Another mission. The first time we'd been called upon by the Velvet Star to show what we could do and take down a powerful Caster and his goons, I'd been feeling positive. Energetic and filled with anticipation. I'd been ready to show what our team could do and put our best foot forward.

Now?

I still felt that drive to succeed and impress, but it felt muted. Buried beneath other vague, heavy feelings shrouding my heart in fog.

Today, it was cloudy. Dark and dull. The sun was blocked not only from the painfully limited sight of my zone, but even from the sight of those blessed with functioning eyes. Shadows were cast over everything, making the day dimmer than it should have been at this time. As much as it made everything look a little bleaker, that should only bode well for our mission. With more shadows to hide and sneak around through, more people would hopefully work up the nerve to attend the meeting. It was as good a day as any for crime.

The dark didn't restrict my vision in any real way, but I'd have been lying if I said it didn't bother me.

We were walking together as a team. A group of five Casters on a mission. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that even while walking side by side in unison with the same goal, we'd never felt so apart. I hoped that it was a feeling created only by my pessimism, and not one the rest of the group was experiencing.

Our team was taking back alleys as we travelled towards our destination, moving at a casual, leisurely pace. Fareel stood at the forefront of our squad, orange eyes half-lidded as he walked with an almost Zombie-like slowness, arms swaying back and forth in front of him as he led the way. The Fishfolk Chimera's awareness was split, his lipless mouth still covered in a small fleck of slobber from the eggs he'd produced minutes ago. Now, his Familiars had ran ahead of us, scouting the area with many small eyes, working in tandem with my zone to ensure we weren't being followed or at risk of being discovered too soon.

The only person who wasn't outwardly sullen or reserved was Streiphen, but even that felt like a ruse. The boy was smiling brightly, gently tugging a stone faced Toya along, talking about all the cool things they could do around the city after the battle was over. Toya responded with gentle affirmation and nods, but it was clear to me that his heart wasn't in it.

It was while we continued to walk that I saw Sigura tense up. While I was reluctant to divert my attention from the zone, I left my subconscious awareness to my Skills in the hope that I would be instantly alerted at the first sign of exposed steel or enemies. She was the person I was the most worried about, even if Toya was the one who'd been hurt. More than once, I'd caught her flexing her fingers, balling them into tight fists with such force that they nearly broke skin. Now, I heard her snarl quietly, throwing an idle glance to her left, just over her shoulder. Maybe she'd heard something in the far distance that had set her off.

Letting out a sound that was somewhere between a defeated sigh and a growl, Sigura's head snapped around, looking down and behind her towards Toya, who's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Sigura asked, eyes narrowed. "The Don wants us to go to this meeting and scare a bunch of criminals away from a recruitment meeting. If we get a ton of criminals and small fry caught or scared away from doing business, ain't that helping people? That's what you want, isn't it?"

Toya rubbed one arm with the opposite hand, pulling his half-closed eyes away. As he proved he was unable to meet Sigura's gaze, I only saw her own eyes narrow further with irritation. An ill omen.

"A group that's got the blessings of Big Tooth," he responded sadly. "He wants us to scare them to prove that their ability to protect their allies is poor. He wants to damage their reputation amongst criminals, not help people."

"But Miss Sigura is right!" Streiphen exclaimed, both hands reaching up to clench Toya's, wiggling it in support. "We're gonna help a lot of people when these bad guys are out of power! We're doing good!"

"It's... it's not the same," Toya responded, his eyes turning up towards the surely cloudy sky that was beyond my ability to see. "We're not doing this for the right reasons. He's doing this for his own gain."

I prayed that the sound of Sigura's teeth grinding together wasn't audible to anyone without my level of hearing.

"Nobody does anything out of the goodness of their hearts, dumbass," she snapped back. "Everyone's lookin' for something, even if you don't think so. We're doing this to further a goal, but why the Abyss should that matter if the end result is that people're gettin' help? Don't be so damn selfish."

Sigura was... right, as usual. If the end result was the same, then did the means really matter? Whether they were with the Don and blessed by his resources and assistance or not, wouldn't fighting off a bunch of criminals and doing a deed for the people ultimately be the same? Toya was overreacting. His thoughts were irrational, based only on emotion, not logic. Now, he wasn't meshing well... with the team.

"We're weakening one gang to put another one in power," Toya reminded her, his eyes finally turning to look up at her savage orange orbs. "Even if the Velvet Star isn't as pushy or dangerous for the people as Big Tooth, we're still helping people commit crime by doing this."

"B-but it's still better, isn't it?!?" Streiphen exclaimed hopefully, speeding up so he could turn his head just enough to look right up into Toya's face. I know I wouldn't be able to resist that look in his starry eyes, but Toya might.

"It's still crime," he responded simply.

"Don't you have anything to add? You seem off today."

The murmured words were uttered under Sigura's breath. Like I expected, her eyes were on me as we walked, wanting me to chip in and try to salvage the team's mood.

"[No, but you should,]" I responded to her, and her alone. "[You need to apologise for what you said before.]"

"What?!?" she growled, prompting the other three to look at Sigura in confusion. She coughed into a fist, looking away from the trio in embarrassment. "This isn't the time or place, Yur, you know that."

"[We don't have the luxury of waiting for a 'time or place',]" I responded curtly. "[If you don't apologise and these negative feelings begin to fester, it will make it harder for everyone to concentrate on the mission. Especially Streiphen.]"

Once again, she began to mutter, although calling the half-formed sounds of irritation coming out of her mouth 'words' would have been too charitable.

"[You need to apologise, Sigura. For the team, if not for my sake. This is an order,]" I told her.

We weren't in high spirits, and without knowing the abilities of many opponents to come, we needed to be ready for everything. I wouldn't let any potential advantage we could get slip away.

Sigura's eyes widened in what I hoped wasn't stunned shock. Her head whipped around to face mine, and the look in the narrow slits sitting in the center of her eyes was nothing if not confrontational.

Was there something wrong with me today? Maybe that conversation earlier back in the training hall had gotten to me. Any other day, I would have let Sigura release the anger slowly until she was calm and collected again, but today... I was pushing the issue. Maybe it was because we were short on time.

With shaking shoulders, Sigura took a long, deep breath, her eyes scrunched closed and her teeth were bared.

"Toya," she said aloud, her voice carrying more than a hint of aggressive irritation. I saw even Fareel look back with those half-lidded eyes after hearing that.

Toya's shoulders hunched up as if making himself smaller and less of a target would do anything against Sigura's heavy gaze.

