As Emma stayed quiet for a moment pondering their next course of action, the rest of the girls looked toward the direction of Legram, wondering if that was where their next destination stood. Similar to Naoto, they didn't have any plans at the moment but to grow stronger, until they reach a good point. It could be a couple months, upward to a year, or even longer. They didn't know. During this moment, Fie couldn't help but turn around, and looked at Emma. In particular, her back.
A look of disappointment appeared in Fie's eyes seeing the absence of the tightly-bound large piece of cloth Emma often wears around her back. Right now, it was a Staff. Not the object in question.
"It is a shame you don't have that big-ass rifle with you, Emma. That thing's sweet.", Fie said.
Hearing that, Duvalie looked at the two.
"That thing, huh...", Duvalie uttered, which caused Emma's thoughts to end. She recalled the time she had spent inside the Saint-Gral Labyrinth. Back then, Emma carried this weapon around, quite effortlessly at that. She couldn't help but marvel at the strength Emma displayed. At the same time, she has access to Magic. She's much stronger than what Emma was during Cold Steel's story. Duvalie remained in the front during most of the battling while Emma would know where to fire off said spells, or shots from her rifle from the back. Every time she did so, she did with the utmost accuracy. Emma rarely missed, so the amount of Monsters the duo fell stacked until they couldn't count them anymore.
To say the least, Duvalie was pleased that someone could match her wavelength so greatly like this. She had a hint of doubt in her eyes as to whether Fie would match up to that, but knowing that she's a Jaeger, she could only place her trust in Fie for the time being. Celine wasn't a slouch either. She maneuvered around the battlefield with her swift agility, thanks to her being a cat Familiar. If a Monster didn't die from Duvalie's sword or Emma's rifle, Celine would often be the one to finish them off with a spell of her own.
The girls saw Emma smile before responding.
"I decided to leave it in Grandmother's care for the time being. It's undergoing some maintenance, so I will not be using it wherever we go next. Because of that, I will continue fighting from the backlines---?", Emma tried to say.
Sadly, their little gathering didn't have to wait long before the four felt the ground start to shake a bit. Thud. Thud. The moment they felt it, Duvalie's eyes darted, and focused. Celine's ears twitched, immediately sensings the new arrivals.
But this time, it wasn't your average Monster. A loud, distant roar echoed all around them. Even Fie's eyes became serious. Her arm reached downward, letting her hand rest on her dual gunblades.
"...Did you all hear that?", Fie uttered, remaining serious.
"Yeah. Something is coming---?", Celine tried to say. Yet her eyes darted elsewhere. This time, Emma followed along, and her eyes shot up. A fluctuation in the barrier rippled. In one section of it, the barrier began to dissipate. Shortly after, a familiar voice spoke out, letting out a laugh.
"Haha, just as Lianne predicted, you all have grouped up here. Didn't think you'd have someone new join, but more the merrier. Figured I'd leave you all a parting gift. You should be able to take it on, no problem.", The familiar voice said, acting carefree. After the figure said that, they flashed into existence, seemingly out of nowhere. It wasn't through the teleportation stone. As the figure arrived, they floated, hovering above Duvalie, Emma, Fie and Celine. It was a golden-haired girl who Naoto was ever so familiar with.
"Grandmother...", Emma uttered, not expecting to see Roselia arrive. Celine scoffed seeing her arrival.
"Did you really have to take the barrier down, stupid Rose?", Celine asked, feeling annoyed.
"Just relax, will you? Only part of it is temporarily down. 'Tis the only way to attract their attention, after all. Like I said, consider this a parting gift. You can't refuse it either. Those monkeys are already on their way. Good luck!", Roselia happily replied, revealing a playful grin.
In response to that, the roaring grew louder and louder. The shaking intensified. With each passing moment, the pressure got closer and closer. One insanely large shadow began to topple the trees nearby down. That's right, they all got torn down as the beast rampaged toward their direction. In total it was four monkey-like Monsters, with the appearances of baboons. It was as if they had become the forest themselves.
Once the four Monsters were within distance, Roselia did a sudden motion of her hand. Before Emma knew it, she saw her orbal rifle materialize before her.
"Oh, and before I forget, catch this, Emma. Its maintenance is done. Can't start the party without it!", Roselia said, letting the smirk remain on her lips. She tossed it Emma's way. It was still taller than Emma, but she ignored the size, and suddenly jumped up. To no one's surprise, Emma effortlessly caught it.
"Loud and clear, Grandmother. I did not think you would finish working on it in time.", Emma said, smiling at the rifle now in her hands once again.
"Sweet. Guess you'll be using it after all.", Fie said. "Just with that alone, victory is secured. Let's go beat those monkeys' asses."
"Don't get too overconfident now.", Roselia shot back. "And besides, once that foolish Icy Maiden and that disciple of mine showed me the ropes, it was of no issue to me. Speaking of which.", Roselia continued, looking at Emma. "I'm sure you sensed it already. My disciple is in Legram now. All of you should head there post haste should you want to meet him. It won't take him long before he eyes another place."
