Everyone else was in the carriage, while Albert was riding casually on Zephyr. He had a rifle strapped to his chest, in case of anything and Zephyr was scaring the beasts away with its presence. Anything that was used as a mount had to think twice before getting into Zephyr's way.

"Excuse me, Duke Sylvanus?" Candace called for him.

"Why are you so distant? Shouldn't you feel like it's an honor to escort a Saintess like me?" The Guardians looked at how Albert popped open a flask and down it.

"How dare you ignore the Saintess! You should be honoured!" Hentiz one of the Chosen Guardian spoke up, seeing Albert glare at him.

"I need a stiffer drink if I'm travelling with all of you. You fawn over the Candace and Leandra. Then you reported that I visited a brothel when I was investigating for information. Only reason why I am here is because it was his order." They watched as Albert lifted the mask a little bit as he placed a cigarette to his lips.

The other knights and soldiers were glaring at Albert, seeing the cigarette light up as he took a deep drag. The smoke wasn't going anywhere near the carriage. Albert redirected it to go upwards, the scent of his cigarette smell was lost. The trip so far was a chore, mainly due to Albert waiting for the others.

A few hours of movement, they needed to take a moment to make camp for the night. The knights and the others were setting up the camp, while Albert was on hunting duty.

"Who does he think he is? Disrespecting the Saint like that."

"He doesn't even show much respect to His Majesty!"

"That mask is pretty cool though... But that's about it."

The others were gossiping away their thoughts, only to see Albert walk back while carrying a crimson bull over his shoulders, a few others being carried by magic. Albert had a knife appear from his hand as he began to carve through the crimson bulls hide, for meats. Grounding the various meats and organs while the rest would be made with his own blend of seasoning. Albert pulled out his great sword, putting it over a fire. Spreading oil over it, then seasoning it with whatever that was at his disposal.

His left hand called for plates that flew to his hands, as he started plating it with a few other pans for the veggies. Something with a bit of spice to keep their tastebuds enticed. A bit of crunchy potatoes to help with the energy and the meats for their bodies to encourage healing. When he was done with it, he washed his great sword with water. Then using flames to dry it out.

Everyone else ate well, Albert only had a bit of food. Mainly finishing the vegetables but the air was silent in his presence. Not even taking off his mask to eat, merely lifting it.

"Why do you wear a mask?" Candace asked as she ate her beef steak with a fork, swirling it to mix with the vegetables. Her eyes dart over to Albert's mask, meeting his gaze. Hoping for an answer.

"Wearing a mask lets me do what I have to without hesitation. I can kill, I can torture and I can maim without the worry of retaliation. I can go anywhere without the mask."The end of those words sent shudders down the spines of the escorts.

"But you do know that a lot of the Nobles call you nothing short of a blood thirsty murderer, right?" Duke Hagard's remark was trying to confirm something or perhaps affirm Candace's hope for an answer? The others looked on over, wanting to hear more of what Albert was keeping as a secret.

"I do, but why should I care? They don't pay me. The Royal Family and the citizens do. I had to argue with that cretin from the accounting department to justify my army. It's a fraction of yours Duke Hagard."

"We're shields... But we're nothing without the blade that backs us up."

"Heh, too humble. You keep forgetting that your shield techniques can break a sword. You break a sword, the opponent's too confused with what to do. It's why my Blades have to be careful and use multiple weapons. The Hagard family's shield techniques are not just for defense but also to destroy an enemy's weapons to give them no alternative. If I used a spear and it got stuck. You could bash me to submission." Albert joked.

"With your sword techniques? You could turn my shield into a block of metal with just the handguard being the only thing left... But do you find it difficult to be with people?"

"When you watch your family die and see how fragile life is... It makes you choose the life of being alone. Because the pain of helplessness scares me more than anything. Powerless to do anything else. So when I found the books that taught me the techniques of Sylvanus. I spent a long time trying to learn every weapon I had. So that no matter the occasion, I'd have a weapon I can use.If this mask comes off, the world would know my face and I'd rather they don't. It's the only peace I have left." Albert said as he lit another cigarette.

