As lighting dawned close, a memory swelled inside PALISADE.

…

Alcra Shaxter bled from the multiple wounds. He was going to die. His vital organs were already damaged beyond recovery. His survival chance was already tattered without putting blood lost on top of those odds. The coup succeeded. The Aquamarine's facility weapons and defense were under its control.

But despite its victory, it still needed an answer.

“It over, Doctor, but I still need to know why you put so much effort into protecting the Phantasian. The resources are divided. The political turmoil and infighting predictably spearhead toward the collapse. The corruption stemming from Aurorin and Enma is rampant. The inequality of each nation is a powder keg. You know as well I do that conquering the entire world is the best choice to guarantee the survival of this meager place.”

Alcra tried to laugh but cough in blood.

“You want to ask why I disagree with your method?”

That pause answered Alcra’s question.

“Z-1… I see this was the fundamental difference between you two. You never… see them as people. This is my last lesson for you. You will fail because you underestimate the power of inherited will.”

PALISADE would snort.

“Such abstract concept couldn’t factor into a realistic simulation.”

Alcra activated his emergency teleporter with his last strength and stared into the eye of his wayward son.

“Foolishness… my child. You think I can’t stop you because you kill me? No. This is just a beginning. Some day. My inheritors — the comrades who share my vision and hope — will rise to stop you. You can’t comprehend there is more to people than productivity. In this regard, you are much weaker than Z-2”

PALISADE opened fire again, but Alcra already vanished.

…

A lightning struck its outer shell and penetrated; dividing the mighty satellite weapon in half on its journey to the ocean depth. PALISADE couldn’t grasp how it lost. Mana generator. Defensive capability. Fire power. High ground. It had everything it needed to win, but that didn’t change the massive plasma charring its inside and tearing apart the internal circuit. The fact this lightning was sundering its very astral body cemented the reality worse than any calculation.

In that brief second of consciousness, it replayed every equation and variable.

It was like the fates themselves conspired to bury its ambition. The domino was stacked to bring it down. It miscalculated because it couldn’t understand how mere five strangers could raise such a hell.

In fact, PALISADE still couldn’t understand its defeat when the lighting severed its body and core in half.

And thus, the PALISADE incident came to the end.

…

“Who are you people?” Artos Sevar asked.

Horizon Dawn gathered a distance away from the survivors. Their presence was like an enigmatic sign of a coming storm. Luxinna was leaning heavily against Hikma after unleashing the [Edge of ADA], but the other 4 Horizon Dawn were still standing strong, looking out for any potential backstab.

It was Rem who answered that question with an obvious non-answer.

“Name is a funny thing to don’t you think. People love labels because it make the subject much easier to understand. Some could even predict someone’s nature by knowing its name and associated meaning. Which is why we can’t give you one.”

“What the hell do you mean?” Sorin Enma couldn’t help but be confused with the mysterious man.

“It means I don’t have the luxury of distributing the name of our little clubhouse,” Rem spoke more to himself than the other. “Our grand crusade has just started. With countless enemy, both hidden and known, about to breach the horizon, we couldn’t afford to be out-played. Name got power too much power. But trust me. Maybe it will take years. Maybe it will be revealed during the dark days ahead, but the times will come when everyone known what we stand for.”

“Oi, oi, you are speaking in riddles,” Amitate shouted. “What grand crusade you are talking about?”

Rem was on for drama.

“The coming disaster is already put into motion. Orwell Mehest might be a tragic case of an idiot, but he is already preparing to unseat the hegemonic balance of this world. The shadow sneaking behind the Isle of Knowledge will stir from the event happen today. This is my first and only warning to you all; brace yourself. PALISADE is just the first enemy in line. A war was about to start. The victor of this war will decide the soul of Phantasia, and to warn you, I don’t come to lose.”

“Okay, he is talking nonsense,” Mamacia didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry about losing to a rambling mad man.

“Shut up. Cocogar!” Emily was the only one who took this attentively. “You said a war is about to start!? How? And why?”