As Roselia said that, she did a twirl, and pulled out her iconic Crimson Staff. Emma, let alone the other girls, couldn't even do anything before Roselia uttered a chant, and vanished from sight. The partition within the barrier remained down. Once they defeated the monkeys before them, would Roselia put the barrier back up.
Seeing Emma well-equipped now, Duvalie looked at her with more interest now.
"Does this mean you will be providing the support you usually do, Emma?", Duvalie asked as she drew her blade out. She then brandished her shield, ready to attack at a moment's notice.
"Of course. This is just what we needed, too. Now with Fie in our party, I want to see how well we can do before we head to our next destination.", Emma responded, nodding in agreement. She then jumped backward, and prepared her rifle that was just tossed her way. A resolute look appeared in Emma's eyes. As Emma and Duvalie got ready for combat, Celine paused.
"Hmm, you two really are raring to go at this, huh?", Celine responded. "If we're really going to take those beasts down, I might as well play the part too.", Celine suddenly said, drawing the girls' attention.
"Celine?", Emma asked, gaining interest.
"D-Don't get the wrong idea, alright? Just seeing you all get serious like this, I feel it's appropriate for me to join. Doing this is still new to me.", Celine responded. Before they could react, Celine's Mana flourished, and it covered her entire body in a blue glow. Pooof!
All of a sudden, the black cat vanished. What appeared before them was a dark-skinned girl. Yet this girl appeared different, she had a cat's tail around her hips, and cat ears on her head.
"So you really were a girl.", Fie said, being the first one to speak as she observed Celine's new form.
"That's the first thing that came to your mind seeing me transform like this!?", Celine exclaimed. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Fie remained nonchalant, not appearing surprised to see Celine now a girl, instead of a cat. That's right, depending on the Familiar, they could achieve human transformation, just like what Celine just did!
"Hmph. That's enough screwing around, you two. We've got this giant baboon and its cohorts to kill.", Duvalie said, remaining the girls. With her sword drawn, she pointed it at the gigantic baboon that was towering before them. It roared loudly, and beated its chest. The smaller ones also did the same. They assumed their battle stances.
Seeing the Monsters ready to battle, Emma's party became serious, and likewise, assumed their battle stances. All Emma did was smile as she observed the other three, remaining in the back. She knelt down, and prepared her sniper rifle.
Meanwhile, as they engaged in combat, a different scene could be seen further upward, toward the forest's canopy. Before long, a sole figure, dressed in knightly armor who had their face hidden with a helmet, arrived. This person was, of course, Arianrhod. She maintained a proper distance so the girls couldn't detect her. It was rare to see all four with determined looks in their eyes, Fie included. A rare smile appeared beneath Arianrhod's helmet. With this, the silence stretched.
It did not take long for this silence to get interrupted. A voice greeted her. This time, it wasn't Roselia's voice. No, this voice was someone else Arianrhod knew.
"You really were up here, Steel Maiden. Are you enjoying watching those fledgling grow?", A familiar voice spoke, calling out to Arianrhod. After that, a large magic circle appeared beside her. Seeing a person arrive, Arianrhod's gaze remained fixed down below.
"I could say the same thing to you, Azure Abyss. Welcome.", Arianrhod said, greeting the sandstone-colored hair girl. She was as beautiful as ever.
"Oh my, surely you jest. I find these days rather boring, considering I can't wander too far away from those stupid sewers in Ordis. The Azure Awakener's been taking his sweet time training.", The girl said, and revealed a fan to cover a part of her face. Who else could she be but Vita Clotilde? It wouldn't be until S1201 by the time Crow attempts the Azure Trials for real, but after having met Naoto, that may or may not happen this time around. With Crow already busy, he may attempt the Azure Trials even earlier. Perhaps within this next year or so.
"At least you have found your path to tread, as these children did. I have not intervened much these days. Their progress is most admirable. With that Jaeger now added, it should speed up.", Arianrhod, providing a rare praise of the ongoing training.
"Isn't that a good thing?", Vita asked.
"Only time will tell. Are you not going to see them?"
Vita didn't immediately answer after Arianrhod asked that. She then shook her head.
"No. I will be a distraction if I step in now. Say hi to Grandmother for me, will you? I could only drop by for a little. I must take my leave now.", Vita said, before she unleashed her Mana. The same magic circle appeared, and before long, Vita vanished from sight. Arianrhod was left alone.
And yet, this time, Arianrhod was soon greeted with another voice. One even more familiar.
"And off she goes. That precocious brat really does enjoy whatever she wants to do, huh? I wonder, who does it that she gets that from?", Roselia said, and appeared beside Arianrhod.
"You needn't ask me. The Azure Abyss has already found her path."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm still not over the fact she joined you snakes. It wouldn't hurt for Vita to receive another spanking from yours truly~", Roselia teased, revealing a playful grin. "But I digress. My other disciple of mine arrived in Erebonia not too long ago. Many familiar faces, but not once have they intertwined a single time. Quite interesting, is it not?"
"As I have told the Azure Abyss, only time will tell. I only plan to observe for the time being.", Arianrhod answered.
"Mmm. We'll see if they cross paths once these fledglings enter Legram.", Roselia said, only to see the four girls now fighting the Monsters below...