Merit and I both stood silently, watching the wall being built from a distance.

Well over a dozen people were working in this room, mostly focused on the wall being put up. It was interesting to watch, since I'd never seen a real wall being made before. They used not just wood and metal, but some kind of mixture of mud and other materials too. The stuff smelled weird, weird enough that I didn't want to get too close to them or offer to help. Which was too bad… pretty much everyone here was a non-human. A member of the Society. So I really wanted to meet them all and talk to them. But, like Light, they were all so… busy. Always working, as if ushered by some great purpose. They were all in such a hurry to finish this cathedral that I was barely able to converse with them, since it made me feel rude to interfere.

They were focused, and working hard. Talking to them and distracting them made me feel…

A man with wide shoulders entered the room, pushing a wheelbarrow. He took it to one of the workbenches near the wall, and started to unload it. The supplies he placed near the workbench were quickly taken by the other workers, and promptly used to build the wall.

It was a little humbling to see so many people so… good at what they were doing. It was like watching a bunch of Vims, almost. They all seemed to know exactly what to do, and how to do it as swiftly and efficiently as possible. Most of them hadn't even said a word the entire time, even though they had to work together sometimes as a group and thus should need coordination.

Their efficiency explained how they'd be able to build this supposed cathedral in a few years as they planned. This cathedral was going to be far bigger than I had assumed. I'd not really seen much of it yet, since most of it wasn't built yet, but there were already several floors and maybe a dozen different buildings. They were building over the spot that monster had emerged from, and it seemed thanks to the all the damage to the surrounding area they had been able to acquire several blocks worth of land. They basically owned the equivalent of several city blocks, and all of them were in a good location. We weren't far from port, not far from the markets, and the edge of the cathedral's expected reach was opposite of the entrance to the noble's section of the city.

Almost as if it had all been by design. It made me wonder who had been the one to swiftly move in and take advantage of the situation… it had to have been Brandy, right? I wonder if she had been warned ahead of time, or if she had simply taken the opportunity to profit the moment she had been given it.

Some footsteps drew my attention from the wall and the hard workers, and I found Tundra. She ran into the room, almost knocking over one of the tables in the process.

Merit flinched at the sight of her, but held her ground alongside me as Tundra ran straight at us… and then straight into me.

"Oof," I kept my footing as the young wolf tackled me with a hug.

"Morning Renn!" Tundra happily said as she gave me a great squeeze.

Smiling at the young girl, I returned her hug… though not with the same vigor. The young girl was strong, but for some reason I felt like I needed to be careful with her. "Morning to you too Tundra," I said.

The young girl giggled, her ears flapping under her little headdress's hood, and I couldn't help but sigh a little.

"And morning to you too, Merit!" Tundra exclaimed, quickly unwrapping her arms from me as to turn and hug Merit too.

"Don't!" Merit shouted, stepping back and raising her little hands as to defend herself.

Tundra paused, her arms outstretched in preparation for a hug. I couldn't help but grin at them, since the two looked like young sisters. Which was adorable, especially since Merit looked like the younger one in this situation.

Merit though wasn't joking around, or playing. The look in her eyes told me how serious she was being, but if Tundra noticed that or not…

"But you're so huggable, Merit!" Tundra complained, her fingers twitching in apprehension.

"And you're conductive!"

Tundra tilted her head at that, her ears fluttering inside her hood… and I couldn't help but smirk.

"She's threatening to shock you. Careful, I'd take her warning to heart and wouldn't discount it. I've personally seen what her shocks can do," I said.

Tundra glanced at me, gave me a sad frown and then looked back at Merit. "Really? You don't want to hug me?"

Merit shifted a bit, and I was a little surprised to actually see hesitation in her glare. She was actually feeling bad for once!

"Maybe some other time…" Merit finally grumbled after a few heartbeats of her hesitation.

Tundra sighed but nodded. She lowered her arms, which went to drooping sadly as if her heart had just broken. "For a predator you sure are stingy!" Tundra complained.

Merit's eye twitched, reminding me of Vim. "And for a wolf you sure are clingy. You're supposed to be a solitary creature, act like one!" Merit responded.

"What? We form packs!" Tundra defended herself.

Enjoying the exchange between the two, I felt far happier than I had a few moments ago. Yet as happy as I was… something felt off.