"Yes...?" he responded hesitantly, trying to keep his expression as even as he could, even if hints of fear slipped through the cracks, wrinkling his forehead and cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Sigura sighed, managing to blurt it out. "About the other day, I mean. I know you don't trust these guys, and I wasn't tryin' to blame you for not bein' there when we fought or anything. I just wanted you off my back because we were proud of the win. That enough for you, Yur?"

Adding that last part wasn't going to do anyone any favours, but if Sigura needed some outlet for her irritation and spite, I was glad that it was me. I could take it.

"Right..." Toya muttered back, his eyes turning down towards the cracked cobble streets beneath his feet. "Maybe... maybe I pushed too much, as well. I... didn't realise how invested you all were in this group before then. I just... don't trust these people, not like you do."

"It's not that I trust 'em fully," Sigura replied, stuffing both hands into her pockets. "But they're worlds better than the alternative, y'know? If we don't have the Star, we don't have shit. They give us a place to stay, resources, and access to people that actually know what the fuck they're doing. Without them, we'd still be nobodies, scrounging around in dumpsters and stealing from warehouses just to get by in a cold, damp shopping center. You're thinkin' about this as though you're still... whatever you were before all this, Jiggles. Whatever your situation was before, we're Chimeras now. We don't have the same range o' choices and opportunities as everyone else does. We gotta work with what we've got."

Toya's shoulders slumped, and I watched with a silent feeling of relief as some of the creases in his expression softened. This was the kind of person Sigura could be when her anger didn't control her. Confident, charismatic, level-headed, and excellent at getting her point across. This was the Sigura I wanted Toya to see and know.

"I get it," he responded quietly, more quietly than I was hoping for.

At the forefront of the group, Fareel yawned, opening one of his blue, webbed hands in front of a tooth filled maw. I wished that I could be a little more like Fareel, seemingly detached and unbothered by the relations of those around me. If I still had a [Silent Heart], I could be just as relaxed yet focused on the mission before me. I couldn't stop the rush of envy that burst forth from a well within me at the thought.

"How... How did the Don find these people, anyway? The ones he's getting us to fight?" Toya asked. As occupied as my mind was, I still had the sense to be relieved that Toya wasn't merely zoning out again. He was working to keep himself invested and asking questions.

I didn't know what to make of the fact that I felt conflicted about him seeming more like a proper member of the team again.

"Incognito has some contacts, apparently," Sigura said, looking more relaxed after getting that apology off her chest, too. "Some guys working on the street level as scouts. Sorta like the proper criminal version of what we're doin'. They're feedin' the Don info, and it's pretty hard to screen random criminals safely for a meeting like this when anything could be a trap, so they've gotta invite interested candidates like this en masse."

"So... we have allies on the inside?" Toya asked, a note of surprise in his voice.

"'Allies' might be a stretch," Sigura responded with a shrug, peeking around a corner before she turned to follow Fareel. "Chances are, they'll have to run or look like they're fighting back to keep up the pretense. In case this doesn't work out, we'll need 'em to try again."

Toya wore a smile, one that accompanied a brief, bitter laugh.

"Yeah... because they don't trust we can do this," Toya said, sighing. "They won't risk anything for our success. If we fail, it'll be on our heads alone."

"Why'd you always have to be so damn negative?" Sigura growled, dragging her eyes off of Toya and back towards the streets around us. Even now, recognisable storefronts and signs had faded away, giving rise to empty, broken buildings and abandoned warehouses.

"I'm... trying to be realistic," Toya said half-heartedly, looking down towards the cracked ground beneath us. "These people are dangerous criminals. Even if they're working with us, and have given us payment for our services, that doesn't change the facts."

"Whatever," Sigura sighed, her bright eyes turning towards me. "You got the stuff, Yur?"

Were we that close? My zone refocused, finding no signs of danger within its boundaries. In front of me, Fareel had stepped off the beaten path, sitting down on a curb. His eyes were wide again, lacking the faraway gaze they'd had moments ago. He'd found the targets.

The screws holding my mech's compartment in place began to twist and turn, flying off through the aid of my [Telekinesis], followed shortly after by the panel. From within, my telekinetic grip wrapped around four small objects. They were heavy, heavier even than the large metal plates I was already preparing to use in combat.

"Oooh!" Streiphen said, skipping forward to jump up, snatching one of the objects out of the air. "These are really pretty, Miss Yuri!"

"[T-thank you, Streiphen, but I wasn't aiming for aesthetics,]" I replied sheepishly. I felt.. a little better, after hearing that.

The rest of them drifted towards the other members of Equinox. They were a collection of four silver necklaces, each with a Lizard-like head design at the end of the chain. It was a design I made based on my father, born from a memory of sneaking into the workshop to watch him work without his consent. It was one of the few rebellious things I'd done around my parents, and one that carried with it a dual feeling of pride and shame.

Putting the necklaces on, I used a set of small clips within my mech to bring forth... my own countermeasure. While each of the necklaces carried the same enchantment, my body wasn't suited to receive it, ironic as it was. Instead, I pulled out a large white tarp, one I draped over my body. We'd seen a few dumpsters and piles of rubble covered with similar tarps, and this was the best idea I'd been able to come up with when it came to blending in. It was crude, and far from perfect, but the best I had. Hopefully anyone that would see me thought I was a pile of rubbish, rather than a wagon or something that could be raided and was worthy of attention.

It wasn't a pleasant thought.

"[They're all enchanted with [Camouflage], but they won't last long,]" I reminded my teammates. Ironic, that I could mimic the effects of a dormant Skill within me through magic, but I was the only one unable to make use of it. "[When I give the signal, pour your Aera through them, and the runes will do the rest.]"

"Got it, boss," Sigura grinned, gingerly fixing the necklace into place. "You sure these'll work right, though?"

"[I asked Miss Shambles to test them for me, and they all worked fine. The effect will only last for about sixty seconds before it needs time to recharge.]"

She'd been impressed by the cloaking devices, even if my mood had soured after the realisation they weren't enough to cover both my body and my mech.

"Are they close, then?" Sigura asked Fareel, who was in the process of inspecting the necklace, looking very pleased with himself. I couldn't tell if that was because he'd sniffed out the enemies so easily, or because he liked the jewelry.

Fareel nodded, gesturing with a wave for us to follow.

We all moved in silence after that, having worked out a method of communication beforehand. While another group might need to rely on hand signals, ours had the luxury of [Telepathy]. If someone had information to report, muttering it under their breath would be enough to convey it to the team leader. If I needed to push that information forward, selectively speaking to people was a simple task.

