The first steps are always the most important.

The first steps of a baby ... the first steps towards school ... the first steps away from the parents...

For an adventurer, it doesnt matter if he is a novice or an expert, the first steps in an Unknown Territory are crucial:

Get used to the pressure of the Territory, notice the first smells and sounds ... feel the magic flowing in the surroundings ... and most importantly , locate the essence of the closest NullumEst. A whole series of rituals that must be carried out in the shortest possible time.

Among the most veteran adventurers, this segment of time is often referred to as the "fifteen golden seconds".

Erin stopped in front of the entrance to the mines, a huge frame of old wood that surrounded the entrance to a cave. At no more than 5 steps away from the giantess, a green and violet vortex acted as a door, floating in front of a broken road. Her skin bristled with nerves, oblivious to the conversation her three companions were holding.

"It's time..." Erin thought to herself, clenching her fists as much as she could. It was not fear, it was not her own cowardice... what was holding her back was another kind of feeling, one that could overwhelm and terrify her heart. The work of a superior being was before her, impassive and immovable. One that was before she was born, and that would be after she left this world.

Grimm was not oblivious to the tension his apprentice exuded from all his pores. A tension that he felt in his day, in the same position that the giantess was now. Moving away discreetly from the conversation of Ehrwald and Hector, Grimm approached his apprentice, placing his hand behind the calf of the giantess. "Are you okay, apprentice?"

"Nervous ... quite nervous, really" It wasnt necessary that the giantess swear it, thought Grimm to himself, not wanting to make firewood from the fallen tree. "It is normal?"

"More normal than you think, little one" The words came straight out of Grimm's mouth, without even having to think about them. As his mentor once told him, now it's time for him to be the giantess's support. "You are facing another dimension... the work of a High God nothing more and nothing less. We are insignificant for people like Amun, but here we are, ready to assault his territory and leave with the deserved booty.

All the adventurers go through that feeling... I, Hector, Grand, the dwarf, Emmile, Iskar... Overcoming the nervousness and taking a step forward is what marks the beginning of the trip"

The giantess continued trembling, seeking strength to nod. "It's time!" The mouse announced from the mousehole next to the vortex. Beginning to spin faster, the green and violet turned dark blue, signaling that the link was complete. "Next group, on the move!"

After a couple of pats, Grimm joined Hector and Ehrwald in front of the vortex, looking one last time at the giantess before traversing it. The mouse erased their names from their list, turning to see how the giantess named Erin was not advancing. "Come on girl, we dont have all day!" The mouse screamed trying to get his attention,, putting an unfair hurry to the giantess.

"I... I'm g...going ..." The situation was so tense in Erin's head that the memories of her first day of high school were mingling with the current one. Fear of provoking hatred in their companions, fear of the Territory ... all together in a nutritious and delicious mixture for the eye of others.

"Girl, is this your first time or something?" The mouse asked to see how Erin progressed to steps too small for someone of his size. The giantess nodded stiffly like an automaton. "My god... the newbies are always too funny. Girl, listen to my advice: Being afraid means you feel, and that means you're ready to try! Failing is something that we should all do sometime, go without fear" A mouse giving her encouragement... The last thing Erin needed to see. And still, the giantess thanked him greatly.

A firm first step (Completely robotic, worrying everyone who was in the queue behind her). A quieter second step, supporting all its weight. Erin held her breath, counting from ten. Nine. Eight. Seven-

"ENTER NOW!" The mouse yelled, scaring the giantess and causing her to lose her balance inside the vortex. "For the glory of Amun, the rookies are too stressful!"

Interior of the Armory Mines: Floor 0  Team members:

•  Myerina "Erin" Vegner Gaspar: Apprentice
• Grimm: Freelancer
• Ehrwald Gughinr: Alchemist
• Hector Mulbow: Yojimbo

The first steps are always the most important... and for Erin, the first steps in her first Territory went in the downward direction.

Unable to scream for even the shock, Erin went through the vortex without managing to keep her balance. "Get away!-" It's all Erin could have formulated before falling to the ground, raising a great cloud of dust.

The trio remained motionless, amazed by the entrance of the giantess. Ehrwald was the first to take a step back, trying to lift Erin up. "And there goes your golden fifteen seconds ... Dont worry, you're not the first adventurer who falls when entering" He tried to comfort, without much success.

