It's a hectic morning. Salem’s blasting himself through the speakers at 9:01 admonishing all the division captains that has failed to be on time. Apparently, half of them were hung over and have overslept. The stringency of his voice is making Feno tense up whilst brushing his teeth in the showers. Realizing that he's late, he quickly rinses off the soap bubbles remaining in his hair and pulls over whatever clothes that are the easiest to get into. Looks like he isn’t entirely used to these new responsibilities of being a division captain yet.

He’s running down the hall, out of the dormitory buildings, through the gardens where a few adventurers are still in deep slumber, yet to awaken from their intoxication towards the conference area. It’s a few rooms down Vaegil’s office on the second floor. But just as he’s about to go up the stairs, a quaking makes him snap over his shoulders.

Algo and pirate are stampeding towards him, articles of clothing half worn in the midst, a few buttons clasped to the wrong hole, looking like frenzied buffalos leaving a dust cloud behind them. Not wanting to get ran over, Feno’s pressing himself against the rails to let them through. Following behind them, pirate’s still pulling his jacket over his shoulders as they rush up the stairs. Flicking him a glance, Algo warns,

‘Don’t piss the vice guild leader off, kid. He’s going to cut your division funds if you do. Unlike guild leader Vaegil, that man’s hard to get along with.’ as they’re bursting through the door. Hyperventilating at the frame.

It draws the attention of the people who are already in the room. It’s funny because Vaegil’s startled awake, his cheek slipping off his palm that he was leaning on and nearly knocking over his water glass. But Vaegil’s caught it in time, flickering his eyes to Salem that’s on his left making sure Salem hasn’t witnessed it to nag at him later.

Salem isn’t focused on him. He’s standing over the map sprawled across the center of the round table. Framing the edges with his palm as though he was in the middle of elaborating the current situation before he was disrupted. So now, Salem’s just giving them a disappointed gaze and an audible sigh like they’ve failed his expectations. It’s rather cold actually,

‘Quickly, settle down.’ he’s speaking to them as if they’re children.

They’re scurrying to their respective seats. It’s ordered by numbers, division one would be immediately beside Salem, making the circle to division ten then the four admirals with the first admiral’s position directly on Vaegil’s right.

Two of the admiral seats are currently empty, alongst with division two, nine and ten’s captains. From the looks of it, they seem to have chosen to seat out of this war.

Upon slipping into the chair, rabbit’s leaning past pirate to give them a smug smirk like she’s claiming victory over not being hung over. But pirate’s coughing her away, telling her to get off her high horse, it isn’t something to celebrate over.

Salem draws their attention again,

‘As I was saying.’ he gestures them to the map, there’s a huge deformed red eclipse centering outwards from YunChuan, consuming almost a quarter of the entire region. The borders keep bleeding eastwards towards the center of the continent, slowly, as if it’s being updated in real time,

‘These are currently the areas that the crimson witch has invaded into.’ he points to the little crown in the middle of a palace symbol that’s a few kilometers out from where they’ve initially found Luci,

‘She’s overtaken ShaoHaiGong, the former guild hall of White Camellia and has been using it as her base of operations.’ he swipes his hand in the air, waving a trickling beam from the map to form a hologram. Showing them the current situation. It’s recorded from the outskirts of the eastern palace. The entire place is swarming with dead White Camellia adventurers patrolling the perimeters. The landscape has completely been desecrated to barrens. Mountains surrounding them, crumbling over themselves and set on fire from the massive holes that’s blasted through the sides as though a giant has taken a huge bite out of it.

Salem collapses the hologram and gestures with a finger,

‘From the looks of where she’s choosing to advance, we’re speculating that she’s attempting to overtake Raven’s Death.’ Salem points to the bubbling oval extending towards the left of the map. There are red x’s pitted against black crows, red dragons and fire phoenix symbols within it,

‘Odion’s sent his men to aid the local guilds to delay her advances. This is where most of her undead troops are concentrated at the moment.’ waving his hand again, he’s now showing them what’s going on at one of the war fronts.

It’s a complete chaos of Magia bombs and explosions. The observer’s leaning over the trench, a book hovering in his palm, he’s casting an area of effect heal upon his exhausted melee allies that’s fighting in the front lines. Descending white light upon them as they’re bracing the onslaught of their zombified comrades who’s relentlessly bombarding them with spells of all colors and elements. Things aren’t looking so well; they’re being pushed back. Unlike Luci’s undead army, living beings get tired.

A stray arrow whish past him. The observer turns to look, it’s gotten another ally right between the eyes, but the arrow’s beeping. Casting a barrier upon himself, he’s warning the others around him that it’s going to explode. But he’s all too late, because it’s gone off before he finishes the statement. Flashing the screen with violent white light that fades to red. After the mist clears, the observer hesitantly lowers his arms from his face, revealing the aftermath of it. His more unfortunate allies who didn’t manage to get out in time was blown to pieces of severed limbs and splattered organs set ablaze. One of them, missing half his body desperately tries to crawl forward. Dragging his entrails behind, wheezing, help me. But another adventurer immediately sucks the body in a dark purple orb, shrinking into a dot with only the blood spitting out in needle like spikes.

Salem explains,

‘This is what it has come to. Any mortally wounded casualties need to be immediately obliterated. Dead bodies that remain on the battlefield eventually becomes the crimson witch’s allies. But neither can Odion pull back his troops, with the rate she’s expanding, she’ll be able to take his guild hall in less than a fortnight. It’s becoming quite a dire situation, he’s severely out numbered. Without reinforcements, he’ll only be able to delay it for a month maximum.’

‘Can’t he withdraw his troops and play castle defender whilst he waits for our arrival, it should prevent a lot more casualties.’ Rabbit points out, ‘Adventurers dying now just makes her army even stronger.’

‘That is if you’re assuming we’re fighting regular living adventurers. If you’re in a position of defending against the undead, it’s already a lost.’ Salem elaborates,

‘Unlike the living, they don’t need rest, they don’t need food. If Odion pulls his troops back, it’s only a matter of time before he’s completely surrounded, and how long can they guard against an immortal army that never tires?’ he points to the location of the guild hall,

‘If the Raven’s Death guild hall is lost, then the entire east, has lost.’ it’s smacked in the middle of the continent. If Luci seizes control of it, she’s able to attack from all directions.

