomenon could not be hidden. More likely, under certain conditions, Gehrman possessed strength equal to a Legend. That was acceptable. After all, in her past life this crafty old man sat in a wheelchair feigning disability, until the final stage, when he rose, brandished the Burial Blade, and with a line cool enough to kill, declared the hunt. The raid party, unprepared, was utterly crushed.
'Gehrman really is a master of putting on airs.'
Thinking of his dramatic entrances and lines across several appearances, Maria now found her "cheap teacher" a more vivid figure.
Meanwhile, as Maria and Dolores were discussing Gehrman, the man himself appeared, swaggering out of the ruins of Seth Town with a troop of bedraggled Paladins in tow.
"Tch."
Spotting him from afar, Maria smacked her lips in annoyance. Compared to that old man in the wheelchair of the future, the present Gehrman was truly dashing, every bit the fallen vagabond.
She wondered just what had happened later to turn him into that.
"My disciple is headed to Torrent City?"
When Gehrman heard of the Church's decision, he dug his ear crudely. This wasn't what he had in mind at all. He had been hoping to bring Maria back quickly to show her off to his old drinking buddies.
His words left the Steel Nun blinking in surprise.
In just a few days apart, her fellow sister had already become Gehrman's disciple? That was startling indeed. Since Maria wasn't formally within the Church's ranks, there was no real issue with Gehrman taking her as his pupil. Dolores was genuinely happy for her.
"Why don't you come along too, Sir Gehrman?"
"Ah… fine, fine. It's been a while since I've had a proper roof over my head anyway." Having wandered the wilds like a savage for so long, only for Seth Town to become ruins just days after he arrived, Gehrman was also weary.
Rubbing his chin, he shot Maria a roguish grin.
"Perfect chance to teach you a little of my specialty along the road."
"All right."
Maria's expression remained calm, unmoved by her eccentric teacher's teasing tone, like a living doll. Understandable, the tragedy of Seth Town was still fresh, and her mood naturally skewed toward heavy.
"I'll go fetch Felia."
...
"Hmph, ignoring me, hateful hateful…"
Felia sulked alone in the grove, kicking pebbles. Pouting, cheeks puffed, she looked the picture of childish anger. But soon, unease crept in, her parents were gone, leaving only her sister Maria.
If even Maria ignored her, Felia felt as though the whole world had abandoned her.
Unease, fear, sorrow.
She was nowhere near as strong or kind as Maria, nor as calm or mature, just a little girl who only wanted to hide behind others.
Felia's life had been torn apart by this tragedy. She could never return to before, nor forgive certain things, even if she knew she was being unreasonable.
Squatting by the tree roots, she remembered happier days: her mother's warm hand in hers, her father's sturdy shoulders carrying her, her sister's helpless but doting embrace. All gone in a single fire.
"Useless…"
Lowering her head, crystalline drops fell from her cheeks. She hated herself for being powerless, able only to blame her sister.
Roughly wiping her face, Felia clenched her fists as though to cheer herself up. She would not surrender. One day, she would grow strong enough to stand as Maria's equal, and then, with courage, she could say: I can share your pain too.
Feeling a little better, she stood without thinking.
The next moment, tingling pain shot through her legs. She had squatted too long.
"Ah!!"
Her legs gave way, and she pitched forward, the ground rushing up toward her face. Eyes squeezed shut, she screamed.
"Felia!"
But the pain never came. Slender arms caught her from behind, pulling her into that familiar embrace. Maria's breath was ragged, but her hold was desperate, as though afraid Felia might vanish.
"It's all right… it's all right, thank the heavens…"
Turning her around, Maria carefully checked her little sister from head to toe. Felia, dazed, noticed Maria's smooth calf, marred by a shocking scrape, torn raw from skidding against stones. Proof of how recklessly fast Maria had just sprinted to catch her, uncaring even as her own leg was bloodied.
"I-I'm fine…"
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