"I'm s...so sorry, guys..." Erin whispered almost on the verge of crying, feeling completely useless.

"Dont be sorry, my apprentice." Grimm approached the giantess, moving Ehrwald aside while Erin finished composing, wiping the dust off her face. "Open your eyes and enjoy the views, dear"

The giantess nodded, rubbing the rest of the dust. Before her rose a giant descending cave (more than twice as tall as the giantess), full of old iron scaffolding all over the walls, rails, wagons and hundreds of spikes and other abandoned tools, rusted and scattered throughout the grotto. Small lamps hung from the ceiling, illuminating the whole cave slightly. (without apparent background)

"Impressive ..." It was the only thing that Erin could express, overwhelmed by the image.

"The mines were attacked and taken by the deadly whispers of a Deep One in less than a day, what you see is how the miners left them as they ran for their lives" Héctor explained, taking a few steps towards the wall and examining it. "The Territories are frozen in time, and everything inside them reappears in 72-hour cycles. But what happens if we take an iron ore or some jewels from this place?"

Erin finished cleaning the dust, standing in all its fullness. While checking the condition of her trenchcoat and swords, the giantess gave her answer. "All materials that leave the territory return to the normal time flow, being released from the reset cycle. In its next cycle, the Territory returns to order, renewing all that is missing" 

Grimm applauded as he joined Hector, the two old men disappointed at not finding anything of value. "Correct answer" Grimm said feigning encouragement. "The Mines of the Armory is usually the Territory where the youngest adventurers come here to mine and look for jewelry, with which they are allowed to pay for better services, equipment or new trips. Even so... I hoped there was something valuable left to show you how materials are collected ..."

"We cant do anything about that, my friend, so let's pick up what we see valuable without stopping too much" Hector tried to encourage Grimm, continuing the path to the depths. "It is the last day of the cycle, there should be nothing valuable in the most accessible floors"

"Floors?" The giantess's question was logical, and as Grimm and Hector were too preoccupied with investigating the surroundings to get as much money as possible, Ehrwald decided to act as a teacher in the same way that Grimm was for him. "If a Territory is spread on the same plane, each section of it is called 'Zone'. And if instead the Territory ascends or descends, each section is called 'Floor'. Mines of the Armory is composed of three floors:

The 0 floor, the Great mining route. The floor -1, the Dependencies; and the final floor, Electro-Iron Excavation.

Each floor is isolated from the next by a vortex delimiter, which prevents the passage of NullumEste to lower areas where they can gain more power. Basically it is the solution that Amun devised so that younger and inexperienced adventurers would know when the situation becomes more dangerous"

"I think I understand ... although it's still weird ... you know" The giantess did not know how to express it with words, for her joy Ehrwald understood Erin's doubt perfectly.

"I dont know either why Amun would create places with practically infinite materials ... or because it would fill them with regenerable treasures for us to find ... there are many theories about whether Amun did it to train us against the different types of corruption or is it just a whim for the High Gods to have an entertainment ... however, a gift horse"

"THERE'S NOTHING!" Grimm's scream came from far below. When Erin and Ehrwald wanted to know, Grimm and Hector had already descended almost 50 meters into the cave.

"We should... hurry up, Erin. These two are capable of leaving us behind"

"They would not, would they?" The lack of response was enough response, so the giantess decided to grab the alchemist's waist so she could run at full speed. "How little you weigh, Eral!, Eral!"

"Oh, come on! I dont need you to call me a dwarf or midget too!"

"The hook is already cast. Erin and the dwarf should reach us quickly" Going ahead to capture a NullumEst had been the idea of r03;r03;Hector, who insisted on giving the giantess a controlled fight before continuing to descend more deeply. An overwhelming logic, Grimm hated to admit.

"Do you defend yourself well without a sword, Héc?"

"Who do you think you're talking to, Grimm?" Hector hit the overturned wagon he was sitting on, keeping the NullumEst locked until Erin arrived. "A yojimbo is not only a master of the katana, he is also a fierce fighter at bare hands! Not having a sword is not a problem for me, rather these little bastards should feel relieved!"