The first division captain picks up, ‘so you’re saying Raven’s Death is being checkmated into fighting Luci on her strongest front right now.’

‘That is correct.’ Salem gestures to the right side of the map where the border of the eclipse is way closer to Luci’s base,

‘As such, we’re going to flank her from the rear. We need to recapture ShuiYang and YunChuan.’ pointing to the location of the two towns, ShuiYang’s positioned at 7 o’clock whereas YunChuan’s at 11, forming a triangle with ShaoHaiGong at the tip. Bringing his finger further back, to the harbor,

‘It’ll be highly advantageous for us if we could secure those two locations. The defense will be thin. They’re close to the port city of LinYun where we can receive supplies and reinforcements from, and if things go wrong, the port will also be our only escape route.’

Algo addresses,

‘But LinYun is already Luci’s territory. Will our fleets even get to land?’

‘That won’t be a problem. If it’s a sea battle, no one’s going to trump Vaegil in the water.’ gesturing to his right towards Vaegil who’s being startled awake after his name’s being called with a,

‘Huh?’ and ‘yes, of course.’ despite looking like he hasn’t heard a single word Salem’s said so far. To which, Salem chops him on the head with the side of his palm, mimicking a clipboard that he isn’t holding right now, telling him to pay attention. After which, Salem proceeds to ignore Vaegil calling him, hella boring when he talks about serious stuff, to instead, speak over him,

‘After we recapture the port city,’ he turns to the second admiral, a nerdy looking young man with circular glasses that’s been diligently scribbling notes,

‘Fray, you’ll be in charge of division five, seven and eight to secure YunChuan.’ then towards the third admiral, a rowdy looking redhead with a scar across his nose, fidgeting with a strand of hair stubbornly sticking out the side of his head, like he’s trying to get it to sit in place,

‘Blitz, you’ll take division three, four and six to ShuiYang.’ upon being called, scar face straightens in his chair with another, ‘Huh?’ and ‘Yes, of course.’

Looks like, Vaegil isn’t the only one that’s not paying attention. It makes Salem snap a clipboard over scar face’s head to chop him with it too. With another snap, the clipboard teleports above Vaegil’s head. Rudely waking him up again so he hears what Salem says next,

‘Vaegil and division one will remain to defend LinYun. It’s critical that Luci doesn’t recapture this area before the other guilds can arrive. If she drives us out, there is no way for any of the Elite Ten to send reinforcements and nourishments to aid Odion.’

‘By that, you mean, we’re basically going to be the first to arrive?’ the heavily tattooed guy on Salem’s right asks. That must be division one’s captain. Truthfully, he resembles more akin a hoodlum, finished with the sleeveless black top and all, a shade darker than his hair. It’s quite a unique collection of personalities Altyria has. Salem addresses,

‘If we leave tomorrow, yes. Altyria’s locationally the closest to Raven’s Death out of all the Elite Ten guilds.’ it starts a little clamoring discussing amongst the division captains, it seems they were rather surprised by the forward shift in time. Algo sighs,

‘In just the short period, the crimson bitch has already solidified her position as a final boss holing up in her castle.’ he's a little disappointed when he adds,

‘And I thought I’ll immediately get to beat her ugly mug the moment we land in the east.’ him bringing it up makes Feno mention,

‘When we do get to her, how exactly do we kill her? She comes back alive even after getting blasted to pieces.’ At that, Salem requests,

‘Fray.’ to get nerdy to stop scribbling into his book and look up,

‘Right.’ he says tapping the edge of his book twice. Manifesting a few ancient looking grimoires in the middle of the table. Hovering over the map. Nerdy must be Altyria’s book keeper. He’s incessantly back to writing now, explaining at the same time,

‘The crimson witch of pride, Lucifer the first.’ his words are opening a grimoire, its pages flipping to reveal a drawing of her massive skeletal form like Lilith’s seen in the orb Feno’s showed them. Heading the page with her title as well as danger level SSS, God tier mythical.

There’s a pentagon next to it with the Intelligentia, Vi and Agilitas stats maxed out to 9999. A label beneath it, Magus Bellator. The descriptions of her attacks follow.

Signature ability: Necromancy - puppeteering of the dead by injecting her Magia into them.

Skull canons - hovering skulls that blasts an energy beam of pure Magia.

Red lilies - ingests enemies to replenish stamina and negates exhaustion.

God tier Mythical passive: Resurrection - rapid recovery and revival upon critical damage.

‘This is all we know about her as of this moment. Unlike Beelzebub, she isn’t stepping into the frontlines herself but have instead chosen to hole herself up in the palace.’

‘Hah. She’s a pussy then!’ Algo snorts, ‘so much for such a grand title.’

Salem contradicts,

‘No. This shows that she is rational. In other words, she is capable of strategizing and logical thoughts. However, it would seem, other than a smile, either she does not communicate, or does not wish to communicate with us.’

‘Democracy is out of the window.’ rabbit folds her arms and sinks into the seat, ‘although, I doubt she’ll willingly surrender herself to die even if she talks.’

Fray agrees,

‘That is absolutely right. However, this also alludes to two things. She’s not omnipotent, and she’s not in her full power at the moment. That’s why she’s choosing to fight through war tactics than brute force.’ that’s exactly what the White Camellia’s guild leader has mentioned. Fray waves a hologram into existence, it’s replying the clip of Luci’s resurrection when Feno's first encountered her,

‘As you can see here. She repairs herself by sacrificing her own zombies to heal her wounds. In other words, we can assume that the bigger she makes her army, the less regenerative powers she herself possesses and vice versa. To preserve her militia dominance, she cannot afford to be injured in the frontlines. Perhaps, if she exhausted all her Magia into her zombies, then she may reach a state where there isn’t any left for her to heal herself with.’

‘Are we just basing these on speculations?’ pirate’s doubtful, ‘without an actual plan to take her down?’