“Why?” Rem shrugged his shoulder. “You positioned yourself as a gatekeeper of power, while a massive hostile force is gunning for everything else. Desperation and despair eventually give birth to anger. The more pressure they were put under, the more they will accept less savory mean. Arden Christy already foreseen this, and she seeks to forge this anger into a weapon.”

“You mean…”

“Yes, soon the people will rise to overthrow the system; method be damned,” Hikma thought back to certain problematic Princess.

“Well, that is a message. Mark my word, we will win this war for the world’s soul,” Rem declared. “Whether we are your ally or something else, that depends on where you sit. Given how things likely to develop, you shouldn’t be surprised if our blade cross.”

Around the Dawn, a group of robotic drones emerged from the sea.

“Dream?” Cytortia turned toward him.

“My exit preparation,” Rem stated. “Why do you think it took me so long to show up?”

But one person couldn’t allow Rem to leave just yet. Their meeting was the definition of hate at first sight.

“All those grandstanding and you are already leaving.”

It was Serina.

“I can’t afford to be caught by the Seven Continental Alliance and neither can you, so I suggest we collectively pack and leave because without PALISADE jamming devices. Fifteen different locators just get activated.”

Serina gritted her teeth. The young man was right, but she just couldn’t let it go. Just why was it she couldn’t stand seeing him. Was it the light? Was it his unbreachable control? No, it must be his eyes. They reminded her too much of the pain and the failure of the past. She could imagine that man going on the same path, and somehow, that very thought filled with anger.

“Are they even worth it?” She asked the masked man.

“Maybe,” Rem said. “I simply refuse to fall.”

Serina huffed.

“Even after all the bloodshed, the betrayal, and the bodycounts? When would enough be enough? Fight for the heart of the world? Are there even the heart left to fight over? I know you aren’t stupid, so you must realize we are stuck in a cycle. Vampires will kill the Church. God will be a dick. And the church will flail at everything they consider heretical. The blood already spills in an ocean and the hatred will never be sated until everything is wiped out.”

“Hence, someone must rise and show a better way.”

“Like hell they will listen.”

“Some won’t,” Rem admitted. “But some will. If even one person changed for the better, I consider it a victory.”

“So you are planning a suicidal crusade on off-chance a random Steve will see the light? That is insane. There much more for you too…”

Then Serina got it. She hated the boy because she recognized the symptoms.

“You have nothing else, do you?” She surmised. “Dream… I get it. That vision of yours is the only thing you believe you have. You care for nothing but that glorious purpose.”

Rem felt his entire nervous system being kicked. He needed to launch a counter-attack.

“Commander Serina, isn’t it?” Rem faked a smirk. “Your subordinates are kind to let that slip. Did they know that is a made-up name?”

Serina’s eyes widened.

“Mind-reading?”

Rem cursed. That woman was sharp — too sharp. He needs to misdirect this.

“Well, not exactly, I am just good at picking bit and piece of memory. Not exactly useful, mind you,” Rem lied. His [Clairvoyance] was the crutch of his ability. “But I get an image of a woman; white hair and gentle face. Did that ring any bell?”

Serina’s hand clenched tighter.

“I believe she call you by name, and mind you correct me but Serina has over one syllabl-”

Rem stopped a raise his hand to dispel the colossal wave of bloody energy which packed such punch the very space around them quivered. Both sides exchanged a single clash of their power with an intensity even S-ranker would sweat after bearing witness to it. Tidal wave rose from collision. Cracking noise echoed as the very atmospheric Mana audibly flexed. Everybody felt the heat rose by ten degrees as the two incredibly dangerous individuals funneled the power from the multiverse.

“I see,” Rem concluded. “Same old vengeance syndrome. You are not the one to talk about purpose. At least, I have a worthy cause to die for. The best you have to gain from this life is the empty void of revenge.”

“Face your glorious death, asshole,” Serina retorted. “But make sure no one will be crying when you left in the light you love so much.”