"I know that mines are not that difficult, but you have not fought for a long time-"

"Grimm. I trained the young prince every day of the work week both physically and mentally. I can defend myself in a Territory of such a low level ... In addition, Erin can learn a couple of things about the necessary spells that an unarmed fighter must know. His grandfather Julius was a master of unarmed combat and Gaspar is a genius of fencing; you know perfectly well that these things are transmitted in the blood"

"I dont say no-" The locked NoNacido began to hit the walls of the wagon, causing the duo to laugh. "But Erin's parents are pacifists-"

"Pacifists by vocation, Grimm. Hirari was able to break rocks with her hands only since he was 7 years old, and Rogan is a fencer recognized by all western Paradiso. Both chose the path of peace by their own desire, not by weakness" Grimm remained silent, part of him enjoying having two such succulent facts.

"So, Erin is not taking out all her brute force possible?"

Hector denied while checking that the giantess was not yet close, lowering the tone of his voice. "According to what I found out this morning after you left the castle... and to find out I mean ask Erin's grandmother-"

"Fuck, Hector! They're not supposed to know that Erin is here!" Grimm quickly lowered his tone, fearing that the echo of his voice had reached Erin's ears.

40 meters away:

"Aggggggg..." Ehrwald continued to vomit on his knees, with the giantess behind him watching to see if anyone was born attracted by the smell.

"I'm sorry ... but I had not started sprinting or anything ..." Erin repeated again and again as an apology, always with the look as far as possible from the unpleasant scene. Something that Erin couldnt understand is how the blood had no effect on her, but the human vomit was capable of making her sick just by looking askance at her.

"

It's been the constant ups-downs ..." Ehrwald explained while looking for handkerchiefs in his alchemist's bag. "I've never had a good stomach for transports with so much rattle ... Agggg"

A part of Erin wanted to continue until she met Grimm... but even though the mere smell of vomit was already making her sick, her sense of responsibility urged her to stay. "Stupid responsibility ..." 

"What else will it give? You asked me to find out more about her and help her with the problem about Gurian, so what I have done has been to inform me of the full story. Also, they were going to see her at the end of the month-"

"Excuse me!?" Grimm interrupted at once, blinking confusedly.

"You know perfectly that at the end of the month is the quarterly meeting of the Assembly Paradiso-Inferno-"

"Yes Yes! I know that! It is that time of year! But what does that have to do with... "As if it were a short film, the images of the people of Floreanis decorating the city pierced the mind of Grimm. "Dont say it…"

"Say what? ... Wait, Grimm. You said you intend to stay here in Iiion to begin your training with Erin, right?" Grimm nodded once. "And you said that... knowing that Vontalba's royal family would come here for the meeting, right?" Grimm denied once.

"Tell me what a joke ..." Silence. "TELL ME IT'S A JOKE, YOU DAMN BASTARD!" Hector jumped from the truck directly towards Grimm's neck, drowning him with all his might. "YOU'RE A COMPLETE IDIOT! YOUR APPRENTICE TRUSTED YOU THE REASON FOR WHICH SHE IS FAR AWAY FROM HOME, AND THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS TO BRING HER TO THE PLACE WHERE HER WHOLE FAMILY IS GOING TO BE A WHOLE WEEK!"

"I didnt remember-" Grimm cried, trying to push Hector aside. "That the meeting was this time in Iiion! I swear! I thought I played in Kazesis!"

"I had assumed that you wanted to be here so Erin would be reunited with her family to clear things up!" Again and again, Hector lifted Grimm's head, hitting her repeatedly on the floor. "That's why I've warned her grandmother to make sure her whole family comes! This is what happens to me for assuming that you are capable of thinking and doing things"

In a moment of respite, Grimm managed to break free of the iron grip, pushing the magistrate aside. Without letting him breathe, Grimm climbed on top of Hector, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. "The first thing is that it has been unintentional! It doesnt give you-" First blow. "Right to-" Second hit. "SHOUT ME!"

With the slightly bruised old man, Grimm raised his right fist high. "And second, it is you who has decided to make your whole family come based on something you believed! I didnt ask you to do it! It has been your hand!"

And this time, Hector was the one who took the opportunity to unbalance Grimm, knocking him down. "It was an attempt to help a good friend! More than friend, a brother!"

"And I thank you!" Grimm tried to break free of the magistrate's grip, rolling both of them over the mine floor until they were beaten on rusty tracks. "It's a perfect plan!"