Scar face’s commenting nonchalantly, lacing his hands behind his head,

‘Speculations are all we have to work with at the moment.’

Fray corrects,

‘We do have a plan to take her down. Even God tier Mythicals have to abide by the limitations of Vita.’ he’s waving the previous clip away, bringing up a new one.

This one’s centuries into the past. Athens was in a state of a wasteland. Meadows burning to the heavens with smog. The oceans in the distance dyed ink black with red blood and drifting corpses.

In the middle of it, a huge fly headed bee is locked in golden chains, struggling like a fish on a reel, thrown by the adventurers surrounding it. Wiggling it’s six armored legs, trying to get free, with a flick, it swings one of the adventurers that’s restraining it up. Darting him with the needles that're projectiling out of its flickering wings, buzzing fast like a humming bird. Shredding through the unsuspecting adventurer as though meat in a woodchipper. But another adventurer's immediately taking his place. Pulling the chains to hold the beast still for the uniformed brunette woman before it, red cape draped off her upper arms, fluttering wildly behind her back. Emblemed with two intertwined swords of the Atlantia Empire.

She’s hovering an orb on a palm before her chest, glowing increasingly gold as she chants golden circles around Beelzebub, forming ring by ring. Crushing into place like locks being clicked shut. Sizzling into the monstrous creature’s flesh, burning as if its holy water thrown upon a demon and melting off in chunks of red goo. It’s desperately struggling against it, wiggling it’s bulb like abdomen to stab forward. The needle end pierces into her stomach, skewering out the other side. It throws her back a little, blood and organs, trickling down her legs to the ground but she roots herself in place firmly. She isn’t stopping the spell. Instead, she grips down on the white tusk like needle to stop the creature from flinging her away, chanting through furrowed brows. Grimacing from the pain, but her eyes are determined, hateful.

She’s insistent to end this. Snapping more, and more rings around the creature as it struggles against her grip, hollowing her out at the same time. Her hair begins to whiten, skin shriveling like a prune. They’re both desperately struggling to survive. Around them, more adventurers are flooding in to throw numerous more chains to stifle its movements, the creature’s letting out a gut-wrenching screech. It’s in pain, until the last ring, shackles around its mid-section. The adventurer, now an old woman, collapses face flat.

The seal is complete.

Gold light, begins radiating outwards, bright as headlights of a car in midnight, blinding everyone in the area. Around it, ancient hieroglyths begin scrolling, the rings are getting tighter, tighter, shrinking smaller and smaller and crushing the insect like a piece of scrap paper. Its blood, gushing out like a juicy fruit being squeezed, with its tormented wails, until nothing’s left, but a tiny golden ring, carved with the same ancient texts around it, clanking to the ground and spinning to a stop.

At that, Fray swipes the hologram away into dust, explaining,

‘Every time a God tier mythical sustains damage, they sacrifice their own Vita to resurrect. In other words, we are able to wear them out, they will eventually reach a point where they have so little Vita, they can no longer use their signature abilities and they can no long activate their regeneration passive. And that’s how Elena Mirth Evergarde has managed to seal Beelzebub away.’

Scar face jests, ‘It’s like a final boss fight where the boss has multiple hp bars and you just have to keep hitting until you reach the last.’ he’s trying to simplify the explanation to them.

‘But the previous war took nearly fifty years to conclude! And Luci, being the first of Dal'gore’s children have twice the amount of Vita that Beelzebub does.’ rabbit points out,

‘Will any of us even survive that long to take her down?

‘But that means, each time she dies, she’ll get weaker.’ Algo’s optimistic, cracking his knuckles like he’s looking forward to it.

Fray sighs,

‘It is going to be another long, and arduous war to come.’

‘But that may not be the case.’ Salem picks up the conversation again,

‘Judging from the way she’s choosing to fight, she actually isn’t in her strongest state as of this moment, but her weakest. She may still have lingering damages from Dal’Gore’s era.’

Fray’s lifting another book from the pile of grimoires in the center, flipping to a page about Mythical classifications. There are three tiers, forming a triangle. The bottom being Mythical, the middle, Demigods and the top, Gods,

‘As you know, God tier Mythicals are not birthed, but made. Mythicals, like Sapiens are merely other species that have achieved sentience and intelligence through evolution.’ Salem begins explaining,

‘However, due to the constant struggles for territory between Mythicals and Sapiens in prehistoric times, some tribes of Mythicals have begun to consume Sapiens and absorbing their Vita to make themselves stronger. These Mythicals eventually reached a state where they have so much Vita, they are able to regrow limbs, organs and even resurrect after mortal wounds, therefore earning themselves a Demigod classification. It also metamorphosed them to look significantly different from the species of origins, giving them extra limbs, tails and alter body parts.’

It’s at this point rabbit points out,

‘Oh! Wait, doesn’t that mean guild leader Vaegil’s a Demigod? Leviathans don’t just exist in the wild, past or present!’ she looks at him with a disgusted face,

‘You ate others?’ it wakes him up when he hears his name again, picking his face up from his arms that he has buried into to deny,

‘No, no. Not me, my ancestors! I can’t bring myself back from the dead. This type of highly unstable Vita erodes away over the generations. I doubt there are any first-generation Demigods remaining at this point.’ he waves a hand over his face,

‘Cannibalism has been unanimously outlawed a long time ago so we won’t get more Dal’Gores running around. It’s an unnegotiable death sentence now if you try and cannibalize. Every white listed guild has to obey this rule.’

‘But you can regrow organs and limbs.’ rabbit accuses, ‘that’s just cheat!’