Once a collection of scattered, unlabeled crates came into view, I knew we were close. Unlike the abandoned shells of wood we'd seen along the way, these looked newer, with metal hinges keeping them closed and a lack of dust that indicated recent use. Supplies? Offerings?

I moved at a glacial pace, walking slow and steady as I approached one of the warehouses. As my zone stretched in through the windows and spilled down over the interior, I saw them. When I'd first encountered Trainmech, I'd feared that every criminal we'd be asked to fight would be as well equipped. It was truly a weight off my shoulders to know that he was in the minority. The people within mostly wore plain looking clothes or leather armor. Flexible enough to move around in while providing some meagre degree of protection.

Unlike the members of Big Tooth's rank and file, all of the criminals within had some form of magical identification on their person. Whether it was painted patterns on skin, designs woven into clothing, or even simple colour choice for their garbs and equipment, all of them had some indication as to what sort of abilities they used.

After remembering what Lulu had to say, I couldn't help but feel that it was counterproductive. With those symbols and methods of identification, each one was giving hints as to their abilities. Still, I knew their purpose. Each and every criminal within the warehouse was working to make use of 'Arcane Alignment', a phenomenon that directly influenced one's magical growth and development based on how they presented themselves. I'd learned that people who wore outfits designed to trick others as to their specialties could stunt magical growth, but I couldn't let myself get complacent. It was possible that the 'hints' on these outfits could be related to their magic in subversive ways that weren't immediately obvious.

I planted my body down next to the wall, folding my legs beneath me to look the most box-like I could. Whether or not that would contribute to me being found out or not, I didn't know, but I liked to believe it did. Slowly, chunks of metal flew out from beneath the cloth, forming a pile next to me.

While I made my preparations, Fareel used his Familiars to guide the other members of Equinox through alleys too thin for me to follow through, their scurrying legs taking them around the scouted warehouse, ensuring they weren't seen. The only entrance to the building was the front, a pair of closed, dark red wooden doors protected by a pair of people smoking cigarettes, their eyes on the alleys surrounding the area.

Knowing the layout of the building thanks to our moles was a benefit. It was only because of their intel that this plan could work. My metal drifted slowly around corners, hovering around the windows of the warehouse. While my controlled plates settled into position, I kept an eye on my allies as they approached the building's corners, just out of sight of the goons.

"[Remember, our goal is to scare them, not necessarily to defeat them. That's the mission,]" I told them, weaving my [Telepathy] around the building to my four allies.

"How do we know who the moles are?" Toya muttered under his breath, keeping his voice quiet as he crouched down next to a dingy wall. "What if we accidentally attack them?"

After repeating the question to the others through my [Telepathy], Sigura muttered an answer back.

"The Don said they're called Firecracker and Shocks. They've both got spiky hair and bright shirts. One red, one yellow. They'll be surrounded by bits of metal, since they're both Anvils that work with that sort of stuff, like Yur, so don't target them."

After relaying the knowledge, I made the plan clear to the others once again.

"[When I give the signal, I'll take out the goons standing guard and send my metal in, shattering the windows. In the confusion, I'll break the lights and cover up the windows with metal sheets. That's when the four of you run in and attack the enemy.]"

Sigura frowned, glancing up towards the windows sitting close to the roof high above.

"You sure cutting the lights is a good idea? We don't have [Darkvision] or sensory abilities like you, Yur. That'll harm us as much as it does them."

"[Activate [Insight] before you run inside, and target those using [Mantle] or capable of producing light sources first,]" I advised her. "[Track the enemies by their Aera. I'll use my metal to control the battlefield and keep obstacles out of your way so you don't trip over anything. If you're coming close to an obstacle, I'll use my [Telekinetic Field] to tap the necklaces against your skin and guide you. Any other questions?]"

Sigura grinned, her teeth wide and grinning as she and Fareel sat behind the corner, while Streiphen and Toya crouched at the corner opposite theirs.

"None," Sigura murmured, a sentiment the others echoed with silent shakes of their head.

They were ready, and so was I.

"[Go.]"

As the word reached them, Sigura, Streiphen, and Toya all turned the corner.

The two Goons standing guard out front barely had time to react or call out as a pair of thick metal sheets flew down from above, bludgeoning both of them. The sound of their bodies collapsing to the ground was drowned out by that of shattering glass.

The people within began to panic and roar as though a gate to the Abyss had been ripped open. Glass shards rained down from above as many raised their arms in an attempt to cover their heads. The intention wasn't to harm, only to divert attention and cause chaos. From the broken windows came a sea of metal that flowed into the spacious warehouse. The light from outside was blocked by walls of interlocking steel, thrusting the warehouse into darkness.

The effects of my team's necklaces activated, causing their bodies, weapons, and clothes to change colour. With the help of [Camouflage], they took on the hue and appearance of the warehouse's walls, the colour shifting to match the room around them.

"[Close your eyes,]" I warned my allies as they began to run forward.

One of the criminals flicked on a switch by the doorway, channeling Aera through it as the runes enchanted with [Light] encased within plastic panels high above activated. The room was lit by golden glow for just a moment as shards of metal flew forward, briefly glinting in the light before slashing along the length of the glowing runes and the plastic they'd been painted onto. Having scratched away the sun shaped symbols generating light from above, the runes warped and distorted, losing their shape before exploding with a wave of blinding light.

From near absolute darkness to near absolute light, the people within were blinded. When the flash died down, many were left stumbling around, colliding with one another or tripping over items and tools, attempting to recover from the searing light that had scorched their eyes.

"[Open them again. Activate [Insight],]" I instructed.

Three pairs of eyes opened, each holding some of the few lights still visible in the darkness, flecks of flowing murky blue, green with black and silver strips, and a searing sunset orange.

Curses and accusations pierced the air as arguments erupted within the warehouse. I'd been expecting a joint effort to escape in the face of danger to mutually survive, but if these people were going to turn against one another while enemies were attacking, I wouldn't turn down the advantage.

Some were beginning to recover from the blinding flash, wiping at their eyes or working to blink away the pain. With my metal covering the windows, the room was cast into darkness. Only the entrance to the warehouse and the light of [Mantles] and [Insights] flickering to life throughout the room provided any illumination.

The two moles shot to their feet in a panic, arms scooping up all of the metal and bags they'd brought with them. With satchels bouncing and jangling with metal, the pair scurried out of the warehouse. They weren't the only ones to make a mad dash for the exit, but it was fine to let some of them escape. The goal was just to send a message.