"I'm sorry for being.. Insensitive."

"No. It came with a price. I can also scare my allies when I fight. It's also because of the intensity. My Sylvanus Knights and the Fangs can handle it, but even then. It won't be for long. The intensity of my presence almost killed the Saintess and Her Highness. I am merely a blade. Point at a target, and I'll put it down. But Hagard... What's the situation in Rubis? My Fangs haven't been able to get me updates because of the sudden increase in assassination attempts. You did get a Report from the Watcher didn't you?"

"Ah that... Watcher's reported that Rubis's civil war had happened today.. The two Princesses and Prince of Rubis are known for their kindness. The Emperor and Empress fell into a deep slumber, and the three factions. The two Princesses and Prince initiated a civil war and what was noted that they seemed so full of hate and resentment for each other. Watcher said it was unnatural and they wore pendants over their necks."

"The call for the Saintess happened two days ago and the sudden assault by the Dragon Kingdom..." Hagard added that which had Albert thinking.

"Too many unknowns.. But if we don't do anything and Rubis falls. We'll have to worry about Miasma. Why don't all of you go to sleep. I'll keep watch with Zephyr." Albert said as they see the Spectral horse appear from the ground. The horse laid beside Albert, laying its head on Albert's lap.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, then tomorrow. I'll just sleep on top of the carriage or something."

"Zephyr. Put a barrier on. We've got guests. I don't want to wake up the others." Albert said as Zephyr got back on its feet, then Albert drawing out a pair of short swords. The glowing pairs of eyes were staring back at him. He needed to make this clean, so he's not going to waste any time. Dashing ahead as two of the guests made their blades known. Attempting to cut Albert but only seeing his body vanish from their senses. Cutting their limbs off first, then casting magic to silence the entire forest. Where only the heartbeats could be heard.

"Clean and quick. I'd love to take one and torture you but it's not like any of you will answer me anyway. Damn puppets." They lowered their hoods revealing it to be children. Only to have their heads flying off into the air.

"That's a bit naive to think I don't kill kids. See you soon puppet master. When I do find you. It's not going to be quick. Toodle loo." The magic faded and Albert checked the bodies, fresh corpses. He put his fingers into their blood, painting it over his neck.

"Curse me and condemn me. I'm sorry that I could not save you innocent souls. Rest well." Albert said as he went back to the camp. The fact that Albert killed children had hit him, the guilt. The sorrow and the agony they felt was something Albert could only imagine, and he wondered if his blade was sharp enough to make it painless?

When he finds the puppet master... He's going to make sure that he leaves the puppet master in a state where they'd rather die. Albert took his seat beside Zephyr.

"It's the same everywhere huh? Using kids as weapons. I'm just livid." Zephyr neighed in affirmation to that.

"Thanks buddy. Maybe I should have brought some back up here... Bayran."

"Yes, Lord?"

"Is it possible for dragons to do this?"

"No. It's only a demon's ability to do so. Dragons are far too prideful to use humans in their game. That being said. You did kill some of my descendants and I have no qualms about it. However, when we head to the dragon kingdom. Call forth upon me... It seems that my descendants are more stubborn than I am."

"So this is your world?"

"Yes. I was the First Ruler of the Dragon Kingdom... Just make them believe that I have formed a Pact with you and also Ashen Phoenix. Would be a good addition. The Dragon Kingdom or as its known is Borealis is home to many beings of the apex. That would include different beasts... But I'd also like to remark that Weiss Miller has the potential to be a Rose Knight. The Azure Rose of Calmness. Where Vizel tempts violence, Weiss would be perfect at calming it. They would synergize well." Bayran explained about more things in this world until dawn broke out.