‘Call it profiting from my ancestor’s greed.’ he laughs, ‘They didn’t have much of a choice either. They were at war with the Sapiens and all.’ but Salem hits him on the head again, telling him it isn’t anything to be proud of, before he resumes his explanation,

‘A God tier Mythical on the other hand, are Demigods who consumed other Demigods to significantly boost that effect. Therefore, making them immortals that are nearly indestructible. From records of the past, we suspect that Luci has already exhausted too much of her own Vita to countlessly resurrect during the first Divine war. That will explain her inactivity for nearly a millennium.’ he concludes,

‘Therefore, right now, this attack, she may be trying to replenish the Vita she’s lost by consuming us.’ there’s a determination igniting his eyes as he snaps his fingers to manifest another hologram,

‘In other words, if we want to kill Luci. This is also the best time, to take her down once and for all.’ it’s replaying the scene where Feno’s first saw her. She was trying to put herself back together with organs of the dead villagers.

This information sends the division captains in another sought of whispers. The man’s pretty good at shining hope on a hopeless situation, either that, or he’s just a professional swindler. Clapping his hands together, Salem announces,

‘Meeting’s adjourned for the day. If you have any questions or requests, please direct it to your respective Admirals.’ before chopping the top of Vaegil’s head. But this time, Vaegil’s already awake, so instead, he dodges to a side, laughing airily,

‘Don’t forget to ask your folks to write their last wills. We’re leaving tomorrow at dawn.’ that’s rather sly. Salem’s leaving Vaegil to declare the gloomy parts, because it ended up sounding a lot less dire than it actually is.

Everyone’s still getting up from their seats when scar face abruptly zooms to the door in a trail of red blaze, looking like he’s busting for the toilet. Flinging it wide open to the hall outside, he’s chasing panicked escaping footsteps, picking the runaway up as the individual lets out a terrified,

‘Ah! Don't hurt me!’ that sounds awfully familiar. It's Nana's voice. Bringing her back with him, he shows up at the door again. Holding her by the collar, as if a hare or a duck he’s caught,

‘I thought I heard some noises from the outside the entire time.’ drawing everyone’s attention to watch him say, ‘she’s been eavesdropping on the meeting.’ he’s lifting her up to eye level, intimidating her,

‘What’s your purpose? Are you a confederate of the crimson witch?’

‘I’m not!’ she’s getting a bit teary, ‘I-… I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to.’ looking awfully pathetic with the way she’s cowering into her book that she’s constantly hugging,

‘I was curious of what’s going to happen and-’

The sight of her makes Feno request,

‘Please, put her down.’ rubbing the side of his temples, knowing that she’s gotten herself into trouble,

‘That’s one of my squadron members.’ she’s turning to meet his eyes, repeatedly apologizing despite she doesn’t even know why she’s getting punished,

Scar face balks, dropping her on the ground, but he’s holding her in place with a hand on her shoulder to keep her from running,

‘Meetings are confidential for a reason. The more people knowing about our strategy, the more likely information’s going to spread. I suggest, we imprison her for the time being.’ hearing that’s made Nana horrified, she’s becoming speechless with incohesive stuttering,

‘Wha-? No’ and ‘but...’ as if she hasn’t anticipated a curious gesture of hers has such heavy repercussions. Algo raises a brow at scar face,

‘Does the crimson witch even have allies that aren’t dead?’

Salem grips under his chin, ‘it isn’t unthinkable. Beelzebub had rebellion guilds assisting him.’

‘She isn’t a spy.’ Feno’s trying to defend her,

‘She’s new to the guild. So, she probably got lost or something. Just turn a blind eye to it, I’ll see to disciplining her myself.’

‘For someone who’s just became a division captain, you’re getting awfully cocky to challenge the authority of an admiral.’ this is the person Feno’s going to work with? He seems difficult to get along with. Brushing away the white fluff trimming his coat from his cheeks,

‘Rules are rules. Even if it’s broken unwittingly, doesn’t give the defendant excuses to get away scot-free. Her knowledge of our plan could jeopardize the entire mission, one way or another. We can’t let the crimson witch know where we’re going to strike.’ he's completely ignoring Nana, crying at this point and promising, she isn’t going to tell anyone. Scar face turns to Salem,

‘What do you reckon?’ he’s contemplating in silence, agreeing,

‘I suppose you are right-’ before Vaegil gets up to place a hand on Salem’s shoulder, leaning his head on top,

‘How about just let it be?’ he shrugs, ‘It’s not that big of a deal. Even if the crimson witch gets wind of our plans, forcing her to relocate her forces away to defend against us will only benefit Odion Blight.’ Salem’s flinching away from him, he’s getting uncomfortable about his personal space being intruded,

‘That would also mean it poses more risk on us.’ Vaegil’s laughing it off instead, unrelenting,

‘Let her come.’ it’s like his genuinely excited when he whispers,

‘I’ll much rather fight her in the sea.’ his eyes are glowing green. It’s making the people in the room tense. Salem’s getting goosebumps on his arms. So Vaegil retracts his aura, drawing back and giggling flippantly,

‘Go on now.’ he’s dismissing them,

‘There’s plenty more to worry about than for grown adults to argue if we should imprison a-’ he’s narrowing his gaze at Nana as he completes the statement,

‘Curious little child.’ it sounds almost satirical. He’s honestly doubting her intentions. Being stared at makes Nana take another step back, but scar face’s still gripping into her shoulder, so she just bucks in place, crushing her eyes shut with a tiny, ‘it hurts.’

At that, scar face lets her go. Revealing the finger bruises, he’s left behind. The moment he does, Feno approaches her, ushering her out of the room before the rest could register what’s happened and Salem changes his mind about it. Down the hall, a few other adventurers are giving them strange glances after being drawn by the commotion, whispering in the background,

‘Was that guild leader Vaegil’s aura?’,

‘He hardly demonstrates it. I wonder who was he trying to intimidate.’ isn’t that going a bit too far?

Nana’s in tears, repeatedly apologizing,

‘I’m sorry. I really didn’t know. I’m sorry!’ whilst wiping them away with the back of her hands. With a sigh, Feno says,

‘Go back to your room and get some rest.’ he’s feeling a bit sorry for her, patting her on the back, he apologizes,

‘It’s my negligence that you are not aware of the rules. I’ll have someone to guide you later.’ she still in disbelief,

‘You aren’t going to punish me?’ turning around by the corner of a flight of stairs, gripping onto the railings. It’s like she’s needs positive reaffirmation before she even feels as though she’s allowed to be free.