Glancing around, I went a little still as I realized we were being watched.

By everyone in the room. The whole group of people who had just been diligently working, paying Merit and I practically no mind at all, were now staring at us. No one was moving. Some had even paused right in the middle of whatever they were doing; one had a saw still half stuck in a piece of wood. Another was in the middle of climbing a small ladder.

I gulped at the oddness, and before I could even process what was happening… they all returned to their work.

"Ignore them, Renn. They're all prey," Tundra then said.

Blinking, I turned and frowned at the young wolf. "Huh?"

She nodded and gestured at those who were now fully focused on their work. With renewed vigor. "All of them are small creatures. They can't help but stare when they hear loud noises," Tundra said simply.

Shifting a little, I glanced at Merit… who now had a sad look on her face. Her eyes met mine, but for only a single moment before looking back to the wolf. "That's what you get for being loud," Merit said.

"How could I not be!? You probably don't understand, Merit, since you've had her and those like her all this time but I haven't! Ever since mother died I've not had anyone else to hang out with!" Tundra said.

My ears fluttered beneath my hat, since I had heard a strange tone from the loud and proud girl. She had spoken calmly, and with surety, but I had heard something from her I'd not heard before.

Sadness. Genuine pain.

"I don't understand your mind. How can you claim to not have fellows when you have Less and the rest?" Merit asked, not as bothered by the young girl's tone as I had been.

"They're predators… I'll admit it, but it's not the same. They don't have any backbone!" Tundra tried to explain.

"How do you explain her then? Renn's strong, I'll admit, but she's as soft as jelly," Merit asked with a point to me.

I grinned at that, since it was true.

Tundra glanced at me, frowned and shook her head. "Jelly…? I mean… maybe. But not where it counts. Plus I've heard of what she'll do! No one able to do that would be spineless!" Tundra said happily.

I tilted my head at that and glanced at Merit again. She scowled a bit. "I'll take her and leave if you start talking about prophecies," she warned.

"Oh. Sorry…!" Tundra immediately flinched and glanced at me with worry. I nodded gently to the girl who genuinely looked apologetic.

"It's okay," I said.

She still frowned with worry, and then glanced around a bit. "Right… Light just yelled at me earlier too. It's your fault! If you'd have just accepted my hug I wouldn't have forgotten like that!" Tundra said with a point at Merit.

Merit huffed. "Not very predator-like. Shifting blame whenever possible is something I'd expect from a jellyfish, not a proud wolf," Merit teased.

"Wha…!" Tundra flinched as if she'd just been slapped. She spun a bit, to gape at me while pointing at Merit.

"She does have a point," I said gently.

The young wolf's eyes immediately swelled with tears. "I didn't mean it that way!" Tundra said worriedly.

"Doing it again? Really?" Merit asked as she put her hands on her hips.

Tundra let loose a terrible whine, one that made the hairs on my ears stand up. Had her heart just broke!?

"I… I didn't…! I mean…!" Tundra began to shake, but not from rage. I suddenly felt horrible for helping Merit tease her just now, as the young girl looked to be on the verge of weeping.

I'd been told she was young, by Martin, but I hadn't realized just how young!

"I'll go repent…!" Tundra then shouted, and darted away. I reached out to stop her, to grab her by the arm and tell her it was okay, but she was too quick. In a blink of an eye she ran out of the room, hurrying down the hall as she ran away.

A little stunned… I glanced at Merit and groaned. "Merit…"

"What! I didn't realize she was so fragile! She acts all tough!" Merit defended herself with a gesture to the door the girl had just run through.

Reaching up, I rubbed my face. Poor girl! She had definitely been crying! I had just wanted to tease her a little with Merit, in hopes of making her realize what she'd just said earlier had been a little rude. But… to go that far…? If Vim was here he'd sigh at me and call me a bully!

And repent…? I wonder what that meant… hopefully it wasn't anything like what Abel did back at the Crypt…

"The heathen made her cry…"

I flinched and glanced over to those working on the wall. None of them had even glanced our way, and were all focused on their work still… but now there were small whispers amongst them.

"It's Merit, what do you expect?" another said.

"Might do the girl good, to be honest," a man whispered.

"Gossip where we can't hear you!" Merit shouted.