Working for those 'protected' by Big Tooth did not guarantee safety.

Outside the building, Fareel vomited, sending a cascade of transparent eggs spilling out onto the concrete. Without delay, they each began to hatch, scurrying into the building and around the legs of the escapees. I didn't know if Familiars were capable of [Insight], or whether they had some other way of seeing in the dark, but I'd trust that Fareel knew what he was doing.

Once the Familiars had made their entrance, the metal plates I'd bludgeoned the Goons into unconsciousness with rose, closing off the one escape route and final source of external light remaining.

My [Insight] activated, giving me a magical view of the warehouse's interior. Even if I was capable of seeing in the dark, I didn't want to lose track of my [Camouflaged] allies, nor miss any attacks or Spells from the enemy that might be invisible to the naked eye. Or... naked zone.

The sound of heavy footsteps, blades being pulled from sheathes, and shouts of alarm rang out, adding to the chaos that Fareel's brood and my flying blades were beginning to sow.

"You betrayed us, you bastard! You said that the Watch-!"

"We didn't know! Someone must've been tailed and-"

"What the Abyss are these things, fuck!"

Nobody had suspected the presence of our moles. Not yet. I hoped that these people wouldn't be suspicious of them simply because they'd been close to the entrance and capable of a hasty retreat. If they continued to suspect each other instead, that'd only serve to make our operation more effective.

In the darkness, the enemy began to attack each other, unable to see the unfamiliar trio that were running into the warehouse. Hearing them strike out blindly and throw accusations was a welcome bonus that ruined their morale and unity, but it still caused a tight knot to make its home in my gut. It... hit too close to home, right now. An unwelcome distraction.

They had sixty seconds.

In a futile attempt to regain some semblance of order, several of the criminals began to use their magic. Balls of [Light] and flames formed from [Ignite] Spells took to the air. We needed the blind to remain blind for this operation to work, and I couldn't leave them alone. If they were able to coordinate attacks, then we would be at a severe disadvantage. We didn't know what sort of abilities any of these people had.

With surgical precision, plates of metal whizzed through the air, slashing through balls of [Light], snuffing out floating flames, and even piercing the body of what looked like a flying purple Pig with Bat-like wings that emitted a strong lavender glow, popping it like a balloon. Heavy, blunt plates struck those capable of producing light, sending them tumbling to the ground while gasping for air and clutching at newly bruised skin. Those that could restore order were the priority targets, and ones I'd promised to deal with myself.

Using my [Battlefield Awareness], I could easily keep track of the many moving parts throughout the warehouse. While controlling this much metal simultaneously was exhausting, it wasn't nearly as draining as it had been before. My fights against Big Tooth and Trainmech had trained me to handle burdens like this.

In the darkness, Equinox went to work.

With nothing but a pair of sunset globes visible in the darkness, Sigura was a menace, striking as many people as she could. She aimed for stomachs and legs, her limbs snapping out to deliver punches to the gut and swift whip-like kicks to the backs of knees, doing her best to injure and disable as many people as fast as she could.

Most of them went down after a single strike, collapsing to the ground on wobbling legs, even those with activated [Mantles]. All the Luster Art did was make them glowing targets in the darkness, and it hadn't helped them weather her strikes either.

But that didn't apply to all of them. Some didn't fall that easily.

One of those that had managed to stay standing after a direct hit was a Human in his late teens. He looked like a [Delinquent], with a black coat inlaid with fur and a series of three metal chain links around his neck. His hair was as black as his coat, cut short along the top and shaved at the sides. He grunted from the blow, clenching both of his fists together. His [Mantle] activated, casting a gunmetal grey glow across his body.

His eyes, hidden behind a pair of sunglasses, darted back and forth, trying in vain to spot Sigura. The eyes flared with grey light, but it was too late. An elbow struck against the small of his back, and I felt sure he'd go down. Putting one foot forward to brace himself, the man's arm came around as he spun, attempting to strike Sigura with a single powerful blow. I saw the middle finger of his clenched fist had extended slightly, the joint closest to the knuckle jutting out from the rest of his folded digits. His arm vibrated with motion, a vibration that was evidently a key aspect to his magic. His extended finger slashed forward like a blade, the [Mantle] and vibration adding to its power as it carved a jagged line through the wall.

He'd come close to striking her, even while [Camouflaged]. He had good instincts. The sound of his panting was droned out only by the buzzing sound coming from his vibrating arm. Doing the same to his other arm, he began to swing wildly, using his [Insight] to follow the trails left behind by the [Camouflage].

He was fast. If his opponent had been Streiphen or Toya, I would have been worried.

It was simply bad luck that his opponent was Sigura.

She was far faster than he could even hope to be, one of her fists snaking through his flurry of attacks. It struck him directly in the face, and I heard the crack of both his sunglasses and his nose as he was sent sprawling, landing flat on his back as a cloud of dust rose from the floor.

His attacks were more coordinated looking than I'd expected from his appearance. Either he was experienced, or he'd been trained in some sort of martial art. Still, it hadn't been enough to match Sigura's sheer speed and power.

Around the room, a number of Casters that had begun to see this as a losing battle began to escape. While some struck the metal covering the entrance helplessly, others had ways to get out that I couldn't have even hoped to prevent.

Standing by the wall was a pair of barefoot Tritons in black wetsuits of similar design to Fareel's. Both wore black goggles with golden lenses, a colour that matched the Goldfish-like scales covering the exposed portions of their bodies. The bottom halves of their faces were adorned with matching black masks boasting sharktooth patterns along the edges. The shorter Triton woman with the long hair reached out, her webbed hand gripping that of the taller Triton man beside her. Both of them sucked in a lung full of air as the woman's Aera began to glow bright gold, spreading over the surface of the ground in front of them, forming a murky circle of churning yellow. With a hop, the two jumped forward, legs clenched tight together as they sank right into the stone floor. The surface of the ground rippled like a disturbed puddle, returning to normality seconds later.

I heard the flapping of wings near the ceiling. A panicked looking Harpy man with sky blue feathers swung down from a rafter he'd been hanging upside-down from, flying towards the windows. His eyes were snapped wide open with shock at the sight of the shifting metal panels blocking the escape route. After a few futile attempts to rake through the plates with his talons, he whirled midair, tucking his wings in close as he dove for the floor. His talons snapped out, grabbing for the broken shards of glass littering the floor. While I suspected he'd just end up cutting himself, I watched as the glass began to sink into his body, stretching and molding over the base of his Bird-like feet.