‘Yeah. Just stay out of the way for now.’

‘Y-yes!’ she hurriedly agrees, running down it and disappearing into the lower floor. The moment he does, Feno turns over his shoulders after he’s being called out by another voice.

It’s rabbit and Algo, waving at him from the hall way after coming out of the conference room amongst the rest that’s busily scurrying away as if there’re things they have yet to get done,

‘It’s the light weight from yesterday!’ rabbit excitedly greets, introducing herself,

‘I’m Blanchette by the way. Blanchette Lune of the fourth division.’ skipping forward in her steps that bounces her red hood like a magic carpet. She almost reminds Lilith of a character from another children’s book she once saw. The one with the girl and the wolf in a forest, even the short black hair and tavern dress, hemmed at the knees, matches the descriptions.

She extends a hand,

‘You can call me Blanc.’

‘Feno-’ he introduces, taking it to give her a little shake, she interrupts, ‘yeah. I’ve already heard from Algo. Feno Ozris, the one that got the captain position by bedding Lanara.’ Algo must’ve drunkenly misunderstood the conversation Feno had with his squadron yesterday, so Feno tries to correct,

‘That’s not how it went!’ but Algo’s completely ignoring him to celebrate,

‘Way to go kid. You should’ve seen the look on Admiral Blitz’s face when we told him.’ that’s what freckles mentioned. The third admiral that’s holding a candle for Lanara, it’s scar face. No wonder he was so hostile to Feno just now. They’re dragging Feno down the stairs,

‘He was completely losing it. We had to hold him back from bashing your face in whilst you were still passed out on the table.’ Algo laughs heartily,

‘That’s one way to get promoted!’ ushering him towards the cafeteria where the squadrons are gathering for lunch, Blanc chimes in,

‘We’re going to be working together real soon. You know what this calls for?’ she’s manifested her Magia in the shape of cotton hands to pick food and plates down the buffet aisle that they’re passing. Piling them on top of a hovering cloud,

‘Bonding drinks!’ in unison. They’re both alcoholics. Overbearing ones at that too, as they help themselves to entire barrels before they reach an open table right at the end. Plopping the two wooden cannisters on each ledge, Blanc sets the dishes down whilst Feno’s being forced onto the seat by Algo’s heavy arm that’s still latched onto Feno’s shoulder. He looks completely puzzled by their enthusiasm, declining,

‘I can’t be drinking today. I need to address a few things with the squadron and-’ but they aren’t having it,

‘Well, you could at least eat, right?’ Blanc snaps at him, pushing him an entire plate of roasted chicken that she’s snatched off the sharing table,

‘I’ve heard from guild leader Vaegil, you haven’t had much since you came back so he’s tasking us to look after you.’ piling the myriad of dishes between them of soups, sliced ham, a whole wheel of cheese, grapes and roasted lamb thighs which Algo’s immediately grabs and sinks his teeth into, accompanying it with a swig of beer that he’s previously poured himself. Wiping the grease off his bearded mouth with the back of his hand, he pats Feno on the back,

‘Dig in. You won’t have a chance to once we get to the eastern lands.’ it jolts him forward a little bit with how roughly he’s hit him.

‘Yeah. It’s really rough ya know, going to a war zone. We won’t get to eat anything else but boiled potatoes and stale bread the entire time.’ it’s ironic because she’s plating him some potatoes and sour cream. Pushing the chicken aside, she’s shoving a loaf to the corner of the overfilled plate. It looks a tap away from falling right off. Then she retreats, meeting his gaze with glistering eyes, glossed as a ruby,

‘So, tell us! How did you do it?’ it’s pressurizing Feno into eating. Taking a small bite out of the potatoes, he asks,

‘Do what?’

‘Seduce Lanara. Obviously!’ she laughs, ‘Admiral Blitz’s been trying for years! And he’s gotten nothing but countless rejections.’

‘That’s because he has absolutely no intricacy when it comes to pursuing a woman.’ Algo belches, slamming the emptied mug onto the table.

‘As if a brute like you know anything about intricacy.’

‘I have a wife.’ he completely shuts down her argument, describing, ‘it’s all about the courtship. You can’t just grab a woman over your shoulder and assume that they’ll go along with your whims.’ being awfully specific as if it’s something that’s happened to him once,

‘You’ll just get tears and a slap if you did that.’ his wife had definitely slapped him at some point. Either that or he’s talking about scar face. But Blanc reaffirms with a sly smirk,

‘Sounds awful lot like personal experiences aye.’ yeah. Algo’s definitely talking about himself. Then she jests,

‘Although, I reckon if anyone tries to swing Lanara over the shoulder, they’re going to get falcon punched to the moon. She’s manlier than a man sometimes.’ she brings the conversation back to pressurize Feno again,

‘So? How did you do it?’ he’s choking on his food from the incessant questioning, wiping his lips with a napkin, he admits sheepishly,

‘I didn’t do anything, honestly.’ looking away and scratching at his cheek as if he’s trying to recall the incidences, but when he can’t, he admits with the most innocent face,

‘I suppose, I tagged along with her a lot.’ but it seems like Blanc’s understood something more from his gestures as compared to his words.

She’s drawing back, taking a huge gulp from her mug, before she breathes,

‘Ah... I see how it is. Lanara, you sly. You sly, sly, predator.’ snickering to herself,

‘Admiral Blitz never stood a chance with his pushy approach.’ but that’s just confused Feno to make a prying glance towards Algo, who’s returning him a massive shrug and a small mutter of,

‘Women.’ rolling his eyes. Algo isn’t catching Blanc’s train of thoughts either and choosing to take another hefty bite of the lamb. So instead, Feno brings himself to ask,

‘How’s Lanara like?’

‘You spent so much time with her and you don’t know what kind of a person she’s like?’