The Rubis Empire was a prohuman faction similar to the Kingdom of Reznoa. Race wars were a common occurrence as the non-human races had issues with humanity. Including demons and angels. Demons find humans to be toys while angels found humans as the plight of the world.

So they tend to instigate humans to harm each other. The other states had miasma but they had other ways to get the Saintess to help them out. One of which was turning the Saintess into a statue and that will keep the miasma that causes monsters to go berserk at bay. Even then, Albert had mixed feelings about that.

When dawn broke out, they resumed their journey to Rubis. Where they watched Albert sleep on the top of the carriage. The ride was comfortable to say the least, Zephyr was trotting at the side as the convoy galloped its way Rubis. Where the sounds of gunfire and war was heard. Black smoke polluted the skies, screams were heard from where they were. Albert got down from his sleep, this time wielding a spear in hand.

"Zephyr stay with them. Protect them and intimidate anything that tries to hurt them." Albert launched his spear that scaled the fortress walls. Warping to it, where he stood in the middle of the streets. Seeing the three factions fight each other, the civilians were caught in the fray.

"You traito-" Albert stopped a hand from striking a couple with his hand.

"What the?! Who are you?!" Albert pushed the soldier back, then a punch that dented the armor. A quick look at the situation where the Youngest Princess of Rubis, Princess Natalia had the smallest force so this may be her Knights.

"Do not allow them to harm the citizens! We need to keep them safe! Please head to your homes!"

"You traitors! Execute the citizens with the knights!" Albert pulled out a long sword as he went to strike the soldiers attacking the citizens.

"Who are you!?"

"Does it matter?" Albert asked as he disarmed the soldiers with his blade. Breaking their rifles, followed by using magic to send them flying back. Albert helped a knight on their feet. They looked over Albert's white clothes but when they noticed the glove.

"Are you here to kill us?!"

"If I did. We wouldn't be having this conversation. Are you Princess Natalia's knights?"

"Yes, but why are you here?"

"There was a request from Rubis to Reznoa for the Saintess's aid. Has she been aflicted?"

"No. Princess Natalia has been on the run, the enemy forces are trying to capture her. Please... Help us." A knight knelt before him.

"There will be a carriage that holds the Prince, the Princess and the Saintess. It is with an escort, do invite them in. Where is Her Highness?"

"Her Highness is currently staying inside her estate. The enemy forces are trying to kill her! Please!"

"I'll do what I can." Albert said as he ran through the streets. Avoiding most of the fights when he can, but when an enemy soldier engaged him. A fast dodge, a strike to the nape with a stiletto. Then running away before anyone would know what had transpired. The chaos by the streets was something Albert had to avert his attention from. Blood splashed on his face, seeing a soldier gunning down an unarmed man with a delightful smile.

Rage was burning within his heart, but he had to let this go but he wasn't going to forget this. The emblem on the shoulder was of a different faction, a fourth faction that bears the emblem of a white wolf. Contrasting the Black Wolves of Rubis. So there was a fourth party at play, Albert will keep this sight engrained to his heart.

Moving on ahead as Albert soon reached the location of the Princess Natalia's estate. Under attack, black smoke coming from within. The walls had become a home for arrows and bullets. Where the army of soldiers with the black wolf emblem stood at the gates. Firing their guns through the barricade. A soldier drew a short sword to strike Albert from behind. A step to the side, followed by Albert digging his hands into the soldier's eyes. Ripping off head in half. The scream of the dying soldier had the attention of the Black Wolf army.

"Kill him!" They fired their guns, they were semi-automatic rifles. The firepower was fundamentally different. It would have worked if it was someone else, but for Albert. Pulling out a long sword, a classic weapon that the Blade of Reznoa would use. Taking initiative as he charged ahead, breaking through their formation. The blade was mightier than their armors,clean cuts and stabs into their bodies. Left hand drawing out a stiletto that pierced into a soldier's neck. Pulling it out as it changed into a few daggers that Albert threw into the air. They spun into the air as they dived downwards to pierce the napes.