Too many unknowns. Abilities and Casters that I had no information on. If this had been a mission to subjugate or capture as many as possible, it would have been impossible. But that wasn't our goal. With every injury and escapee our chances that word would spread that there was an attack at this meeting grew.

My awareness shot around the warehouse, jumping from people flailing in the dark, falling to the ground against invisible attackers, or finding a way out of the pitch black warehouse.

On the right side of the warehouse, I saw a silhouette of light green through the use of [Insight], a metallic colour stained with black edges and silver stars. Even if I hadn't known what Streiphen's Aera looked like, I could feel my own Aera resonate back to me from the necklace.

He'd improved since his last fight. Gone was the Streiphen that focused exclusively on defence. Now, he was swinging his weapon with wild abandon, striking at the legs of those he passed, working to slash and bludgeon our enemies into falling to their knees, crying out, or collapsing altogether. He went from person to person, sowing as much chaos as he could.

One of his 'opponents' was a Satyr man with long electric blue hair that I suspected was dyed. He was dressed in lighter clothing of a similar colour, with a rubbery mask over the front of his face. His purple eyes darted around yet saw nothing. He clearly hadn't caught on that [Insight] was the only way to see our forces. That, or he was unable to use the ability at all.

I thought of him as harmless and an easy target, right up until Streiphen's blade collided with his leg. A spark of sky blue light exploded outwards from the point of impact, and I heard a sound that wasn't that of metal slashing flesh. Instead, it sounded like something far lighter had struck the man, and I heard a squeak. Something bounced against his leg, sending him tumbling forward, yet not injured.

Whatever he'd done, his Aera had spread over Streiphen's weapon, creating a silhouette I could detect through [Insight]. His magic seemed like a reflexive defense, something that had transformed Streiphen's weapon into something harmless. Even without seeing his expression, I could feel the sheer shock rolling off the impression coming from Streiphen's Aera.

At the back of the warehouse, a young looking Gnome in his mid-teens stood firm, his expression calm. He was dressed in fanciful blue clothing with white frills at the cuffs and collar. His ginger hair was combed down into a bowl cut shape, even if a few rebellious curls poked out at the bottom, desperately to break free of the conformity.

Standing behind him was an iron Golem with bulky limbs, a single golden spherical eye in the center of its face, and a stance that reminded me more of a Gorilla than a man. When the boy raised his hand, the Golem's heavy arm groaned as its clenched fist lifted from the floor. With a single strike, the fist shattered the back wall. The Gorilla Golem ran forward on all three limbs, using its attacking arm to scoop up the boy, planting him between its shoulders as it escaped.

Light briefly shone through the hole as the Gnome made his escape, with a number of confused, groaning criminals making their way towards it.

Twenty seconds.

I couldn't let any time go to waste. I didn't have the weight or telekinetic strength to stop a heavy, powerful opponent like him, a lesson I'd been taught through the fight with Trainmech. If I wasted energy testing my [Sheen] empowered fists, I could fall behind elsewhere. I needed to manage my priorities.

A trio of Rodens wearing thick, ragged black cloaks and matching goggles scurried for the exit, yet a wall of metal plates interlocked to cut off their retreat, once again casting the warehouse into darkness.

My job was to support my allies. Keeping track of their Aera was simple with the help of my [Battlefield Awareness]. While tracking three people simultaneously, my metal plates flew throughout the warehouse, assisting them while sowing chaos.

Plates and blunted rods struck criminals from their blind spots. Some attempted to slash the steel apart or grab the plates, yet reading their panicked, uncoordinated movements was simple. If they weren't in this situation, their movements may have been more fluid and calculated, but emotions like panic and worry could ruin even the thoughts of Casters.

Our plan wasn't perfect, but it was through the use of my metal that it was workable. While my allies were able to move from target to target with the use of [Insight], they were still effectively blind in the midst of a crowded warehouse. The Luster Art helped them strike opponents and avoid tripping over groaning, fallen foes, but they relied on my metal plates to shove obstacles and boxes out of the way of their legs. When enemies came too close, metal plates would smack against the floor, mimicking armored footsteps in an attempt to scare others off. To prevent my team from running into walls or objects I couldn't easily move, I'd use my [Telekinesis] to move the necklaces, tapping them against the skin or dragging them to the left and right to direct my allies.

Our enemies were far greater in number than the fight against the Big Tooth Casters, but thanks to the preparation and coordination I'd been able to put together, I felt far more confident.

The criminals that weren't ducking for cover to catch their breath or attempting to hide had converged on the back and front of the warehouse. Like Moths to a flame, they surrounded the last spaces they'd spotted light coming in from.

By the entrance, Toya was at work, ducking around and trying to stay low. He worked to disable the enemies without hurting them, avoiding the standard punches, kicks, and weapon swings that Sigura and Streiphen had favoured. Instead, he was pushing criminals into one another in an attempt to start fights and create discord.

One of the Criminals, a Roden woman with the same tattered black cloak and goggles as the trio that had ran for the back entrance earlier, stood tall atop a crate. She was one of the few criminals capable of using [Insight], casting her eyes around the chaotic warehouse floor. Her body trembled as she pointed her snout skyward with closed eyes. Her brown fur swayed and rose as if buffeted by an invisible wind, sending the shrunken furred head necklace she wore tumbling about in the air.

Bubbles of a dark colour with the same texture as her fur began to rise off of her body, floating down onto the ground around her. As soon as they touched the floor, the stone began to peel upwards, melding with the bubbles. The ground surrounding the bubbles rose, shaping itself into a number of animals. Cats. Squirrels. Deer. Moa. All of them had stone on their bodies that was quickly covered by the same brown fur on her own form, all swaying with that same ephemeral breeze-like quality.

Her head swung back down, snout twitching as her eyes darted around. Once she locked onto Toya's blue, sludge-like Aera, the beasts of stone and fur converged on him. The Aera around his arm expanded, and with it his silhouette changed. Blue slime spilled forward from what must have looked like empty space, causing the Roden and those around him to cry out and step back. Trapping their movements in the sticky slime, the strange Familiars were left completely unable to move and chase him as the woman began to point and yell.

"[We're supposed to be keeping a low profile, Toya,]" I reminded him, speaking through [Telepathy]. "[If you use an ability that recognisable, or leave your slime here, they might be able to track us afterwards.]"

If it was solely conjured material, he might be able to make it vanish through his magic, but-

"I'd have to absorb it again, I'll have to leave it," he muttered back, confirming my fears. "How much time do we have before-"

"[Ten seconds,]" I replied quickly, cutting him off.

