story_skadi_1_1

Skadi does not recall how far she's walked.

Nor for how long.

She only knows that so long as what lies beneath her feet is solid earth, she does not belong here.

But she can only walk upon the land.

The land. 'Tierra.' The first Iberian word she learned.

So strange.

Who's Rober?

Ah, that's me.

This is your food for today.

Ah, alright.

Also, Joni wanted me to bring this present to you.

Oh, these are my favorite flowers! Why didn't he come himself?

He said he was working.

Coward.

If you're fine, I'm going.

Hey, hey, visitor, wait.

He already paid.

No, you're Skadi, the bounty hunter who came into the village recently, right?

Mm.

I hear you've been doing a lot for us. I've been wanting to meet you.

It wasn't anything major.

Sit down, Skadi. Eat something, it's on me.

...Is there wine?

Will ale be okay?

Mm.

Here.

Your accent's very strange, Skadi. You're not an Iberian, are you?

Mm.

How rare. We often have refugees pass through this place, but I've never seen someone who wasn't an Iberian before.

Visitor, where did you come from?

Where did I come from?

I came from the sea.

The sea? You’re an Ægir?

We have Ægir in our village too, but I don't think they're too different from us. Not like you. I felt the difference between us the moment I saw you.

I've heard them tell of how they all left Ægir and came ashore when my grandfather was my age.

Oh, yes. My neighbor is an Ægir too. I'll get her to have a chat with you.

No need.

She once held such hopes, but when she saw the Ægir of dry land, she knew she and they were nothing alike.

Only the oldest of them still dimly remembered what Ægir even looked like.

She had nothing she could share with them, nor they with her.

Alright.

Ah, Skadi, did you know? The village has been talking about you every day.

Hm?

When you arrived in the village, you gave everyone an awful scare. We all thought you were just fleeing here after other bounty hunters injured you.

It frightened us. A wounded bounty hunter is like a temperamental beast.

Most creatures of dry land are frail, unable to harm her.

What harmed her were those who profess themselves the Church of the Deep.

They were fixated on her for reasons unknown. Moreover, they were clearly unlike ordinary Iberians.

But now, they're all saying they've never met a bounty hunter as kind as you.

Are bounty hunters usually bad news?

We've had bounty hunters hiding in our village before. They were especially ferocious, and kept clashing with the villagers.

So at first, we'd all discussed whether or not to drive you away.

I'll leave.

Don't! You've given us so much help these past few days. We're all so fond of you now.

You can stay here as long as you like.

Or is there someplace you need to go?

Is there someplace I must go?

I don't know.

Really? Then are you going back home?

My home?

Can I go back?

I...

Ah, I'm sorry. I know, I know, there're so many people who run far away because their homes have been destroyed. I'm so stupid...

No.

Eh?

No, maybe you're right.

Oh! The bell's ringing?

What's happening?

The village's bell only sounds in times of emergency...

Rober, Rober!

Joni, weren't you working?

Hide yourself!

What's going on?!

There's a pack of monsters near the village! They've hurt some of us already! We need to hold them off!

Get down to the cellar and hide, now!

O-Okay!

Skadi, you... you're not one of us. You'd better run.

If you're scared, come with me. Our house's cellar can hide plenty of people.

...No.

Since coming ashore, Skadi has had a constant feeling.

This feeling gradually grows ever stronger in the wake of these occurrences. Violent, relentless, restless.

But she has never dared convince herself.

She dares not convince herself— that she is why the sea monsters come.

Eek! Noooo!!!

Quick, hide behind me!

Wh—What are these monsters?!

I've heard tales! They're monsters from the sea!

Normally, they'd never crawl out to a dry inland place like this. Why would they show here...?

And so many!

What now?! It doesn't look hurt at all!

...They don't move that fast. Run, meet with the others!

Okay...

Eek! They're here too!

No! Stay back!

Damn things! I'll take you with me!

Guh...

No! Nooo!

With just a single sword... Skadi, you're so strong!

Are you going to stay and help us?

Mm.

You really are a good one!

I'm not.

...Come with me.

When Skadi opened her eyes on the beach, she found not a single soul by her side.

Ægir. Abyssal Hunters. All lives on the line, flesh to flesh, blood to blood.

None of it seemed to exist.

Only the sounds of the waves and the wind stirred in her ears.

Countless times she tried to return to the ocean.

But every time, countless sea monsters would surround her, forcing her to turn back midway.