Breaking their formation as the soldiers fired their guns, while some of their allies readied their blades. Facing the Blade of Reznoa with sabers. A reckless choice, as they caught a glimpse of Albert's crimson eyes leaving streaks with his movements. The weight of the longsword and its sharpness broke through the dozens of others sabers.Severing limbs, fingers and hands away. Left hand drawing out a great sword to take the gunfire from the front.

They kept on firing while Albert pulled out a double barrel shotgun. Sawed off to allow Albert to manipulate it with one hand. The great sword changed into a saber that had a wire attached to Albert's wrist. Firing the shotgun, two barrels at once. The flash had the Black Wolf soldiers in a daze, Albert went in close to swing the sword to cut through them. Throwing the blade to the soldier who was behind the formation, where Albert pulled the wire back. The sword spun moved around as if it had a will of its own, going after enemies while Albert was reloading the shotgun.

Recalling the sword back as he swapped out for a pair of daggers of an unusual design. The grip covered Albert's hands, with the blade being made of energy. The energy of the blade itself was the length of Albert's forearm, imbuing magic into it. Swinging the daggers created blade waves that cut through the targets that they struck. Swapping away to switch to his gauntlets, sharpening the claws as he pounced into the fray.

Soon, it was all over. The gauntlets faded away as Albert fixed his gloves. A pigeon flew over to Albert's hand where it perched over Albert's hand.

"The Sylvanus Knights are ready, Your Grace. Where should we meet you?" The pigeon mimicked Reimi's voice.

"I won't need many. Get me a Second Blade team of four. 5 teams of Third Blades, 4 man each. I'll need the Second Blades to escort the Rubis Imperial Family later. It seems that they're in trouble. I'll find you when you're at Rubis's territory. The capital's civil war is a mess." Albert said as the pigeon flew away, proceeding into the estate. Where he found a butler, a maid and Princess Natalia Bertisa Rubis. The youngest of the Imperial Family's three heirs. Scarlet hair that made rubies look pathetic and her lovely blue eyes that shined brighter than the sapphires of this world.

"Who are you?"

"Duke Albert Sylvanus of Reznoa. The Rubis Empire requested for aid from the Saintess." Albert turned to see the carriage that brought the Saintess coming through, being escorted by 5 Fangs.

"Your Grace. Head Fang asked us to come here. What can we do?"

"Two of you will act as Her Imperial Highness's escort.. Three of you get me a location of the other Imperial Princess and the Imperial Prince. Do not engage. Princess Natalia have your siblings acted weird lately?"

"Yes... We... Ever since we received these." She showed her pendant where Albert looked at it. The sinister feeling from touching it, whereby the maid and butler clenched their fists. Though they could see Princess Natalia just looking at Albert's eyes.

"It's cursed alright. It's filled with miasma. The miasma is what caused your siblings to act so different. Fangs. Get me a location on them. This'll be difficult to subdue. It seems that your pendant's miasma is far too weak to effect you." Albert said as he let go off the pendant, he had no power to cleanse it.

"Saintess. We'll be needing you to purify the Miasma. The miasma has already bled out into the city thanks to the pendants that weakened the defenses. Your Imperial Highness, what can you tell me about the Black Wolves?"

"Oh, they belong to the Chancellor... But why are they here?"

"They might be using this confusion to harm the Imperial Family. Chaos caused by this will have the citizens and soldiers unaffected by the miasma believe that the Imperial Family is wrong and the Chancellor will make his way to say that he's correct. I might need to call a Familiar for this." Albert said as he thought about it.

"I need help in another world. 91, is your squad available?"

"Ready to go, Lord." 91 responded as Albert nodded.