They all flinched and went quiet.

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Feeling my face grow hot, for many reasons, I reached over and grabbed Merit's arm. She let me pull her out of the room and into the hallway… but I didn't know which was to go. Tundra had ran that way right…?

"What! Renn I won't apologize," Merit said as I headed the direction I thought Tundra had gone.

"You don't need to. I'll handle it," I said simply.

"Just because she's young doesn't give her the right to be so snarky, Renn. You heard it too didn't you? She basically badmouthed all of them; she's one of those that think they're better than anyone else just because she's a little strong!" Merit said as we walked down the hallway.

My tail squirmed as I tried not to blatantly agree with her. I had indeed heard it, and saw it. I just… had been hoping to ignore it.

I slowed a little, but didn't stop. We weren't far enough from the room we just left, and the people within it, yet. I could still hear their whispers, and they were almost as infuriating as everything else going on. Although I did want to go find Tundra and make sure she was okay, their comments had been why I had left that room. I had been about to shout at them myself, if Merit hadn't done so already.

I mean really! Yes Merit didn't believe in their faith, but to call her a heretic!? Isn't that what they called the ones who believed in that Epoch faith? The very people this church, those people here, hunted and burnt on crosses!? Did that meant that's how they saw Merit? Like that? As if some kind of enemy?

"Ignore them Renn," Merit said simply.

Coming to a stop, I glanced down at Merit. She had a gentle look on her face, the one she usually had when we were talking about something sad. Like her kingdom, or her love for Vim.

So she could still hear them too…? Of course she could…

"But…" I mumbled, unsure of what to say.

Merit had just tried to defend them. Tundra had basically insulted them, in her own way, and that had been why Merit had teased her. To try and make the girl realize she was being hypocritical. Yet here she was… being called a heretic, and…

Though I was stressing, it seemed Merit wasn't. Her small, gentle, eyes held my own with a strange firmness. One that told me she really was fine and not bothered by what they were saying about her.

"If I cared what people like that said about me, Renn, I'd have run away years ago. It's okay," Merit said.

Hesitating… I decided to just nod to my friend. "Okay," I said.

Merit smiled at me and nodded. "It's not. And I can tell you think so too. That's all that matters."

"Mhm…"

My small friend sighed as she crossed her arms and looked around. "What now? Either go find her or let's leave. I'm tired of being here," she said.

Right… I kind of wanted to leave now too. We had come to see Light, and to kind of just… look around, honestly, and we had been here for a few hours now. If we left no one would find it odd, if anything people would likely even be happy about it.

Many of the people here seemed to be interested in me. But whenever I wasn't alone, like with Merit, they all became… distant.

I knew it was because of their pasts. Many of the people here were old. Only a few were like Tundra, or Martin. Most didn't just remember Merit, several had actually known her back when the Society had been… well, more important.

Merit herself would have never come here under normal circumstances. The only reason she did was to accompany me. So it made me feel a little rude, since it made me feel like I was forcing her to have to endure and meet people who she didn't like… and who didn't like her.

"I'd like to talk to the girl before we leave, if that's okay," I said as I returned to walking.

"Just follow the smell of dog, that way," Merit said with a point down a new hallway.

My lips tightened a bit as I nodded. Yes, she did have a rather noticeable smell, didn't she? I had been trying to not say anything about it, since I knew it wasn't the girl's fault. It was just… whatever she was. She had fur, enough of it to be noticeable… even if hidden by robes and clothes.

It was the same kind of smell that I had. Or well, once had. That smell which made most of our members weary of us.

It was undoubtedly why the poor girl had such an outlook on life. She saw people as weak, without backbone, because when they were near her… they did indeed become meek and timid.

The poor girl's attitude was a byproduct of her environment. And it sickened me that no one was willing to acknowledge it, or do anything about it.

"I'm not sure why you're bothered, Renn. Most predators are like her. In fact she's actually not that bad, considering," Merit said.

"Not that bad…? The only reason she likes me is because she thinks I'm strong, or whatever! That's insulting!" I said. From the moment she had realized I wouldn't treat her differently, or flinch and shy away at her mere look or presence, Tundra had latched onto me. It was the same reason she had tried to hug Merit just now. Because although Merit had flinched and stepped away from her hug, it hadn't been out of fear. Merit just didn't like to be touched, by anyone. Tundra had obviously noticed that, which was why she not only liked Merit but had taken Merit's words so sincerely.