He corrects himself, being more specific,

‘When she was with all of you, before I joined the guild.’ the mentioning of that shudders them. It’s giving them bad memories. Nosily sipping from his mug, Algo says,

‘She didn’t have the best of reputations back then.’ and stops himself there as if he’s sparing Feno’s flowery image of Lanara. But Blanc’s a lot less tactful,

‘The demoness of Division five.’ she’s vengeful about it, ‘she was a complete tyrant! She beats you up just because you wanted to pick the same mission as her!’ from the face she’s making, that’s definitely happened to her. Her blabbering has made Algo agree too,

‘There isn’t a single division captain she hasn’t gotten into an altercation with. We’ve just tried to avoid her in the past, you’ve seen how she’s like when she goes all out. The guild hall won’t last. She’s even challenged vice guild Salem to fight her on a couple of occasions when he tried to cut her squadron’s spendings.’

Blanc adds,

‘She was also kicking members left and right. Anyone that she thinks would hinder her pursuit for division one. Could you imagine? Division five has the highest dropout rate at one point. No one wanted to go there! She was completely obsessed with rank and title.’ that’s rather in line with what Lanara’s told Feno. Blanc sighs,

‘But, for better or worst. She’s definitely changed after she’s came back alone from that S+ mission. It’s like she was possessed or something. She even apologized to me, the person she’s only spared disdainful gazes at because I was ranked lower than her then.’ she defends herself,

‘I was so surprised, ya know! I thought she was baiting me into a fight again! She’s gotten...’ she lifts her hands, as if she’s squeezing a mold between them, frowning like she’s in disbelief still,

‘All soft and kind afterwards, and willingly demoted herself so that she could help the troublesome guild members that’s got kicked out by the rest of us.’ she chuckles, ‘it’s hard to not forgive her after witnessing that. Ya know.’ but it’s strange because it just makes Feno lean against a palm and melancholically sigh,

‘I wish I could’ve seen that side of her.’ he doesn’t have a chance to anymore.

Algo’s telling him,

‘Trust me, you would not. If you even approach anywhere near her, she would’ve shoulder thrown you.’ that seems to make Blanc recall,

‘Oh yeah! And the only person she’ll let get close to her was guild leader Vaegil. She was awfully hostile towards vice guild Salem because he’s always tagging by him.’ that makes Feno curious,

‘Why’s that?’ she did call Vaegil by just the name. Algo shrugs,

‘Out of gratitude, probably. He was the one that invited her into Altyria.’ Blanc has a different perspective,

‘Or maybe she was enamored. Most girls are and even some of the guys.’ she’s saying with an idolizing giggle,

‘Looks aside, he was the one that took down the archfiend, Asmodeus.’ before hitting her hand repeatedly on the table to squeal,

‘It’s a crime. It’s such a crime. How can someone be so beautiful, have perfect abs, well-endowed, and be overpowered at the same time! God is unfair!’ she’s completely turned into a fan girl. If one thing’s for sure, Blanc’s definitely enchanted by him.

Feno doesn’t seem to know,

‘Vaegil’s that ancient?’ Asmodeus was the first to surface in the millenniums following Dal’gore’s demise that’s begin the dark ages of war against the sevenths.

‘Haven’t you heard? The battle of the sea monsters.’ Algo explains, ‘Altyria hasn’t even existed then. Vaegil Strauss was one of Atlantia Empire’s admirals. The guild created and passed down by the first adventurer himself.’ wiping his hands on the table cloth,

‘Rumors has it that his ancestors and the first adventurer were allies in taking down Dal’gore together. That was what formed the bridge between Sapiens and Mythicals to finally set aside their differences.’ they’re finishing up on the food. The plates nearly emptied out except for Feno’s who’s barely ate half the portion. He really has a small appetite compared to the other two, considering he’s already poking the chicken with his fork like he isn’t interested in taking another bite. Blanc composes herself,

‘Honestly, if there’s any positive in the whole Dal’gore situation is that it ended the territory wars between the Sapiens and Mythicals.’ pointing towards Algo and her,

‘It’s because of Dal’gore that we’re able to sit here in harmony.’

‘Yet he started another.’ Feno reminds, ‘you can’t stop destruction with more destruction.’

‘All living things fight to be on the top of the food chain.’ Algo’s emptying the barrel, ‘for all I know. I’d rather not be one of the bottom feeders who’s at the mercy of others above me.’ his statement’s made Blanc clutch her mug in agreement,

‘The crimson witch will have to die.’ the mood’s getting rather solemn, ‘for your wife, and your unborn child,’ bringing it up to clank it against Algo’s,

‘Let this not be our last drink, old friend.’ before raising it towards Feno, inviting him along. Feno accepts her offering, tapping against them,

‘To the death of the crimson witch.’ Algo says, to which they agree with a little, ‘aye.’ as they drain the cup.

It’s after lunch that Feno gathers his squadron in his office to inform them that they’re leaving tomorrow, telling them to prepare their last wills today. See their families if they have to. The word of it creates a heavy tension in the air. Few whispers are being exchanged, but none of them are saying much about the announcement. There’s a determination in their eyes, as if they understood, though unpleasant, it is something that must be done. Feno dismisses them afterwards. He’s instead spent the rest of the day traversing to the meadow where Elena lives.

It’s near evening when he finally reaches, she’s preparing dinner for the four children that are enthusiastically sitting around the table with their utensils in their drumming hands.

Elena brightens at the sight of him, telling him that she hadn’t expected him to be back this soon and invites him to stay for a home cooked meal. But he couldn’t return the gesture. Wordlessly standing by the doorframe for a few moments as if he’s searching for his courage. Before very difficultly, he brings himself to tell her the truth.

Lanara has died, they’re going to war. Bowing deeply, more akin he’s afraid to see her reaction to the news than it was a formality necessity. He’s anticipating to be yelled at. Anticipating to be accused. But instead, he hears a drawn-out sigh to make him lift his gaze. Elena’s lightly thudding the pot of stew against the table.