The two crossed fists, hitting each other's faces. "Of course it is!" Hector replied, giving a quick headbutt to try to get back on top. "I thought it was too perfect for you not to have thought about it!"

"I'm good even unintentionally, isnt it?!" The magistrate managed to get back up, this time with Grimm holding him by the neck.

"Of course you're good! A good idiot is what you are-"

"Ahem!" Erin cleared her voice, pulling the two out of the fight. "Can I know what you're doing? ..." As if nothing were happening, Grimm and Hector got up quickly, wiping the dust and fixing their clothes. "Hello? Are you planning to say something?" The giantess began to get impatient, crossing her arms and frowning.

The duo looked at each other for a few seconds, fighting with their eyes. As Grimm lost the battle, and feeling responsible for the giantess, he decided to explain the situation. "Er-"

"HOW DO YOU DARE TO DO THIS TO ME?!" Erin yelled with all her might, causing small fragments of loose rock to fall from the ceiling. "IT ISNT ... it's not fair, Grimm! Not even 24 hours have passed since I entrusted you with my identity and my life! It was last night! You had no right to do something like that!"

"Erin, I-"

"ERIN? It's not fair, Grimm! In my contract says that I am your apprentice! It doesnt say you can ruin my undercover life! It doesnt mean you can inform my family where I am from! How am I going to trust my teacher if in less than 24 hours you have ruined all this year that I have spent hiding from my own family! I'm not a puppet so you can decide what's best for me!" Tears fell like rivers down the cheeks of the giantess, snatching any response that Hector or Grimm had thought.

"You dont answer? ... I dont care what my contract says! You're a wretch, Grimm!" Without waiting, the giantess jumped over her master, starting to run towards the depths of the mine.

"Erin!-" Hector tried to scream, being answered instantly by a scream.

"Go fuck you too! Both! I'll get that jewel so that Emmile can have her father by her side without your help, pair of assholes!" The giantess walking away in the darkness was what ripped the magistrate from his stupor, trying to pull his friend's arm without answer.

"Come on Grimm! Stop being silly! We have to-"

"I'm a real imbecile ... is not it, Hector?" Grimm said in complete neutrality, without raising his voice.

"What the hell are you talking about, Grimm? Erin has gone to the depths! We are on the first floor, but the NullumEst are still dangerous! Quick, lend me one of your swords! The situation-"

"It's like she said..." Grimm's tone dropped, while the master's head was tilted upward, as if searching for something on the stone ceiling. "Not even 24 hours have passed and I've already ruined a whole year of her work ... I had no reason to distrust her story... but even so, I asked you to find out if it was true"

""Damn it! We do not have time for a depressive episode! Listen Grimm, there's nothing wrong with checking a story with so many big names behind! That's what I would do-"

"There is no such thing as logic in this world, Hector. Are pure selfish feelings, disguised as complacency to justify us... and if her grandfather really puts Gurian before her another time? And if... I've made an innocent girl lose her family?"

Slap!

Grimm's cheek burned with pain, as much as Hector's fist. The sound of the blow was much more contained than the power of the blow, enough to render a normal man unconscious. Even so, Grimm's tears were not from the punch.

"And if... I've failed the only person I wanted to help? I dont know ... I dont know what to do, Hec..."

Hector sighed, waving his hand in the slap. They were more than 30 years since the last major depressive episode, so Grimm really must have been hurt by his actions.

"If you've failed that girl ... you can only do one thing!" Taking a step forward, the magistrate grabbed his friend by the collar of his shirt, raising it up. (Well, Grimm didnt oppose any resistance either)

"Fix it! Fix it up! Ask a thousand times for forgiveness today, and ask a thousand times for forgiveness tomorrow! That your relationship is not based on a contract! Let Erin see that you really care! You are Grimm, the dark shadow of Paradiso!"

"The contract was just an excuse to get close to her ..." Squeezing harder, Hector lowered his friend until he was face to face.

"What makes you cling to her so much? What are you looking for, Grimm?" No word came from the teacher's mouth, breathing slowly until Hector began to shake him. "Answer me!"