Merit's little teasing had likely hurt a lot. Because to her Merit was an equal. And that bugged me too. I didn't want to be liked so… purely, just because I treated her normally. It made me feel weird.

"It's only insulting to you. I liked Vim because he was strong, in the beginning, is that insulting too?" Merit asked.

I slowed again and glanced at my friend. She had a small grin tugging at the corner of her mouth, which made me want to hug her.

"You teased her to teach her, didn't you? Doesn't that mean it bothered you too?" I asked.

Merit sighed and nodded. "It had… but I honestly wouldn't care if she learned or got better. For as long as she doesn't get worse or hurt anybody, who cares how she acts and sees people?" Merit said.

Well… "That's very Vim of you."

Merit smiled at that.

"The poor girl is a lost cause anyway, Renn. Growing up amongst these idiots? She didn't have a chance," Merit said as we rounded the corner and walked down the hallway that smelled like Tundra.

"That's no reason to be mean to her, or ignore her, Merit. If anything that should be all the more reason to do the opposite," I said.

Merit made a noise as she sighed, but didn't argue.

"Oh my gods…!"

Merit and I both paused and turned, as I once again firmed my footing as I was ran at.

"Again…!?" Merit grumbled as she stepped back and behind me, as to not get targeted.

This girl wasn't as tall as Tundra, though she was dressed in the same gray robes. Unlike Tundra though… she had a very peculiar trait. One that made me hesitate, even as she ran right up into my arms and into a hug.

Her eyes were glowing brightly.

The saint wrapped her arms around me, giggling happily with great joy as she squeezed me. As she did, I noticed right away this girl was more normal than not. She didn't have half the strength that Tundra had.

"You're here! The one! Oh my gosh…!" the saint screamed in joy, squealing as if she'd just happened upon the best thing ever.

Although I had no idea who she was, or what she was talking about, I couldn't help but return her hug and grin happily as well. Her joy was utterly contagious!

Giving the girl a hug, I spun her around a bit as she laughed. Once I stopped, and her feet landed back on the ground, she immediately separated from me and spun to look at Merit.

"And you! You're as tiny as I am! Haha!" the girl darted forward, making Merit startle and raise her arms to defend herself.

Before I or Merit could say or do anything, the girl had wrapped Merit into a hug. A big one, to the point she had lifted Merit off the ground and started to spin her around… just as I'd just done to her.

"Oh boy…" I groaned as I then heard it. Tiny little pops and crackles filled the hallway, and then without warning a flash of white and blue sparked out from Merit.

The saint yelped, going still as Merit shocked her.

I panicked at first, since my only experience with Merit's shocks were from back during the chaos. When she had used her ability to kill those men who had been chasing me. The ones from the sewers.

"Merit…!" I shouted in worry as I stepped forward, as to grab them and separate them… but before I could the girl put Merit back down and released her.

"Wow! That hurt!" the girl shouted loudly, as if stunned. I grabbed her by the upper arm, to steady her as Merit quickly stepped away.

"Renn…!" Merit whined, glaring at the girl as she put her back to the wall… as if now fully on guard.

The saint blinked a few times and then shivered, as if cold. "I'm all tingly now, haha!" she then said.

Although still worried, I couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief. She was still alive, at least…

Maybe Merit could control how badly she shocked people…? I couldn't imagine this tiny girl surviving what those hardened men had. Now that I had her arm in my hand, I was able to feel just how tiny she was. She was taller than Merit, but not by much, and just as scrawny. She felt more like bone than anything else, was she sick or something?

"Are you okay…?" I asked her as she reached up to rub her cheeks.

"My mouth's all tingly!" she said, though she spoke fine.

"Touch me again and you'll feel more than tingly!" Merit said, loudly.

"What's that feel like…?" the girl asked as she actually stepped forward towards Merit. I firmed my grip on the girl's arm, stunned at her audacity.

She had just tried to hug Merit again!

"She doesn't like being touched," I said, sternly.

"Aww…" the girl moaned a bit, as if disappointed.

"Mono…!"