Her lips are trembling a little, with a deep inhale, she acknowledges,

‘This is the inevitable fate of all adventurers.’ before her voice starts to waver, and she says, ‘I just wished...’ wiping the tears puddling in her eyes,

‘She could’ve gone after me.’ it’s heartbreaking to hear her out of zest like this. The children are standing up to stabilize her, helping her find her footing as she stumbles two steps towards the kitchen counter. The little brown eye boy frowns at Feno. Warning him to leave them alone. To which, Feno only apologizes again as he scurries away. But before he’s able to descend down the meadow, Elena calls out to him from the door. She barely looks like she has the willpower to keep herself up, but she’s waving at him with a yellow handkerchief, touching the other hand by her heart. It’s a gesture to signify, return home safe. The other children too, are coming out one by one. Each of them, placing three fingers to their throats. This one mean, fight to your last breath. With that, he bows again before turning back for Athens.

There are many familiar faces on the way back to the guild hall. Adventurers dining in the restaurants with friends and families. It’s a dreary mood for how packed it is. Rumoring discussions of,

‘You don’t need to go with them. I heard some divisions are staying behind! Why can’t you stay too?’

‘Can’t someone else, do it? It’s the eastern land’s problem, not yours. Just stay.’ amidst adventurer complains of,

‘It’s my captain’s orders. I don’t have a choice.’ and, ‘I would stay if I could, dammit, my division transfer didn’t get approved!’ looks like not all of them are eager to throw away their lives like Feno’s squadron is. Whereas others understood the gravity of the situation,

‘The problem will be ours if we don’t do anything about her.’ a few are driven by monetary goals,

‘The payout will be huge. We can live cozily after I’m back!’ the general sentiment is mixed. But one thing resounds above all else. Their loved ones want them to live, and they want their loved ones to live. It’s tragic how a simple goal, can be so conflicting.

A few more shops down, Feno spots Blitz in the tavern. He’s buying a round of drinks for Fray, and hoodlum alongst other squadron members who don’t have anyone else to be with. Toasting it with the townsfolks who’re drinking there. Despite how unpopular Vaegil is, Blitz is well-liked. They’re praising him he’s one of the good guys that actually cares about them and wishing him well on the journey.

Passing him, Blitz makes eye contact, sticking his tongue out and flipping Feno off. That’s so petty. The guy’s intentionally not wanting to get along with Feno. But Feno ignores him and carries forward, towards the harbor, pirate is at the ships, he’s giving two small children wooden carved dolls and snow globe’s he’s taking out from a crate. Looking like trinkets, he’s bought from other territories on his previous missions. Are those his kids?

There are two women beside him. A blonde and a pregnant brunette conversing too far away and too softly to hear. Blanc and Algo comes through the guild portal. Hollering at pirate. His children are excited to see them, running towards Blanc who manifested little cotton rabbits and puppies to let the kids play with and chase around. The pregnant brunette's waving at Algo, waiting for him to join by her side before she hooks an arm around his. That must be his wife.

It’s then Blanc’s lieutenant shows up, a handsome white haired young man. In a rush out of the portal and towards the dock where they’re standing on, a bouquet in one hand and a letter in another that he pushes towards Blanc.

He’s confessing to her, but she’s just manifested her cotton cloud into a fist to knock him across the head, despite she’s furiously blushing, admonishing him for making a scene and embarrassing her. Although, she’s the one that’s loud enough to draw the prying eyes of passersby. That sight makes Feno snicker a little, spending a longing moment more to look at them, perhaps he’s reminded of the time he’s got rejected by Lanara. The two families are laughing at Blanc and white hair’s interactions.

But Feno’s not approaching to greet them, instead, he’s scanning his ring against the building’s entrance that leads into the portal room. It’s shoved between a fishmonger, and a café.

Returning to the guild. It’s oddly quiet now. Most of the members have gone home. Except for the few that remained behind to drink in the cafeteria. Through the gardens, he spots Vaegil outside his second-floor office. Salem’s letting him hold his waist, desperately backing into railings, crushing lips.

So, they’re together huh. No wonder Vaegil doesn’t respond to the advances of the female adventurers. But Salem’s noticed Feno with a side glance. Immediately, he snaps a clipboard over Vaegil to chop his head and pushes him away with a hand,

‘Get a grip.’ he breathily says, ‘we’re outdoors.’ it’s almost strange to see him so flustered, stoic as he normally is. His clothes are disheveled. Vaegil’s giving him a pitiful pout,

‘But I’m leaving tomorrow, won’t you miss me? I’m going to miss you.’ it takes another eye flick from Salem until he realizes they were seen so instead, he airily waves to greet Feno, winking slyly and putting a finger to his lips,

‘Don’t tell anyone, okay?’

Feno’s picking up his pace to give them privacy, ‘It isn’t in my intention to. Please carry on.’

Feno’s going around the back, towards the training grounds that a two of his squadron members who hasn’t gone home are practicing sparring. Demos is amidst them, yelling to the heavens that he’s gatta at least punch Luci once otherwise he won’t be satisfied. Despite the person he’s actually punching, is poor buzz cut that’s retreating around pillars blocking his assault with his forearms. They’re busy so they hadn’t seemed to notice him. Feno doesn’t call out to them either, going up the stairs. He’s took the long way route to Lanara’s office. Nana’s standing outside the closed door, fidgeting a little, looking like she’s waiting for him. So, he asks,

‘What are you doing here?’ as he approaches down the hall. The sound of his voice has startled her, but she spins around to say,

‘You said to wait in my room until someone comes and show me around... But everyone’s left. So, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do now.’ that statement makes him a guilty, slowing in his steps a little bit, he lets out a small apology,

‘Sorry, that completely slipped my mind.’ and lidding his eyes with a sigh, ‘why don’t you take the day off too. Spend some time with your family?’

‘I don’t...’ she’s hesitant to admit, ‘have a family.’

‘Wait.’ Feno’s now utterly confused, questioning himself if he’s misheard her in a drunken stupor, ‘I thought you said you wanted to fight for your Mama?’

‘Oh! Right. Mama is Mama, but Mama isn’t my family.’

He’s trying to put it together in his head, rubbing into his temples before he seemingly got it, ‘ah...’ Mama isn’t her biological mother. But he doesn’t say it, instead he rephrases, ‘why don’t you go see your Mama then?’