If he had to physically reabsorb the slime to make it disappear, then we didn't have the luxury of getting rid of that piece of evidence. As annoying as it was, we'd need to make do. Sending a plate forward to knock out the Roden woman, I cast my gaze around. As she tumbled off the crate and into the blue, glowing slime all around, I began to rustle the metal sheets.

"[Time to go. Everybody out!]"

I informed the team as the metal sheets began to slowly part, revealing the daylight once again. Fareel's creatures had leapt off of their targets, hiding behind crates as-

Ah... I felt a shiver run down my real body as I realised just how he was disposing of his evidence.

The Familiars were beginning to eat each other.

However much they seemed to resemble living creatures, it was clear that they didn't feel pain. Above all else, they worked to scratch at the heads and eyes of their fellow Familiars, erasing and marring as much of Fareel's 'face' as they could, leaving the bodies more or less intact afterwards. I hoped others couldn't track it from the residual Aera, but I had my doubts. If all went well, the bodies would dissolve after death.

I understood the measure, and would have applauded him for his practicality if my focus hadn't been elsewhere. The others followed the signals being tapped to them through the necklaces as they grouped around the entrance. Light flooded into the warehouse once again, and the criminals began to escape en masse.

With expressions of panic and shock, the criminals spilled out of the building, running, floating, and jumping away as fast as they could. Surprisingly, they didn't seem as though they'd lost all of their wit. Some had hurriedly cast their eyes around, looking for whatever enemy had attacked them. Most didn't look like they had any fight left in them. If I were to guess, I'd assume they were looking for the best possible escape routes, not wanting to be boxed in by wagons or the Watch lying in wait nearby.

Either way, they were beginning to split up, running alone or in small packs for some semblance of perceived safety. I was content to let them all go. Above all else, these people didn't feel protected or assured. They had been attacked in a warehouse that another party had deemed a place 'safe' for negotiations and recruiting. Now, that place had been tainted with worry, and the reputations of those that organised the event would be tarnished.

We'd done our job, and the operation had been a success.

If none of the criminals remained within the next few minutes, I'd take the time to collect Toya's slime and the bodies of Fareel's Familiars. If we had the luxury of scrubbing the evidence away, I wasn't going to pass up the chance to cover our tracks.

For now, I needed to focus on ensuring we would have that luxury. As predictable as the movements of these criminals had been, there was no guarantee that one wouldn't backtrack or turn around to launch a long range magical attack or a scout like Fareel's as soon as the coast was clear. The moment we abandoned caution was the moment we threw the mission's success into jeopardy.

Now that the adrenaline within me and the potential danger of the area was dying down, the effects of [Battlefield Awareness] were beginning to dwindle. I hadn't realised that it wouldn't be effective outside of a combat situation, but it was better that I learned it here than somewhere else. Not being able to focus on several individuals simultaneously with quite as much ease was regrettable, but it wouldn't stop me from achieving my goal.

My awareness darted throughout my zone, flying over cracked streets and around corners, examining those that escaped. While many of them were wearing masks and coverings, that wasn't enough to hide from my sight. I worked to memorise the faces beneath as well as their masks, just in case I could gleam any data that would help with future missions.

"[Good job, everyone...]" I spoke, my [Telepathy] reaching out to my teammates, all of whom were hiding within an abandoned building next to the warehouse. "[It looks like the coast will be clear in just a few minutes. After that, we can return to base and report back to the Don.]"

Streiphen slumped back against a wall, panting as he slowly slid down into a sitting position. It was only as the [Camouflage] effect lifted from the four that I could see what exactly had happened to his weapon. The Satyr's touch had turned Streiphen's blade into what looked like... a wobbly mound of solid green foam. It was a pattern that looked soft to the touch. Harmless.

His eyes gazed upon it wistfully, turning the handle as he examined the rest of the 'blade'.

"[Ah... don't worry, Streiphen. Transmutation effects like that don't usually last long. I'm sure the weapon will be back to normal in a while,]"

The look of relief that flooded into his starry eyes told me that he hadn't known. His shoulders slumped, and he nodded, a smile that brightened up the room dawning on his face.

"Okay! Phew, okay... I'm glad!"

"Yeah, it'll be fine," Sigura assured him, sitting down next to the Chimera child. "Glad I got the chance to stretch my legs though. Sucks that they didn't fight back that much, I thought they'd be more feisty. I doubt we'll be swimming in Experience by the end of the day, but at least we got the job done, right? Are there many of 'em left, Yur?"

"[No, not many,]" I responded, refocusing my sight on those still making their escape. The area was nearly deserted now. "[A Lapin man, a Roden woman... covered in Toya's slime-]"

"Sorry..." I heard him regretfully say, rubbing one arm with the other.

"Don't sweat it, Jiggles. It isn't a big deal," Sigura said, reassuring him.

"[A Harpy with glass legs, and a man with a glass helmet carrying a box of bottles-]"

"Oh?" Sigura asked, interrupting my idle musings with a grin stretched across her face. I saw her glance up towards the window, a single ray of sunlight shining through the glass as the clouds slowly began to part high overhead. "Bottles of what? He brought beer to a meeting or somethin'?"

"They might just be potions," Toya suggested as Fareel sprawled onto the floor next to him, limbs spreadeagled. "Maybe he planned to try and sell or distribute them during the meeting, or as a gesture of goodwill."

Sigura couldn't help but snort at that.

Wanting to provide an answer, my awareness zeroed in on the box the man carried. I looked inside, my zone slipping through the gaps between the glass and the case's wall.

I regretted it instantly, yet my mind spoke the word right as my awareness scanned over the label affixed to the front of the bottle.

"[Boost.]"

Sigura's eyes widened with shock as a reddish orange glow ignited along the surface of her body. With her [Mantle] instinctively raised, her smile curled into a snarl.

"Someone brought Boost here?" Sigura asked, springing to her feet. "We shouldn't let 'em get away, Yur! Where is he?"

He was on the other side of the warehouse, but...

"[We can't chase him, Sigura,]" I responded, worry creeping into my voice. "[We have to keep as low a profile as possible. If the other criminals spot us chasing him, we could risk others tracking us down or turning on us as a mob. We don't-]"

"I can be discreet, Yur," Sigura snarled, her tone not convincing me in the slightest. "We have to take him down and find out where he's getting that stuff. If it's Chimera, Yur, we could use that to get back at 'em. You want that too, right?"

In truth... I hated what Chimera had done to me. To all of us. But my hatred of them was an emotion that wasn't hard to suppress. Compared to the desire to settle here and live as close to a normal life as I could...