Out of the way.

At some point, as she was forced yet again to swim back, she even felt a sort of misperception arise within her—

That the abyssal infinitude of monsters were not pursuing her, but rather sending her off.

(Ægirian) Why—must you come near me?

Once she became aware of the possibility she may never return to the sea, she had no choice but to turn around on the shore and set foot onto this land she'd never been concerned with before.

This land.

Skadi's incredible...

Rober, what are you doing out here?!

I was worried for Skadi... and besides, she's come to help us. Shouldn't we at least help defend our own homes?

You're right...

Absolutely right!

I don't need help.

In her eyes, the people of dry land are by and large akin to the ones before her now.

Frail, melancholic, leading lives devoid of efficiency or any positive qualities to speak of.

Don't be like that, Skadi. We can't let you bear everything for us.

I'll go and help her! I don't know if I can hurt any of these monsters, but I can at least distract some of them!

I'll help too!

Everyone, with Skadi!

(Ægirian) I said—don't come near me!

But she is forced to admit. There are some points of intersection between them, where they can understand one another. In the emotional.

She can understand what circumstances lead them to feel what sentiments.

And it is exactly this that vexes her more and more. It is for this that she feels guilt.

But she cannot divulge these feelings to the villagers. She can only hasten the swing of the greatsword in her hand.

What's she saying?

Look, she's moving faster! I'm sure she's encouraging us!

Alright, watch this!

Get out of my sight, monsters!

Rgh...

Don't be scared! See how you like THIS, monster!

Appreciated!

We're all friends. It's only right.

They're scared! Keep going, everyone, let's drive these monsters out!

Yeah!

Wonderful! I think the rest have run. I can't see any trace of them around the village anymore.

Heh heh. We're pretty incredible ourselves, aren't we?

What are you so proud of? If it wasn't for Skadi, we'd probably all be done for.

Hahah, just leave him be. We all made it through, so let him have this one.

Alright, alright.

She too once had comrades-in-arms, ones who fought alongside her, shared in the revelry of battle with her.

A vast number of them perished in that battle.

In the past, she was no stranger to sacrifice.

But as she watches the villagers share in the joy from the bottoms of their hearts, a thought suddenly comes to her—

She may be the very last Abyssal Hunter.

What's wrong, Skadi? You don't look happy.

...It's nothing.

If you ask me, I bet she's hungry.

Now that you mention it, I'm a little hungry too, haha!

Enough of that. Still, Skadi, you saved the day today. I'll personally prepare a feast in honor of you tonight.

And I'm sure nobody in the village is opposed to you becoming one of us, after you helped us in such a tremendous way.

I was never opposed from the start!

No objections from me either! Hear hear, Skadi, stay in our village as long as you like, I say!

Go.

To you, the battle just now hardly registered as a warmup.

But to a village as weak as this, those monsters could easily have been the wave that drowns them.

It's true, Skadi. With your might, we'd also feel so much safer if you stayed.

Go.

You don't belong here. You'll bring ruin to this place.

Don't you have nowhere to go?

You can live with us.

Go, Skadi.

The farther, the better.

No. I've decided now.

If I can't return to the sea, then I'll go where there's no water.

Hey, you hear about that Skadi business?

Skadi? Don't think I have.

Something tells me your grapevine sucks.

Fine, fine, I'm out of the loop, just tell me already.

Skadi's this Ægir who suddenly showed up out of nowhere a little while ago.

Ægir? Where's that from?

You... whatever. Makes sense a Kazimierzian would never hear about Ægir. I don't know too much myself, but I know it's a country and that's enough.

Ohh... and? What's up with this Skadi?

She's got this giant greatsword, and you wouldn't miss her clothes from a mile away, but she's refused to ever work with anyone else. At first, everyone thought she'd kick it in the middle of nowhere.

But she's not only been thriving, she's been stealing a lot of other people's work.

Huh?

Last month, 'Flamelung' announced he was going to sort her out. Guess what happened?

He drove her off?

No, she took down the entire squad he sent at her!

That's... Where the hell did she come from?

Don't know. Got sources who say she showed up alongside a bunch of bounty hunters coming back from Iberia.

Either way, apparently it's got 'Flamelung' pretty goddamn fuming now. Me, I'm looking forward to the show.

Excuse me.

Huh? Who're you?

Who I am does not matter, I'm simply curious. You just mentioned an Ægir. Where is she right now?