The Acknowledgment - Volume One

Fleeing Stones Tremble

                Further east beyond Winter's home, and business. So far east that the cascading mountains were in your face. Very few towns have been settled by these mounts, but nothing was wrong with the space that was available, rather it was what already occupied these spaces that was a problem. Beast-type monsters, golems, trolls, and goblins. They all torment the towns that have already settled at the base of the mountains each year, and parties of hunters are sent out to deal with these monsters when they become an issue.

                The rain poured far worse here, as puddles pooled up in the potholes, and the sides of the road. The town was well-made, and more modern than you'd expect with being so far from the city. It was midday, but with the rain clouds, it was hard to tell. You'd think there'd be at least some people on the sidewalks, going out with friends and visiting indoors. But the reason for the lack of people is nearby.

                A wide, stone foot of a golem stepped back harshly onto the street, leaving large cracks and potholes with each step. Powerful mana crystal clusters were between each crack of the stones. The rest of the body came flying back, both feet skidding across the street. The stone golem pivoted and start running as fast as it could, roaring as it swung its massive claw-like hand. Knocking away cars in a hurry. Whatever was in pursuit, the golem feared it, and it left the golem with one arm left.

                A large man blitzed past the golem and launched himself off the ground. Just in time to push himself off a flying car. With seeming effortless precision, the man launched himself quickly toward the golem's head. The golem roared and swiped his hand at him. The man cleared the hand, pushing off the back of the claw-like hand. Then an explosive punch cleanly blew out the golem's head. The rocks and stones crumbled down, leaving nothing more than a heap of gravel in the middle of the road.

                "Now, you're just making a mess. And showing off," joked another man, running up to the first. "Shut it, Elisha. Unless you want to learn your place for the 5th time," Cyrus snarled. "Enough of that, Cyrus. He's just a healer," Interrupted Elijah, getting in between the two. "Fine," Cyrus sighed, stomping off as he dusted himself off. "You'd think you wouldn't have to do that with these high-tech suits," Commented Elisha, looking at Elijah. "You and me both," He exhaled before shaking his head. Turning around with his hands on his hips as he stared at the lifeless gravel. "What now?" Asks Elisha, looking out at the line of people that were attracted by the sound of destruction. "Clean up, and then leave," Elijah replied as he looked to the side, watching the cleaning crew arrive.

                Both Elisha and Elijah helped in cleaning the gravel mess and separating the gravel from the mana crystals. But, as he dug, Elisha found something far more interesting than regular old mana crystals. A strange, large Essence Stone. These Essence Stones are highly valuable and created on the death of the solidifying mana core, and sometimes come with Runes. Runes add another ability to your arsenal if you're in the right class. Depending on the rank of the boss monster, it can run for thousands, even if it was an E-Rank boss. Each Essence Stone is unique to the boss that was killed, and this boss had a large Essence Stone. Elisha couldn't tell what value it held, but he knew if it was a D-Rank boss, monster was an incredible paycheck.

"Found yourself another paycheck?" Elijah asked, spooking Elisha. "Don't scare me like that!" Elisha exclaimed, nearly losing the Essence Stones he was holding onto. "Alright. Alright, let's get moving before we get left behind," Elijah said, dragging Elisha behind him. Heading to a large pelican that had just landed on the road. "Leaving already? I thought you said we'd have time for coffee!" Elisha exclaimed, he really wanted that coffee. "I'll get you coffee when we arrive at the office," Elijah replied. "Yus!" Elisha said with excitement. Elijah rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself. They got onto the parked pelican as it was starting up. All three men sat down in the seats as the ship closed and sealed.

                The pelican took off from the street, and rise up above the buildings and trees before flying off towards the west. Speedily racing towards the large city. Not even an hour later, they reached the city and were flying through or above buildings. The pilot, as usual, reached a second building that wasn't very far from Winter's workplace, as they were about to land on this smaller building and entrance was opened, through the fake building and workplace to an underground government base, with hundreds of pelicans just like the one Elisha and Elijah boarded with Cyrus. The pilot parked neatly with the other pelicans. As if this was nothing out of the ordinary, the three men stepped out from the pelican and check out of their over-hours. "I shouldn't be doing any of this. I should be the boss," Cyrus grumbled, as he was getting out of the high-tech suit. "We were all busy, except for Winter, he seemed to have been doing his own thing," Elisha said from his locker. "Doesn't matter! I want to be the boss!" Cyrus snarled, nearly having a fit then and there. "Just leave it be, Elisha," Elijah warned, having been down this road once or twice before. "He doesn't listen to reason," he added, and Elisha chuckled in agreement. Luckily, Cyrus was too busy with his fit to listen to them bickering about him.

                His frustration was vast, and when something bothered him, he either threw a fit and cried for his parents to fix it for him. Or he uprooted the problem himself, and it seemed his cries were not being heard. "I'll have to do this myself. I don't want to do this lowly crap," Cyrus thought, grinding his teeth and clenching down his phone. "I'll have to kill Winter. There is no other way," he thought, clenching harder. Breaking it with sparks and parts flying everywhere. "Yes. I like that idea," Cyrus said, with a truly awful idea. A wonderfully evil idea. He walked off, heading to the dungeon's library to start his awfully evil scheming.