‘She’s busy right now.’ her eyes light up at the thought, ‘but, I’ll see Mama soon!’ in a quiet smile,

‘I can’t wait for Mama to praise me.’ she hums, to a point, it almost seems like an obsession the way she’s blushing and letting out a shaking breath. But she composes herself again, shaking the unconfident look back on her face. It’s making Feno rather concerned, raising an eyebrow,

‘What kind of person is your Mama?’ and gesturing with a head tilt implying he’ll walk her around the guild. She skips after him,

‘She’s the only one who’s willing to accept me for who I am.’ hugging into her book,

‘But not many people are willing to accept Mama.’ Nana must’ve really like her, considering she’s getting really garrulous talking about her,

‘So, she’s actually really lonely.’ her eyes are sparkling when she adds jubilantly, ‘that’s why, no matter what happens, I’ll always protect her. I’ll always remain by her side.’ they’re going down the stairs,

‘Even if she asks me to die. I will gladly lay down my life beneath her feet.’ is that how Nana’s found her own resolve too? Feno’s showing her the multiple wing houses across the gardens. A few adventurers are sharpening their tools in the armory. He says after a few moments of contemplation,

‘If your Mama loves you, she won’t ask you to die.’ he pauses a little, as if he was trying to find a better way to put it,

‘She’ll wish to keep you safe too, the same way you are wishing to keep her safe.’

But she reminds him with a small giggle,

‘It’s hard to promise in the situation we are right now.’

‘Right.’

There’s a few more moments of awkward silence as they swerve past the potionary, the crystalline bags have been emptied off the shelves and presumably loaded onto the ships. Alongst with other first aid supplies, so it’s mostly barren now except for the few less combat useful vials that are labelled with, ‘moon flower’ and ‘maple grass.’, shackled down with blue Magia chains. Killian’s warned her; the first is an aphrodisiac that’s able to make anyone pliant for a night, and the second clouds memories. So never drink it if anyone offers. Although, they’re outlawed to anyone outside of the Elite Ten so not many people can get their hands on it.

Pass it, round another garden towards the library, it’s then that Nana seemingly understood Feno’s misunderstanding and corrects him,

‘Did you think, I’m going to war because Mama asked me to die for her?’ judging from the way he’s tensed up a little. She’s got it right again. Can Nana actually read minds? Feno must’ve interpreted her words as, Nana’s getting exploited, admitting,

‘Yeah...’ he rubs into the back of his nape, ‘I didn’t know how to address it without sounding like I’m antagonizing your Mama.’ but she giggles, skipping with her steps,

‘Mama didn’t ask me to die.’ it’s the first time Nana’s displayed so much confidence and happiness,

‘She’s trying really hard to make her wish come true. That’s why, I’ll have to try my best too, to make Mama’s wish come true!’

‘And what is that wish?’

‘A world of kindness and forgiveness, where everyone’s able to live no matter who they are and what they did.’ her eyes are glistering when she whimsically sighs,

‘A world where destruction loses its meaning and becomes naught. So, I’m entirely choosing this on my own accord.’

‘That’s quite idealized.’ Feno laughs,

‘But won’t that be nice if that’s the case.’ stopping at the edge of the guild where the cliffs overhang the ocean. Outlooking into the sunset into the horizon that’s reflected vermillion against the waves and flocking seagulls,

‘That’s about all there is to see in the guild, aside from the dorms and offices. You can use the facilities at any given time, but the meeting rooms are off limits unless you’re called to. If you want to take anything from the potionary or library you’ll have to stamp your name into the official documents to unlock them.’

Nana’s running forward towards the ledge, there’s a bright smile on her face as twilight reflects off her pale gold eyes, like a glint of a coin in sharp light. She’s mesmerizing in the sight of it, as if it’s the first time she’s seen this and she’s awed by how beautiful this world can truly be. She takes a deep breath, inhaling the ocean air and a couple moments more to listen to the waves crashing against the rocky shores of Athens beneath them.

Then she turns to address Feno and asks, very hesitantly,

‘What about the relics chamber? There is one, right? Within Altyria.’ dragging herself back to reality. Beautiful as the scenery is, it’s just a transient, just as fragile. A fleeting dream, in a blink, it could all crumble to dust.

It piques his curiosity,

‘Why do you want to know?’

‘I overheard from your conference meeting,’ she admits half lidding her gaze, ‘about Beelzebub and how he’s sealed in a ring. That means he isn’t dead... is he’s still in Athens?’ hugging her book tighter,

‘I... don’t want this peace to ever disappear.’ her naivete must’ve touched Feno somehow, because he’s contemplating if he should answer her question,

‘You want to hear, he’s never going to be released, and he’s gone for good?’

She nods meekly at the statement, flickering her eyes upwards pitifully,

‘Is he?’

Feno shrugs, ‘for all I know, he’s locked deep beneath the memorial hall, along with the other cursed relics of war. Aside from guild leader Vaegil, no one’s able to access it.’

She’s taking a little backwards step now, muttering quietly, ‘I see...’ like she’s somehow dissatisfied with his answer. But she shakes her determination back on her face,

‘Thank you.’ she bows, ‘for showing me around.’ before she hastily excuses herself,

‘I won’t keep you for any longer. I should be going now, to get things ready for departure too.’ and turns on her heels to run the opposite direction. Her pigtails, whipping behind her like laces as Feno watches her depart with a confused look on his face.

That girl can be rather odd. But he isn’t staying long to ponder, instead, he’s returning for Lanara’s office. It’s getting late now; the skies have turned pitch black alongst with the guild that’s almost eerie with the lack of light and noise. In the whispering darkness, he opens Lanara’s drawer to reach for the single swan badge sitting in it. It's carved with the number six in roman numerals and the letter C next to it. Unpinning his own lieutenant badge, he hesitates a little. Momentarily taken back to when he’s received it. Momentarily lost in his memories when she was still here, standing beside him in this very office and handing him the role. Looking at the two metal trinkets side by side, Feno finally lets it go. Securing the captain’s badge onto himself before slumping into the chair. Dragging himself forward to fold his arms on the table top. He buries his face with a heavy sigh.