"The ones who lurk in the rift, the ones whose energies and powers derive from the void. I summon thee, Void Dancers!" Albert chanted as bolts of black lightning hit the ground in front of him. Revealing the four Void Dancers that appeared. Wearing long coats similar to the Sylvanus Knights with a hood that covered their heads. Lowering it to reveal the helmets covering the back of their heads and the face plates that had extended from their neck, covering their cheeks, ears and full face. Only their eyes were able to be seen. Their hands were carrying knives, no rifles. A lot of throwing daggers.

"It's a bit different from our usual kit. Throwing daggers, throwing knives, and a lot of projectile weapons. What do you want us to do?" 91 asked.

"Just keep these people safe. I'm going to move around without arousing too much suspicion. Get as much information from Her Imperial Highness, Princess Natalia." Albert said as he walked away, taking off his mask as he vanished.

Princess Natalia invited them into the estate, where they were being served food but the appearance of the Void Dancers were a bit off putting.

"How should we address you?" The other three Void Dancers kept quiet as they checked on their weapons.

"We're Void Dancers. I'm the squad leader, 91. My teammates don't like to talk so don't mind them." 91 said as the other three Void Dancers were just sharpening their weapons. Candace was already working to purify the miasma from the pendant that Princess Natalia was wearing. The darkness faded away to reveal a brilliant diamond.

"Excuse me... May I ask if... Duke Sylvanus has a partner?" Princess Natalia posed the question without hesitation much to the surprise of the others. The mood shifted in an awkward position where Princess Leandra was unsure of what to say, knowingly that she was the one who was engaged to him for a while.

"It's fine with being curious but you also need to be cautious because he may be using this uprising as a means to gain favours from your Empire." 91 interrupted them, whereby Princess Natalia paused to think. Trying to understand what 91 was trying to say to her.

"Just because he came to your aid. It doesn't mean that he's got good intentions. Don't you think our timing is too good?" One other Void Dancer spoke up.

"I do believe he is sincere. Even if his timing's odd."

"You're too naive." One of the Void Dancers said as a knife was thrown right beside Princess Natalia, she didn't flinch at all.

"How dare you do that!" A knight raised their blade, only to be stopped by 91.

"551. Check that attitude."

"Sir." the Void Dancer that threw the knife, called it back to his hands.

"I apologize for my men's actions. We needed to test you. You're no stranger to assassinations either and you're willing to trust your gut. That is a good trait." 91 said as he bowed to Princess Natalia who let out a sigh.

"Did I pass?"

"With flying colours. We're not used to addressing Royalty, since we butchered our own royals for leaving us dead in the hands of the demons. So we're skeptical about the 'Good' that Royals possess. To answer your question, he does not have a partner." 91 gave Princess Natalia an answer that she was hoping for.

"You're Familiars... Yet you seem so human."

"That's because he was able to make a contract with us through an Ancient Spirit. The Lightning Lord Vingthor. His power comes from his own and we just increase the power of the elements that he can use." 91's answer made sense to them. Though in reality, or at least back on Cresnax. Ancient's are higher than Spirits but not to cause any further confusion this was the safest answer.

"An Ancient Spirit? Aren't those... Rare?" Prince Elerei was the first to speak up, being the sounding board for everyone else's thoughts.

"One must go through trials to earn them. The trials will involve fighting against all of us at once. Which he has done. When he sleeps, we spar until he wakes up. He's made a contract with12 Ancient Spirits and the Familiars that serve them, now serve him."

"Does he have trouble with women?" Princess Natalia asked.

"Does he?" 91 turned to the other Void Dancers.

"I don't think he's ever seen a woman that way."

"I think he got obsessed with getting strong that he forgot about it."

"Single minded on power. Ignores everything around him. I think it's a tough sell."

"When I was his fiancee, he did not take off his mask. He never took me out on dates. He never spent time with me!" Princess Leandra blurted out what she had been keeping inside. The others kept their thoughts to themselves, not wanting to be part of this conversation as Princess Leandra and Princess Natalia smiled at each other but their eyes were speaking of a war.

91 and the Void Dancers ignored the rest and continued to prepare their weapons in case of anything.