"[It... it isn't worth compromising the mission, Sigura. If you get spotted without your [Camouflage] by-]"

"I don't care about the damn [Camouflage]!" she snarled, her fingers clenching into fists. "Tell me where he is, and I'll take him down before..."

Her eyes, the pupils narrowed to the point of looking like a sharpened sword, were locked onto the ground.

"Fine... You tail him, Yur," she said, her voice fractionally less wild.

"[Me?]" I responded incredulously. "[I'm not skilled at stealthy operations, Si-]"

"You can attack him from a distance with your metal, Yur, so don't give me that," Sigura replied, cutting me off as she harshly sat back down, crossing her legs. "If you work to slow him down, you can probably keep up if he doesn't have magic that'll make him faster. You can use that zone of yours to keep him at the edge of your vision. This is an opportunity for somethin' big, and you can't let this slip away. You can track him without even getting close enough for it to be a risk, right?"

The word was charged with so much latent aggression that I couldn't help but read it as a threat. Sigura made a valid point, but the risk didn't outweigh the benefits of-

"[Alright,]" I heard myself whisper back, pulling my awareness away from Toya. "[If... If the enemies get too close, I'll have to abandon the chase. Get the others out of here and I'll regroup with you shortly...]"

Even before I heard the words "Catch 'im, Yur," my body had already begun to move. With the blanket still over my form, I began to run.

My body was far from the fastest, or the quietest, but by taking the now deserted back streets, I could move without restriction. The metal plates that I'd been calling back to me flew on ahead, working to catch up with the man. He was far from the fastest of the group, but he'd left the building later than the others. Had he been waiting to see if the others would be caught upon leaving the warehouse? If he was the cautious type, then I'd have to watch out, too. I hadn't seen him use any Spells inside the warehouse, so I had no intel on who he was or what he could do.

Thankfully, he didn't seem to be a speedster, or he was conserving his energy. My metal moved to surround him on all sides as my form ploughed through the empty alleys, kicking up clouds of dust and shattering glass as my metal legs propelled my after the target.

Now that my focus was on a single individual, I gave him a proper examination.

He was a Humanoid of standard shape and size, even if that was the most I could say for how 'normal' he looked. His clothes weren't padded or furred like that of the other criminals. My instinct was to assume he was a Tierakin, or Beastfolk, but one look at his metallic silver skin told me it was likely he was some sort of Construct. A Doll, maybe, or a Machina like Screen. He wore black pants, tall boots with silver laces criss-crossing at the front, and a spacious trench coat with a high collar. Hidden behind the collar, I saw a tattoo worked onto the metal of his neck. It was a silver coloured ring, only slightly lighter in shade than his skin, surrounding a golden dot. It wasn't a symbol I'd ever seen before, but it might help us to track him if he got away.

Even if I was determined not to let that happen, it was good to always prepare for the worst case scenario.

While my main body scurried through the open alleyways on four metallic legs, my plates, rods and spikes wove their way around the back streets, steadily approaching the man. Not knowing what abilities he had, I first sent plates for the box he was holding. It was a box made of tough, dark brown wood, with a handle extending from both sides that connected at the top, almost like a picnic basket.

Sharp shards of metal converged on the basket, yet the man's arm rose, pulling it out of the path of danger without even turning his head. Had he heard the metal flying through the air? Did he have some sort of precognitive ability? Or, in the worst case scenario, did he have an omnidirectional sensory ability like I did?

I couldn't worry about that now.

My metal attacked him from all sides, attempting to cut into his clothes and skin with swipes and jabs, all of which he dodged with little margin for error. He wasn't wasting a single movement. Instead, each strike looked as though it was going to hit, only to miss by a hair.

The man swung his other arm into the air, giving it a quick shake as the sleeve unceremoniously slid down. His arm was smooth metal, marred only by a collection of circular tattoos along the surface. Each one was a circle of different colours, with textures and patterns within that reminded me of craters. Miniature planetoids. With a sound like grinding metal, two of the tattoos peeled off of his 'skin', turning from 2D to 3D as they escaped the surface of his body.

Becoming a pair of small hovering planetoids, one green and the other blue, the two spheres began to quickly orbit the metal man, speeding up with every rotation. Now, with the orbs spinning around him, he could divert more attention to escape. Whenever he got too close to a wall, or the metal flew into their path, the planetoids tore right through them with a shocking amount of force. The impact was one-sided in its brutality, tearing through the surfaces it collided against with a casual, contemptuous ease. It was an almost familiar ease that brought a vague memory to mind, but one I pushed away. I had to focus.

A third planetoid peeled off as I diverted more metal to attack, spinning around him in orbit as they worked to guard him. While the two first orbs picked up speed, the third began to drift further away from him. As it did, it grew, turning from the size of a football like the others to nearly matching Streiphen's height, with more width. It ate through walls and broke down brick wherever it touched. The purple planetoid's rotation was slower now, not nearly fast enough to block against any of my attacks. Instead, it ate through the walls around him, sending up clouds of dust while walls began to collapse, making some of the alleyways impassable.

He must have thought I was closer. His senses weren't infallible then, if he couldn't detect me. If he did have omnidirectional sight, his range was far lower than my own.

Grabbing my largest plates with my [Telekinetic Field], I began to prepare a wall, calculating his possible escape routes before I completely covered the length of an alley. The shadow of my wall bore down on the metal man as he turned a corner. Instead of trying to backtrack and lose time, he sprinted right for the interlocking metal. I had a decent grasp of his abilities now. His small orbs couldn't destroy enough surface area to knock the wall down, and his larger planetoid was too slow. He'd need to backtrack or reveal another facet of his technique.

The man leapt, soaring higher than I expected someone of his assumed weight could. With a flick of his wrist, the largest planetoid began to drift back towards him. It shrunk in size and rose in speed, changing the direction of its orbit. Instead of drifting around him in a horizontal ring, it sped up, transitioning to a vertical wheel-like orbit that worked while the man was airborne. The planetoid smashed down with surprising force, crumpling the wall of metal beneath it into the ground, carving a path for the man as he landed safely on the other side, starting up his sprint once again.

Whenever the orbs got closer to his body, they shrunk and sped up. Whenever they drifted further away, they gained size and lost speed. It was valuable information, but not information I could easily exploit. He went back to sending the largest planetoid into a wide, horizontal orbit, beginning to smash through walls once again.

Was he trying to cut off my ability to chase, or draw me out somehow?