"I have many things to answer ... right?" Grimm let out a small nervous laugh, closing his eyes for the impact. As he imagined, Hector threw him to the ground, leaving him with outstretched arms. "The truth? I dont even know ... When I saw her for the first time competing in Iher games, I felt something inside of me ... a feeling of responsibility ... of melancholy ... as if seeing her, I felt close and far away.

I consult Iher about this ... and Iher advised me to ask to her directly ... but unfortunately, she had already left"

The sentences had less and less meaning, but Hector did his best to follow the story a second time. "And you followed her" Grimm looked to the side, hoping his friend understood the rest.

"That would make me a pervert who persecutes minors ... and I'm not like that. I resigned myself not to think about it again ... until our paths crossed in GreenGate. I saw her leave the Guild of the city ... and I felt the same melancholy ..."

"From there it was like you told me, right? You entered the Guild and saw that her name was in an offer to sell MotherNight" Nodding, Grimm opened his eyes again.

"The reason why I distrusted her story ... the reason for my melancholy ... the reason that Gurian took her with her ... last night I understood everything. Erin ... she's a legatee- "

"I already know that, Grimm. What is not found is who is the third part of his birth. Those things are not recorded anywhere ..."

"Bella" Hector fell silent, falling to his knees with Grimm's head in his arms. "What….?...."

"Bella... Bella is her other mother. Bella is the one who gave part of her soul to fulfill her dream ..." Blinking quickly, Grimm eluded one of the magistrate's tears.

"How can it be ... Gaspar never told me! I was ... we were at her funeral! Maybe you and Iskar were in the audience, but I was by his side! Bella was also my friend!"

"That a child is born with giant blood without giant ancestors is not unusual because of the accumulation of giant soul that is in Vontalba, even more, it is considered a sign that the baby will do great things. When Erin mentioned Bella ... and Gurian, it all made sense-"

"And why didnt you tell me anything?! You have hidden a crucial part, unfortunate! I had the right to know! I had the right to know that Bella ... that Erin is her daughter! I'm too old for you to make me cry like this!" Trying to ignore his friend's hand by picking up his tears, Hector gritted his teeth with all his might, fighting not to run after Erin.

"Because I dont want to be the teacher of Bella's daughter. I dont believe in the future of that girl because of her inheritance ... I believe in her because I've seen someone kind and brave, who instead of getting away from here ... has run deeper, trying to help an imbecile as deep as us.

We were in the same battle in which Bella lost everything ... but the order that Dancing Glory and Black Veil be repositioned made us get rid of the final massacre... Bella never forgave us ... and she died resentful with alll of us-"

"The order came directly from Amun and Iher, Grimm ... it is useless to keep thinking about what would have happened if we had not gone to secure the lines of evacuation towards Inferno. Bella may still be angry with us, but when I talked to her ... she confided that she did not hate us, she just envied us-" 

"I can not change the decisions of the past, but I'm not going to live my final trying to redeem myself before Bella" Hector blinked more confused than he would like, completely losing the thread of the conversation.

"What I really want is to see the world to its fullest potential, I want to see the role that Erin will play for the future! I want to help Erin, train her and guide her ... so that she never makes someone cry like I have done. The world revolving up its brightest face!"

Hector mumbled a snarl, pulling away and letting Grimm rise. "So is that your decision? Is that the reason why you care about her?"

"Do you think there is something more hidden, my friend?" With the recovered smile, Grimm showed his helmet and full armor.

"I know there is not ... I know you too well. And if there was, I'll kill you for it-"

"I accept that deal! Now if you'll excuse me, I'll wait for you at the entrance to the Dependencies!"

Without saying anything else, Grimm disappeared with the WorldDiver, leaving the magistrate behind.

"I hate you so much, Grimm ..." Sighing, Hector got up, kicking the wagon and finishing off the NullumEst with a single blow of the wrist. "Are you planning to wait for something else, Ehrwald?"

Half trembling and still pale from vomiting, Ehrwald approached his patner leaning against the wall. "You were so engrossed in the conversation ... and Erin seemed so angry when she heard you ... I thought it best to wait patiently for you to fix things ... like the last time you argued"

With a half smile, Hector approached him, grabbing him under his shoulder in an improvised charge. "Thanks for waiting, I'll make sure the real alchemist knows how diligent you are. And do not deny yourself, now you're going to be a father, you'll need a lot more money"