I turned as Martin hurried over. The son of the knight huffed a little, telling me he had ran swiftly and from a distance. He too reached over and grabbed the girl by the arm, though not the one I held.

"Martin! She really can shock people! It felt great!" the girl told him.

"By the gods you're…!" Martin bit back the word he wanted to say, and then hurriedly turned to look at Merit. "I'm so terribly sorry, Merit! She had said she had foreseen herself getting shocked if she hugged you… So I had thought she'd know better than to do so!" he said quickly, as if worried he'd be the one in trouble and not the saint who had hugged her.

Merit glared at the two, her back still up against the wall. "Mono…?" Merit mumbled.

"That's me!" the girl said happily as she tried to raise her arms up, but both Martin and I held them in place.

I kept hold of her since he still did too. The fact he had his hand on her, a man who was considered a knight for saints, told me all I needed to know about this girl. She was as uncontrollable as Tundra was, it seemed. Maybe even worse… considering she had foreseen Merit's shock and had still done the deed.

"It's nice to meet you Mono… but I hope you'll not annoy Merit further, otherwise the two of us will have to leave," I said to the girl, hoping to make my point.

Mono glanced up at me and nodded. "Oh, I won't! Now she won't shock me anymore, since she now knows who I am… thanks for that Martin, you jerk," she said as she turned to glare at the knight.

He didn't seem to care at all about her look, or tone. "I'd chastise you for not realizing how dangerous your antics are, but the sad fact you do indeed know how dangerous your mistakes are make me question the gods' intelligence in giving you sight," Martin said.

The girl laughed, but I only shook my head at them.

Releasing the girl, I stepped back a bit as to put myself slightly between her and Merit. Just in case.

"You know her, Merit?" I asked. They had just said Merit recognized her name, basically. Which was odd… Merit hadn't brought up this person before. Mono…? Don't think I'd ever heard that said by anyone, not even Vim.

"Rather, she likely knows her parents. Anyone who has been in the Society long enough would know what her name means," Martin said, his hand still on the girl's arm.

My ears fluttered a little as I processed his words. They made me feel, once again, as if I was some kind of outsider to them.

The girl stepped forward a step, but only because that was all she could do. Martin kept hold of her, and he didn't budge. "I'm a celebrity! Like you! So let's get along!" Mono said as she held out her other hand.

A little hesitant, I frowned as I went ahead and took the offered hand. It was small and oddly cold considering it was covered in sweat.

Maybe Merit's shock had hurt her more than she was letting on.

"Renn… What's that…?" I asked her after introducing myself.

The girl tilted her head in a way that told me she didn't understand my question.

"She means someone famous. Basically she's well known, like you are," Merit answered for me, from behind. Martin nodded, confirming it.

"I'm famous…?" I asked, not liking that at all. Because it likely was meant in a bad way.

Mono giggled as she leaned a bit, as to look past and around me at Merit. "It's nice to meet you too, Merit! I liked the shock, I've never felt anything like that before!"

"You're definitely her daughter…" Merit groaned.

The saint beamed us a mighty smile. "Really!?" she shouted. She looked and sounded absolutely ecstatic, as if she'd never received such a wonderful compliment before.

She let my hand go as she tried to step forward, and she reached out to grab at me. I panicked at first, thinking she was going to try and round me and hug Merit… but then I realized she was simply trying to hug me again instead.

Martin though kept hold of his arm. "You're bothering them, Mono…" Martin said with a voice that told me he was likely the one being bothered the most right now.

"Mhm…!" Mono nodded, but didn't stop trying. She tugged and pulled her arm, doing all she could to reach me.

With a small sigh, and much to Merit's disappointment… I stepped forward as to accept the saint's hug.

Smiling at Martin, I nodded to him as to let him know it was okay. The girl giggled happily as Martin finally released her, and she once again gave me a hug.

Mono buried her face into my stomach as she hugged me, which made me feel a little weird. Was she trying to smell me…?

"You really don't smell at all! Haha" she said with a muffled laugh, telling me that was indeed what she was trying to do.

Martin groaned, covering his face as if in shame… and Merit then groaned too, though in annoyance.

Smirking at them all, I sighed as I patted the girl's back.

So many new faces. So many new troubles… but honestly…

This was what it was all about. The Society. And I'd not trade it for anything.

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