Whatever his plan was, I had the upper hand. He wouldn't be able to keep these orbs moving forever. With their constantly changing size and power, it had to be draining him somewhat. Even if I couldn't strike him, I might be able to wear him down with-

People flowed into my zone. At the very edge of my awareness, I saw Humanoids. Not armored warriors or cloaked allies that came to the metal man's rescue, but average everyday civilians going about their day.

We were swiftly approaching a crowded market street.

Was that his plan? To lose me in the crowd or draw me out of the alleyways into a more open space? If I had more space to control and maneuver my metal instead of the cramped, ever-shifting narrow alleys, I might be able to coordinate enough to land a hit regardless of his superhuman dodging ability. But...

If he ran into the middle of that market street, there would be death. If those orbs were capable of crumpling metal and tearing through stone and concrete without issue, what could they do against the unprotected skin and bone of Divastyr's people? He was a criminal. I hadn't taken into account his potential disregard for life, and now he was forcing me into making a decision.

In an open space, I could have the advantage. I had the range to strike him without revealing myself, but that wasn't an option. As dangerous as he was, and as important as interrogating him for knowledge on the Boost was... we were trying to build a reputation here. We were becoming part of a community again. Forming a new life. Even if it wasn't the most tactically sound decision, I couldn't let innocents die for the sake of the mission.

I couldn't stop the metal man's advance, but-

"[Run!]" I shouted, my voice resonating through countless minds with the help of my [Telepathy]. "[Leave now, there's a dangerous Caster approaching fast!]"

The majority of those roaming the street turned to panic as their first reaction. Many began to look around, dropping what they were doing to begin leaving the area as soon as they could. Kids were dragged along by the arm and bags were swiftly hoisted up as those present began to escape. None took the path through the deserted side street, which I was glad for.

Those that weren't in the majority snorted, rolling their eyes at the sudden warning. Some began to walk away while casting glances backwards, or simply leaned back against storefronts as if to watch. Idiots. Was this because they thought my warning wasn't important enough to be heeded? Or that it might have been a prank? I didn't have the authority of the Watch or an adventurer, but that didn't mean-

"[Move, now!]" I roared, raising my voice. If they weren't going to move willingly, then I was going to have to be rough. I'd prefer angry civilians to dead ones, and if they were going to force me to do this the hard way, then that was what I'd do.

While civilians getting visibly irritated at my warnings began to rub or cover their ears, my pipes and plates flew ahead of the metal man. Thick sheets and heavy rods began to plant themselves behind the city's biggest fools. Instead of realising the severity of the threat based on the use of abilities, they believed the best decision to make was to fight back against the metal, gripping it ineffectually while releasing curses and roars of indignant rage.

While their inane complaints polluted the airspace, I began to clear a path, working to split those still lingering on the streets into two halves. If he leapt over the plates and tried to take a hostage to secure his safety because of my soft-hearted decision, then I would need to use force. I'd take that opportunity to strike him down, regardless of the person he grabbed. If they weren't heeding my warning and were used against me because of their ignorance, then that would be on their heads.

Forming two walls of metal plates to clear the way, the metal man burst out of the dank alleyway and onto the brighter city streets. Using pipes and rods, I worked to push at the backs of people's knees and bodies, knocking them to the ground as the largest planetoid crumpled the interlocking walls.

"[Get down! NOW!]"

Having seen the danger, some of the less stubborn idiots within the crowd leapt down onto the concrete, narrowly avoiding contact with the massive purple planet orbiting the metal man. The people who most deserved death were forcefully shoved and pushed away from the danger. My patience had reached its limit, and I wasn't here to save ungrateful civilians. This wasn't going to earn my any favour with them, but they weren't the kind of people I wanted to save, anyway.

At the edge of my vision, I watched as the planetoids drew closer, temporarily hiding him from standard view. I stepped forward, emerging out onto the street as he reached the other side. Without delay, he ran into another alley. Chancing one last look over his shoulder, his eyeless face turned towards the sheet covering my form. He dipped around a corner into another street, disappearing from sight as the planetoids slapped back onto his form as tattoos.

I ran forward from the mouth of the alley, only for civilians to come climbing over the sheets of steel blocking them off. Some even leapt over, approaching me with clenched fists and expressions warped with anger, standing in my way. I raised the plates, prepared to bat them aside, but... no. I wouldn't be able to catch up now.

I'd lost him.

I stood in the center of the street, stock still as the panic present within the street was slowly replaced by churning anger and indignation. Now that the real threat had made themselves scarce, they needed a new target for their rampant, unruly emotions. A number of people walked up to me, yelling and complaining with words I couldn't bring myself to care about.

I didn't stop one of the irate civilians as they climbed over the plate metal barrier, walking over to grab the white cloth covering my body. With a single tug, he ripped it free, revealing my form. Even if they were only civilians, revealing my identity here was a problem. Still, I hadn't tried to stop them or back away. Some part of me was hoping they wouldn't have the energy to confront me after seeing what had held them back and saved their lives at the cost of a mission.

That was clearly too much to ask for. As I used my magic to raise and retract the metal, a number of civilians came forward. My mind was elsewhere, and the voices of the people present felt far away. Despite many becoming wary of my form, some still had the nerve to step forward to confront me after I'd saved their lives.

Yet another instance where emotions caused unnecessary problems.

My form only reacted once some of the civilians started pulling and grabbing at my legs. In shock, I began to scurry backwards, shaking them off as my mind returned.

"The fuck d'you think you're doing?"

"You nearly got us killed, you damn monster!"

"Someone call the Watch before it attacks us!"

This was an annoying situation, but I began to listen deeply. The words of irritation and anger drowned out the voices of those that spoke in my favour, the ones that spoke the name Homebound or had a clearer view on the man who had nearly ended the lives of innocents as a gamble to escape me. I didn't have the energy nor the motivation to feel the least bit relieved or revitalised by their words of support. Those that spoke against me for inane reasons were just too loud.

Using metal plates to keep the angrier civilians from approaching me, I turned my body around, the bronze rose on the front of my form glinting in an errant ray of sunlight. A metal hand flew out from within my compartment as I filed the rest away, flying forwards to quickly snatch the white cloth from the man who'd ripped it from me. That only seemed to anger him more, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

With the sun at my back, I began to trek back into the alleyway, using several plates of metal to form another makeshift wall, stopping the civilians from following as the cloth returned to its rightful spot, covering me once again.

This was an annoying situation, but I'd lost him. As irritating as the civilians had been, something else dominated the anxious worry building up at the forefront of my mind.

Sigura wasn't going to take this well.