District 42-Chapter 255: Aesirs’ preparations

When the day came, Ari headed to the floor where one of the cities was settled. Together with him, some Ridires started to mobilize as well. They didn’t have a specific formation, nor a plan. The only thing on their minds was that they needed to protect the city and whatever was inside it at any cost.

In their meeting, everyone was sure that the place with the highest chances of being attacked were those cities. Of course, it would depend on the enemy’s objectives when invading the Castle, which they aren’t sure about yet, however, they doubted that some Frelsi wouldn’t try to mess with it if they got the chance.

Ari had his grenade launcher on one of his hands, with its body laying on his shoulder. His eyes were resolute, but also calculating. The guy was paying attention to some minimal details on their possible battlefield that needed to be taken into consideration by him.

With his free hand, the Punctual Aesir made some calculations with the GPS-like gadget he had. He was walking back and forth there while doing this, always with a deep frown on his face from behind his mask.

The Ridires knew well Ari since they participated in so many missions with him over time. They understood why he always did something like that and the reason would show off during the battle.

’It makes me quite worried and anxious when I stay waiting for someone that I am not sure when will come. No matter how many times I look at the hours, I can’t measure their arrival. The minutes, hours, and seconds aren’t on my side in this situation, I guess.’

Ari liked to rely on the clock when doing anything in his life. He was addicted to punctuality and calculations involving time.

The other Aesirs were as anxious as him. They felt like they could rely on him since Ari was so powerful. However, they didn’t know the proportion of that battle. They were surely in a troublesome situation, but no one could say how much dangerous it would be.

After finishing his calculations, Ari looked around towards the buildings.

’I can’t back away here, can I?’ He sighed, sadly giggling to his idiot thoughts. ’Of course not. After all... I must protect my home, the place where the people that raised me are living in. There is no way that I will let them touch even a finger on my family!’

...

On another floor, Ivar was walking on top of the buildings as per usual. He liked to look at that place from top to bottom. He felt like he was, indeed, a god. The Wild Aesir enjoyed the feeling of observing everyone from above.

Not just that, but he also felt powerful when in such a place, just like he could do anything he wanted to do, save everyone he needed to save, and held his head high when facing any trouble.

’Because that’s what real heroes do, right, mom? They don’t fear anything, they don’t die, they don’t lose, they save everyone.’ Memories flowed through his mind as he remembered the harsh times he had when he was still a kid.

Ivar closed his eyes, concentrating on those memories. Heroes didn’t fear anything, so, even though he didn’t like his past, he still needed to face it.

’Can I be a hero, mom?’ He always asked the same question, though his mother would answer the same thing every time.

’No. We are commoners, after all. Let the hero thing for the Aesirs and Ridires of the Castle, ok? We gotta work to pay our bills and buy our high-taxed food. That’s how commoners should be, we are born in this world to die like this, understood?’

The worst thing was that he believed in those words for a long time.

’I just wanted that you let me dream like a kid, mom.’ If Ivar concentrated, he was pretty sure that he could still hear the voice of his mother in his head. She didn’t have a melodic voice, nor the best appearance, but she was a good person.

Ivar looked to his own hands, imagining his bones and muscles covered with those dense fibers. He remembered the pain he needed to go through when submitting himself on that kind of project.

’Ivar, the Wild Aesir, the Fenrir...’ He finished calibrating the exoskeleton covering all his body, putting it in its max potential right away, already feeling the pressure that it had on his bones and muscles.

’Whatever that is coming here, I will be the hero that will save this city.’

The Aesir looked intently towards those buildings.

’Hey, Ivar...’ The voice of Thor sounded on his unstable mind. ’Do you know why the enemies always need to think two times before shooting on me? It’s because I intimidate them! There is nothing so intimidating than a man that smiled when facing death!’

A grin appeared on his face as the adrenaline increased and he took his bow and arrow off his back.

...

Rurik was walking on the streets of another city. That one was not as big as the other that Ivar was in, but it was still a very crowded place. All the 6 cities of the district were like that, after all.

He had his hands inside the pockets of his uniform, his blue cape was waving around, drawing the attention of the other citizens. A group of healers had spread around as well, which made Rurik stood out even more.

The man wasn’t willing to show off there, but he found that way to be the easiest to keep an eye on what was going on in the city and he feared to do something idiot if he started to get melancholic while on top of a building.

’Life definitely is a misery, huh?’ He thought, looking with pity towards all those people walking through the streets.

All he could see was a bunch of humans trying to, every day, avoid something that would come anyway.

’These people struggle so much to survive... But that’s so pointless. Survive is nothing more than a worthless way to delay your upcoming destiny.’

While his mind rambled about that matter, his eyes persisted in looking at every single person that was passing by. All the buildings around were in his sight as well, being meticulously studied. Whatever the thing that seemed to be different than it should, would be spotted.

The other healers were always following Rurik, they seemed as focused as he was, marching behind him just as if they were a troop from an army.

’However...’ The man narrowed his eyes, paying attention to a couple walking on the streets. With them, a baby in a carriage. ’It’s somehow beautiful how humans manage to find happiness in this pointless pursuit. That’s why I can’t say that someone doing a mass genocide is doing something right, that’s why I can’t be happy if a catastrophe vanishes an entire city.’

Rurik was smiling while he saw the citizens crossing their way.

’Honestly, I wanted to have such delusions. Live a life with the perspective I got about things is lucid, but also sad. It’s a blessing and a curse at the same time. I envy people who can smile when facing this cruel and endless cycle of life.’

The red-haired Aesir kept walking on that city, doing the guard. He didn’t seem to be as determined as Ari or Ivar, but deep inside there was nothing but the resolution on his heart.

...

Freygar was positioned on the floor where the Royal Family settled. He was talking on the phone while preparing the terrain to protect the citizens efficiently.

"As I said, Bren, you don’t need to call me every time you have a doubt, you know? You are an Aesir as well, you needed to pass for a lot of things with us. Now isn’t the time to be afraid." The Cloned Aesir was getting pissed off since that was the third call she gave to him.

"But now I am not talking about anything related to the other calls! I need to talk with you about something different, y’know?"

After her shrill voice nearly made his ears bleed, Freygar just breathed in deeply to calm himself down. He was one of the few of the group who didn’t get angry at Brenna every time.

"I was just thinking a while ago about Casper. I mean, he should have had called a while ago right? It was part of the plan. He should call before entering into action..."

"Casper is someone who can do his things, ok? He is a warrior as well. Regardless he calling or not, we can be assured that he is doing his part of the plan right now. He could have had problems, but it is up to him to solve, we shouldn’t take care of him."

After Brenna went silent, Freygar hung up and crouched.

"Man... I hope everything goes well. After all, if Casper can’t do it, then we will be completely lost."