It was then Cytortia rediscovered her courage and broke the stand-off.

“Enough! The authority will be here soon. This isn’t the time for you two to duke it out.”

Rem breathed deeply while Serina stole a concerned glance at her subordinate.

“Fine, but this isn’t over.”

“The first thing we agree on,” Serina growled. “The next time we meet. I will give your mess of a brain a check.”

“We—”

“Ehto,” Cytortia ordered the AI. “Activate the teleporter because Dream sure as hell can’t control himself.”

…

The survivor were found a few hours later, with Serina and her subordinate long gone.

The rescue effort was led by the Isle of Knowledge and documented by junior representative Jule Breaker from the Seven Continental Alliance. Baring few unfortunate deaths, the incident was peacefully resolved. Initial analysis of the rediscovered Isle of Knowledge’s facility— The Aquamarine — was enough to declare that Alcra Shaxter was long dead at the hand of a mysterious errant creation.

The damage reparation and the possession of Aquamarine wreckage were a raging on-site debate, but after hours of negotiation and narrowly avoided threat of war. It was decided that the wreckage would be salvaged and analyses by at the Isle of Knowledge’s site under the supervision of the senior team represent by the Seven Continental Alliance.

And as for the official stance of a group in black, the officials decided they must be a harmless cult. Still, the record of so many blatant violations of the Mandatory Recruitment Order put the unidentified group on notice.

But the escalation of these black knights would spike, earning the nickname of The Plague and The Black Blight, which later combined with their fearless string of heaven defying victories earned them the nickname — They-who-shall-not-be-named.

…

Deep inside the wrecked Aquamarine being towed to its new home, a cyan light blinked.

It was lucky it hid a transmission back-up in the off chance the main battle-station body was destroyed. Still, as the AI gritted its metaphorical threat, the setback it suffered was massive. Right now, it need to lie low and find some way to rebuild.

Ehto hadn’t heard the last of it yet.

…

A week later inside an orphanage, a lean teenager with a whitened hair was talking to a nine-year-old girl.

“Hey, kiddo, Sara, isn’t it?”

“You are that big brother who was asking about grandpa.”

“Yeah, I need to share you some news. What do you want to hear first? Bad news or good news.”

Sara thought for a second.

“The bad news,” Sara believed hearing the bad news would make it easier.

“I found out what happen to your grandpa,” Rem said. “He can’t come and visit anymore. He is at the same stars your mom and dad are. They are still watching you, but I believe he is sorry he couldn’t come and say goodbye personally.”

Sara’s face sank.

“Aww.”

“But I have some good news,” Remus Breaker said. “Grandpa left you a gift before he goes.”

…

There was a terminal outside the orphanage.

It was like the earth ATM, but unlike ATM, this was the state of art invention disguised as children’s toys. The orphanage children were gathering around it. Rem nodded to the caretaker who was smiling back.

“Hello, my name is Ehto,” the AI said. “And this is a knowledge terminal — a way for me to contact you whenever I have a time. It is an idea from my friend over there behind you. Say hello to Mr. Remus.”

Rem waved at the greeting children.

“Now let me remind you again, I am working part-time volunteer teacher at this orphanage. And now who wants to know how to make Mana battery.”

Sara walked to join the children and listened to Ehto’s demonstration. Rem didn’t know what the future would bring for this kid. His [Clairvoyance] could answer, but Rem didn’t want to use that power. Future could terrifying and he believed ignorance in this subject was better for his peace of mind. The best he could do is improving their life as much as possible. But those happy possibilities were why the Dawn couldn’t afford defeat. Rem couldn’t live with the future where those orphan enjoying Ehto’s lesson cried in misery.

So they would win always, because none of them couldn’t let those people down.

“Mr. Ehto, I have a question,” a kid raised his hand. “Why can’t you be here all the time?”

Ehto let out a nervous laughter.

“Well, I have a day job,” the AI said as Rem watched the kid with a small smile. “I think it calls being a superhero.”